Not long into the year, Nils told all the tutors that he could not believe that Professor Lockhart spent more time puffing himself up than teaching his subject. He saw many students just to impart basic things they should derive from their readings. Livia knew this was not "sour grapes" talking, though some probably considered this. Livia knew better and offered to observe the class with him if he wanted to make a formal complaint. He thanked her but said he wanted to document some items first, then he could figure how to maximize the impact of what she witnessed.
In the meantime, someone found Mrs. Norris, the building caretaker's cat, petrified. Livia felt glad she had used "Sympathy for the Devil" before, given the serious evil that had started to unfold. Of course, students weren't fond of the cat. Livia had to fit in her schedule extra time for discussions over what to do. Various staff members gave opinions on the matter. No clear consensus emerged because the event, while ominous, did not threaten the day-to-day business of the school – yet. People seemed to favor an ongoing assessment and imagined what act would create a "tipping balance" in favor of changing this appraisal and what measures to take then. The head tutor seemed rather passive in these meetings, which perhaps contributed to the inaction.
More students subsequently experienced foreboding or realizing the problem related to a "Chamber of Secrets" as the year continued and, though Fred and George seemed to think that caused Ginny's great disquiet, Livia had some doubt. She could not figure out how Ginny related to anything that happened because Livia became preoccupied with something else personally closer to home. It seemed worse since it regarded Nils, especially on days when he had attended any of Professor Lockhart's classes. His memory seemed fuzzy at best, lending itself to his demeanor at meetings. He forgot about asking her to attend a class as a complaint witness. He seemed robotic at times with his duties, also. One weeknight, he tried to initiate something with Livia in her room, despite what she told him. He could not remember her mentioning students possessing a map. He also asked her about the sapphire she wore, as if he had not known that he gave it to her. He thought a former boyfriend had done so. He spent a lot of time asleep or in Hogsmeade, often not telling Livia what he was doing. He acted like a sleepwalker.
Meantime, Livia had her fall sessions with Professor Snape and the headmaster. She enjoyed both thoroughly. In private, each treated her respectfully and pushed her. Professor Snape vaguely picked up on things she sensed. He would not discuss Harry Potter with her, but he did express curiosity about Professor Lockhart and Nils Nilssen. He encouraged her yet advised that she tread carefully and gather as much evidence as possible. The headmaster also found "Sympathy for the Devil" hilarious but for only a short time did it distract him. He could recover with lightning speed, so much so that Livia could have predicted the exact moment of his vulnerability and still have experienced trouble exploiting it. On his side, the headmaster thought himself lucky.
Not long thereafter, Nils asked Livia about singing something in her room to amuse him. She had not removed the parchment where they traded handwritten notes. He recognized his handwriting but had no memory of exchanging those comments. Moreover, he only vaguely recalled that she visited him at his parents's home whilst he had almost no memory of Durham or her Uncle Jack. He seemed unwell when he worked. She became scared, and though he had better days, she urged him to avoid Lockhart's class. He would not shirk his duty, however. Livia was beside herself. She kept quiet until she could ask for help and demonstrate why Nils needed it.
Knowing that she had to collect information, she asked Nils to willingly allow her to practice Legilimency on him because the things he forgot had begun to freak her out. She saw significant gaps, much of it recent, but since she was with him and on his mind, they included events of several months past, also. She had no idea as to why exactly. The clincher for her came during the afternoon late in the fall term when she met him before they headed to the Senior Common Room together. Professor Lockhart passed and called her "Liv-liv," treating her as if she were intimately familiar with him. In truth, she had said almost nothing to him ever. Nils did not seem at all upset, either, as if he did not understand what just happened. Yet nobody knew that name. Nils had sparingly used it during the term and never in front of anyone. She wondered if he had forgotten that as well. How could she catch Professor Lockhart? She decided that night to prepare a potion for a possible future use first, since it needed time to mature. She had Professor Snape deduct the cost of the ingredients from her salary. He agreed with her decision to make it.
The wider events of the fall culminated in Professor Lockhart starting a dueling club, to ensure students could defend themselves from an attack from within the school. Livia and Nils decided to attend the evening event. Livia hoped to make a "friendly wager" with him on a duel between Professor Lockhart and Professor Snape. At first, Nils agreed with her – Professor Snape would win and make his adversary look foolish; Professor Lockhart did not need Professor Snape for that. He seemed responsible on the surface, though egotistical to an extreme and not terribly skilled. Then a few minutes later Nils forgot he said that. He had changed his mind, too. Livia's sense of panic had heightened greatly. Nonetheless, Livia's view of the duel prevailed.
When students were used to disarm each other, Draco Malfoy did not sportingly wait until the agreed-upon count to act and tried to hurt Harry Potter, not disarm him. Livia felt no surprise. That was who the boy wanted everyone to see. That he got blasted himself seemed just. She wished she could talk to him more. He could be so much better than that. Livia tried to subtly influence him, but he still had not heard her. He did tend to acknowledge that he was fine, as she requested. Harry Potter speaking Parseltongue to another, more dangerous snake later conjured by Draco surprised many, perhaps even Harry himself. Thanks to Uncle Jack, Livia realized his scar connected to his brain had done the talking, an idea which dawned on Professor Snape, also. That was likely the heir of Slytherin, not Harry Potter. Harry did not open the Chamber. She knew it. She did not need that Marauders Map to know.
Still, the issue with Nils weighed heavily on Livia, causing her the next day to seek out and ask the sneakiest students at the school, Fred and George Weasley, what she should do. She pledged to forever be in their debt if they could suggest an approach for what she thought she needed to do. She explained her suspicions about the professor and disclosed Nils Nilssen's mental state. They briefly conferred and told her they had an idea. George went to Gryffindor, found Harry Potter and urged him to come with George and bring his cloak. He would understand the request when he saw who George and Fred thought should borrow it. When they arrived, Fred and George did much of the talking, though Livia explained the situation to Harry and asked if she could borrow his cloak to witness a class the head tutor attended. Since none of the boys respected Professor Lockhart terribly, especially Harry since he had botched fixing Harry's broken arm earlier, the boys agreed that borrowing the cloak made sense. They also knew something or other about Nils. She swore to them that she would return it. Harry looked at the twins, who nodded that he should trust Livia. Fred and George wanted her to sing "Sympathy for the Devil" for Harry, thinking he would enjoy it. He did. Fred and George even did the "who who" background, since they had heard it already. Harry asked why she so rarely attended his class, and she gave him the best answer she thought he could accept. She said that since so many of his non-Slytherin classmates looked to Hermione Granger, she felt redundant and could use her time better helping others. Her door remained open if anyone needed her, though. That remained her duty to them all.
Livia timed her attendance perfectly for a mid-week class. She witnessed Professor Lockhart firsthand try to make Nils forget what he had seen. She had positioned herself in between the two and blocked Professor Lockhart from harming him that day. She could defend herself even under the cloak and her mental strength as well as her wand blocked him entirely as well as obtained plenty about him from her own stealth penetration of his mind, which he could not block. She held Nils back from getting up until everyone left. Then she revealed herself to a shocked Nils.
"Sorry to surprise you, but Professor Lockhart tried again, I think, to erase your memory of his class, to keep you from complaining about his teaching," Livia pronounced. "My belief is that he has been messing with you the entire term, which is why you forgot a lot of things about us."
"His teaching is terrible," Nils asserted. "I do recall asking you to help me now. But I still don't recall giving you that ring – and I should. I do remember that I told you that I love you but not precisely when or where I first said it. What do we do now?"
"Do you trust me?" Livia asked.
"Given your effort and my admittedly scrambled head, I need to trust you," he answered.
First, Livia secured the cloak in her office and sent a note via Mel to Harry Potter to retrieve it from there during her hours or to send someone in his place. If the latter, she wanted to know in his hand that she would give it to the right person to ensure that he got it back. That person wound up being Ron Weasley, who retrieved it towards the end of the term. Boys who never quite heard of Livia started having a lot more respect for her, if not a small crush, because word spread that she became determined in her dislike of Professor Lockhart. Those young males had gotten a little fed up with how various female students had swooned over him – undeservedly so. Very few students even suspected why she did this – beyond the Weasley boys and Harry Potter.
With the cloak secured in her office, Livia went in search of Professor Snape, finding him in his faculty office. He seemed quite taken aback to see her and with Nils Nilssen.
"Sir, I deeply need your help," Livia asserted.
Nils found this interaction bizarre. Yet he told Livia that he trusted her. So he said nothing. He sure did not want to upset the man Livia thought could assist him.
"This is highly unusual, Miss Woodcock," Professor Snape said. "Why have you come here with Mr. Nilssen?"
"I believe Professor Lockhart has been stealing and purging parts of Nils's memory so Nils will not lodge a complaint about his teaching," Livia declared. "I want you to verify this so I can go to the headmaster then confront Professor Lockhart about it. I need to see the damage reversed."
"What impairments are obvious to you?" he asked.
Livia listed things that Nils could not remember, like visiting Durham that summer with her and giving her a ring for her birthday. She produced the handwritten exchange between them that he could not remember doing. Nils could not recall conversations or meeting her Uncle Jack and performed his duties robotically. Livia asked Nils to also submit to Professor Snape's practice of Legilimency. Livia knew that Nils remembered some rather uncomfortable details regarding their relationship, but the situation required that she do it, in her view.
Indeed, Nils still remembered that he loved Livia in rather vivid detail. The fact that Livia allowed Professor Snape to know this proved to him how dire she thought Nils's health had become. Professor Snape had to admire how she set aside her pride, vanity or embarrassment because she trusted that he would handle this issue appropriately. He saw the memory blanking efforts too, including Livia revealing her use of an invisibility cloak that very day. Nils Nilssen clearly had a compromised memory.
"How did you figure out Professor Lockhart had done this?" Professor Snape inquired.
"Partly timing – Nils always suffered the worst after going to any class of his," Livia replied. "The key in my mind came when Nils and I saw him in the corridor once as we walked to the Senior Common Room. The way he spoke to me said plenty, including now he addressed me."
"How did he address you?" Professor Snape queried.
"Nils gave me a nickname, and he does not use it here in front of anyone – do you know what it is?" Livia questioned.
"I could guess only from what I saw, but beyond that, I would not know," he responded. "Indeed, I have never learned from you that he calls you Liv-liv. I wonder if he recalls when he started using this."
"Exactly, sir, and Professor Lockhart called me that like he was Nils," Livia asserted.
"Only Lockhart can give Nils all of his memory back," Professor Snape declared. "I can help Nils somewhat. He should be in the infirmary right now." He turned to Nils. "I think you should stay there until the students depart, and Miss Woodcock and I can confront Professor Lockhart with the headmaster. Will you permit this?"
"I guess, but what about my time with my parents?" Nils inquired.
"I will let them know I am sorting out a health issue and advise them when they can visit you or take you home," Livia replied. "I will also be telling my own family."
Nils took calming and restorative potions whilst he rested in the infirmary. Livia did as promised, alerting Nils's parents that she had to sort out a health problem with Nils – not life threatening. As soon as he was well enough, she would tell them. Livia also alerted Tom and Uncle Jack that unforeseen circumstances kept her at school; she was fine but Nils needed her help. She relayed that she would explain more when he got better. She pondered future protection, too, and, after speaking further with his mother to verify a few things, figured out something to do.
Professor Snape first approached the headmaster alone with Livia's accusation. From what he saw, he entirely believed her. Moreover, he thought it took courage for her to expose aspects of her relationship to Nils because she knew that she had to do it for anyone to believe her. The young man suffered partial memory loss, and Professor Lockhart caused it. He had no doubt whatsoever that Livia was correct. If tricky, the headmaster felt this issue might serve him in the end somehow.
"Severus, are you saying this to protect yourself?" Professor Dumbledore questioned.
"Not at all," he responded. "These memories are not hers. They are his. She has never said anything to him that I would find too revealing about me." He produced their exchanged notes when Livia feared he could hear them. "Whether her caution is true or a misdirection matters not. I think this shows her discretion even to a young man who gave her a promise ring."
"A promise ring?" the headmaster asked.
"It's like pre-engagement – he gave it to her to indicate his serious intent," he answered. "Her brother did this before formally proposing to his wife. Livia wears the ring, and he forgot that he gave it to her. That must have raised her suspicions tremendously."
"He wants to marry her?"
"If he remembers, I suppose."
The headmaster briefly spoke with Nils in the infirmary just as most of the students went home. Livia retrieved the potion she prepared for confronting Lockhart. The headmaster found Nils's memory a little better with the care he received, but his lapses became clearer, too. Nils confessed that he could not recall when he first told Livia that he loved her, and how much he lamented the pain this caused her. He said he wanted and needed to remember their relationship entirely.
Before the faculty left, the headmaster requested that Professor Lockhart come to his office immediately. He did not know that Livia and Professor Snape already had arrived there. Only Professor Snape realized why Livia made sure the headmaster's office windows stayed open. He just wondered when she would call them. Wish I had a loyal murder of crows. Everyone should.
Professor Lockhart showed up and thought somehow he was there to advise them. Livia shut him down right away. "No, I am doing the talking, and you are going to listen." He tried to get up, dismissively saying something about Liv-liv needing to know her place. She worked fast. She bolted him to his chair and zipped his mouth shut. "You have just given evidence as to why you are here. Only one person has ever called me that, and you have been taking and erasing memories of his over the entire term. I know this and can prove this. You see this ring? Nils gave this to me in August – and he does not remember it. He has forgotten conversations we have had, and I found his memory the fuzziest after he attended your class. Okay, I will let you speak now."
"It's not my fault if he played you, or if he told me about things he's done with you," Professor Lockhart stated. Livia was furious but focused. She called for "her" crows.
"I examined the young man and agree entirely with Miss Woodcock," Professor Snape asserted to Lockhart. "His memory has been compromised just as she said. She is highly skilled in both Legilimency and Occlumency – and you have no idea. I trained her myself."
"If his memory is compromised, what do I have to do with it?" Professor Lockhart asked.
"He told me from your first lesson what he thought and then could not remember it later," Livia added. "Besides that convenience, I borrowed a cloak from a student that rendered me invisible, and I witnessed firsthand that you attempted to wipe out his memory of that class and whatever he thought about that day – which I am sure explains his lapses about me. I blocked you then by being in between you and Nils and by the fact that I could repel you. You may have fooled a lot of people with your memory charms, but I will not be one of them. I know you are a fraud."
The headmaster pondered how she had borrowed that cloak. Yet she had so much to say that needed his focus just then. She clearly thought that he faked his exploits. The headmaster wondered if he misremembered Professor Lockhart's interview, too. Still, he partly found himself delighted that Livia could expose the man. He would come back to the cloak a short time later.
"I have done no such thing because I am no fraud," Professor Lockhart claimed. He wanted to get up, but Livia tightened her restraint until it hurt to even twitch.
"You have and will restore his memory entirely, or you will have a whole world of trouble heading your way," Livia promised. She told Alastair, Benedict, Andrew, Edward and Archer to line up on a ledge opposite Professor Lockhart's position and gave them special food. "Allow them to introduce themselves." Livia called out each name, each squawked, turned around and hit Lockhart directly with a poop shoot. Alastair, in fact, hit him in the center of his forehead, as if he had engaged in target practice for the occasion. Then they ate to essentially reload. "How many rounds you good for? Alastair tells me he could do this the rest of the day. He loves mischief."
The headmaster passively watched his instructor being interrogated. He considered saying a few things, even stopping her, but considered he might have to duck himself if he tried to curb her actions. His Phoenix Fawkes seemed to enjoy the show. Livia Woodcock felt righteously in charge, and no one could blame her, based on what she found. She fought for someone she cared about and knew neither fear nor shame. She had a mission. They both carefully had prepared her well for all sorts of adversaries. The headmaster only worried if anyone else would learn of her too soon. Yet he thought the jinx surrounding the post could protect her in this instance.
Professor Snape, who really could not stand Professor Lockhart, curled a few fingers near his mouth like he just casually observed the scene from his chair. Inside, he was laughing and kept his mouth in check. Though he could not claim credit for this talent, he felt proud of her. He would contemplate later the memories he had viewed, which had been far more intimate than he had expected. He knew a lot of faculty members would have wished to see the present scene because most of them found Professor Lockhart irritating to the point of their total hostility towards him.
"This does not change anything," Professor Lockhart pronounced, still letting his ego talk.
"Have it your way, but I'm not done," Livia asserted. Each crow fired off another shot as Livia pulled a potion vial from a pocket. "I have here Veritaserum – I made it myself weeks ago – and I happen to know for a fact that you, Professor Lockhart, are not skilled enough to prevent it from working. I will make you spill every lie in every single book of yours regarding the ill-begotten memories of others if you do not restore Nils Nilssen's memory fully."
"I doubt you are authorized to use it," Professor Lockhart claimed.
"Do you think The Daily Prophet will care?" Livia asked. "I have two friends who work there, and they will ensure it all gets published." To her, that was a small bluff at worst.
"I will get her permission if you do not do what she asks," the headmaster added, thinking of friends who could benefit from Livia's actions, too. "You will have to sit here as you are whilst I pay the Ministry of Magic a visit. So, what will you do?"
"You wouldn't, since it would reflect poorly on you," Professor Lockhart stammered.
"To have damaged the health and career of a head tutor trained at a highly regarded school also reflects very badly on us – and far beyond this country. So you comply, or Miss Woodcock goes ahead with myself and Professor Snape as her witnesses. If I were you, I'd do as she asks. Miss Woodcock is perhaps the best potions student ever taught here other than her professor. She could as easily poison you for having the audacity to pry into her personal life – and entirely get away with it – as she could slip you Veritaserum."
"Alastair tells me they are ready again," Livia announced. "Of course, crows can do many other things, but this is their favorite. I won't even begin to tell you what four Barn Owls can do to you for me." Livia let the crows launch a third round. She told them: I love you boys.
The crows really aimed for his hair that round. They knew how to crumble his vanity. The headmaster and Professor Snape looked at each other, a knowing glance regarding a young woman who, if she could protect the future of the school even half as well, would constitute a huge obstacle for anyone who crossed her way. They chose her wisely in that regard. The only issue would be how to keep her unnoticed and strong until they could fulfill the prophecy. The headmaster made a note to inform a few select people about his goals for her in the long run and, should they survive, how they could use her skills to the utmost efficacy. He could not leave that to chance, even though Harry Potter himself must have guessed something, if he loaned her his cloak.
"Miss Woodcock, something occurred to me," the headmaster stated. "I know of this cloak. How were you able to borrow it?"
"Two older friends of the owner convinced him to lend it to me," Livia responded. "Those two in particular visit me, but not really for tutoring so much as a good laugh. You must know who I mean. They are related to someone older than me who I knew very well as a student. They figured out my fondness for him without being told outright by anyone who knew firsthand."
The headmaster realized who Livia meant, as did Professor Snape. "Yes," the headmaster acknowledged. "Those two are like your crow friends: exceedingly clever and very mischievous."
"I guess I am excessively fond of the clever and mischievous," Livia asserted, then directing her comment to Professor Lockhart. "Which brings me back to my purpose here. Well?"
"All right, I concede," Professor Lockhart said. "Just let me change my clothes first."
Livia told the crows they could depart, as she would be moving to the school's infirmary. She would ensure they had access in case she needed them. She bowed to each of the five and they left. "No need to go anywhere to change," Livia declared. "You might just try to flee anyway." She waved her wand and Professor Lockhart returned to how he looked when he arrived. "We will all go to see Nils. After you." Professor Snape left first, realizing Lockhart could try to leave ahead of him. The headmaster directly followed Professor Lockhart. Livia tethered herself to Lockhart so he could not try to disappear. Livia followed everyone into the infirmary.
Nils did not know what to make of the group approaching him until he saw Livia there and noted that someone had opened a window. Alastair, Benedict and the rest perched above them all, observing and ready to swoop down if she asked for them. Professor Lockhart spoke his incantation and directed it at Nils and restored everything to him.
"Nils, how do you feel?" Livia asked. "Do you remember this ring?"
Nils recounted where he brought it just before she left for Ted and Athena's wedding and recalled giving it to her in Hogsmeade after they shared a belated toast for her birthday with her Uncle Jack and his neighbor, Anne. He further recalled that Jack was actually the great uncle of the pretty, somewhat fair blonde, Alice, who had married her brother, Tom. They lived in stone house with an enclosed glass conservatory outside the old medieval town of Durham. He saw it when he gave Tom a birthday gift he had bought at home the previous day.
"What did we watch that night in Durham together?" Livia inquired.
"We saw your brother's favorite film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail," Nils replied. "Everyone wanted to call out 'Ni!' to me because of the Knights of Ni."
"I am satisfied, though I would like to consult Professor Snape on any additional care," Livia stated. Livia thanked the crows again and gave them special treats they found beneath the window exterior. "Headmaster, you may leave and do what you want hereafter with Professor Lockhart. I only care that Nils recovers."
Livia remained in the room with Nils and Professor Snape. "Do you think he needs anything more to fully mend?" she asked the latter.
"If he allows it, I will assess him," Professor Snape answered. Nils consented. Professor Snape avoided the more private details and concentrated on an overall impression of his mental faculties. "He needs to recover some strength and integrate his recent past more fully. I will send the nurse something to get him on his feet and to assist with that process. He should be well enough for visitors tomorrow or no later than the next day. You did well, Livia. Congratulations." He then left.
Livia took a seat next to Nils's bed and took his hand. "How do you feel?" she asked.
"A lot better," he replied. "I remember why I love you, Liv-liv, and when I first told you, but I wonder exactly what you allowed Professor Snape to know."
"Probably too much, but I needed his support. That outweighed all else, Ni."
"You think he saw everything?" Nils inquired, kissing her hand.
"I don't know," Livia said, dodging the issue. "Your health mattered more than my modesty."
"You want to prove that right here?" Nils queried. "It's been some time."
"Ni, you need to recover still," she replied. Still, she kissed him.
"You tease."
Before he left the school, Professor Snape did deliver a few things to the infirmary nurse. He might have congratulated himself for setting aside any feelings he had about what he saw or heard. He admitted that he envied Nils for the fierce loyalty Livia displayed as much as anything else. He knew she tried to reserve a little of herself. She did not wish to become dependent on Nils but fought hard. She refused to compromise herself, which gave him solace to know that it also meant she would die versus give him away – on anything. She never would fail him willingly.
He shared those last thoughts with the headmaster before he left. The headmaster wondered about something else.
"As much as she might know about you, you now know something about her," the headmaster said. "I highly doubt either one of you ever betrays the other."
"She does know quite a lot, and she won't – that was true even before this episode," he asserted. "But yes, I have learned things she would prefer to keep to herself. We both have, Albus. No one around here even knows what that ring signifies. She hasn't told anyone. Few even suspect that she has any relationship with Nils Nilssen at all, other than a professional one."
"That reminds me," the headmaster responded. "What do you think we should do if he does propose to her?"
"She could be hidden elsewhere," Professor Snape stated. "Except for one thing: if he leaves, someone at wherever he goes may discover how talented or trained she is. That could be dangerous, depending on who it is. At this point, my impression is that Nils still doesn't even know this. The safest route remains keeping her here and limiting who knows how much about her."
"I agree," the headmaster declared. "But will she?"
"Only if you can reason with her," he replied. "She does what she thinks is right."
"Even against this boy?" the headmaster asked, dumbfounded given how ardently she pursued his wellbeing.
"I think so," he answered. "You saw her moral compass and loyalty on the same side. By the way, his parents may come tomorrow. They likely will want to speak to you."
Meantime, as Nils slept in the infirmary, Livia sent notes to Uncle Jack and her brother about the situation. She went into greater depth with Uncle Jack, calling Professor Lockhart a phony who erased people's memories, stealing their stories to make himself look good. She pulled this from him whilst he supposedly taught, whereas he mostly promoted himself. She further explained that he had disguised being a terrible instructor by blanking and extracting Nils's memories. She had to confront him with sufficient backup to get him to restore these completely. She knew she might not be able to explain this to Tom and Alice but hoped she wrote enough.
Livia then obtained permission to visit Henrik and Ilsa Nilssen. She explained that, during the term, she realized Nils had lost parts of his memory and needed a plan to get proof and support to expose the culprit and to compel him to restore it. She also had to show this fraud of an instructor that he lacked any other way out – one that would not significantly damage his reputation, if not himself. She made her threat stick. Nils remained in the infirmary, but she believed he could see them the next day. She arranged for them to reach Uncle Jack's home then. They would accompany the Nilssens to the school infirmary. The Nilssens seemed shocked but grateful that Livia had gone to such lengths to help their only child. They noted her ring and asked her about it. She told them Nils gave to her for her birthday, but when he forgot doing so, she knew he had a serious issue. They asked if it meant anything else. She only said, "Nils has to remember if it does and wants to follow through. How can I hold him to something he does not recall?" She also solidified her arrangement for them to purchase something from the local craftsman she and Nils visited that summer, in accordance with her prior discussion. She already done some research on some charms that the gift could bear.
After Livia left, the Nilssens talked about the events. They felt tremendously aggrieved that someone had hurt their son. They wondered how such a thing could happen and if they should ask him to resign his position and return home. He was no longer a child, but this danger shook them as if he remained one. Yet Livia impressed them with her tenacity and loyalty to him, which led to a positive outcome. Maybe he had not misplaced his affections and trust in her, after all? Moreover, they heard of another, unrelated, threat to students there and questioned how he felt about his own safety. They both had many concerns, which meant they needed to see him quickly.
Livia told the nurse about going to Hogsmeade to meet the Nilssens after checking on his condition. On the way, she picked up a few presents. She arrived at Uncle Jack's house just before Henrik and Ilsa Nilssen arrived. Both greeted the Nilssens heartily, and Livia gave them her last infirmary update. Uncle Jack made a point to tell them how proud he was of Livia for interceding and helping Nils. All four set out together after Ilsa gave Livia the item she brought from Skaa.
Nils was awake when they all arrived and appeared restless to be let out, since he had gift shopping he wanted to do. The Nilssens desired to speak to their son alone, but he overruled them. "I know you want to discuss some serious things, but I will not do so without Livia here," he stated. "I do remember why I bought her that ring, and she deserves to know whatever you say." If Livia stayed, she insisted that Uncle Jack remain there, also.
Nils's attitude addressed part of the Nilssens's issues. Given his perspective, he likely would not want to leave. Still, they brought it up, and he rejected the idea. He was angry about what happened, but he realized that many others had been fooled by the person who hurt him. Therefore, he would not entirely blame the school, especially since one of its graduates helped him. She even got the headmaster and another faculty member to aid him, which he had not expected. He tried to impress upon them the risk Livia had taken, but he did not want to say anything too embarrassing. It was bad enough to contemplate whatever Professor Snape viewed.
The headmaster entered the infirmary then and inquired after Nils and greeted his parents. He understood that they wanted to discuss the situation with him privately, which they did. Uncle Jack and Livia remained behind with Nils. Nils asked if Uncle Jack could pick up some very specific things in Hogsmeade that he could give his parents, which Uncle Jack readily agreed to do, adding that he would get them wrapped and keep them at his home until Nils would take them. "What about you, my dear?" Nils said to Livia. "How can I get you anything?"
"You fully recovered is enough for me," she responded.
"How did you manage to get Professor Lockhart to reverse what he did?" Nils asked.
"I was going to ask for more details about that myself," Uncle Jack said.
Livia recounted getting Professor Snape on her side. He approached the headmaster who then talked to Nils. Nils remembered seeing both. Then she, Professor Snape and the headmaster all waited for Professor Lockhart to show up in the headmaster's office. Full of his usual arrogance, he had no idea what to expect, she said. Livia recounted all that she did along with her crow friends, but said the threat of exposure by a Veritaserum she had made before, rather than what Barn Owls could do, finally got him to cave. Still, she ensured that he could not escape and acted rightly, with the crows perched in the infirmary.
Uncle Jack got a good laugh out of it and wondered how the other two in the room kept a straight face. Livia told him the headmaster maintained some sort of professionalism, as if he witnessed nothing unusual, but he did threaten to get the Ministry of Magic to approve the Veritaserum use as Professor Lockhart sat there restrained and covered in bird droppings. He thought if he had not said that, he might have had to duck himself, Livia surmised to herself. Livia said that Professor Snape seemed closer to laughter, given his dislike of Professor Lockhart. She believed he covered part of his mouth to look casual but he really endeavored to suppress laughing at the scene of five crows sending multiple poop shoots at Professor Lockhart.
"I think he was perversely proud of me, like I was his daughter or something," she asserted.
"I could picture that," Nils responded. "He probably wishes he had that skill."
"He does envy it – he's told me that," she said. "And I have joked with him not to get on my bad side, or they might come after him." Close enough to what I said.
They sat quietly for a few minutes and the Nilssens returned with the headmaster. Nils's parents told them they wanted Nils to have no further contact with the person who hurt him. Nils questioned how he could fulfill his obligations and do that. The headmaster suggested that Nils and Livia trade who they shadowed. Let her deal with him whilst he minded Professor Snape's classes. Nils protested at first, but Livia thought it an odd but still fair exchange, given her presence would send a subtle message and guarantee his wellbeing.
"What about your health?" Nils queried.
"You've presumed that I met privately with Professor Snape owing to his students," Livia replied. "That is not the case. He has tutored me for several years. That's why I went to him. There is a reason why I can fully control my emotions when I need to do so, and this will aid me. I am also aware of what Professor Lockhart has done and am trained enough to repel any attempt he directs my way when so many others were taken by surprise or by guile. I can run or ruin his mind much more easily than he could do so to mine. You became an unknowing victim, but I think your parents need the reassurance that he will never get another chance to do this, even if you are now aware and can prepare yourself. Besides, chances are he will be gone by the end of the year."
The Nilssens looked at each other. They both knew exactly what she meant in terms of her self-control. They finally admitted that she was far more talented and capable than they initially ever suspected. She fully had earned their respect. Moreover, they accepted her as a suitable match for their son, should he ask and should she agree. As guarded as she appeared, she had done something the self-centered Elise Piersaan neither would nor could do – Livia had put him ahead of herself. She had shown great loyalty and concern. Ilsa, especially, thought it wonderful.
Madam Pomprey, the nurse, said she could release Nils the next day, provided that he finish the elixirs he possessed over the prescribed time. He agreed. Uncle Jack returned home whereas the Nilssens were given a nearby place to sleep. The question became about his release: where did he want to go? Nils did not want to separate from Livia, though he would return to Hogsmeade to see his parents return home. He felt obliged to try to make up for the time he had missed with her. He also reasoned that she would be in the best position to verify that he achieved a full recovery.
Mrs. Nilssen really hoped to function as her son's nurse but had to admit that medical logic justified his preference. Both Livia and Nils retrieved what they would need over the term break. Livia secured her room. Before they left, Livia ran into a still-there Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and thanked both for the positive outcome they had helped her attain and wished them a good break. Nils had not known that and felt stunned. Both students seemed pleased. Livia and Nils met up with his parents and all walked to Uncle Jack's residence. Nils gave his parents the presents he had Uncle Jack purchase, and they returned home. Nils reimbursed him for these, also, but privately inquired if he could do one other thing, to which Uncle Jack agreed. They had a meal there and drank some tea whilst Brontë brought a brief message to Tom and Alice. Livia did not wish to totally surprise them by showing up with Nils. Only when Brontë returned with a short reply encouraging them to come did Livia bid Uncle Jack farewell. She and Nils went straight to her room in Durham.
Livia put her small traveling case down in her room at 24 North Road in Durham and went to the door. Nils intercepted her, however. "I have waited far too long to have you all to myself to let you get away from me now." He picked her up instead and passionately began kissing her. "You will not refuse me here, will you?"
"Doesn't seem so," Livia responded. Remembering this became a medicine in itself.