Lezard nods. "I can understand this. There are moments no one wishes to share, perhaps moments of no strategic importance, that are prized nonetheless for sentimental reasons, or to preserve one's pride."
The teakettle begins to whistle, and Lezard is quiet until it too is silenced, whereupon he resumes speaking.
"Of course, those are the moments that an intruder may find most seductive ... isn't it the locked door, or the door marked keep out, that captures interest immediately? I wonder if it might not be possible to arrange one's memories in such a way as to mislead an intruder toward just such trivialities, and away from what one wishes for tactical reasons to hide."
Severus pours the water into his teapot. The aroma of Lapsang Souchong rises on its steam.
At Lezard's reasoning, he smiles, pleased. His teeth show. "That is exactly what one should do. If one follows those tactics, one's task is to convince one's opponent that these would-be hidden things are valuable or interesting. One must divert them from their original expectations. If they are inclined to reason that what is closely guarded is most useful, they may be lured as you wish. Focussing on lesser things, perhaps emotional things, also places your more critical secrets to the back of your mind from whence it is more difficult to retrieve them. Often they may go undetected.
"But one does not leave one's memories permanently, or even temporarily in a penseive. I offer it and would use it for pride and because not all secrets - neither those that are personal, nor those that were once tactical, are wholly one's own. The pensieve is more a tool to aid study, and a guard of privacy, as one may show one's face but closes one's door while bathing." Severus is a private person. He respects Lezard, so he has offered it to him as well.
"I will think on this, Professor," Lezard promises. "I simply do not think it's a good idea to try this ... right this moment. Perhaps at our next meeting ..." He watches the steam rise.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:25 am (UTC)The teakettle begins to whistle, and Lezard is quiet until it too is silenced, whereupon he resumes speaking.
"Of course, those are the moments that an intruder may find most seductive ... isn't it the locked door, or the door marked keep out, that captures interest immediately? I wonder if it might not be possible to arrange one's memories in such a way as to mislead an intruder toward just such trivialities, and away from what one wishes for tactical reasons to hide."
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 07:14 am (UTC)At Lezard's reasoning, he smiles, pleased. His teeth show. "That is exactly what one should do. If one follows those tactics, one's task is to convince one's opponent that these would-be hidden things are valuable or interesting. One must divert them from their original expectations. If they are inclined to reason that what is closely guarded is most useful, they may be lured as you wish. Focussing on lesser things, perhaps emotional things, also places your more critical secrets to the back of your mind from whence it is more difficult to retrieve them. Often they may go undetected.
"But one does not leave one's memories permanently, or even temporarily in a penseive. I offer it and would use it for pride and because not all secrets - neither those that are personal, nor those that were once tactical, are wholly one's own. The pensieve is more a tool to aid study, and a guard of privacy, as one may show one's face but closes one's door while bathing." Severus is a private person. He respects Lezard, so he has offered it to him as well.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-15 09:28 pm (UTC)