Chapter 384: Extra 1: The Poisoning Incident
Chapter 384: Extra 1: The Poisoning Incident
PS: This is a side story and does not affect the main narrative.
Although Albert had warned Harry and Ron, seeing Hagrid enjoying a hearty bowl of mushroom soup seemed to be a much more convincing argument than any empty words.
Hagrid had already devoured two large bowls of the soup without showing any signs of poisoning. It hardly seemed like a pot of poisonous mushroom soup.
Speaking of which, the aroma was quite enticing.
"I'll try some first. If I get poisoned, you guys remember to take me to the hospital wing," Ron joked to the others in the room.
Albert no longer tried to dissuade him and quietly sat by, holding Tom and feeding Ya Ya.
Tom, curious about the taste of dog food, found it not to his liking and soon lost interest in Albert feeding the large dog.
As Albert watched Ron eat, he poured himself a cup of tea. Taking a small sip, he muttered, "Sometimes, why must one insist on banging one's head against a wall to be satisfied?"
Harry, sitting beside him, frowned slightly at his words. But suddenly, they heard Ron exclaim, "Harry, this tastes great. You should try some... Hmm, strange, Hagrid, how did you end up with..."
After eating a small bowl and still savoring the delicious mushroom soup, Ron suddenly exhibited symptoms of poisoning. He fell off his chair, his limbs convulsing, eyes bulging, and foam forming at his mouth.
Harry, who was about to take a bite, was so startled by this scene that he dropped his spoon.
"Ron, are you okay? Hagrid!" Harry shouted. "Think of something quickly!"
But Hagrid seemed just as stunned, staring incredulously at his bowl and then at Ron, who was writhing on the floor. He seemed at a complete loss.
"It's poisoning, alright." Albert shook his head and sighed as he looked at Ron on the floor. "As expected, Gryffindors never listen to advice."
"Think of something!" Harry cried, seeing that Hagrid was also at a loss. He suddenly remembered Albert, who had been warning them about the mushrooms, and turned to him anxiously.
"It's simple," Albert said calmly, unaffected by the chaos and tension in the room. "Just make Ron vomit up what he ate."
"Oh!" Harry exclaimed as if suddenly waking up. "Ron, spit out what you ate!"
"You're not going to make him throw up, are you!" Albert was speechless for a moment, then turned to Hagrid. "You do it!"
Hagrid immediately grabbed Ron's ankles, hoisted him upside down, and shook him vigorously in an attempt to make him vomit the mushroom soup.
Watching this, Albert felt a strange sense of humor in the situation. However, it didn't seem very effective, so he walked over and punched Ron in the stomach. The unfortunate boy spewed out his food, causing Tom and Ya Ya to scamper away in fright.
"Ron, Ron, are you alright!" Seeing Ron vomit, Harry breathed a sigh of relief and rushed forward, shouting.
"I'll take him to the hospital wing." Hagrid held Ron in his arms, preparing to run towards the castle. But Albert poured a cup of tea and handed it to him.
"Make him drink this. It will help alleviate the poisoning symptoms, and then you can take him to the hospital wing."
Hagrid didn't know why, but he followed Albert's suggestion. He felt devoid of any ideas at the moment, and with Albert's calm demeanor, it seemed best to heed his advice.
"Alright, let's get him to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey should be able to cure him," Albert said. He waved his wand, cleaning up Ron's vomit and the mushrooms in the plate. As for the pot, he figured that Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall would arrive soon, and some evidence should be left for them. So, he left the pot untouched.
...
In the corridor outside the hospital wing, many students had gathered, curious about Ron's condition. Hagrid's rush to the hospital with Ron in his arms had drawn a lot of attention.
Everyone patiently waited in the corridor, craning their necks whenever someone entered or exited, eager to catch a glimpse of Ron and learn of his well-being.
"Food poisoning?"
Fred and George exchanged glances upon hearing Albert's explanation.
"How stupid can he be to do something like that, even after being told there was poison in the food?" Percy covered his face with his hand, unable to comprehend why anyone would want to taste something they knew was poisoned.
Ron, true to his word, not only took a bite but finished an entire bowl. As a result, he was carried into the school hospital, lying horizontally.
Harry now regretted not heeding Albert's warning. If it weren't for Albert's quick thinking and intervention, who knows what might have happened.
Hagrid, standing beside them, looked dazed. He couldn't comprehend why he was fine after consuming several bowls, while Ron was poisoned after eating just one. Luckily, Harry hadn't taken a bite; otherwise, he would also be affected, and Hagrid wouldn't know how to face Lily and James.
"Madame Pomfrey will cure him, and it's not your fault," Albert consoled casually. "Everyone has different levels of tolerance to mushroom toxins. Some people can handle it, while others can't. Since Ron chose to eat it, he has to take responsibility for his actions. Consider it a lesson learned."
"If he had listened to you, this wouldn't have happened," Hagrid said guiltily. Albert had already warned them, and this incident occurred because they didn't heed his warning.
Harry recalled Albert's muttered words: "As expected, Gryffindors never listen to advice."
So, he didn't bother trying to persuade them further.
He watched as they were poisoned and then rushed to the school hospital.
Harry sadly realized that no one could be blamed for this incident except for their own greed and stupidity, which had ultimately backfired on them.
They were so foolish! Albert must be laughing at them in his mind!
"What happened here, Hagrid?" Dumbledore asked as he rushed in.
"Let me explain," Albert said and proceeded to recount the incident to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey once more.
"A pot of poisonous mushroom soup?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to say.
After all, Hagrid had consumed two large bowls without any issues, while Ron was poisoned after just one bowl. Who could be blamed for this?
Moreover, Albert had warned them beforehand.
"I checked, and it was indeed a pot of poisonous mushroom soup," Professor Sprout said helplessly. "Just as Mr. Anderson said, most of the mushrooms in the basket were toxic. It's hard to believe someone would cook them all together."
"But why did this happen to me?" Hagrid stammered.
"It's about toxicity tolerance, Hagrid," Albert interrupted. "Everyone has different levels of tolerance, and it seems Ron didn't have a high enough tolerance, hence the poisoning."
"Minerva, please contact the Weasley family. They have a magical clock, and I believe they must have realized something is wrong by now!" Dumbledore instructed Professor McGonagall.
"Of course," she replied and quickly left.
Soon after, the Weasley family, including Ginny, arrived at Hogwarts.
"You saved him. I heard about it from Professor McGonagall," Mrs. Weasley said as she hugged Albert tightly.
"Thank you!" Mr. Weasley added, patting Albert's shoulder and giving him a warm embrace as well.
Percy's expression was gloomy. He couldn't fathom why his younger brother would do something so foolish, feeling that he had failed as an older brother. However, this incident was entirely beyond his control.
At six in the evening, Madam Pomfrey finally allowed them to enter the hospital wing. The room was quiet, with the curtains drawn and the lamps lit.
Ron lay in bed, his face pale but no longer in danger and now conscious.
When Madam Pomfrey reminded them that only six people could visit at a time, Albert and Lee Jordan left to allow Ron some private time with his family.
That evening, Fred informed them, "Ron will have to stay in bed for at least another half a month."
However, the matter didn't end there. News of Ron's poisoning spread quickly the next day, and most people seemed to regard it as an accident since Hagrid was fine after consuming the soup.
Many, however, were baffled by how someone could be so foolish. Why would you eat something after being told it was poisonous?
But when this incident reached the ears of a reporter from the Daily Prophet, the narrative took a different turn.
"Harry Potter Poisoned in Plot?"
Conspiracy theories began to spread like wildfire in the newspaper.
Countless people were concerned about the savior's well-being, while the actual victim, Ron, received little attention. (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
