The Fake Memory Me

Ann walked curiously into the Mind Arts classroom and her eyes widened at the sight. She shook her head and wandered over to one of the mats on the floor and sat down, setting her bag beside her. She looked around and grinned. Whoever made this room she thought did a wonderful job. She sighed and started of things to preoccupy her till the class starts.

Alec flopped down on a mat as soon as he walked into the class. He was so damn tired.

"Hey," he muttered and waved in the direction he thought the girl was - he couldn't be sure, his face was down on the mat.

Ann blinked when Alec arrived then covered up a chuckle when he waved at the direct opposite position where she was. She shook her head and stood up bringing her bag with her then wandered over to Alec. Ann sat down on the mat beside him and poked his side "Hello" she said "What have you been up too? You look tired" she added, her tone sounding a bit worried.

Alec groaned when Antonette poked him and rolled over to lay on his back, opening one eye to see where she was, and then closing it right after.

"I met this girl last night, we talked a bit, snogged much more than a bit, and somehow we ended up in my bed by the end of the night. Oh, she was great, kept me up all night going again and again," he said, seriously, but, unable to hide a small grin, he opened both his eyes and started laughing. "No, I'm kidding. I was just up all night chillin' in the common room."

Ann clenched her hands in anger, she didn't like people joking about certain things and what Alec had said certainly counted in the certain things list. She narrowed her eyes at him "Not funny" she said before picking up her bag and wandering over to one of the mats beside a window. She sat down with a thump and gazed out of the window. She took deep breaths trying to calm herself down.

Alec watched as Antonette walked over to the other side of the room, clearly angry. He frowned, but raised an eyebrow, "What did I do?"

"Or say. . ." he asked.

"Obviously she's jealous." Mora said, entering the classroom from the corridor. She nodded her head to both her students and sat in her bean bag. "Let it be known that I expect you to be meditating by the time I get into the room. For next time. Gets your minds all ready for some exercises." She grinned. "Now, tell me, what do you know about fake memories?"

Ann stopped gazing at the window and blinked at the professor. She opened her mouth to say something but then thought about something and sighed. She took a notepad and a quill out of her satchel then wrote 'Meditate before class' in a cursive and elegant manner.

She looked back up at the professor "It refers to the recollection of an event, or the details of an event, that did not occur." she said "There is a spell in which you can implant fake or false memories in an individual's mind."

Mora nodded. "Great explanation. Take ten points. Now, there's more to it than that. If you could just point your wand and say a spell people would be doing it all over the place. The thing about fake memories is that you have to think about them down to the littlest details without losing sight of the big picture. You have to plan it out millisecond by millisecond, or it doesn't go right."

"That's why most fake memories are obviously fake. They aren't planned properly, or they aren't thought of from the right point of view. Who would believe you have the memory of going to your favorite rock concert if it seems like it follows the band but not you? And if you know too much, it gives away that you are thinking too much about it, and that you're making something up."

"Today in class, I need you to fabricate a memory from your childhood. The first time I want you to take a real memory and alter something in it; a slight dramatic change. Like you were playing Quidditch and was suddenly attacked by a dragon. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but I want you to make it believable. Imagine all the emotions you would have felt, all the things you would have seen. Once you have the memory all in order, I will gently probe your mind and tell you what I think of it. Begin."

Ann sighed as she listened and instantly knew what memory she wanted to fabricate. She closed her eyes and started to think back to that day.

Ann woke up at the middle of the night, flames surrounding her. She felt afraid then relieved when her father suddenly burst through the door. She felt safe when he took her in his arms and to the outside of the house. She watched scared as he walked back in to save her mother and his brother.

This was it. Ann thought hard willing the memory to change, willing it to be happy.

Dad, Mum, and Uncle walked out of the house just in time as the entrance to the door caved in. She felt relieved, overjoyed, happy. They rushed to where she was seated unmoving.

She lingered for a few minutes thinking as she looked at the picture in her mind. She didn't know when the professor probed her mind all that she was thinking was it should have been like this.