Chapter 581: Injured
Chapter 581: Injured
Liam and Hermione tidied up their clothes after returning to the Alchemy Lab, then left to head to the Great Hall downstairs, as it was now time for dinner. Although they had just had a feast with Teacher Luo Zhen, skipping dinner when everyone else was eating would seem strange.
On the way, Liam, out of curiosity, used the Rose Madonna to turn a nail on a suit of armor into gold. This proved that the Rose Madonna and the Philosopher's Stone shared many similarities.
"Suddenly, gold doesn't seem so valuable anymore", Hermione remarked, glancing at the nail that had turned to gold.
Upon arriving at the Great Hall, they found Ron sitting alone at the table, looking rather glum. Liam approached him and asked, "What's wrong? You look terrible."
"It's the Tournament coming up. I'm still a bit nervous", Ron said weakly. "But thanks to your incense, every time we finish training and take a break, Harry always lights one to help us relax. Otherwise, I'd probably be in worse shape. I remember last year before the Tournament, I used to get so nervous that I'd end up in the bathroom, throwing up."
"You seem to be overly anxious, and that's not good for you. You need to adjust your mindset", Liam thought that if Ron were in his previous world, he might have been carried out of the exam room by an ambulance during the College Entrance Exam.
"I know, but I'm still nervous about the Tournament. By the way, the Focus Incense you sold was great. Do you have any potions that are even more effective?" Ron looked up at Liam with hopeful eyes.
"Yes, I do", Liam nodded. "But the stronger potions will completely strip away your emotions for a few hours after taking them, and if used consecutively, they can cause severe side effects."
"Then I'll pass", Ron shook his head and asked curiously, "What do you use those potions for? I don't think anyone would want to experience being as cold and lifeless as a stone for a few hours."
"They are for wartime preparations", Liam explained. "In a life-or-death battle, if you can eliminate fear, excitement, and all emotional fluctuations, and fully utilize your abilities, you have a better chance of surviving the brutal battlefield. That's why I only provide them to core members of the Order of the Phoenix and don't sell them in the shop."
"I see. I hope my father and brothers will be safe", Ron was reminded of his family's concerns. Last year, Mr. Weasley's injuries had shown everyone that war was not far away, and neither was death.
"Relax, everyone will be fine", Hermione comforted him, then asked, "By the way, where's Harry? Didn't you all practice Quidditch this afternoon? Why isn't he here for dinner?"
"Huh? He didn't come?" Ron looked up and scanned the Gryffindor long tables, but didn't see Harry. "We were supposed to come to the Great Hall together. I just went to the bathroom to wash my hands, and when I came out, he was gone. I thought he had already come to eat."
"Let's hope he doesn't cause any trouble today. Everyone is so busy lately that we can't afford to spend much energy helping him", Hermione said, shrugging her shoulders in frustration.
However, Hermione's hopes were dashed. As they finished dinner and returned to the Common Room, they found Professor Mcgonagall standing at the Fat Lady's portrait. Seeing Liam, Ron, and Hermione, she said calmly, "Liam, Ron, and Hermione, come with me."
Professor Mcgonagall led the way down the stairs, and the three of them followed, feeling uneasy. Soon, they realized she was taking them to the Hospital Wing, and their hearts sank.
"In all my years of teaching, I have never seen such a despicable attack", Professor Mcgonagall said as they reached the door to the Hospital Wing and pushed it open, gesturing for Liam and the others to enter.
Madam Pomfrey was giving Harry a small white ceramic cup of medicine. Harry looked pale, but from the way he was drinking, it seemed his condition wasn't too serious. However, the medicine clearly tasted terrible, as evidenced by the grimace on Harry's face.
"He was found in the Third-Floor Boys' Bathroom, Mr. Potter was hit with a Cruciatus Curse", Professor Mcgonagall said in a somber tone. "I never imagined that conflicts among students at Hogwarts would escalate to this level."
"Cruciatus Curse! Who did this?" Ron shouted after hearing Professor Mcgonagall. "I'm going to—"
But before he could finish, Madam Pomfrey interrupted him with a louder voice. "Be quiet! The patient needs to rest in peace." Ron immediately shrank back and closed his mouth, then looked at Professor Mcgonagall with a questioning gaze.
"It was Mr. Malfoy. He and Mr. Potter had a confrontation in the bathroom", Professor Mcgonagall said, her voice filled with anger. As the head of Gryffindor, she had always been fair to every student. However, this did not mean she was impartial, especially when her own student was clearly in the right. Liam could sense her inner fury from her tone.
"Where is Malfoy now?" Liam asked Professor Mcgonagall. "I remember Professor Moody told us last year that the Cruciatus Curse is one of the Unforgivable Curses. Using these spells on humans can result in a life sentence in Azkaban."
"Malfoy is in Professor Snape's office", Professor Mcgonagall replied. "Professor Snape was passing by the bathroom and heard Moaning Myrtle's panicked cries, which led him to discover Harry lying injured on the floor. He then brought Harry to the Hospital Wing and informed me, before taking Malfoy to his office."
"That old bat will definitely favor Malfoy", Ron muttered under his breath. At that moment, Harry finished drinking the potion in his cup. Madam Pomfrey took the cup and said to Harry, who was lying in bed, "You are indeed lucky. The person who cursed you wasn't very skilled with the spell, so the Cruciatus Curse didn't cause severe damage. You should stay in the Hospital Wing tonight, and I think you'll be well enough to attend classes tomorrow morning."
With that, Madam Pomfrey turned to Liam and the others. "You're here to see Harry, right? Please keep your visit to no more than ten minutes. Harry needs to rest properly to aid his recovery."
As Madam Pomfrey and Professor Mcgonagall left the ward, Ron eagerly approached Harry's bedside and asked, "What happened? Why did Malfoy use the Cruciatus Curse on you? We were discussing you during dinner."
"That's right", Hermione added. "You should know that your condition doesn't just affect you. In the current situation, your every action influences many people. Professor Mcgonagall really scared us when she called us out of the Common Room."
"I'm truly sorry for making you worry", Harry said, leaning against his pillow. The potion seemed to be taking effect, as his voice was strong, though his words carried a note of apology. "I was on my way to the Great Hall for dinner when I glanced at the Marauder's Map and saw Malfoy with Moaning Myrtle. I was curious, so I followed them."
This response was indeed typical of Harry. In the past, he had run off to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone in his first year, ventured into the Chamber of Secrets to slay the Basilisk in his second year, and tracked Sirius Black in his third year. Most of these actions were impulsive and done without much thought. If not for his protagonist's luck, he would have died multiple times already.
Now, it seemed that even with so many changes to the plot, Harry's impulsive nature remained unchanged.
(End of Chapter)
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