Mask of Oblivion

MASK OF OBLIVION

Chapter 8 - In Plain View

There were only ten days left to the Christmas break. The rising excitement and anticipation could be felt as a tangible aura hanging in the air over the students as they sat at lunch in the Great Hall. Bella Smith was picking at her lunch absently and gazing blankly at the tapestry hanging on the wall in front of her. "Hello! Earth to Bella. Is there intelligent life in there?" She turned her head slowly and smiled vaguely at the thin blonde girl sitting next to her. "Sorry Sophie, I was just thinking."

Sophie patted her hand sympathetically. "Yes, I suppose not everyone is looking forward to the Christmas holidays."

"Hi, Sophie. Bella." The view of the wall was suddenly blocked as the seat opposite Bella was taken with a flourish by a lean boy a little older than the two girls. His pointy smiling face was framed by a tangle mass of silver blond curls. The smile faded a little at the sight of Bella's face. "Hey Bella you look like you just lost a galleon and found a sickle? Cheer up, it's nearly Christmas!"

"Marcus, you know that Bella has family problems. How can you be so insensitive," Sophie scolded.

"It's OK, Sophie. Marcus doesn't mean anything by it." She sighed deeply and stabbed her fork viciously into a potato. "I wish I could stay here, but Mum needs me to come home." Sophie and Marcus both came from pure blood families where separation and divorce were almost unheard of. Bella knew that they probably did not fully understand what she was trying to deal with.

"So you haven't heard from your father yet?" Bella just shook her head in response to Marcus's question. "It is probably just like he said in that letter. Family issues he had to attend to."

"Dad doesn't have any family that I know of besides us. No, I am not stupid. This happened to a boy at my old school. His father said he had to go away for a while. Next thing he knew his parents are divorced and his father is getting married to someone else!"

"Aren't you reading a bit much into it?' said Sophie soothingly.

"I don't think so. That was a very suspicious letter. He doesn't think much of anything magical and did not want me to come to Hogwarts at all. The first two months he never writes to me, only Mum. When I finally do get a letter not only does he say he is going away, but he tells me how proud he is of me. That is so fishy. He hates the idea of me being a witch.

Marcus sat back and blinked, somewhat nonplussed by the outburst. But he recovered his composure quickly and tried to change the subject. "Pity you aren't staying. James and I are going to investigate what the teachers are hiding up on the third floor."

"In the out of bounds area?" asked Sophie with a horrified expression on her face.

"That is the unusual thing." Said Marcus, lowering his voice to a stage whisper, "At the start of the school year it was unused, but not out of bounds. Suddenly after Halloween it is out of bounds. Also, James noticed that Aunt Ginny and both the Longbottoms seem to go up there regularly. And I saw Dad go that way one evening when he said he had to attend to a work matter."

"Your dad is in the Department of Mysteries, isn't he?" asked Sophie.

"That's right, so James and I both agree whatever is happening up there is DOM business."

"So they are really going to appreciate a bunch of schoolchildren snooping around, aren't they?" asked Bella, rather sarcastically. "Anyway, good luck. I doubt you will succeed in finding out anything." At that she stood up, pushed away her half eaten lunch and, with Sophie trailing behind, left the hall.

*

As the image of the Great Hall faded from the seeing stone, Simon removed his hand and turned away. Bella's next lesson was Transfiguration and there was no stone in that class room. As he turned he saw Hermione standing by the table watching him. "Hello, back already?" His face started to break into a smile at her return, but quickly faded.

She was standing with her arms crossed and an expression bordering on impatience in her eyes. "What are you doing with that stone?" she asked sharply.

"I mentioned that I wanted to be able to see Bella and your colleagues were kind enough to provide a means to do that. Even if I am not allowed to talk to her."

She walked over, looked at the stone, and gave a small snort that signified displeasure. "It seems to me that is an unnecessary distraction from our purpose."

Simon gave in to the growing irritation that he was feeling. "You have no idea do you, what this 'project' of yours is doing to my life?" he hissed, "You have no idea what I have already been through -" he turned away from her and paced across the room his hands clasped behind his back, then turned suddenly, glaring at her. The pent up frustrations of the last few weeks suddenly exploded within him.

"Fourteen years ago I woke up in hospital with no idea who I was, no family, no life, nothing! I have spent all those years working hard to build a new life from nothing. I found a job and built a career. I found a wife and built a family. Then you came along and offered me answers to the questions and the nightmares that have haunted me. " He sneered, "And, fool that I am, I took a chance on finding the truth. But it was not that simple, was it? I have a lot to lose. I will have to give up my career and probably - because this is taking so long - my marriage. If I become a wizard again, there is only one thing from my present life I will not lose, and that is my daughter. She is the only part of my life that I can be sure I will keep."

"What about us?" Said Hermione quietly, looking at him with a challenge in her eyes.

"Us?" spat Simon, "there is no 'us'! It is just a convenient arrangement to keep the pet Muggle happy while we figure out how best to screw with his brain." Before Hermione could reply he stalked across to the inner door, flung it open, marched through and slammed it shut behind him.

He went straight through to his room, shut the door and threw himself down on the bed. How long he lay there wallowing in misery he did not know. It was several hours later that he heard a tentative knock on the door. "Go away!"

"It's dinner time. I thought you should eat." Hermione's voice was brusque and businesslike.

"I am not hungry." There was no answer and he was left alone to stew in his own pain and indulgent self pity.

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew he was dreaming.

The slender young woman stood tall in the centre of the circle of Death Eaters. He stood beside her. He could feel his own pride at her beauty and her courage. The red eyed visage that the semi-conscious part of his brain now knew was Lord Voldemort, stood in front of him. "So this is Miss Potter." The predatory look in his eyes as they scanned the woman beside him was rather discomforting. "You have done well in bringing her to me, Severus. Now there will only be two Potters left to plague me." As he watched Voldemort's wand arm rise, Simon could feel his own growing horror as he realized what was going to happen. Inside his head he was screaming, "No!" But he knew he must not make a sound. "Avada Kedavra!" A green flash shot forth from the wand and he stood there watching, doing nothing as the light engulfed her and she fell to the floor, dead.

"No! No!" Now he was screaming it out loud, sitting up in bed sweating and pale with fight. The door opened and a female figure rushed in. For one odd half waking moment he thought it was all just a dream and she was not dead after all. Then he realized it was Hermione. She rushed to his side and cradled him in her arms. She was radiating calm and peace and at her touch he started to relax. . Was it just her or was it some sort of magic? He did not really know and at that moment he did not really care. She was there. That was all that mattered.

*

Hermione walked quickly through the halls of Hogwarts, her robe billowing behind her. She made no effort to conceal herself. It was the start of Christmas break and most of the few children still here knew her as a frequent visitor and were unlikely to comment on her presence. She gave a slight knock on the door of the Charms classroom to announce her entry. "Still working? Teachers are allowed a break, you know."

Ginny looked up from her desk where she sat surrounded by piles of parchment. "End of term assignments!" She said as she indicated the piles with a flick of her wrist. "If I get them out of the way now then I can enjoy Christmas too." Hermione came up to the front of the room and perched on one of the front row of desks, swinging her feet in the air and tapping her fingernails on the desk top. Ginny looked at her again, pushed the assignment she had been marking away, and sat back in her chair. "What's wrong, Hermione? You need to talk?" She glanced quickly at the door, "it's about the project isn't it?

"Yes. No. Well, sort of. But it's personal." She had thought it best to try and talk things out with Ginny, now she wasn't so sure and she found herself stammering like a schoolgirl.

Ginny stood up, pointed her wand at the doors and windows, applying a silencing spell and walked over to Hermione. "We have been friends forever. I probably know as much about your personal life as anyone, even Ron. In fact," she said, with a wry grin, "I know more details about your life than I really want to know. A few more are hardly going to corrupt me, so spill it, Granger."

Hermione slid off the desk and walked away towards the windows. "It's Simon."

"Obviously it has something to do with Simon. He is the subject of the project, after all."

"I don't know where I stand with him. One minute he is caring, passionate, and wonderful. Then he can be so cold and remote." She heard Ginny give an exasperated sigh and turned to face her.

"Three things occur to me. One is that his behaviour is probably to be expected. Professor Snape was always a moody bastard. Two, most of your interactions with men are fairly controlled and calculating and I understand why. And three, why do you suddenly care?"

"Because this time is different," said Hermione simply. "He is getting under my skin like no man I've known, save one." She clenched her fists "I agree I am always totally in control. I made the decision a long time ago that no man was ever again going to dominate my life or use me and I have been very successful."

"Until now?"

"Until now. I have not felt this emotionally involved since..."

"Harry." Ginny reached out and put one hand on her shoulder.

"Yes. This was never meant to happen." She collapsed into Ginny's hug. "What am I going to do?"

*

It was the day before Christmas Eve and the project team was due to meet in half an hour. Despite the reduced number of students in the school over the break, the meeting was still scheduled for the usual time after dinner. Simon had been feeling restless again over the last few days, now that he did not have the diversion of watching Bella. Hermione had chosen to freshen up after dinner and rather than wait in the living room for her he was already sitting in the meeting room, reading his latest set reading from 'A Modern History of Magic - Grindelwald, Voldemort and beyond (author: N Longbottom).'

He looked up in mild surprise as the outer door started to glow. It was rare for anyone to arrive this early. He was even more surprised when the early arrival turned out to be Sirius Black. "Good evening, Sirius," he said, unable to keep the note of surprise out of his voice.

"Good evening," said Sirius curtly. He walked over to the table but did not sit down.

"To what do I owe the intense pleasure of your early arrival?" Simon said sarcastically.

"We need to talk."

"That is a surprise. You normally seem to make a point of avoiding talking to me." Simon turned his attention back to his book.

Sirius pulled on of the chairs away from the table and sat down facing Simon with no table between them. "It's about Hermione."

Simon looked up again sharply and turned his chair slightly so that the two men where face to face. "What about Hermione?" he said.

"It's about the intimacy of your relationship." Sirius was obviously a little embarrassed, but determined nonetheless to pursue the discussion. "Ginny and I are a little concerned."

"Concerned because Hermione and I are involved in a sexual relationship? I don't see how that is any of your concern." He looked at Sirius coldly. "In case you haven't noticed we are both consenting adults, not school children."

Sirius appeared to be trying very hard to keep his temper in check. "Hermione is a very, very dear friend and she has been badly hurt before. I don't want to see her hurt again."

Simon stood up stepped forward and leant menacingly forward over Sirius. "Hermione seems to have her emotions perfectly well under control. I can't see that I have any power to hurt her. Not that I have any intention of doing so."

Sirius stood up also and grabbed Simon's collar. "Make sure you honour those intentions," he said menacingly, "because if you don't you will personally answer to me."

"Answer to you for what?" Both men turned their heads at the sound of her voice. Hermione was standing in the doorway, hands on hips and a clear look of disapproval on her face. "Sirius, let go." Sirius did so and stepped back, but the look on his face still carried a threat.

The outer door now started to glow again and Minerva and Ginny entered. As they all proceeded to sit down Simon noticed Hermione shoot a questioning glance towards Ginny, who looked downwards with a clear expression of guilt on her face. This caused Hermione to glare at both Ginny and Sirius and the atmosphere in the room turned positively icy.

Before the tension in the room could rise any higher they were joined by Bill, Neville and Anna and it was time to begin the meeting. Unfortunately, as the meeting progressed the general tension in the room was increased by the growing sense of frustration and mild despair at the singular lack of progress.

"We still haven't found an effective memory charm reversal that would be applicable in this case," said Anna.

"Do you think it is time for the Ministry to add extra resources?" offered Bill.

Minerva looked distinctly unhappy at this suggestion. "It has been less than two months Bill. Give us a bit more time."

Simon normally sat back and listened at these meetings, but the thought that had been niggling in the back of his brain since the last meeting would not go away. "Excuse me," he said. At the sound of his voice everyone sat up and stared at him in surprise. "You keep telling me how brilliant Severus Snape was."

"Yes," said Minerva, "One of the best students in his year."

"And you also keep telling me how careful and precise he was about anything to do with his work, including, of course, his Order of the Phoenix work?"

"Yes," said Bill, a slight frown forming on his face. "He always paid meticulous attention to detail. What is your point, Simon?"

"Why would a man who always had everything carefully organized do something like this to himself, unless he had left the answer in plain view? Have you gone through all his notes?"

"That was the first thing we did," said Anna, "including his book."

Suddenly Hermione jumped up, a look of realization on her face. "The book! Anna, where is your copy of 'The theory of modern applications for ancient potions - by Severus Snape?"

Anna looked puzzled. "In my office of course, but we already looked through it. There was nothing on memory charm reversal."

"No, not as such." Hermione was starting to bounce with excitement. "What about 'The Rite of Seeking'?"

The light of recognition went on in Anna's eyes as well. "You are right. I had not really thought of it as been used for this purpose. I will go and get the book straight away." She stood up and dashed out of the room. It was the first time Simon had ever seen her move in any manner other than a dignified slow walk.

"Care to enlighten us, Hermione?' said Sirius.

"When Anna comes back, Sirius." She sat there smiling like a Cheshire cat until Anna returned, clutching a large leather bound book that Simon recognized as another copy of the one in which Hermione had shown him Severus Snape's picture.

She brought the book around to Hermione and stood looking over her shoulder. Hermione flicked through the book rapidly until she found the page she was looking for.

"The Rite of Seeking," she read, "Is a complex ritual to be performed when a person has retreated within their own mindscape." She lifted her head smiling round the table, "or when they have driven their conscious memory into hiding in that mindscape in this case."

"It is fairly involved," said Anna, wrinkling her brow in concern, "and a little dangerous, especially for the seeker. "

"Anna, do you have the ingredients for these two potions." The two female heads pored over the page in front of them.

"Yes, I think so. If not I can make a quick trip to Diagon Alley. This one takes four days to brew."

Hermione looked up. "Can anyone tell me when the next new moon is?"

"Three days after new year," said Neville.

"Classes start two days after that," commented Ginny. "How long does the Rite take?"

"It says here it should take no more than seven days."

Bill looked at Minerva. "You can reorganize classes if necessary. Hermione, how many people required?'

"It requires a minimum of seven people in total, including subject and seeker."

Minerva nodded. "I think we can work around that."

"Good!" said Bill, "Now let's all have a look at what we have to do."

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