The World Unknown
Unmemorable Nightmares
Chapter Twenty-Five

I had entered the girl's Ians room only to find a single bed.

Honestly, I felt exhausted, but I also knew I wasn't going to sleep well with so much on my mind; Even so, I laid my head down and let my eyes shut as I began to revisit today's events over and over again.

-

Morning came rather quickly, and my heart was beating quickly as I sat downstairs on top of my suitcase which was flooded with shoes and clothes for the year. Admittedly, I had packed quite a lot, but I was excited to finally be attending my second year at the Primtalia, the School of Sorcery.

I was more determined than ever to make sure this year was different from my first year since back then, I had mainly focused on my studies so that I would be able to practice more advanced potions faster. While my hard work did pay off and I managed to get an invitation to join Professor Wellix's Private Potions club - something which mainly consisted of older kids who were less than happy at my sudden involvement - I had managed to isolate myself from so many others in my year, and so only managed to make small talk with a few people. Everyone else seemed to just ignore me for the longest time.

But then I met Bliss who was two years above me, she was nice and got along well with me but she also had her own clique and was usually busy with the older kids. She had two friends however, Gage Noxx and Hayden Gold who were somewhat impressed I was in Professor Wellix's Potions club.

It must have been that fact about me that made them tolerate me more than the other first years at the time.

But whatever it was, my first year allowed me three distant friends.

So, wanting to break out of my shell, I prepared myself to leave through the teleporter in town in half an hour. Soon, I would be drowning with all the new friends this year had to offer me!

-

"Ah! I think I'm going mad, but at least it's quiet here..." Bliss said as she rubbed her head.

"I know you're busy with your schoolwork and clubs and training with your prefect, but I REALLY think you should talk to the Headmaster about the voices you're hearing." I suggested as I fiddled with some potion ingredients in my usual attempt to try to create an immortality potion.

As usual, it still wasn't working right.

"I know, I know I should, but ugh... I'm too busy to make a big deal out of nothing... Plus, sometimes it comes in handy, it's like I can hear what people are saying about me when I talk to them."

I smiled slightly at her response when suddenly, the doors of the library opened and in walked Gage who was being followed by Hayden.

"Would you just get out of here?" Hayden hissed in frustration as he continued to try to deter Gage from heading further into the library. "Doesn't Lin have something for you to go and destroy or something? Ugh!! Are you even listening to me?"

Ignoring the blonde boy behind him, Gage walked on until he reached our table, "Bliss, are you ready to go?" He asked as if I wasn't there.

She let out a groan as I asked, "Ready for what?"

"Nonverbal spell casting. Lin told Gage it's a neat skill to acquire and chances at being a prefect are heightened if you've got a good grasp on it." Bliss answered, "But it's exhausting!"

"More useful than tarot reading though," I laughed.

"Really though," Gage agreed quietly, "We should finish by six so we can have dinner together, later."

"Wow. That mean I'm invited too?" I asked, raising a brow.

Gage sighed out a mocking, "I guess... If you have to."

Bliss made a grab for her satchel and tossed it over her shoulders before parting ways with Hayden and I who stayed in the library.

Once the doors closed again, he let out a frustrated sigh, "I've got to switch houses if I want even a shot at becoming prefect, yanno."

"This late? I think you've more than proven you're an Etals, haven't you?"

"I really don't care about the label, I just need to become a prefect, or I'll be ruined." He hissed out as he sat across from me. "It can't be the Ailat house, Allistor's already got some punk under his nose over there."

"Do you know who?" I wondered.

"Hell," he muttered in response, "I know half the people at this school and care about less than ten of those."

"Oh, come off it, are you really that upset about the whole prefect thing?" I wondered, "You can't really mean that."

"I mean it." He replied, and so I waited a few moments for him to crack a smile and start laughing that it was a joke, but that moment never came. Instead, he got a dark look on his face as he thought aloud to himself, "Actually, I think I might know a way to make it all work out."

-

"House traitor." Gage stared angrily at Hayden as he showed off his new yellow school robes.

"I don't know if that house suits you well, but the yellow does flatter you better than those dark colours." Bliss spoke.

"I agree with both of them, but congrats on choosing yourself a new house. There's no going back from that now!~" I sang.

"I don't care, it's perfect like this." He said, running his fingers through the cool silk tie he received.

"Was there no competition there? Why'd you chose the Talian of all houses?" I asked, knowing that another boy in their year was already being trained for prefect duties.

"That's right, Antonio's already the runner up... Wait, why do you care about that?" Bliss asked, turning to me.

"Oh, you read that, huh? Guess you're really improving quickly!" I smiled.

She nodded in response, "Turns out I'm a seer, just that I can't really see the future like other famous seers, but I can read minds in a way, so that's neat."

"Good, change the topic, I really don't feel like talking about that kid." Gage hissed.

Hayden's brows raised, "Finally, something we can agree on. But yes, I got Lin to do me the favour of looking into him and turns out he's failed a few Latin courses and a flying class, so score-wise, I'm a better pick for prefect."

"Yes... But you DID just switch into that house, what makes you think they'll pick a house traitor to be their new prefect?" I pressed.

Hayden didn't respond right away, but a smile spread across his face as he pulled the yellow tie around his neck and began to tie it, "I guess you could say I've got a really good idea how it's going to pan out..."

-

"I can't do it!" I shouted in frustration as I flushed the ruined potion down the sink.

"Oh come on, I thought you were a brilliant potion maker –"

"Yes, but that's COMPARED to those in my year, I'm still a SECOND year if you've forgotten... And YOU'RE a FOURTH year!!"

"But YOU'RE in Professor Wellix's Potion club, ________... I know if anyone can make that potion, it's you."

"But it takes a week to brew and it's so specific! This time, I mixed it once more than I should have, and it nullified completely. I just don't think this is worth it." I said, crossing my arms.

Hayden's smile vanished, before it came back in a soft and gentle way, "Imagine being the first person to successfully brew this potion. Imagine being the first person to properly brew an immortality potion, _________. You, of all people, a second year!"

"Hayden..." I sighed out, "The ingredients on this list are rare as it is –"

"I'll get more if you need more, just have some confidence in yourself!"

"But why can't you do it?"

"You know why. I'm not talented with potions like you are, so please?" He begged as he laid the notebook with the recipe on the desk my cauldron was on.

I let out a long sigh as I rubbed my eyes, "There are five months before school is over... I'm not going to promise you anything, but I'll try my hardest to make this potion."

"Yes! Thank you!" Hayden cheered, pulling me in for a tight hug before I pushed away and crossed my arms, with a frown, I continued, "In exchange for my time, I want you to help me with my other classes. I'm not that good with hexes and curses and I know for a fact you excel in that. Got it?"

"It's a done deal!" He said enthusiastically, "Between us two!"

"Between us two." I said back, shaking his hand, then I turned my attention back to the recipe.

-

"Hayden! Hayden!" I exclaimed, running down the busy halls to find him.

As I was searching, I suddenly felt something pull me back hard. I turned to see Gage was running to keep up and he had cast a body binding spell momentarily to pull me. I glared as I faced him. "What? Come to frame me for something now?"

"I wasn't wrong about him, it's just your own damn fault for being too stupid to understand." He hissed, "So what are you doing, searching for him? I told you not to hang around him anymore."

"Well you're not the boss of me, I can do whatever I –"

"Kid, you're twelve and I'm older than you."

"Yeah? By what? Two years? So is Hayden and Bliss and look at them! They don't tell me what to do at all, so maybe you should follow their lead? If you did that maybe Bliss wouldn't be so angry at you for calling Hayden an Eltanin supporter!"

"She can read minds, stupid! She KNOWS he's a supporter, so why aren't you wearier of him?"

"Because he's my friend."

"What a damn good friend he is, huh? When was the last time you even had a conversation with him?"

I reached for my wand and shot it straight up, aiming it at Gage's face, "You shut up already. Leave me alone!" I hissed.

He shook his head, disappointed in my and took a few steps back, "I know you've been working for him this past year, so, whatever it is he's got you doing... I hope it eats you alive when it backfires."

I stared at him as he turned and stormed off before I shook my head, getting him out of it and returning to the task at hand and finding Hayden. I didn't have to run far to find him talking to some older kids from different houses with him, I awkwardly pushed my way through to him and tugged on his sleeve, something which he looked appalled at.

"What?" He hissed, his fake sunken slightly and his appearance much thinner than usual. He looked sick, but I was determined to tell him right away that, "the potion is done."

Immediately, a smile spread across his face and he excused himself from the group and ran behind me as I led the way to the potions class.

"Revelare!" I said, waving my wand at my desk, revealing a large bottle with the freshly brewed potion inside.

Hayden approached it and cautiously took it into his hands, he began to mutter, "It's done, it's done, I'm saved!"

"With two weeks to spare, too! I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they see I was actually able to brew the immortality potion!!" I grinned.

Hayden furrowed his brows for a second before he turned to face me, "No. Not yet, we can't tell anyone about this yet."

He walked passed me with the potion in hand, ready to leave when anger and confusion overtook me, "No? I made the potion; did you just forget? I am going to get credit for it."

A smile flickered on his face, "You want credit? Then I'll be sure you get it... Fine, I'm sorry. Why don't we celebrate and tell everyone about your potion at the End of Year Feast next week?

I frowned at his quick change of mind before I replied, "That'd be great. Thanks... I guess I'll see you then?"

"Of course, I'll see you later. And, thanks a lot, you have no idea how much this means to me." He glanced down at the dark red potion before he hid it in his robes, "Later, ______." He said, shutting the door.

"Later, Hayden," I replied as the door closed behind him.

-

"What are you wearing to the feast?" I heard a girl asking some guy near me.

"Dunno, probably something that lets me run fast."

"Why would you be running Vladdie?~"

"Hah, don't call me that, it's weird!" The boy said, trying to hide the fact that he was turning red.

The girl giggled, and I felt myself gagging at the conversation. I pressed my nose further into my book, trying to ignore them.

"Can ya keep a secret?" He asked in a not-so-quiet quiet voice. She nodded and giggled some more, "I'm going to do one last prank before the year ends, I'm gonna let a bunch of coblerheads into the school."

"Coblerheads? They're so creepy... Agh, just don't get yourself caught Vladdie, otherwise you'll be eating lunch in the dungeons all year and I'd get pretty lonely without you.~"

I let out a groan as I pushed the book further into my face before I felt someone's hand pulling the book out of my hands, "H-Hey, give that – Oh, Hayden. Hi." I said, frowning slightly as I took my book back.

"Can I sit down?" He asked awkwardly.

"Dunno. Can you?" I said, turning my head away.

He took in a deep breath before he sat down beside me and looked straight ahead, "I came to apologise for how I've been acting to you."

"Acting to me? When? I haven't even SEEN you since you took my potion!" I hissed.

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry... Recently, I've had a revelation of sorts and I realized how terrible I've been to you... Can I make it up to you?"

I didn't respond so he timidly spoke, "I've got a surprise for you, could you follow me... Please?"

"... Fine." I replied, deciding to tag along behind him. He smiled, relieved, then led the way towards the library.

Once we were in there, I felt a cold chill run through me, "What is it?"

"It's over here – Okay, revelare." He chanted, aiming his wand at a table in the corner of the room and causing some drinks and snacks to be revealed.

"Take a seat here – and I got these candies for you, I know this one is your favourite – and here's some raspberry juice, it's my favourite."

"Ah, thanks." I replied lamely as I sat down and reached for some gummies, "I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow, at the feast." I admitted.

"I know... I had been thinking back on how bad a friend I've been to you and I guess it just all hit me. I'm sorry I was slow to realise that you're very loyal to me."

"N-No, it's fine. I know it must've been difficult for you to spend time with me, with you being in a different year from me and with your new prefect training."

"Well, the training hasn't been entirely mine. Antonio keeps getting in the way, so our prefect, Melissa was pretty unsure of who she should train."

"Has she changed her mind then?" I asked, curious of the 'was' in his sentence.

"Oh yes," he laughed happily, "I suppose I can be pretty convincing when I must be."

I shrugged then reached for the juice, "Does that mean you're confident you'll be the next prefect?"

As I drank, he nodded confidently, "I'm pretty confident, thanks to you, of course."

"M-Me?" I asked, smiling at the compliment, "but why?" I asked, setting down the class.

"Sino –" he said, causing my wand to fly out from my bag and into his hand, "H-Hey, what's that for?" I asked, confused at the joke he must have been pulling.

"Marvelo!" He said, raising his wand over his head at me. I felt my body lock up.

"I was taught the memory modification spell and I was taught it well. Of course, knowing it is useless unless you have the potion alongside it."

"What do you –"

"I just need a drop of it, a single drop and I can modify any drinker's memories, isn't that neat?"

"Hayden..."

"I was worried at first, but I managed to convince Melissa to drink the raspberry juice like you and then I cast the spell and you know what? It worked."

"Don't let Gage have been right about you, Hayden, what is this? Why would you want to do this?"

"I don't have a choice!" He spat at me, "I'm doing this to save myself, yes... But I'm not a bad person, I need you to remember that."

He was quiet for a second as he composed himself.

"I make this promise to myself... This promise that states that I will not kill anyone in doing what I'm going to do, moving forward." He forced a smile on his face for a second before it quickly vanished, "I just have to follow his plan.

That means I have to get rid of any lose ends... But I don't want to kill you, so I'm going to erase your memories of everything here... And I'm going to save you."

"You won't be saving me if you do that, so why don't you drop your wand, give me mine back, and we can talk to the headmaster... together. Hayden, whatever it is, we'll be able to help you... if you let us."

Hayden shook his head for a second then pulled on his tie so that he could breathe better. He locked eyes with me.

"Is it not enough that I have Gage close to discovering my motives? If I let you go right now, you'll do the same, you'll have me caught and imprisoned, I know it."

"At least... If I can't change your mind, can you at least tell me what you're going to do?"

"I'm just sending you to some nogift town, I'll change your memories to fit that place so that you can feel at home there, okay? I'll get it done quickly, and tomorrow, I'll put your potion to good use in the feast."

"I'll forgive you for lying to me about the memory modifying potion if you let me go, I wouldn't tell anyone either, you know I wouldn't, don't you?"

He shook his head, "I'll make sure you get credit for it, don't worry."

"Wait, that's not what I –"

"Etemreud!" He chanted, sending a dark blue light out from his wand. Quickly, it wrapped itself around me and my world began to darken as I fell into a deep slumber.

-

"_______~" A voice sang.

"Wakey wakey __________,~ don't cry!~" Another cooed.

"Come on, ________!~ Everyone is waiting for you, sleepy baby!~" The first voice sang right beside me.

I felt myself shaking slightly in my bed, Tisya and Celia were kneeling on either side of my bed, singing my name to awaken me.

"You're crying? Is Celia's face that frightening this early?" Tisya giggled.

I couldn't speak, instead I reached up and wiped my eyes. I blinked slowly before looking around the room.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Celia asked as she stared at me.

I blinked again as I took in a deep breath and pushed myself out of bed. "I don't remember. I just feel sore and really empty." I said, a little unable to even move my arms which remained draped at my sides like heavy bags of bricks.

"Must be yesterday still sinking in... But, Vladimir is outside waiting for you, I'll go tell him you're up now." Celia said before she skipped out of the girl's room.

I rubbed my eyes which still seemed to be dripping water when I felt Tisya's hand gently pat my shoulder, "I know Vladimir was going to tell you, but Hayden confessed to everything after a few hours. He also confessed that he had cast a spell over the school that made leaving or entering the school outright impossible."

She paused for a second and studied my blank expression before adding, "The others got rid of it and sent out an emergency alarm for the headmaster and he's on his way, but there have been professors arriving all morning."

I nodded slowly, and she pat my shoulder again before smiling widely and heading out.

Now alone, I covered my face with my hands as I looked down at my feet.

What the hell was I crying about and why couldn't I remember?