Innocence

Chapter 83

CAMILLA'S POV

We walked through this castle and it was huge. It was hard to walk as fast as them because I still had a limp. One of the death eaters kicked my hip and now it hurts to walk. I suppose they noticed because they slowed down. Eventually, we got to this big room with lots of beds. I stopped in the doorway. This place felt familiar. But I remember the pain. Everytime I'm here, it hurts. So I stayed where I was. "Camilla, you have to come inside." Hermione said. I shook my head. "Madame Pomfrey needs to help you." Ginny said. "I don't know who that is." I said quietly. "She's the school healer. She's very nice and you can trust her." Ginny said. "She won't hurt you." Hermione added. "Everytime I come in here, it hurts." I said. They all looked confused. "What do you mean?" Ron asked. "We're here now, you're safe." I turned around and Harry had walked up to us. I looked at him and he gave me a small smile. "I know you are scared Camilla. I would be too if I couldn't remember things. But you know me. You trust me. I swear, I will do everything I can to make sure you are never hurt again." he said. "But you hurt me, in my head- it was you." I said. He blinked back tears. "That's not real. I would never hurt you, I love you." he said. Then he quickly went quiet. Everyone went quiet. I could see the shock on their faces. He loved me? Nobody told me that. "I-I don't remember you loving me..." I said in confusion. He just looked at me. "Do I love you?" I asked. He looked at Hermione and she gave him a look of sadness. His eyes became glassy and he blinked back tears. "I don't know Camilla," he said. I just nodded. "Can we please go inside now so you can be healed?" he asked. "Ok." I said. He led me inside and sat me down at a cot. Then a woman came over. "Camilla, oh Merlin! I was so worried." she exclaimed. I don't remember her. "What did they do to you? You look- I'm so sorry." she said. "She doesn't know who you are." Ginny whispered. Madam Pomfrey's smile faded and she looked closer at me. "Camilla, do you know who I am?" she asked. I just shook my head. "Will someone go get Dumbledore and Severus please?" she asked. Ginny and Ron nodded and left. "I'm going to run a diagnostic on you now, ok?" she said. I nodded. Harry stood there, watching. "Oh my-" she said under her breath.

"What? What is it?" Harry asked frantically. "Let's wait until Albus and Severus get here." she said. "Is- is she ok?" he asked. Then we heard footsteps. Ginny and Ron came running in, followed by a man with a long white beard and a man with black hair. The man with the black hair came rushing over. "Camilla, are you alright? I came the second I knew you were back." he said. I just stared at him. I recognized him. I knew he was my teacher, I think. I didn't remember much else. "Severus, I need to talk to you." Madame Pomfrey said. "I don't want to leave her," he said. "She doesn't know who you are." Harry snapped. "What?" the two men said at the same time. "What do you mean?" the man with the beard asked. "Let me talk to you, in private." Madame Pomfrey said. She pulled the two men and Harry aside. Then they started talking.

HARRY'S POV

"Is she going to be ok?" I asked. "What are her injuries?" Snape asked. "They are quite extensive. She had severe blood loss, malnutrition, and dehydration. She has multiple broken ribs, and multiple head wounds. A bruised lung, a fractured collarbone. She also has severe concussion,and a ruptured eardrum. Then there's the bruising and cuts that are almost all over her body along with deep lacerations to her back from what looks like a whip. I also see 3 carvings on her body. It appears to be words. One on her shoulder, one on her ribs, and one on her thigh. You can also see she has a tremor in her left hand." Madame Pomfrey said. "What's a tremor?" I asked. "You see how her hand is shaking?" she asked. I nodded. "It's most likely caused from the extreme amount of torture she suffered. The parts of her brain that control movement have been affected." She said, I just nodded. Snape looked sick. I was furious. "Why doesn't she know who we are? Did they obliviate her?" I asked. "No," Madame Pomfrey said. "Then what did they do?" I asked. She looked at me with pity. "Tell me!" I exclaimed. "Harry, you need to understand-" she started. "No. You need to understand. She doesn't know who I am. I never told her! I was a coward and I never told her I loved her. Now I might never know if she loves me back. So tell me what happened!" I yelled. She sighed. "Calm down Harry," Dumbledore said. My eyes watered and I forced away tears. "She doesn't remember me." I choked out. "It appears that they attempted to psychologically condition her. They used a mix of Legilimency and the Cruciatus curse to change her memories. This along with the 3 months of abuse and violence she suffered, it seems her mind fractured. There may be some part inside that is the old Camilla but I can't know for sure." she said. "I don't understand..." I said. "They altered everything she knew to fit what they wanted. For example, the reason she was afraid of you at first is probably because her father associated memories of you with feelings of fear and pain. She doesn't necessarily know why, but her brain tells her you are the bad guy." she continued. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. "Are you alright?" she asked. I just nodded. "You should sit down. I know this is a lot to process." she said. "I just have one more question." I said. She nodded. "She keeps asking for Cedric. She thinks he's alive. She told us he was in the cell with her and she talked to him everyday." I said.

Madame Pomfrey looked at Dumbledore and Snape. "I suppose it could be some kind of coping mechanism. A way to deal with isolation and violence." she said. I nodded. "How do I tell her he's gone?" I asked. "You don't." Snape said. I looked at him. "Not now. She's too fragile. She doesn't need that right now." he said. "Ok, I'll just-" I started. "Severus, we shouldn't lie to the girl. She deserves to-" Dumbledore started. "No. I don't want to hear a word from you. You don't get to make decisions regarding Camilla anymore." Snape snapped. My jaw dropped. Nobody talks to Dumbledore like that. "Severus, this is-" he began. "This is on you! You made her feel like she had to go home. Like she had to prove something. Everything that happened to her there, is your fault. Her mind was destroyed and she was abused for 3 months. I begged you to let her stay with me but you were so obsessed with trying to get information you sacrificed her. So no, you don't get to make decisions. I'm officially taking charge as her guardian. Any decisions regarding her medical issues, housing, safety will all be up to me." he snapped. Dumbledore nodded. "Very well." he sighed, then he left. Snape turned to me and sighed. "If she asks about Cedric, tell her that he's at home and couldn't come to school because he's sick." he said. I just nodded. "You should get back to your house, lessons start-" he started. "No. I'm not leaving her. Not again." I said. He just nodded. "I didn't think you would. I'll explain to your teachers that you have my permission to stay." he said. "Thank you." I said. He just nodded. "Aren't you going to stay with her too?" I asked. "I don't know what her father made her think about me and I don't want her to be afraid. Until I find out whether she fears me or not, no." he said. I nodded. Then he left.