Chapter Seven: Cures and Exchanges

I was deep in my book, which happened to be full of Greek myths, when a tall man with the longest beard I had ever seen came in and spoke, making us all jump, "I thought I'd find you here, Everly," then looked at me and said, "Ah, yes, young Miss Potter, I know you well, great-granddaughter." I believe I fainted then, and awoke hours later lying on a bed near to the Longbottoms. Neville and his grandmother had left soon after I swooned, so the only people waiting for me to wake up were Magistra Whitehawk and the tall man, who I learned was Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts (and James Potter's grandfather, although at the time this was not known). (I did not learn of this until very recently, speaking with his brother Aberforth.)

Professor Dumbledore smiled at me as I sat up, "Well, young lady, you gave us all quite a fright there. I do hope you are feeling better, because the Healers wish to examine you." I shook my head a few moments, blinking to completely wake up, then replied, "I believe so, sir, but what do you think they will find? To tell the truth, I'm rather scared of what's in my head." Magistra Whitehawk patted my shoulder, "There, there, it'll be alright, dear. They will just see if there really is a Memory Charm on you, and if so, try to break it without harming you." Professor Dumbledore nodded in agreement, so we went out to see the Healers.

As we were walking downstairs, a thought struck me, "Professor, if that boy Neville really is friends with the boy you say is my brother, don't you think he might tell him before we have a chance to meet? I mean, if I heard that I had a sister that I'd never met from a person I'd only known a few years, I might be a little suspicious, never mind the shock of hearing it from someone other than the girl herself!" He smiled knowingly at me, "My dear young girl, I knew that that would concern you, so I asked Neville and his grandmother to say nothing until the Healers have worked their magic on you. It would not do for you to show up saying that you are the older sister of the famed Harry Potter without having the memories of being his sister. Also, it would so shock the wizarding world that you just might become the next target of Lord Voldemort and his followers. So for now, we will keep you safe as the unassuming exchange student Melantha Cardigan, no matter what the Healers find in your mind." I sighed, much relieved.

Meeting the Healers was the queerest experience I have ever had in my life. Professor Dumbledore explained the situation to them, and they made me sit on a hard wooden chair, very uncomfortable, painted the most hideous shade of green I've ever seen. Then they circled me, sometimes prodding me in various places with the tips of their wands. Occasionally one of them would tap my head, and then I would scream as my nightmare appeared. Eventually the Head Healer sighed and said, "Well my dear, you do have a Memory Charm on you, but it is the most powerful we have ever seen. We are frankly shocked that you are even sane, given how powerful it was at casting. Your Magister Westing was correct, the Charm has eroded somewhat, especially in the past few months, but we can do nothing except perhaps assist in the eroding. If we attempted to remove it fully, you would end up worse than the poor Longbottoms upstairs. But hopefully we can nudge it into breaking up on its own, and then you will set up weekly visits with Madame Pomfrey at Hogwarts until it is completely gone. As next week school starts again, you will visit her when you arrive.

I nodded, wide-eyed, and they all put their wandtips on my head and muttered something I didn't catch. A blast of purple light surrounded us all and the Healers exploded away from me. I shrieked and must have blacked out again, for when my eyes opened I was on the floor, with the Healers picking themselves up around me. "Well, I believe that worked," the Head Healer said with a wan smile on her face, "but you will forgive us if we do not ask you to return until the problem is completely gone." I gave her a rather weak smile in return and went to speak with Professor Dumbledore and Magistra Whitehawk.

"Professor," I began tentatively, and he nodded at me to go on, "in your note to Magistra Archon, you mentioned that there would be an exchange of students… I was just curious who would be returning with Magistra Whitehawk." He actually laughed at me and motioned for us to accompany him out the door. We did, but I hesitated a moment at the Welcome Witch's desk to leave a donation. "Young lady, your perspicacity amazes me, just as your brother's always does. I am sending with your revered Magistra Whitehawk two very special students: Benjamin Lightfoot of Ravenclaw, and Moaning Myrtle Morgan of Hufflepuff. I am sending an owl ahead to inform Magistra Archon of my decision, and to warn her that anyone rude to either Benjamin or Myrtle will answer to me." He waved off our questioning looked, "My dear Everly, I am sending Benjamin because he would best serve the world as a musician instead if a magician. And Myrtle, well…" he sighed and continued, "Myrtle is a ghost, who needs to learn a few things, one of which is to moan on-key. Please, my friend," he said reassuringly as Magistra Whitehawk squeaked in dismay, "make sure that these students are treated with the utmost respect and dignity they require and deserve."

Magistra Whitehawk assured him that they would be treated as he commanded, and he invited her to visit Hogwarts, as Songsmith would not start classes until later in September. She accepted, and outside St. Mungo's we parted way. Professor Dumbledore disappeared into the crowd, we assumed to return to Hogwarts, and we went back to the Leaky Cauldron to spend a very pleasant week in Diagon Alley. She did take me to Madame Malkin's a robe shop, since Songsmith is a bit more lax about uniforms than schools in Europe are. Madame Malkin frowned as I walked in, no doubt wondering why a girl of my age needed robes for the first time, but a parchment handed to her by Magistra Whitehawk cleared the worries from her face, and she outfitted me admirably.

 insight or understanding