— The Great Hall was quiet, the only sound the faint echo of your footsteps as you and Snape circled each other, wands raised. What started as a practice duel had quickly become more intense than either of you expected. Spells flew back and forth, each one deflected or countered with precision, but Snape’s next hex came faster than you anticipated.

You tried to block it, but the spell hit you square in the chest. The force of it sent you sprawling to the ground, your head spinning as the world around you blurred. Snape was at your side in an instant, his wand lowered, concern flashing across his usually stoic face.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice filled with an urgency that was unlike him.

You blinked up at him, disoriented. Something was wrong. You couldn’t place his face, his voice—it was all unfamiliar. “Who… who are you?”

Snape’s face drained of color. His composure shattered as the weight of your words sank in. He knelt beside you, staring in disbelief, the realization hitting him hard. The spell hadn’t just knocked you down—it had erased your memory of him completely.