Chapter 243
Chapter 243
After leaving the Headmaster’s office, Suer wandered around the castle all afternoon and did not return to the dormitory until after dinner.
Once he had reassured his concerned friends, he lay down upon the bed without even changing.
An instant later, he appeared in the mysterious white space.
It had changed completely. Transparent bubbles floated within the translucent expanse, each filled with shifting light and shadow. Looking closely, Suer could see scenes from the outside world within them.
As he had before, Suer extended one finger and spoke the incantation.
“Expecto Patronum!”
He would not lose consciousness this time.
In the brief interval before awakening, he had already discovered what had happened. The truth exceeded even his imagination. It was simply too absurd.
Suer could offer no explanation beyond the wonders of magic.
Silver threads unique to the Patronus Charm drifted through the white space. Suer felt the magic within him drop sharply. Then the threads gathered and formed his Patronus — a badger.
It immediately dissolved again, reassembled and traced the shape of a person.
A young girl wearing a silver bracelet appeared.
“So this is what Hogwarts looks like. It is just as I imagined, Suer.” The girl smiled at him.
“Yes. Everything I told you was never as vivid as seeing it yourself. Seeing is believing, after all…”
“Ariana.” Suer smiled back at her.
“I never imagined this day would come. I can see my brother again. So many years have passed, and he has become an old man,” Ariana Dumbledore said softly.
The girl who had appeared through the Patronus Charm was indeed Ariana Dumbledore, whom Suer had met within the Misty Dreamscape.
“Why won’t you let me tell Professor Dumbledore?” Suer asked again.
“I died long ago, didn’t I?” Ariana smiled and shook her head.
“This is already more than enough. And I know another enemy still waits for my brother to defeat.”
“When everything is settled, I can appear. By then, you should be able to manifest me in the real world.”
Suer nodded in silence. When casting the Patronus Charm, he could sense that it was possible to manifest Ariana now, but doing so would produce only one result: he would meet Merlin, stockings and all.
“Even so, we could at least tell Professor Dumbledore that you…”
“No, Suer. Why add to his troubles?” Ariana asked softly. “While I was alive, my brothers already exhausted themselves caring for me.”
“Although…” Ariana hesitated. A playful light entered her gentle eyes. “You may tell Aberforth. Even if he knows, there is little he can do. Perhaps he can help you in some other way.”
“I know he must have suffered most when I left this world.”
“I saw it in your memories.” Ariana lowered her head sadly.
“All right. I’ll find Aberforth,” Suer promised.
The sensation was extraordinary, an understanding that arrived as naturally as intuition.
The moment Ariana appeared, Suer knew that she had become one of his Patronuses — or perhaps the evolved form of his original Patronus.
He did not know how someone long dead had become his Patronus.
One thing was certain: if Suer revealed this, countless witches and wizards would seek him out, using threats or inducements to obtain the secret.
Who did not have someone they longed to see again?
The Patronus Charm, an ancient spell practised for more than a thousand years, had acquired a veil of mystery. What other unknown secrets might it contain?
A Patronus and its summoner shared their thoughts. Because Suer had learnt Occlumency, however, he instinctively locked away his most important memories. He had never bothered to shield the rest, and Ariana could view those without obstruction.
That also explained how Ariana knew that a bald, noseless monster was stirring in the wizarding world.
She had also seen Suer’s memory of Aberforth standing before her portrait in grief.
The subject soon passed. Ariana was intensely curious about the castle and asked many questions that Suer could not answer.
After all, who took the time to learn the history behind every portrait in Hogwarts?
…
Suer awoke in the dormitory the following morning. Remarkably, although he had spoken with Ariana throughout the night, he felt no mental fatigue whatsoever.
That afternoon, he encountered Hermione at the castle entrance as she returned from Care of Magical Creatures. She immediately abandoned her classmates and hurried over.
“Where are you going?”
Ron and Harry joined her.
“Are you all right, Suer?” Harry asked with concern. “I heard you were in the hospital wing. We meant to visit, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn’t let us in.”
Suer gave Hermione a meaningful look before answering Harry.
“I’m fine, Harry. Something went slightly wrong while I was practising magic.”
“I’ve spent several days lying in the hospital wing and feel rather stiff. I’m going out for a walk. Would you like to come?”
Harry looked at the gloomy sky outside and the cold wind blowing through the entrance hall.
A walk? In this weather?
“No, thank you.” Harry gave him a polite smile and shook his head. “We’ve only just come back from Hagrid’s, and we still have homework for several subjects.”
Suer nodded and gave Harry an inscrutable smile. Then he casually asked Ron, “How is Scabbers?”
“Fine. Eating, drinking and sleeping normally.” Ron looked confused but answered automatically.
“Good. See you tomorrow.” Suer waved and walked out of the castle.
“Wait for me. I’ll come with you.” Having understood Suer’s look, Hermione naturally followed.
Harry and Ron exchanged equally baffled glances, shrugged in unison and headed towards Gryffindor Tower.
After spending two hours in the wind, nothing appealed to them more than the common-room fire.
“Where are we going?” Hermione finally asked as Suer led her past Greenhouse Three. “What did that look mean?”
“And doesn’t this path lead to the Whomping Willow?”
“Why are you going there?”
“Are you truly all right?”
Without slowing, Suer calmly answered her endless questions.
“I’m fine. Madam Pomfrey said I’m perfectly healthy.”
“And yes, we are going to the Whomping Willow.”
“There is a secret passage beneath it leading to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. I’m going there to meet someone. You’ll understand soon.”
“The Shrieking Shack? That haunted place?” Hermione’s face turned pale. Stories of ghosts and hauntings made any young girl uneasy, whatever her age.
“Someone is there? Who would hide in a place like that?”
Suer looked at her and offered a gentle reassurance. “There is nothing frightening about the Shrieking Shack. It is merely an old, ruined house.”
“You’ll see whom we’re meeting shortly. There is no danger. Dumbledore sent me.”
“Dumbledore? Why did he send you to the Shrieking Shack? Why didn’t he come himself?” Hermione’s questions continued without pause.
“You’ll understand soon.” Suer stopped and pointed to the Whomping Willow. “I need your help, Hermione.”
“Do you see the raised knot low on the left side of the trunk? Transfigure an animal and make it touch that spot. The Whomping Willow will become still.”