章 298: Another Lie
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A single thread of Harry's consciousness, barely strong enough to register anything, still picked up the voices around him. It wasn't strong enough to act, but he could still pick up the voices around him. And, naturally, he wasn't happy about it. This was a mess. 'This blunder revealed too much,' he thought, feeling the irritation bubble up even in his half-conscious state. 'Questions I can't answer—great.'
His mind kept pacing, like it always did when he was trying to sort out a problem he would rather avoid. 'What the hell am I going to explain to them?' he wondered, already picturing the various awkward conversations waiting for him.
Madame Pomfrey was there, too, making her usual fuss. He could almost hear her muttering as she moved around, mixing potions, bandaging him up, all the while radiating that typical disapproval she reserved for anyone stupid enough to get injured. He couldn't see her, but he knew exactly what kind of look she'd have on her face—one part exasperation, two parts concern. It was kind of funny, actually, in that annoying way only Pomfrey could manage.
...
Harry woke up in the hospital wing with Luna sitting next to his bed. The room was dim, and it was quiet. She was just staring at him, like she was trying to see right through him, which wasn't unusual for Luna. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the faint light and trying to shake off the grogginess.
"Are you back with us, Harry?" Luna asked, tilting her head slightly. She didn't seem surprised, just curious, the way she always did when something strange happened.
Harry sat up slowly, his head still throbbing a bit. "Yeah, I'm here," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "What time is it?"
"Late," Luna replied, as if that was all he needed to know. She kept her gaze fixed on him, unblinking. "You've been out for a while. Madame Pomfrey said you'd be fine, but she's been fussing over you all day."
Harry nodded, glancing around the room. "Sounds about right," he muttered. "Not the first time."
"She mentioned something about your mind being overworked," Luna added, her eyes narrowing a bit, like she was piecing something together.
Harry chuckled, shrugging a little. "Yeah, I was trying to think of something for your Christmas present, and I guess it fried my brain."
Luna laughed softly. "That sounds promising. I hope it was worth the trouble."
"Guess we'll find out," Harry replied, leaning back against the headboard. The pounding in his head was slowly easing, and he glanced around the empty hospital wing.
"Oh, everıyone was worried about you, they visited earlier," Luna said, leaning forward and tilting her head. "Though they didn't stick around for long. I think Madame Pomfrey chased them off." She smiled, like it was a fond memory.
Harry snorted. "Figures. She's never been one for crowds." He could picture Fred and George making a quick escape, probably leaving behind a few prank items for Pomfrey to discover later. "And the professors?"
"McGonagall came in a few times, but she didn't stay long. Snape looked at you once and then left," Luna answered matter-of-factly, as if they'd been talking about the weather. "Dumbledore was here too. He seemed… thoughtful."
"Thoughtful, huh?" Harry muttered, rubbing his temple. He wasn't exactly eager to deal with any of the professors just yet, especially if Dumbledore was involved. The Headmaster was always a bit too perceptive for comfort.
Luna's expression shifted, turning serious. "They seemed worried, Harry. Especially after they found you in the hallway like that."
Harry muttered a curse under his breath. He still had no idea what kind of excuse he could offer for his sudden collapse. He could lie, sure, but that would be risky. Instead, he reached for his wand and placed it against his temple, pulling out a silvery memory strand. He carefully bottled it, then held it out to Luna.
"Luna, could you take this to Professor McGonagall?" he asked, offering her the memory vial. "They should know what I found."
Luna tilted her head, examining the shimmering memory with a curious look. "Of course, Harry," she said, taking the vial carefully. She slipped it into her pocket without another word, then gave him a small smile. "Anything else you need?"
Harry shook his head. "Nah, that's it. Just... don't get too sidetracked by Nargles on the way. McGonagall's likely got more questions than patience right now."
Luna giggled softly. "I'll be quick. I'm sure she won't mind waiting if the Wrackspurts keep me a little longer." With that, she got up and made her way out of the hospital wing, leaving Harry alone to deal with the aftermath of his exploration.
Of course, Harry hadn't actually given McGonagall a real memory. He crafted a perfectly believable one in the Virtual Room, using a bit of his consciousness to make it look authentic. In it, he stumbled upon a strange door, one he'd never seen before, opening up to a vast, dim room with only a single item inside—a Pensieve.
He entered the room, eyeing the ancient-looking Pensieve that was just sitting there, unattended. He couldn't resist the pull of curiosity, leaning in just enough to see if it was active. As soon as he did, the Pensieve flared up and started replaying memories at a pace so frantic, it felt like his mind was being pulled in all directions. He couldn't escape; the memories kept flooding his senses—scenes of random people, places, spells, and snippets of conversations whizzed past in a blur. None of it made sense, and trying to focus only made it worse.
He struggled, finally wrenching himself back from the chaos and away from the Pensieve. The experience left him light-headed, his legs feeling like lead. He could barely stay upright, dragging himself out of the room and through the winding corridors until he finally made it to the Medicine Ward.
Once he was there, he let the memory play out to a reasonable end, where he passed out, exhausted. Perfect cover story.
Harry smirked to himself. The professors would probably think he'd just found an old relic and got curious. That should throw them off the scent well enough.
...
una skipped along the dimly lit corridors, humming softly. It was a tune she, Harry, and Ginny had heard in the forest a while back—haunting and strange, though she didn't seem fazed. She glanced around every so often, fully aware that being out this late was against the rules. Still, her steps were light, and her focus remained on the melody drifting from her lips.
After a quick turn down a narrower passage, she caught sight of Professor McGonagall ahead. The professor was pacing, looking as though she just come from a long night of dealing with one too many Hogwarts students. Luna's humming quieted, but she didn't change her pace, walking right up to her with an air of calmness.
"Miss Lovegood," McGonagall started, arms folded as she took in Luna's casual approach, "what are you doing wandering the halls at this hour? It's well past curfew."
Luna gave her a serene smile, pulling the memory vial from her pocket. "I was delivering something important for Professor Dumbledore. Harry asked me to bring this to you."
McGonagall's eyebrows shot up as she took the vial. She inspected it closely, a flicker of surprise passing over her face before she glanced back at Luna. "A memory? From Mr. Potter?"
Luna nodded, her expression as unreadable as ever. "Yes. He thought you'd want to see it right away."
McGonagall hesitated for a moment before she gave a nod. "Very well. I'll take this to Professor Dumbledore immediately. You'd best get back to your dormitory, Miss Lovegood. If you're caught again, I'll have no choice but to dock points."
"Of course, Professor," Luna replied, her eyes twinkling. "Goodnight."
With that, she turned and headed back the way she'd come, her soft humming resuming as she disappeared into the shadows of the castle.
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