Chapter III: Foreground and Background, I

House elf magics appear to be based on a mechanism similar to that of accidental magic. Both of them override almost all warding systems, and both allow for power greater than that of many basic spells. Additionally, the possible spell effects available to either system are similar. However, the magic of house elves can be controlled by the wielder and directed.

Polyjuicing a house elf into a human form will succeed. The house elf will keep their magical ability and compulsions, and clothes in this form will still free the elf. One result discovered by testing indicates that among the magics that house elves can cast is a permanency effect which will extend the duration of a potion or effect for as long as the 'spell' is held. Experimentation on accidental magic has yet to confirm the presence of such an effect within the range of possibility, but it cannot yet be ruled out. Further experimentation in this area has been postponed until holding mechanisms for transformed elves can be devised. For further information, consult Appendix B, section C: Operation Epsilon.

Providing a wand to a house elf will greatly increase the power of their cantrips and decrease the cooldown time of their teleportations. However, any attempt to cast spells will fail and cause a magical backlash on the elf while activating their punishment compulsions. This seems to be an artifact of the spells laid on the elves. Further experimentation into this area has been discontinued pending the discovery of ways to override punishment compulsions.

House elves can be commanded to follow anything that a human mind can understand. House elves can understand commands from their master in any language. House elves can transmit commands from their master to any other elves that master controls provided they are so ordered. Further experimentation on this area has been postponed due to Protocol V.

-Research log, Appendix A: Postponed Experiments, Section III: Magical Creatures, Subsection I: House Elves(Tower of Hogwarts, May 1993)

XxX

September 1, 1993(Hogwarts opening day), 9 am

Colin strode through the platform, grinning as the magical warmth of the station replaced the cold outside. He was back. As he walked toward the train, Ginny came up alongside him, grinning.

"Colin!" She stood before him, smiling happily. She opened her mouth to say something, hesitated, then surprised him with a tight hug. Taking a step back, she blushed and picked at the hem of her sleeve. "It's nice to see you."

Colin's eyes widened.

"Y-you too," he stammered.

"Um...How was your summer?"

His eyes gleamed and he smiled.

"It's been excellent! I've found out so much about Sapespeck, and a few nights back I managed to get the network up and running-" He stopped talking as though he was punched in the throat, suddenly aware of what else had happened that night. Could he tell her? What would he even say? 'I think I might have become a werewolf and wiped my own memory?'

"Really? That's amazing!" She said. Ginny tucked a strand of loose ginger hair behind her ear and smiled brightly.

Her smile inspired him to try to explain what had happened. After all, if anybody would understand loss of memories, she would, right?

"Look, Ginny, something happened to me a few nights ago. When I was working on Sapespeck, I was attacked, and..." He fell silent, unsure how to continue.

Her eyes widened. "What?!" She whispered. Ginny glanced around them, then took a step closer. "Are you ok? What happened?"

"Right after I finished my work on the 25th, I felt this massive pain in my head." He pointed to the front of his skull. "It felt like someone was cutting away with a knife at my...at my me. Ever since then, I've been having these horrific dreams every night, dreams that I'm not myself, that I'm lying there unconscious in front of me...this isn't making any sense to you, is it."

Her face darkened, becoming unsettlingly austere. "Colin, that sounds really serious. I... You need to talk to someone. What you're describing? Those are symptoms of possession. "

He froze, paling rapidly.

"P-possession? Are you sure? But I didn't touch anything magical besides my wand, and nothing strange has happened to me during my dreams. The only odd thing going on is..." His eyes widened. "I've been missing memories."

Ginny shook her head. "I'm not an expert on how possession works…" Her expression grew colder, "just how it feels. And if you've been missing memories, then it's definitely a lot bigger than nightmares."

"I know. As soon as the feast ends, I'm heading to Madam Pomfrey."

"Pomfrey?! Go to Professor Mcgonagall! Or Slughorn!"

"And tell them what, exactly?" Colin snapped. "That I'm having dreams and my head hurts? Look, I'm going to go to Pomfrey first and see what she says and then, if she actually thinks there's something dangerous, then I'll tell the Headmistress."

She looked sceptical, but shrugged. "Fine, but let me know, ok? And if you ever need anything..." She absently raised a hand to the silver crucifix charm hanging delicately by her neck.

Colin's wand flicked through two complex motions and he grinned as a green mark appeared in the air near her.

"If I need ssomething, all I musst do is whissper."

She smiled. "You got it."

The train's harsh whistle suddenly sounded, startling the two.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be able to sit with you on the train," Colin said sheepishly. "Draco wants me to report in. Something about the summer research. You understand."

Ginny nodded. "No worries. I'll see you at the banquet?"

"See you then."

XxX

September 1, 1993, 12 pm

Voldemort pulled back from his worktable, hands flicking in quick motions and extinguishing a handful of golden sparks. He almost had the spell that time, if it hadn't been for a burst of emotion from the other side of the bond. If he had had a few more seconds...he laughed sharply. Lack of his ritual seals would just make the whole process more fun. Anyway, his concentration was starting to flicker. A break was warranted.

After a quick meal, he returned to his worktable and closed his eyes briefly before quietly speaking a word from a language no modern lexicographer would recognize, calling up a faint yellow mist. As he watched, the mist organized itself into a series of hundreds of small interlocking circles, two of which faintly pulsed. With another word, the darkened circles vanished and the two glowing circles expanded to cover the entire table. He peered closer at the circles and curled his index finger. The yellow vanished to reveal hundreds of interlocking black words which seemed to be borrowed from every written language. With a tsk, he pulled out a line of connected characters from a section written mostly in kanji and read them over carefully.

"Hyōmen ni yotte, kokoro to kokoro no setsuzoku...Ah." He sighed. Even after 9 years of perfecting the ritual, he still managed to make the most idiotic of grammar errors. Really, it reflected badly on him. Anyway, the change was reasonably simple, all it would take was a few minor edits to the ritual. His wand flicked a few times, spinning out new kanji to replace the old before reading over his new handiwork.

"Kokoro to kokoro no setsuzoku, hitsuyōna toki ni yowai o miru koto o kanō ni suru kyōryokuna."

That should solve the pesky problem he had had two years ago with reading the child's emotions and thoughts. With another flick of his wand, the characters were covered by the yellow circles again. With another flick, the bright circles rejoined the dark ones. A moment later, Voldemort raised his wand.

"Aldaketak sartzea etenik gabe eta egonkortasuna zaintzeko."

He would have preferred not to speak aloud for magic of any sort, but ritual magic of this sort was dangerous enough to require his full concentration and any help the mechanisms of his superiors could give him. Anyway, his wards would prevent any sort of magical scrying and anyone who did look in would merely see an old woman muttering in Basque to herself. A totally normal activity for someone with Spanish ancestry, like Mrs. Babbage.

As the spell took effect, both circles glowed and he felt a slight pull at his magic. A moment later, he felt a presence at the back of his mind. When he pushed on the presence, it yielded, and he fell through to an entirely different mind. After catching just a few snatches of thought, he grinned and sent himself back through to his own mind. Out of all the justifications he gave for being a Dark Lord, he couldn't deny that the sheer thrill of a plan coming together was at the top of the list. Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres would soon know the dangers of trying to eliminate someone of his caliber.

A/N: So, as you can probably tell, the magic system is going to be a lot more fleshed out here. A lot more. Those who wish to translate the ritual segments and the Basque are welcome to. It will come back in the plot.

Meanwhile, I have to give serious thanks to kittykatrosetta for her aid with the Ginny segments of the chapter. The dialogue would have been far worse without her.

The next chapter, Re-entry, should be out before the 18th of October, and hopefully by the 11th.

Please review!