Chapter Fourteen
Curses and Counterspells
Jennifer waved off the questions from her students she walked into class the next day, but none were as happy to see her as Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"No, no, no, don't bother to ask. I honestly don't want to talk about it, and if you all don't stop badgering me, I'm going to start deducting points for class disruption. And I'm sorry your test marks were late, but I have them now," she said, handing them out.
"We're going to talk about dark curses that can be used to counter other curses today. Some of them you're going to learn, and some of them we're just going to discuss because of the gravity of their consequences. Some of the spells we'll be discussing are legendary, like Cosmic Sleep and Living Stone and Golden Touch, but most of the ones we'll be working with one-on-one will be more basic than that.
"One thing you'll find that all of the spells have in common is that each one has a countercurse of its own. The basic idea of using these spells is to counter a very, very bad curse or situation with a not-so-bad curse, and then negating it with the counter curse. Hermione?"
"Well, I was just wondering why would anyone want to go down in steps like that? Why not just negate the spell in the first place?" she asked. Jennifer sat on her desk.
"A few reasons. You could have a situation where you just don't know how to counter the very bad one directly. It could also be that a dark counter might be much faster to cast and it's a question of desperate timing, or you could be facing one of the several curses out there that has no countercurse. Harry?"
"Does that include the Killing Curse?"
Jennifer frowned at Harry. He would ask her that.
"Theoretically, yes it does. Has it ever been countercursed in this way to anyone's knowledge? I'm afraid not, because the Killing Curse is nearly instantaneous. The odds of knowing what spell is going to be cast and having one hit at the very same time or just before such a fast spell has taken effect... the odds just aren't that good, Harry," she admitted quietly before continuing.
"Of course, spells just don't materialize from nowhere. They have to be developed, researched, invented, so to speak. For example, historically, many types of death curses could be countered with another curse called Cosmic Sleep, which goes much further back in history than most of the other death curses. You've already covered ancient spells in History, right? Hermione?"
"No, we haven't, but I read all about it over the summer. Before death curses, a witch came up with a way to make a simple sleep spell last forever. Only it doesn't last forever, really. The victim usually ends up starving to death unless they are magically sustained, and then they died of old age, never waking up at all," Hermione explained.
Jennifer nodded.
"Actually, it wasn't a simple sleep spell it was created from, but a Dark Arts sleep spell. Even though a powerful enough witch or wizard could cast it without a wand like a verbal sleep spell, it had the added quirk of leaving the sleeping victim aware of what was going on around them; it was used as a rather twisted sort of torture. Of course, the main problem with sleep spells in general are that they're very unreliable as far as how long they last. If you need to get up at a particular time in the morning, or if you want to decide if the person you cast it on will wake up in two minutes or two years, stick with a potion, because they are much more accurate. But Cosmic Sleep didn't have this flaw; they just don't wake up. Well, not unless you got lucky enough to find your soulmate... your Cosmic Match... the one person on the entire planet that can wake you from it. Neville?"
"You mean this curse is like the one in that Muggle story, Sleeping Beauty?"
"Yes, quite, but that's not a good example. Was Cosmic Sleep used to counter a death curse in that case? Yes. But unfortunately, unlike the story you may have heard, the truth is in that particular case it really didn't have a happy ending. In reality she never did wake up, died of starvation, and the kingdom got launched into a twenty-year war with its neighbor. Think about this one mathematically; nearly eight billion people on the planet, we're looking for a Cosmic Match… over seven billion of those, by the way, are Muggles. If anyone wants to do the math on figuring out what the odds are of you being in the same locality, let alone in the same country, and then being someone who can actually comprehend that you are under a Sleeping Curse... even if you throw in some Fate into the mix, your odds aren't that great. So, if any of you have decided to wait for your one true love, please take a good look at how bad those odds are, and then take my advice and say yes to the first girl or guy who asks you to dance and doesn't look at you funny when you step on their feet." The entire class burst out laughing. Even Jennifer chuckled at herself until she looked up at the doorway and nearly fainted from embarrassment.
"First day back and already corrupting the students with your helpful advice, Professor?" Snape asked with a straight face. He had been there for a while, she realized.
"Of course! What good is being a professor if you can't corrupt your students a bit?" Jennifer grinned at him challengingly. "Anything I can help you with, Professor?"
"No, just passing through on the way to the office. Welcome back." His lip curled to one side before we continued towards the back stairs.
"Remind me to shut the door any time I want to give you any more advice," Jennifer added, and the class chuckled. "Okay, let's take a look at the Living Stone curse. Can anyone tell me about that one?"
Morning classes quickly flew by. Minerva asked Jennifer to have lunch in her study to get her caught up on the goings on.
"It's amazing how a week can throw one off," Minerva said. "Dumbledore wanted me to let you in on some current events. Have you been reading the papers at all?"
"I haven't really had time since I've been up. I spent last evening touching base with folks…" Jennifer explained.
"And staying up much too long by the look of you. You are still on the pale side even now, as much as you put a brave face to things," Minerva scolded.
"I'm sure a few days of teaching will fix that. Of course, I say that after I just taught my two best behaved classes," she chuckled.
"Have you heard that Cornelius Fudge has turned up missing?" Minerva asked. What little color Jennifer had drained out of her face. "Hm, I'll take that as a no," she continued. "Not all of the Ministry is much surprised. Rumor has it he'd been taking bribes, and that sort of business never turns out well in the end. In any case, the Ministry has been in chaos for awhile now, and they're thinking of going ahead and electing a new minister. Arthur Weasley is up for the job, for one."
"I met him when he came up to the school the first week," Jennifer nodded, "a very trustworthy fellow."
"Yes, the school supports his candidacy, although I'm not quite sure what his chances are. Ludo Bagman is planning to host a formal Ministry Ball this Christmas to introduce all of the candidates. The school staff is expected to attend to support him." Jennifer made a face. "Something wrong, Jennifer?"
"Do we have to go? I'm not good at social functions," Jennifer began.
"Yes, you have to go. In fact, Dumbledore specifically asked that you be there, considering you are supposed to be our events escort. What's wrong, no formal attire?"
"Well, that, and I dance about as well as I ride a broom," she muttered. Minerva tapped her fingers on her desk.
"If I have to go, you have to go," she said firmly, "and I do have to go. I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think. Oh yes, the other thing he asked me to mention is that all of the cases that were reopened because of that mess we had with Crouch last year are going to begin this month. One of the first is Sirius Black's case, so Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley will be out of class for a few days, as will a few of the professors. As soon as I find out more, we'll go over the schedules."
"It sounds like things are starting to smooth out a bit," Jennifer commented.
"Oh, I don't know as I'd go so far as to say that, but at least there's a glimmer of hope that this particular matter will be cleared up. We'll have to wait and see," Minerva said, sipping her tea.
After classes finished for the day, Jennifer headed over to Severus' office, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for him to open the door.
"Good, you're here. Come in," he said when he finally opened it, closing the door behind him. "I need to take care of something important tonight," he told her, putting on some gloves. "If I don't get back before midnight, assume the worst, and inform Dumbledore that something has gone wrong." Jennifer blinked at him. How can he just go and say things like that?
"What are you going to do?" she asked. He fished out a small box from a desk drawer, looking at her thoughtfully.
"I need to go break the Mirror before it betrays what we've been doing," he said, taking out a something that looked like a mint. "With any luck, it'll be out of the way and no one will suspect a thing."
"You don't look too optimistic," Jennifer frowned suspiciously.
"I never am," Severus admitted. "It still has to be done. After dinner, if you don't have anything planned, wait for me here in my office and I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, putting the mint in his mouth.
Out of the fog came the shapes of darkness, Apparating in the circle like wisps of black mist coiling towards the sky. One by one they joined the throng, and Severus was aware of the increasing number in the ranks as more wizards and witches with a thirst for power or a fear of it pledged their lives to Voldemort. Then came something that he had not expected. A large dark shadow, falling in behind the members, gave cause for one or two members to shift uneasily. Low laughter followed, accompanied by the hissing of Nagini as Voldemort entered the ring.
"What is the matter? Do our new friends not appeal to you?" Voldemort asked. "Does their cold touch cause you to quiver? But these will be one of our greatest allies. They have already served me once just by showing those who would betray me the consequences of facing them. But those who have been placed in Azkaban for serving me will soon be rewarded for their loyalty… very soon." Then he turned to one of the other figures.
"I hear you are going to be Minister of Magic, Macnair?" he inquired.
"Yes, Master, with any good fortune…"
"No fortune, just do it. There will be no more mistakes, Macnair. All of the files have been destroyed?"
"All that were in the Ministry, yes, master," Macnair bowed.
"Snape, you will get back the rest from Dumbledore. Once that is done, we may try once more to write our own version of history. They plan to release our enemies next week… or so they think. But we shall have a surprise for them tonight. First, let's have a bit of fun, shall we?" he said with a chilling smile. He gently lifted a hand and the Mirror appeared. He looked at it a moment, smiling.
"This Mirror once protected something that I needed to survive. But alas, the servant I had was too weak to help me get it… from a mere boy," he frowned distastefully. "Such servants deserve what they get. I stand for no disloyalty. You who would be disloyal will face a painful, tormented death. But for those who stand with me, and who please me, shall get their greatest desires. All who stand with me against the pathetic Mudbloods and Mudlovers, I will grant you your greatest rewards."
"Lucius Malfoy, come step up to the Mirror. You have pleased me greatly, destroying the Truth Seekers who once betrayed me, getting rid of that annoyingly defiant Cornelius Fudge, setting up spies for me throughout the country, and convincing the majority of the Ministry to support us through Macnair. Come, tell me what you see in the Mirror of Erised."
Lucius stepped up with a bow, looking into the Mirror.
"I see myself standing behind a desk, surrounded by our most loyal servants, master. I see myself as the Minister of Magic," Lucius said with feigned surprise.
Macnair's eyes grew wide. Voldemort laughed.
"So money is not enough, is it Malfoy? I could have told you that. Your willingness to lead is as great as your wish to serve," Voldemort said.
"I only serve you, Master," he bowed. "You asked what I saw and I have simply done as you have asked."
"Yes, yes. If you believe that you can work your way to that position from the outside with your influence, I will help you to get that position. Macnair, from now on, you will work for Malfoy, and we will gain control over those who would foolishly attempt to disband us."
Malfoy bowed low. Macnair did so as well, but not as enthusiastically. "Thank you, gracious master," Malfoy bowed, stepping back.
"One more will I grant tonight, and that is to my willing traitor, who brought me this fine memento right out from Dumbledore's nose, who has enslaved the daughter of one of my most hated enemies, and has been my greatest informer. Severus Snape, come and step up to the Mirror and tell me what you see." Severus bowed low, and stepped towards it, not quite into its view yet.
"I see –"
Just then there was a loud sound like a giant thunderclap, causing most of them to duck for cover. The Mirror had cracked, its surface shattered in thousands of pieces, each piece showing a myriad of images filled with a surprised Severus Snape and an enraged Voldemort. "- a broken Mirror…." Snape finished softly, looking around suspiciously.
"Traitor! There is a traitor here!" Voldemort screamed, riling up the Dementors. "If you do not confess immediately, you will all face punishment!"
No one came forward.