Chapter Thirty-nine
What's wrong with you? Slyther demanded. You've been acting funny ever since yesterday, and I don't mean the 'hee-hee' funny. I mean strange-funny. Are you suffering a case of amnesia or something? ANSWER ME.
Harry gulped, looking down at the snake in front of him, his face a mixture of confusion and tentativeness."How can I understand you?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of the snake. "I mean, you're a—a—a—"
A what exactly? Slyther demanded, interrupting Harry. What am I? A snake? So what's new to that? I've always been a snake. It's not like I was a hippopotamus or something and just woke up a snake the next morning. Now, tell me, what is wrong with you?
"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked, becoming more comfortable around the snake. His rigid body soon relented, and he sank into his bed. "Why're you so bossy? I don't even know you… so could you please leave?"
But the snake didn't leave. Instead, it just slithered closer to the bed. What do you mean 'you don't know me'? Did you hit your head? Of course you know me, you forgetful human!
"Then explain to me why I can hear you, and you can hear me," Harry said. "And while you're at it, tell me why I can't remember anything. The last thing I remember is the Dursleys leaving for Mexico. Some parts before that are still a bit blurry, but—"
Wait, Slyther interrupted, his voice slow and careful, that's all you remember? Just…that? Nothing after it?
"No," Harry said. "I should know you, shouldn't I?"
Of course! Have you not been listening to me trying to get you to remember? Now, what exactly happened that made you lose your memory?
Harry frowned. "How am I suppose to know that?"
Oh, right… Slyther paused, before changing the subject. Well… do you know how you can get your memory back?
"I don't know," Harry said, frowning once more. "I just wanna go to sleep. I don't feel like doing anything right now."
Sleep? You just woke up half an hour ago.
Harry, who was sitting up in his bed with the covers still over him, laid back down and kept his eyes open.
"Great. A snake can tell time. I think I do need another rest."
Oh, don't be smart, Slyther snapped. You didn't even get up and go out of your room yet. You've just sat there and have been interrogating me.
"Inter-ro-gating?" Harry repeated, sounding out the words. "What does that mean?"
It means… questioning, Slyther replied.
"I haven't been 'introgating' you!" Harry exclaimed, sitting back up and glaring at Slyther. "You have! That's all I've heard all morning is you questioning me!"
It's interrogating, Slyther corrected, and why don't you get up and get out of your room? It is Christmas, after all.
"I don't care," Harry said quietly, laying back down and looking up at the blank ceiling. "It doesn't seem like it. I'd rather spend Christmas with the Dursleys than here with that… man. He's so cold and mean."
Oh, so now you see the truth of the greasy human! Slyther exclaimed, seeming rather comfortable on the floor where he was. I've been trying to tell you that for a very long time now, though I don't actually say it, but when I call him 'greasy human' you should get what I mean. But no, you always thought you saw the 'good' in him and always gave the greasy human a chance, but now that you've somehow lost your memory you—
"There is no good in that man," Harry said impassively. "He's mean and that's it. Now can you leave me alone? I'm going to sleep."
Fine. But I'm not going. I'm staying right in this spot and you can go to sleep again and pretend like I don't exist… when I really do, since I will be in this spot.
"Fine, I get it," Harry said, closing his eyes. "Just don't make any noise."
-
Harry, through how hard he tried, never went to sleep, and to his amazement, the snake never made a peep. He was quiet for the first time that morning.
The man, Snape, never bothered Harry while he tried to go to sleep, and Harry was thankful for that. He just didn't want to see Snape today… or ever, if he could.
Are you awake? Slyther whispered, causing Harry to groan. So much for not making a peep.
"No, I'm not," Harry whispered back, turning his back to Slyther.
Oh. Then if you're asleep, why are you talking?
Harry stayed quiet.
"Leave me alone. Just go find some mouse to eat."
Mouse? Slyther repeated. Sure… but just goes to show how much you know about me! I prefer fish rather than mice, thank you.
Harry didn't bother to argue.
He kept his back turned to Slyther, who resumed staying quiet. He couldn't describe how much it bugged him that he couldn't remember a thing, that the only thing that was actually clear to him was the Dursleys leaving for Mexico—and the more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn't remember the Dursleys house number, or their telephone number, and he forgot how to make bacon.
So much for Christmas, he thought to himself, staring at the blank wall in front of him. It didn't even seem like Christmas to him, but yet just another ordinary day—one that he could remember, anyway.
"Potter."
Harry turned around to find Snape standing in the doorway, a sneer on his face.
"What is it?" Harry asked, his voice cold. No way was he trying to act friendly and nice towards Snape if Snape wouldn't even try the same towards him. "I'm busy."
"Oh, doing what? Staring at the wall?" Snape sneered. "I have a way to get our memory back, Potter. You're just going to have to cooperate with me."
"What if I don't want my memory back?" Harry snapped. He didn't understand why Snape said for him to cooperate with Snape, when it should be both of them cooperating together.
"Then you're foolish, Potter," Snape said. "I know you want your memory back as much as I do."
That was true, but Harry really didn't know how much Snape wanted his memory back. As for him, he'd do just about anything. Well, almost anything.
"Fine," Harry said, throwing the covers back and getting up. "What is it we have to do? Chant a spell or something?" The last part came out sarcastic.
"No," Snape said, scowling. "A potion, Potter."
Harry snorted. "A potion? Are you a witch or something?" Then he started to laugh. "A talking snake and Potions. I really do think I'm dreaming."
"This is no dream, unfortunately," Snape said. "I wish it was." Only if to get rid of you, Potter, he added silently.
-
Harry followed Snape to his office. He couldn't help but stare at his office, either. It was lined with different kinds of things that Harry couldn't describe. Harry couldn't help but wonder if Snape was serious about the potion-making, too. Was that even possible?
"I know it's here somewhere. I had a whole stack of them," Snape muttered, going through vials of something.
"A whole stack of what?" Harry asked.
"Keep quiet," Snape snapped, not turning his eyes away from the vials as he still searched through them.
Harry helped himself into a chair and sat down, propping his chin into his hand. He waited and waited for Snape to find what he was looking for, and he didn't know how long he sat in the chair, but he did know that Snape never found it.
"It's gone," Snape finally announced in a frustrated voice. "It's not here."
"What are you looking for, anyway?" Harry demanded. "And what are those things in the bottles?"
"I was looking for a specific type of potion, Potter," Snape explained, still sounding frustrated from not finding whatever potion he was looking for. "A Memory Potion, but I can't find any… I was absolutely positive I had more than one vial full."
Harry could only stare at Snape. So he was serious about the potion.
-
"Where have you been?" Quirrel demanded. He didn't like how Aureus was just there one minute, and then she disappeared the next.
"I had a little errand to run," she answered simply, waving a few vials of potions in the air. "Am I not allowed to run an errand?"
Quirrel ignored her. "We should find somewhere to stay, Aureus. I'm getting tired of staying in this bloody forest, sitting on a bloody log."
"Well, you're lucky I have Muggle money," Aureus said with a smug smile. "We can find somewhere to stay for a while."
Quirrel then eyed the Potions that Aureus still had in her hands. "What is that?"
"Oh, these?" She smiled some more. "Potions I stole from Snape. Memory Potions. I knew he'd use them on him and Harry to get their memory back."
She threw the vials onto the ground, crushing them with her foot. Glass shattered and liquid leaked out, staining the white snow. "Merry Christmas, Harry."
-
Jenae realized it was Christmas. But some Christmas it was for her, and for Caoimhe!
"Ms. Honestas?" The doctor, Caoimhe's doctor, gently came up to Jenae.
She looked up immediately. "Yes? Is it Caoimhe? How's she doing, Doctor?"
He smiled gently. "Well, you'll be happy to know that Caoimhe's finally awake. She does seem to have amnesia though, but you shouldn't worry. She'll start progressing with her memory, meaning that she'll start to receive some flashbacks of her life before the amnesia until she regains her full memory."
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Jenae said, with a bright smile. She stood up. "I'm glad it's nothing serious. And the stitching, are they fine?"
"You needn't worry," the doctor replied. "Everything seems to be in order. Would you care to see her?"
"Yes," Jenae replied, emphasizing the word. "When will she be able to come home?"
"Maybe sometime soon. She should stay a while more to rest, and for us to be sure that everything is absolutely all right with her."
Jenae, feeling that this was the only Christmas present she wanted to receive, followed the doctor into Caoimhe's room.
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