A/N- Thank you all for the reviews on the last chapter, they were very encouraging!
Yeah, I don't own these characters. Sadly, I am not the one they call J.K Rowling.
Hermione was in the middle of teaching her last class of the day, and she was teaching the third years about grindylows and the appropriate protection against them. Hermione felt frustrated, it had been a week since her and Severus had started their task, and the results thus far were abysmal. They had read through several old tomes on Dark magic and potions, and to no avail. How the Minister expected progress by Christmas, Hermione had no idea. The prospect of progress made by next year was bleak, and that was with her and Severus working and researching full time.
"Miss Alderberry, can you please state one way to get a grindylow to release its hold on something?" Hermione asked a dark red-haired Ravenclaw, after she finished listing the grindylow's particularly favorite ways to snag unsuspecting swimmers.
"Using a well placed Revulsion Jinx works, Professor," the third year replied, looking smug.
Hermione smiled. "Very good! A point to Ravenclaw," she said happily. "Yes, if you can aim well, a strong Revulsion Jinx can effectively break the grip of a grindylow. Now, for homework I want you all to practice the Revulsion Jinx, by using a partner and having them grab hold of your wrist or ankle," she continued. "But I must ask you to be careful, and do not shout the jinx as that will most certainly result in your partner being flung against the wall." She looked at the students sternly. "If I hear about anyone being flung against walls, it'll be a weeks detentions and 50 points from your house." Noting the wary looks on the students, she felt pleased. That should stop the young troublemakers from getting any ideas.
After the classroom emptied, she cleaned up and headed outside. She had to meet Harry at the Hogs Head. He had written and said he might have some new information on the curse and what it does. Anything at this point was valuable information, and Hermione rushed to the castle doors. After exiting the castle, she hurried to the gates and quickly apparated away. She appeared with a loud CRACK in front of the Hogs Head, and looked around. Hermione spotted him a little ways down the street, and Harry quickly caught sight of her and hurried to her side.
"Hey! 'Mione!" he shouted, a bit breathless as he jogged to where she was standing. "Sorry I'm late, Luna wanted me to stop at Scrivenshaft's for her."
"Oh, that's perfectly alright," she said as they headed inside the pub. "Class only just ended. I had to spend a bit longer on grindylows then I originally planned. The students can't quite seem to grasp the theory that you need to break the hold of the hand, rather than just blasting random curses at the thing itself."
Grabbing a drink, they settled down at a table in a shadowy corner. Harry turned towards Hermione, a concerned look on his face. "We should keep it down," he said in a quiet tone. "The Minister doesn't want knowledge of the curse to be overheard."
Hermione nodded, if information regarding the curse was made common knowledge, things could get ugly rather quickly. "So, what do you have to tell me?"
"A few days ago the head of my office sent me out to bring in a few people who had been cursed," he began. "And we went, it was routine except for one thing. The victims were attempting to retaliate against us by using curses I have never even heard of, let alone used myself," he stated gravely.
"Unknown curses?" Hermione frowned. It was rare that a curse such as the one they were dealing with to just pop up randomly, and be used on so many people without a counter curse, but having more curses being used that no one in living memory knew of, was shocking indeed.
"Yep. And when I told the Minister about it, he asked a few older and more powerful wizards, and none of them had heard about spells like that either."
"So... what you're saying is that you think the curse is implanting the knowledge of ancient and forgotten magic in the victims memories?" Hermione asked, her frown deepening. For a curse to do that, to affect the victims mind in such a solid and permanent way meant they were dealing with much, much more than her and Severus had originally though. Dealing with the subconscious was one thing, but to affect and rearrange and imbue the person with knowledge they would have never come across normally was strange.
Harry nodded. "That's what it's looking like. It wasn't just one of the patients, either. All three of them were waving their wands and uttering unknown spells," he continued. "It sounded like old Latin, but I couldn't be sure."
Hermione didn't reply, she was deep in thought. The curse implanted the knowledge of lesser known Dark magic in the victims mind, meaning it was varying levels of affectation on the victim. One part of it ran deep, affecting that which the victim couldn't control, and the other was affecting that which was already there. Leaning back, she sighed a looked at her friend. "Harry, this is bad," she stated frankly.
Harry nodded solemnly. "I know," he agreed. "I have my own suspicions about the whole thing, too."
"I do too. Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."
"I think this sudden outbreak of an unknown curse wasn't coincidence, and someone keeps using it, someone who knows what it does."
Hermione grimaced. "That is exactly what I was thinking." It was too coincidental that a curse of this severity would just be mere happenstance. It was unbelievable to assume that someone just came across it and tried it out just to see what would happen. And the odds of other people finding out, and using it on others was just too suspicious. Hermione had the distinct impression that the attacks had been premeditated, but when and by whom was yet to be answered.
Harry frowned, and took a sip of his soda with cherry syrup. "I can't confirm anything, and I would prefer if our discussion remained between ourselves so no unneeded panic is caused."
"I won't tell a soul, except Professor Snape," Hermione promised.
Harry nodded. "Good. I have to go now, but I hope I helped."
Hermione gave a grim laugh. "I don't know about helped, but it did make a few things clear. Thank you, Harry." Standing up, she gave him a brief hug. They said their goodbyes grimly, and both walked out and instantly apparated away. Opening the gate to Hogwarts, Hermione rushed into the castle and headed straight for the dungeons. The castle corridors were mostly empty, as dinner in the Great Hall was going on presently. Hurrying down the hallway that led to the dungeons, she continued to muse the possibilities of the curse. The known facts were that it caused the subconscious to play upon the victims fears, to the point of such vicious terror that the person was nearly insane with fear, and attacked themselves to try and alleviate the horrors its mind was creating. And now, thanks to Harry, Hemione knew that it also affected a different area of the mind, the memories. Which meant it was forcing the psyche to process that which it had not seen. That in and of itself was an incredible feat to accomplish with a single spell, but to affect both the subconscious and the stored information of the brain was unheard of. Reaching the corridor that led to Snape's office, she burst into his office, not even pausing to knock.
Severus started at the sudden intrusion, and glanced up, glaring at the witch whom stood in front of him, breathing heavily from her exertions. "Do not come rushing into my office again, Granger. I don't appreciate the lack of courtesy," he said tersely as he gazed at the breathless witch in front of him. "To what do I owe this sudden visit?"
"I have new information regarding the curse," she wheezed out, trying to catch her breath.
He arched an eyebrow. "Well then, I suppose you'll have to take a seat," Severus said smoothly, gesturing to one of the seats in front of his desk.
Nodding gratefully, Hermione took the seat, and took a moment to control her breathing. "The curse is apparently implanting the knowledge of other Dark magics in the victims memories," she said in one breath.
Severus leaned forward. "How did you find this out?"
Hermione relayed all that Harry had told her quickly. "So?" she added when she was done. "Does this mean what I think it does?"
"Miss Granger, I am not a mind reader. But," he said quietly, "I do believe this curse is more than we first thought."
"It is affecting that which is already there, not just playing upon the imagination and fears of the victim," Hermione stated, looking at the potions professor. "Which means it is affecting whomever it is cast on in varying levels of the psyche, implying that it has two key components."
"Yes, that much is clear. Very astute of you, Granger," he drawled in a bored voice, though his expression betrayed his concerned intrigue.
Hermione huffed, and glared at the dour professor. "I was only-"
"Yes, yes I know what you were only trying to do," Severus snapped. "I can keep up, Miss Granger, without needing you to state the obvious."
Hermione nodded curtly, and kept silent, fuming inwardly. The man was so difficult to work with, and she could tell it wouldn't be pleasant if he didn't change, which Hermione knew was highly improbable.
"The substantial problem in dealing with psychosis, is that the realm in which we have to work is very small, and very volatile. A single mistake could render the victim essentially brain dead, or without the ability to think as their own person," Severus continued, ignoring Hermione's irritated silence. "Which means the area in which we can find a rectifiable cure is also inconceivably small, all though a large portion of alchemic lore revolves around the mental capacities of humans."
"So, what should we be looking for?" Hermione outwardly mused, her frustration forgotten whilst contemplating what Severus said.
"Everything, and anything," Severus said wearily, folding his hands under his chin. "Anything that has a slight base in the realm of dealing with the psyche is something to be considered."
Hermione nodded. "I will take notes of everything I find."
"Well, get to it," Snape said irritably. "Lets not waste valuable time dithering about."
Hermione smirked, never having been one to shirk any responsibility, she got up and bade Severus a good night.
Severus watched the bushy haired witch leave, and warded his doors after she closed the door. She certainly was well informed, he mused. Talking with her had been bearable, if not borderline enjoyable. Hermione was so eager to consider any angle, and never ruled anything out because she doubted it. Severus knew that was a crucial point in what they were doing, that they couldn't rule out anything, and had to investigate even the slightest lead. It was also the reason why creating a potion to fit their needs could take so long. They had to consider every bit of information carefully, as the key to the potion could come from the most unlikely source. Standing up, Severus quickly walked to his quarters. Dinner was in order, and then he supposed he would spend the rest of the evening with his research.