Chapter 262: Not Liking Potions is Unacceptable!
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Without wasting another second, Harry grabbed both girls by the arms and began pulling them back the way they had come. "Let's go," he said, his voice rushed.
Luna looked at him with genuine confusion. "Why? Isn't it lovely?"
Harry forced a nervous chuckle, trying to mask his growing concern. "Yeah, it's too lovely. That's the problem."
Ginny blinked a few times, the fog in her eyes slowly clearing as Harry guided them away from the sound. "What… what was that?" she asked, her voice still a bit dazed.
Harry shook his head, his pace quickening as they moved further from the source of the song. "I don't know, but whatever it was, it wasn't friendly. We're not sticking around to find out."
Luna, ever the optimist, glanced back toward the direction of the melody. "But Harry, what if it was just a harmless creature? We might have missed something wonderful."
Harry tightened his grip on her arm, steering her firmly away. "Harmless creatures don't mess with your mind, Luna. That thing was trying to lure us in. Trust me, we're better off heading back to the castle."
Ginny nodded, her expression sobering as the last traces of the enchantment left her. "Harry's right. That wasn't natural. It felt… wrong."
Luna's gaze shifted to something more focused, and she finally relented. "Alright, if you say so, Harry."
The three of them continued walking in silence for a while, the eerie feeling left by the song slowly dissipating as they put more distance between themselves and the forest. The warmth of the afternoon sun filtered through the trees, and the familiar sounds of the Hogwarts grounds began to surround them again, easing the tension that had gripped them moments earlier.
When they finally emerged from the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the sight of the castle in the distance brought a sense of relief. Harry let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and loosened his grip on their arms.
"Sorry for dragging you like that," he said, his tone a bit lighter now that they were in the clear. "But I didn't want to take any chances."
Ginny gave him a small smile, rubbing her arm where his hand had been. "No need to apologize. You did the right thing. I didn't even realize what was happening until you snapped me out of it."
Luna, still thoughtful, looked back toward the forest one last time. "Maybe it wasn't a sprite. But whatever it was, I'm glad you were with us, Harry."
Harry shrugged, trying to shake off the lingering unease. "Let's just make a note not to wander too close to the forest again. At least not without knowing what we're getting into."
They headed back to the castle in a more subdued mood, the earlier excitement of their adventure replaced by the sobering realization that the Forbidden Forest held more dangers than they had anticipated. By the time they reached the castle steps, the tension had mostly faded, replaced by a quiet sense of relief.
As they entered the castle, the familiar buzz of students moving between classes greeted them, a stark contrast to the eerie quiet of the forest. Ginny and Luna exchanged a glance, their earlier thrill for adventure tempered by what they had just experienced.
"I think I've had enough excitement for one day," Ginny said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe next time we should stick to the Quidditch pitch."
Luna nodded in agreement, though her usual smile was back on her face. "Or we could try to find the Wrackspurts. They're much less dangerous."
Harry couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, let's go with that."
The three of them made their way toward the Great Hall, ready to put the strange encounter behind them. As they walked, Harry's thoughts drifted to what had happened. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to that melody than just a simple enchantment.
The melody they heard—it wasn't just some random tune. There was something more to it, something that reminded him of the early stages of Legilimency. It felt like someone had laced the song with a subtle mental probe, an attempt to worm into their minds without them realizing it.
This was something he had been exploring on his own. After mastering the Omni-Tongue, Harry had started experimenting with different animal sounds, blending them into his speech. He'd even tried incorporating the soft, calming tones of Unicorn-tongue into his conversations. The result? People who listened to him felt at ease, almost as if the very sound of his voice could soothe their nerves. It was subtle, just a hint of an accent that made his words more relaxing.
But Harry wasn't satisfied with just that. He'd begun theorizing about other possibilities—ways to hide different feelings, even commands, within speech or song. It was an intriguing idea, one that could open up a whole new realm of possibilities in magic. And what he'd experienced in the forest felt eerily similar. The song had a layer to it, an underlying thread of Legilimency, hidden beneath the melody.
As they made their way through the castle, Harry kept these thoughts to himself. There was no need to worry Ginny or Luna with his suspicions. He'd figure it out on his own, like he always did.
Ginny and Luna chatted beside him, the strange encounter already fading from their minds as they moved on to lighter topics. Harry listened with half an ear, his thoughts still turning over what he'd felt in the forest.
If someone, or something, was capable of mixing Legilimency with a simple song, that opened up a whole new set of questions. Who had done it? And why? More importantly, how could he use this knowledge to his advantage?
As they approached the entrance to the Great Hall, Harry made a mental note to dig deeper into this. He had the Omni-Tongue, but there was so much more he could do with it. The possibilities were endless, and if he could figure out how to blend magic with sound in the same way, it could be a game-changer.
Ginny interrupted his thoughts with a nudge to his side. "Harry, are you coming in or are you going to stand there all day?"
Harry blinked, realizing they had reached the entrance while he was lost in thought. He shrugged, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind for now. "Yeah, I'm coming," he said, following them into the Great Hall.
As they entered, the usual noise of students chatting and eating filled the air. Harry scanned the room, spotting Daphne, Tracey, and Pansy at the Slytherin table. They waved him over, and he made his way to them, Ginny and Luna tagging along.
Pansy raised an eyebrow as Harry took his seat. "You look like you've been thinking too hard, Potter. Something on your mind?"
Harry smirked, shaking his head. "Just trying to keep up with you lot," he replied, deflecting the question with ease. "What's the latest?"
Tracey leaned in, her voice low and conspiratorial. "There's a rumor going around that you're planning something big. Care to share?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Since when do I share all my plans?"
Daphne laughed, the sound light and teasing. "He's right. Harry never tells us anything until it's already in motion."
Pansy nudged him playfully. "You know, one day we're going to figure you out, Potter. And when we do, you'll be in trouble."
Harry grinned, leaning in her direction. "Good luck with that."
Pansy pouted, kicking at the floor with her shoe before huffing and turning away dramatically, making the others laugh at her over-the-top reaction. Harry, shaking his head with a grin, let the earlier encounter in the forest slip from his mind, deciding to focus on the present instead. The aroma of food filled the Great Hall, and his stomach growled in response.
As they dug into their meals, the conversation flowed easily. Topics bounced around from Quidditch strategies to the latest gossip about which professors might be secretly dating—none of it serious, but all of it entertaining. Harry found himself enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, the easy banter with his friends a welcome distraction.
Not long after, Astoria arrived, looking utterly exhausted. She plopped down beside Harry, letting out a dramatic sigh that earned her a few sympathetic chuckles.
"Can I say again how much I don't like Potions?" Astoria grumbled, resting her head on her crossed arms over the table.
Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "You do remember that I'm Professor Snape's assistant, right? Complaining about Potions to me might not be the smartest move."
Astoria peeked up at him from behind her arms, sticking out her tongue. "I like you, Harry, but that doesn't mean I have to like Potions."
Harry reached over and ruffled her hair playfully. "No worries, Astoria. This weekend, I'll make sure you like it, or at least not dread it."
Astoria gave him a skeptical look, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "We'll see about that."
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