Disclaimer: See Chapter 25
Oh my- I got to the last chapter. That didn't take that long. Anyway, monkeymouse is still a great writer. All right, I'll let you read now.
As the crowd began to drift away, Dumbledore turned to McGonagall. "Would you walk with me for a moment?"
It was a perfect autumn day as they walked toward the lake. The trees had turned dozens of shades of red, yellow and brown. The leaves were just starting to fall, but the smell of rained-down leaves was already hanging in the air like sweet smoke. "Well, all things considered, I'd say that your putting them on the faculty was a success."
Dumbledore sighed. "If that were true, Minerva, I wouldn't ask what I'm about to ask you."
McGonagall thought she knew what was coming. "Oh, Albus, you can't." "Think about it. Severus is still asleep in the infirmary; what happens when he wakes? If his infatuation with Madame Kokiri had been an enchantment, we could undo it easily and that would be that. Unfortunately, what he felt, as improper as it was, came directly from his heart. If he wakes up tomorrow and she's still on his mind, he might spend weeks, even months, pining for her. He might turn to an act of desperation even worse than the last one. In which case, we'll have lost him-as a Potions master, as the head of Slytherin House, and especially as a weapon against Lord Voldemort." "Can't we simply drive her from his mind with a memory spell?" McGonagall asked, although she already knew the answer.
"And what happens if Filch says the wrong thing at the wrong time? Or one of the other faculty? Or dear Hagrid, whose tongue is as loose as his heart is large? No, I fear this will be a long and difficult night. We must enchant the memory of every soul in the castle, living and dead, erasing all memory of Okino, Kokiri and Kiki."
McGonagall stopped walking, a very troubled expression on her face. "Albus," she said after a minute, in a voice that was soft and full of ache, "we spend our lives and our powers changing the memories of Muggles, as Kokiri said, convincing them that they didn't see us or Hogwarts or any of our magic. And now we're doing it to our own kind. It hurts me to the heart."
Dumbledore took a quick look around, making sure no student could see them, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Because you're a good witch, Minerva, and a good woman. I wouldn't expect you to feel any other way." McGonagall bit her lip, trying not to cry. "But cheer up," Dumbledore continued. "At least you'll get a couple of hours sleep tonight. I have to do a whirlwind tour of the Governors to change their memories as well." They turned back toward Hogwarts. "It'll be Halloween soon," McGonagall said, "you can feel it in the air. Always a good time for the students. I suppose the worst of it is behind us now."
*** That night, before they began enchanting Hogwarts' memory, a little girl in the Gryffindor Tower closed a diary, hid it under her mattress, then buried her face in her pillow, whimpering in terror.
Far below the castle, something was stirring in the Chamber of Secrets.
The worst was about to begin.
***
That's it! The end! Finito! Go read some other fan fics now! After. . . You R/R.
Oh my- I got to the last chapter. That didn't take that long. Anyway, monkeymouse is still a great writer. All right, I'll let you read now.
As the crowd began to drift away, Dumbledore turned to McGonagall. "Would you walk with me for a moment?"
It was a perfect autumn day as they walked toward the lake. The trees had turned dozens of shades of red, yellow and brown. The leaves were just starting to fall, but the smell of rained-down leaves was already hanging in the air like sweet smoke. "Well, all things considered, I'd say that your putting them on the faculty was a success."
Dumbledore sighed. "If that were true, Minerva, I wouldn't ask what I'm about to ask you."
McGonagall thought she knew what was coming. "Oh, Albus, you can't." "Think about it. Severus is still asleep in the infirmary; what happens when he wakes? If his infatuation with Madame Kokiri had been an enchantment, we could undo it easily and that would be that. Unfortunately, what he felt, as improper as it was, came directly from his heart. If he wakes up tomorrow and she's still on his mind, he might spend weeks, even months, pining for her. He might turn to an act of desperation even worse than the last one. In which case, we'll have lost him-as a Potions master, as the head of Slytherin House, and especially as a weapon against Lord Voldemort." "Can't we simply drive her from his mind with a memory spell?" McGonagall asked, although she already knew the answer.
"And what happens if Filch says the wrong thing at the wrong time? Or one of the other faculty? Or dear Hagrid, whose tongue is as loose as his heart is large? No, I fear this will be a long and difficult night. We must enchant the memory of every soul in the castle, living and dead, erasing all memory of Okino, Kokiri and Kiki."
McGonagall stopped walking, a very troubled expression on her face. "Albus," she said after a minute, in a voice that was soft and full of ache, "we spend our lives and our powers changing the memories of Muggles, as Kokiri said, convincing them that they didn't see us or Hogwarts or any of our magic. And now we're doing it to our own kind. It hurts me to the heart."
Dumbledore took a quick look around, making sure no student could see them, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Because you're a good witch, Minerva, and a good woman. I wouldn't expect you to feel any other way." McGonagall bit her lip, trying not to cry. "But cheer up," Dumbledore continued. "At least you'll get a couple of hours sleep tonight. I have to do a whirlwind tour of the Governors to change their memories as well." They turned back toward Hogwarts. "It'll be Halloween soon," McGonagall said, "you can feel it in the air. Always a good time for the students. I suppose the worst of it is behind us now."
*** That night, before they began enchanting Hogwarts' memory, a little girl in the Gryffindor Tower closed a diary, hid it under her mattress, then buried her face in her pillow, whimpering in terror.
Far below the castle, something was stirring in the Chamber of Secrets.
The worst was about to begin.
***
That's it! The end! Finito! Go read some other fan fics now! After. . . You R/R.