*****
Having stopped paying any attention to Potter, I headed towards the second, no less pressing problem. Ginny was still lying by one of the columns, clutching Tom's diary in her hands. Hmm, is it just me or is she looking even worse than before?
I didn't come close to her, simply fearing some dirty trick left behind by Tom. I don't believe that he so easily left the "vessel" thanks to which he currently exists on our plane.
After watching the unconscious girl for a minute, I was convinced that she was actually starting to look worse and worse. Slowly but inexorably, her body was drying up, losing its former energy, giving it to the notebook. Yes, it was the notebook that acted as a kind of pump, absorbing the energy from the girl.
I also discovered another important fact, at such a close distance I am quite capable of feeling the emotions coming from the notebook: anger, fury, rage, passion. Hmm, and why did I start feeling them? Has Tom stopped hiding? Or am I now quite capable of recognizing the emotions of the souls enclosed in the object (like this Horcrux) at such a close distance? Trials, trials are needed to finally make sure of this.
An attempt to pry off the notebook with telekinesis yielded nothing, only the Psi reserve dropped by fifteen percent at a time. Hmm, she absorbs the energies of the living: mana, Prague, psi. What if the basilisk's victims were deliberately put into torpor? After all, I observed the same picture of energy leakage, only at a much lower speed. Then I wrote it off as the work of a curse, which is not far from the truth. Only the ending of this action turned out to be wrong.
The theory is quite workable, we can take it as an axiom (with caution, of course). Now I would like to get to the hospital wing and monitor the condition of the experimental subjects. Although, when Tom is finished, we can conduct an unscheduled inspection, comparing the leak rates with the previous ones. If they decrease, then...
- Wilson! Stop looking at her like she's some kind of experimental mouse! — Harriet's voice brought me out of my thoughts. -Are you going to do something? Or will you just continue to see her condition?
- Why on earth should I do anything for her? - my completely logical question was met with some disbelief. "This person, without thinking with her empty head, picked up a dark artifact. In any family of magicians, children are instilled with a certain list of safety rules from a very early age. And not taking proven things is at the top of the list. I am wrong? — I slightly squint my eyes towards the "guy" who is listening to me attentively. Hmm, and in my original form I turn out to be much taller than the same Potter. Now I can clearly see this. - Wait here.
Leaving Potter alone with Weasley (apparently such was fate), he stepped aside, hiding behind one of the columns.
So, on the agenda: a change in appearance. Albus had not yet caught my eye; he had only sensed my presence. Potter will remain silent for now for fear of losing his magic and soul. And yes, I'm sure that sooner or later, she will break this oath. I can't believe that the British haven't found a way to get rid of such problematic "components". By my actions I only bought myself time. I need this time so much that I can't even express it in words. Although I have an idea to solve several problems (global), it's true that others, no less significant, may appear in retaliation, but nothing can be done about it.
Closing my eyes, I plunged into my inner world. An examination of my body showed that it was, as before, in perfect condition. Having touched prana with my "will", I realized that I could completely control it, although in much smaller quantities and with less intensity. Great, we can get started.
Slowly, as if reluctantly, my appearance swam to become the same as before: a teenager of thirteen years old, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. This whole transformation took me thirty! Seconds Thirty! When previously I could do it in no more than a second! And judging by Dumbledore's movements, this is not an indicator.
And yet, what kind of spell did Albus use when he appeared? The effect is very interesting, literally in a matter of moments it returned part of my abilities. So it has at least a healing property on the soul. However, I doubt that this is the only effect. One hundred percent, this also includes protective properties. But that's definitely not all. It's worth asking Poppy for more details.
Coming back to Harriet (the clothes were automatically adjusted to my size. A convenient charm, although it reduces the lifespan of the clothes) I came across her intent gaze, which took in my entire figure.
- Illusion? — she asked, watching my reaction. Ha, no use.
"Perhaps," I answered without changing my face.
What should I do with Ginny? Kill? It's possible in a trailer, but then I'll have to explain myself to Good Grandfather, and I don't really want that. And I can't change it to something else. Unless you turn your mind into mush. Hmm, that's not a bad idea. And there are fewer problems and we can say that after Tom she is in such a state. But to kill a child, which essentially did not commit evil (clarify what happened to the cat. Maybe she is not entirely innocent...)
However, the best solution would be to leave this room. Again, she faces an obstacle in the person of Albus, he noticed me. Mordred, I will have to wait. And only Harriet can open the passage back, and since she got her things back, she may not agree with my arguments.
However, I didn't have to wait long and wonder what to do. A dark cloud, reminiscent of a human silhouette, flew out of one wall in our direction. They flew past us, it rushed towards the black diary, instantly absorbed into it.
A moment of silence followed by an evil laugh coming from the girl's lips:
- Ha-ha-ha! - she laughed uncontrollably, slowly rising to her feet. Harriet's well-aimed biogenic spell drowned in a dark bubble. - You old fool, you can't defeat me. I'll kill this boy and start all over again. And then...
"This won't happen, Tom," Albus appeared as if stepping out of the void behind the girl, his eyes sparkling.
Before Voldemort had time to realize what had happened, the Horcrux was torn from the girl's hands (as soon as the notebook left her hands, it fell to the ground) and thrown into the air.
"See you, Tom," a spike of light fell from Albus's outstretched hand. In a moment, having caught up with the notebook, he pierced it.
*Bam* The notebook exploded into a black cloud, creating a shockwave. However, it didn't reach us, getting stuck in the light barrier.
Well, here's the Dark Lord for you. He may not have shown the power he once had, but I can see the difference between him and Dumbledore. The Great Light Wizard was truly like that. He dominated the entire fight, towering over the enemy. Didn't give him a chance to survive. Although he knows about the Horcrux. Why he doesn't look for it is unclear.
In a flash of flame, a phoenix appeared in the center of the hall, sitting on the head of a wounded basilisk. His entire body was riddled with bullets. The wounds varied in severity, one eye was missing. Hmm, what is his regeneration? And it turns out Albus didn't kill him? After all, I clearly feel the emotions from him.
Dumbledore leaned over the unconscious girl and began to move his wand over her body. Judging by his gloomy face, Ginny was clearly not all right, which was logical.
— Fawkes!
Hearing his name, the phoenix was next to Albus in an instant, looking at him attentively with his flaming eyes.
"Could you do this young lady a favor?" the old man said, smiling slightly at his friend.
After drilling Albus with his gaze for a while, the phoenix naturally sighed, as if to say, "How dear you all are to me. I can't stand it."
Flying up to Ginny, Fawkes leaned over her. A second later, tears began to flow from the bird's eyes. On some kind of inspiration, I activated my magical vision, not paying attention to the pain.
Well, now I can say with confidence that phoenix tears are a purely magical substance, without a physical shell. And they look like drops because of super concentrated mana. In the "tear" itself there was simply a burst of concentrated mana of fire and life. Once on the girl's aura, the mana was instantly absorbed and then dispersed throughout the magical body.
Hmm, apparently it heals the magical shell, or rather the energy shells. Whether it's the seventh or the second. The first, physical, was healed due to the influence of prana on it. A very interesting theory and spectacle. It's a pity that I wasn't the one affected by this substance.
And while everyone was busy with the girl, I carefully, as much as possible, with the help of telekinesis "grabbed" a couple of drops of basilisk blood. Judging by the emotions, only Fawkes noticed my voyage, but I felt that he would not give me away. That's great. Now, the main thing is not to make a fool of myself.
Externally, Ginny has changed quite a lot. Her face has acquired color, she herself has become less thin, which is already a plus.
A wave of the wand and Ginny's body flies off the floor.
"Now it's better for her not to experience overload." And moving, even with the best help of Fawkes, puts a lot of pressure on the body," he answered the unspoken question. - Well, lead the way.
Harriet looked at me with an unreadable gaze and walked forward, leading our group.
There was a slight hesitation just at the crack, but Albus paid no attention to the hiss that escaped Potter's lips. So Harriet exhaled calmly.
What I didn't expect was the teacher waiting for us, looking at us with a sweet smile.
"You're here after all, Poppy," Albus nodded, as soon as he saw the bear.
"Of course," Pomfrey said, walking softly towards us. "I couldn't leave my student to the mercy of fate," stopping next to me and looking at me attentively, she said: "Are you okay?"
"Full of strength and energy," I nodded.
Harriet, on the other hand, looked at us with her mouth open in shock. Well, yes, for a second-year student to become an apprentice to one of the adult wizards. It is possible that Black told her about Poppy's identity, but that is unlikely.
"Poppy, we have a patient who needs urgent attention," Albus told Ginny the teacher.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of her," a grin is out of place here, teacher.
"Well, then, I'll leave it to you," the old man said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. And then they disappeared in a flash of flame.
So, am I in for a grilling now? Judging by the glow in Poppy's eyes, that's it.
*****