Chapter 26: Dumbledore’s Suspicions
November 1st 1994, Hogwarts
(Dumbledore POV)
How could this happen? How could things spiral out of control this much? Dumbledore looked at one of his most prized pawns (although he prefers to call them associates) to fulfill his goals. His potion master, prized for not only being his spy in Voldemort’s ranks but his experience with the dark arts and potions are unparalleled. He was a very capable dueler and he was under his thumb. He had tricked him into his servitude with an unbreakable oath for just the chance to protect Lily Potter.
While he had somewhat reconnected with her in the last few years when Lily came to teach at Hogwarts, it wasn’t the same and she had kept her distance somewhat. Which makes sense because he had a hand in Voldemort’s attack by revealing the prophecy to him.
And now, here he was. Lying on a hospital bed in the infirmary, eyes closed. He looked more at peace now that he ever looked before. He had inexplicably lost consciousness during one of his potion classes, and not any potion class, but one Dumbledore had specifically asked him to behave a certain way to gain insight to the mystery called Jasmine Potter. He had asked him to simply antagonize her and get a measure of her character. The use of legimency was implied in his order so he had a suspicion on what happened. He wanted Severus to use legimency to instill a few compulsions into her minds like seeing him as an authority figure she wants to respect and trust.
“So, what happened to him?” He asked Madam Pomphrey.
“Physically, he’s fine. Mentally however, is different question. I don’t think I can explain it properly to someone who isn’t a healer.” She replied.
“I will try to keep up.” He chuckled.
“Well, if I hadn’t checked that his soul was intact, I would have said he was kissed by a dementor.”
“How is that possible? The effect of a kiss is unique. No one has been able to replicate it and believe me, they tried.” He asked.
“I don’t know. What I do know is that his brain shows absolutely no activity. There’s no sensory input or output. Usually, certain parts of our brain are active when we do anything. Even when we’re sleeping or unconscious some part of it is being used. He has nothing working, which is what we see in a person without a soul. The only thing that I can think of is that something broke him. Something broke his mind and did it quite thoroughly. Not like what the Lestranges did to Frank and Alice Longbottom where they were subjected to pain until they broke. Their brains are still working. But someone made his mind prefer not just to die but to cease to exist entirely.”
“I see…” There was only one suspect for Severus’ condition and he had to handle with care.
“Is there any chance of recovery.” He asked, expecting the worst.
“I don’t know. This has never happened before. There’s nothing I can really do for him. I can try to make him a few brain stimulating potions but I wouldn’t get my hopes up. What will happen to him will depend on him. For now, I will have to force feed him nutrient potions so he won’t starve to death. I would recommend asking for an expert to take a look at him but I know you like Hogwarts affairs to remain private.”
“Thank you, Poppy.”
Dumbledore walked out of his room. He had an idea on what happened. Severus had attacked the girl with legimency and the girl somehow had mental shields that attacked him back. That was the most likely scenario from his perspective. He waved the elder wand and a silver ethereal phoenix came out of it.
“Minerva, please inform Miss Evanshade to meet me in my office as soon as possible.”
(POV Jasmine/Morgan)
I had a somewhat boring day. You know? Other than the potions class nothing exciting happened. Mcgonagall was boring in transfiguration. She was an adequate teacher don’t get me wrong but her lessons leave absolutely nothing for improvisation or creativeness. Now Flitwick that was a good teacher. He made the students consider practicing the spells in class fun, he was very interactive even during the theory part of each spell. He also kept saying these little tidbits that are really interesting. Some I know are made up, he taught the summoning charm today and his story about the fact that the creator of the charm created it to summon an opponent’s nails during a duel.
It’s complete nonsense but the student got ideas on how to use the charm in unorthodox ways and that was the point. It’s a shame how magicals are taught these days, they treat their wands like a remote with their magic as a battery. They have no respect for the gift they have been given.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Where was I going again? Oh yeah, Dumbledore summoned me to his office. I guess this was about Snape. I didn’t intend to break him at first but after quick mind probe of my own, I just had to do it. The guy was a horrid person. I wouldn’t have acted if it was just that but Dumbledore had promised me to him as a concubine to get him onboard with his plans involving me. Snape still didn’t lose any of the infatuation over Lily and he still lusted over her. Whatever he feels for her isn’t love but a weird obsession. He had put her in his mind as a perfect being, something that was meant to be his. He had plenty of plans to assassinate James Potter, hoping he would get her. Plans he didn’t go through with because he would be an obvious suspect.
Lily was still wary of him; well, he did somewhat point Voldemort in the direction of her baby children so that’s understandable. He didn’t even feel guilty about it, he was even hoping that James died during the attack. So, since the guy didn’t get the mother, he wanted the daughter. Apparently, having Lily’s eyes was enough for him to lay claim to me. Creepy bastard.
This was also approved by the old goat himself so I had to respond accordingly. It’s like chess, he tried to attack the Queen and lost a Rook for his impatience. We’re still at the start of the game. He lost the opening, let’s see how he plans to clean up.
I arrived now at the gargoyle that is the entrance of the headmaster’s office. It moves away, letting me enter the office. I knock and enter.
“Hello, Professor Dumbledore.” I greeted him.
“Hello, young Jasmine. Lemon drop?” His smile was too sweet, too kind. It was clearly an act; I wonder why people never notice?
“No, thank you. I’m full.” There’s no way I’m eating a probably laced candy from an old man. What is wrong with him?
“Okay, so how were your classes today?”
“Kinda boring to be honest.”
He looked incredulous. “How so?”
“Well, it’s not that I don’t like the teachers, Professors Mcgonagall and Flitwick are very good educators. But I already graduated, I have my NEWTS. It doesn’t matter who teaches it, it would be boring. If Shakespear came back to life again to teach you the alphabet, would you not be bored?”
He chuckled. “I guess I can’t expect you to attend these classes again.”
“Well, I’m planning to attend all of the classes at least once. I want to compare your education to that of Ilvemorny.”
“And who is the better school, in your opinion?”
“Now that would be telling…” I said, with a sly smile on my face.
We waited for a minute, neither one of us willing to talk first. Obviously, he caved in first. “Now, Miss Evanshade, you haven’t mentioned Professor Snape in your list of professors.”
“Ah, yes. Professor Snape. Not a good educator, very good potion master though, I can tell. But horrible around children. Why he chose to teach is beyond me.” I knew very well that he was forced to by Dumbledore but it’s always better to feign ignorance.
“Ah he had a bit of a temper, I hear. Anyway, wasn’t there an altercation between the two of you during the class?”
“Yes, there was. He seemed, for some reason, insistent on targeting me from the start of the class and he seemed a bit unsettled that I completed his assignment correctly. I resolved to ignore the man as much as I could but that seemed to set him off even more. He then vanished my completed potion because I was helping other students and I lost my temper. I might have said some inappropriate things but I don’t think it’s enough for him to get a stroke or a heart attack like he did.”
“Is that what you think what happened to him.”
“Well, he did seem angry and he just kinda screamed and passed out. You have to hear some of the rumors in the castle. I don’t know where they got the idea that he was possessed by the ghost of Salazar Slytherin but it’s one of my favorites.”
“Let me clarify on this matter, Professor Snape was attacked mentally. Tell me Jasmine, what do you know of the mind arts.”
“Well, it’s a very obscure branch of magic involving the manipulation of one’s or another’s mind. I learned a bit of occlumency and I practice every day. I don’t think I could block the mind of a skilled practitioner yet but with enough practice, I’ll get there eventually.”
“Even as a beginner of the art, you must know that legimency requires eye contact.” I nod. “Then can you explain why Severus Snape was attacked mentally when he had eye contact with you?”
“I don’t know what to say. I don’t know legimency so I don’t think I could attack a teacher of all people. It could be accidental magic but I hadn’t had any outburst since I got my wand. Unless…”
“Unless what?” I could tell I had his attention no.
“Are you sure he didn’t try to attack me?”
“Why would you assume that?”
“Well, there’s this locket that my grandmother gave me. It’s an heirloom of the Sayre family.” I take out a locket with an ouroboros symbol on it. The symbol of house Sayre. It was enchanted to regulate the temperature around my body so that I wouldn’t get too hot or cold. The following explanation was pure nonsense and misdirection.
“It apparently defends me from any magic that tries to hurt me. I heard a rumor it could stop the imperius curse. I wouldn’t give too much stock with this rumor though, the last wearer died from the killing curse so it doesn’t seem to defend against an unforgivable. I have no idea how it actually defends the wearer so if he attacked me mentally it could have reversed his attack at himself. It could explain how he was attacked mentally.”
I had planned to use Snape to kill Dumbledore but the man had sworn an unbreakable oath to Dumbledore so I chose to destroy him. Dumbledore will have a much more miserable fate; I’ll make sure of it.
“Can you give me the locket for study.”
“I’m sorry but no. This is a family heirloom; you have no right to demand I give it to you without an order from the DMLE. I’m sorry, but I can’t allow family secrets to get leaked you know. I though you knew that, you know, being the chief warlock of the Wizengamot.
He seemed that he had given up with his attempt at interrogating me and he dismissed me citing he just wanted to make sure I wasn’t traumatized or something. It was when I was walking towards my room, that I heard a very loud gasp. I look around to look at a ghost. A ghost with a very familiar face.
“Mama??”
“Mordred??”