ch 74 A castle full of memories
January 8, 1992, Wednesday 11:45 am H of M classroom
"Marshall, wake up…" Wayne nudges me awake.
Opening my eyes, I see that the rest of the class is preparing to leave. 'Man! Such a waste of time.'
School resumed 'normally' last Monday. Nothing changed much, and we started to get into the rhythm of the classes and life in Hogwarts.
I want to keep a low profile before the news of me being Uncle Merlin's heir, but that's just a pipe dream.
Last Sunday, the older students tried to be chummy with me in hopes to get one of my pouch.
It prompted me to go swimming in the freezing lake and visit the merpeople settlement after breakfast. While in the afternoon, I roamed the Forbidden Forest to update the centaurs of the unicorn herd's status.
Monday came, and they persisted, so I have to go invisible every so often. I even need to have my lunch and dinner in the kitchen with the elves.
Good thing people finally figured out I'm avoiding them and they stopped yesterday.
Because of my constant hiding, even the house ghosts weren't able to find the time to get to talk to me, and I couldn't focus on how to get Harry out of his funk.
I turned to where Harry was seated to find him getting up with a blank face and just blindly following his fellow Gryffindors. I'm afraid that the guy might absent-mindedly follow the girls toward the their bathroom if not for Ron always being with him.
'Hmm… I should really have a talk with him.'
Checking with Siri, I confirmed that Harry is just sad, grieving and missing his parents. He's not under a curse or his longing hasn't developed into an obsession.
The book and movie just brushed past this part and the guy was able to get over it with time, but it dawned on me that my interference might have caused him to think hard about his parents more.
When I invited him to spend last summer in Devon, Harry met mine, the Weasleys, Lovegoods, and my muggle friends' families.
He saw what he had missed out and just dream of what he could have had. With the Mirror of Erised, he was able to put a face on the parents he used to dream about.
This needs to stop but I need to make something first. Good thing I have the whole afternoon free to make it.
"I have something to do… meet you guys at the Great Hall for lunch." I quickly separated from my group and walked toward the 7th floor of the Astronomy tower.
In front of the wall opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, I started to walk back and forth pass it while thinking…
'All objects featuring Lily and James Potter…'
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6:35 pm Great Hall
Ssss ♨️ssss♨️ssss♨️
*Cough* Cough* Cough* Cough*
Scratching my head, seeing and smelling the current state of the Great Hall, I mumbled, "Well… It seems having every entrée served in cast iron sizzling plates wasn't a good idea."
"Tu penses?" said Adeline sarcastically. (Fr. You think?)
Wendy complained, "The smell is sticking to my hair!"
Contrary to the other girls, Susan keeps sniffing the smoke, "Huu... haaaa... At least this smell came from edible food. When my aunt's cooking smokes up, it just means I'm eating charcoal for dinner..."
Hannah giggled, "Aunt Amelia's cooking isn't that bad, is it?"
"Hah?! Just wait and see… She promised me that she'll send me some of her 'baked' cookies next week. I'll let you be the judge. " Susan declared.
*Cough*cough* "Marshall, do something about the smoke... If this continues, my asthma will come back." Kevin called out.
"Okay... okay.. Jeez" I pointed my wand in the air and a gentle wind vortex appeared. All the smokes in the hall were drawn to it, leaving us with just the lingering aroma of our food.
Everyone was able to breathe and feel at ease with the smoke gone.
While eating, Naomi asked, "What are we having for Astronomy later tonight, Marshall?"
"Miso Ramen and steam dumplings. The elves will set it up later in the tower… I'm taking a break from all the pastry and sweets I had during the Holidays." I said.
"Will it be spicy?" asked Naomi expectantly.
Shaking my head, "No. But I'll have a jar of chili oil on the side. You know that half of the class can't handle spicy food. Remember what happened when I served everyone tacos with jalapeño…"
"Because you didn't warn us!" Ernie exclaimed.
Justin nodded, "Yeah… I thought it was just another name for bell pepper, so I added plenty of that stuff before taking a bite.... And that white sauce is misleading! It's white, for crying out loud! Why was it so spicy?!"
"Jeez… And that's why I'm separating the spicy stuff…" I rolled my eyes.
While we were talking, I caught a glimpse of Harry at the Gryffindor table getting his hand burnt on the hot plate. 'Oh! That must have hurt…sss..'
Wayne noticed where my gaze was at and nudged me, "Mate, did you hear what happened earlier with Harry? He almost fell from his broom during practice earlier."
Ernie pointed out, "He seems to have something on his mind and kept spacing out lately."
"Yeah... I had been meaning to talk to him about that, but just couldn't find the right time." I said while thinking of ways to approach him.
"Well, you better talk to him soon. They have potions tomorrow morning. If he keeps making mistakes, I'm afraid Snape will bury him in deductions."said Wayne before continuing with dinner.
I sighed and just hoped to talk to him properly tonight.
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10:41 pm, On top of the Astronomy tower
-Hermione's POV-
*Sluurrp! 🍜*Sluurrp! 🍜
"Grrr... Can you please eat your food quietly?! Where are your manners!" I glared at Ron, who was slurping his noodles loudly.
Ron stopped using his chopsticks and rolled his eyes at me,"Marshall said that slurping your noodles loudly is considered a compliment to the chef throughout Japan. So making noise is allowed."
I quickly rebutted, "We're not in Japan."
To be honest, I'm a bit surprised and jealous that Weasley can use chopsticks. He said that Witcherly introduced Asian cuisines to his family along with using chopsticks.
I can't believe that Ron knows something I don't.
Ron nudged Harry who was spacing out again, "Harry, your ramen will get cold."
Ever since I got back from our break, I noticed that Harry always in a somber mood. I thought, 'Something definitely happened to him during the break, but these two idiots just won't tell me.'
My thought was interrupted by Professor Sinistra, who announced, "Everyone, there's only 15 more minutes before the class starts, so quickly finish your food. If you have time, you can try reading about the constellation of Aries..."
"... We will be observing the Aries constellation tonight, and if we're lucky, we might even be able to spot Uranus."
*Pfft! *cough*cough*
Everyone looked at Witcherly who was wiping his nose, but by the constant shaking of his shoulder, he was obviously holding his laugh.
Marshall quickly apologized, "Sorry Professor… Don't mind me. I'll definitely try hard to look for Uranus."
It took me a second to get why he was laughing, and just rolled my eyes. 'Really Mature.'
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12:32 am Astronomy tower
-Marshall's POV-
"That was a fun class." I said out loud while we are climbing down the tower.
Susan glared at me, "Fun?! The Professor deducted 10 pts from us because you kept asking everyone if they had seen Uranus! You can be so immature sometimes, you know that?!"
"Haha... Sorry. Word play really gets me cracking every time... haha.." Even 'til now, I can't stop myself laughing.
While still chuckling, I saw the group of Gryffindors ahead of us.
I've been pondering how to approach Harry, but I can't find the right moment. The kid is basically a walking bag of emotions currently, and let's just say that the bag is full.
'Haa... I know I have a few units of psychology 101 in my past life during college, but this is just beyond me.'
While I'm lost in my thoughts, Harry took a turn and separated from his group. Ron called out to him but didn't get a response back.
'Eh? Where is he going?'
Though I didn't follow Potter, I'm keeping track of him as my group walked down the tower.
A moment later, his soul signature became faint. That got me thinking, 'Did he used the invisibility cloak? So that means… he's going to that room again…'
Nearing the suspension bridge, I said to my fellow Puffs, "You guys go ahead...". Without waiting for their reply, I then ran toward the direction where Harry was.
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In a disuse room, fourth floor of Hogwarts Castle...
Walking into the room, I found Harry staring blankly at the floor. The invisibility cloak was by his feet and a muffled cry can be heard from him.
I cautiously called his name, "Harry?"
"Wha-.. sniff.. Marshall? What are you doing here?" He quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeves and straightened up.
"I saw you separate from Ron and then you vanished. I thought Filch had caught you wandering off…" I said while slowly approaching him.
My eyes are looking at the floor, where a visible indentation can be seen. I asked, "You've been crying, mate?"
"A bit…" Harry again looked down on the floor and became silent.
Silence ~
'Haa... well, this is awkward.'
"Eh? What's this?" I couldn't stand the silence, so I just picked up the invisibility cloak on the ground and examined it.
"*Sniff...It's an invisibility cloak. Someone gave it to me for Christmas. There's no name given, but the card said that it used to belong to my dad…"explained Harry.
"Oh?… Ah! So this is the famous invisibility cloak that the Marauders used to play pranks around Hogwarts." I said nonchalantly.
Harry's interest was piqued, "Marauders? Pranks?"
"Eh.. Yes. Your dad is in a group that likes to prank people when they were students here in Hogwarts. They call themselves The Marauders. I heard they were quite a handful, too. Their favorite target was Snape. They were his bullies, apparently. How your mom, Lily, and dad got together was a total mystery to everyone I asked."
"Really?... Wait?! How did you know that?" He smiled at first but then asked with a puzzled look.
With a 'duh' face, I plainly said, "I 'casually' asked around. Remember when I told you about your dad being a chaser?…"
He nodded.
I simply pointed out, "... Harry, you're in a castle that has portraits that could talk. In Hogwarts, the walls literally have eyes and ears and all you have to do is ask around. Most of the older faculty members personally know your parents. If you're looking for anyone who knows them in the castle, it will be those people… including Snape..."
Harry quickly had a look of realization and started planning how to approach the people and portraits in the castle.
Now that his spirit had been uplifted a bit, I took out a pocket watch from my pouch and handed it to him, "I meant to give this to you for your birthday, but it looks like now is a good time as any."
Letting out a yawn, I rubbed my eye and patted Harry's arm and lazily walked toward the door, "... Oh! It's getting late. Anyway, I have to go now. You should return as well… See you during breakfast, mate."
I didn't wait for a reply, and didn't look back at Harry. Having lived two lives, I know that the only cure for a grieving heart is time.
My action just now is due to the guilt I'm feeling to the possible changes that I, directly or indirectly, brought upon on Harry.
On my way down the castle, I sensed Dumbledore standing at the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room.
'Seriously?! ....Haaa.... I don't have the patience to talk to him.'
With a wave of my hand, I quickly turned invisible, the surrounding space distorted, and I teleport using white flames in front of my dorm room.
'You can wait all night there, Old man. I'm going to sleep!'
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Back in the disuse room, fourth floor of Hogwarts Castle...
-Harry's POV-
After talking to Marshall, I find myself realizing that I barely know my parents.
My gaze fell on the floor where the Mirror of Erised used to be, and told myself, 'The Headmaster was right, the mirror did show my deepest desire… but it was definitely not real. My parents are real people who lived, and Hogwarts if full of their memories…'
Clenching my fist, I find myself inspecting the pocket watch Marshall gave me.
The outside was gold and the front case has an embossed figure of a male and female lions with a cub at the middle.
When I opened the hinged cover, my eyes popped as I saw a grayed out moving picture of my parents holding a baby at the back of the cover.
"Dad... Mom... sniff* sniff*"
~end chapter~