Thanks for the reviews! Sarah Black: LOL, it's so nice to be loved!
Chocolate Frog: wow, good call--the idea for the dagger did indeed come
from _The Subtle Knife_. Project Persephone: I know, sorry if the whole
memory thing got tedious, I was just having so much fun with it. (BTW,
please tell me where you got your name? And what happened to your story;
did you take it down?) Thanks to everyone else, especially the regular
reviewers like Hermione Chang, Gemma, and Tinabedina ... I never get tired
of reviews. Keep 'em coming. :)
All the usual disclaimers apply. I don't own this world, and no way am I gonna make any money off of it. And that suits me fine.
***
Darkness again. This time, though, no one said anything to Professor
Green; they simply waited in silence for her to speak.
"Neville, you saw what your father did for me. I owe him my life." Suddenly a room appeared around them again. This time, however, it was a
kitchen, with the early morning sunlight streaming through a window over
the sink, and framed photographs placed all around: on the tops of
cabinets; on a side table; covering the walls. All of the pictures featured
the same person--a round-faced, wide-eyed infant who reached out
toward the viewer, or poked a wand curiously at a houseplant, or yawned
to display a single tooth, or slept. At the far corner of the room sat a
small square wooden table surrounded by four chairs.
"Now," Professor Green continued, "I'm going to show you what your
mother did for me."
Somewhere, in another room, a door opened and slammed shut. A
moment later Frank Longbottom walked through a doorway to the right,
followed by a short blonde woman who half-guided, half-carried the
younger Green to the table in the corner, where she sat. Green looked pale;
the glazed look still hadn't left her eyes. The blonde woman turned to her
husband.
"Frank, why don't you make us some tea?"
She spoke softly, but her voice cut through the silence like the ring of a
bell. As though he had been waiting for her directions, Mr. Longbottom
quickly produced a kettle from a cabinet, and busied himself setting the
water to boil.
The blonde woman sat next to Green, taking both Green's hands in her
own, and looking into her face intently. Green did not return the woman's
gaze or acknowledge her presence, however; she was watching Frank
Longbottom prepare the tea, but her eyes did not follow his movements.
Now that Audrey Longbottom had taken her seat at the table, she faced
the four watchers. Harry noticed that she had a pleasant sort of face
framed by straight, shoulder-length blonde hair. As she sat at the table,
it was clear that she was very short--at least a head shorter than Green. And although she couldn't have been much older than thirty, her pale blue
eyes, now red and a little puffy, were surrounded by little lines. Harry
imagined she must have got those lines by laughing a lot; it was very easy
to imagine her laughing, even though just now she wore a concerned frown.
No one spoke as Mr. Longbottom prepared the tea. Finally he reached
over the table and set a cup in front of Green, and a cup in front of his
wife. Then he took a seat and began drinking from his own cup in silence.
"I should go home."
The Longbottoms glanced at each other soberly. "What, dear?" Mrs.
Longbottom asked Green softly.
Green looked over at her, as though noticing her for the first time. "Someone should be there when he gets home. He'll be wondering where I
am." She articulated her words slowly and calmly, as though stating the
obvious.
Mr. Longbottom opened his mouth to speak, but his wife put up a hand to
stop him.
"Persephone, you can't. Not just now." She took a deep breath. "They
may know where you live. Let the Ministry check things out first, make
sure it's safe. You can stay here in the meantime."
"No," Green protested. She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head. "No. You've got Neville to tend to. And I want to meet Demetrius at home. He'll be wondering where I am. I have to go."
Suddenly Green stood up from the table and moved toward the doorway. The Longbottoms stood up as well: he stood in front of the door to block
it, while she reached out and grabbed Green's arm from behind.
"Let me go!" Green shouted, jerking her arm away violently. She
wheeled around to face Mrs. Longbottom. Green and the Longbottoms were
very close to the watchers now, and Harry found himself wishing he could
back away. Even though he knew they couldn't touch him, their proximity
was unsettling.
"Don't you understand? There's been a mistake!" Green's face was
contorted with anger--or was it fear? Mrs. Longbottom just shook her
head in pity.
"There's no mistake, Persephone."
But Green wasn't listening. She moved to the door where Mr.
Longbottom stood, and attempted to walk right through him. He grabbed
her by the shoulders to stop her.
"Let me go!" Green was crying now. She reached back and hit Mr.
Longbottom across the face. A bead of crimson appeared on his lower lip.
"Persephone, stop!" he shouted. He pushed her back against the wall
next to the doorway and shook her roughly. "Listen to me! He's gone! He
was our friend, we loved him too, but he's gone now!" He then buried his
face in his hands and began to sob quietly. Green started to cry.
Mrs. Longbottom rushed over and put her arms around Green, who was
slowly sliding to the floor in tears. Mrs. Longbottom sat on the floor with
her as she cried loudly; she placed Green's head on her shoulder and ran her
fingers through the dark, wavy hair still matted with dirt and leaves. Mr.
Longbottom sat down at the table again, his face still in his hands.
"It can't be, it can't be true!" Green shouted through her tears. She
raised her head and looked into Audrey Longbottom's red, wet eyes. "If
he's dead, then so am I. He's my life! If he's dead--how will I live?"
She threw her head back and let out a long, low, piercing scream that
made Harry and Neville shiver, and Snape cringe. She screamed like a
person being tortured, or like someone whose soul is collapsing under the
weight of their grief. The screamed word seemed to reverberate around
the room endlessly.
"Metri!"
The room went dark again, but just for a split second. Scene after
scene appeared in rapid succession. The same kitchen, with Green and Mrs.
Longbottom seated at the table in silence. A small country churchyard on
an overcast day, with a handful of mourners wearing black. The kitchen
again, with Green and Mrs. Longbottom talking, while a baby sat in a high
chair at the table. As these scenes appeared and disappeared, Professor
Green spoke.
"Neville, I wish I had time to tell you all the things your mother did for
me. All I can say is, she was my best friend in those weeks after
Demetrius' murder. I saw her every day. Sometimes we talked. Sometimes we just sat. If she didn't see or hear from me, she would come
over and check on me. And she would cook." She chuckled softly. "Neville, your mother was the best cook I've ever met. She was always
cooking me casseroles, of all things. Whenever she suspected I wasn't
eating enough, she would show up on my doorstep with some dish or other. And if I didn't bring the dish back the next day--empty--she would come
by on the pretense of needing it back." She paused. "Your mother was the
best friend I ever had. Besides Demetrius, of course." She turned back to
the current scene: Green and Audrey Longbottom, sitting on a couch in a
living room.
It was clear to Harry that this room didn't belong in the same house as
the kitchen they had seen before. For one thing, there were no pictures of
the infant Neville set around the room. In fact, the room only contained
one photograph: a very large wedding picture set on the mantle above the
fireplace. Even though the picture was across the room from Harry, he
could see the newlywed couple clearly. The young version of Persephone
Green, identical to the one who had sat in the kitchen with Mrs.
Longbottom, stood in red dress robes alongside a very tall dreadlocked
man in black. He smiled down at her as she stared happily out into the
room, waving occasionally.
"It's about time."
Harry looked over at the two women. The Green on the couch inspected
the exterior a large brown backpack, but did not open it. She looked much
thinner than before, with disheveled hair and dark circles under her eyes.
"They've had it all this time?" asked Mrs. Longbottom.
Green sighed. "Yes. Insisted on searching it. I can't imagine what they
expected to find; did they suppose one of the Death Eaters was going to
leave a present for me in here?"
"Don't even joke about that!" Mrs. Longbottom exclaimed. "You know
quite well that's exactly what the Ministry was worried about." She
leaned over and examined the backpack herself. "So they checked it for
hexes, did they?"
"Yeah." Green eyed the large pack with a mixture of apprehension and
eagerness. "I already went through all his things, you know, I had
forgotten about the things he took to work with him ..." Her voice trailed
off. She glanced briefly at Mrs. Longbottom.
"You don't have to go through it now, you know."
Green took a deep breath. "If not now, I'll just have to do it later. Better to get it over with."
Green carefully pulled the zipper to open the main compartment of the
pack. She reached inside and pulled out several articles of clothing-
including what appeared to be hospital scrubs--sunglasses, and a couple
of small books. These she set in a pile on the floor. Finally, she reached
inside and pulled out a small box wrapped in bright crimson foil.
Mrs. Longbottom put a hand to her mouth. "Do you think?--someone at
work must have given him an early birthday present--"
"No," Green replied as she examined the box. She set it on her palm. It
was so small it didn't even cover her hand. "He hadn't worked there very
long. He was just transferred a couple of months before--"
"From his family, then?"
Green shook her head. "He hadn't seen them for three weeks. Look." She fingered a tag attached to one side. Even from across the room Harry
could make out the four letters in large black print: "Seph".
"A year," Green muttered. Then she started to laugh. Mrs. Longbottom
stared at her in puzzlement. Green turned to her. "Can you believe I
nearly forgot? It would have been a year, five days after his birthday."
"Oh. Your anniversary."
Green nodded. She turned back to the little crimson package on her
palm.
"Are you going to open it?"
Green thought about this. She turned the little package over and over in
her hand, as if it would help her to decide.
"Yeah."
Slowly she slid a finger along a crease in the foil, and opened it. She
pulled the foil off the package and set it aside. A tiny box sat on the palm
of her left hand.
Mrs. Longbottom and Neville gasped simultaneously.
The box was dark brown and open at the top, without hinges or a lid. Harry could see the lines and curves of shadow that covered its sides, but
it was too far away for him to clearly make out the carvings. He stole a
glance at Snape, whose eyes glittered with recognition. Harry recognized
the box too, of course--it was the same one that Peeves had smashed on
the first day of classes. He wondered exactly what it was.
The younger Persephone Green of the memory couldn't have read Harry's
mind or emotions, but she gave voice to his thoughts anyway. "What is
it?"
"Persephone," Mrs. Longbottom answered in a low, surprised whisper,
"haven't you ever seen a Hornbox before?"
Green frowned and shook her head. "A what?"
Mrs. Longbottom stared in amazement at the little box in her hand. "You're a pure-blood witch, I'm surprised you haven't seen or at least
heard of one. They're incredibly rare, and very valuable." She carefully
picked the box up out of Green's palm. "It's a box carved in a single piece
from a unicorn's horn--that's why there's no lid, see?" She pointed to the
open top. "It carries a very powerful Protection Charm that keeps its
owner safe from harm; all the person has to do is place a lock of hair
inside."
She smiled warmly at Green, who continued to frown in confusion. "I
don't understand. It didn't protect him--"
"No, dear," Mrs. Longbottom interrupted. "That's not how it works. It
has to be given by someone who loves, to someone who is loved by that
person. The giver invokes the charm, you see. Demetrius must have
charmed it before he wrapped it."
Green took the box out of Mrs. Longbottom's hand and held up close to
her face. "He always complained about how dangerous my job was. He
worried. I--I didn't worry about him at all." She closed her eyes and
swallowed hard. "Where--how--did he get it?"
"That's what I don't understand." Mrs. Longbottom peered closely at
the box as well. "Because Demetrius was a Muggle-born, and these are
found almost exclusively in wizarding families. Frank's cousin has one, in
fact. Most of them are very, very old. Handed down from parent to child,
or sometimes from one spouse to another. There may be some new ones
for sale, but the cost--well it would be ridiculously expensive." She
shook her head. "I just don't know."
They sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at the box.
"You're sure they checked everything for hexes?" Mrs. Longbottom
asked, standing up.
"Yes, of course."
"Well, just the same, I wonder if you would let Frank check it over. To
be sure."
Green glanced up at Mrs. Longbottom. "Of course, I don't mind," she
replied hoarsely, obviously not meaning it. But her friend was right; if
this item did not belong with Demetrius' things, it would be wisest to
double-check that it wasn't hexed. Reluctantly, she handed the Hornbox
over.
Mrs. Longbottom sensed Green's unwillingness to part with the gift. She hugged her, and whispered, "Don't worry, dear. I'll bring it back as
soon as I can." Then Mrs. Longbottom walked to the door, opened it, and
stepped outside.
Once again darkness filled the room, completely blinding the four
watchers. "Lumos," said a voice to Harry's right, and Professor Green's
wandtip lit up. She waved it over the lamp on her desk, which
immediately illuminated the room. Neville stood silent at Harry's side,
lost in thought.
"Professor Snape," Professor Green said as she moved toward him. For
one gleeful moment Harry thought she was going to insult him again. But
she wasn't smiling, as she had been in the corridor; she simply looked at
Snape earnestly. "I shouldn't have struck you. I'm sorry." Inspecting the
receding red mark on the left side of his face, she reached up and touched
it.
But the apology appeared to anger Snape more than the original offense. He flinched and backed away, still clenching his fists at his sides. His
expression changed in an instant from surprise to utter hostility. "I'm not
interested in your trite apologies," he hissed. "And I sincerely hope that
in the future you will find more appropriate ways of expressing your
frustration. I would expect as much from one appointed to teach students
how to defend themselves against violent acts." He did not meet her eyes
as he spoke. He did, however, glance briefly at Neville before turning on
his heel and leaving the room.
Professor Green stared at the door thoughtfully.
"What a shame," she mused. "You boys must think of him simply as a
big bully. But he once had a great deal of potential. Still has, in fact."
Harry didn't understand. "Potential to become a powerful wizard?"
"Potential," Professor Green answered, turning back around to face
him, "to become a decent human being."
She turned to Neville.
"Seeing those memories again, I realize how little I'm showing you. All my memories are through my eyes, so I can only show you your parents
as I saw them. I wish you could see them as they really were."
"No," Neville answered, staring at the far wall as though he might still
glimpse his parents there. "I've never seen them--like that. They--they
don't remember me, you know." His voice was a little sad, but carried no
trace of self-pity. "Professor Green, thank you."
She smiled. "Harry, you were going to ask me something."
"Yeah," Harry mumbled, trying to remember what it was that he had
meant to ask. "Oh! The Summoning."
"Yes?"
"Well, what happens to the person afterward?"
Green walked around her desk and sat down behind it. "That's a very
good question. It depends upon what the wizard chooses. If he chooses
good, then he gets another chance. He goes on just like he did before."
Neville looked as confused as Harry felt. "But then he can just go right
back to the Dark Arts?"
"Theoretically, yes. But none ever has. Though that hasn't stopped
Fletcher from causing mischief anyway." She laughed.
"And what if the person chooses the Dark Side?" Harry asked.
She paused for a moment, then looked gravely from Harry to Neville and
back again. "Didn't you ever wonder where Dementors come from, Harry? They don't get together and have little Dementor babies." She smiled
wryly. "Dementors are made, not born. Made from Dark wizards who have
forsaken everything that is good within them--the last vestiges of their
humanity."
Harry was stunned. He couldn't believe he had never considered the
Dementors' origins before, but this made sense. Suddenly he was struck
by a thought.
"And you--have you ever made a Dementor?"
Professor Green chuckled. "Oh, no. Summonings are very rare
nowadays. When the incantation was first invented several hundred years
ago, wizards used it indiscriminately--that's how we got most of the
Dementors we have now. They live a very long time, you see. Then the
Wizard's Council finally wised up and reined in their Summoners. Now the
incantation you just saw is only used as a last resort."
"So that's why you have to be able to read people. You have to know
what they would choose," Neville concluded. Professor Green nodded.
"The Summoning Incantation is only used on dabblers--those who we
doubt would turn completely over to the Dark Side, but who prefer not to
choose. We force them into a decision, so to speak."
As Neville and Harry made their way up to Gryffindor Tower a few minutes later, Neville explained what had happened to his parents, and Harry pretended to listen as though he hadn't known. As he settled into bed, he tried to imagine what it must be like to have parents who can't remember you. Was it worse never to have known them, or to be able to know them when they couldn't know you back?
