Chapter 504: Imperius Curse
Chapter 504: Imperius Curse
Braving the snowstorm, they arrived at the back door of Weasley's Joke Shop, located at the village entrance. After unlocking the door with a key, a gust of wind and snow rushed in, slightly dispersing the warm air inside. Fortunately, once Liam turned and closed the door, a small Magic successfully sealed the cold and dampness outside.
"Sorry to keep you waiting", Liam said apologetically to Lupin, who had run over to greet him. He had spent extra time persuading Harry, causing their departure to be about five to six minutes later than expected. The poor weather conditions today also made the journey more difficult, so they arrived about ten minutes later than the agreed time.
"No problem", Lupin smiled. "The weather in the south was even worse, and we had to wait a long time at the London Floo Network. We only got here about two minutes ago."
After exchanging a few customary British complaints about the weather, they headed to the Alchemy Lab hidden in the Chamber of Secrets in the basement, where the two Werewolves were already waiting.
Upon entering the Laboratory, Liam noticed that the new Werewolves looked much better than before. Although their attire was still simple, it was no longer as worn-out as it used to be. It seemed that finding work had greatly improved their spirits.
After mastering the basic techniques of the treatment, the process had become more routine. For example, the first time they treated Lupin, it took about four to five hours due to inexperience, but now it only took a little over an hour. Today, it took even less time, with the two Werewolves completing the treatment in just 100 minutes.
"How do you feel?" Liam asked the newly treated Werewolves. They immediately jumped off the Treatment Table and began testing their new physical changes in the confined space, with Lupin guiding them from the side.
"You seem to be getting more proficient", Hermione remarked as she walked over to Liam. The quick completion of the treatment was also thanks to Hermione's assistance.
"Of course, it's all thanks to your help", Liam said, taking Hermione's hand and looking at her. "By the way, where should we go next?"
"I remember there's a lounge upstairs. Let's go up and have some hot drinks. I really don't want to go out in this weather", Hermione said after a moment's thought, deciding to spend her free time like her dorm mate's cat, lounging on the sofa in front of the fireplace.
"Sure, whatever you feel comfortable with", Liam nodded. "I remember I brought a large bottle of top-notch Hot Cocoa Powder from one of the worlds. We can sit by the fireplace and enjoy some Hot Chocolate. It's much more comfortable than being out in the cold."
After bidding farewell to Lupin and the two Werewolves, who had now transformed into Giant Wolves, they ascended the staff-only staircase to a lounge in the attic corner. They prepared their Hot Chocolate and finally had a moment to rest. Even with the treatment process becoming more routine, it was still not an easy task, leaving them both physically and mentally drained.
Sitting by the fireplace with their Hot Chocolate, they watched the snowstorm outside, sitting back-to-back on a thick woolen rug, chatting comfortably. As they talked, Liam opened up about things he had never mentioned before.
"In fact, when I finished primary school, I had already planned out my entire life. First, I would get into a good middle school, then a good university, and by the time I was 40, I would have earned enough money to last a lifetime. Of course, I also wanted a warm family. At the time, I thought that was the ultimate goal of my life. But now, I have so much more than I ever asked for, yet why do I still feel increasingly unsatisfied?"
"You had a pretty long-term plan back then, unlike me", Hermione chuckled. "At that time, my goal was just to get into a good university and win the top scholarship every year. As for you feeling unsatisfied, that's quite normal. People change over time, and so do our ideals. For example, I'm now thinking about changing the world and making it a better place. A few years ago, such thoughts would have seemed insane."
Alright, so this is what it means to be a top student. Liam suddenly felt that his previous goals were somewhat vulgar. However, Hermione thought that Liam’s ideas back then were much more mature than hers, realizing that she had been quite naive.
As the two of them discussed their childhood dreams and enjoyed the warm, cozy moment, they suddenly heard muffled arguing voices carried by the wind. At first, they didn’t want to get involved, but as the argument grew louder, they had no choice but to put down their cups, stand up, and walk to the window to see what was happening.
It turned out that Katie Bell and her friend were arguing on the road right below their common room window. When they opened the window, the snowflakes and the clearer voices of the two girls arguing drifted in.
"Oh, dear Katie, you’ve been holding that bag ever since you came out of the bathroom at the Three Broomsticks. Then you walked straight out of the pub without even saying a word to me. Are you under some kind of Curse?" the girl named Leanne said urgently. "And that thing in your hand is suspicious. How can you bring it into the castle?"
"None of your business", Katie pushed her friend Leanne and said, "It’s none of your concern, Leanne! I need to bring it inside the castle to someone important."
Hearing their conversation, Liam immediately thought of the first terrorist attack Draco Malfoy had carried out at Hogwarts. He told Hermione, "I think that girl might be under the Imperius Curse", and ran downstairs. Hermione, after a moment of hesitation, quickly followed him.
When they reached the spot below the common room window, Liam saw the two girls trying to snatch a small package. He immediately cast a Separation Spell to separate the two girls and then a Disarming Charm on Katie.
The package flew straight up about five or six feet and then fell to the ground with a thud. Since it was made of paper, it broke upon hitting the muddy ground, revealing a greenish object inside. Katie screamed and tried to pick it up, but Hermione, quick on the draw, cast a Binding Spell to immobilize her.
"Why are you attacking us?" Leanne finally reacted, her eyes wide with fear, and she asked Liam and Hermione, who were holding their wands and watching her friend warily, in a trembling voice.
"We overheard your argument at Weasley’s Joke Shop. Liam thought your friend’s behavior matched the symptoms described in the Ministry of Magic’s pamphlet about the Imperius Curse, so we came to check. When we saw you two struggling, we used magic to prevent anything bad from happening", Hermione explained to the overly nervous Leanne.
"Oh no, oh no, she must be under the Imperius Curse. I didn’t realize it at the time! I should have thought of it when we were at the Three Broomsticks—" After hearing Hermione’s explanation, Leanne reacted, bending over and sobbing with her hands covering her mouth.
Leaving the immobilized Katie in Leanne’s care, Liam walked to the broken package. He discovered that it contained an opulent Opal necklace. He swiftly retrieved a Gilded Lead Box with a Sealing Array from his Spatial Bag and used magic to lift the necklace into the box.
Since Professor Lupin had already left with the two Werewolves while Liam and the others were resting, they now had to seek help in the castle. After a quick tidy-up, the four of them set off, with Katie being carried by magic.
Before leaving, Liam summoned his Crab Patronus to send a message to Professor Mcgonagall. When they reached the school’s iron gates, they found Professor Mcgonagall standing there, braving the swirling snow and rain, waiting for them.
(End of Chapter)
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