Eleni's Missing Years

Chapter 4

‘A week’s detention with Snape,’ cried Hermione, her mouth dropping open in horror, ‘and just because you were late. You poor thing.’

Eleni leaned back in her armchair and stretched her feet in front of the Gryffindor fire.

‘I’m not looking forward to it,’ she grimaced painfully.

‘Well it’s what keeps him going,’ said Hermione. ‘Giving detention and deducting points.’

‘Other than him being there,’ said Eleni, ‘detention wasn’t too bad. He was cross but he didn’t yell or anything, just made me clean out a shelf and catalogue what didn’t need to be thrown out. Then in the middle of it all Professor Dumbledore turned up.’

‘What did you say?’ called Harry from across the room, where Ron and he were playing chess. Did you say Professor Dumbledore turned up?’

‘It’s rude to listen to other people’s conversations,’ said Hermione. ‘Concentrate on your chess game.’

‘It’s Ron’s move,’ he said. ‘So what’s this about Professor Dumbledore?’

‘He came to see Snape but only for a minute, said Eleni.’

‘Tell me please,’ laughed Ron, ‘that he was there to sack Snape.’

Eleni smiled and listened to the others laughing.

‘No,’ she said. ‘He said something about having some news for him. He wanted to see Snape in the office tonight. He wasn’t going to talk with me being there.’

‘Wonder what all that’s about,’ said Harry.

‘Do you think, it has anything to do with what you told us,’ Ron said to Harry. ‘Remember when Dumbledore sent him off to do something after Voldemort came back?’

‘It seems a logical explanation,’ said Hermione turning to Eleni. ‘You heard didn’t you, about what happened at the Triwizard Tournament and the Goblet of Fire.’

‘Some of it,’ said Eleni, ‘but not everything. I heard that Harry was almost killed, that a boy called Cedric was killed and that Voldemort had come back.’

At the mention of Cedric’s name, Harry, Ron and Hermione’s eyes turned downcast with sadness. For a moment no one spoke.

‘It was horrible,’ Hermione told her. ‘Poor Cedric.’

‘It was the worse day of my life,’ said Ron.

Harry looked at the sad faces and decided to change the subject.

‘When I told Professor Dumbledore that Voldemort had returned,’ he explained to Eleni, ‘he said to Snape “you know what I must ask you to do” and Snape agreed and left.’

‘You see,’ said Ron, ‘Snape was a Death Eater.’

‘Who knows, he still might be one,’ said Harry, studying the chess pieces.

‘Come on Harry,’ said Hermione, ‘you know how implicit Professor Dumbledore is in his trust for Snape.’

‘Well anyway,’ continued Ron, ‘our guess is that Snape is acting as a double agent.’

‘That’s interesting,’ said Eleni, trying to absorb everything that was being said. ‘Snape told me that his shelves are a mess because he’s had assignments to do over summer.’

‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could turn into beetles like Rita Skeeter and listen to what Professor Dumbledore is saying to Snape,’ said Hermione.

‘How is Rita going?’ asked Harry.

‘Oh she’s doing great,’ laughed Hermione. ‘Enjoying her life in the jar. I was thinking of getting another beetle to keep her company.’

Eleni looked at them, not quite following the conversation.

Harry, Ron and Hermione laughed when they saw the puzzled expression on her face.

‘Don’t worry,’ Ron told her, ‘it’s a long story.’

‘A very long one,’ said Harry.

‘And if it wasn’t so late,’ said Hermione, ‘I’d tell you the whole story now but it’ll have to wait till tomorrow, as I can’t keep my eyes opened.’

‘I’m with you Hermione,’ yawned Harry.

‘No arguments from me,’ said Ron. ‘We can finish this chess match tomorrow.’

‘Coming to bed Eleni?’ asked Hermione ‘You look worn out.’

‘Umm no, well yes in a minute, I just want to finish the rest of this chapter,’ she said, pointing to the open book in her lap.

‘Okay then, goodnight,’ said Hermione.

‘Night,’ said Harry and Ron with another huge yawn.

‘Pleasant dreams,’ said Eleni, watching them leave for their respective dorms.

* * * * *

Snape raised his hand and watched the door slide open.

‘Headmaster you wanted to see me,’ he said, as he walked into the office.

‘Yes Severus,’ said Dumbledore. ‘Please take a seat.’

Snape sank comfortably into the leather chair and watched with hooded eyes as Dumbledore paced the room as if collecting and organising his thoughts before sitting behind his desk.

‘I apologise that I haven’t had a chance to speak to you since your last return,’ he began.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the terrible hiss of pain. At his last encounter with Voldemort, Voldemort had struck him down with the Cruciatus Curse. He had almost been too weak to get away and had only just managed to Apparate back to Hogwarts in time.

‘Am I to presume that you’ve recovered from your injuries?’ asked Dumbledore, watching him with concern.

‘Yes headmaster, I have recovered.’

‘Madam Pomfrey said you were near death when you apparated back. I would hate to lose you Severus.’

‘Voldemort was in a particularly vicious mood that day,’ said Snape. ‘Lucky for me his powers have lessened considerably after his “Priori Incantatem” with Potter. I didn’t get the full brunt of his curse. Yet with his supporters standing firm beside him, it’s only a matter of time before he regains his loss power and begins his march.’

‘So he knew about you?’ asked Dumbledore.

Snape leaned back in his chair.

‘At first I was able to convince him of my loyalty. So much so, he demanded that I brew him a potion, one that the Ministry has strict guidelines with. A potion so strong that it would enable one who drinks it, power to break every charm and protection Hogwarts has. If Voldemort had had that potion we’d be mere flies trapped in his web.’

Dumbledore stood and wearily moved to the Pensieve. Fawkes and Snape watched him intently.

‘How did you resolve that situation?’ Dumbledore asked him.

‘My plan was to change the strengths of some of the ingredients, so to render him helpless and further weaken his powers but then…’

‘What?’

‘He knew headmaster. He knew what side I was really working for.’

‘And you denied it?’

‘Of course. But he knew. That’s when he attacked. I just managed to get out in time. And such a pity, all that time I spent regaining his trust. Gone in an instant.’

‘It’s what I feared,’ said Dumbledore, touching his temple with his wand and depositing a thought into the pensieve. ‘That’s why Severus I wanted to talk to you in private.’

‘Yes headmaster.’

‘I suspect that someone in the Ministry is also working as a double agent. But this person is working on the side of Voldemort and I suspect it was this person who informed him of your true alliance.’

Snape nodded. ‘It is as I suspected. But who?’

‘I have my suspicions,’ said Dumbledore, ‘but as yet no proof. Whoever it is has placed enough protective charms around themselves, as to foil any disclosure spell.’

‘Not Lucius Malfoy?’ asked Snape.

‘No. Everyone knows what side he’s on.’

‘But you have your suspicions?’

‘Yes but that’s all they are, suspicions.’

Snape noticed that the pictures in the portraits were watching him soberly.

‘Do you want me to try again with Voldemort?’ he asked.

‘Goodness no,’ said Dumbledore. ‘Voldemort and his death eaters would not hesitate to kill you. No, we will gather and wait for his next move. I have also taken the liberty to speak to Harry and have expressively forbidden him not to leave the castle grounds under any circumstances without permission or being accompanied.’

‘But headmaster,’ said Snape, trying hard to soften his sarcastic tone. ‘You know Potter has that invisibility cloak and you know how he and Mr Weasley are with the rules.’

‘Sirius has spoken to him too. Harry understands the seriousness of the situation, especially after Cedric Diggory’s death. I assure you he won’t be breaking any rules. Oh and Severus, for now I don’t want you leaving the castle grounds either. I wouldn’t want to lose you, especially not now.’

Snape sighed unhappily. ‘Yes Headmaster.’

‘I’ll let you know when there are further developments,’ said Dumbledore.

Snape stood and moved to the door.

‘Oh and Severus one more thing. I noticed today that Eleni Devon had detention?’

‘Yes, an unfortunate accident with her cauldron.’

‘Do you think she is beginning to remember?’ Dumbledore asked.

‘Perhaps,’ said Snape. ‘Certainly she is being plagued by troubled sleep.’

‘The other professors said she is distracted in class and finds it hard to concentrate.’

‘Yes I would concur with that,’ said Snape.

‘Severus,’ said Dumbledore, moving back to his desk, sitting and inviting Snape to do the same thing. ‘I’d appreciate it greatly if you kept a friendly eye on Eleni. Monitor her disposition and if you can without raising too much suspicion, discover how much she is remembering, if at all.’

Snape paled. ‘But headmaster, surely Minerva, being master at Gryffindor would be better suited…’

‘Severus,’ said Dumbledore, watching him closely, ‘you know yourself that you are better suited. You understand Eleni’s situation better than anyone.’

Snape rolled his eyes to the ceiling. ‘Very well, if you insist.’

‘I do Severus, because it would be devastating if her memory made a sudden return and no one was there to support her.’

Snape’s eyebrows moved skywards.

‘So you will keep a watch on her Severus?’ asked Dumbledore.

‘Yes headmaster,’ sighed Snape.

* * * * *

There was a crack of thunder seconds before the room fell into darkness. Like black ink from an octopus, it ran up and down her body, as if it wanted to attack her soul.

‘Lumos, Lumos,’ cried frantic voices.

‘What’s going on,’ cried a male voice. ‘My wand is as useless as a twig. I thought there were protective charms around this place.’

‘My wand is useless too,’ yelled someone else.

‘Oh my God, those lightening flashes are coming closer. In a moment they’re going to be on top of us.’

A strike of lightening crashed through the roof, it’s edge jagged like a knife, lighting the room like a Christmas tree.

Screams and the sounds of people scrambling to get away.

She turns and sees the dark shadows. She sees now that they are wearing are masks. Reptile masks.

One of them cracks its wand. More screams.

‘Please no. No.’ This time it’s a woman’s voice. ‘Help me please.’

Another crack of the wand and the woman is dead before she hits the ground.

‘Mother, mother,’ Eleni hears herself cry out. She realises that she is screaming too. ‘What have I done?’

The reptiles look at each other and crack their wands once again.

More screams and then darkness envelops the room.

* * * * *

Eleni jumped up whimpering, her dark hair wet with sweat plastered against her head. For a moment she has no idea where she is but then realises that she has fallen asleep in the chair down in the Gryffindor common room.

‘Oh my God,’ she cries in despair. ‘I killed her. I killed my own mother. It was my fault she died.’

‘No more, no more,’ she told the dream. ‘You have to leave me alone. I’ve got to get of here. This room is closing down on me. I need fresh air, to try and sort this out in my mind.’

Eleni picked up her wand and snuck out of the common room.

‘A little late,’ said the portrait of the fat woman, as Eleni clamoured out.

‘Leave me alone,’ she says. Let them find her she decides, what does she care. If she gets expelled so what. It’s what she deserves.

‘Lumos,’ she whispered to her wand, as she crept along the wall, making her way to the entrance hall.

Snape saw the faint light in the distance, as he came out of Professor Dumbledore’s office.

‘Hmmp,’ he thought, ‘a student sneaking around. And most probably Potter. Won’t he be in trouble especially after his talk with the headmaster.’

Snape’s lip curled at the prospect of catching him sneaking out of the castle. He followed silently, as the shadow made its way outside and to the lake.

He moved to the castle’s doorway and touched his eyes with the tip of his wand, turning them into cat’s eyes, making it possible to see in the dark.

Snape took a closer look. ‘Oh dear it’s Eleni Devon.’ He watched, as the dark figure, looked around before settling down by the lake.

Snape could tell by the way her shoulders were shaking, that she was crying.

He took a tentative step towards her, relishing the fact that catching her outside the castle in the middle of the night would cost Gryffindor at least 50 points if not more.

But then he stopped, ran his hand through his hair and remembered his conversation with Dumbledore about the girl.

It would serve no one he decided, catching her, deducting points. And he certainly wasn’t equipped to deal with a distraught girl. No it was better that he kept watch and make sure she remained safe.

Her shoulders continued shaking for a long time, as she buried her head further and further down into the folds of her cloak.

At one point Snape took another step towards her, filled with the unfamiliar emotion of sorrow at her distress. But he restrained himself, not wanting her to know she was being watched, not knowing what he’d do if he was spotted.

But he did wonder what memory the dream had brought her this time.