Year of Discovery- The Mentor awakes... but what of the Student?
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"Look—a scar—it's appearing!" Neville Longbottom whispered as everyone hurried over to Harry's bed.
True enough, the lightning bolt shaped scar was slowly returning to Harry's forehead. Looks of shock appeared onto every face—except Ginny, who already knew that it was Harry. Ron had a look of anger on his face as realization soon replaced it.
"He lied to me. He bloody lied to me! Then he oblivated me! That son of a—"
"Silencio!" Ginny hissed as Ron lost his voice.
"Miss Weasley—" Madame Promfrey began, but a look from Dumbledore told her to stop.
"Poppy, what is his status?" Albus asked as Poppy sighed.
"I—I don't know. There's some sort of shield around him preventing me from checking." The school nurse explained as a soft moan was heard from Hermione's bed.
Everyone hurried over, leaving Ron jumping around trying to get their attention, for he still couldn't talk.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Luna asked in concern as the muggleborn witch frowned and tried to sit up.
Madame Promfrey immediately forced her back onto the bed, and poured a vile of foul green looking potion down her throat, causing her to choke and cough.
"What was that?" Hermione asked as she grabbed a nearby glass of water and gulped it down in hopes of getting rid of the nasty taste.
"Headache potion," Madame Promfrey muttered under her breath as she looked over at Severus Snape.
"I had run out of the strawberry flavor—it was rather kind of Severus to brew some on such short notice. Too bad it was the favor wasn't as—normal tasting as it's supposed to be."
The Potions Master smirked evilly as Hermione glared at him.
"Where's Har—I mean, where's Nick?" Hermione asked as she looked around.
"It's okay, we all know it's Harry." Ginny mumbled as Ron kicked a nearby bed and continued to get their attention.
"What happened back there?" Hermione questioned, referring to what had happened earlier at the Christmas ball.
"Um... well... you-know-who attacked." Ginny answered awkwardly as Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Of course, that was obvious... but... Professor, why didn't any of the teachers help Harry when he was attacked? Why did you just stand there and—well, why did you just stand there?"
Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape all looked at each other for a moment before each shaking their heads.
"We um—wanted to test Potter's abilities. To see if he was capable of battling the Dark Lord," Snape began as Hermione frowned, "obviously, he wasn't."
Now everyone other then the Potions Master was frowning.
"Severus, watch what you say." Dumbledore warned as Snape rolled his eyes.
"Miss Granger... the truth is... Voldemort managed to place a binding charm upon the staff members... I wasn't able to break it until it was nearly too late." Dumbledore stated as Hermione frowned, but turned her attention to the school nurse anyways.
"Madame Promfrey, what's wrong with him?" Hermione asked.
"I—I don't know. As I explained earlier to everyone else, there seems to be a shield surrounding him that prevents me from checking up on his status." The school nurse answered.
"But—why is there a shield around him?" Hermione continued to ask as they heard a soft cough come from Harry's bed.
"Because, I placed it there... and no one else but me can remove it."
Heads turned as gasps followed.
"Kazu! You're awake!" Ginny stated as the older wizard nodded.
"What do you mean you placed the shield there?" McGonagall asked as Kazu smirked.
"I meant exactly what I said." Kazu answered.
"Weren't you in a coma?" Luna asked.
"Not anymore. Oh yes, Severus, we must have a word after we wake young Cliffmore—
"Potter." Snape corrected.
"What?"
"It's Potter. Not Cliffmore. Everyone knows that Nicholas Cliffmore is actually Harry Potter."
"Everyone in this room. Plus you-know-who." Ginny corrected as Snape glared at her.
"Voldemort did this?" Kazu asked in shock as everyone nodded.
"Bloody hell. Selivia! Check on his status—hurry."
Madame Promfrey hurried up towards Harry's bed, and waved her wand swiftly.
"Two broke ribs from you-know-who's attack. Strained muscles throughout the body from the large amount of 'crucio's' he's received and—Merlin's beard!"
"What? What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked as she got out of her bed and ran towards Harry's bed, crashing into Snape in the process, but not bothering to say sorry.
"Part of his brain cells have been damaged and there's a chance that he may go... insane."
"What?" Hermione, Ginny, and Neville all cried out in shock as Kazu placed his hand upon Harry's forehead and whispered something under his breath.
A bright glow appeared out of his palm, and was injected into Harry's head. A look of pain appeared onto Harry's face, before the young boy opened his eyes.
Looks of happiness were seen upon everyone's face, but after the first sentence Harry James Potter said, frowns appeared immediately.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
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"What?"
A single word was heard throughout the hospital wing, and then silence followed.
"Way to go Kazu, you bloody erased Potter's memory." Snape commented as Kazu threw a dirty look towards his student's direction.
"Potter? Don't you mean Cliffmore." Harry asked as confusion replaced concern, smugness, and shock upon the faces.
"Cliffmore?"
"Kazu, what's going on? Why are we at Hogwarts? I thought we were supposed to leave for Scotland High today for the start of term... why are you all looking at me this way? Who are you anyways?" Harry continued to ask.
"Merlin's beard—the alternative identity Harry used while he was hiding... the strain on his brain cells caused him to believe it's true... he has absolutely no memory of his real past..." Kazu realized as he took a step back from Harry's bed.
"I need to consult the upper level with this—the future of the world could be at stake—"
"You're not consulting anyone about anything. What you're going to do, is go back to bed and get some rest and—"
Madame Promfrey could barely finish her sentence as Kazu disappeared in orbs of bright light.
"Ah... orbing around now, are we?" Snape asked under his breath with a small smile.
"Where did he go?" Professor McGonagall asked as everyone looked around.
"Didn't he just tell you? He's going to consult the upper level. I do believe that the leader of the upper level owns a Calliope Mayonaisola. It's a rare magical creature that's nearly extinct." Luna Lovegood answered with a dreamy expression on her face, once again.
"For the first time, the insane child is right." Snape muttered as he looked over at Luna, who looked up at the ceiling.
Ron, who had been silent throughout the whole conversation, once again kicked the bed, and managed to catch Harry's attention.
"What's wrong with you? Silencing charm?" he asked as he waved his hand, and Ron was released from the charm.
"Ginny! I'm going to kill you!" Ron exploded the moment he was freed, but Ginny avoided him.
"Harry—I mean... Nick, what's the last thing you remember?" Ginny asked as Harry stared at her in slight confusion.
"Um... where'd Kazu go? Who are you people?"
Ron and Neville's jaws both dropped as they realized the seriousness of the situation, and tears began to form in Hermione's eyes.
"Harry... don't you remember... anything?" she asked as Harry frowned.
"Who's Harry? While we're on the subject of asking who's who... who're you?"
The look upon Hermione's face told everyone around them all they needed to know... Hermione's heart had been shattered... literally.
"I'm just... a friend... just a friend." Hermione whispered as she thought back to what Harry had told her earlier on that year.
"Merely a friend..." she whispered as tears flowed down her face freely, and she fell back onto her bed unconscious.