Wide Awake In Dreamland

Kereston joined them for the mental shielding lesson at Grindelwald's request. A Minister should be well protected, after all, and the small blonde girl apparently agreed, for she seemed very eager for the lesson. Once everyone had downed their energy potion, Romeo began his instruction on building up mental wards to keep anyone out of a person's mind.

"This isn't about Legilimency or Occlumency, though being skilled in those forms of mind magic should make you stronger. Being able to read or block someone else from reading your thoughts isn't the same as protecting yourself from having someone work other forms of magic on your mind that alter your own thoughts or perception," Valdez began.

"Our deflecting shields would have been able to prevent the typical attacks, such as one based on Occlumency, for example, so I understand what you mean," Gellert told him.

Romeo nodded, giving the blonde German a brief, appreciative smile. "The sort of magic they use doesn't need a wand in most cases, and so it wouldn't be directly seen or recognized as a spell as we know it. A mental attack of this or similar forms can be emotional in nature or as with Bellatrix and Blaise, involving many of the senses to change one's mental awareness and perception.

"So when you think of blocking this sort of attack, you can't think with spells either. You think with a form of wandless magic that is a bit more abstract, but in some ways easier and stronger. You imagine stone walls around your mind, built from the inside out. If you prefer another material, something that you feel is more solid than stone, use that.

"Hell, if you feel you could make parchment strong enough to hold, and that's what feels right to your mind, form walls of parchment around your mind. This is literally whatever works best for each person because it is you who will be holding these walls in place. Just make sure to do it from the inside out rather than trying to build it from the outside in, as that can leave more cracks through which an attacker can break."

Romeo paused and when no one asked a question he went on. "I will have you all begin by building your mental walls, and then I will examine each and try to break through them. I will give pointers to each of you as it is required, then we will add another layer of a different sort that forms an attack against those who will try to break your shields. After that, I will hand it over to Albus."

Everyone silently got to work on their shields. Bellatrix decided to make hers from glass so that she'd be able to see anyone coming. A very strong glass that could not be shattered, though. When Romeo approached, he studied her then nodded, passing to Rodolphus, then Rabastan without a word. Idly, she wondered what the other two Lestranges had used to make their shields and made a mental note to ask them later.

Romeo moved around the room speaking to the Aurors, quietly advising some on how to adjust their shields. When he got to Blaise he frowned. "You aren't confident enough. It shows. I can push your shields. Come on, give me that confident bloke who gives less than a fuck about anything. " Romeo encouraged.

Zabini attempted and failed to smile. "It's knowing what she can do that has me more doubtful in my abilities than is wise," he admitted. He was obviously uncomfortable with anything that engendered such emotions.

It was interesting to see him acting a bit more than bland, Bellatrix noted, though not completely without sympathy. Unpleasant feelings were no fun, especially when there did not seem to be a way to immediately fix them. Feelings inspired by having one's head mucked with were even worse.

The thought caused her hands to ball into fists, bunching themselves in the fabric of her skirt. The warm pressure of Rod's hand rubbing her back made her sigh and lean against him. He was alright, and Delphini couldn't get to him, she silently reminded herself. They were learning what they needed to keep her from getting into their heads. She only hoped these lessons would be good enough to keep Voldemort out as well, because he was very good at getting into people's heads. He used spells, though, and this was different. Hopefully these shields would hold him back.

Once Romeo had run the circuit of the room, he was ready to begin instructing them on the next layer of the shield. Bellatrix took this to mean that he was pleased with the adjustments everyone had made to his constructive criticisms.

"We are ready to begin the next layer. This is the layer an enemy will encounter first. It will hopefully harm and weaken them, and if it does not, at least breaking through it will tire them, making the true shield even more of a challenge. Again, this isn't so much a spell as raw magic from your mind and imagination. In truth, this is all typical spell magic as well, but spells are more structured so you have more of a guiding process that does not have to come from you. This is all you, your will, and your creativity."

Romeo paused, allowing everyone to consider that before continuing. Bellatrix felt surprisingly eager to learn this, to use her will and imagination as it was what she most enjoyed. Working magic from her feelings was far more freeing and made it even stronger. She nearly smiled to see a similar eagerness on Grindelwald's face.

"Imagine a wall of thorns all around your initial shield," Romeo instructed. "Imagine now that those thorns will pierce anyone attempting to pass, and when it pierces them, it will drain them of their own magic and energy. This action should repel them and cause them to back off because no one wants to hang about and be drained," he said with a slight smile.

Bellatrix closed her eyes, placing all her focus inward and into the mental shield of energy draining thorns that she constructed around her glass shield. She did not open her eyes until she felt the thorns were real, activated, and doing their job in her mind. When she opened her eyes, she nearly felt dizzy for a moment. Though this form of magic was a matter of envisioning rather than direct spell casting, she felt it was, in a way, even more draining. Perhaps it was simply a matter of practicing more, though. Learning a new branch of magic would feel more draining until the mind became familiar with it, then when used enough it could be second nature.

Romeo began circling the room then, checking on everyone's progress. This time he stood in front of Zabini for quite some time, obviously struggling to break through his shields. Rather than speaking when he was done, Valdez merely gave a satisfied smile and nod, before turning his attention to Grindelwald, who, as always, stood close at Zabini's side. Something in Grindelwald's shields made him chuckle, but he nodded and moved on to the Auror to Grindelwald's other side, obviously satisfied with whatever the blonde German had done.

When he reached the Lestranges, he only paused briefly at each, nodding at what he saw. He didn't seem surprised that they were good at this, and that was a pleasing testament to their skills. They were the Lestranges, and they had it, Bellatrix thought with a pleased grin at her husband.

Rodolphus grinned back and slipped an arm around her waist. "You've all done very well," Romeo said with a warm smile. "I shouldn't be surprised, though, because Aurors and Shadow Ops Operatives had better be badass, am I right?"

"I hope you are," Greg, the Auror who had brought Grindelwald to them rather than one of the Healers the old Ministry dealt with, quipped and Romeo chuckled.

"Now I give the floor to Albus." The Head Auror stepped back to join everyone else, and Albus Dumbledore stepped forward.

"When casting this shield, it is also done with your imagination," he began. "It is done with your will power as well, but in this case more along the lines of a mental suggestion to yourself. You tell yourself that no one will get into your dreams, and they shall be safe. Even if you place this shield when you are about to come to work, rather than when you lie down for bed, your mind will still interpret it properly. Your mind will recognize this form of attack as a dream attack because you have given your mind the dream association, and now it knows what to look for."

The old, white haired Headmaster chuckled. "Your mind, your subconscious, is truly brilliant. It recalls much that you do not. Trust it, and it will take care of you if you give it the proper commands."

"But what form should the shield take," an Auror asked.

Albus smiled. "No form at all. It is a thought form, an action you have told your mind to perform. If your mind, in turn, chooses to place some sort of shield to carry out this command, a dream catcher shield or something of the like, that is fine so long as that shield holds and understands the command. No shield shape is required to perform this shielding action, though." After pausing to see if there would be more questions he said, "Why don't you all try it now? You should feel a certainty in your mind that it is done, and that it will work if you have performed it properly. If you have trouble reaching that feeling after two minutes of attempting my instructions let me know. You may begin now."

He drew out a pocket watch and after two minutes had passed, he addressed them again. "Is everyone satisfied?" They all nodded, except the few Acromantulas who simply spoke their 'yes' aloud as nodding was a bit trickier for them.

Albus smiled. "Good. I want you to perform this twice daily. Once when you are lying down to sleep, and once when you are getting out of bed in the morning. If it is working properly you will recall your dreams less until your mind adjusts to the shield. Then you will simply have far fewer nightmares." He smiled. "You see, the shield can even protect you from yourself."

"Sweet," Rabastan muttered. "Cause Azkaban and all." Bellatrix gave a small shudder. Yes, Azkaban had been a breeding ground for nightmares, and those memories were hard to forget even now. Being free for twenty years meant that the nightmares that had one sitting up in bed and screaming were few and far between, sometimes even years apart, but they still happened. She definitely looked forward to seeing how the shield worked on her dreams tonight.

"I would like the shield layers I trained you all in today to be applied twice daily as well, at the same time as the dream shield," Romeo said. "Though all of you applied them properly, keeping the shields strong against attacks means being consistent, so stay shielded all the time. Shielding twice a day will ensure that the shields grow stronger through constant practice," he told them gravely. "Now it's been a long day, and you've all done splendidly. Go home."