The Veil of Memories

Chapter 3

The Art of Illusion

Harry studied Ginny closely at they sat down together with Ron at breakfast the next morning. Apart from their lessons the previous afternoon and Harry's private discussion with Ron the night before about the upcoming liberation ball, they had spent nearly all of their time in each other's company since Ginny had been pronounced "clean of all unfriendly spells" by Madam Pomfrey.

Harry had expected Ginny to be triumphant after Madam Pomfrey had found nothing wrong with her. When Ron had tried to persuade her to report to Dumbledore that she needed to go to St. Mungo's, she simply refused and said that she was feeling fine. She had then mentioned little about the matter for the remainder of the day. Harry felt sure, however, that she did not plan to give up so easily. He was less certain what she was planning to do next and couldn't avoid the feeling that Ginny wasn't at all sure either.

Harry's ruminations were interrupted when Professor Harmon walked into the hall and drew swiftly up behind them.

"Quidditch tryouts later this week, I hear, Potter?" he said jovially.

"Yes, sir," replied Harry. "We've got quite a few vacancies this term so I wanted to get started early."

Harmon adjusted his thick-lensed spectacles and ran a hand through his silvery hair.

"Well, good luck, then, lad, not too much, mind you, of course!"

Harmon's chuckle faded as soon as he looked over at Ginny.

"Anything wrong, Weasley? You look a bit puzzled."

Harry looked at Ginny and noticed for the first time that she was staring at Harmon with a slightly confused and wide-eyed expression, a glass of pumpkin juice paused halfway to her lips. She did not answer long enough for Harmon to raise his eyebrows and tilt his chin to one side as if to point out that his question had not been meant rhetorically.

"Er, no - no, er, Professor," said Ginny slowly, still staring up at him. "Everything's fine, thanks."

"I must say I'm pleased to hear that. I'm afraid it wouldn't do to lose concentration on your first day of N.E.W.T. Potions and I'm sorry to say I've arranged a bit of a tricky recipe for you."

The glass of pumpkin juice fell to the floor with a smash.

Harmon flinched. "Oh, dear, I didn't mean to frighten you, Ginny. I'm sure you're up to the challenge, at any rate." He snapped his fingers. "You there! Big ears!" He pointed to a squat house-elf who was standing near the end of the table trying to look anonymous. "There's been a bit of a mess over here. Help us clear it up, there's a good chap! Anyway, I must be off," he said before the three Gryffindors could respond. "Head of house staff meeting. Dreadfully boring but no getting around it, I'm afraid. Cheerio, then!"

"Goodbye, Professor," said Harry, smiling.

"Cheers," added Ron.

But Ginny continued to sit and stare at the retreating Harmon as he made his way out of the hall. She made no move as the house-elf deftly maneuvered a mop between her feet to wipe up the pumpkin juice she had spilt.

"Oh, don't worry, Gin," said Ron. "Harmon's an old softie. I remember I was terrified of him my first year but he's quite a likeable bloke, really. It seems odd he was sorted into Slytherin, though. I expect if Dumbledore weren't the headmaster, he wouldn't be head of their house, either. Doesn't seem to fit in at all well with - "

"What's wrong?" asked Harry, ignoring Ron and continuing to look at Ginny's ever-widening eyes.

"I've never seen that man before in my life."

"What?" exclaimed Ron for the second time in as many days. "Stop pulling - you don't mean - " His own expression started to mirror his sister's. "Bloody hell! You're dead serious, aren't you? Look, Ginny, I really think - "

But Ginny did not seem interested in what Ron thought.

"Where's Professor Snape?" she demanded.

"Who?" chorused Harry and Ron.

Ginny let out a heavy groan.

"No!" she cried, banging her fist on the table. "This can't be happening! He was here - yesterday - after all this insanity had already started. He was the one who told me off for shouting about it at breakfast. Don't either of you remember?"

But it was obvious even before Ron and Harry had opened their mouths that they hadn't.

"B - but, Ginny," Ron finally said. "Harmon's taught Potions since before we were born! You can't tell me you think that didn't really happen!"

"I can and it didn't!" asserted Ginny. "I can't explain how but I know!"

"Ginny," said Harry calmly as Ron looked beside himself. "Who was this Professor Snape?"

Ginny sighed. Part of her felt as though she could not possibly stomach the effort to explain but then she half-talked, half-mumbled her way through a description of Snape's appearance, personality, and his turbulent relationship with Harry and the other Gryffindors.

"I remember something about a Snape, now," said Harry, his brows knitted. "Sirius and Professor Lupin used to talk about him. Their old school rival or something. Hated my father, apparently."

Ginny nodded encouragingly and began to look hopeful but then sighed again when Harry delivered his next sentence.

"But I'm sure Sirius said that he died in the first war. He was a spy or something. Voldemort found out and had him put to death."

"No, he didn't!" protested Ginny. "He survived; he was our Potions Master. He is our Potions Master!"

"Anyhow," said Ron dismissively. "He sounds an awful chap; we're best off without him."

"That's not the point, Ron! He's supposed to be here. Goddess!" Ginny ran her hands through her hair in exasperation. "Is there going to be anyone left in this school by the end of term?"

Ron's face darkened suddenly. "I'm worried if there's going to be anything left of your memories." He licked his lips. "Ginny, I'm sorry but I think I'm going to owl Mum and Dad. This is serious; there's something wrong with you and it's something Madam Pomfrey didn't catch. If you don't get to St. Mungo's soon - "

"I'm not going to St. Mungo's and don't you dare tell Mum and Dad! They'll be sick with worry!"

"I'm sorry, Ginny, but it's not your choice this time." Ron straightened up and suddenly looked frighteningly like Percy. "If I don't look after you...."

Harry's attention started to wane as the banter between the two siblings deteriorated into familiar lines of argument. He was still thinking of a way he could safely interject and get back to the matter of solving Ginny's memory crisis when something caught his eye: Carolyn Woolsey, the Hufflepuff chaser Ron had been eyeing ever since the middle of last year, had wandered into the hall. Why she was late was anyone's guess but she was now sitting all by herself, her blonde ponytail waving back and forth as she hurriedly dug into a bowl of porridge. She seemed a bit rushed but, still, Harry didn't think Ron was likely to get a better chance.

Ron and Ginny were in the middle of an argument about who was responsible for the vanishing charm that had made Ginny's toy wand disappear when they were seven and six respectively when Harry tugged on his best friend's arm and pointed him in Carolyn's direction.

"No!" protested Ron, turning his head back to the table.

"It's your best chance, mate! She's always got her friends around her; you know that! Now go over and ask!"

"No, mate, I - I - just look, I can't - not right now."

"If not now, then when? The ball's in three days!"

"I - I - I've changed my mind," said Ron, looking very blotchy. "I don't think I want to go with her after all. M - maybe I'll just go alone or something."

"You've been keen on her since the end of last year. You know that! And all you could talk about on the whole train ride here was her! It's not that you don't want to go with her. You're just nervous, that's all. It'll be much better once you get it over with. Now, come on!"

Harry stood up and tried to pull Ron to his feet but Ron pulled back with a force that nearly sent Harry crashing to the floor.

"I TOLD YOU NO, HARRY, AND I MEANT NO!"

Harry stumbled backwards, a little stunned by the force of his friend's words. Much of the Gryffindor table was looking at them now. Even Carolyn had turned her head away from her porridge and looked back to see who was shouting.

Ron looked over at Harry, his face still flushed, but obviously slightly embarrassed by his outburst. He didn't seem to know what to do next but finally settled on straightening his robes and saying in a much quieter voice:

"I think I'll get a start on the Transfiguration essay. I'll see you later in class."

And before Harry could reply, Ron turned and walked out of the hall.

Harry sighed. He knew that Ron was not likely to be starting an assignment early. He looked down at Ginny, expecting to see an expression of comiseration. Instead, he found her looking wide-eyed and surprised again.

"What is it?"

Ginny shook her head and sighed.

"This is just all wrong," she said.

She got to her feet and took hold of Harry's hand. She still looked lost in thought as they walked out of the hall.

"I have Divination," she said finally.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Ginny shook her head and smiled weakly. "I wouldn't want you to have to go through that again."

Harry parted from her reluctantly. As she had turned to walk up the stairs, he called after her:

"Do you think I should find out where he's got to and talk some sense into him about Carolyn?"

Ginny stopped walking but she did not turn around right away. When she did, Harry was surprised to see that her eyes were moist.

"No, I don't, Harry. I think he should go to the ball with Hermione just as he asked her to the night we came back. And I'm going to find her and get everyone's memories back so he can do just that."

And then without a further word, Ginny turned her head and continued to walk back up the stairs to class.

***

"I'll admit to a trace of disappointment that there will be so few among us this term," came the wispy voice of Sibyll Trelawney as she cast her eyes dreamily on the four students who now sat in her N.E.W.T. Divination class. "But I won't say that I did not foresee it. It is natural for people to prefer fleeting exotic fashions to the firm steady mantle of truth. I am not concerned, though," she went on, lifting her chin up to look at a spot on the far wall. "I have also foreseen that in time, all things will be known for what they are."

Ginny had no doubt that Trelawney was referring to Firenze. If her mind had not been completely preoccupied with the grim events of the past two days, however, she might have found it highly amusing that Trelawney could describe herself as the "firm steady mantle of truth." In spite of all this, however, she still could not help but feel a little sorry for the Divination Master. Many of the younger students had been forced to take Trelawney's sections but the older ones who had more choice about their schedules had packed Firenze's lessons since he had begun teaching the previous year and left Trelawney with very small classes indeed.

Ginny wanted to point out to Trelawney, however, that the class might have been a bit bigger if a third of the students in the school had not disappeared. She ruefully reflected how she used to always sit next to Catherine during Divination after Amanda had stopped taking it. She wondered what could have possibly happened to them all. Maybe they had all been killed. Or maybe they had simply just ceased to ever exist, their very being now nothing more than a memory in Ginny's head.

Ginny tried to do away with these thoughts as she vaguely heard Trelawney say something about reviewing lessons from past years and placing a cup of tea leaves in front of her. Ginny was still thinking about how she could possibly make good on her promise to get Hermione back in time for the ball when her present deskmate grabbed hold of her elbow excitedly:

"Do you think it looks like a planet?" asked Luna.

"What?"

"My tea leaves. It looks like a planet orbiting a sun and there's a stream of leaves coming out from the center. That must be a solar flare. Do you know what this means?"

"That you'd feel more at home in outer space?"

"It's telling us that the alien xenophobes have Hermione and the others and they've wiped our memories of them! All we've got to do is go down to the dungeon and find them."

Ginny sighed. A stranger was teaching them Potions; her brother was preparing to cheat on his girlfriend without even realizing it; and the only person who was willing to take her seriously was Luna Lovegood.

And she'd thought yesterday had been bad enough.

***

As Ron was no longer taking Astronomy, Harry did not see him again that morning. He was even more concerned when his best friend did not turn up for lunch which he ate alone with Ginny who herself was unusually quiet and pensive. It was with something of a relief when he walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom for the first lesson of the afternoon and found Ron sitting in his customary seat. Nevertheless, Harry found himself walking up to the chair next to Ron with apprehension.

"C - can I sit down?"

"Isn't that where you always sit?" Ron sighed.

Harry felt fortunate that the room was still buzzing with pre-class chatter and no one seemed in the mood to pay attention to their conversation.

"Look," he said. "I'm sorry I pushed you with Carolyn. I just don't want to see you alone, that's all."

"I'm sorry I shouted at you," said Ron, after a moment's pause, "but I just didn't want to. It just - " Ron broke off, seemingly at a loss for words. "It just didn't feel right somehow."

"Well, it felt right enough when you were going on about her for hours on the train."

Ron sighed. "I know, Harry." His face suddenly took on an odd, far away look. "I remember saying that to you but - but I just don't feel the same way now. It's like - it's like - I don't know. But you understand, right? Wasn't it like that with you and Cho? I mean, one moment you couldn't walk in a straight line in front of her and the next you couldn't be bothered, right?"

"Well, it wasn't quite as fast as that. A lot of things had happened in between. To be honest, Ron, I think you're just nervous."

Ron sighed again. "Look, Harry, I know what this is about. And I'm not put out about you dating Ginny. I'm happy for you. And I know you feel bad that it isn't just the two of us anymore but - "

"I don't feel bad!"

Ron put up a defensive hand. "Look, just hear me out, all right, mate? You always feel guilty about things you shouldn't. Of course I'd like a girlfriend. Any bloke would, right? But she has to be right for me. And me for her."

"But Ron - " Harry sighed. "Look, I was really lucky with Ginny. No one could be any luckier. But if you spend your whole life looking for a soulmate you just might not find anyone."

"Harry, I said - "

"OK, OK, I won't say anymore."

"I expect Ginny will tell me the same thing as you," Ron said gloomily. "She's always been trying to get me together with one or another of her friends."

Harry suddenly looked a little furtive. "Well, er, actually, Ron, Ginny said - "

"Oh, there you are, Ronald."

Both Harry and Ron looked up to see Luna moving into the seat on the other side of Ron.

"I was looking for you all over at lunch but you were nowhere to be found. I just wanted to tell you not to worry. Ginny and I have it all worked out. We'll get your girlfriend back before the ball. Everyone deserves to have someone even if they are from another planet."

Harry cleared his throat. "So, er, so you'll be taking Defense Against the Dark Arts with our year again this term, Luna?"

Luna drew herself upright. "You didn't think I'd failed, did you?"

"What will you do next year, Luna?" added Ron, trying to smile but not quite succeeding. "I mean, wouldn't it be best if you went back with your own year now? You could review what you learned last year, you know. I'm sure the extra chance to prepare would help."

"Oh, no, Ronald," said Luna dreamily. "I'll be taking the test with you." She sighed. "I do feel responsible for you, you know. I confess I had it badly for you your fifth year. I always knew you wouldn't dance with Padma because you were awful at it."

"I wasn't - it wasn't - "

"And I've always been attracted to boys who couldn't dance," Luna went on, not seeming to notice the interruption. "But then I found that Neville was much worse than you."

As if on cue, Neville ran into the room, panting, and sat down next to Luna.

"Am I late?" he asked frantically.

"Oh, yes, dear," said Luna, turning her attention to him to Ron's relief. "But don't worry. Grubbly-Plank isn't here yet."

She looked back at Ron and Harry.

"That's why I most like to take the lesson with your year, you know, it's the only chance Neville and I have to sit in the same class together." She turned back to Neville and planted a kiss on his lips. Neville didn't seem to hear Seamus start to make cat calls behind him. His face took on a dreamy smile not unlike Luna's.

"I don't expect Grubbly-Plank will have anything worthwhile to teach," Luna continued, looking blissfully into Neville's eyes. "Perhaps we can play with each other's feet, just like we do in your common room when no one else is around."

A sudden awkward silence descended on the table. After a few moments, Ron, who seemed the most bothered of all of them with the pregnant pause in the conversation, started to glance at his watch and then back at the door behind them.

"It's bad enough that she's dead boring," he remarked irritably, "but she can't even bother to come to teach the class on time. You'd think - "

Ron's complaints were silenced very quickly by the sound of loud screaming from somewhere behind them. The whole table turned and looked to see Parvati, her hands waving about frantically, and a horror-stricken expression on her face.

No one doubted what it was that had frightened her. For she was not alone. Standing directly in front of her desk was a tall, lanky man, with a bright shock of blonde hair and a sharp, pointed beard of the same color over a young, boyish face. He wore an oddly-shaped blue velvet hat crowned with a brightly-colored feather. Below his slightly square jaw was an anachronistically high collar belonging to robes of the same color as the hat. What drew Harry's attention most was a garish gold sash fastened around his waist. Clasped to the sash at his hip was a very-long, very-sharp looking sword.

A very long moment of silence followed the dying of Parvati's screams as the remaining members of the class stared at the new arrival with their jaws dropped. Everyone, that was, except for Luna who, for reasons no one understood, suddenly started to giggle.

The man with the sword moved out from in front of Parvati's desk revealing a pair of black boots with long silver tips on their ends which made a loud clicking sound as he walked to the front of the class.

When he spoke, it was in rich, deep tones that seemed to contradict his tall, thin frame.

"My name is Professor Janus. And I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this term. I apologize for my lateness. It was not until recently that I was made aware of this vacancy but once I did, I was eager to apply."

"That puts him in very small company," remarked Ron in a whisper to which Harry nodded.

"I am also sorry if I frightened any of you," Janus went on. "But I am here to teach you all this term about the art of illusion!" His voice rose in a flourish as he drew his cloak across his chest. "Who can tell me why I am wearing this sword? Yes, you over there."

Janus pointed at Seamus.

"You, sir, Mr. - "

"Seamus, sir. Seamus Finnigan. Well, it's for protection, isn't it? I mean you never know when someone might attack. You can't let down your guard, no matter what."

"Very good, Mr. Finnigan, very good, indeed," Janus replied dramatically. "I can see that somewhere within your seven years of rather broken defense training, you have yet managed to learn the most useful thing of all. But Mr. Finnigan is only half right, three-quarters even, but not one hundred percent. Perhaps my point is best made with a little demonstration. You, sir, you look like a brave chap. Perhaps you'd like to volunteer. Come on now, get to your feet! No use being lazy even if it is just after lunch!"

Harry privately thought that Professor Janus could not have been more wrong for the person he had pointed to was Neville. Neville seemed to echo the sentiment as his mouth fell open and his face turned very white. He meekly pointed at his own chest.

"Yes, you!" boomed Janus merrily. "I don't see anyone else in this room with their jaw hanging open and the finger pointed to their chest! Come now, what's your name, sir?"

"Neville," Neville managed, sounding like the high-speed playback on a pair of Omnioculars. "Neville Longbottom."

"Come now, Mr. Longbottom, what a horrible first impression to give a chap! Now stand up and say it again, with force! Repeat after me: I AM NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM!"

"I - " squeaked Neville before clearing his throat. "I," he continued in a lower tone of voice, "am Neville Longbottom!"

"Excellent!" replied Janus. "Come on, up to the front, Neville, I didn't ask you to stand up just to shout your name. If life were that easy, you need never have to leave the shower in the morning, now would you? Come now, don't be afraid. You are a brave chap, aren't you? I'm not often wrong about these things."

With a great deal of reluctance, Neville moved away from the desk and up toward the front of the room. He looked back to Luna for encouragement but she only smiled vacantly and said:

"Don't worry, dear, I'm sure it's only make-believe."

This didn't seem to give Neville very much confidence. This confidence seemed to diminish even further when Janus drew out his sword and brandished it to the class with a slightly manic grin.

"Now, Mr. Longbottom, a little duel perhaps. Now, when I say 'on guard!,' crouch like this," Janus drew his legs slightly apart and bent his knees while keeping the balls of his feet poised for attack, "and then when I say charge, move forward to attack. Got it?"

"But, sir, I - "

"Three! On guard! Charge!"

Janus had brought the tip of his sword up to Neville's neck when he coughed slightly and said rather sheepishly.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot a crucial element, didn't I?"

Janus flicked his left hand absently and a sword appeared in Neville's hand that was even longer, if that were possible, than the one held by Janus. Neville's wrist bent and the heavy sword fell to the ground but he quickly picked it up again and held on more steadily.

"Let's try it again now, shall we?"

Janus crouched down again into the on guard position.

"Three, on - "

But Neville was ready this time. He wielded his sword quickly toward Janus' chest, a blow which the Defense Master parried only at the very last fraction of a second. But as much to his own surprise as anyone else's, Neville still found himself on the offensive. His face now flushed with color, Neville pushed Janus further back toward his own desk, every blow from his shining gold sword searching its way toward Janus' dark robes like a bright moth striking persistently against a dark window only to be parried each time. Neville almost looked like he had gotten the better of Janus when the Defense Master suddenly dropped hard on his back to the floor causing Neville to thrust his sword too far out in front of him and making the Gryffindor lose his balance. Before Neville could right himself, Janus had reversed his palms to the floor behind his head and pushed his feet up hard into the air, coming away with the handle of Neville's sword in the narrow pointed silver toe of his right boot. Janus pushed down on the stone floor again and propelled himself quickly upward. He somersaulted into a standing position while flinging Neville's sword high into the air. Neville tried to grab the sword on its way down but missed and it fell neatly into Janus' palm. Before Neville had realized that Janus had caught it, the Defense Master took the sword into his hand and crossed it and his own neatly through Neville's neck.

Which remained on his body in one piece.

Janus calmly handed the handle end of Neville's sword back to him, took a step back, and made a deep bow.

From past experience, Harry felt sure that Neville must have been on the pointing of passing out. He knew that he had forgotten to breathe and looking across at Ron, he could see that he seemed far too flummoxed to muster the indignation he had shown Professor Nevins when he had tried to use both Ron and Neville as volunteers in a diabolical demonstration of his own the previous year.

Instead, however, Neville remained standing, his cheeks still red, and looking slightly non-plussed. He then nodded slightly as Janus had done.

"I'd like to thank Mr. Longbottom, who it seems will not be joining the headless hunt, not this term at any rate, for his part in my demonstration this morning. Not only has he showed us how a sharp, dangerous-looking sword," Janus clanged the blade of his sword loudly against Neville's which stood at his side, "is not really a sword at all," Janus held out his arm and passed the sword straight through earning several gasps and a high-pitched shriek from Parvati, "and instead a tricky spell, but also how easily a brave man can masquerade as a coward." Janus looked at Neville closely who responded to his gaze with a mask of innocence. "I wonder how long he's being doing this for," he said thoughtfully. "Tell me, Mr. Longbottom, what made you so confident in your swordplay? Have you played at this game before?"

Neville swallowed. "Well, no, sir, it's just that you're a Hogwarts teacher. I didn't think you'd try to kill me and I didn't think you let yourself get hurt, either. So I just played along."

Janus nodded encouragingly. "Very good, Mr. Longbottom, very good. You see, Mr. Longbottom here uses logic and imagination where others simply fear and then believe. We all have much to learn from Mr. Longbottom, particularly now, for this is a time when the best way to protect ourselves is by learning that we live in a world where very little is as it seems to be."

Janus paused for a moment and seemed to take in the confused expressions looking back at him from the class before turning to Neville and bowing again melodramatically.

"I believe Mr. Longbottom deserves a round of applause for all he has taught us this morning about the art of illusion."

Janus began to clap enthusiastically, followed at first reluctantly but then in force by the students in the class. Harry was surprised to find himself clapping vigorously and looked across to see that Ron was doing the same.

"You can sit down, Neville," said Janus, as the clapping died down.

Neville returned to his seat still looking a little grateful that his part in the demonstration was at an end.

"Now," Janus went on. "We have important work to cover this term. If - "

Janus stopped talking as it became clear that one set of hands was still clapping slowly on in mock appreciation. Everyone's heads turned to the back of the room to see Draco Malfoy, sitting alone this time, rocking back and forth on his chair.

"Your appreciation is overwhelming, Mr. - "

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. And I have a question for you, Professor."

"By all means."

"How did you appear like at the beginning of class? I've never seen it done before."

"Well, if the combined knowledge of the wizarding world were limited by what was inside your head, Mr. Malfoy, we might be in a very poor way indeed."

There was a smattering of laughter throughout the class. Malfoy quickly righted his chair, however, and fixed Janus with a hardened stare, his cheeks flushed a quick red.

"That being the case, Professor," he said through clenched teeth. "I'd still like you to explain."

"All in good time, Mr. Malfoy," said Janus airily. "If you're lucky, by the end of term, you'll learn a few tricks - "

"TELL US WHAT YOU DID AND TELL US NOW!"

There was a flurry of half-surprised and half-resentful murmuring throughout the classroom, even from some of the Slytherins.

"What's gotten into the ferret now?" whispered Ron.

Harry shrugged again.

"Mr. Malfoy," said Janus, with a hint of curiosity in his own voice. "I do believe you should ask Madam Pomfrey to get your temperature checked. All that anger might have brought on a fever."

Malfoy looked back murderously at Janus. For a moment, Harry was sure he would move forward and try to attack him but the Slytherin contented himself with slamming his chair loudly to the floor and stalking off out of the classroom.

"Well," said Janus, after Malfoy's footsteps had disappeared into the distance, "now that he's out of the way, let's get down to proper business, shall we?"

Then followed one of the strangest Defense Against the Dark Arts classes that Harry had ever experienced and that was saying a great deal. Janus divided them up into pairs. Each student in the pair had to make three statements about his or her past, one of which was false. The other student in the pair had to guess which statement was wrong based on the other two. They could use no magic nor could they refer to any prior knowledge of the person with whom they were partnered. As Harry was partnered with Ron, this didn't prove very easy. The exercise quickly proved ineffective and most of the pairs drifted into idle conversation. Harry found himself very disappointed, especially after the rather dramatic beginning of the lesson, and he could not see what the exercise could possibly have had to do with learning Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Harry was about to leave the classroom with Ron at the end of the lesson when Janus called out to the room:

"Is there a Mr. Harry Potter here by any chance?"

Harry and Ron stopped walking and Harry turned around.

"I'm Harry."

"Ah, yes, I can see that now." Janus studied Harry's scar for a moment. "Professor Dumbledore wanted me to tell you that the extra Defense lessons you started with Professor Nevins will continue with me this term."

Harry restrained a frown. From what he had seen in the lesson that day, he didn't feel very confident that Janus could teach him as much as Nevins had. Not for the first time, he found himself missing his former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and erstwhile mentor.

"Well, it is necessary now?" asked Harry. "I mean, I'm grateful, sir, but since Voldemort's gone and I plan to enter auror training starting next year, I thought - "

Janus drew his robes across his chest again. "You must learn not to judge from appearances, Mr. Potter," he said, leaving Harry slightly unsure whether he was referring to himself or Voldemort's apparent demise.

Harry was silent for a moment, certain that Janus had something more to add. But the new Defense master simply folded his arms and stared down at Harry stoically.

"Er, all right, then," Harry finally said. "How shall I - "

"I will notify you when the private lessons are to begin," said Janus, suddenly becoming interested in some papers on the desk in front of him. "That is all, Mr. Potter," he finished curtly.

***

As Ron left for Muggle Studies, Harry returned to the common room to find Ginny sitting at one of the chairs, staring at something on the table in front of her. When he got closer, Harry saw a very odd sight: Hedwig was sitting on the wizard chess table across from Snitch. Both seemed to be studying each other with intense curiosity. Every now and then Hedwig's face would rock from side to side in time with the rising and falling of Snitch's trunk.

"Hi," said Harry.

Ginny didn't respond right away and Harry wondered if she knew he was there but then she reached out and snaked an arm around his waist pulling him toward her, her eyes never leaving the two animals.

"How are you doing?" asked Harry gently.

"All right, I suppose," replied Ginny, somewhat unconvincingly. She pointed to a rolled- up parchment on the table next to Hedwig's leg. "A letter came for you. It's from Hagrid. He wants to know if we can go and have tea with him this afternoon. He says he's got loads to tell us. I didn't mean to open it first but Hedwig brought it to me and I thought it was mine."

Harry picked up the message, frowning.

"Why didn't you bring it to me, eh?" he asked Hedwig, tickling her chin.

In response, Hedwig hopped onto Harry's arm, looked mournfully into his eyes, and began rubbing her feathers along his wrist affectionately.

Harry continued to look down at Hedwig curiously before running his own fingers along Ginny's hair and down her cheek. He was pleased to see that it still managed to make her smile.

"Let's go and see Hagrid, all right?" he said softly. "If a cup of tea and a rock-hard piece of cake can't cheer you up, then I'm not sure what will."

Ginny smiled again and then, after a moment, nodded.

***

Janus was still looking down at the papers on his desk when another figure entered the room.

"Feeling better, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked without looking up.

There was no response right away save for the sharp footfall of boots on the stone floor as their wearer walked further forward.

"Madam Pomfrey can do wonders, you know," Janus went on conversationally. "She's even got medicine for horrible tempers."

"I want to know what you are and where Dumbledore found you!"

Janus let out a dark, ironic laugh which might have surprised those who had sat the first day's lesson of the cheerful and robust new teacher, but said nothing more in response.

Malfoy took another step forward. "I think you must not have heard my question correctly," he said bitingly. "I'm going to repeat it again and this time I would like an answer. What - "

"Or what, Mr. Malfoy?" asked Janus meaningfully. "Are you going to threaten me with your wand as you did to Professor Snape? Or perhaps you'd like to arrange to have me banished along with him. I think you might find that more difficult than you think."

"You're playing a very dangerous game, you know."

"Not nearly as dangerous as the one that you are playing, Mr. Malfoy."

***

As Ginny and Harry studied the plate of cakes in front of them with a great deal of healthy suspicion, it was obvious that Harry had not been wrong. Still, thought Ginny, as she sipped her tea, there was something about sitting in Hagrid's hut that could make one's own problems seem very small indeed.

In more ways than one.

Despite having appeared perfectly normal at the train station and then at the feast two days before, Hagrid's face was now black and blue with bruises the way it had appeared her fourth year. The thick slab of dragon meat Hagrid had kept forever close to the side of his face that year, too, (or one just like it) now hung from a hook in the hut's ceiling where he could easily place it to whichever part of his face was smarting the most. Ginny wondered whether the Hagrid she had remembered from the night of the feast also belonged to a world that was now forgotten until Harry said:

"Hagrid, whatever happened to your face? It was fine two days ago. You haven't had to wrestle with Grawp again, have you?"

Hagrid sighed. "Not Grawp. Fump."

"Fump?" echoed Harry and Ginny in unison.

"Who's Fump?" said Harry.

"Grawp's, er, lady friend."

Harry looked across to Ginny to find a shocked expression that mirrored his own.

"Hagrid," said Ginny, "is that really a good idea? And wherever did you find, er, Fump?"

"Well, after everything died down at the end o' las' year, I figured as how I could sneak back teh where the giants live and, well - "

"B - but it's already bad enough taking care of one giant, surely?" protested Harry. "And he's your half-brother. And what if Grawp doesn't like her?"

"Nonsense! They were friends before, so it turned out an' all, only I didn' know, I couldn' talk to Grawp too much until I taught him proper English. But when I did find out, I knew as I'd have to go back and fin' her. An' good thing I did, the other giants weren't takin' too much of a likin' too her, on the wrong side of on' o' them fights if yeh know what I mean. Anyhow, Grawp's much more peaceful now she's arrived."

"Only Fump isn't," remarked Ginny.

"Yeah, well, she's just a little excited, that's all; she'll get used teh it."

"And how are you going to feed both of them?" asked Ginny again. "There won't be anything left alive in the forest!"

"Yeah, well," said Hagrid, a little sheepishly. "I'm still thinkin' about that one. Never mind that, now." He rubbed his hands together and smiled. "I admit that when I saw yeh two together in the hospital wing last year, I hadn't quite caughtened on to what it was yeh were up to." He grinned and winked as Harry and Ginny looked a little puzzled. "But then yeh brothers went and told me, o' course." He winked at Ginny. "What can I say? I think it was one day at dinner very early on in yeh first year, Ginny, that I caught yeh lookin' up at Harry. I knew from that day that he wouldn't be a'le to help but say yes one of these days. Took 'im a while, mind, but yeh can't rush things before they're ready. Take my treacle tarts, for instance."

Fang let out a small groan that Harry was sure had been in jest.

Harry and Ginny, for their parts, couldn't help blushing slightly but Harry reached over and took Ginny's hand in his nonetheless.

"Where's Ron today, anyhow?" asked Hagrid, after a moment's pause.

"He has Muggle Studies," said Harry.

"Good to see he still kept that class on," said Hagrid. "Must take after yeh Dad. Maybe one day we'll even have Muggle-borns here at Hogwarts and they can teach us somethin' about Muggle life themselves."

Harry felt Ginny's hand tighten in his.

"I don' like to ask too many private things but is he, er," Hagrid lowered his voice. "Did he manage to get - yeh know - a date to the ball?"

Harry was still thinking of a response when Ginny spontaneously burst into tears. He quickly put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him but Ginny's crying did not stop.

"I'm sorry," said Hagrid, looking surprised. "I didn't mean - I didn't know yeh - come now, pull yehself together, Ginny. I didn't mean to make yeh so upset. Ron 'll find a nice girl eventually, don't you worry, now."

Hagrid tried to wink at Ginny but her wailing only got louder. Even Fang started to join in with a howling noise of his own.

"Say now," said Hagrid, looking more and more at a loss as to what to say that could cheer Ginny up. "Surely it can't be anythin' so bad that a handsome young man like you've got 'ere can' cheer yeh up now."

Ginny smiled a little in spite of herself. "H-Harry's b-b-been wonderful, really," she said between sobs, holding onto him in reciprocity. "B - but I think I-I-I must be going mad, either m-me or everyone else."

"What's this now?" asked Hagrid, looking bewildered.

Harry cleared his throat. "Ginny remembers things that no one else does," he reported. "She remembers people that she says should be going to school here - Muggle-borns - including Ron's girlfriend, Her - her - Hermione."

Ginny looked up at Harry and smiled a little more fully, pleased that he'd finally remembered Hermione's name even if it was only from her mentioning it all the time. But she still continued to sob as she looked toward Hagrid.

"You don't remember them either, Hagrid, do you? I expect you think I've gone mad, too."

"Can' say as I do." Hagrid shook his head. "But goin' mad's not such a bad thing after all," he added, winking again at Ginny and pouring her another cup of tea. "Some of the kindest an' greatest people I know have been mad. Take Dumbledore for instance. Off his rocker even back when he was just Transfiguration teacher. But great man, Dumbledore. Great man. Funny yeh should talk about losing yeh memory, though." A dark cloud suddenly passed over Hagrid's face. "Puts me in mind of somethin.' Somethin' from a long time ago."

Hagrid's voice trailed off at the end. He didn't seem in a rush to elaborate but went back to pour more tea into his own teapot before briefly topping up Harry and Ginny's nearly full cups. Ginny had stopped sobbing now and both she and Harry found themselves extremely curious about what Hagrid was going to say next.

Hagrid sat down and paused for a moment as though uncertain how to go on. When he opened his mouth to speak, it was to a point in the wall somewhere to Ginny's left.

"Was an awful long time ago, I suppose. Can' say as I even remember his name. Must be dead now, I should think. Still yeh never know."

Hagrid seemed lost in his own memories and looked surprised when Harry leaned over and said.

"Who, Hagrid?"

Hagrid seemed to notice for the first time that Ginny and Harry were active listeners in his reminiscences.

"Used teh teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Back when I was a student an' I don' 'ave teh tell yeh how long ago that was. Creepy fella, he was. Very creepy. We were right scared o' him, all o' us, even me, an' I was taller than he was even at that age.

Was head o' Slytherin house. Not as nice as Harmon, though. You-Know-Who was his favorite student. Need I go on?" Hagrid guffawed loudly.

"Anyhow, he did somethin' right odd. Was near the end of me first year. Only was a student two years here, o' course. Anyhow, one day, we all woke up, dead convinced we was all Muggles in some kind o' private Muggle school. Students, teachers everyone. We had a whole day o' them Muggle lessons - some kind o' ancient Muggle language, Muggle science, everythin'. An' the teachers taught it and the students listened an' all. I had a whole lifetime o' Muggle memories, convinced I had a Muggle Mum and Dad, a Muggle brother, everythin'. It was all real to me. Damndest thing yeh ever saw."

"So what happened?" asked Ginny.

"Well, we got teh dinner in the hall and the ol' devil - the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that was - got up and said he wanted to make an announcement. He got some kind o' box out an' put on this table in front o' the headmaster. Just like where they put the Sortin' Hat now. Got the box onto the table. We didn't know what was goin' on or nothin'; we'd all forgotten anythin' about magic. Anyhow, he opened the box an' out came this kind o' bright light and I remember I got this howlin' pain in me head. An' then after that, I remembered everythin.'"

"And were everyone's memories gone?" asked Harry.

Hagrid nodded. "Everyone an' all. From ol' Dippet right on down. Right frightened we all was. The ol' devil said it was some kind o' test, new magic, new defense or somethin'. But he left soon after that. Some say he retired; others said Dippet didn' take too kindly an' wanted to get rid o' him. I reckon ol' Riddle was in on it, though. He had a funny look on his face that day and he just stood there an' smiled when that box was opened. Of course, the very next year, we find out now, he went an' opened the Chamber o' Secrets. Wondered once or twice whether it wasn't that ol' devil who told 'im where to find it."

There was a moment of silence as Harry and Ginny took in what Hagrid had told him.

"Funny you should talk about Defense Against the Dark Arts," Harry said. "We had a very strange lesson today."

"With Grubby-Plank?" asked Ginny.

"No." Harry explained about the class with Professor Janus, including the sword duel with Neville and Malfoy's odd behavior.

"Strange," said Hagrid after he had finished. "Dumbledore owled us about him this morning. Never heard o' the bloke before, though. An' I know almost all the aurors and everyone who fought in the first war. He can' be one o' them."

"He's very young," said Harry. "I don't think he can be older than thirty. He can't have been in the first war."

"An' I don' remember 'im as a student here, either."

"Maybe he's from another country," Harry wondered.

"Dumbledore didn't say, at any rate," said Hagrid.

"I don't know why Malfoy was so upset," said Ginny, her eyes brimming with curiosity, "but I can see why he asked that question. I can't see how appeared like that, either. No one should be able to Apparate and Disapparate inside Hogwarts."

"Really?" said Harry, in what seemed to be genuine surprise.

"I thought I remembered readin' that somewhere, too," said Hagrid thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you all heard it from someone," said Ginny, suddenly looking as though she was having a great deal of difficulty remaining patient. "Anyway, I'd very much like to know how he did that, also."

The conversation then drifted onto other topics. Ginny and Harry finally managed to leave before Hagrid could do any permanent damage to their teeth. Once outside, Ginny held onto Harry's hand tightly and led him half-skipping, half-running back to the castle as though she was dragging a reluctant dog by its leash.

"Do you see?" Ginny said, jumping up and down and looking more energetic than she had the whole week. "He could be the key to this whole mystery."

"Who?" asked Harry, trying hard not to lose his balance.

"Janus!" replied Ginny enthusiastically. "Everyone loses their memory and he just happens to arrive. And no one knows who he is or where he came from? Or how it is he has special powers?"

"Well, I expect Dumbledore knows."

"There must be a connection!" Ginny finished enthusiastically, not appearing to have heard what Harry said.

"Well, Ginny," said Harry, wanting to sound a note of caution but unwilling to dampen his girlfriend's newly raised spirits. "How are you going to find out what it is?"

Ginny flashed him a confident smile. "I'm going to ask him, of course."

***

Ginny didn't feel quite so confident when she woke the next morning remembering what had happened to Snape when Malfoy had left his class disgruntled two days before. She also found herself wondering, not for the first time, how Malfoy knew what he did and what influence he was having on the whole problem of the loss of everyone's memory. It was with a feeling of trepidation that she asked Harry and Ron at breakfast the next morning whether they could tell her once again what had happened in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class the day before, fearing they would no longer remember. But the story they told was roughly the same and by the time the following day rolled around and it was once again time for Ginny's year to have Defense Against the Dark Arts, she became cautiously confident that Professor Janus wasn't going to disappear, at least not for the time being. Her spirits were also bolstered by the fact that, at least since the morning after Snape had gone two days before, no one else in the school had vanished.

Ginny arrived early at Defense Against the Dark Arts that morning turning over in her mind exactly what she wanted to ask Janus and how. She also wanted to make sure to sit in the front row of class so she could get a good look at the professor. Perhaps it was someone she did know, even if no one else remembered him. She was still lost in thought by the time her roommate Amanda arrived and sat down next to her, trying unsuccessfully to engage her in conversation about who she was hoping to invite to the ball.

Despite forcing Amanda to pause in mid-sentence, the apparent Apparation of Professor Janus in front of Terry Boot's desk came as little surprise to the sixth-year students: by this point in the week, rumors about Professor Janus' unique magical abilities had traveled around the now very small school several times. Nevertheless, it still managed to generate a number of murmurs and gasps around the room. Ginny tried to ignore the reactions of her classmates and, as Janus moved to the front of the room, she made sure to study him closely.

Taking in his outfit, Ginny couldn't shake the impression that he was something of a cross between Gilderoy Lockhart and Professor Trelawney. Harry was right: he was young. He had a very boyish face and Ginny had the impression as he took in the hushed whispers of the students with a half-smile on his face that everything about him was a bit of a private joke at everyone else's expense. More than that, looking at him from her position in the front row, Ginny couldn't shake the feeling that there was something not quite right about the way he looked: his prominent chin, light blond hair (slightly obscured by his ridiculous hat), and bright hazel eyes made him seem very striking but she would never have said he was attractive. There was something far too unnatural about the way his jaw was set as he looked at the class, something too precise about the way his beard was trimmed and the manner in which his thin sideburns both ended neatly in the same place just above his earlobe.

Ginny became aware that Janus had finished introducing himself and was about to explain his lesson plans. Before he could begin, however, her hand shot high into the air.

"Now, first I would like - er, yes, Miss, er - "

"Summers," said Ginny, continuing to study Janus carefully. "Catherine Summers."

"Ginny!" hissed Amanda. "What are you - "

Ginny elbowed her roommate to keep her silent.

"Miss Summers," Janus went on, though Ginny was sure she saw him blink. "You have a question?"

"Yes, Professor," said Ginny sweetly. "I wonder if you could tell us how you Apparated into the room like that. Aren't there magical wards protecting Hogwarts? I didn't think anyone could apparate and disapparate inside the school."

There was a renewed sound of murmuring around the room as Ginny's classmates began to wonder amongst themselves whether that was really true.

This time Janus did not blink.

"Very good question, Miss Summers," he said. "Did you know that you are the second person to ask me that this week?"

"Really?" asked Ginny innocently.

"Yes, and the other student who asked was not nearly as civil as you. But I must give you the same answer I gave him: that is a secret that will have to wait."

Ginny stared at Janus closely for a moment. "I see. Thank you, sir," she said.

Ginny was sure it was not her imagination that Janus seemed relieved he could continue with his lesson. He did not try any sword demonstration with this class though his sword still hung clasped to his waist, its tip nearly dragging on the floor. As he described a common defensive stunning spell to the students, Ginny's hand went up again.

"When your opponent - oh!" Janus smiled engagingly. "Miss Summers again. Yes?"

Ginny smiled again. "Sorry for interrupting again, Professor, but I was wondering if you were going to teach us the memory exercise that you did for the seventh years. I think it would be very useful."

"Ginny," whispered Amanda. "What exactly did you put into your wizard puffs this morning?"

Janus smiled at Ginny for a moment longer. "I'm afraid not. That lesson was for the seventh years. Yours is different."

Ginny nodded her understanding. "I do hope you'll teach it to us one day soon, though, Professor. It might very useful should some of us have forgotten something."

Janus chose to ignore the comment and continued on with the lesson. Ginny participated dutifully and tried to keep her mind focused enough to learn the spell and open enough to make sure to catch everything that was going on around her. Finally, when the lesson was finished, Ginny waited until everyone else had left before walking up to the front of the class and looking at Janus closely.

"I do hope you'll tell us how you managed your Apparation trick soon, Professor," she said. "We're all very anxious to know, myself especially."

Janus looked down at some papers on his desk.

"Surely you can't expect a conjurer to reveal all of his tricks, Miss Weasley."

"I think I told you my name was Summers."

Janus looked up, a momentary look of surprise on his perfectly sculpted face.

"I - I'm sorry, Miss - "

"No," said Ginny, fixing him with a deep stare now that she had gotten his attention. "Don't be. You're right. My name is Ginny, Ginny Weasley. I just wonder how you knew. Good day, Professor."

And before Janus could respond, Ginny turned and walked out of the classroom.