He then continued, "Longbottom for some reason stayed frozen and then started screaming while holding his head. I saw a green spell coming his way and I tackled him out of the way. That's when I realized that it was probably a wizard who was doing it. Longbottom just kept screaming and thrashing around and wouldn't run away. Even then, I don't think we could have outrun it, but I decided to protect us. I fought it. I lost, badly."
Yeah, and the worst thing was that he was giving it his all. He wasn't holding back, but the cloaked figure was just too skilful, too fast. He had tried spells that were unstable, that he hadn't even tested, which included a few curses that he had read in the library.
"I even sent one of my strongest spells at it. I put everything in the tank in that spell," Harry remarked, "it was too fast and dodged everything."
He was right. I did send a very dangerous and unstable lightning spell at the wraith. It wasn't a spell that Harry had experimented much with it. He had just learned it and tried it once in the Room of Requirements. He lacked the control to aim it properly, and the damage was too extreme for any casual use, so he had kept it locked up in case of danger. It was his ace in the hole, and it did absolutely nothing.
"Then it disarmed me and threw me away. I think I hit my head because it's the last thing I remember."
Harry ended the memory as the impact happened, hoping to fool the headmaster.
It seemed to work because Dumbledore nodded in response, "That seems to corroborate with what Mr Longbottom said to me. And overpowering a spell in desperation would explain how your magical pathways were so stressed. So, I will leave you with a small piece of advice. Magic is beautiful and I understand the attractiveness of trying to learn everything you could find. But some magics are better left unexplored, especially when you do not have sufficiently developed magical channels to cast them without injuring yourself. It might have worked out this time, but it will not always be this lucky."
Harry repressed his annoyance at the headmaster's condescending tone and the old man turned and left.
The Potter scion looked at the matron who was still listening in, "You didn't tell him about the crest."
She simply shrugged, "Family secrets are for families. Healers are the few people that have a broader understanding of how they work, and so, we're bound by oaths to not reveal any secret details. It's a good way to make sure that old families don't second guess themselves and just hire healers. Although, most of them do force one of their members to become a healer that would treat family related issues. As for me, as curious as I am with what I have seen, I would rather keep my magic and life, than break my oath and sate my curiosity."
Harry nodded and replied with a grateful tone, "Thank you, nonetheless."
"You should get some more sleep to relax your channels slightly. The potion I gave you should help. You're allowed visitors tomorrow, so you better rest tonight."
The matron smiled warmly at him and left the room, and Harry did feel tired. Before sleeping, he thought back about what happened after he was sent away. The crest was burning. The Arcane screaming from the horrific act had awoken it somewhat. After failing to duel, something had awakened in the crest. Was it because of Harry's desperation? Or was it because of how repulsive the wraith was?
Harry didn't know, but that didn't change the outcome. His hands moved on their own, and he spoke in a language that he didn't even understand. He cast a controlled spell without a wand, one that banished the wraith, and Harry could feel from the song that it was completely barred from entering the forest now.
He even removed Longbottom's memories. But that wasn't him, was it? He hadn't known what the spell would do until he saw its effect. He didn't even understand its origin, or how it worked. He remembered what he had gotten from the Arcane Hearing, but it was far more complex than anything Harry had ever felt before.
It was hard to explain how that happened. It was like his crest had taken control. No, that wasn't it. It was more like the crest hypnotized him into casting magic. Harry could have broken it at any time, but he was too desperate, too afraid to protest the commands.
While the unicorns were now safe, Harry had lost his anonymity. Quirrell might have been interested in him because of his status as a gifted student, but now, having successfully attacked him and barred him from drinking any more unicorn blood, Harry now had his attention, and that of the wraith that possessed him.
That was bad, that was really bad. Harry was banking on being an unknown. It was why he tried to not involve himself as much as possible, and if he did, he tried to be very discreet about it. Why didn't he just put on his invisibility cloak and just escape? He didn't need to fight, and if things went as the stories did, the centaurs would have saved Longbottom anyway. But the stories said nothing about Voldemort casting a killing curse immediately.
Now, he was on both Dumbledore's and Voldemort's radars. The headmaster knew how advanced he really was in terms of duelling, not that it was that surprising. Maybe he had revealed his arsenal of spells. It wasn't that big of a deal, but the man would keep an eye on him, and would probably try to recruit him in the future. But Voldemort had witnessed a power that even Harry didn't understand. That was very bad for his future prospects of staying out of the pissing match between him and Dumbledore.
But at the end of the day, did Harry regret saving Longbottom and the unicorn? No, he did not. For all the disadvantages, he couldn't just let a child die and the unicorns being hunted down was disgusting. Quirrell needed to be stopped, but without a steady supply of unicorn blood, he was going to be desperate and that wasn't good for anyone.
Harry looked out the window and noticed for the first time that it was night. The moon shined on the lake, and the Potter scion realized that the screaming was now gone. Yeah, saving the unicorns was the right thing, if magic itself screamed in agony when they were slain. Harry knew in his heart that the unicorns were now safe, and for the first time in weeks, Harry went to sleep and didn't wake up until the next morning. He stopped thinking about his magical crests and worrying about Voldemort and Dumbledore's machinations.
There was no screaming that night. It was just silent.
.....
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