Chapter 1478: Progress
Chapter 1478: Progress
After the effects of the Felix Felicis wore off, Harry felt a sense of emptiness within him, and the sudden loss of power was truly dreadful.
Even with Albert's guidance, as Harry exerted all his effort to control the dancing Inferi fire before him, he was still unable to curb its unruly behavior.
Staring at the growing flames, Harry's heart roared with determination. Yet, he never once thought of turning away; instead, he persisted, hoping to squeeze out every last bit of his potential.
Harry trusted Albert and believed that he would ensure his safety.
He was also acutely aware that time was not on his side, especially now that the effects of the Felix Felicis had faded, and the newfound insights he had gained in controlling the Inferi fire would soon dissipate as well.
He had to seize this opportunity to gain the greatest benefit, rather than waste the potion he had just consumed.
Although the Inferi fire showed no signs of being tamed, for a fleeting moment, everyone present could sense a distinct pause in the fire's chaotic dance—something Harry had never achieved before.
Just as the fire spread rapidly, about to engulf Harry, the flames began to shrink like a deflating balloon. In the blink of an eye, an invisible force compressed it into a thin black candle flame, appearing harmless and under control.
"Well done! It seems you've gained something from this experience. Remember that feeling, as you're one step closer to mastering the Fiendfyre Curse," Albert encouraged, giving Harry's shoulder a light pat and offering words of comfort.
However, Harry showed no signs of being comforted, his breath ragged as he stared intently at the candle-sized Inferi fire before him, a sense of frustration welling up within him.
Harry yearned to be stronger, to possess the power he had felt with the Felix Felicis, instead of feeling as powerless as he did now—it was an awful feeling.
"Alright, your turn." Albert turned to Hermione and Ron, pouring another golden pill from the vial. "Who's first?"
"Me." Ron raised his hand and stepped forward, taking the Felix Felicis pill from Albert. He began to train his curse-breaking abilities with the help of the Inferi fire.
Whether it was a lack of talent or simply a lack of dedication to curse-breaking, Ron's performance was dismal, causing Albert to doubt if he had ever truly practiced breaking the Fiendfyre Curse before.
Otherwise, his performance, even with the help of the Felix Felicis, should not have been this lackluster.
Ron hung his head in shame, causing Albert to wonder if he had taken a fake Felix Felicis pill.
On the other hand, Hermione excelled in curse-breaking.
Not only was she able to successfully eliminate the Inferi fire summoned by Harry with the help of the Felix Felicis, but she could also slightly weaken the fire even after the potion's effects had worn off.
If Hermione were more powerful, she could have easily outshone Harry and Ron.
However, Albert had never intended to teach Hermione the Fiendfyre Curse from the start. Having the trio specialize in different areas provided greater redundancy, especially when executing crucial missions. Completing the task and surviving was always the top priority.
Hermione's success only added to Ron's gloom.
With Hermione's performance as a contrast, Ron appeared to be slacking off no matter how one looked at it. Even Harry and Hermione exchanged complicated glances, for Ron's performance was truly disappointing.
"If I could have a few more tries, I think I'd be able to get the hang of it," Harry said, changing the subject.
"That's impossible. We don't have any extra Felix Felicis for practice sessions," Hermione replied.
"Albert definitely doesn't lack Felix Felicis. He can brew it himself," Harry argued, not believing that the potion could pose a challenge to Albert; it would just take some extra time.
To be honest, Harry had never craved power as much as he did now.
"Don't be silly, Harry. Unless you want to experience the side effects of overusing Felix Felicis," Hermione said, feeling that Harry was underestimating the situation. The potion was too difficult and time-consuming to brew, and they couldn't afford to waste it. Especially with Albert mentioning that the final battle was drawing near, even she could sense the urgency of their situation.
"Are you alright, Ron?" Harry asked, looking at his friend with concern.
"I feel like a waste of space," Ron admitted, his spirits dampened since the start of the training session. Especially now, seeing how far his friends had progressed while he remained stagnant, he felt a deep sense of inferiority and gloom.
So, he was the only one who had been slacking off and not improving! Ron had made efforts, but compared to Harry and Hermione's dedication, they were insignificant.
In the end, his mistake was that he had placed most of his hopes on the Felix Felicis. He had thought that the potion would instantly grant him the power to control the Inferi fire, but the reality was vastly different.
"You're just not good at curse-breaking; everyone has their strengths and weaknesses," Harry said, trying to comfort his friend.
However, these words of comfort did little to lift Ron's spirits, and he only hung his head lower in shame.
Ron had truly realized the gap between himself and his two friends, just as Albert had said—it was a difference in conviction. From start to finish, he had never truly prepared himself mentally to do whatever it took to defeat Voldemort.
Fortunately, Ron's gloom didn't last long. On their way back to the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, they received shocking news from Sirius Black: Voldemort might have gained control of the International Confederation of Wizards.
It was a development that was hard to imagine.
"The International Confederation of Wizards? How could the countries allow such an important organization to fall under Voldemort's control?" Hermione found it hard to believe that the nations would allow their authority to be compromised.
"Compromised? They'll just make up an excuse afterward," Percy, who had been a minister's assistant for a long time, understood the inner workings better than most witches and wizards.
"In fact, not many witches and wizards pay close attention to the International Confederation of Wizards. Those who do are usually already part of their inner circle. They make the decisions, and everyone else follows," Percy explained, letting slip some surprising insights. "I suspect they're doing it on purpose, with the goal of..."
"...finding an excuse to back out of this damn Wizarding War," Moody finished his sentence, seeing through their intentions.
"After all, the President of the International Confederation of Wizards, Babajide, has suddenly gone missing," Sirius said with a hint of self-mockery. "In the absence of any evidence that Voldemort has taken control of the organization, Babajide will likely be the one left holding the bag. He disappeared, and they can spin the story any way they want. Believe me, they're good at that," he added.
(End of Chapter)
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