The Four Swords of Hogwarts

Chapter 12: A Boy Named Tom

Harry stared out at the dozen or so students looking at him expectantly and he was instantly reminded of the meeting that created the DA. The scene was nearly identical given that they had chosen the Hog's Head again. The only difference was the amount of listening students. Ron and Hermione had done as agreed and passed messages to the Head Boy and Girl of the other houses, asking any students that were being affected daily by visions, headaches, and tumultuous emotions to meet in the Hog's Head during the Hogsmeade visit to hear a solution.

There weren't many, but he wasn't surprised. The Mind Magic, while slowly fading, was still extremely strong and keeping everyone angry and distrustful. He couldn't help but feel nervous. Was he prepared to lead again? Prepared to enlist others' help and potentially put them in danger to fight the ultimate evil?

He took a deep breath and took a step forward to get everyone's attention. "Alright, so, if you're here, it's because you've been affected by visions and uncontrollable emotions, and you've been wondering about the comas," he said. "We know what's going on."

He paused, taking in the intense stares that all had a touch of skepticism in them.

"The castle is under strong Mind Magic," he announced, "but it's also failing which is why we feel out of control and students are in comas." He watched the faces in front of him change, becoming a mixture of astonishment, doubt, confusion, and fear. A murmur ran through the group.

"How do you know?" Seamus asked, clearly unsure if he should believe such a claim and Harry understood the doubt. Mind Magic wasn't common and to hold it over an entire school would take an insane amount of power, a power unheard of in almost anyone.

"Process of elimination mostly," Harry said honestly. "We've researched what we can, talked to others, compared experiences. There's not a lot of information on Mind Magic, but it is the only thing that explains everything."

As expected, a few students walked out. He had known it would be hard for people to trust what he was saying when he couldn't tell them anything with one hundred percent knowledge or certainty.

"Let's say you're right and it is Mind Magic," a seventh year Hufflepuff said, "who cast it?" They crossed their arms, indicating pessimism.

Harry sighed. He had known this question would be asked and he didn't have an answer. "We don't know," he admitted. "We're trying to find out."

More students left, leaving just nine remaining.

"Look, we don't know who or why, but we can fix it, at least for some of us," Harry said. "There's a way to break the magic on ourselves, find what's real, what we've forgotten or had hidden from us. It's dangerous though."

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"Legilimency," Harry said, "with Professor Snape."

"Are you insane? Snape?" Seamus snapped, his eyes narrowing with the hate he obviously felt at the mere mention of the man's name.

Harry sighed again. "Maybe, but haven't you been feeling like you're going crazy? Don't you want to know why it's happening and want it to stop? This is how we do that."

Seamus didn't respond, but Harry could tell the Irishman was taking Harry's words seriously.

"If you want it all to stop, but not end up in a coma, Snape's our only option. He's a master of Legilimency and he's had the same things happening to him that we have, so we can trust him," Harry told them. "The way I see it, we have three options: trust Snape, live with fake memories and feelings, or fall into a coma and die because that's what's happening to those kids in the Hospital Wing."