Occlumency
Severus constantly used Occlumency throughout his day so that no emotion showed through his face and eyes.
It had become a vital self-defense to get through his days after years of abuse and bullying during the years when he was a child and a young teenager.
I think on evenings when he felt most tired and vulnerable he would lower his mental shields.
Perhaps also as a form of self-punishment, because when he let his emotions take over all his remorse would resurface with a death grip.
I would have liked that in those moments of extreme fragility there would have been someone there to comfort him, to shake his hand or simply hug him to tell him that it was all right and that he was not alone.
Unfortunately, I don't think any of that ever happened....
He must have been alone in the his private rooms or in his office drowning all that pain in alcohol until he fell asleep exhausted with his face wet with his tears....
I equate occlumency to dissociation.
His need to detach himself from his past and present to protect himself and survive against Voldemort, is heartbreaking. He isolated himself for self-preservation and duty.
His mind was his literal shield.
How and where do you think Severus learned Occlumency?
In canon, we only know Dumbledore and Voldemort as other Occlumens, so I guess it's reasonable to think that he learned from one of them but I can also imagine him teaching himself as a defensive skill to overcome his chronic depression.
I headcanon that Severus learned it from Dumbledore when it was decided Severus was to become a double agent/the moment Severus swapped sides.
I figured Severus to have a natural affinity for the mind arts, so he learned quickly. Well, he would have had to.
Against the most powerful Legilimens, it was literally life or death if he couldn't master it. Perhaps Dumbledore may have been brutal in his teachings for him to learn faster, who knows?
Yes, I think so too, @sanctuaryangel Severus may have learned Occlumency when he became a spy.
Although I think he was already prone and predisposed to closed-mindedness, including feelings.
Quote from Giorgia on June 13, 2023, 3:34 amYes, I think so too, @sanctuaryangel Severus may have learned Occlumency when he became a spy.
Although I think he was already prone and predisposed to closed-mindedness, including feelings.
Oh, he 100% had a natural ability, because of his experience in his upbringing creating the ideal circumstances for him to master it. Dumbledore probably tapped into that, and saw it as a good opportunity.
I am of believe that he mastered it himself without any tutelage. He was extremely private individual and he definitely didn't want Dumbledore poking around in his head.
My headcanon is that he got started on Occulomency and Legilimency after SWM because by then, he saw emotional outbursts as weakness as he told Harry during Occulomency lessons. He had sufficient practice while protecting himself against Voldemort's obligatory Legilimens checks on his followers. His disassociation worked for his advantage because Voldemort saw his memories but without attaching emotional importance as well as Voldemort's own lack of understanding of love, he escaped scrutiny by Voldemort.
Quote from Naaga on June 13, 2023, 5:02 amI am of believe that he mastered it himself without any tutelage. He was extremely private individual and he definitely didn't want Dumbledore poking around in his head.
My headcanon is that he got started on Occulomency and Legilimency after SWM because by then, he saw emotional outbursts as weakness as he told Harry during Occulomency lessons. He had sufficient practice while protecting himself against Voldemort's obligatory Legilimens checks on his followers. His disassociation worked for his advantage because Voldemort saw his memories but without attaching emotional importance as well as Voldemort's own lack of understanding of love, he escaped scrutiny by Voldemort.
Exactly💚 lack of understanding of such a powerful power as love for Voldemort was his greatest weakness!
Because of this, along with Severus' great mastery of Occlumency, I never understood his heart and thus the "possible" reasons why he could betray him.
And he did 😏
