Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Suer spent the entire afternoon in Professor Flitwick’s office, practising the wand movement for the Patronus Charm. It was tiring, extremely tiring, and by the end Suer’s wrist ached terribly.

Flitwick was a conscientious and attentive professor. During a break, he explained the several stages of the Patronus Charm to Suer.

First came mist, then a faintly discernible form, and finally a complete body. As for whether there was any room for advancement beyond that, Professor Flitwick did not mention it.

Most wizards never progressed past the initial mist. Very few could summon a corporeal Patronus.

Only a fully formed Patronus could bring its formidable defensive power completely to bear.

Indeed, the Patronus Charm was defensive magic and should have fallen within the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor’s teaching remit.

But… it was better left unsaid.

The afternoon had been immensely rewarding. Professor Flitwick’s lively and engaging explanations had benefited Suer greatly.

Though he had not yet reached the point of actually casting the spell, his understanding of the Patronus Charm was no longer limited to what was written in books. Was one-to-one instruction from a professor not far better than puzzling it out by himself?

Animagus transformation was the exception. He had heard that Animagi registered with the Ministry of Magic were all branded with a mark by the Ministry.

This was a trump card that could save his life. Apart from those closest to him, he must never reveal it!

After arranging to return and practise with Professor Flitwick the following day, Suer left the professor’s office and headed for the Great Hall.

Time to eat!

Perhaps after dinner he could visit the catgirl again? Every chance to touch those cat ears was one fewer remaining.

At the entrance to the Great Hall, Suer collided with a red-haired girl. It was Ginny. Distracted, she brushed off her robes, got up from the floor and left without so much as an apology.

Suer watched her retreating figure and could not help frowning.

He had seen Ginny’s face clearly just now. It was deathly pale, like the snow outside the castle.

But now that the diary was in his hands, Ginny should no longer be drained of nearly all her life force.

Shaking his head, Suer sat down at the nearest long table. He had taken in his fill of nourishment for the mind; now it was time to reward his body.

Mmm… The kitchen house-elves had improved their craft again. This cheese pudding simply — melted in his mouth.

Marvellous.

He would bring one to the catgirl later.

Hopefully, in exchange for good food, she would let him touch her ears. Merlin bless him.

Of course Hermione did not want to see Suer — at least not tonight — but the kitchen’s pudding was too tempting. Yes, it was because of the pudding. Food must not be wasted. It was definitely not because of Suer.

Suer beamed as he watched Hermione lower her head and eat the pudding, the little ears atop her head twitching.

Hiss…

He could not hold back any longer… If he died, he died. Happiness was meant to be seized in the moment.

Under Hermione’s murderous gaze, Suer swiftly retreated from the hospital wing.

Rubbing his hands together, he entered his dormitory, only for his expression to stiffen. A large red-and-gold bird was perched high above, head tilted as it watched him.

At some point, Crookshanks had slipped into Suer’s dormitory and was crouched below, itching to leap up and reach the great bird.

Unless Suer was mistaken, it was Professor Dumbledore’s phoenix.

The phoenix trilled softly, and a feather drifted down in front of Suer.

“What is this?” Suer looked at the phoenix in puzzlement. The feather burst into flame with a soft whoosh, and at the same time, Dumbledore’s voice sounded in his ears.

“Headmaster Dumbledore is back?” Suer could not help asking.

The phoenix looked at Suer as though looking at an idiot, then nodded.
Did you not just hear it?

“I’ll go at once. Thank you for the trouble,” Suer replied.

But the phoenix shook that splendid head, spread those wings and landed on Suer’s shoulder. The phoenix gave a soft trill, and a mass of flame rapidly engulfed Suer’s field of vision.

In the next instant, Suer and the phoenix vanished.

“Meow?” Crookshanks tilted the broad head. Where did the human go? Where did my enormous litter-box servant go?

It happened in only an instant. When the flames dispersed, Suer had travelled from the Hufflepuff common room to the headmaster’s office.

Apparition by phoenix felt entirely different from a wizard’s. He did not feel as though he had been dragged into a washing machine and wrung out at all.

“What did you wish to see me about, Mr Bones?” A voice came from ahead. Dumbledore could not conceal the weariness on his face, though his gaze remained gentle.

“Yes, Professor Dumbledore,” Suer replied. “I found something that I believe you ought to see.”

“Oh?” Dumbledore looked somewhat puzzled. “What is it?”

“It isn’t here,” Suer said. “I left it somewhere I considered sufficiently safe.”

“It concerns the Chamber of Secrets.”

Suer distinctly felt Dumbledore’s gaze sharpen.

But since he had decided to bring the matter into the open, he had already prepared himself for Dumbledore’s scrutiny.

“I trust you understand what you are saying, Mr Bones.” Dumbledore’s gaze was sharp for only an instant before becoming gentle again.

“I understand what I’m saying, Professor,” Suer replied softly. “I’ll take you to retrieve it.”

A short while later, Dumbledore regarded the door that appeared in the blank wall with an appropriate measure of surprise.

“The Room of Requirement…” he said with feeling. “So this is where it was.”

Suer grumbled inwardly, You have spent so many years in this castle. How could you not know there was a mysterious room here?

“I once needed to find a bathroom here, and a room filled with magnificent chamber pots appeared,” Dumbledore suddenly said in a soft voice. “I truly did not realise that it was the Room of Requirement.”

“This castle is too mysterious. The few decades I have spent here passed in the blink of an eye, and I am far from having unveiled all of its secrets.”

Mind reading? Or perhaps… Legilimency?

Startled, Suer could not help looking up at Dumbledore.

He found Dumbledore winking at him, blue eyes sparkling behind his half-moon spectacles, as merry as a child who had discovered a hidden sweet.

“I cannot read minds.” As though he knew what Suer was thinking, Dumbledore smiled faintly and continued without prompting. “This is merely an insignificant ability that the passing years have granted me.”

“Come, Mr Bones. Where is the object you found?”

“Right here, Professor.” Suer stepped forwards and pushed open the door. A room filled with battered old trunks appeared before them.

Dumbledore stepped inside. One brief sweep of his eyes was enough for him to identify the target with ease.

The trunk containing Tom Riddle’s diary, concealed beneath Transfiguration.

“Impressive Transfiguration,” Professor Dumbledore praised. “Few second-year students can apply Transfiguration so skilfully.”

“You’re too kind, Professor.” Suer drew his wand and the key from his pocket.

“There is no need to go to such trouble, Mr Bones.” Dumbledore waved a hand, and the trunk concealing the diary floated lightly over to them.

It returned to its original form.