Violet was reading The Prophet in the common room while Jasmine was working with Malfoy and Nott on their transformation essay. Her friend really was a bleeding heart even going out of her way to try to teach them how to structure their essays. She didn't know how she could enjoy repeating the same things over and over, they were really simple, how could they not get it?
So to keep herself from growing exasperated by the idiocy of her classmates, she simply ignored them while she read the latest news on the Commonwealth civil war. The war had been getting worse and worse for the last two months, Russia had sent a force of over a hundred Aurors to help integrate the new territories into Russia. Officially, they were there to do quite benign activities, like integrating their floo network with the wider Russian network, policing the biggest magical towns, and transitioning the farms and reserves owned by the state from the control of the Commonwealth to them.
However, from what the papers were saying, they were mostly helping the local separatist forces to protect the most vital places of the new territories they had acquired. For the first few weeks, a brutal fight ensued between the Polish and the separatist forces who were trying to protect the vital points of the territory they had claimed. Despite initial losses, the separatist had been able to hold most of their territory and even push back the Polish forces, who were stretched thin trying to calm the fires of rebellion.
At the same time, the attacks on important Polish locations had almost become routine. Violet recognize the major objective of the campaign was to create fear and terror among the Polish citizens, with attacks that could happen at any given moment anywhere. There had been a couple of arrests and the government had started to go for a firmer hand trying to repress dissent but the attacks continued.
Meanwhile, the international community was divided. Many were condemning Russia for basically invading the territory of a sovereign nation. However, photos of the prison camps where the Polish government were apprehending the separatist were shown in international papers. Public opinion had turned on the war and many were demanding that the Commonwealth accepted the declarations of independence and secession. First among them, were the Germans who had already put economic sanctions on the Commonwealth restricting trade and even going as far as threatening the acceptance of Commonwealth students in Durmstrang if they didn't accept what their people demanded.
"You're still reading about the war VIolet?" asked Nott while he put his homework back in his backpack. "There are rumors that Grindelwald will intervene militarily if this continues." he commented absentmindedly. Abraxas nodded along, while he stretched from being seated for so long.
"It seems to be a done deal, even France is taking the rumors seriously they have already guaranteed the Commonwealth independence."
"It seems that we're going to go into a full-on European war." said Jasmine with a hint of sadness. Violet knew that her friend hated the fact that she had been completely unable to prevent the war, she may want to use it to its advantage eventually but Violet knew that she was too much of a bleeding heart to be happy with it. No need to talk about the atrocities that the muggles were doing on their side of the war. Violet was sure that her friend loathed her inability to stop both wars.
"Why do you say we? Dumbledore and the rest of the Light party have made it pretty clear: 'We condemn the Commonwealth's inhumane practices and we invite both parties to peace talks.' They aren't interested in going to war, they will only intervene if Britain is attacked." said Malfoy quoting directly from an announcement the Light side had placed front and center of the Daily Prophet a few weeks ago.
"I think you are reaching. There are many Dark and even some Light houses that are agitated by the seizing of the lands of Lithuanian and Ukrainian nobles in the territories that the Commonwealth is being able to protect, they don't want the precedent to be set." argued Jasmine.
"Sadly the Light has control over the Wizengamot and the Minister and even if they are agitated most Dark families won't act in a foreign conflict unless they are directly menaced." explained Nott.
"Does that include the Notts." asked Violet curious about the position her classmates' families may have.
"Of course not, Jasmine is right when she says that this puts forward a dangerous precedent, need I remind you that there are Irish, Scottish, and Welsh nobles too. The divisions between the different ethnicities that make up our country may be less pronounced than in the Commonwealth, but the danger that the Ministry picks their lands and gives them to English nobles will always exist. We can accept that kind of measure even tacitly."
"Yes, I don't see how any landowning noble would be alright with a government grabbing the land of other nobles. It may not be enough to go to war but with the kind of treatment those separatists are receiving in the prison camps it should be enough to bring a stronger response from Britain, at the very least we should be imposing sanctions." Malfoy nodded along.
"Sadly the British have a long and well-known history of ignoring European affairs. Our Muggle counterparts would be appealed." said Violet sarcastically.
"Do they truly intervene in the affairs of the continent? I would have thought that without magic they would feel that those conflicts are occurring farther away than us. Do they actually need to use a boat to cross the Channel each time they go?" asked Malfoy.
"They have for the past few centuries, they trade heavily with them so they have to keep an eye on their trading partners. They have only known travel with boats so they don't feel it is as slow as you may think." explained Jasmine.
"The poor fools." murmured Nott.
"I really pitty them, they don't even know how barbarically they live. We have had portkeys since the Roman Empire."
"Well this conversation has been enlightening but I think that Jasmine and I have to go." she said tired of the conversation already. Jasmine didn't do her any favors when she looked at her without a clue at what she was talking about.
"Where to?" asked Nott.
"We have a small personal project that we want to finish." she explained a bit exasperated while she gathered her things. "It's an advanced charms project professor Sayce gave us to entertain ourselves. I think that he realizes we don't usually pay more attention to his classes."
"What is it about?"
"We are learning the Patronus charm." explained Violet drily impatiently waiting for Jasmine to finish gathering her things.
"Well then good luck, and I hope that you consider my request to join you in your independent Runes studies." said Nott.
"We're considering it." responded Jasmine while giving her a pointy look.
Violet only gave a stiff nod in response. She may have accepted Eileen in their sessions as the girl had shown to have a certain talent in the art, but she didn't want to tolerate more people. Especially someone who was only able to imbue magic on his runes. They had gone so far past that at this point that she didn't see the point. She could see why they needed to spend their time with them, like right now in the common room, but going out of their way to include them in their activities seemed like far too much effort.
"Well good evening everybody." said Jasmine with a gentle smile. Violet barely took the time to hear the response when she started dragging Jasmine along with her towards the Room of Requirement.
"What has gotten into you?" asked Jasmine while they walked a solitary corridor. "It seemed as if you were going to die if you spent a more moment there and I have promised to help Eileen with her transfigurations I need to do that eventually."
"I still don't get why you insist on spending so much time trying to save that girl from mediocrity. She may have talent on Runes and Potions but it's clear that it doesn't extend to Wizarding classes."
"Because she's our friend of course and don't you think I don't realize you're evading my question. Why were you so desperate to leave them." insisted Jasmine concern marking her face.
"I wasn't very eager to have a reminder that for two months of the year we live with animals." she said with disdain. Jasmine immediately took her hand, needlessly trying to comfort her.
"You have to understand that they don't know better, they have been taught their whole life that wizards are superior. It isn't good to just shut up and leave the room then they will never learn."
"And why do I have to be the one that explains that to them? It isn't my responsibility." snapped back Violet. "I don't even believe that they are wrong after all we are superior to them."
"We are not and you know it." said Jasmine firmly while looking directly at her eyes. "You have seen what they will become and what they will be able to do. They will be able to fly faster than any broom, they will be able to transmit movies and shows for anyone to see, and they will be able to go to the moon. They are just as spectacular as wizardkind."
"Yet we're able to do everything they can and more. Face it Jasmine we are objectively superior. The only reason we would lose a war against them is that there are millions of them."
"But no wizard has or will be able to accomplish the triumphs that Muggles will be able to do with just technology."
"Because the purebloods aren't interested in those technologies and they don't understand how dangerous they are. They will learn with the right guidance they will be able to see how much they have neglected. We will be able to guide them to the stars." said Violet excitement leaking into her voice.
Jasmine just looked at her frowning but Violet could see, she could see the excitement in her eyes, she could see that deep down she agreed with her. Her friend just had a heart too big to admit that they were superior to the scumbags that laughed at a drowning girl that killed Euryale without an ounce of regret.
"No one is able to do everything Violet." said Jasmine while caressing her hand. "Not even us."
Violet remained silent, she knew that she couldn't easily convince her friend but she will see her way eventually. They continued walking towards the Room of Requirements in unusual quietude, Violet not wanting to agitate her friend anymore.
When the door finally appeared and they entered the room, it was distinctly different from the room where they usually practice their dueling. It was full of crimson pillows and mattresses ready to catch them when they fell. Violet silently thanked the fact that it was only going to be Jasmine who would be falling around today.
Since they had returned from the Malfoys, Jasmine had decided to teach her one of the spells that had proven the most useful during the time she spent hunting for the Horcruxes, the oblivation spell. Violet was quite perturbed by the spell when she learned about it, not only was it almost impossible to reverse none of her abilities were able to counter it. Occlumency may be able to tell you that you have been oblivated but not much more. Violet loathed the idea that someone may one day just erase her memories forevermore.
However, she knew that the spell was one of the most valuable spells she could ever learn, allowing her to move much easier in the shadows, especially among the muggle population. Jasmine had used the spell multiple times during her seventh year to erase her footprints the times she and her companions entered the muggle world for supplies. Violet could see a lot of other applications that she could use in the future war therefore she was eager to learn the spell.
Yet, learning the spell was quite a hard task. The spell itself was relatively simple, it required just a simple circular motion and a bit of willpower. Nothing compared to the Timeo spell that she was still unable to cast much to her frustration. However, the difficulty of actually performing the spell was to be able to correctly erase the memories that the user wanted. Any self-respectful wizard would be able to erase someone's memory but to do it with the delicacy of cutting just the parts that you want to be cut wasn't an easy task. To master the spell one needed to be able to be surgical with it, the oblivators that the Ministry employed were able to erase minutes of one's memory. This way the time lost would be indiscernible from the way humans naturally forget small facts.
Nevertheless, the lack of ways to recuperate the erased memories meant that the first time a witch cast the spell would always be a leap of faith, as they would be uncertain about how accurate they would be. Of course, there were ways to mitigate the danger. First, the spell must be known with absolute certainty, being able to easily cast it was a necessity to allow oneself to concentrate all their focus on what one wants to erase. Also, there was the option to save the memories that are most likely to be erased in another person's mind by using a bit of Legilimency beforehand, allowing the one who is affected by the spells to review them afterward. That was the main reason why Jasmine hadn't started to learn the spell until the end of her sixth year when her Occlumency and Legilimency abilities were good enough to use such a method.
At last, after almost two whole months of constant practice, Jasmine had decided that she was ready to cast the spell against a real person. Sadly, as the magic they were learning was extremely advanced there was only one person on whom she could try the spell, Jasmine herself. Violet was more than a bit nervous over the prospect, she trusted her abilities of course but the spell could be extremely dangerous and she didn't want to harm her friend. Regardless, she was incredibly moved by the fact that Jasmine was willing to risk so much for her. Sometimes she didn't understand how that girl was willing to put so much trust in her.
"Are you ready?" asked Jasmine.
"Shouldn't I be the one who asks that question." said Violet a bit nervous.
"I don't have to do anything special other than stand here, I know how terrifying it can be the first time so I'm more worried about you than myself." she said with a casual shrug. Violet couldn't quite understand how this girl was willing to put herself at so much risk but she gave a tentative smile touched by her trust.
"I don't think I'm going to be more ready than what I am already." she said.
"Then let's do it, let's try to erase one hour first." Jasmine walked over to one of the mattresses and gave her a reassuring smile that didn't help much to calm the nerves she was feeling.
Violet looked directly at those charming green eyes and created a connection. Jasmine eagerly presented her memories of the last hour. Violet did her best to engrave said memories as best she could in her brain.
Then she took a deep breath and used her Occlumency to remove all thoughts that may have distracted her from the task at hand. When at last she felt her nerves calm down she opened her eyes and pointed her wand towards Jasmine. She reached for her magic and she focused on just one thing, erasing the last hour from Jasmine's mind, no more no less. When the idea was the only thing that stayed in her head she calmly and steadily said.
"Obliviate."
The spell hit and Jasmine staggered, her eyes became unfocused and her expression became dreamy. Violet knew that she could put a suggestion right now so that she would have an explanation to replace the missing memories but she didn't trust her abilities to that extent.
Jasmine stayed in such a state for a few agonizing minutes until at last her eyes seemed to focus once more before widening in surprise.
"Violet where are we?" she said, clearly confused. Violet had to suppress to urge to sigh in relief, at least she hadn't lobotomized her.
"The room of requirement we are practicing the Obliviate spell." she said her voice trembling slightly.
"Oh wow, you're right I can feel the gap missing, you didn't put any suggestion then? It shouldn't be so easy to tell that I have been obliviated even with Occlumency."
Violet felt a bit embarrassed that her first try had been so obvious but she tried to swallow the feeling. Clearly, she hadn't done a good enough job as Jasmine immediately rushed to add.
"Don't worry I get why you wouldn't, giving suggestions to a person who is obliviated may sound a bit scary, but I'm sure that you would have done a great job." she said trying to smile reassuringly.
"But did it work correctly?" she asked, she knew that she hadn't truly failed at casting the spell as Jasmine seemed to be coherent but she was still scared that she had done something wrong.
"As sure as I know that my name is Harriet." she said with a toothy grin. Violet just glared at her annoyed. "Now seriously I think I should see my memories. The last thing I remember was me helping Nott and Malfoy with their homework."
Violet nodded and looked directly into Jasmine's eyes once more. Immediately the sensation of the connection between the two minds formed and using her Occlumency she put the memories that Jasmine had shared with her in the forefront of her mind.
Jasmine cut the connection shortly afterward. Apparently, she had seen everything she needed to see.
"Seeing the memory of a memory is definitely really weird." she murmured "Okay I must say it was a magnificent first attempt you cut a bit less than one hour if I'm not mistaken, but the spell was cast excellently. With a bit more practice I'm sure you're going to perfect it." she said, grimacing at the end.
"You don't look forward to me playing with your memories again do you?" she asked curiously.
"Don't worry it's fine, at least it's better than when Hermione and I tried to learn it for the first time. That was a disaster. There was one time I made Hermione forget everything we had seen that day, she gave me a serious mouthful when she noticed." she said with a slight chuckle. Violet couldn't help but scowl at the idea of losing a whole day. "Okay, I think you're ready to try once more. I'm ready." she said while extending her arms.
Violet silently sighed before preparing herself to cast the spell once more. They spent the rest of the evening there, Violet casting the spell repeatedly until she was able to cut the hour out of Jasmine perfectly, just in time as curfew was about to begin and Jasmine seemed to be getting ditzier and ditzier after each oblivation. Violet had to help support her all the way back to the dungeons, her soft hair brushing against her cheek.
