“Yes, but it’s more than that.” Theo glanced around conspiratorially.
“In the mid-1700s, a spell came into widespread use called the Memory Charm, soon followed by its close relative, the False Memory Charm. The former creates targeted amnesia. The latter replaces the erased memories with new ones of the caster’s choosing. They caused all sorts of problems at first, until the Ministry passed laws heavily regulating them. They were nearly declared Unforgivable, but they were deemed too valuable for use on Muggles to preserve the Statute of Secrecy. They aren’t taught at Hogwarts, and you’re supposed to get a Ministry licence to learn and use them, but plenty of old families have preserved them in family grimoires. They’re still available illegally if you have the right contacts.”
“And the Rememberall protects against them?” “Not exactly.
It just lets you know when you’ve been hit by one.
It’s something of a tradition in wealthy old Pureblood families—especially the paranoid ones—to gift them to children starting at Hogwarts.
Only the rich ones, though, because they’re quite expensive.
It’s meant to prevent children from being mentally manipulated until they’re old enough to develop psychic defences.
They turn pale red if you’ve forgotten something naturally, dark red if memories have been erased or altered by magic,” Theo swallowed, “and a very dark, almost black red if a great many memories have been affected that way.”
Harry paled.
“Like Neville’s did earlier today.
Can these memory alterations be reversed?” “That’s another thing Rememberalls do.
If you carry one with you at all times, it can gradually reconstruct memories that have been erased or altered.
It may take a long time depending on how extensive the changes are and how powerful the wizard who cast the spell was.
That’s what the glow meant this afternoon.
Longbottom’s Rememberall has finally reconstructed his true memories and is ready to restore them.”
Harry inhaled sharply.
“Did you tell Neville how to do that?” Theo grimaced.
“Yes. For what it’s worth, I did tell him he should probably have someone with him when he restored them, in case they were traumatic. But he insisted on doing it alone. I guess I should have come and told you anyway, but it seemed kind of… personal to him.”
“Maybe so, but you still should have told me.”
“Well, I’m sorry,” Theo said hotly.
“I’m not used to all this… kindness stuff. I wasn’t raised for it.”
Harry smiled.
“I don’t know, Theo. I think you might just have a knack for it.” Then he turned back to the parchment, tapped it, and whispered another message.
Neville is in the first-floor boys’ toilets. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
He’s very upset.
I’ll explain why on the way.
We’ll go as soon as the Feast is over.
But just as Harry sent the message, the doors to the Great Hall flew open and Professor Quirrell burst in, panicked.
“TROOOLLLL! IN THE DUNGEON! …Thought you ought to know.”
And then the silly man fainted.
Harry exhaled loudly.
“Bugger.”
There was a brief moment of school-wide panic, which the Headmaster quickly shut down before ordering the students to return to their dormitories.
Harry tapped the parchment again.
Strike that.
We go now.
Slip away from the other Gryffindors and meet me outside the Great Hall doorway.
Hermione nodded at him from across the room and rose to leave with her House.
Harry also stood, but then Rodney Montague, the seventh-year Slytherin prefect, called out, “Slytherins, sit back down. Our illustrious Headmaster in his… haste has apparently forgotten that our dormitories, like the Hufflepuffs’, are in the dungeons. Ergo, we shall remain here in the Great Hall. Once the Lions and Eagles have left, the prefects will seal the doors and ward them. No one—whether human or troll—will get in or out until the crisis is over. Understood?”
The Slytherins sat down.
“Double bugger,” Harry muttered ruefully.
He closed his eyes and started muttering to himself as he rubbed his temples.
“Need a distraction. Need a distraction. Think!”
Theo leaned in and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Seriously?!” he whispered urgently.
“Are you seriously considering sneaking out of here, defying the prefects, and running off to find Longbottom when there’s a troll on the loose?!”
Harry opened his eyes and looked at Theo. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
“Neville is my friend, and he’s in trouble. So I’m there for him. Just like you’re my friend, and if you’re ever in trouble, I’m there for you.” Harry had said it matter-of-factly and without thinking, so he was surprised when Theo jerked back, eyes widening.
Then, with a twinge of sadness, Harry realised the other boy had probably never had anyone offer him that degree of friendship before.
Theo looked around, then slipped his hands under the table so no one could see as he removed the silver ring he always wore.
He handed it stealthily to Harry.
“Put it on the third finger of your left hand. Then, when you’re ready, take a deep breath and give it a half-twist. And then move. It will only last while you hold your breath, and then it will have to recharge for a while. And when you next take a breath, everyone here will immediately notice you’re gone. Now go!”
Surprised, Harry slipped the ring on, took the deepest breath he could, and twisted it.
Nothing seemed to happen.
He looked around—no one was paying him any mind.
Slowly, he stood.
No one turned.
Carefully, he stepped over the bench and moved toward the door.
When it was clear ever yone was ignoring him completely, he ran, slipping through the gap just as the Slytherin and Hufflepuff prefects were closing the doors.
As he ducked out, he noticed that Professor Quirrell was no longer lying on the floor where he had fainted.
Harry continued holding his breath until he caught up with Hermione, who was hiding behind a suit of armour, watching the receding group of Gryffindors heading toward their tower.
When his lungs were burning and he could hold it no longer, he let go with a gasp.
The girl jumped with a small “eek!”
“Harry! How did you do that?! Surely invisibility spells are too advanced for our age!”
“Let’s just say,” Harry gasped between breaths, “it was through the power of friendship and leave it at that for now. Come on, we have to get to Neville.” On the way to the restroom, Harry filled Hermione in on what Theo had said about Neville’s Rememberall.
“So someone has been tampering with Neville’s memories on a repeated basis? I wonder if that’s why his memory is so poor generally.”
“Probably,” Harry said grimly.
Suddenly the two were stopped by a noxious stench that made them both gag.
From around the corner came the sound of a growl, smashing stonework… and Neville Longbottom yelling in absolute terror.
Harry muttered bitterly under his breath, “‘Troll in the dungeon. Thought you ought to know.'”