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Chapter 440 – Darren's Memory!!
After Dumbledore left,
Harry and the others surrounded Darren, their expressions complicated.
"What's wrong with you? You look like you were about to die,"
Darren asked with a smile as he changed his clothes.
They immediately changed the subject.
"Nothing… we were just talking about Moody,"
Harry and Hermione said quickly.
Fred and George nodded immediately.
"That's right, we only had his class this afternoon, and he's really cool… worthy of being called the greatest Auror of all time!"
"Yeah, yeah! And he even admitted in class that even at his peak, his magic wasn't as strong as Darren's,"
George added enthusiastically.
But Ron was different.
"I was thinking about Malfoy," he said smugly.
"You don't know how amazing it was. Headmaster Dumbledore turned him into a stoat and made him hop around the school. That's the happiest thing I've seen recently!"
His words almost made Darren laugh.
In fact, he had also enjoyed seeing Malfoy hopping all over the school in the form of a stoat.
But he still shook his head in disapproval.
"We shouldn't laugh at classmates…"
Ron sighed dramatically.
"Don't be like that, Darren. I only have this one thing to laugh about now.
Otherwise, I might start crying when I look at you—ah! Harry, why did you hit me?!"
Ron glared at him.
"Aren't you upset that Darren fainted in Headmaster Dumbledore's office because of malnutrition and exhaustion?"
Harry immediately stiffened.
Darren tilted his head slightly.
"In fact… it's my fault. I'm too weak. I should've been stronger—"
[Ding! Father Value +100]
[Ding! Father Value +100]
[Ding! Father Value +100]
Hermione's eyes turned red.
She rushed forward and hugged Darren tightly.
"Don't say that… as long as you're alive, that's all that matters to me! Just live, okay?"
Ginny pushed Hermione aside and hugged Darren too.
"Yes! Even if you came back covered in scars… as long as you are alive, that's enough.
Darren, you promised—you have to live!"
Darren noticed that Hermione only took a deep breath and didn't look angry.
She had long gotten used to being interrupted whenever she hugged him.
"Enough hugging," Ron said from the door, poking his head inside.
"Let's take Darren out of here. Don't you think it's bad to keep him in the infirmary this long?"
He had been waiting outside for a while.
The two girls refused to let go.
"Girls are too annoying," Ron muttered.
"If I were the one hospitalized and people clung to me like this, I'd go mad!"
Harry scratched his head.
Whenever he was in the hospital wing, he mostly received sweets and chocolate, so he nodded along absentmindedly.
Darren looked at them without words.
They didn't even realize…
No girls were clinging to them.
Except Mrs. Weasley.
And she absolutely did not count.
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That night.
Harry couldn't sleep.
He thought about what Dumbledore had said during the day.
In the end, he made up his mind.
He would go to Dumbledore's office.
Darren's case was too serious.
He had never seen Darren break down like that.
Harry quietly put on the Invisibility Cloak.
Just as he stood up—
Ron sat upright.
"I knew it! You were definitely going!"
He grinned. "Take me with you!"
Harry shrugged.
"Fine."
They crept out of the dormitory.
But then—
When they reached the common room, they stopped.
Ginny and Hermione were seated there.
Even Fred and George were warming themselves by the fireplace.
All of them smiled when they saw Harry and Ron.
"We guessed you'd sneak out."
"Yeah, we've been waiting."
Harry sighed.
"In that case, the cloak won't fit all of us.
Let's go openly."
With the Marauder's Map, they avoided wandering professors and moved smoothly toward the headmaster's office.
"I knew you'd come,"
Dumbledore said calmly.
The stone gargoyles slid aside.
They entered his office.
Dumbledore, wearing purple night robes, sat behind his desk.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you, but…"
Harry began.
Dumbledore smiled and shook his head.
"I know. If you didn't come, I'd be disappointed.
But are you ready to know the truth?"
Harry nodded vigorously.
"Yes, Headmaster. I want to know what truly happened to Darren."
The others nodded as well.
Dumbledore's smile disappeared.
"I trust your courage.
But first—
I want you to swear an Unbreakable Vow."
Everyone froze.
"Everything you see tonight must remain secret.
If this information spreads, not only will it ruin my plans…
Darren might remember everything.
And if that happens, he may collapse completely."
Dumbledore paused.
"You've heard what Ginny said.
When Darren arrived at the infirmary…
I thought he would die."
The room fell deathly silent.
Finally, all of them agreed.
The Unbreakable Vow was completed.
Then Dumbledore led them to the Pensieve.
"If you can't bear it," he said softly,
"tell me immediately.
I don't want any of you to collapse the way Darren did."
Harry frowned.
"Is this… because of what we're about to see?"
Dumbledore was silent for a moment.
Then said quietly,
"He didn't see these things.
He lived through them."
The world tilted.
Harry felt himself being pulled—
Falling into the basin.
Falling.
Falling—
Until his feet finally touched the ground.
He looked up.
And saw Darren.
Bound.
Surrounded by Death Eaters.
"This is…"
"That's right," Dumbledore said hoarsely.
"This is Darren's memory."
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