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Chapter 518: Prefect
Chapter 518: Prefect
In the last few days of the holiday, Harry and his friends didn't train much and began looking forward to the new school year. Neville said his goodbyes with reluctance and returned to his grandmother, promising to meet them at King's Cross Station.
"Have you noticed something strange about you lately?" Ron asked Harry with a puzzled look, greedily gobbling up Harry's white queen chess piece.
"Me?" Harry shuddered, asking sensitively.
Ron widened his eyes. "Of course. Let me think. You've been spacing out a lot, even when we were back at The Burrow. You didn't even show much interest in playing Quidditch with Cedric, and you let Ginny take your place. Come to think of it, Ginny's been acting a bit off too..."
His suspicious expression made Harry feel uncomfortable. "Are you guys hiding something?"
Hermione sighed from behind her book. Ron finally figured it out. However, his words shocked Hermione. "Harry, are you planning to go to Godric's Hollow, and has Ginny found out about it?"
Harry was stunned.
"How did you guess that?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"I pieced it together. I've seen Harry staring at photos a few times", Ron said, not without a hint of pride. But the next moment, he became serious. "Harry, Mum forbids us from going out, but we could take a quick trip if it's really necessary. We could use the Invisibility Cloak and Apparate to get there and back quickly—"
Harry shook his head. "Remus advised me not to act rashly. I, uh, haven't made up my mind yet."
"Why not?" Ron pressed.
"Because, because", Harry took a deep breath. It was time. "I've mastered the three Unforgivable Curses."
"Unforgivable Curses!?" Ron exclaimed, eyes wide. Hermione was equally shocked; the thick book she was holding slipped to the floor. This was far from what she had expected.
After a long pause—
"What do you think?" Harry asked, his heart pounding.
Ron gave Harry a hearty pat on the shoulder. "That's pretty cool. How did you manage it? Did Professor Hep give you private tutoring?" He speculated, "Or maybe Dumbledore? You've been going out a lot lately."
Hermione rolled her eyes irritably. "No way. Professors would never teach us those spells! Even in peacetime, Aurors are strictly limited in what they can do. Tonks told me this."
Harry hesitated for a moment but decided to share his peculiar experience. He started from the night he returned from the Ministry of Magic, describing the strange feeling he had when he woke up in bed. The next morning, Professor Hep tested him with the three spells, and afterward, Dumbledore asked him numerous questions, even requesting two of his memories.
Just thinking about one of those memories made his breathing quicken. It contained a scene where Ginny kissed his cheek. He should have omitted that part!
But Dumbledore insisted on the memories being as complete as possible. In a moment of impulsiveness, Harry handed them over, and now he regretted it every time he thought about it. He felt uncomfortable whenever he was alone with Dumbledore... Moreover, Harry wasn't sure whether to feel disappointed or not, as he hadn't had many opportunities to be alone with Ginny, which left him feeling uncertain and self-doubting.
Ron and Hermione were still processing this shocking news.
"So simple? You learned those spells in less than a morning?" Ron still found it hard to believe.
"Didn't you hear me? Harry was clearly influenced by the Dark Lord. The professor was just confirming that. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy", Hermione said, looking at Harry seriously. "Harry, the professor is right. You mustn't slack off on your Occlumency training."
Harry grumbled in response.
"This isn't a joke, Harry. From your symptoms—"
"Symptoms?" Harry said irritably.
"Okay, let's call them signs", Hermione said carefully. "Your connection to the Dark Lord is growing stronger—strange, when did it start?"
"Probably after Voldemort's resurrection", Harry said.
"But since it has progressed to the point where you've gained his dark knowledge, this is no small matter, Harry", Hermione said patiently. "Dark magic can affect your sanity. Imagine what it's like to have part of Voldemort's thoughts merge with yours. Your personality could change without you realizing it, and he might even plant ideas in your mind, making you think they are your own. This is likely what the professor and Dumbledore are trying to prevent."
“What should I do then?”
“Of course, you should work hard to improve your Occlumency, and, uh, avoid negative emotions.” Hermione recited what she had read from the books, though it was all old news. “I—I can help you, right?” She looked at Ron, who quickly nodded in agreement.
During dinner, Fred and George Weasley vividly described the new guards at Gringotts to them.
“About twelve feet tall, like a magnified Magic Puppet, but with more precious materials and more spells. When they light up, the magical glow is almost blinding... You’ll see them when you go to Diagon Alley; there are two standing at the entrance.”
“Did you participate in their creation? What can these guards do?” Tonks, who had stayed for dinner, asked with great interest.
Fred sighed, “Professor Hep made them all by himself, a week before our anti-curse series. I wish we could poach him to our joke shop—” He made a face.
Mrs. Weasley gave him a stern look, and he obediently zipped his lips, avoiding the term ‘Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes.’ However, Harry knew that Fred and George Weasley had already signed the lease for their shop in Hogsmeade Village.
“Only two of them?” Harry asked.
Fred and George Weasley exchanged a glance, “That’s a secret.”
Harry instinctively held his breath, “So... there are many more?”
“We can’t say for sure, really,” Fred said, counting on his fingers, “There are probably about a dozen or so. Two at the entrance, two more just inside the main door, and a few scattered on each floor... but these can’t be all of them.”
“Right,” George added, “Ever since Professor Hep came out of the lab, Fred and I noticed that a few storage rooms were locked, and we can’t open them. Only a few people have access.”
He shrugged.
“We tried to convince Penelope to let us in while Professor Hep was away, but she refused. I bet there’s a whole army of Magic Puppets inside!”
Fred and George Weasley’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and Tonks also became intrigued, “These things are made quickly? Maybe I should suggest the Ministry buy a batch if they’re cost-effective.”
“Not yet,” Fred dismissed the idea, “Only Professor Hep can make the magic guards, and it involves extremely advanced Memory Magic... but he’s not at the company right now.”
“Professor Hep isn’t at the company? Where did he go?” Harry asked.
The twins shook their heads.
“Penelope and Creevey should know; they have emergency contact methods for the professor. Remus probably does too, but we don’t always see him.”
“Professor might be dealing with Muggle World matters; he sets aside a few days for it each year,” Hermione said.
“Did he mention it to you?”
“Oh, uh, just a guess,” Hermione said.
When Felix reappeared, it was the last day of the holidays, and he brought three letters with him.
“I made a quick trip back to the school; Minerva has been swamped, so I helped bring the book lists over,” Felix said. Harry, Ron, and Hermione each took their letters and eagerly opened them.
“About time,” Ron said as he tore open the envelope, “We start school tomorrow.”
“Professor Mcgonagall must have been too busy to handle school matters until now,” Harry guessed, opening his envelope. Inside were two parchments: one reminding him about the start of school, and the other listing the books needed for the year.
“There are two new books to buy,” Hermione read aloud, “Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 by Miranda Goshawk; Practical Runes, Beginner Level by Felix Hep and Hestia Vera. Professor, you’ve written a new book?”
Felix nodded slightly.
“Who’s the other author?” Hermione asked, eyeing the list.
“He’s the president of the Ancient Runes Association; you’ve probably seen him. He and Professor Machi Ban visited the school to observe classes,” Felix explained. “Due to time constraints, Mr. Vera and I just compiled the practical runes needed for the first five years, organizing them by difficulty and teaching order into one book. We’ll separate them later if we get the chance. The textbook is published by L.C.A.”
"Where's the book on Dark Magic Defense?" Harry asked, repeatedly examining the book list.
"Didn't Sirius mention it to you?" Felix asked.
"No, he—"
"Did he forget to include it?" Ron shook the envelope. "Hey, there really is one. Let me see—" He suddenly opened his mouth wide and froze.
"Do you have something else in your envelope?" Harry leaned over to Ron, puzzled. At that moment, Hermione, sitting across from them, turned her envelope upside down, and a golden-red object slid into her palm. Harry instinctively felt his own envelope, but it was empty.
"Prefect", Ron groaned. "I've been chosen as a prefect."
Ron and Hermione were selected as the fifth-year prefects for Gryffindor. Felix was a bit surprised by this outcome but quickly understood Dumbledore's reasoning. Being a prefect was both a privilege and a responsibility, and Harry already carried too many burdens.
However, Harry clearly didn't understand. He felt a hollow emptiness inside and could only offer a pale congratulations, far less sincere than the genuine excitement of Mrs. Weasley, who had just heard the news.
In fact, no one was more surprised than she was, not even the newly appointed prefect himself.
"I can't believe it! I can't believe it! Oh, Ron, that's fantastic! Prefect!" She hugged Ron tightly, water from the wet dishcloth in her hand dripping all over the floor. She generously promised to give her youngest son a gift.
"Can I get a new broom?" Ron asked hopefully.
Mrs. Weasley looked at him with a mix of hesitation and amusement, then smiled. "Of course, I'll be right back. I need to get Fred and George Weasley's shopping list. Besides the broom, we need to buy you new books, and don't forget Ginny's. That's quite a lot of things." She giggled and left.
Ron stood there for a moment, then his eyes darted around. "Fred and George Weasley will be so jealous, they absolutely will be! But who cares, I'm a prefect now, and I'm getting a new broom! Oh, no—"
"What's wrong?" Harry asked dryly, feeling as if his voice was coming from someone else.
"I should add some money, take part of the bonus—then I can get an even better broom." Ron said excitedly, his eyes shining. "That's it. I'll go talk to Mom right now."
"Professor", Hermione whispered to Felix, "Can I make a call to my parents? Using the payphone outside the neighborhood? They know what being a prefect means, and they'll be so happy."
Felix thought for a moment. "Sure, Hermione Granger. You haven't been home in a while. Take this opportunity to spend some time with your family. I'll pick you up later tonight."
"I'll go pack my things", Harry said awkwardly.
He returned to his bedroom alone. The open suitcase on the table seemed to mock him silently. Harry picked up a dirty shirt from the bed and sat down, lost in thought.
He had almost forgotten about the prefect position, but when it actually happened, he couldn't pretend it didn't matter. If he had to choose between himself and Ron, he would definitely prefer to be the prefect. Harry felt a twinge of discomfort. Did he really think he was better than Ron? He didn't want to seem arrogant, so he tried to find reasons for himself. My Quidditch skills are better, and my dueling abilities are stronger... but what else? He hadn't outperformed Ron in other subjects. But outside of academics—Harry thought resentfully, they had shared so many adventures, so many life-threatening moments—he had done so much, and Headmaster Dumbledore knew it all.
But he quickly corrected himself. Ron had always stood by him, even when facing Voldemort. Ron didn't have the same reason to be Voldemort's enemy as he did, making Ron seem more noble in comparison. Then, a voice in Harry's head whispered, but he took the honor that should have been yours.
"No, he deserved it", Harry said softly to himself. But the voice kept buzzing, persistently. You've done more, yet you're not understood or rewarded. The voice spread dark thoughts, suggesting he should teach Ron a lesson, using a new spell...
"That's not what I think", Harry said to himself. "Ron is my best friend." He stood up abruptly, nearly falling over. He panted, his expression rapidly changing, sometimes seeming to transform into someone else.
"Someone needs to get their head checked." The blank canvas in the wall frame mocked him.
Harry glared at the canvas, but there was nothing there. Like the clock that shot screws at people, the biting snuffbox, and the cabinet that coughed out clouds of dust when opened, it was another testament to the Black Family's ancient, pure, and magical heritage.
"You're wrong", Harry said loudly, but the canvas did not respond.
After a while, Harry heard footsteps and quickly lowered his head, stuffing the clothes in his hands into his trunk. Ron bounced in.
"Made it!" he said cheerfully. "I put half my winnings on it, and I can finally get a Nimbus 2000. Actually, I could have gotten a 2001, but I think I should save up. I need to buy a birthday gift, and in case 'Future World' comes out with a new product... Are you okay?"
"Great, Ron, I mean—soon you'll have a great broom and can consider joining the team." Harry paused, feeling a genuine sense of relief that the words came from his heart.
Ron's smile faded.
"I thought it would be you, I never expected—"
"No, you deserve it", Harry said firmly, as if sealing the deal. "You're fully worthy of the prefect honor. As for me, I have enough trouble of my own..."
"Oh, well, you're right. Maybe Dumbledore didn't choose you for that reason—will he be coming today, I mean, for that odd afternoon tea?"
"Yeah, I think so", Harry said, relieved that Ron had changed the subject. He was also glad to be starting school soon and wouldn't have to eat any more of those disgusting fruit jellies, which now made him feel nauseous just thinking about them.
...
In the evening, Sirius returned, and Harry greeted him with a cheerful smile.
"Should I call you Professor Black?"
"You can save that for the banquet tomorrow night", Sirius said with a smile.
At dinner, he sat next to Felix and whispered, "Felix, I heard you're one of the guards for the Hogwarts Express tomorrow?"
"Just one of them", Felix glanced at him, making a jam jar fly into his hand. "I remember you're supposed to be one too."
Sirius turned his head awkwardly. "I'm planning to take a day off... working one more day tomorrow."
"Why?" Felix asked curiously, which was unlike him to say.
"I was supposed to go on a patrol with Amelia at Azkaban today and set up the Thief-Repelling Waterfall, but we got an alert about a Dementor in a Muggle town, which turned out to be a false alarm...
Anyway, I thought—just to see it through to the end—when I come out of Azkaban, it will be a clean break from the past."
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[Regarding how the Trio used Unforgivable Curses in the original story (speculation):]
First, I believe that just knowing the spell is not enough to cast magic. Evidence from the original story includes:
1. In the first year, when they learn the Levitation Charm, it is clear that the spell is linked to wand movements.
2. During the fifth-year O.W.L. exams, it is mentioned that they need to review their spell notes.
3. The "Standard Book of Spells" series is essentially one book per year. If it was just about recording spells, there would be no need for this.
4. Dark magic and Unforgivable Curses require emotional involvement.
My personal understanding is that magic involves channeling Magic + emotion (intention), and the spell, gesture, and wand are tools to reduce the difficulty of casting, not necessities.
How did Malfoy and the others use Unforgivable Curses?
Excluding the original story's bugs, a reasonable speculation (forced explanation) is that during their seventh year, they had a book called "Advanced Dark Magic Unveiled", which detailed the creation of Horcruxes. Since it covered Horcruxes, it likely also included the three Unforgivable Curses. They might have flipped through it out of boredom...
Of course, this is all speculation, as the original story does not mention this.
Additionally, at the end of the fifth year, Harry cast the Cruciatus Curse without prior training. In this book, I explain it as follows: if one's talent is high enough, they can infer the method of channeling Magic by observing others' casting actions and spells, and then mimic the spell.
The above is my personal interpretation, applicable only to this book.
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(End of Chapter)
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