Chapter 424: [Untitled]
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"I can't believe it!" Harry flinched when he felt the cold balm touch his chest and hissed when Poppy Pomfrey rubbed it over the bruise. "There isn't a remedy for bruises caused by Killing curses," said the Matron in an utterly done tone as her expert hands applied the balm, it still hurt nevertheless. "Do you know why? Because people don't require bruise balms after they're hit with it. They usually end up dead and don't have to worry about it!"
The snarky tone of Poppy's voice made Harry flinch more than the bruise.
"How did He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named even get you out of the castle?" she asked. Harry had been brought into the hospital wing just a few moments before by Dumbledore, who had told her Harry's condition before bolting out. Many professors knew he was missing from the castle, but they didn't know how he had been taken out. And he hadn't opened his mouth yet.
He turned and saw Lily and Ivy sitting beside his bedside; both of them looked tired, worried, and yet relieved. "Harry, if you're feeling anything wrong, please tell Madam Pomfrey; don't hold anything back; even the smallest of problems can worsen into terrible issues later," said Lily with a heavy worry in her voice.
"I'm fine—" he cleared his throat when his voice cracked "— I'm fine, mum. Except for the bruise, I don't feel anything wrong with me. . . Can I get a mirror," he asked.
Lily looked confused but conjured a hand mirror for him anyway. Harry pushed his fringes up and stared at the scar that had always been with him since the fateful day. "It. . It's less red than usual," he uttered.
"It is?" said Lily.
Harry nodded. No one knew his scar better than he did. He looked at it every day in the mirror while setting his hair so that he could hide it and checked on it a couple times every day to make sure that people would have one less reason to stare at him.
"It's gone, mum, it's gone," he looked at Lily and could feel his eyes blur, "it's really gone," he said before his throat caught up again. "He hit me with a Killing curse, and instead of me, he killed it. He killed it by his own hands." Before he knew it, he was sobbing in Lily's arms, hearing her whispering in his ears as she rocked him back and forth gently.
"How did Voldemort get you out of Hogwarts?" asked Lily.
Harry gathered his thoughts as he rubbed his eyes. Even though he had just gone through it, and every moment was burned in his mind, he needed a few moments to put everything into words. But before Harry could even start, Ivy said, "He took you out, didn't he? He came in, took you out, and gave you to him," Harry could sense a wave of anger simmering just under the surface, and he knew nothing was going to stop it except a barefaced lie. Which wasn't going to stand when Dumbledore returned.
He could only nod.
"Bastard!" she yelled, and everything around them rattled. Madam Pomfrey's healer bag even floated for a moment before falling back on the bed, tipping over for the vials to drop on the floor.
"Ivy!" Lily was shocked at the sudden outburst of accidental magic.
"I knew it, I knew it, I shouldn't have trusted him," she said furiously, but there were already tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Ivy, it's okay," Harry couldn't believe he was speaking for him. "It was the only way Voldemort could be made vulnerable. He has the rest of the Horcruxes; we just need to destroy them, and then Dumbledore can kill Voldemort."
"Ivy, Harry, what are you talking about?" asked Lily, frowning.
Harry stared at Ivy, trying to see if she would tell her. But she didn't even look up at him, staring down at her feet with her hair acting as a veil.
"Invisible Vigilante was the one who brought me back to the castle," that much was evident from the way he asked for Dumbledore— just like Voldemort had transmitted his voice, "but he was also the one who took me out to Voldemort."
Harry couldn't feel what Lily was feeling just by looking at the expression on her face.
"And?" she looked towards Ivy. What he said didn't warrant Ivy's reaction.
". . . Invisible Vigilante's real identity—"
"Poppy!"
Dumbledore's voice filed the hospital wing. Harry and others couldn't see Dumbledore because of the curtains, but they heard the flurry of footsteps until he appeared in their view. Everything was chaos. Harry saw Dumbledore wave his hand, and the curtains beside their bed were pulled aside, and a stretcher floated behind— he saw a flash of black before Poppy and Dumbledore had unloaded the stretcher on the bed.
It was then that he was able to get a good look. Poppy and Dumbledore stood in his sight, but he could see between them at a body dressed in black.
"Harry!" called Lily when Harry got up from his bed.
He walked to the bed beside him, stood in front of him, and stared with wide eyes at Quinn lying on his bed, his eyes closed, with a hole in his clothes over his shoulder and chest where the skin looked like it was about to fall off. Quinn's chest heaved erratically, his face was twisted in agony, he was kicking his feet, and his fists were clutching the sheets.
"Dumbledore, what is this?" asked Poppy as she waved her wand over the wound. "Why is Quinn like this?! What happened to him?!" Her movements while professional; her expressions were terribly painted in worry as she looked over Quinn.
"Voldemort hit him with a dark curse. I need you to keep him stable while I brew him an alchemic potion. This is serious, Poppy, you can't let his condition worsen, or we might lose him."
"Why is dressed like—"
"Not now," said Dumbledore in a firm voice, "keep him stable." He walked away and gave Harry a brief look as he passed him by; Dumbledore's eyes trailed towards his scar all the while he was looking at him.
Harry followed Dumbledore with his but froze when he saw Ivy standing right beside him. She was staring at Quinn with unblinking, wide eyes.
"Ivy," he reached out to her shoulder and was jolted when he felt her shaking. He called her again, but she didn't respond and continued to tremble. Then she suddenly pushed his hand aside and abruptly walked deep into the hospital wing. Harry continued to call out to her and followed her, but she didn't even turn. "Ivy, what—!!!" He entered Madam Pomfrey's office, where Ivy had walked, and found her sitting alone, shrinking into herself.
"It's too much," she barely whispered with her head in her palms. "Why. . . Why is this happening? I thought I lost you. . . now I'm about to lose him."
"You're not going to lose him. Dumbledore said he's brewing a potion. Quinn's going to be fine."
A loud scream filled with pain sounded out outside. It was Quinn. Harry cursed the timing; it was the worst possible moment for him to scream.
Ivy began to mutter 'No's repeatedly. "I-I haven't s-seen him like this ever."
Harry felt his stomach drop. She was spiraling, and he didn't know what to do. But he had to do something; he had to say something. "Ivy—"
"Quinn, what are you doing?!" Poppy's voice rang outside.
Ivy immediately got up and rushed outside, with Harry following after. Outside they saw Quinn on his feet; he had walked to the middle of the room. Lily and Poppy stood in front of him, trying to stop him, but he continued to take slow steps forward, and maybe because he was injured, neither Poppy nor Lily were physically moving him back to bed.
"L-Let. . . me. . . go," said Quinn, his words barely making it out of his mouth.
"Are you mad?!" yelled Poppy. "Get back on that bed! You're in condition to be standing!"
"'m. . . fine."
"No, you're not!"
Quinn took another step forward, but it looked like his legs gave out because he was suddenly leaning to the side. Harry saw a rush of red flash past, and the next second, Ivy was standing beside Quinn, supporting him before he could fall. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ivy," said Quinn, his voice now cracking.
". . . What are you doing," said Ivy; she wasn't looking at him. "You're causing everyone trouble."
"Sorry," he uttered, "I need. . . your 'elp."
". . . What do you need?"
"Ivy!" exclaimed Poppy in deep disapproval, but she was ignored.
"I. . . need you. . . to put. . . me in. . . Great Lake," said Quinn.
There was silence in the hospital wing. All the commotion which was creating the noise suddenly died with Quinn's words. Ivy, who had looked resolute about helping Quinn, looked confused and doubtful. "Put you in the Great Lake?" she repeated to confirm.
Quinn nodded.
"Why?"
"I need. . . water. Put. . . me. . . in water."
"Why?"
Quinn frowned and stared at Ivy, but she remained unperturbed. "Water will. . . heal me," he said.
"I can heal you," Poppy interjected; the Matron looked angrier whenever anyone spoke. "I think the curse is affecting his thinking; let's get him back to the bed."
". . . Ivy, please," said Quinn.
Ivy studied Quinn for a moment, ignoring Lily and Poppy, who were trying to persuade her to lead Quinn to the bed. "I'll do it," she said firmly. "How do you want me to take you?"
"Stretcher." Ivy conjured a stretcher beside Quinn and gently laid him down on the stretcher.
"I can't let you pass," said Poppy, pointing her wand; even Lily brandished her wand, her eyes studied both Ivy and Quinn.
"Madam. . . Pomfrey," said Quinn, his body twitched and ticked as he spoke. "I. . . won'. . . die. I. . . promise. Tea time. . . next week?"
Poppy looked conflicted. She didn't lower her wand and frowned as a storm of emotions passed through her face. Quinn continued to look at her, and it was clear he was struggling to keep his face free from pain. She lowered her wand and just looked away. Quinn turned his gaze to Lily but then lowered it, looking away.
"Mum," said Ivy, "if we don't hurt, his condition will continue to worsen."
"I can't—"
Harry cut Lily off by saying, "Let them go, mum. He knows what he is doing. He'll be fine."
Ivy levitated the stretcher and passed Lily by as the mother watched with conflicting emotions on her face. She turned to Harry and demanded, "You need to explain. . . everything. . . now."
Harry sighed. All he wanted to do now was to go sleep, but he knew that wasn't going to happen.
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Ivy and Quinn arrived on the bank of the Great Lake. Even with everything going on, the Lake and the water in it were serene, painting the sky on its surface.
"What now? Do you want me to put it in the water?" asked Ivy.
Quinn weakly raised his hand and patted his chest. The fabric on the Noir suit shrunk, and in a couple seconds, the black suit had turned into a triangular patch on Quinn's chest, leaving him in his underwear.
"Just. . . in case. . . give. . . it to. . . Dumbledore," he said. "Horcrux. . . inside."
"What-What do you mean just in case?!" Ivy, who had knelt down, stood up and eyed the Lake critically.
The stretcher suddenly moved on its own without Ivy's prompting and descended into the water.
"I'll be. . . back," said Quinn with half-lidded eyes. "'m. . . sorry, for. . . Harry." He went into the water right after the sentence ended.
Ivy continued to watch the water and when it calmed down, she muttered,
"Coward."
If Quinn could listen, he would've wholeheartedly agreed.
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Quinn West - MC - In the worst condition of his life.
FictionOnlyReader - Author - Soon, it all ends.
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Chapter 425: Vault Healing
If you want to read ahead, you can check out my Patreón @
[ https://www.patreón.com/fictiononlyreader ]
The link is also in the synopsis.
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Quinn sunk into the waters of the Great Lake, and what would always be a peaceful experience of comfort and familiarity was today one of discomfort and pain.
A raging frown marred his face as he worked his magic to create an air pocket around him to keep water out. He grunted bubbles as a throbbing pain clutched his body as Voldemort's dark curse reacted to his body and plunged every nerve in him into excruciating agony. For someone like Quinn, the curse was a nightmare— pain every time he used magic brought back some nasty memories from the post-Sin curse aftermath.
The water parted around him until the area below his chin and above his waist was void of contact with water. He couldn't let water touch the injury was worsening every minute, and because of the condition of his body, he couldn't transfigure due to the complications that would come with it. He made his way down towards the lakebed with pain spiking all over his body with his wound burning hot.
As he sank downwards, Quinn heard a sound that he heard a dulled sound move towards him. He opened his eyes to see a giant tentacle pass over him that blocked all light from reaching him. His long-time friend had come to greet him.
'If only you were a land-based animal,' he thought— he would have. . . Released the Kraken.
The Kraken tentacle moved, and the thick tip that had smashed into him countless times. 'Shit!' Immediately, he pushed his magic out into the water, and it took a lot of it— thus a lot of pain— to send a message through the water. In the years he had fought against the Kraken, he had found a way to communicate with the Kraken by using bursts of water waves to convey simple messages. It had taken trial and error along with repetition, but he was able to teach the Kraken.
It was as he suspected, a split second before he sent the message, the tentacle came rushing down at him, full attack mode, and only stopped a few feet away from him when the Kraken registered his message.
He sent more messages out to the Kraken with greater difficulty due to the limited vocabulary and the constant searing pain. The tentacle floated above him, and Quinn felt the Kraken's entire move in the water, presumably near him— it was observing him; after a moment, the tentacle moved away from his sight. Then continued the slow dive to the lakebed, and soon he was near the entrance to the Aquatic Vault with the Kraken now way near the tunnel as it usually was.
He let himself fall through the tunnel and pulled himself up from the other side with great difficulty. The Aquatic Vault was the same as it was the last time he had been here, but right now, he had no time to indulge in nostalgia and headed towards the entry to the first room, Poseidon's Wrath. The safety teleportation water bubble came out of the entrance and sponged into his arm, leaving behind a tattoo that would teleport him back to outside the trail rooms.
And then began the most difficult part of the day. He had to go through terrible trials and knew that every single one of them was going to hurt.
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Ivy stared at the lake's still surface as she had been doing for the past who knows how much time. Every time there was a ripple, she jumped to her feet, thinking it was Quinn. It had happened so many times that she would not jump anymore, but the anxiety never vanished, and even now, she felt herself at the edge. She didn't know how much time had passed, but with each passing moment, her anxiety grew.
'I should have never let him go into the lake,' she thought with regret. Poppy was a medi-healer and would, of course, know better— she should've listened to her.
Ivy closed her eyes and rested her head on her bent knees. She was alone at a time when she would rather not be without company because the silence and nothing to distract herself gave her mind time to think about how the day had been. Ever since she had been woken up early in the morning to be told that Voldemort was planning a siege on Hogwarts to the horrifying realization that her brother wasn't in the castle to see her boyfriend being tormented by a dark curse— reflecting back on such a day was the last thing she wanted to do now.
She had to experience people who she had known since she was eleven gather in the Great Hall and demand that she and her family be sent to their doom; even though most of them weren't her friends, it still hurt how you could spend seven amicable years attending the same classes, eating on the same tables, and spending their days in the same building meant nothing when life took a difficult turn. It hurt seeing her twin, the one person who had been with her and understood her the most, being at the lowest she had seen him; seeing Harry resigned to whatever decision others made broke her heart— and it hurt worse when she who could get across him no matter what couldn't make him feel better.
She felt dirty when she had to ask Quinn the Horcrux's location. Yes, it was a logical course of action; the situation was dangerous, and if Quinn died, the Horcrux would be lost until it could be found again; a weakness of Voldemort wasn't something they could bear to lose. She was in the right to ask for it. . . but that didn't make it any easier— it was accepting the possibility that he could die, something that churned her stomach every time she thought off. . . . And now she had it, thought Ivy, as she clutched the triangular white patch in her hand.
Then there was the anger and helplessness that made her entire restless. She felt helpless and useless that there was nothing she could do to help or even alleviate the situation even a little. She felt angry that Quinn was the one who had taken Harry to Voldemort. She felt betrayed. She didn't want to forgive him, not this time— but at the same time, a part of herself felt that she should forgive him because now Harry was free from Voldemort's Horcrux— it was like two sides were fighting in her mind, she didn't want to feel this way, it felt terrible.
Ivy was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of rushed footsteps. She raised her head and turned back to see Daphne half-running towards her with a panicked expression on her face.
"Where is he?" asked Daphne before she even stopped.
Ivy let Daphne catch her breath before answering, "Inside the lake."
"What is he doing in there? I heard that he was hit by a dark curse," Daphne stepped closer to the edge of the lake.
"He said that he can heal inside water. . . I think he went into the vault."
"The one guarded by the giant squid?"
"The Kraken. . . but yes, that one."
Quinn had told them about the Cursed Vaults he had explored when he was in Hogwarts. Ivy herself had seen the Architect's Vault. The reason she had agreed to take him to the Great Lake was that she knew there was another Vault underwater and thought there was something in there that would help heal him.
"How was he?" asked Daphne.
Seeing Daphne so tense and uneasy made Ivy feel good. There was someone besides herself who was feeling as bad himself and that she knew what Daphne desperately sought. A terrible thought, but it didn't feel like it.
"He wasn't in good shape," she said. "The curse was eating him from the inside and out. It worsens when he uses his magic. He could barely speak when Dumbledore brought him to the hospital wing. Dumbledore is brewing a potion for him."
"Will that cure the dark curse?" asked Daphne with hope.
Ivy shook her head, "I don't know. . . he didn't say if it would cure him or simply help a little. He asked me to bring him here, so I did," she clenched and uprooted a fistful forcefully just to relieve some tension. "How did you know where to find us?"
"A house-elf told Luna. He knew both Quinn and Luna, so when he saw the injured Quinn, he came to tell Luna. . . I asked about Quinn, and the house-elf told him that you had brought him here," said Daphne sighing.
Ivy hummed. Except for Quinn's magic-fueled call for Dumbledore, things had been kept under tight wrap by Dumbledore. So the explanation made sense. She was about to ask Daphne if she had talked to Quinn after they had told him about the situation so that she could take Daphne's mind off of things, but then a thought passed her mind that scrapped the plans to comfort Daphne.
She looked up at her blonde rival and asked in a quiet voice, "Did. . . did you help Quinn get into Hogwarts?" Ivy kept her voice as usual as she could.
"Yes," said Daphne distractedly, her eyes focused on the lake.
"How?"
Daphne told her about the route between the Room of Requirements and Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. Then Ivy asked the question that she actually wanted to ask. "Did he tell you why he wanted to get into Hogwarts?"
"No, he didn't. I presume he met with Dumbledore."
Ivy narrowed her eyes. She said, "He gave Harry to Voldemort."
Daphne finally looked away from the lake and fixed her eyes on Ivy, giving her full attention. She didn't say anything, and Ivy frowned at the stone-faced expression that had appeared on Daphne's face after she had been distracted from her worries— why did her resting face have to be so hard to read, thought Ivy.
"If you're implying I allowed Quinn entry into the castle knowing that h was going after your brother, then you'd be wrong. As I said, I had no inkling of what he was planning; I merely assumed that he wanted to meet with Dumbledore," said Daphne.
"You didn't seem surprised when I told you he took Harry."
"I had made my assumptions when I heard the commotion outside. . . . How is Harry?" she asked in the end.
"He's fine," said Ivy. It was awkward that she couldn't explain the complete situation because Daphne wasn't privy to the knowledge of the prophecy and Horcruxes. "He had a reason behind taking Harry out."
"I know," said Daphne, her gaze back to the lake.
Ivy wanted to ask how did she know, but one look at Daphne, and it told Ivy that Daphne simply trusted Quinn enough to see that he must have a reason. Ivy felt an envy bubble up inside her.
There was a pop, akin to apparition, that startled both girls. Their hands immediately went to their wands that they whipped towards the source. Had Voldemort breached Hogwarts ward, and the Death Eaters were able to apparate inside Hogwarts.
"At ease, you two," said Dumbledore.
It wasn't the case.
"Where is Quinn? I heard from Poppy that he demanded to be brought here," he asked.
"Inside the lake," said Ivy. "It has been a while."
"I see," Dumbledore took out a couple of vials with vibrant potions inside. "I have brewed some potions that will help him."
"Thank you," said Daphne.
"Did he say when he might be returning?" asked Dumbledore.
Ivy shook her head. But then she remembered. "Here, Quinn gave this to me. . . it has the Horcrux," she handed the white patch to Dumbledore. She didn't care if Daphne found out.
But before she could pass it to him, the Great Lake exploded.
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Quinn West - MC - Get's get fixed.
Ivy Potter - Conflicted - Helpless
FictionOnlyReader - Author - Initially, I was going to make Quinn use Blood magic to suck some blood out of Daphne to heal himself— getting inspired by the vampire. But the story flow restricted from me to use that. . . sadge.
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If you have any ideas regarding the magic you want to see in this fiction or want to offer some ideas regarding the progression. Move onto the DISCORD Server and blast those ideas.
The link is in the synopsis!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
FictionOnlyReader
FictionOnlyReader
Just like always,
Review, comment, add to the library, and share this fic.
Thx
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