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43.33% The Hagrid's son / Chapter 38: Hidden problems

Chapter 38: Hidden problems

When the Weasley family learned of Barnaby's offer to make Ron a proper and FREE wand, Arthur quickly used his extensive contacts over the years to obtain the wand's core for his son. Molly went out to the garden with a determined look while carrying a saw forty meters long in her hands, scaring the garden gnomes!

Did I say forty meters? I meant forty centimeters...

Three days later, Barnaby received the materials from Ron in a carefully wrapped package and began working on the wand during his free time while Sanshi watched the process with curiosity.

By the time he finished, he had a wand the same size as the previous one so Ron could quickly adapt to handling it. The wand was made of wood with a smoothly polished surface and clearly visible grain. Towards the tip, Barnaby decided to enhance it a bit more to make it a true Christmas surprise, adding a small elegant metal frame and finishing the tip with a bluish quartz crystal, giving it an elegant and powerful impression.

This wouldn't change the wand's performance or anything like that, but Ron's self-esteem would likely improve upon seeing the special effects, slightly boosting his much-needed confidence.

Once finished, Barnaby wrapped it in a gift box, wrote Ron Weasley's name on it, and placed it on the shelf where he usually prepared Christmas gifts throughout the year, ready to be sent when the time came.

While Barnaby was working on Ron's wand, Harry tried out for the Quidditch team this year and secured a spot as Seeker for the Gryffindor team. He was happy but also regretted not being able to feel this sensation of flying more often last year.

It was especially annoying when Malfoy got the same position on the Slytherin team, not by passing a tryout, but because of his father's generous donation in the form of Nimbus 2001 brooms for the entire team.

But things got out of hand when Malfoy was harshly criticized by Hermione, which enraged him, and he ended up calling her a "Mudblood" in front of many people.

Harry didn't know what it meant, but that didn't mean others didn't. Ron tried to curse Malfoy for that affront to his friend, but he ended up being a victim of his own curse, continuously vomiting slugs into a bucket.

"I told you not to use too much magic," Barnaby repeated for the fourth time while reassembling the broken wand as best he could, again.

"Blegh!" was Ron's only response.

"Better out than in," Hagrid patted Ron's back while he suffered the consequences of his actions.

"But why did Ron get so angry when Malfoy called Hermione that?" asked Harry, puzzled.

"It's because the term 'Mudblood' is a great insult, terribly derogatory and cynical towards Muggle-born wizards," Barnaby explained as he finished his work and stood up to approach Ron. "In fact, it's used for any human whose parents aren't both a 'pureblood' wizard and witch, meaning the majority of the current magical population in Britain and the world."

"No one who uses those words lightly is a good person, Harry," commented Hagrid as he took the slug-filled bucket away.

"Here, swallow this," Barnaby held Ron's jaw from below and uncorked a bottle with his thumb, forcing the carbonated potion down his throat and making Ron gulp it down.

After changing colors a few times, Ron stopped vomiting slugs with a loud burp that made the cabin shake.

"What kind of potion did you give him?" asked Harry.

"Apple cider vinegar, soda, Himalayan salt, and pickled cucumber juice," Barnaby said as he set the empty bottle aside. "It's not really a potion per se, but for curses like this, it usually eliminates most of them. If it doesn't work, you just have to wait for the effects to wear off."

"Thanks, the feeling of slugs in my throat is simply disgusting," said Ron, his voice a bit hoarse from the concoction.

"It's nothing," Barnaby waved his hand dismissively as he took a seat. "In fact, I wanted to talk to you."

"To me?" Ron pointed to himself with his finger. "Are you sure it's not Harry?"

"Does Harry have a little sister named Ginny?"

"What do you want with Ginny?" Ron suddenly became defensive, activating his big brother instincts.

"I understand she's friends with Luna Lovegood, correct?" Barnaby sought confirmation to avoid mistakes.

"Well, yes," admitted Ron as he relaxed, realizing his little sister didn't seem to be the target. "The Lovegoods are our neighbors, and Luna is the only girl her age she could spend time with, so they're quite good friends."

"What do you know about their parents?"

Ron was a bit puzzled by the question but explained Luna's father's profession, her mother's accident, and some of their strange customs.

"Barnaby, why do you want to know all that?" asked Harry.

Hagrid's son hesitated for a minute before explaining honestly.

"Luna has a serious problem that worsens over time, and I want to help her, but I don't know her, and if she finds out what I want to do, it'll only degrade her situation faster."

Even Ron realized what he wanted to do.

"You want me to talk to Ginny to help you with Luna?" Weasley asked, almost affirming the facts. "But even though she acts strangely, I don't remember her being sick."

Luna had come over to play with his sister many times, but she wasn't sickly.

"What kind of problem does she have?" asked Hagrid, puzzled.

This time Barnaby remained silent and didn't answer, making the cabin's air tense and heavy as the children realized it had to be something really serious.

"How can I help her?" Ron swallowed and asked nervously but determined to help his little sister's friend. "What do you need me to do?"

Barnaby sighed with relief upon hearing Ron.

"You just have to..."


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Chapter 39: The greatest treasure in the world

Ginny felt a bit reluctant initially when Ron pulled her aside to talk about Luna and a supposed problem, but it "just so happened" that the twins overheard them, and, well, it was rare to see Fred and George with serious expressions.

She observed Luna for a couple of days but couldn't see the problem, so she decided to try it. She told Ron, so he could inform Barnaby that she was going to do it, and found Luna one afternoon, after classes had ended.

"Are there rumors that Wrackspurts have been seen near the Black Lake?" Luna tilted her head, intrigued. "Great! Dad will be very interested in learning more about their habitat."

"The problem is we have to go at night," Ginny whispered softly.

"Oh, I know," Luna nodded naturally. "They're shy creatures and like to come out at night."

After planning their "secret meeting," they met at a statue on the first floor at night before slipping out of the castle without being caught. Ginny led the way while Luna skipped on the grass.

A beautiful full moon shone that night.

When they reached a secluded area far from the castle, at the other end of the Black Lake, they came across a curious circle of mushrooms growing in the middle of the path. Strangely, while Ginny crossed it without any issue, Luna seemed to hit a barrier when she tried to leave the circle.

Luna was bewildered for a second before her gaze turned sharp as steel, but the mushrooms seemed to have sensed their prey and released spores, causing the blonde to fall unconscious despite trying to resist and collapsing on the ground before she could react.

"Phew, I thought she was going to avoid the mushroom circle," Barnaby emerged from the bushes accompanied by the twins. "Looks like my efforts to make a dozen more along the path were in vain."

"Don't say that!" Fred shook his head.

"Now you can make mushroom soup!" George continued.

"What are you going to do to her?" Ginny asked, ignoring her brothers' antics and approaching Barnaby with a worried expression.

Barnaby made sure Luna was completely unconscious before responding to the youngest Weasley.

"I'm going to remove a parasite lodged in her soul."

Ginny was a bit stunned by the statement, but the twins frowned. They had already studied a bit about the soul at this point in class, but things related to it were quite delicate.

"Is that why Madam Pomfrey didn't find anything?" Ginny murmured.

Naturally, she had taken her friend to the infirmary when she knew something was wrong!

But Madam Pomfrey said she was as healthy as she could be.

"When could it have happened?" George asked softly, trying to recall any event that could have caused this to Luna.

"The parasite has been there since Luna was nine years old," Barnaby said as he took his staff and began carving runes into the ground. Each completed rune started to emit a faint purple light that intensified as more were finished, adding an aura of mysticism under the full moonlight.

"At nine years old?" Fred's mind had a bold idea, and he opened his eyes wide as he and George exchanged glances, realizing they were thinking the same thing. "You mean…?!"

Three circles of runes surrounded the protective mushrooms, and Barnaby took out a piece of chalk that glowed silver upon contact with the moonlight before starting to float on its own and drawing lines in the air to create more runes suspended in the air.

"Yes," Barnaby didn't stop his actions as he pulled out lavender candles and lit them with cyan fire to spread the aroma. "It's exactly what you're thinking."

Once everything was ready, Barnaby held his staff horizontally with both hands and began to chant softly and solemnly, causing the jewels on the staff to gain power:

Per animarum vetustam vim,

Divinitatis lumen voco ad me.

Mente et corde pura,

Nex inter Lunam et mater solvatur.

Lux et umbra, corpus et anima,

Separentur nunc in pace vera.

The candle smoke froze before rushing towards Luna's nose. As the smoke entered, the blonde witch's body began to convulse slightly while a blue light began to lower the surrounding temperature.

Ginny was held by the arms by the twins, just to ensure she wouldn't try to interrupt the ritual Barnaby had explained to them.

It was crucial that she didn't, or Luna's condition would worsen!

Anima matris, te liberamus,

Ex hac corpore nunc te dimittimus.

Ad pacem aeternam te ducimus,

Ut Lunam nostram remittas.

Barnaby made a cutting gesture that left a trail of light in the air, which didn't fade but slowly floated towards Luna.

The Weasleys' eyes widened as a pale hand emerged from Luna's chest, followed by an arm and slowly, a complete figure until it was suspended in the air.

Although it was a bit different from how she looked in life, they recognized who it was!

Pandora Lovegood!

Luna's condition seemed to worsen greatly when the specter left her body, but Barnaby was already prepared for this.

Anima Lunae, resarciatur,

Omnis fractura et vulnus sanetur.

Cor et mens in unitate,

Sit Luna nostra in integritate.

A strong vitality sprang from the ground around them, covering the surroundings with flowers as if spring had abruptly arrived, while streams of green energy flowed like serpents towards Luna, improving her condition until she was completely restored.

Ensuring the young blonde witch was safe, Barnaby turned his attention to Luna's mother.

Sadness, guilt, regret, gratitude…

"You didn't mean to harm your daughter, did you?" Barnaby said as he looked at her. "She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The specter lowered her head as tears fell from her hollow eyes.

Barnaby could only pity her and finish things. It was likely that Luna's mother had been experimenting with some kind of soul-related magic, but something went wrong, and as a result, she ended up "forcefully embedded" in her daughter's soul after her death.

A parasite against her will, harming her loved ones.

Too weak to fix what she had done, but conscious enough to see how her presence subtly damaged her daughter's soul and mind. The frustration she experienced over these years and the helplessness she felt were terrible, but the worst was the feeling of guilt.

"Your daughter will be fine," Barnaby assured as he placed his staff vertically. "She still has her father and her friends; she'll find her way."

Spiritus mater, nunc te dimitto,

Ad lucem aeternam, ad tranquillitatem.

In pace perpetua requiescas,

Nihil hic te retineat.

The light from the runes converged on Pandora Lovegood, and she began to fade as a feeling of relief washed over her soul. Interestingly, her fading made her appear increasingly more like she did in life, and just before disappearing and taking her journey to the beyond, she made a deep bow to Barnaby and the Weasleys.

Her message was clear: I entrust you with my greatest treasure.

The place fell silent as the runes faded and the mushrooms lost their magical glow, basking in the caress of the full moonlight.

Luna was breathing softly on the ground, surrounded by beautiful white flowers like a bed, with an expression of relief and peace.

Ginny had her hands on her face, crying, with drops of water falling onto the flower petals, turning into a salty morning dew.

The twins were hugging their sister, their fists clenched tightly as they looked at Barnaby.

This favor, the Weasley family would remember.

Barnaby continued to gaze at the spot where Pandora's specter had vanished, with an unfamiliar look reflecting the stars in the night sky.

Ah, a mother's love is something wonderful, isn't it?

-----------------

(Well, opinions? I wanted to make a chapter a little more emotional, I felt like it.)


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