Freaks: Year Two

Forty One And A Half

"Horace, I need you to keep an eye on one of your students," Madam Pomfrey said, catching him in his office the morning after she released Alabaster from the Hospital Wing.

"What seems to be the problem, dear Poppy?" Professor Slughorn asked.

"Well, one of your students, Alabaster Jackson, came into the infirmary and I did a quick assessment and there are traces of an obliviation spell," Madam Pomfrey said and this got his attention. "I don't have the foggiest idea about who would cast it or why but due to the circumstances of this obilvation, there are huge holes in his memory, making his mind get all wonky. He isn't thinking clearly. I gave him a potion that should help with this, but I would still keep a watchful eye on him. Is he doing well in his classes?"

"Well, for the last few days Miss. Talisman informed me he was ill," Professor Slughorn started, "but I have set up tutoring for the boy as he has been struggling in most classes."

Madam Pomfrey had a brief recollection of her and Alabaster's conversation about the History Of Magic tutor. The tutor who was apparently Harry Warbeck and the conflicts that intertwined the two of them. "Right, well you do promise to keep a close eye on him? The obliviation spell could be dangerous under these circumstances. I don't know what exactly he lost, but according to the assessment it is something that will affect months of his memory. Just ensure the boy is alright?"

Madam Pomfrey left the office and the question that had been bothering her since the discovery had been made kept repeating in her mind.

Who would do this, and why?

"You're finally tutoring him, huh?" Jasper asked, walking alongside him in the Charms corridor as the class just ended.

Harry nodded, feeling anxious despite this extreme feeling of obligation to tutor this kid. "Yeah." There was a pause. "It only took about a month."

With Harry's fear with tutoring Alabaster, Jasper's newfound duty to the elves and teaching them, regular classes, spell making, odd letters appearing every so often from who knows where, Harry helping Fiona find Alabaster and convince him out of the Forbidden Forest, the month of January had ended and it was now February 1st.

Jasper let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm still going with you tonight."

"You don't have to."

"I'm still going to," Jasper said. Even with this new information that Alabaster Jackson was apparently friends with Fiona, Jasper was still nervous with the idea of Harry being around him due to what happened with Theodore. All he was going to do was go down to the library at the same time Harry would be tutoring and keep an eye on them from another table.

Harry said, "Thanks Jaz."

A group of fifth year Gryffindors passed, complaining about unsigned, one-worded letters. Jasper watched them go and turned back to his friend. "Who do you think is sending them?"

"Someone who is bored, maybe," Harry said with a shrug. Out of the group of second year Hufflepuffs, only Penelope had gotten one. "It'd make a good April Fool's prank, but it's February."

"Maybe it is just a regular old prank," Jasper said knowing that the now seventh year Gryffindors, Alex, Billius, and Derek liked playing jokes and pranks on the school. Not that many had been happening this year due to the passing of Alice Bell, Derek Bell's little sister. "Maybe...it's Peeves."

"Nah, Peeves likes chaos," Harry said. He didn't think Peeves would send something as quiet as a letter, he imagined something much more messy and chaotic than just a few odd letters being passed around. "But anyway, I need to go, so I will see you in an hour or so?"