Chapter 758: The Reward
Chapter 758: The Reward
At 10 p.m., Hogwarts Castle was enveloped in silence, and the corridors were empty due to the curfew. Only the whispers from the portraits on either side of the hallway broke the stillness.
Suddenly, a light flickered in the distance, indicating that a door had been opened, allowing a beam of light to escape.
The sound of footsteps and stones rubbing against the floor followed.
Harry Potter took a few steps and couldn't help but glance back at the Dripping Gargoyle, which had just jumped back into its original position. He sighed softly.
He had intended to use Professor Slughorn's memory to avoid detention, which, in his opinion, was a sure thing. However, he had failed in his attempt.
"I'm glad you obtained this memory, Harry," Albus Dumbledore had said. "If you wish, I can offer you an additional reward, but I cannot help you evade punishment. These are two separate matters that cannot be easily offset."
This meant that Harry would still have to spend his Saturdays in detention in Professor McGonagall's office, unable to participate in the crucial final Quidditch match.
The only consolation was that Kyle also seemed to have other matters to attend to and was temporarily absent from the matches.
With only one match left, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were far ahead in points, and there was only a 10-point difference between them.
In other words, whichever team scored higher in the final match would likely win the championship.
Now, with both teams missing a key player, it was a fair situation where neither side was at a disadvantage.
"I hope Kyle remains absent for the match," Harry sighed, turning towards the Common Room.
Due to the late hour, the Common Room was almost empty, but Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were still there, apparently waiting for Harry.
"Where have you been for so long?"
"What happened? Didn't Headmaster Dumbledore expel you?" Hermione asked.
"No," Harry shook his head. "But he deducted a hundred points from Gryffindor, and I have to serve detention in Professor McGonagall's office on Saturday."
"It's fine as long as you're not expelled," Ron seemed relieved. "It's just a deduction of points and detention. Our House is already in last place, so losing another hundred points isn't a big deal."
"It's not about the points," Harry said. "It's about me having to go to Professor McGonagall's office every Saturday."
"So what? You..." Ron suddenly realized something. "Are you saying you have to serve detention every Saturday?"
"Yes."
"What about the final Quidditch match?" Ron asked anxiously.
"I can't do anything about it," Harry said helplessly.
"How could the Headmaster do this...?" Ron was agitated. "It's the match that determines whether we can win the Quidditch Cup!"
"Can't you go and talk to him again? Maybe he'll agree to let you play in the match."
"Stop it, Ron," Hermione pushed him away. "Do you think the Headmaster's decision is like your homework, something he can change if you ask?"
"But Gryffindor hasn't won the Quidditch Cup in over a decade," Ron said, looking up at the ceiling helplessly. "This year was our best chance!"
"I can't do anything about it," Harry said, hanging his head.
"Forget about that for now," Hermione interrupted their sighs. "What about the memory? Did you give it to Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"Of course," Harry said. "Thanks to you, Hermione. Otherwise, I might not have been able to obtain it."
"That's because you had the ability to convince him in the first place," Hermione said. "Felix Felicis only helped adjust the environment for you. If it were me or Ron, even drinking a whole pint of Felix Felicis wouldn't guarantee getting Professor Slughorn's memory."
"But the environment was what I lacked," Harry said. "Regardless, thank you. As for Felix Felicis, I'll find a way to return it to you."
"What nonsense are you talking about? You don't need to return it," Hermione said. "But what was in that memory?"
"That's exactly what I was about to tell you," Harry said, looking around. "Come with me."
He led them to a row of armchairs in the corner of the Common Room and lowered his voice. "Professor Slughorn told Voldemort how to create Horcruxes."
"So it was really him?" Hermione covered her mouth, her face filled with disbelief.
"Yes, it was him who told Voldemort that creating Horcruxes required murder to split one's soul."
After that, Harry recounted everything he had seen in the memory to them.
In truth, the memory didn't contain much content; it was merely a conversation between Professor Slughorn and the young Voldemort, lasting about ten minutes or so.
However, after watching the memory, Dumbledore fell into deep thought for over half an hour, and then he seemed to be... relieved and excited.
After hearing Harry's description, Ron couldn't help but ask, "Do you mean Headmaster Dumbledore looked happy?"
"I suppose so," Harry nodded. "He was also muttering to himself."
"What did he say?" Hermione inquired further.
"Let me think..." Harry furrowed his brows, trying to recall Dumbledore's demeanor after he had regained his senses.
"He said... 'This memory confirms my speculation, I was right, and I'm almost there... Tom, oh Tom, you never would have guessed it.'" Harry paraphrased.
"Who's this Tom?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"That's Voldemort's name when he was young." Harry explained, "I remember telling you before, Voldemort's original name was Tom Riddle."
"If you could use a different name, I might be able to remember it." Ron mumbled.
Hearing the name "Voldemort," his legs trembled, and there was no way he could remember what Harry said after that.
"You can't do this, Ron," Harry said seriously. "You need to learn to adapt to it."
"Yeah, I'll try." Ron replied, but his tone conveyed a sense of reluctance.
Adapt to calling Voldemort by his name? Easier said than done, he was sure eighty percent of the wizarding world couldn't do it.
"Almost there?" Hermione sat in the armchair, looking at Harry with confusion. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know, Professor Dumbledore didn't explain." Harry shook his head. "After that, he asked me to leave and told me to meet him in the Great Hall at seven in the morning. He said he would show me something different... as a reward for retrieving the memory."
"Hermione," Harry suddenly turned to her, "why don't you go tomorrow morning? Without your Felix Felicis, I wouldn't have been able to retrieve the memory, so this reward should be yours."
"No, Harry." Hermione shook her head. "As I said before, the main reason Professor Slughorn agreed was because of you. Felix Felicis only played a supporting role, so the reward should be yours."
The two of them were passing the responsibility back and forth?
"But..."
Harry wanted to say something more, but Hermione interrupted him.
"It's settled then." She stood up. "And you always spend an hour or two in the Headmaster's office. Who knows if it'll be the same tomorrow? Our first class in the morning is Transfiguration, and I don't want to be late."
"Alright then." Harry had no choice but to agree.
"If you change your mind, let me know."
"I won't." Hermione insisted.
The three of them then returned to their dormitories.
The next day.
Early in the morning, Harry struggled to get out of bed, yawning as he made his way to the Great Hall. He hadn't woken up this early since his second year, and it took some time to adjust.
From a distance, he spotted Dumbledore standing there, accompanied by... Kyle?
Apparently, after missing Kyle numerous times, Dumbledore had finally managed to intercept him on the first morning after the holidays.
The timing was impeccable. Kyle had just finished breakfast and was about to head to the eighth floor when Harry arrived.
"Professor Dumbledore." Harry approached, "Kyle, you're here too."
"Hello, Harry." Kyle said, glancing at Dumbledore. "So, Harry is the person we've been waiting for?"
"Yes." Dumbledore nodded. "I hope you'll forgive my initiative."
"It's fine." Kyle said, "But... never mind, you should have breakfast first."
He had intended to mention that Harry hadn't studied Ancient Runes, so even if he went, he wouldn't understand much. But with everyone present, there was no point in bringing it up, so he changed the subject.
"Breakfast?" Harry patted his stomach.
He was indeed a bit hungry, but he didn't want Kyle and Dumbledore to wait for him. After some thought, he grabbed two sandwiches, planning to eat on the move, at least not wasting any time.
The three of them proceeded to the eighth floor, with Kyle leading the way, turning a few corners and stopping at a particular corridor.
Harry was very familiar with this place. Just as he was about to remind Kyle about the Room of Requirement being out of order and inaccessible, he saw Kyle take out a peculiar door knocker and attach it to the wall.
Suddenly, a door appeared on the wall.
The Room of Requirement?
Harry was dumbfounded, staring at the scene before him, unable to speak.
What was going on? Did the Room of Requirement now require a key to open?
He hadn't heard of that before.
Moreover, he wondered where he could get such a key.
Until everyone else had entered the door, Harry finally reacted and followed them in.
And then Harry was astonished once more.
He felt like he had entered another Hogwarts, everything seemed so familiar.
"Is this Rowena Ravenclaw's memory?" Dumbledore observed the students passing by, genuinely surprised. "Remarkable."
From his words, Harry also grasped some crucial information.
Whose memory?
Rowena Ravenclaw's?!
Could it be that this place was similar to the Pensieve in the Headmaster's office?
Harry couldn't help but reach out and touch the wall beside him, feeling its icy coolness.
Harry approached another person who looked like a student, but the person seemed to pass through him like a ghost.
But the person didn't look like a ghost at all. After all, ghosts didn't walk with their legs; they floated, and they didn't have any colors other than pearl white.
"Newbie, watch where you're going," the person said, turning his head with a dissatisfied expression.
"Sorry," Harry apologized instinctively.
So, was this really a memory?
He was a little incredulous. When he had experienced the memories in the Pensieve before, no one could see him, let alone communicate with him.
However, when Harry saw Dumbledore's surprised expression, he understood.
At least he wasn't the only one who hadn't experienced this before.
Meanwhile, Kyle, standing next to him, remained calm as if he had known all along.
"You can wander around if you like," Kyle said as he walked over. "There are classrooms and professors teaching upstairs, all from a thousand years ago. You can go and listen if you want."
Harry nodded and left.
But he didn't go to the classrooms; instead, he wandered curiously around the castle, just like when he first entered Hogwarts as a first-year.
He went to the Gryffindor Common Room, but instead of the familiar Fat Lady, there was another portrait—a tall knight holding a double-handed sword.
Since Harry didn't know the password, the knight refused to let him in.
Harry had no choice but to leave and go elsewhere.
For some reason, he found himself in the corridor where the Room of Requirement was located.
Harry stared at the empty wall, and on a whim, he closed his eyes and started pacing back and forth:
"I need a broom closet... I need a broom closet... I need a broom closet."
He walked back and forth in front of the empty wall three times, but when he opened his eyes, he didn't see a door.
Of course... this was the Room of Requirement. How could there be another Room of Requirement here?
Harry shook his head and left.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore also arrived at a place of interest to him.
About three hours later, or maybe longer, the three of them returned to the entrance hall, ready to leave.
"Harry, how do you feel? Can you understand what's going on?" Kyle asked.
Harry's face stiffened.
"I'm... I'm fine," he stammered.
He hadn't really gone to those classrooms... or rather, he had stayed for ten minutes but couldn't understand anything, so he left.
Because of this, the professor was furious and even scolded him.
Harry had never imagined that memories could feel so real. Instinctively, he treated this place like the Pensieve, thinking he could do whatever he wanted without anyone noticing, including leaving in the middle of a class.
So, when the book that was thrown at him passed through his head, Harry's legs went soft for a moment. After that, he never went back to those classrooms but spent the entire morning carefully exploring the place.
However, seeing Harry's guilty expression, Kyle could probably guess what had happened. He nodded and didn't ask further.
He turned to Dumbledore.
"It's very interesting. This place has answered some questions that have puzzled me for many years, such as how long those portraits have been here. I've always been curious about that." Dumbledore said, "But there's something strange."
"What is it?"
"I saw Slytherin in the Chamber of Secrets, and I met Hufflepuff in the kitchen, but I couldn't find Gryffindor."
Dumbledore asked, "It seems he's not in this castle. If I remember correctly, Gryffindor was the most active among the four founders, and he even served as a professor for a while, personally teaching the students."
"This..." Kyle opened his mouth.
He couldn't very well tell Dumbledore that Godric Gryffindor had been erased from the memories by Rowena Ravenclaw due to some embarrassing behavior.
Dumbledore was also a Gryffindor graduate, and he could accept that the founder of his house was a weirdo who liked to use his sword to pick people's pants... well, eccentric.
For the sake of the four founders' reputation, Kyle hesitated. "He might not be in the school at this time."
"Is that so?" Dumbledore didn't think much of it.
As the three of them walked out of the Room of Requirement, the door on the wall immediately disappeared.
"I heard from Harry that you turned his and Malfoy's magic into something else, and you learned it from here, right?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry also looked over.
Previously, Hermione had said that Kyle had learned this spell from the library, but it was clearly not the case.
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "It was in the second-floor Charm class. Professor Lagore thought it was a handy little trick."
"This is not just a little trick," Dumbledore said with a smile. "If you face an enemy who doesn't understand magical writing, all their magic will become your advantage, and the number of enemies will no longer matter."
He turned to look at the other side, intending to suggest that Harry learn it too, but he stopped himself.
Never mind, some things can't be forced. Harry is doing well as it is, and he can hold his own against most Death Eaters.
(End of Chapter)
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