Okay, chapter 17 here… I'm getting kinda lazy so it's getting kinda slow as well but anyways, I'm still glad I could hand this out to you guys, so on to the seventeenth chapter…
Title: The Future is Waiting
Chapter 17: Oblivion
"What do you mean 'Have we met?'!" Malfoy yelled, sounding panicky. Harry, however, stared, too confused to speak. Was what he was thinking real? Had Rose lost her memory.
"Of course, you have met, Rose…" said Snape slowly. "You study in the same school… But you don't know each other personally."
"What!" Malfoy rounded on Snape. "What are you talking about?"
"I mean what I say, Draco," said Snape in the same cold tone. "Why don't you ask her…"
"Rose, what's he talking about?" said Harry quietly to Rose. "You – you haven't had your memory erased, have you?"
"My memory? Erased! That's funny!" laughed Rose airily. Even her manners seemed to have changed. Her usual respectable, sophisticated self was replaced with an airy, gloating expression.
"Rose," said Hermione in an almost pleading tone. "D – don't you know who we are? Don't you really remember us?" she seemed close to tears. It seemed to move Rose a bit.
"Sorry," she said quietly. "Sorry, but – I really don't know you…"
Harry had his own suspicion. He was thinking that Snape might have modified Rose's memory. He did not have the chance to investigate, however, until Wednesday on the third week of January.
"Can I talk to you for a second?" said Harry, taking his chances and pulling Rose away from a group of girls she was walking along the corridor with. Harry was slightly shocked, because the group included Iris Lair.
"What – Take your hands off me! What is your problem?" hissed Rose. Harry had grabbed her by the elbow and was dragging her into an empty classroom.
"You're my problem," he hissed back. "What happened to you?"
"Ah! I'm your problem? Exactly who had pulled me into this classroom? What do you want? I don't even know who you are!" she now yelled.
"You know me. You just don't remember," said Harry, trying to stay calm and not start shouting too.
"Whatever…" said Rose under her breath. She settled on a dusty chair.
"Don't you remember anything?" said Harry, adopting the same almost pleading voice.
"Remember anything what?" said Rose irritably.
"You don't remember me?" Rose looked like she was ready to walk out on Harry. "Okay, you don't remember me… I think Snape must've done something with you, y'know – "
"Uh, Snape? Would Severus ever erase my memory? Do you know how we're related?"
"Yeah, I know he's your godfather but – "
"So what is your problem? Why are you – "
"Snape can do things…" Harry said quietly. Rose silenced. "Listen, sorry about this… I mean, he's your godfather… But I just don't trust him…"
"Why?" said Rose, getting up from her chair.
"It – it doesn't matter… Forget it – " Rose suddenly placed her arms around Harry's neck, and their faces were an inch apart.
"It does matter…" she said slowly. Harry could feel her warm breath on his face. "Because it depends on the reason why you don't trust Severus if I'll forgive you or not…"
Harry froze and stared. He was not sure anymore whether it was really Rose. It could be that Snape had modified Rose's memory, but did he have to turn Rose into a flirt?
"So…" said Rose slowly again. "What do you think?" she whispered, purposefully putting her lips close to Harry's ear.
"What – " Harry started. Rose pressed her lips against his cheek. "Stop."
"What?" said Rose, detaching herself from Harry.
"What're you doing? What do you think you're doing?" said Harry, panicky once more. Rose looked at him, looking puzzled. "This is not you. You can't act this way. Get out of it, Rose! Wake up!"
"She did that?" said Hermione in a quietly shocked voice. She, Harry, and Ron were heading for their next class, Transfiguration, and Harry had just told them about Rose's actions back in the empty classroom.
"Maybe Snape didn't mean to turn her into that," said Ron smartly. "Maybe it's just a side effect of some – Harry, where're you going?" For Harry had turned around and walked the other way.
"I'm going to talk to Snape. I've got to – "
"Could you at least save it for until after the lessons?" said Hermione impatiently, pulling Harry by the neck of the robes.
So Harry waited until their lessons for that day ended. At six in the evening, Ron and Hermione accompanied Harry to the Potions classroom.
"Potter, what do you think you're doing?" said Snape in his usual cold tone as Harry bust into the room. Snape was sitting behind the desk in front of chairs.
"Tell me what you did to Rose," said Harry. He was trying to keep his temper low though he felt really angry at Snape for, he was quite sure, meddling with Rose's memory.
"I did not do anything to her, Potter… Dear, you came all the way here just to bark at me about that?" said Snape, sneering.
"What did you do to her?" said Harry through gritted teeth. Ron and Hermione made no sound behind him.
"Tell me something, Potter… You like Rose, don't you?" he paused. "But do you love my goddaughter?" his sneer widened. "She is my goddaughter, and she has no parent left. I am the closest to a father she has. You hate me, Potter. Tell me, are you willing to put up with me all for the sake of your love for my… yes, daughter?" Snape seemed to be enjoying taunting Harry about Rose.
"I don't care if you're Rose's godfather," said Harry. "I care about Rose and I want to know what you did to her and why you did it!"
"Don't give em your puppy love reasons, Potter. You care for her? I let you see each other and go out, but you will never go as far as marrying my goddaughter, Potter," said Snape. "I did not do anything to harm Rose… If you must know, it was Dumbledore's orders – "
"Dumbledore ordered you to erase Rose's memory?" said Ron suddenly.
"Precisely, Weasley," said Snape, a smirk blooming afresh on his lips.
"But – why?" said Hermione in a whisper.
"I believe I am in no obligation to tell you," said Snape.
"Tell me," hissed Harry, placing his hands on Snape's desk.
"Rose Ashworth bears a mission," started Snape, siting back on his chair. He crossed his legs, leaned backward and crossed his arms across his chest. "A mission to destroy the Dark Lord. She was destined, cursed. She was to meet the other destined and together, they shall defeat the Dark Lord. That was the plan and nothing else. It was not in the plan for them to fall in love."
Harry was shocked. So Rose was falling in love with him? Snape leaned forward on his desk and continued.
"Believe me, Potter. Catching Rose Ashworth falling in love is no joke for the people who have seen her grow up. She was far more cold hearted than anyone could ever imagine… And you managed to make her fall for you… But as I said, falling in love was not part of the plan… and will never be. The Order had decided that for her attention not to be averted from her mission, she cannot continue feeling this – so called 'love.'"
"But why'd you have to erase her memory? You can just – just remind her of this mission or something," said Harry.
"You still don't know her, do you? She grew up without a family, only servants. A hundred servants, in fact, who had spoiled her unintentionally, I guess. What she wants, she gets. She is as stubborn as – "
"Not talking about me, are you?" The doors of the room opened and in came Rose. "Only, I heard the word stubborn."
"What are you doing here, Rose? It isn't your day of visit to me," said Snape.
"Professor Dumbledore sent this with Kuro-chan," said Rose, waving a cream envelope.
"If it's for me, your crow should have brought it to me," said Snape, surveying Rose.
"But Kuro-chan is intelligent," she said, smiling. "If he feels I should know something, he does the work for me…" she continued, brandishing the envelope. "If Kuro-chan feels I should know what's in this letter, I'll take a look then," said Rose, attempting to slit open the envelope. Snape dashed forward and snatched the envelope from her. Rose turned around and walked away. When she reached the doors, she turned to Snape. "Oh, you might want to thank me," she said playfully. "But anyways, you're welcome… And, see you around," she added, winking at Harry.
"See? You haven't succeeded making her forget about Harry! You just made her like him more!" said Ron after Rose had disappeared behind the doors. Snape looked poisonous.
"Harry, I think you're over reacting," said Ron. They were walking back to the sixth years' common room, Harry in the lead. He was so enraged by Snape that this simple statement made an enormous effect on him.
"You know what? Maybe I am. I am for you," said harry heatedly.
"Harry, what do you mean?" said Hermione.
"I know you don't care whether Rose gets her memory back. All you care about is each other!" said Harry.
"Harry, mate? What're you on about?" said Ron, looking honestly confused.
"Listen, I know you two are together already, all right? But could at least pretend to be concerned about everything else?" said Harry.
"Wh – together? Us? Wait – How'd you know?" said Ron, stepping in front of Hermione as though shielding her from Harry.
"Harry, how did you find out?" said Hermione, stepping out of Ron's shadow. Harry saw her blush.
"Back at Castlerest… Christmas break…" said Harry, rather ashamed.
"Nah, we've been on since Halloween Ball – Ouch!" said Ron, Hermione stepping on his foot.
"Harry… I know you really – love Rose. We care about her too – "
"You don't show it," said Harry, reminded again of his anger. "Yeah, I love her, but I consider doing this as helping a friend!" he exclaimed. Realizing what he had just said, Harry felt the heat go to his face too.
Harry lay uncomfortably in bed. He had unintentionally established that he loved Rose. But did he really? That was easy to answer. Of course he loved Rose. He had felt it ever since he first met her. Even before that. When he saw her in his dream. But that wasn't Rose. Harry was brought back to earth with a heavy thud. He was reminded of Claire. If he asked Rose now, would her answer differ? If Rose really knew who Claire was, would she tell Harry now that her memory had been modified? It, too, was worth a shot.