"I know I've seen this mark before! I just can't think where!"
"I've no clue, to be honest, Albus. And we've looked through almost every book on protection spells in the school. Frankly, I'm at a loss."
The two were in the infirmary. The trio lay in a Deep slumber as The Anam Cara did it's magic. They were examining Hermione's mark, which was still glowing prominently silver on her forehead.
"I know I've seen it before, Minerva, I know I have."
"Are you sure? I mean, we've looked ever-"
"Wait!" the old man cried triumphantly, jumping up off the vacant bed he had been sitting on. "Come on!"
He exited the Hospital Wing quickly, and began down the hall, Proffesor McGonagall, running to catch up.
"Where are we going?" she asked, following him.
"Gryffindor common room."
They stopped at the entrance, and Dumbledore muttered the password.
"Dilly Dally Daisy."
The portrait swung open. The common room was empty, it being late at night.
Dumbledore walked over to the towering bookcase in the corner, and began to climb the ladder.
"Do you want me to-" Minerva began.
"Minerva, you know as well as I do that I may look old, but..."
She laughed.
He pulled a large volume off the utmost shelf. Despite the dust, it did not appear to be that old. The old man descended the ladder, carrying the book with him.
"He set it down on one of the tables, and point his wand at the hearth, making the embers in fireplace flare up and enluminate the room.
He opened the book and began to flip through the pages. He finally found the page he wanted, and set the book back down.
"Princess Caeola?" Minerva asked, puzzled, looking at the picture that filled the page. "What do the mer people have to do with this?"
"Everything" said Dumbledore. He turned the page. A replica of the mark on Hermione's forehead was pictured.
He read, "Princess Ceaola of the mer people's mark. If this mark is bestowed upon someone, which can only be done by Caeola herself, you will have protection, until Caeola sees it fit to remove the mark."
"How did Hermione come in contact with Caeola?"
"Remember when she fell in the lake?"
"But why would Caeola put her protection on Hermione?"
"Mer people have ways of foretelling the future, like centaurs. Maybe she thought it would be the best to keep the future in balance."
"Do you think we should arrange a meeting?"
"Yes, probably. And If I recall, the Princess does not sleep, so she would not mind speaking with us right now."
"Let's go then Albus."
********************************************************************************
[Hello?]
[Harry? Ron? Are you okay?] Hermione's voice echoed throughout the black emptiness. [They must have put us back under the Anam Cara. Oh my god... I was scared to death...]
[Harry? Ron? Who are they? And where are we?]
[Yeah, I don't know a Harry or a Ron. But don't be scared...]
[What? Harry, Ron, you don't remember? Don't you remember me? Hermione? Harry, your Girlfirend? Your best friend?]
[I'm not Harry, I'm... wait a minute, I don't know who I am...]
[Yeah... that's weird, I don't know either.]
[Oh my god... no no no no no! You don't remember anything? Harry, your parents, or Voldemort, or the twins, Proffesor Dumbledore, our game of spin the bottle... or beating Voldemort...us being wizards, and going to Hogwarts, none of that? You don't remember anything?]
[Wizards? Aren't those, like fairy tales or something?]
[Ron, Harry? Think, try to remember something... anything! Remember when Proffesor Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret? Remember? You said you'd never ever forget... please...]
[Oh, no don't cry... what did you say your name was, uh, Hermione. Don't cry. I'm sorry though... I don't remember anything... I just don't know...]
[Hermione... that's a pretty name.]
[You used to always say that... don't you remember? Come on Ron, Harry, don't you remember anything?]
[No... but where are we?]
[Oh my god... No...}
**************************************************************************************
Dumbledore and Minerva stood at the edge of the lake, heavy cloaks wrapped around themselves for warmth.
The Headmaster threw a small, multicolored stone into the water. It shimmered and it's ripples branched out as it fell out of sight, to the bottom.
"Albus, this is rediculous. That was the fourth summoning stone you've thrown in there."
But as soon as the words came out of her mouth, there was a shimmer, and then a bright light. Caeola surfaced, and floated at the surface.
She held a handful of summoning stones.
"I believe theses are yours, Albus." She handed him the stones.
"Yes, thank you, Caeola."
"It's not normal for you to be up this late into the night, Albus. I assume you wish to question me about the mark I placed on one your students."
"Not just any student, Caeola, and you know that. Hermione Granger."
"Yes. It was needed. All three of the children would be deceased now had it not been for the protection mark."
"But my dear, I know just as well as you that usually, your mark of protection is not anywhere near as strong as this one."
The mermaid nodded, her circlet shining even in the dim light of the wizard's wands. " Albus, under the dire circumstances, I found it necessary. The death of those three special children who be a great shock to the balance."
"The only problem is that they are not children anymore..."
"Have you anything else in which you'd like to speak to me, Albus?"
"Will the protection be removed?"
"When I see fit. But according to the stars, it may not be for a while. They bring ill tidings..."
"Do not speak in riddle, Caeola, you know how I loathe that."
"I do not speak in riddles. But just because the Dark Lord has finally been vanquished, it does not mean that the three are safe. They are on the brink of something terrible."
Dumbledore nodded in acknowledgement.
"Is that all?"
"Thank you."
The Princess smiled as she slowly began to sink back into the water.
"Normally I do not meddle with matters of the future, Albus... you know that... consider yourself lucky..."
And she disappeared under the water.
"Hmm... that was interesting."
"Yes well... I usually don't even get that much out of her. The Mer-people like to keep to themselves."
"Yeah, no kidding. Shall we go check on "those three special children?"
The elderly man laughed uneasily. "Yes, let's..."
********************************************************************************
Dumbledore and McGonagall entered to the Hospital wing to sparks and flashes going off everywhere.
"Arabella!" cried Dumbledore. She was standing by the trio. "What happened?"
"It's what I feared! You can't do the Anam Cara, without some sort of bond..."
"You mean..."
"They don't remember anything! We have to interrupt the Anam Cara now, or it will kill them."
(A/N No kidding!)
"How do we do it?" asked Minerva. "Everything has to goes bloody wrong!"
"Okay, this is going to be really painful, but we have to do it! Come over here!"
They approached, sparks still flying everywhere.
"We have to pry their hands apart!" She was yelling over the din of the cracks and flashes. "There is no reverse incantation! When you touch them you feel a burning sensation, it will hurt but it's the only way! It won't kill you. Pry their hands apart! They're bound so tightly by magic, they may bleed when you pull, the sparks should stop when they're separted! Once they are, stop the bleeding with a spell!"
They nodded.
"One, two three!"
**************************************************************************************
[Don't cry... I'm sure things will turn out alright.]
[No! You don't understand... You were my best friends... and now you don't remember... I can't believe-]
[Hey, do you feel that?]
[Yeah, a kind of burning sensation!]
[Ow.. it's starting to hurt... Hermione, do you know what's happening?]
[No idea, do you? It hurts like hell!]
There was no answer as the pain suddenely intensified.
**************************************************************************************
The teachers (Well, Arabella isn't technically a teacher... but hey... it works) felt a sudden burning pain as they touched the trio.
"Pull them apart!" yelled Arabella, struggling to separate Ron and Hermione's hands from each other.
Finally there was a loud snap, and Hermione and Harry's hands separated.
"It'll be easier to get the others now!" Arabella yelled over the still loud cracks.
A second later, the sound and flashed stopped, as the spell was broken. The adults pulled back their hands. They were raw and burned, just like those of the trio's.
"Hell... that hurt." Said Minerva, looking at her sore hands. "Where's Poppy?"
"Right here." Said the matron. "I watched the whole thing from the office."
Within a minute she had their hands healed, as well as those of Harry, Hermione and Ron.
"When will they wake up?"
"I'd say Hermione will wake up any minute, but Harry and Ron, I can't say, within forty eight hours. They were hurt very badly, but the Anam Cara helped heal that. Give it time."
"What about the memory loss?" asked Minerva sadly.
"I can't say... it could be permanent."
"That could be a problem..."
"I told you not to say it Arabella." Said Albus. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Anam Cara didn't work... look what happened..."
********************************************************************************
Please review! That was a horrible, bad part, but a review would make my spring break! Thanx.... And if you e-mail me, I'll e-mail you the next part!
~Danie
P.S. Thanx 4 readin'!
"I've no clue, to be honest, Albus. And we've looked through almost every book on protection spells in the school. Frankly, I'm at a loss."
The two were in the infirmary. The trio lay in a Deep slumber as The Anam Cara did it's magic. They were examining Hermione's mark, which was still glowing prominently silver on her forehead.
"I know I've seen it before, Minerva, I know I have."
"Are you sure? I mean, we've looked ever-"
"Wait!" the old man cried triumphantly, jumping up off the vacant bed he had been sitting on. "Come on!"
He exited the Hospital Wing quickly, and began down the hall, Proffesor McGonagall, running to catch up.
"Where are we going?" she asked, following him.
"Gryffindor common room."
They stopped at the entrance, and Dumbledore muttered the password.
"Dilly Dally Daisy."
The portrait swung open. The common room was empty, it being late at night.
Dumbledore walked over to the towering bookcase in the corner, and began to climb the ladder.
"Do you want me to-" Minerva began.
"Minerva, you know as well as I do that I may look old, but..."
She laughed.
He pulled a large volume off the utmost shelf. Despite the dust, it did not appear to be that old. The old man descended the ladder, carrying the book with him.
"He set it down on one of the tables, and point his wand at the hearth, making the embers in fireplace flare up and enluminate the room.
He opened the book and began to flip through the pages. He finally found the page he wanted, and set the book back down.
"Princess Caeola?" Minerva asked, puzzled, looking at the picture that filled the page. "What do the mer people have to do with this?"
"Everything" said Dumbledore. He turned the page. A replica of the mark on Hermione's forehead was pictured.
He read, "Princess Ceaola of the mer people's mark. If this mark is bestowed upon someone, which can only be done by Caeola herself, you will have protection, until Caeola sees it fit to remove the mark."
"How did Hermione come in contact with Caeola?"
"Remember when she fell in the lake?"
"But why would Caeola put her protection on Hermione?"
"Mer people have ways of foretelling the future, like centaurs. Maybe she thought it would be the best to keep the future in balance."
"Do you think we should arrange a meeting?"
"Yes, probably. And If I recall, the Princess does not sleep, so she would not mind speaking with us right now."
"Let's go then Albus."
********************************************************************************
[Hello?]
[Harry? Ron? Are you okay?] Hermione's voice echoed throughout the black emptiness. [They must have put us back under the Anam Cara. Oh my god... I was scared to death...]
[Harry? Ron? Who are they? And where are we?]
[Yeah, I don't know a Harry or a Ron. But don't be scared...]
[What? Harry, Ron, you don't remember? Don't you remember me? Hermione? Harry, your Girlfirend? Your best friend?]
[I'm not Harry, I'm... wait a minute, I don't know who I am...]
[Yeah... that's weird, I don't know either.]
[Oh my god... no no no no no! You don't remember anything? Harry, your parents, or Voldemort, or the twins, Proffesor Dumbledore, our game of spin the bottle... or beating Voldemort...us being wizards, and going to Hogwarts, none of that? You don't remember anything?]
[Wizards? Aren't those, like fairy tales or something?]
[Ron, Harry? Think, try to remember something... anything! Remember when Proffesor Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret? Remember? You said you'd never ever forget... please...]
[Oh, no don't cry... what did you say your name was, uh, Hermione. Don't cry. I'm sorry though... I don't remember anything... I just don't know...]
[Hermione... that's a pretty name.]
[You used to always say that... don't you remember? Come on Ron, Harry, don't you remember anything?]
[No... but where are we?]
[Oh my god... No...}
**************************************************************************************
Dumbledore and Minerva stood at the edge of the lake, heavy cloaks wrapped around themselves for warmth.
The Headmaster threw a small, multicolored stone into the water. It shimmered and it's ripples branched out as it fell out of sight, to the bottom.
"Albus, this is rediculous. That was the fourth summoning stone you've thrown in there."
But as soon as the words came out of her mouth, there was a shimmer, and then a bright light. Caeola surfaced, and floated at the surface.
She held a handful of summoning stones.
"I believe theses are yours, Albus." She handed him the stones.
"Yes, thank you, Caeola."
"It's not normal for you to be up this late into the night, Albus. I assume you wish to question me about the mark I placed on one your students."
"Not just any student, Caeola, and you know that. Hermione Granger."
"Yes. It was needed. All three of the children would be deceased now had it not been for the protection mark."
"But my dear, I know just as well as you that usually, your mark of protection is not anywhere near as strong as this one."
The mermaid nodded, her circlet shining even in the dim light of the wizard's wands. " Albus, under the dire circumstances, I found it necessary. The death of those three special children who be a great shock to the balance."
"The only problem is that they are not children anymore..."
"Have you anything else in which you'd like to speak to me, Albus?"
"Will the protection be removed?"
"When I see fit. But according to the stars, it may not be for a while. They bring ill tidings..."
"Do not speak in riddle, Caeola, you know how I loathe that."
"I do not speak in riddles. But just because the Dark Lord has finally been vanquished, it does not mean that the three are safe. They are on the brink of something terrible."
Dumbledore nodded in acknowledgement.
"Is that all?"
"Thank you."
The Princess smiled as she slowly began to sink back into the water.
"Normally I do not meddle with matters of the future, Albus... you know that... consider yourself lucky..."
And she disappeared under the water.
"Hmm... that was interesting."
"Yes well... I usually don't even get that much out of her. The Mer-people like to keep to themselves."
"Yeah, no kidding. Shall we go check on "those three special children?"
The elderly man laughed uneasily. "Yes, let's..."
********************************************************************************
Dumbledore and McGonagall entered to the Hospital wing to sparks and flashes going off everywhere.
"Arabella!" cried Dumbledore. She was standing by the trio. "What happened?"
"It's what I feared! You can't do the Anam Cara, without some sort of bond..."
"You mean..."
"They don't remember anything! We have to interrupt the Anam Cara now, or it will kill them."
(A/N No kidding!)
"How do we do it?" asked Minerva. "Everything has to goes bloody wrong!"
"Okay, this is going to be really painful, but we have to do it! Come over here!"
They approached, sparks still flying everywhere.
"We have to pry their hands apart!" She was yelling over the din of the cracks and flashes. "There is no reverse incantation! When you touch them you feel a burning sensation, it will hurt but it's the only way! It won't kill you. Pry their hands apart! They're bound so tightly by magic, they may bleed when you pull, the sparks should stop when they're separted! Once they are, stop the bleeding with a spell!"
They nodded.
"One, two three!"
**************************************************************************************
[Don't cry... I'm sure things will turn out alright.]
[No! You don't understand... You were my best friends... and now you don't remember... I can't believe-]
[Hey, do you feel that?]
[Yeah, a kind of burning sensation!]
[Ow.. it's starting to hurt... Hermione, do you know what's happening?]
[No idea, do you? It hurts like hell!]
There was no answer as the pain suddenely intensified.
**************************************************************************************
The teachers (Well, Arabella isn't technically a teacher... but hey... it works) felt a sudden burning pain as they touched the trio.
"Pull them apart!" yelled Arabella, struggling to separate Ron and Hermione's hands from each other.
Finally there was a loud snap, and Hermione and Harry's hands separated.
"It'll be easier to get the others now!" Arabella yelled over the still loud cracks.
A second later, the sound and flashed stopped, as the spell was broken. The adults pulled back their hands. They were raw and burned, just like those of the trio's.
"Hell... that hurt." Said Minerva, looking at her sore hands. "Where's Poppy?"
"Right here." Said the matron. "I watched the whole thing from the office."
Within a minute she had their hands healed, as well as those of Harry, Hermione and Ron.
"When will they wake up?"
"I'd say Hermione will wake up any minute, but Harry and Ron, I can't say, within forty eight hours. They were hurt very badly, but the Anam Cara helped heal that. Give it time."
"What about the memory loss?" asked Minerva sadly.
"I can't say... it could be permanent."
"That could be a problem..."
"I told you not to say it Arabella." Said Albus. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Anam Cara didn't work... look what happened..."
********************************************************************************
Please review! That was a horrible, bad part, but a review would make my spring break! Thanx.... And if you e-mail me, I'll e-mail you the next part!
~Danie
P.S. Thanx 4 readin'!