Chapter Twenty-Five:Dead Memories
Chapter title taken from the Slipknot song.
"Who's to say I'm not next?"
This chapter is in Emma's point of view, before she leaves Hogwarts for Christmas break to see Rosalind. There's also a tiny Easter egg towards the end haha. Enjoy!
My sister and I look alike but could't be more different. She's got the darker skin and curly hair, while I got rounder, blacker eyes, our mother's smoother complexion, and jet black straight hair. While she's fearless, I am more anxious.
We come from a long line of Purebloods but we lived among Muggles, which by American standards wasn't unusual. Very few in our family dared marry into a Muggleborn or even half-blood family. Our upbringing was different since we lived around Muggles. None of them knew we were wizards so we didn't use much magic around the house much. Rosalind has been doing magic for as long as I can remember since she's so much older than me but I took a lot longer. I remember her being worried that I might be a Squib, but I finally showed signs of magic once we moved to London. We were at a restaurant and I blew all the lights up and she had to Apparate us out so we wouldn't get in trouble. At least that's what she told me, but I remember I was asleep before that and soon after. But if she says that's what happened then I believe her.
I'm in my second year at Hogwarts and got Sorted into Gryffindor, also known as the House of the Brave. Funny thing is I don't think I'm brave at all, I've never done a heroic thing in my life. If anyone is fearless it's my sister, I'm sure she would be a Gryffindor too. I heard her say to someone once she got into a lot of fights in school so I know she's brave. But for some reason she doesn't seem to think so.
"Oy! Watch it second year!" an older boy bumped into me and my potions book fell on the ground as one of the girls he was with cracked the cover with her boot.
"Sorry," I grumbled as my face flushed. Class had just ended so the corridors flooded with students, several stomping on my textbook.
"Isn't that the American who's parents died in a fire?" the same boy asked the girl.
"Who's Pureblood parents die in a Muggle fire? Did they forget to use magic?" she sneered, causing my cheeks to burn. She grinned at me and I wanted more than anything to hex her stupid face, but I couldn't help the tears coming out of my eyes. I picked up my potions book and headed towards the tower for charms, dreading for my last class to be over. I didn't even pay attention to what Professor Flitwick was saying, I just wanted to get to the library and stop crying. I don't even know how people found that out-or why they even care.
"Today class we will be studying Memory Charms," the little man began. He was standing on a tall pile of books so we could all see him, his squeaky voice barely audible. "I will give you fifteen minutes to read chapter eight, and then you will partner up to perform Memory Charms on each other."
The know-it-all Ravenclaw girl shot her hand up in the air. "But Professor, isn't that dangerous?"
The tiny man giggled. "Quite the opposite, dear girl, as second years are not likely to cause much damage to each other more than a slight dizziness." The girl scowled, and the professor instructed us to begin our reading.
Memory Charms, first becoming in use in the late 13th century have been in use with much scrutiny. Whilst legal, the Ministry of Magic warns against overuse of the Charm; prolonged effects can lead to memory fog, confusion and longer recall for information. When in receipt of a Memory Charm, the receiver will go in a dream-like state for a moment before forgetting the previous events. The most powerful Memory Charms are performed at the front of the head, where the portion of the brain that deals with memory will be affected. Faulty Memory Charms can leave faint scars, particularly on the chest and back when performed in a hurry. Memories can also be altered and replaced via the False Memory Charm.
Strange, I thought. I have little scars from a lot of fights I've had with Rosalind. She's a lot stronger than me so I always thought that they were from messing around. I would fall asleep a lot of the time though and I can never remember why. Everything with her seems like a blur for the most part.
Professor Flitwick asked us to partner up, and I ended up with Anson Smith, a fellow Gryffindor. We've never talked before but I don't talk to many people. I like keeping to myself.
"You ready?" Anson asked as he drew his wand. I nodded, implying I was going first. I held my breath as he raised his wand to my temple. "Obliviate."
My eyes rolled back, and my world turned black as my body slammed onto the stone floor.
"...is not common unless she has had several Memory Charms performed on her. We'll have to get in contact with her parents to see what has been going on." I could hear Madam Pomfrey's worried voice in the hospital wing. My head was pounding; I felt like Anson hit me in the head with a bludger.
"Her parents are no longer around," Professor Flitwick's hushed voice chimed in. "They perished in a fire a few years back before her sister moved them to London."
I could hear the shock in Madam Pomfrey's voice. "That poor thing! All that trauma she has already experienced at such a young age-that could explain why she fainted from the charm."
The professor sighed. "Perhaps. She's a bright student and has never had this happen before. I'll alert McGonagall." His little feet shuffled across the floor, and I quickly shut my eyes as Madam Pomfrey came to check on me.
"How are you feeling, dear?" she asked in a motherly voice. "Take some more tonic, it'll ease the pain."
I tried my best to smile. "Thank you. Am I okay to leave? What happened to me?"
The madam smiled at me kindly. "Nothing to worry about sweetheart, maybe it's not your day. You'll feel better in no time."
I nodded, disappointed that she didn't tell me the truth. "Professor McGonagall isn't gonna have to talk to my sister is she?"
"I'm not sure but if she does then one of your professors will let you know." She gave me that same look Rosalind gives me-like she felt bad for me and wasn't telling me the whole truth. I gave her my best fake smile, grabbed my book bag and trekked to the Great Hall for dinner.
I could feel the whispers before I heard them: I'm the Pureblood girl with no parents who somehow died in a fire, and today I passed out in class from a mere Memory Charm. Instead of feeling bad for me people make fun of me for it and I don't know which is worse. They both make me feel terrible. I don't get it either-I know my parents were great wizards, so it just doesn't make sense. Rosalind never answers my questions either, she always says I'm too young to understand. But I'm almost thirteen. I'm not a baby anymore.
I sat down quietly at the Gryffindor table at my usual spot closest to the door. Alice Mulligan came shortly after, she's one of the only people who talks to me. She's weird and dorky like I am and nice to me. She's a Muggleborn so her parents don't understand anything that goes on at Hogwarts.
"Hi Emmy, you doing alright?" she asked as she chomped on a turkey leg. "Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me visit you in the hospital wing."
"Yeah I'm okay," I said stirring my pot roast. "Her and Professor Flitwick wouldn't tell me the whole story though, I don't know why. They tried to make it not sound as bad as it was."
Alice chewed her leg carefully, eyeing me with her big blue eyes. Her freckled cheeks could barely swallow the food. "They think we're thick because we're second years." She stopped for a breath of air. "Are you any closer to finding out what really happened to your parents?"
I shook my head. "Not really. I was finally able to track down the police report from back home but they're not in yet. The Muggle newspapers didn't say anything except what I already knew but hopefully the police reports will be different." I took a bite of roast, ignoring the sinking feeling in my gut.
"You're scared aren't you?" Alice said faintly as I nodded. "Why don't you think your sister will tell you what happened?"
I shrugged. "I don't know really...I think she thinks it's her fault. Madam Pomfrey said she might have to come and talk with McGonagall"
"About what?"
"Probably about what actually happened to me instead of what she told me," I said grudgingly. I hate it when people think I don't know what's going on.
Alice finished her turkey leg then pointed her head towards the doors. "Is that her?"
I turned around, seeing my sister's face looking around the Great Hall for mine. A lot of the sixth and seventh years were ogling her since she looked so out of place in her work clothes, her badge from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement hanging around her neck. She's so pretty but she doesn't know it. I've never been jealous of how pretty she is-I've always been jealous of her fearlessness.
"Hey sissy, how are you?" she asked me once she spotted me. The fifth year sitting by us immediately scooted over to make room for her before she could even say anything. "I just talked to McGonagall."
"I'm fine," I said with a dramatic sigh. "I don't know why she had you come all the way over here."
"Because you're my sister, I have to make sure you're okay," she said pinching my cheek.
I glared at her. "What did she tell you?"
Her eyes shifted to the right, like they always did when she was about to lie. "Nothing really, she was just making sure that's never happened to you before mostly."
"What'd you tell her?"
"You used to pass out all the time when you were little," she said grabbing one of my biscuits. "Usually when you were really upset but not like that."
"So that's all? She dragged you here for that? She could've written you a letter," I said taking the rest of the biscuit from her mouth.
She frowned, taking a bite of my pot roast. "She always asks me a bunch of questions in general, it's pretty annoying. It's like she doesn't trust me."
"Gee, doesn't that sound familiar," I said sarcastically.
Rosalind rolled her eyes. "Right your life must be so terrible." She punched me in the arm. "Life gets better I promise."
"Sure." I went for a slice of pumpkin pie before she beat me to it. "How long are you staying?"
"Only for a bit, we have a lot going on at work. Why, do you miss me?" she laughed, bringing more attention to herself.
"No I hate you," I grinned as she smacked me on the head. "Are we still going to your friend's house for Christmas?"
She swallowed some roast, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes. She was going to lie to me again. "I'm not sure, I haven't talked to him about it since he mentioned it. If not then we'll probably end up at my co-worker's place. But we'll have an actual Christmas this year I promise." She patted me on the knee, giving me that guilty look again. The fifth year boys were walking by our table, smirking behind their hands as they talked to each other. "What are you looking at?" she asked annoyed, standing up to leave. She gave me one last sympathetic look. "I'll see you in about a week, right? You're finally coming home."
This isn't home, I thought. "Yeah I'll be there."
She smiled at me, longer than she normally would. "I love you. Don't do anything dumb."
"All I do are dumb things," I laughed, as she gave me one last hug goodbye.
The package came by owl post the last day before Christmas Break. It was larger than I thought, and the text was small and blocky:
Incident/Investigation Report
11/15/2001 Officer Morgan
Victim #1: Xavier Morana, Hispanic male, 47 years old
Victim #2: Esmeralda Morana, Hispanic female, 43 years old
Victim #3: Rosalind Morana, Hispanic female, 21? years old
Victim #4: Emma Morana, Hispanic female, 9 years old
Other Persons Involved:
Two unidentified males, heavily tattooed; one with a wand, other may be a Muggle. Possible gang members. A second wand was found burnt to ashes; impossible to identify both wands.
Narrative:
On 11/15/2001 around 0325, several calls came to the station about a house fire. Investigation showed clear signs of forced entry and at least four deceased in the home. Confirmed identities of Victims #1 and #2, death likely via Killing Curse with post-mortem mutilation. Unidentified victims death likely via strangulation with signs of fire damage to neck and blunt force trauma to the head. Wands too damaged to run analysis of last spells used. Records show Victims #3 and #4 reside at the home but nowhere to be found. Presumed dead or kidnapped, due to the identification of the gang tattoos on unnamed victims. No confirmed ties to gang activity.
Conclusion:
Most likely home invasion, possible assassination attempt.
Supplemental Notes:
Victim #3 has since disappeared. Wand tracing has proved fruitless; victim #3 is either deceased, kidnapped, or fled. Victim #4 never found.
My heart sunk like a stone into my stomach. This is what Rosalind didn't want me to find out-our parents didn't just die, they were murdered. And they were murdered by people Rosalind knew who were after her not us. But why would
My hands shook as I sat on my four-poster bed. What did Rosalind do to have people want to kill her? And what happened to those men if our parents were already dead? My chest heaved as I tried hard not to cry. I rubbed my head, feeling foggy like I normally did when I was upset. I've always felt anxious around Rosalind when I'm upset for some reason, like she's going to hurt me. She always acted funny whenever I get upset. But I can never remember her hurting me. All my memories have been strangely dreamlike since we moved to London. My nightmares are the most vivid memories I have, of being scared of my sister, of being alone in the woods, of stealing food so we wouldn't starve. Unless-
Of course. The Memory Charms. The book in class even said it, it described all my symptoms. This explains everything: why I can't remember anything bad happening to me, why all my memories don't seem to fit with Rosalind's, why she always has her wand drawn near my head when we're arguing. She must have been using Memory Charms on me for years so I wouldn't remember how our parents died. But that can't be it...She would've told me that. She wouldn't do that to me...
I sat by the door, staring blankly out my window. A third year girl was being pushed around by some older boys, who were annoyed she was fighting back. Rosalind used to fight people a lot too. I rubbed my head again, itching with dejavu that I couldn't quite understand:
A lasso of fire came from her wand, strangling the man. He gasped for air, choking-she jerked her wand upwards, so the man's body hung from the ceiling, his broken neck burning from the magical noose. She smiled, pleased with her work. The second man ran for her but she heard him, tackling him to the ground.
"Crucio!" she screamed as his body writhed in pain. He spat curses at her but nothing, he must have been the Muggle. Another Cruciatus Curse, only stronger-the pain was almost unbearable for him. She climbed on top of the second man, throwing her wand away and pounding his face with her fists, breaking his nose, his blood spurting all over her. A final blow to the head and a noose of fire later, and he was dead too.
She turned around, blood on her hands, with a half amused look on her face. She was almost relaxed, or relieved. She looked right at me, having no idea I was there: the regret in her eyes was immediate, and I ran into the bathroom before she could hurt me too.
"No," I cried, forcing myself out of my memories. "That didn't happen that was just a dream-"
But I couldn't avoid it anymore. I watched my sister kill two men right before my eyes, and I saw her enjoy it. She got our parents killed, and messed with my memory to cover it up.
Who's to say I'm not next?
Dun dun dun! The cat's (almost) out of the bag and it's not going to be pretty! How'd you guys like Emma? She's a lot smarter than people give her credit for, that's for sure. Thank you so much for reading! The next chapter is going to have much more going on, promise :)
Next chapter: And Love Said No.