Chapter 38. ‘Imperio’
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I woke up on Thursday morning with my teeth feeling much better but with a side effect of an innate fear of Hagrid's rock cakes.

Thursdays started with Potions and as soon as I stepped into the common room, I could hear Blair's complaints.

Potions wasn't a class I had issues with, Blair was right, with group members like Hazel and Witter even if I didn't study as much as I did, I would still get by just fine.

My arch nemesis was Transfiguration, the lessons were no harder than the other subjects I took but the reason why it was such a frustrating class was because of the teacher.

Professor Esme.

It was a real pain to have her bespectacled eyes on me every moment for every single class, the pressure was crushing.

So I couldn't sympathize with Blair who was a miserable lump after Potions class, we had Transfiguration next so my plate was also full.

I sat stiffly in Professor Esme's class, my back was probably as washboard straight as hers.

It was just that I worked really hard to get points just for her to take them all away just because I breathed wrong so I was extra careful around her.

I always made sure to read ahead of her classes, making sure that I was prepared for whatever way she would try to come for me.

Granted, this meant that I improved exponentially in Transfiguration but honestly, there were many less stressful ways to become a better Transfiguration student.

Not even halfway into the class, there was an interruption. This caught the attention of the entire class, everyone looking up to catch a glimpse of the visitor.

It was Gabe, it was a bit of a surprise really because our classes were hardly interrupted by other students.

"Yes? How may I help you?" Professor Esme asked crisply, adjusting her spectacles. 

The seventh-year prefect bowed politely. "Please excuse my intrusion…"

'Who the fuck talks like that?'

"... Headmistress McGonagall has requested the presence of Audric Albeline…"

I nearly swallowed my tongue at the end of his words. Me? Why did the Headmistress want to see me?

Professor Esme stared at me with an expression that said 'I knew it.'

"Audric Albeline, you're excused." Professor Esme dismissed me a little gleefully.

I caught sight of Blair and Tanner staring at me with concern but I couldn't reassure them so I just straightened my back and walked out of the class.

I wasn't bothered about the summons.

It was a bit odd to be called abruptly during class though, did something happen? Another attack?

I highly doubted Headmistress McGonagall would call me personally for that though, if anything, she would prefer it if I wasn't involved at all.

My curiosity was spiked but I couldn't bring myself to ask Gabe why I was being called, not when it could possibly be about the attacks.

So I sucked it up and walked stiffly behind Gabe. It was quite a surprise when we weren't taken to the Headmistress's office but instead, I found myself in Professor Lambert Faringray's office on the second floor.

I was ushered inside the office to find Headmistress McGonagall waiting with a grim expression.

It wasn't just her, Professor Lambert Faringray was there as well, as was the Headboy Hundley and what do you know? Sawyer was here too.

He looked at me with a fiercely smug expression like he knew something that I didn't.

For the first time since Gabe showed up at the door of Classroom 1B, I felt anxiety.

'What is going on?'

"Come right in, Albeline." Headmistress McGonagall invited me, settling down on Professor Faringray's seat which he had kept empty for her.

I stepped in as I was directed, noting the insane amount of books that were in the office. 

It added up that someone like Professor Lambert Faringray who could make a career from talking alone was a bibliophile. It just suited him.

Gabe moved to leave after he deposited me only for Headmistress McGonagall to call him back.

"Stay Garrett, I fear we might still need your presence."

At this point, my confusion must have shown on my face because Headmistress McGonagall finally addressed me.

"I know it must be quite the shock to be summoned in this manner, but serious accusations have been leveled against you." She said in a grave voice.

My heart skipped a couple beats, it hurt. They didn't find out about my Animagus did they? That was the only thing I could think of that I did wrong.

Or had Hagrid's cakes been banned or something?

"You see, Professor Faringray here, came to pay me an impromptu visit this morning with certain allegations that I couldn't ignore. Why don't you take a seat?" She offered to me.

I didn't think right now was the time for formalities but I would probably need a seat if Headmistress McGonagall called me here because I had been caught breaking the law in the Forbidden Forest.

"Thank you." I muttered stiffly, lowering myself down on the offered seat.

"The allegation brought to me was that you have been Imperiused." Headmistress McGonagall dropped the bomb on me before I could even use the chair she offered me.

I froze halfway down to the seat, sharply glancing at Sawyer who I was sure was the one behind all this.

After I got over my initial shock, I gingerly sat down and composed myself. "That's ridiculous." I replied coldly.

"I thought the same but they presented evidence that I couldn't just disregard." Headmistress McGonagall said in a quiet tone.

I could see Sawyer gulp from where he stood across from me, Professor Lambert Faringray was in the background the entire time.

The only reason he was probably here was because Sawyer had come to him first.

"Evidence?" I raised a brow at Sawyer.

If emotions were weapons I would be dead from how much hatred was in Sawyer's eyes as he glared at me.

"He's acting differently, Headmistress McGonagall!" He accused, pointing a finger at me.

Disbelief was painted across my face, was this a joke?

"How so, Patris?" Headmistress McGonagall calmly inquired.

Sawyer took a deep breath to calm himself. "I was friends with him for five years, Headmistress McGonagall and he came back this semester as an entirely different person!" He ranted.

I leaned back in more disbelief. Friends? That was laying it on a little thick.

Headmistress McGonagall nodded seriously then she turned to me. "What do you have to say for yourself, Albeline?"

I wasn't troubled by the skirmish because I had quite a strong alibi. Sawyer wasn't wrong but it was clear that he just wanted to implicate me by claiming that I had been Imperiused and didn't really care what happened to me.

"I…"

I hardly got any word out because the door was thrown open, a girl I'd never met before charging right in.

"He's not been Imperiused! He's just lost his memories from the accident, you have to believe him…"

"I'm so sorry about this Headmistress McGonagall, Professor Faringray." Another girl hurried in behind her, trying to pull the harried girl away.

I looked at her closely, she was cute with freckles and wore round glasses. Her dark brown hair was really curly and in a bun on her head, from her House colors I could tell that she was a Hufflepuff student… I caught a glimpse of silver from her robes, scratch that, Hufflepuff prefect.

The occupants of the office fell quiet after this unexpected outburst, we were all caught off guard by it.

"It's alright, Henson." Headmistress McGonagall spoke to the second girl that had come in.

She was the Headgirl, Alfreda Henson from Ravenclaw.

The first girl that had rushed in and taken the words right out of my mouth was a bright red now from her explosion mere moments ago.

It would seem like she had an entirely different picture of what was happening inside this office.

She had caught my attention though, how did she know that I lost my memory?

I glanced at Sawyer, his face had gone an awful shade of dark green.

"Now that peace is restored, Albeline, if you would…" Headmistress McGonagall gestured with her hand for me to continue.

I leaned forward in my seat. "I know I wasn't a model student in my past years and the accident my family had essentially destroyed my image but I feel like I've been given a second chance at living and I wanted to change."

I started slowly, choosing to tug heartstrings instead of outrightly saying that I had lost my memories.

"It's only natural for drastic conclusions to be made that I was Imperiused." I concluded.

Headmistress McGonagall stood up and everyone else in the room instinctively straightened up.

"Mr Sawyer Patris, I was already informed of Albeline's memory loss. If you are truly friends as you say you are, would he not inform you of such an important matter?" 

I had to choke back the laughter crawling up my throat, Headmistress McGonagall knew how to hit where it hurt.

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