A/N: Here's another chapter. Enjoy:))
Chapter 121: That's why
Hermione somehow managed to finnish checking the Potions textbook fast and gave it back to Harry that Sunday.
"Well, besides a few invented spells that sound dangerous and some rather rude comments about the teachers, it seems ok. Although I still don't know if the alterations on the potions are correct; but the book isn't cursed or anything."
She handed it to him, and it looked like it was now carefully wrapped in a new cover. "It was almost falling apart and I couldn't bear seeing a book in that state."
"Thanks Mione. I appreciate that you made time to check it and that it's still intact. I really thought you'd be pissed 'cause my potion was better."
"Well, we'll have to check all those directions to see if they actually make them better, but if there are no risks or additional side effects, I guess it's okay; as long as you let us use it as well."
"Of course."
Spending more time in the library doing homework, I eventually remembered my incapacity to read Harry's mind during the first Potions class and thought it'd be a good idea to check some books. The first one I took off the shelf was, of course, the one on magical talents, the same one as when Sev told me I was a born-legiliment during my first year; but I didn't find anything on loss of powers, temporary or otherwise, unless it happened in the first seven years of life, but that was not the case.
Other books spoke of lack of talent, strong Ocllumency shields pr loss of aptitude, but that only happened to taught-legiliments. Not finding anything, I got back to my Charms essay, briefly asking myself if this had anything to do with the fact that I wasn't able to talk to mom anymore either; but what could've been the link between them? And why was this happening now? I never had problems with any of my powers before, and now it seemed like I was starting to lose them for good.
Faith was with me apparently; I had spent a full week frantically looking through books, even in ROR, but didn't find anything. One night though, I fell asleep on the floor in the common room, a dusty old tome open written in Latin open under my head; keeping the translation spell for a long time took a lot of energy and my eyes closed before I had the chance to get up and move to my bed.
I was dreaming again. I couldn't not realize that after so much time spent there. This time though, no one was screaming, there were no hushed voices or muffled conversations.
There was a woman in front of me. Her soft silvery hair almost floated as it framed her long face, with pointy chin prominent cheekbones and steel blue eyes. Even though her austere features suggested otherwise, she seemed kind, as she extended her arms towards me and took both my hands in hers. The corners of her mouth turned upwards as she took in my confused yet curious expression.
"Welcome dear. We've been waiting for you for some time."
"But where am I. Wait…is this-"
"You're not dead honey. We know you noticed some changes in these past months. And we thought you should at least know why this is happening because I am afraid it is not going to stop. "
"Who is we? And, pardon my insistence, who are you?"
"Well, I am Lady Aurelia Potter and we, are your ancestors; or at least a few of them."
As soon as she finished the sentence, the space around us was filled with…spirits is the best way to describe them. All with shining, smiling faces and seemingly not breathing at all.
"We are here to tell you that the time has come to let go. As you know, you have a particular set of 'talents' that have been given to you by us upon your birth so their magic could keep you alive."
"I do."
"Now, after all these years your core finally became strong enough to sustain you and take over the purpose of what we have given you."
"So that means I will lose all my powers?"
"Well, you will still be quite powerful, that kind of magic runs in the family, and the Parseltongue is yours actually. And you will still have a soulmate. But other than that, I am afraid yes, you will lose them. And I know it seems like it will be hard to adjust, but you haven't relied on them very much actually."
"What do you mean? I use my powers a lot."
"You only discovered legilimency a few years ago and only used it occasionally. The resurrection powers were only brought up when you wanted to talk to your mother and the immunity to poisons was never used at all aside from when you drank all the phials because you lacked the time when you went to protect your brother and the Sorcerer's stone."
"Indeed, but what about the Metamorphmagus powers? I use them all the time, and I need them to hide the common scars and the birthmark."
"That can be done with glamours dear."
"But when will the process be done?"
"A couple of months at the most. I'm sorry."
"I guess there's nothing I can do about it. At least you told me so I won't freak out later. Thank you."
"We wished there was more we could do."
I was woken up by the soft light peeking through the crimson curtains of the four poster bed. Someone carried me to the dorm, and the large book was on the nightstand, a bookmark at the page I last read, so I wouldn't lose it.
I pulled the fabric apart and noticed there was no one else in there anymore. Looking at the clock set me on a race to get to the Great Hall. There was half an hour left of breakfast and I had Potions first period.
"Where were you? I woke you up when I left for breakfast, and you said you'll get up."
"Yeah, sorry, I was up late last night researching something. I thought I fell asleep in the common room though."
"Oh, you did. Professor McGonagall knocked at our door in the middle of the night; she carried you upstairs."
"Oh. Nevermind then. Let's eat and go to Potions; we have to put Harry's book to test after all."
The class went great, all four of us ending up with 'exceptional potions' as Slughorn said, and that was probably one of the reasons why he gave us invitations for his first "Slug club" meeting for the year. Oh well, why not go after all?