"T-these girls, they're gonna kill me."
harry pov
"It's easy for them to get to you. You're blood lucky you weren't killed." Hermione lectured as we walked down the hall. "You have to realize who you are, Harry."
"I know who I am, Hermione, all right?" I snapped.
"She just means you have to be careful." y/n reasoned.
"Sorry. I don't mean to sound harsh." I apologized. Hermione nodded in understanding.
We all paused at the sight of Ron and Lavender snogging in the window sill.
I assumed after the conversation Ron and I had on the train, he would have broken up with her already. I guess not.
"Excuse me, I have to go and vomit." Hermione said before walking off.
Just one more reason why Ron needs to end things with Lavender.
y/n and I continued our walk down the hallway. I decided now was the time to ask her the question that's been bugging me since yesterday's events.
"Last night, in the weeds," I started carefully. "What did Greyback mean when he said he'd finish the job this time?"
She looked rather hesitant to answer.
"I don't know. Probably just some weird threat or something."
"I guess, but why to you? Have you two met before?"
"No. No, we haven't."
She stopped walking and turned to face me.
"We have more important things to focus on. Like Dumbledore. Didn't he tell you that the miniute we get back from break he wanted to see you?" She asked with a sharpness in her tone.
"I-i was just about to head to his office."
"Good. I won't keep you."
I stood there a moment longer with a confused expression. Why was she being so snappish all of the sudden? Did I do something?
"Well, go on then." She nodded her head to his office.
I decided to just go. Dumbledore said it was important and I don't like to keep him waiting.
A few miniutes later I arrived at his office.
Without saying a word, he let me in and led me over to the penseive. It already had a memory poured into it.
I hate going into memories.
I took a final breath before dunking my head in to see whatever it is Dumbledore wanted to show me.
I felt my surroundings changing as I entered the memory.
"I'd like to know where you get your information. More knowleable than half the staff, you are." Slughorn laughed.
He was sitting at a round table with a couple students. It looks like a slug club party.
"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?" One of the boys asked.
"Now, Tom. I couldn't tell you if I knew, could I?" Slughorn responded as he took a bite of pineapple. "But how did you know?"
"Intuition." Tom answered lowly.
He looked a lot older then he did the last time Dumbledore showed me a memory of him. He looked 15, maybe 16?
The clock on the wall chimed.
"Gracious. Is it that time already? Off you go, boys, or Professor Dippet will have us all in detention." Slughorn instructed.
He and the boys got up from the table and said their goodbyes. Tom was the only one to not exit the room.
"Look sharp, Tom. Don't want to be caught out of bed after hours. Is there something on your mind you wanted to discuss?"
"Yes, actually. You see, I couldn't think of anyone else to go to. The other professors, well, they're not like you. They might misunderstand."
Slughorn looked a little concerned with his words.
"G-go on."
"I was in the library the other night in the Restriced Section and I read something rather off about a bit of rare magic, and I thought perhaps you could illuminate me. It's called, as I understand it...."
His voice trailed off. I could still see his lips moving and Slughorn could still clearly hear what he way saying.
It was almost as if it were blocked for some reason.
"I beg your pardon? I don't know anything about such things, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Now, get our of here at once, and don't let me ever catch you mentioning it again!" Slughorn yelled.
Everything began to fade and I could feel myself being pulled out of the memory.
"Confused?" Dumbledore asked.
I slowly nodded, still trying to process what just happened.
"I'd be suprised if you weren't."
"Well, I don't understand. What happened?"
"This is perhaps the most important memory I've collected. It is also a lie. This memory has been tampered with by the same person whose memory it is, our old friend Professor Slughorn."
"But why would he tamper with his own memory?"
"I suspect he's ashamed of it."
"Why?"
"Why, indeed? I asked you to get to know Professor Slughorn, and you have done so. Now I want you to persuade him to divulge his true memory. Any way you can."
"I don't know him that well, sir."
Dumbledore twirled his finger in the liquid of the pensive as he looked down at it.
"This memory is everything. Without it, we are blind. Without it, we leave the fate of our world to chance. You have no choice. You must not fail."
~
After dinner, I immediately made my way to the potions classroom.
If the memory is that important, I want to get it as soon as possible. Once I have it, we'll be that much closer to stopping Voldermort once and for all.
"Aha. If it isn't the prince of potions himself." Slughorn greeted once I came into view.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Sir, I wondered if I might ask you something. "
"Ask away, dear boy, ask away."
I decided to start off like Tom did and go from there. If I'm lucky, Slughorn will reveal it to me himself.
"The other day I was in the library, in the restricted section and I came across something rather odd about a very rare peice of magic."
"Yes, and what was this rare peice of magic?"
"Well, I don't know. I can't remeber the name exactly. It got me wondering, are there some kinds of magic you're not allowed to teach us?"
"I-i'm potions master, Harry. I think your question'd better be posed to Professor Snape."
"Yes. Um...He and I don't exactly see eye to eye, sir. What I mean to say is, well, he's not like you. He might misuderstand."
"Yes. There can be no light without the dark, and so it is with magic. Myself, I always strive to live within the light. I suggest you do the same."
"Is that what you told Tom Riddle, sir, when he came asking questions?"
Perhaps that was a bit to straight forward.
"Dumbledore put you up to this, didn't he?"
I stayed quiet. I think I may have just ruined my chance to get any answers out of him.
"Didn't he?" Slughorn demanded. Before I could answer he waved his hand. "Nevermind, just go."
I left the classroom and headed back to my dorm. You should never poke a sleeping bear and if I stayed any longer, I'm afraid that's what I would have been doing.
I opened the door to my dorm to see Ron sitting in front of the window, gazing out at the stars.
"It's beautiful, isn't it? The moon?" He asked dreamily.
"Divine. Had ourselves a little late night snack, did we?" I asked as I picked an empty box of choclates off the floor.
"It was on your bed. I just thought I'd try one."
"Or 20."
"I can't stop thinking about her, Harry."
"I thougt you were sick of her?"
"I could never be sick of her. I think I love her." He said as he sat down on the bed next to me, a little to close for comfort.
"Well, brilliant."
"Do you think she knows I exist?"
"I hope so. She's been snogging you for three months."
Ron looked angered by my words.
"Snogging? Who are you talking about?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"Romilda, of course. Romilda Vane."
I got up off the bed.
"Okay, very funny."
He stood up as well and threw the box of choclates at me.
"What was that for?" I exclaimed.
"It's no joke! I'm in love with her!"
"Fine, you're in love with her. Have you ever actually met her?"
"No." He sighed. "Can you introduce me?"
"Sure?"
He waltzed back over to the window seel.
I picked up the box of choclates and examined over it. In the middle was a picture of Romilda. I remebered what Hermione told me about her trying to slip me a love potion.
I think she may have succeeded. Just with the wrong person.
"Come on, Ron. I'm going to introduce you to Romilda Vane."
~
I knocked on the door to Slughorn's office. I doubt he'll be happy to see me but I need he is potions master so I need his help and his help only.
He opened the slot on the door.
"I'm sorry, sir. I wouldn't bother you if it weren't absolutely essential." I said quickly.
"Where's Ramilda?" Ron asked from behind me.
Slughorn looked at him oddly. He turned back to me,
"What's the matter with Wenby?"
"Love potion."
"Very well. Better bring him in."
Slughorn opened the door fully and I dragged Ron inside.
"I'd have thought you could whip up a remedy for this is no time, Harry." Slughorn said as he pulled out a box with many tiny vials and plants in it.
"Well, I thought this called for a more practiced hand, sir."
Ron wrapped his arms around Slughorn, who was beginning to look very uncomfortable.
"Hello, darling. Fancy a drink?" Ron asked him dreamily.
Slughorn carefully pushed Ron off of him and turned to me.
"Perhaps you're right." He whispered.
"I'm sorry, by the way, professor, about earlier today, our misunderstanding."
"Oh, not at all. All water under the bridge, you know?"
"I expect you're tired of it after all these years. All the questions about Vold-you-know-who."
He was about to respond before a thud turned both of our attentions to the back of the room. Ron had slipped off the back of the couch.
I went over to help him up and sit him down properly. Slughorn handed him the antidote.
"There you are, old boy. Bottoms up."
"What's this?"
"Tonic for the nerves." I lied.
Ron chugged it down. His dazed expression faded in a mater of seconds.
"What happened to me?"
"Love potion."
"A bloody strong one at that." Slughorn added.
"I feel really bad." Ron said groggily as he rubbed his head.
"You need a pick me up, my boy. Got butterbeer, wine, dazzling oak-matured mead. I had other intentions for this, but I think given the circumstances, we'll use it now."
Slughorn popped the cork off the bottle and poured the sparkling red liquid into three glasses.
"Here we are. To life!"
I clinked my cup to his. I raised the glass to my lips to take a sip. Just as I was about to, Ron fell to the floor.
He started shaking and his mouth began to fizz.
"Ron." I gasped. I hurriedly gave my drink to Slughorn and rushed over to the box of vials he had pulled out.
"I-i don't understand." Slughorn stuttered.
I searched through the drawers trying to find something, anything that could stop whatevers happening to Ron.
Ron stopped shaking and his breathing began to slow.
I found a vial with a small plant inside. Professor Sprout had taught us about it in fourth year, it can bring anyone at half death back to full life.
I rushed back over to him and shoved the plant down his throat.
This has to work.
"Come on, Ron, breathe."
Nothing.
I pressed down on his chest a couple times, hoping it would help the plant go down.
He began to cough.
I breathed a sigh of relief, he's alive.
I leaned against the couch as he sat himself up slowly.
"T-these girls, they're gonna kill me."
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(1951 Words - Published December 29, 2020)
We have a very dramatic chapter next. I love dramatic chapters. 😈