Chapter 649

A rush of dizziness …

The room twisted and distorted and Harry seemed to catch a glimpse of Voldemort smiling at him, it was definitely a hallucination and the next thing he saw was the chandelier on the ceiling of the hospital wing and the white walls of the ward.

“Harry.” Ginny lunged up excitedly but was pulled back by Ron, “Don’t touch him.”

“Oh yea,” Ginny said, “let’s quickly inform Madam Pomfrey-”

Madam Pomfrey appeared, she first gave Harry a series of complicated check-ups and although no problems were found in the end, she strongly advised Harry to stay in for a while longer, “You are in a very special condition, be careful of the after-effects.” She warned.

Harry subconsciously touched his forehead, the scar throbbed hotly, but it felt like the skin was scrubbed off.

“Lie back on the bed.” Madam Pomfrey ordered, as she leaned in, then took out a kind of sticky ointment and applied a thick layer on the side of Harry’s head, despite his grimacing face.

She said firmly to the others, “You only have ten minutes of visiting time. The boy needs to rest now.”

When she was out, Harry looked around, Ginny clutching his hand, Hermione smiling at him with a book (held upside down judging by the cover) in her hand, and Ron looking at him with a panicked, evasive gaze.

Harry instantly thought of the freckled red-headed boy on the train six years ago.

“So you guys made up?” He spoke grumpily, referring to Ginny and Ron.

“Yeah.” Ron looked a little flustered, he really wished for this question to be brought up later. He glanced at Ginny and then looked at Hermione pleadingly, as if hoping that someone would bail him out, but that hope fell flat.

So he could only stammer and say.

“Er, I – you know – Ginny and I – we made up a long time ago – -just in the two weeks that you were sick in hospital-”

Harry looked over at Ginny, who spoke in a calm tone that seemed rather scary to him. “I seriously considered it, and it’s not like I could actually kill Ron, so …” she shrugged her shoulders.

Harry thought about it in his head for a while, deciding not to respond to Ginny’s words, and he pondered for a moment before saying.

“I am in the hospital for two weeks?”

He looked at Ron a little sceptically and then turned his head to Ginny and Hermione, trying to verify whether it was a joke, but from the looks on their faces, it was clear that what Ron said was true. He really had been in a coma in a hospital bed for two weeks.

“It was frightening when you were first brought in,” Hermione said afterward, “the scar on your forehead kept dripping blood like it was a fresh wound, Ginny was crying as she wiped the blood from your face, and Ron was just standing there like a troll, without moving a muscle.”

Harry looked at Ginny and Ron and a warmth flowed through his heart.

“Everyone was actually worried about you,” Ginny blushed a little as she whispered, “Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Hap had been in the ward the whole day, prohibiting anyone from coming in, not even Madam Pomfrey was allowed, we all freaked out and thought you… .” she gave Harry a careful look, “Hermione was so nervous she scratched her face.”

Harry gradually mapped out what had happened.

Two weeks ago, Dumbledore and Professor Hap had called him to classroom seven to try and resolve the fragment of soul in his body that belonged to Voldemort, it was the first time in half a year that Voldemort’s original consciousness had been awakened, and the newborn Riddle’s personality was no match at all, but with Professor Hap’s help, Riddle had successfully drawn the soul from the golden cup and the locket, and he had tried to absorb the fragments in his own body in an attempt to take over the real Voldemort and replace him.

Harry also saw the madness of Voldemort, who would rather destroy his two Horcruxes with his own hands than compromise.

After that … Harry’s expression was bewildered, he felt a sharp pain as the remnant soul of Voldemort seemed determined to open a door or a big hole in his head, and a seething scream came out of his mouth, but Harry wasn’t sure if that was his will or the remnant soul of Voldemort’s will.

“Professor Hap told us,” Ron said, “that he and Dumbledore worked together to cast a complex spell that dealt with soul, which none of us understood … but we know it was to protect you from Voldemort’s soul fragment –”

“Ron!” Harry couldn’t help but call out.

“It’s okay,” Ron seemed to guess what he was thinking, “Ginny already knows about it too. There’s no way to hide it any longer with such a big incident, Dumbledore told her personally …”

He glanced at a somewhat overwhelmed Harry out of the corner of his eye and continued.

“They said that the soul fragment had awakened in your body and what they did was to bring it back to sleep, and it does seem to be working now, at least your scar is no longer bleeding, as it is gradually healing …” he chattered as if he thought he could muddle through it.

Harry’s mind was a little bewildered.

So, the plan had indeed failed? His Horcrux identity hadn’t changed, and to make matters worse, the last two Horcruxes had been destroyed, and he became the only one, the last one … His throat suddenly clogged up, he couldn’t breathe, and a dark thought came to him: if he died now, it would all be over.

“Oh, right.” Hermione gestured towards Ron and pointed to her finger. It dawned on Ron, “Dumbledore told us to instruct you to never take the ring off your finger; I guess there’s a particularly powerful protection spell hidden inside.”

Harry lowered his head and stared at his left hand, where a rough black gemstone ring was worn that he had surprisingly not noticed before.

It is the Resurrection Stone. Harry’s eyes widened as Dumbledore had shown it to him before.

A series of thoughts flashed through his mind, finally settling on the most logical one; the Resurrection Stone had something to do with the soul, and Dumbledore would have worn it on his hand because he thought it would protect him at the moment. But what he craved more is another function of the Resurrection Stone, a function much similar to but more stronger than that of the Mirror of Erised …

His heart thumped.

“Time’s up, you lot better hurry up and head out!” Madam Pomfrey shouted at them from the doorway and Hermione, Ginny and Ron stood up, Ginny kissed Harry on the corner of his mouth and told him everything would be fine (Ron turned his head sensitively), and then they said goodbye to Harry and headed for the door.

Ron dawdled and stayed at the end, and Harry realized that Ginny and Hermione deliberately walked out first. When the others had disappeared, Ron turned his head to look at Harry with a hesitant expression.

“I think I owe you an apology, Harry, I know I’ve been-”

“Forget about it.” Harry said promptly.

“No, I’m going to say it!” Ron exclaimed and Harry looked at him, only to stutter himself instead.

After a moment, Ron said slowly, “There’s some problem in my personality that sometimes makes me have certain thoughts … just occasionally, but when I’m in a particularly bad mood … I just, just can’t help myself, and Do you understand that feeling?”

“I do,” Harry said calmly as he lay back on the bed, “Sirius has said that I have a stubborn temper and a tendency of making decisions alone, the kind that can’t be pulled back … but that’s just how I am, and it’s hard to fix it. Even to the extent that I wouldn’t most likely realize when it actually happened.”

He said to Ron, “I’ll tell you a secret – I’ve felt the throbbing sensation when reciting Animagus incantation.”

“You’re joking right?!” Ron exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s true, I did feel it, but at that time I wasn’t sure if it was a misjudgement, so I planned to wait until it was foolproof, and as you know, I slept in a hospital bed for two weeks … If I had reported it in time, Professor Hap might have postponed the plan. ”

Ron was speechless, he opened his mouth to comfort Harry, but Harry didn’t feel much regret in his heart, he just happened to think of it and used the incident as an excuse. Harry whispered.

“I just know that when I’m in danger, you’ll be the first one to step up for me.”

Ron smiled silently at him, his expression relaxed, “That’s what I thought. Er, I mean if I ever ran into danger – like being captured by Voldemort, ahem, if the war wasn’t over – I wouldn’t despair, because I know that even if everyone else gave up, you definitely wouldn’t. This truth struck me while I was watching cartoons with Valen. It’s strange, isn’t it?”

The door closed, the sound of footsteps faded and the ward fell completely silent.

Harry lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, his heart content and calm after a full meal, the resurrection stone ring he wore on his hand was not that attractive anymore, he felt that what he needed most now is a good night of sleep, and he gradually dozed off.

He woke up and opened his eyes in a better state than ever before. The light of day outside reminded him that it is dusk, and the ward is unlit, the afternoon slanting sunlight shining at his feet, with most of his body hidden in the shadows.

It was silent all around. Harry lifted his left hand lazily and stared at the black jewelled ring for a long moment before he pulled his other hand from the covers and rubbed it against the surface of the Resurrection Stone in the same manner as Dumbledore.

“That is not a good idea.” A gentle voice abruptly said.

Harry tilted his head to the other side where Dumbledore sat on an adjoining hospital bed, smiling at himself. He had sunk most of his body into the bed, the inner part of his knees pressed against the edge, his body leaning back, his two long arms supporting the bed.

It was as if he was swinging.

“I’ve blocked some of the functions of the Resurrection Stone,” Dumbledore said straightening up so that he could look straight at Harry, “You’re not fit to experience great joy or sorrow right now, and I have to say that some of the functions of the Resurrection Stone are too dangerous, to the point of being the most dangerous of the three Deathly Hallows. ”

Harry briefly remained silent and obediently put his hand down, but inwardly he felt disappointed – he had expected to see his parents today. He didn’t ask if Dumbledore had been affected, the answer is obvious. So he asked, “Do I have to wear it all the time?”

“Oh, that’s not necessary, I’ll take it back when your condition stabilizes.” Dumbledore smiled and said, “Would you like one?” He pulled two toffees out of his pocket.

“Thanks.” Harry whispered as he took it and ripped open the candy wrapper, popping the coffee-coloured hard candy in his mouth, the rich sweetness washing through his mouth. They didn’t speak for a while, and Dumbledore hummed a soft little tune.

“You know what, Harry?” After a moment he said abruptly, “Poppy informed me the first time you woke up, but I assumed at the time that you wouldn’t be in the best of mood, you know, we didn’t get the desired result …” He looked at Harry with slight curiosity.

“I,” Harry trailed off, “Voldemort didn’t run away, did he?”

“No,” Dumbledore said, “he was resealed.” Harry let out a low grunt in response. “Which means -” Dumbledore raised his tone slightly, “it’s time to try my method.”

“What method?”

“You’ll see.” Dumbledore said with a small smile, handing Harry another piece of candy. “Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum?” Harry asked casually. Dumbledore winked at him, “It’s also a password to the Headmaster’s office.”

Harry looked at the older man in confusion.

“I intend to give you a private class Harry, and yes, it is part of my method,” Dumbledore said as he stood up, “How about we begin at eight o’clock on the first Saturday night after you are discharged? I’ve done quite a bit of preparation and I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

He was about to leave but then he paused again.

“Forgive me for taking the liberty and telling Miss Weasley your secret, perhaps it goes against your intentions, but she cried so much that it might actually become detrimental to a relationship if you continue to keep it hidden …”

Dumbledore pushed the door open and walked out.

Harry stared at the Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum in his hand, wondering if it signified a new ray of hope, but regardless, he did become interested in Dumbledore’s lesson.

It wasn’t long before a bunch of bluebell-coloured bubbles floated up through the ward.

—————

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