Chapter 91: I Don't Want to Be Invisible Anymore
Draco shrieked, reacting with lightning speed, kicking off the sofa and diving sideways.
This was a standard Quidditch dodging maneuver against a Bludger, something Professor Lockhart had taught him: to use Quidditch training skills in combat.
A terrifying, fishy/bloody wind swept over him. The enormous, furry monster missed its target, crashing into the fireplace with an enraged roar.
He saw it! A werewolf! This town actually had a werewolf!
"Ron, Ron!" he yelled, lunging toward Ron, grabbing his arm and shaking him vigorously. But no matter how much he called, Ron seemed to be in a deep sleep.
"Damn it, damn it!" he cried in frustration. "Wake up, you idiotic Weasley!" He slapped Ron hard, finally stirring him awake.
Ron's eyes fluttered open, still hazy from drink. He rubbed his stinging cheek and looked at Draco in confusion. "Why do I feel a little pain? What did you do to me after I got drunk?"
"Run, you idiot!" Draco shrieked, horrified to see the werewolf breaking free from the fireplace's confines. He couldn't help but tug on Ron's arm, urging him to flee.
But the werewolf was too fast. It burst out of the fireplace, sending a cloud of ash flying, and pounced in an instant. The struggle in the fireplace had clearly enraged the werewolf. It no longer intended to infect this young wizard; instead, it swung its sharp claws at Draco.
Fast, incredibly fast! But not faster than a Golden Snitch! Draco was astonished to find that in this confrontation, he could clearly see every detail of the werewolf's swinging arm, and anticipate the angles of its next attacks, just as he would predict a Snitch's flight path during a match.
He quickly bent down, squatting to the ground, and retreated quickly towards his left rear, using both hands and feet.
Sure enough, the werewolf missed again. It slammed forcefully into a nearby cabinet, shattering it to splinters.
"Run!" Draco abandoned Ron this time. He truly had done all he could. He turned, slammed the door open, and ran out.
As he ran, he glanced back, only to find the werewolf wasn't chasing him. He only heard the werewolf's enraged roars and Ron's horrified, desperate screams from the dark doorway.
"Ah~" Ron's voice suddenly became piercing, finally stopping with the sound of bones cracking.
"!!!" Draco swallowed hard in terror, then turned and ran into the distance. At this point, the safest place in town was the hunters' tavern; he had to get there quickly.
A gentle breeze wafted through the Białowieża Forest. Sunlight bathed the scene.
Ron shrieked and fell to the ground, flailing his arms wildly, then blinked in confusion. "I'm not dead?" He frantically patted himself down, then felt his neck, confirming there was no gaping hole. Finally, he let out a sigh of relief.
He slowly recovered from the sudden attack, looking around in bewilderment. This was the forest lake where they first arrived through the fireplace, where Lockhart had conjured a fantastical, dreamy world, and everyone stood motionless within that scene. He tried calling out to them, "Professor Lockhart? Harry? Hermione?—"
No one answered him. Everyone stood like statues. He tried to approach them, but found he couldn't step into the scene. This left him feeling somewhat desperate. He stared blankly at his surroundings. "What should I do?"
He didn't know; no one could give him an answer. He tried to communicate with Professor Lockhart's terrifying pets, but these Dark magical creatures ignored him.
So, he resignedly walked to a large rock by the lake, curled up, cradling his head in his hands, and stared blankly at everyone. Maybe everyone will wake up soon, he thought.
But they didn't. He waited until nightfall, until his stomach rumbled with hunger, until the night wind howled through the forest, with no sound around him. It was an incredibly long night for him. He recalled his adventure, feeling an indescribable annoyance and shame.
Especially how he had enjoyed the wealthy life and being doted on as an only child in that family, instinctively unwilling to leave the town to find his twin brothers and the others at the circus. He had never experienced such a life before, where his parents and elders adored him, and he had good friends by his side, even if Harry had turned into Draco.
He felt ashamed. Professor Lockhart had said this was an adventure, but he had abandoned it. He preferred to stay put. He had failed Professor Lockhart's expectations when he was given his wand. He could have done better.
His "father" had many hunters under his command; he should have used his influence to contribute to everyone's adventure. He... he had even gotten drunk, for such a ridiculous reason.
Ron slapped himself hard. Though it wasn't a forceful slap, a burning pain still spread across his face. Being drunk felt awful. When Malfoy was dragging and shouting, he was utterly powerless to escape with him.
"Sigh~" He felt unsure how to face everyone. He stirred the lake water with his wand, feeling only worry. He always performed so poorly, disappointing everyone. He knew it; his brothers and sister were all so excellent, but he was always so useless.
He looked up at the sky helplessly, filled with a youthful despair.
Just then, he rubbed his eyes in confusion. Had he seen something? Ron jolted upright, gripping his wand tightly, his eyes wide as he strained to discern the pitch-black night sky.
He saw it! He seemed to see a gigantic cloak, a vibrant red with a hood, its hem swaying in the sky, large enough to cover the entire expanse. The cloak flickered, like the Muggle television his dad kept in the shed, its screen flickering similarly. His dad said it was a loose connection.
Suddenly, he heard bubbling sounds from the lake. He quickly looked down, only to see a chubby, balloon-like fish suddenly surfacing from the water. This fish swam like a duck, as if it had webbed feet propelling it underwater.
Just then, a ghostly blue light flashed. One of Professor Lockhart's pets flew over, directly grabbing the fish and soaring into the air.
Crunch! The sound of bones cracking made Ron's face pale, instantly recalling the scene of the werewolf grabbing and biting his neck. But soon, he saw Professor Lockhart's pet disdainfully dropping the round, long-finned fish, seemingly not liking the food, and flying back to Lockhart's shoulder.
If you're not eating it, I am! Ron was starving by then! He quickly knelt on the rock, reaching for the seemingly dead fish floating on the lake. But no matter how he tried, he couldn't reach it. Find a stick, he immediately thought of a solution.
Just then, a golden light flashed. He saw the little golden monkey quickly scampering across the lake surface, scooping up the fish, and extracting an oval-shaped bone that looked like a jewel from its body. The little monkey soon came before him, holding up the round fish and offering it to him. "Goochi?"
Ron tried to ask it, "For me?"
The little monkey nodded. After Ron took it, it lowered its head to play with the bone, then returned to Professor Lockhart's side. Ron looked at the round fish in his hand, then glanced at the little monkey, sincerely saying, "Thank you."
But could this thing be eaten? He didn't know; he only knew he was almost fainting from hunger. He gathered some branches from the woods, piled them by the lake, and waved his wand to ignite the wood. He then threaded the fish onto a branch and roasted it over the flames.
This fish was surprisingly delicious, fresh, fragrant, and tender. Even without salt or other spices, he almost chewed up and swallowed the fish's skull.
Finally, after eating his fill, he again didn't know what to do. Looking at Professor Lockhart and everyone else, sadness involuntarily crept up. "They must still be adventuring in that place, but I have no chance anymore—"
He was so unwilling. He always longed for an opportunity to prove himself, but when the chance actually came, he always missed it.
"What should I do?" "What is that cloak in the sky?"
Just then, a cloud of black smoke tumbled down in front of him, transforming into a shadowy figure in a tattered wizard's robe with a dark hood. Professor Lockhart's voice emerged from within. "Ron, you said there's a cloak in the sky?"
Ron immediately grew excited, shouting enthusiastically, "Professor, haha, finally someone's talking to me!"
The figure walked over, extending a dark, pale, dry hand to ruffle his head. "We must always learn to feel loneliness, to find our true selves. Ron, perhaps your adventure isn't among people, but in walking alone?"
Ron stared blankly at him. He didn't understand yet; these words made no sense to him. Lockhart didn't continue on the topic. "My situation is a bit complicated right now. I can't maintain this state for too long. Ron, are you sure there's a wizard's cloak in the sky?"
Ron nodded, pointing to the sky. "Yes, Professor, look, it's big and red, a very, very big one!"
Lockhart could communicate through the Boggart, but he couldn't perceive phenomena that required magical participation through it. Hearing Ron's confirmation, he nodded. "Ron, I need your help. Are you willing?"
"Of course!" Ron was thrilled; he wanted to help, he was so eager. "Professor, just tell me what to do!"
"Cast a Patronus Charm towards the cloak in the sky. I know you might not be able to attack it effectively yet, but you have to find a way. Your help in the real dimension will definitely make things easier for us inside."
Ron's face fell. It seemed this favor wasn't so easy to grant. He knew his own situation; the Patronus Charm he cast was only a thin, barely noticeable sliver of silver light. To attack a cloak high in the sky with that, would it even be enough?
"Believe in your own strength! Believe in the power of your mind!" Lockhart's voice was always so gentle, full of encouragement. "Go find all the beauty and joy deep within your heart, Ron. I believe in you."
But... I don't believe in myself.
Ron was about to say more, but then the shadowy figure transformed back into black smoke, swirling and landing beside Professor Lockhart, becoming a tall, muscular monster wielding a large axe.
Sigh. He scratched his head, full of vexation. How great it would be if this cursed Patronus Charm needed inner fear; he'd do it easily. He used to be most afraid of spiders, but now he had something else: werewolves. See, that would be effortless.
But the joy and beauty within his heart—what did he have?
Yet, he only knew one thing: he absolutely, absolutely could not disappoint everyone again! He didn't want everyone to look down on him anymore! He never wanted to be invisible in a crowd again!