Disclaimer: If you don't know now, don't bother to try to understand!
A/N: Anybody care about this story anymore? I'm silly; of course people care about it!
Wow…like, I added a couple pages to this without the lyrics and such! Dude, I totally rock!
Forget that which was Never Known
Crystal
Another school year was beginning. I almost didn't want to believe it and sometimes I couldn't believe it too. Remus had wished me luck as he saw me off on the train and had also warned me that he sensed something about this year, so he'd check up on me to make sure I was alright. I wondered what he sensed that would be very big.
"Hey, Crystal!" a familiar voice called out to me. I turned around to see Fred and George running up to catch up to me. I smiled to see familiar faces, this summer had been quite an adventure and getting back to this familiar school setting was nice, peaceful and it filled me with a sense of calm.
"Coming to the feast?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow. It was a stupid question, good food, lots of company, why would the two troublemakers miss it?
"Wouldn't miss it," Fred said.
"After all, it is a feast," George said.
"And we've never missed one of those," Fred said.
"We have some new items in our shop this year," George continued.
"A few should be of particular interest to you," Fred said, "We found some of them…" I knew Fred and George very well. I always bought stuff from their store, even beginning in my first year. I think they kinda figured out that I wasn't who I said I was, but I never brought it up and they never did either. They kinda protected me in my first few years and taught me a few nasty jinxes to protect myself too. They were actually my first true friends here when I arrived. I smiled, some of the trouble makings that they did I helped out on when I could, even more than when Lee Jordan tried to help.
"I can't wait! Is it the same place tonight so I can see, eh?" I asked as we headed into the great hall. The great hall, decorated as lavishly as it always was, candlelight over our heads while the ceiling was still enchanted to look like the lovely night sky. Of course, this sky changed its look and feel every so often, but at least it didn't snow or rain in the great hall, that would suck.
"A few of the items we have dad was about to throw away, but we thought you'd have some interest in them," George said. "We got those years ago though."
"That and the fact we had interest in them too," Fred added. "And now we think the time has come to reveal them!" They both looked so proud of themselves I almost wanted to laugh at them; they were so full of it! The funniest fact was they knew they were full of it and made sure everyone knew it even if no one cared. I admired them in a lot of ways, always the cheerful pick-me-up kind of people you wanted to have around.
"We looked at them," George said, "The ones we could get open anyways!" I didn't understand what they meant by that, but I nodded anyways, pretending I did.
"Hey, is it true you two only got three owls?" I asked as we sat down.
"Between the two of us or each of us individually?" George asked, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"Your pick I guess," I said with a laugh. These two reminded me of Sirius and James, who Remus had told me a lot about when we were at his place over the summer. He had so many stories about the two it almost wasn't funny, but it was, a lot of the stories were.
"Well, for each of us, we only got three apiece. A shame though," George said.
"Mum was furious!" Fred finished and then they laughed.
"Why didn't you two get more?" I asked.
"Because it isn't important to us, we just…" Fred began.
"Want to do other things with our lives instead of sit behind desks. Our dream is to open a joke shop!" George finished. That was a good goal, at least as good as any I had heard before, and it seemed doable, at least with these two clowns. A joke shop would suit them quite nicely. I smiled and sat down, hoping we'd get to eat soon. I couldn't wait. I was hoping there'd be something really good in the shop this year, and by the grins on the twin's faces, these items would be really interesting.
Remus
I sincerely hoped this year didn't bring disaster. I knew something was going to happen, and there was a brief moment I wished that she would never gain her memory and have it return to her. I knew how she would be afterwards, depressed, locked in sadness over the loss of her best and closest friend, and even more so because I knew she would be forbidden possibly be Dumbledore or someone else to tell Severus that she had returned. I knew why he couldn't be told, not yet anyways. To Severus, she had been dead for almost 14 years. And it still killed him every day to think of her, that much I knew. It was painful for him even though the memories weren't. The memories, at least most of them, were filled with so much love even I couldn't believe them sometimes as Cat had told them to me. She told me a lot. Severus just wouldn't understand it yet, and it would kill Cat to know that, to know that she had returned to him and couldn't tell him. It was complicated, that he knew and I can't bear the thought she wouldn't be able to tell her one and only love she had returned to him.
Would Severus even be able to understand the promise that she gave him, to return to his side no matter how long it took? This was too complicated even for me sometimes. I didn't know what would happen when she could finally remember and finally tell him. I just couldn't look that far ahead. I sighed; life wasn't that easy, was it? I had to keep guessing though; I knew one of my reasons would turn out to be the right one.
Crystal
"The Triwizard tournament begins again, after 50 years have now passed. I know I am eligible by age, but I probably shouldn't enter as that could cause problems," I said slowly, "Why the hell should I be bothered by some friggen tournament?" I was angrier at the fact they had canceled Quidditch for it. I would have loved watching Fred and George play with the rest of the team, but alas, it just wasn't going to be that easy now, was it?
"Maybe because we want to enter and you just want to beat us out!" Fred said. This annoyed me, but not as much as I thought it would. I paused in my step and regarded the door in front of me. Oh, I didn't realize I had already arrived at Fred and George's Shop!
"Anyways, come to look at our wears?" George asked and I nodded and he sort of pulled me inside of the bathroom. The bathroom had been their base of operations since their first year, or at least that's what they told me. They have so many things here, most they collect and enchant over the summer to sell here during the year. They even have sweets and stuff they sell to first and second years who can't go to Hogsmeade. Business boomed for them, even some Slytherins were said to make appearances in their store, although Fred and George never really sold to them.
"As you can see we have restocked on all of our favorite items. Care to resupply before we show you the good stuff?" Fred asked.
"No thank you. I might not have enough if I stock up first," I said politely, cocking an eyebrow at them. Stocking up implied a number of things. I needed more stink pellets and dung bombs, as well as more candy and caffeine for the long nights of studying, vague attempts to finish homework the night before and for when I had a good book I just couldn't put down.
"I'm sure you have enough. You always do, but if you'd rather get the good stuff first," Fred began, a knowing smile upon his lips.
"We'll save the other stuff for last," George said, "Right this way Crystal!" George led me to a small table, guiding me there by taking my hand. I sat down on a box and waited to see what they really wanted to show me. It seemed important to them, even if it might not be to me. I decided to hear them out, they had good stuff, and my curiosity was peaked just enough to wonder what it is they thought I might want.
"We thought you should see these first, or else we might get the urge to sell them to whomever wanted to purchase these wares. The first item is a sketch book!" Fred said and George handed it over to me. I sat down and looked in the sketch book.
(Flash)
"So, what's this book for?" Severus asked, digging into my pack and pulling out a small sketchbook, with its white slightly torn cover and metal bindings having seen better days.
"Who said you could look through my stuff?" I asked angrily.
"No one, so, what's this for?" he pressed.
"It's my sketchbook! My friends shake over it and then we're friends for life!" I said with a grin and snatched it and my pack out of his hands.
"That sounds really stupid!" Severus said and I stuck out my tongue out at him.
"It's not! It means a lot to me!" I said and then thought for a moment, "Do you wanna shake over it Sev?"
"Don't call me SEV!" he yelled at me, "I just met you and I think you are so annoying!"
"I'm sorry…" I said, "Can we still please shake? I wanna have a lot of people shake over this book; I really hope I can fill it up!"
"Fine," he muttered, "If only to get you to shut up!" I opened the sketchbook to a blank page and offered my hand to Severus.
"Just shake my hand over this page," I said and he offered his hand cautiously. I shook it and the page began to fill with images. There was an image of our hands as they were being shaken and a picture of Severus was being placed in the top right corner, followed by his signature at the bottom.
"Whoa," Severus said, "It did all that just with a small handshake?"
"Yep, you and I are now officially friends!" I said.
(Flash)
"Well, what do you think?" George asked with a look on his face.
"Where'd you get this?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I paged through it, seeing various sketches and names and other things on its worn pages. It was still in good condition, but I could tell it had been used a lot, and how many times it had been looked at and paged through, I could only guess.
"Actually, I believe we nicked it from a teacher," Fred said.
"No we didn't. Professor Lupin gave it to us, didn't he?" George asked, a look of puzzlement crossing his eyes.
"We nicked it," Fred said with certainty.
"Well, then this wasn't the item from Lupin now, was it?" George asked.
"Are you two going to keep fighting?" I asked peevishly.
"Hello all!" a more than friendly voice said, echoing from the dingy bathroom walls. I looked up from the sketchbook to see three figures standing some distance away.
"Ah, there are no surprises here, if it isn't the famous trio. Sorry Crystal, but we'll tend to them first…" Fred said with a grin. "Then we'll get back to you."
"Yeah, the sooner we tend to them the sooner we can get back to you," George said with a wink walking over to the trio, "Let me guess, Hermione, new spell books, Ron, some more Dungbombs and stink pellets, eh? Harry?" He nudged Harry in a teasing way and Harry smiled sadly and shook his head.
"Nothing today," Harry said and then noticed me as George led Hermione off to a pile of books and Ron went to examine the Dungbomb supply. He walked over to me, a look of surprise having passed over his face when he had noticed me before.
…
"Hello Harry," I said and set down the sketchbook onto the table next to me. Harry sat down on a box nearby. He drew his legs up and sat cross legged, leaning his arm on one of the boxes and looked over at me.
"Shopping here too?" he asked me. "Restocking or getting something new?"
"Fred and George said they had some stuff they wanted me to be the first to see," I explained. "But I'm also getting a fresh supply of what I'll need for the coming year, candy, Dungbombs, the like. So I guess you could say I'm doing both, restocking and getting something new."
"They do have a knack for that, don't they?" Harry said with a half laugh. "It wouldn't surprise me to hear what they found in one place or another. I'm rather peculiar to some of the things they find on occasion myself, I must admit that, it's a little fault I guess, but then, who doesn't love their shop?"
"What do you think about the triwizard tournament this year?" I asked, pretending to examine the floor.
"I think it'll be brilliant," he said, "So long as no one dies of course…"
"Ha, they're too cautious now," I said, but somehow my voice sounded like it had a twinge of guilt in it, almost like I knew that something was going to happen.
"Yeah…" Harry said and looked over at Ron, "So, how many are you getting?"
"More than I need," Ron said with a grin.
"I found it!" Hermione cried triumphantly, "I've been looking for this spell book all summer!"
"Well, that's good 'Mione. Let's get our stuff and head back to the common room," Ron said, bringing out his oh so special dung bomb bag.
"Ready to go Harry?" Hermione asked coming up to us, still holding onto her book, "Oh, hello Crystal! I should've said that earlier, sorry, forgot…"
"That's okay. I'll see you all later then, right?" I asked and Harry stood with a grin.
"Yep, we'll talk to you later. Good luck with your purchases!" he said and Ron and Hermione paid for their things and the three exited the bathroom.
"We thought it be best to get rid of them before we continued," Fred said and had George put another item into my lap. It was a necklace that had a unique looking pendant attached to it. The pendant was a teardrop shape and I saw water in it, and then the colors shifted to look like fire…
"It's so beautiful…" I said, staring into its depths.
"I don't know where we found this one. It'll be 500 Bertie bots beans…" George said, "And we'll even wrap it up for you!" I bought it even before I could have had time to think. Fred set to wrapping it while George brought out another item. This one was a black dress, almost gothic, coming with a silver cross and everything.
"We actually got this one from Dumbledore…He gave it to us last year and said someone might want it. We thought you'd like it," George said.
…
"And that item and the sketchbook are the two with the special price," Fred said, coming over to hand me the wrapped pendant.
"And here I thought you had more than just three items for me," I said jokingly.
"Well, we don't. Do you want to hear our price or not?" George asked, "We could always…"
"Sell it to someone else," Fred finished for him.
"What's the price?" I asked cautiously and both the twins sat down on either side of me.
"We've heard a
rumor, a very small rumor one that says you're not who you appear to be," Fred
said, "The fact that…"
"You're older than you seem and
you're actually supposed to be dead," George said.
"Whatever do you mean?" I asked defensively, "Who told you such rumors?"
"We overheard something in the teacher's lounge. It was a conversation between McGonagall and Dumbledore," Fred said.
"Why do you want to know?" I asked, and then I chided myself, I pretty much just gave away I knew something, didn't I?
"You see, there's a story amidst the students that someone named Katherine Anne Forest was unable to be killed by the killing curse, and she was someone you-know-who truly feared. The way she died was by protecting someone she loved," Fred said.
"Who happened to be Severus Snape. Actually, that would explain a lot about why he's just an arse to all of the students," George said.
"And also explain why he's so cruel," Fred said, "Especially to Gryffindors."
"Isn't that just being byast?" I asked.
"No, you see, Miss Forest was a Gryffindor. He can't bear us because some of us, probably namely Harry remind him of her," Fred said.
"But I don't think he's trying to forget her though…We had detention with him once," George said.
"And we saw a picture on his desk of him and Miss Forest. Or should I have to say Forest/Snape. They were married, it was a wedding picture. She was right pretty too," Fred said.
"And she looked exactly like you," George finished for Fred.
(Flash)
"Do you Severus Ignacious Snape take this woman, Katherine Anne Forest, to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, through good times and in bad times, until death do you part?" the priest asked.
"I do, even past death," Severus said and I stared into his face, which shone of love. Lily smiled behind me, I couldn't have been happier.
"And do you, Katherine Anne Forest, take this man, Severus Ignacious Snape, to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, through good times and in bad times, until death do you part?" the priest asked.
"I do, beyond that too…" I said and Severus looked happier than the day I said yes to when he proposed to me.
"By the powers vested in me…"
(Flash)
(Holding My Last Breath Reprise)
A sword of some sort shot out,
and time seemed to slow.
"Missed me!"
I said.
"Who said I was aiming for
you?" he asked, and I looked at the sword as it was being hurtled towards
SEVERUS! I ran to intercept it.
…
I ran right in front of the blade
…
It struck me in the stomach, and I began to fall to the ground
…
"NOOO!" Severus cried, and
Voldemort laughed and left me to die, left the school grounds. Severus came and
engulfed me in his arms. They were warm, and I felt cold.
"Severus? Are you there?" I
asked as my sight faded.
…
"I'm here my love," he
murmured, and pressed his forehead up against mine.
"Goodbye love," I whispered as
he gripped my hand.
…
"You can't die!" Lily cried as
she rushed forward with everyone else.
"Please don't fear this.
It's... okay... I'm... ready... I die... how I... want to die... Severus, I
love you..." I said as I faded in and out of reality and time...
…
I could hear him call my name
and then I could hear everyone's and sense their tears, I felt Severus's on my
face. My breaths missed beats, and I grew colder and colder. I coughed up
blood.
"Severus, I'm sorry," I
murmured and I felt no more...
(End reprise)
(Flash)
Tears fell from my cheeks and hit the ground below me. I couldn't hold them back, I couldn't fight them and they came, warm and wet and leaked from my eyes.
"Crystal?" Fred asked with a worried note in his voice, "Are you okay?"
"I am…I'm her…Dumbledore said I was…and so did Remus and Sirius…" I said, "They're marauders, so am I… That's what Remus told me."
"Crystal, its okay…" George said, and I didn't know if they were even paying attention to me and what I was saying, just to the tears I was now shedding. Even thought he believed me dead, Severus still loved me and wouldn't love another…ever…
"I keep getting these flashbacks and I know they must be of who I used to be. I came back to life and I didn't remember who I was, save for flashbacks and… and… what people tell me," I said and wiped my eyes, "Dumbledore wouldn't allow anyone to tell Severus I had returned, partially because it would wound him more to know I didn't remember, and I still don't! I can't tell if these memories are mine or if they are someone else!" By this time Fred and taken me into his arms, trying to comfort me.
"So you are her…" George said.
"And you don't remember? Bugger, that's rotten luck," Fred said.
"We'll keep your secret, its safe…" George said.
"If Dumbledore thinks it best to keep you safe," Fred began.
"By letting only a choice few know your true identity," George continued.
"Then it's a secret we'll keep to ourselves as well," Fred said. I pulled myself out of Fred's embrace and wiped the tears from my eyes, willing myself to stop crying.
"That's love for you…" George said, "She still loves him Fred, even without her memory, and Snape still loves her…"
"Here's our bargain then, the sketchbook and dress are yours," Fred said, trying to change the subject and to cheer me up, "I think you'll look good in this one, although I suspect the dress robe you got for this year will be prettier on you, although I can't say this dress would be bad for you either…"
"Thanks…" I said, calming myself down with deep breaths.
"We'll keep your secret safe. If we hear anything too," Fred began.
"We'll let you know. If you need our help," George said.
"We'll be there in a second, okay?" Fred said.
"The Marauder's Pact?" I asked, forcing myself to meet Fred's gaze.
"We consider ourselves as such; I mean we're now the top trouble making force for Hogwarts, right?" George asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"We're sure it's not the exact pact," Fred said.
"But it'll do for now. Maybe we can get Lupin to tell us the real thing later," George suggested. "Yeah, that's what we'll do. I promise."
"But there are 3 marauders at Hogwarts now, one part of the originals and two that are new to it, but ready for the challenge…" Fred said.
"That sounds super cheesy," I said, grinning. It was, they both knew it was how could they not?
"Super cheesy or not, we'll hold ourselves to our promise," George said.
"I wouldn't want to cross you," Fred said, smiling back, "Now… I think its time we all headed off to bed, it's really getting late…"
…
I arrived in the dorm and plopped myself down on my bed, lighting my wand and looking though the sketchbook.
…
Pages after pages of beautiful sketches, and the handshakes and friends listed in-between on pages of their own. Each picture drew me in; each one seemed to tell a story. There was no movement in most of them, but each one seemed to speak to me in so many ways, memories I didn't remember were here, here a history seemed to exist, one that was foreign to me and yet common all the same.
Flash
"Cat, why'd you do it? Why'd you have me shake over the sketchbook?"
"Because I wanted you as a friend Severus," I said, "Why wouldn't I do it? You could have said no too you realize."
"I've hurt you, hurt you so many times and here you still want to be my friend!" He looked hurt, about ready to cry and I wanted to hold him and take those tears away, but I held back.
"I always wanted to be your friend, from the moment I met you."
"Is that why you never tell on me? You could get me into so much trouble, and
Dumbledore knows it! He knows what I do
and what I've done, but he won't do anything, because you don't say anything."
"I don't tell because I won't tell
on a friend, no matter what," I whispered.
"That's so stupid of you!" he exclaimed. "I
keep on hurting you and will probably keep on hurting you so you better start
realizing that you will have to tell on me.
Tear that stupid page out of your sketchbook."
"You really can't mean that!"
"I do," he said and turned away from me. Tears welled up in my eyes. I had only done the things I did…I didn't tell on him because I couldn't. I didn't think he deserved to suffer at all; I was the only one who did. I should suffer and no one else.
"I won't," I said.
"Yet I'll still keep on hurting you," he said and walked away, the cold tone of his voice making me shudder.
Flash
"Cat…why?" he asked as we sat on top of the astronomy tower.
"Why what?" I asked in return.
"Why didn't you tear out the page? Why didn't you…I mean, why couldn't you accept it?"
"If I had, we wouldn't be here, talking," I said.
"I know that, but I still don't get it!" he exclaimed, "I keep hurting you!"
"It doesn't hurt much anymore; you don't do it so much anymore. I don't mind, I'm used to it," I said. "Don't you see it yet? You're changing, you finally have a friend who wants to be your friend and now you're changing for the better."
Severus grabbed onto me and pulled me
close to him, I heard a sob escape his lips and he held me close. "Merlin, I
never thought…I mean, why? Why did it
have to be you? Why did you have to be
the one?"
"Would you have preferred someone
else?"
"No, I mean, well, no I wouldn't have wanted anyone else. Merlin Cat, please, don't stop being my friend, I promise I won't try to hurt you anymore." I heard him crying. "Please don't leave me."
"I won't. We'll be friends forever, you'll see," I said with a smile. Inside me though, I knew it might be something more…something much deeper.
Flash
I saw Peter Pettigrew's page, stained with red. Remus told me he had betrayed the Potters, both Lily and James to Voldemort. I couldn't cry though about that, I didn't know how much of a part I played in that.
…
I found Severus's page and I ran my hand over it, and fresh tears welled up in my eyes but I choked them back. His face was there, as handsome as it ever was. His signature also was there, there in the corner, neat and readable and loveable. It was all there, everything that had been there before.
…
I loved him even though I didn't remember him in that way that was what the twins said, right? I loved him…no I love him, no past tense…no past tense could be used for that…No words other than that could fit this. They were so simple, so elegant. They were the words everyone wanted to hear in their lifetime, at some point in their lifetime. I love him…those words meant so much to me.
…
Did he use it in the past tense? He might not even know that he did that, because I was dead to him, wasn't I? Does he really think I'm dead? Does he think, does he believe I would ever come back to him?
…
"Severus…" I murmured, some part of me hoping, praying he would hear me and respond to me. The cold wind blew around me but I didn't care. It felt wonderful, a cold, cleansing wind seemed to be just what I needed, just what I wanted.
…
"Do you still really love me, even after all this time?" I asked, and felt some wind blow upon my head. I looked over and saw an open window. It was a little chilly, so I went to close it, leaving the sketchbook upon my bed.
…
I saw something on one of the towers. It was a man! I got out my telescope, hoping I could see better with it and focused in on the person on the tower. It was Severus! He was looking up at the sky, as if he was waiting for something.
"I still love you…" his voice seemed to whisper upon the wind and I heard it perfectly.
"And I love you…" I murmured and watch him stiffen slightly, as if he had heard me too. I wanted him to hear me; I wanted him to know I was there, still with him, even if he thought I was a ghost, a spirit of the night, an angel watching over his shoulder.
…
I shut the window and sat back down on the bed. I wanted my memories…I wanted them back so I could go to him, so I could go to him and neither of us would be lonely again…
TBC
A/N: Okay, maybe this is my proudest chapter. Someone tell me it's good! I really wanna have someone tell me I did a really good job on this chapter, it took me so long to write and all that!
