Knowledge is Power

Chapter 79

Over the next several weeks, work progressed rapidly when it came to molding their Death Eater human sacrifice into Severus. Mag stopped in at Wolfgang's for updates every few days after leaving Areecen's cave and before returning to Hogwarts. This allowed them to follow the progress without Wolfgang having to write to Severus. With this method, there was no risk of letters being confiscated by Voldemort or anyone else who could be keeping unwanted tabs for any reason.

In the next several weeks, Grindelwald had removed most of the Death Eater's memories that made him who he was. All thoughts, opinions and memories of his life that gave him his identity were stripped, only leaving basic knowledge such as how to write or apparate. Well not just how to write and apparate, but the understanding of magic, a Hogwarts education, an understanding of geography...What made a person an educated human was left, what made this particular human Boris Bane was erased.

By the time that was finished, Wolfgang, Gellert, Regulus and Albus had all studied the book Mag had supplied so they were all familiar with the concepts of emotional empathy via thought sharing as well as how to apply it to their Death Eater via Severus's real and fake memories. When Albus implanted the memories Severus had put into the pensieve in the Death Eater's mind, the man was able to feel what Severus felt when experiencing the memories.

When Albus implanted the memories he'd faked concerning Harry Potter's mother, he simply added the feelings he thought were suitable using the method described in the book Mag supplied. The fact there had been something in the WestCraven library that could play such a useful role in saving Severus's life was elating for her, and she didn't bother hiding it.

She cast the runes once again when Wolfgang confirmed that everything was complete, and the outcome was thrilling! All three runes came out upright in a three rune cast in her will Severus survive this yes or no question. Equally three runes came out upright in her next yes or no question that asked if their planted Death Eater would serve as a believable Severus decoy! Though her heart literally sang, Mag forced herself to keep outwardly calm until it was all over. While she did tell Severus that the readings came out in his favor, she didn't want to give him too much confidence in case it caused him to make an error. They'd come too far and made too much progress to slip up now for any reason. Though she wanted to sing, dance, and cry with relief, there would be plenty of time to celebrate when it was all over.

When he heard the news from Mag that the Death Eater was basically ready to take his place at a moment's notice, Severus was elated and relieved. He was still going to be pensive until it was all over, though. This was only to be expected as he knew. The fact Mag's rune readings were also favorable now that they'd made the necessary changes to Severus's situation was also a relief. It likewise served as proof that things could change, though, so he was going to be careful until it was all over for sure. If an unforeseen factor introduced itself at the last minute, Mag's runes could predict a different outcome. Of course in such an event, she likely would not be there to read the runes and advise or predict shit as Nightshade would say.

/I love it how you're learning to think properly and to give me credit for it, Prof,/ the owl observed.

/No. It's just if my thought is even more snarky than usual and laced with profanity, it puts me in mind of...my only friend," Severus quipped dryly.

At times like this the owl could be a brilliant distraction, which Severus could admit to himself that he was glad of.

/Ah, now you're just trying to make me cry,/ Nightshade exclaimed.

/Can you,/ Severus asked, curious.

/Let's not find out, shall we,/ Nightshade replied. It was now his turn to sound dry.