Hermione the dark lord's daughter.
I own nothing, i'm just playing with J. k. Rowling's characters.
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Chapter 42: Memory issues.
Severus' p.o.v. (chapter starts in the middle of the last one. Caitlyn has not yet been found)
Straight after leaving the dark lord I head back to the school. To wait, for news from either side. I know one thing, I will hurt whoever has taken her. I pace my office and I don't know what to do. Whilst sleep is hard it eventually comes upon me and it's a frightful few hours filled with nightmares.
The next morning after my extremely restless night, I make my way to the great hall with a high level of distress. Even though logic tells me she won't have appeared overnight I spend every second I'm within them walls searching for her. My gaze lands on Draco and Lorelai. It's obvious that Drake has been informed of my love's disappearance because the tiredness and stress is coming off of him in waves. Lorelai is holding him tightly, her eyes red. The majority of Slytherin house are silent this morning. The news has evidently made the rounds. This fills me with hope and scares me all at the same time. On the one hand it shows my lord's seriousness in finding his daughter for the fact all the children have been informed, but it scares me, there is no trace of her. What if one of these children knows where she is and is keeping it secret, to spite Slytherin house, to spite the Malfoys and my lord himself.
A short while later, Hagrid entered the hall looking anxious. "Professor Dumbledore, Sir! There's a student in the forest sir. She doesn't look in a good way sir." He says gruffly but emotionally. "It looks like the LeStrange girl. I came straight here Sir." Hagrid adds, his voice breaking slightly. Dumbledore rises, trying to hush to crowds of talking students. Draco's eyes rise and meet mine and I know we're both thinking the same thing. I shake my head slightly to him, indicating he needs to stay seated and I would deal with it. I know he will understand the subtle information I have given him.
"Poppy!" Dumbledore's voice carries across the hall. "Can you and Severus go and see if it is the young LeStrange girl." He asks, Poppy nods and I stand and follow the half giant and medi witch through to the forest. I'm glad Poppy is the one attending, I know she cares for all students regardless of house or name or upbringing. She has proved that before.
We reach Caitlyn in minutes. Her body is motionless on the cold and wet ground. I drop to my knees next to her.
"Thank you Hagrid." I say dismissing the half giant. He leaves quietly and quickly. Poppy kneels beside me, running scans instantly.
"Severus…" Poppy says nervously after several silent minutes of diagnosis. "Can you carry Miss LeStrange to the hospital wing?" She asks and I nod as I lift my fiancé into my arms and into my embrace.
She begins to have tremors while in my arms, and in that second I feel my heart breaking, I know what these tremors are the after effect of.
"Poppy, these are the cruico tremors. Someone has held her under the curse for a significant amount of time." I say trying to hide the emotion in my voice but I know I'm failing. I see Poppy nod.
"I recognised the signs as well." She whispers in return as we speed up our travel to the hospital wing. When we reach the wing, we head straight into a private room and without thinking I shoot wards on the door to have a level of control on who enters this room. Poppy stares at me but bustles around the room while I lay her the bed. I take a couple of steps back, to allow Poppy the room she needs. I feel myself freeze on the spot. Finally I feel my feet move and my body sink into the chair next to the bed. I promised my love that she would never have to feel this pain of this curse, and now I've let her feel it to the extent of tremors. My lord is going to kill me, if Lucius doesn't first.
I don't know how much time has passed when I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Poppy.
"She's in a medical magical coma Severus. Her body needs to heal. She has been seriously hurt, physically as well as magically. I need to tell Albus." She says softly, looking at the wards I had set up. "He needs to contact her legal guardian." She adds. I nod, break down the wards but I will not leave her side.
Days have passed. Poppy has hopes that my love will wake today. I have refused to leave her side and therefore I'm still sitting beside her since the minute I laid her upon this bed. Lucius has taken up residence in a chair next to me. He came the second he was alerted and like me hasn't left since. Over the past day or so we have learned the extent of her injuries, including the curse that has scarred her chest. The tremors finished yesterday but we will not know how her muscles have reacted until she wakes. Suddenly I notice her eye lids flicker. I see her open her eye slightly and then slam them shut again.
"Poppy" I call out softly, flicking my wand to lessen the light in the room.
"Miss LeStrange, you're in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Can you try and open your eyes for me?" Poppy asks kindly, shooting a patronus off to the headmaster. I see my love frown softly as she slowly opens her eyes. I see her look around and try to get her bearings. I long to pull her into my arms and comfort her, however I see the fear and confusion flit through her eyes.
"Miss LeStrange…" Poppy starts again trying to get her attention. I see her try and shake her head, but she winces in pain instead. The headmaster silently enters the room.
"Not…" She attempts to speak but her voice cracks again and I see her wince again. She slowly sits up in her bed and I look over at Lucius and sighs softly. Seeing my fiancé in pain is killing me.
"Is Caitlyn's behaviour normal?" Lucius asks me noiselessly.
"I'm not sure." I respond almost as quietly. "I've never seen her in this much pain before."
"Miss LeStrange…" The headmaster begins to speak, his tone sharp. However Caitlyn interrupts him.
"Not me!" I hear her snap out. "I'm Hermione Granger. Third year Gryffindor. Why do you keep calling me someone else's name?" she says quickly, trying to get the words out while she can, obviously breathless. I try and keep my expression neutral but I know I'm failing.
Memory loss like this isn't common in the wizarding world. Not without the aid of a memory charm. Using our connection I try and peak into her mind but the access is firmly shut. I drop my face to my hands. I don't even want to think about what that means for me and my love. I'm unsure if she has closed the connection between us or is the memory issues the cause of our connection looking like it isn't there. I don't understand what is happening or why this is happening. I need to try and work out who has done this and why, maybe if I can work out who… I can work out why and what has been done to my fiancé… well hopefully she will still be my fiancé after all this.
After a minute or two of this self-pity I find myself snapping internally to myself. I need to be strong. I need to pull myself together to help everyone through this. Yes I'm angry. Yes I'm hurting and I will hurt whoever has done this to my family but my Caitlyn's face is heart-breaking. She looks so scared. It doesn't help that bloody Albus Dumbledore is stood there smirking silently.
I clear my throat causing everyone to stare at me. I realise that the room has been silent for a number of minutes after my love's final heartfelt plea for help. I sigh as I decide to try and take charge. I decide to go back to basics.
"Can you tell me your full name?" I ask the silent scared girl.
"Hermione Jean Granger." She replies. Utterly confident.
"Can you tell me the last thing you can remember before waking up within the hospital wing?" I ask next.
"School had just finished for the second year… I was injured I think… I can't really remember. My head hurts and my memory is really fuzzy sir." She answers less poised with this answer.
"Ok, can you excuse me and the headmaster for a moment Miss Granger?" My heart breaks as I use her previous name. "We're just going to step outside to discuss your possible treatment plan." I say and she nods. I exit and the others follow me.
I turn to both men when out of Caitlyn's room.
"Somebody, probably who ever kidnapped her, has performed a memory charm on her and not a very good one at that." I say. Disgusted that someone had done this to my girl. Before Albus can even say a word, Lucius stares at me and jumps into the conversation. "Can you fix her? Restore her mind?" He asks.
"Wait a minute Mr Malfoy!" Albus interjects. "Do we not think, for the greater good… it might be worth holding off restoring all of her memories?" Albus says trying to be calm and jovial. "To win us the war of course…" He continues quickly. Lucius glares then chuckles.
"I would love to see you explain that one to the governors and her guardians Albus! Caitlyn has the right to have her mind cleansed" Lucius says, eyes full of venom.
"However if we don't return her memories then we have a better chance of her helping Harry." Albus says without a care in the world, eyes twinkling with thought.
"No ALBUS!" a female voice calls from behind him. "It's unethical and morally wrong!" I see Albus' face change into rage before going back to his normal expression as he turns round to face the female that interrupted us. It's Minerva. She is standing tall and her features show anger.
"Albus!" She starts but he interrupts before she has chance to continue.
"Minnie, don't start!" He says patronisingly. "It's for the best and you know it. You've said before, that you wished you hadn't lost Hermione, well here she is." I sigh internally as Albus finishes speaking. This wasn't going to end well. I can see the anger and magic coming of the professor in waves. I take a step back.
"How dare ya!" Minerva argues back, annoyance showing in her growing accent. For anyone who knew Minerva McGonagall knew that when she was angry her Scottish heritage came out fully.
"If I remember correctly, I said I missed out relationship and I wished your prejudice hadn't of stopped me from seeking her out! I loved her like me own and ye knew that Albus! I lost my own girl and you played with me emotions I will not let you do this to Caitlyn she deserves the truth!" Minerva says with tears in her eyes.
She turns to Lucius. "Can you call an emergency meeting of the governors please Mr. Malfoy? I think it's time they were informed that the headmaster needs to step down. They are not aware of his failings to the children and I will not let him continue to hurt the children." She says stepping away from Albus and towards myself and Lucius. I am stunned I had never imagined that Minerva would turn against the headmaster. This could be brilliant for everyone. Albus is outraged but Lucius heads straight to the closest floo, Albus storms off after glaring at Minerva and myself.
"Thank you." I say to her once we are alone.
"Its fine…" she responds softly having calmed down some. "She deserves the truth Severus. We both know it. I will help you, talk to her if you wish. She must be scared. Especially if no one is talking to her. If her memory is stuck in second year, she will trust me." she says kindly. I nod.
"I need to see how much damage has been done." I tell her and she nods in understanding.
"I would love to rebuild my relationship with her. As I told Albus, I truly love her as my own" she says emotional now.
"I never knew you had your own child." I smiled softly.
"Aye… a long time ago." She replies, not telling me anymore. "Now let us go and reassure this scared young girl." Minerva says. Heading in the direction of Caitlyn's private room.
Minerva's p.o.v
I take a couple of deep breaths before entering herm…Caitlyn's room. I wish I could say that I was surprised by Albus trying to not allow them to restore her memories. When really, I'm not. Just lately, he's been more absorbed in this war then the school.
So many kids are getting hurt and he doesn't seem to care anymore. I hate to do this, but I've had enough now. The governors need to know, because the kids need to be safe.
Finally minutes later, I open the door to the private room. I enter with Severus following behind me. Caitlyn's tear filled eyes stare at me and relief fills them and floods her face.
"Professor McGonagall. I'm so happy to see you. Please…. What is happening?" she says, her tone begging for help.
"Oh sweetheart" I whisper sadly in response as I move to the chair beside the bed, taking her hand in mine I think about how I'm going to do this. "My girl. Do you trust me?" I ask and she nods quickly. Without hesitation. I continue before she has chance to question me. "I'm going to ask you to listen to me very carefully. I have something to tell you" I say and she nods but obviously she is confused.
"It is not your second year dear. Someone has modified your memory." I tell her and she frowns. "Will you allow Professor Snape to look in your mind to determine the extent of the damage?" I ask her, she hesitates holding her head. Finally after minutes of silence, she nods.
"Will it hurt?" she asks timidly. I turn to look at Severus, to allow him to answer her. Understanding all this must be hard for him as well as her.
"I'll try to be as gentle as possible but there main be some pain and discomfort." He replies. She nods in response.
"Will it help?" she asks.
"Yes" he answers quickly. "I'm hoping I can help you make a full recovery over time." She looks up at Severus, directly in his eyes.
"I trust you professor… please help me." she answers him and I see Severus' heart break a little more as he delves into her mind.
Next time: Caitlyn's memories return, but who attacked her?