Chapter 647: Success or Failure

As the new semester began, Dean and Seamus returned, and Harry was the happiest person around. Finally, he wouldn't have to face the dormitory's deathly silence alone anymore, and he began to look forward to the first night.

However, after the feast that evening, Harry was summoned to Professor Snape's office to add emotional nutrients to the Boggart in the seventh classroom. Witnessing the imposing and aesthetically pleasing large Boggart swallow his stag patronus once again, Harry asked Professor Snape, "Um... is Riddle alright?"

He didn't know if Tom Riddle had learned the Patronus Charm yet, and the thought of it being related to him made Harry uneasy.

"It depends on how you define 'alright,'" Felix said. "He's on the right path, but if you were to ask him, he probably wouldn't be pleased. He might even get angry."

"Professor, do you really think he can change?"

At least Harry didn't believe so. He felt it was unnecessary to have hope for Voldemort, and it was better to tell that Boggart Patronus, "Do your duty well, you have a great responsibility."

"Good and bad are relative. I just hope he won't be too bad."

"Will it work? I mean... for me..." Harry hesitated, trying not to dwell on the fact that he was also a Horcrux, which made him feel dirty.

"It's hard to say, Harry, really hard to say," Felix hesitated unusually. "Memories can't compare to a true soul. I've been trying to help Riddle grow, but... you know we still have two intact Horcruxes in our possession, right?" He changed the subject.

"The locket and the cup," Harry said.

"Exactly. They contain fragments of Voldemort's soul. I hope Riddle can absorb a small piece of that soul, or all of it, before merging with the main soul," Felix said. "Memories need a vessel to be effective."

Harry was shocked by this bold idea, but even though he didn't know much about Horcruxes, he could tell that implementing this plan would be extremely difficult.

"But what if...?"

"In that case, I would advise Dumbledore to completely seal it off, to use every means to turn Voldemort into an idiot," Felix said coldly. "Unless Dumbledore has another way, or wait a few decades until I'm confident enough again..."

He looked at Harry, and Harry immediately understood. If what the professor said happened, he might have to live forever with a fragment of Voldemort's soul until the day he died, when things would finally come to an end.

Harry was almost certain of this because Voldemort had created a living Horcrux before - using a giant snake, and when the snake died, the soul fragment dispersed with it.

Harry returned to the dormitory with heavy steps.

His death would destroy Voldemort's hope of survival, he told himself. But who would willingly die? He had so many ties, he hadn't even seen Sirius and Mrs. Bones's wedding yet; they might have children, and there were Lupin and Tonks, he might become a godfather to someone, and Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna...

Thinking like this, having a fragment of Voldemort's soul in his mind didn't seem so unbearable. Harry returned to the dormitory and saw Ron and Neville staring straight at him. He was startled and subconsciously glanced at the other two beds; Dean and Seamus were already asleep.

"Heh heh," Ron and Neville looked at Harry with a conciliatory expression and voluntarily put adhesive tape over their mouths.

The next day, sixth-year students received news: the twelve-week course on Animagus Transformation had begun.

In the common room, almost all eligible students signed up, crowding around the notice board to write their names. In one corner of the room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together, watching as Neville, Dean, and Seamus returned with laughter.

"Harry, there's a small piece of transparent tape stuck to the corner of your mouth," Ginny said cheerfully, helping Harry tear it off, while Ron instinctively touched his own mouth.

"Aren't you going?" Ginny asked again, looking at the returning students from the notice board. "Oh, I forgot, you could already do it last year. I remember that Ministry instructor... what's his name again—Roths, Rocky?"

"Wilkie Twycross," Hermione said.

"It's him," Ginny leaned her head on Harry's shoulder, casually saying, "Didn't he promise to help you get your certificate early?"

"Obviously, someone broke their promise," Ron grumbled.

"Oh—" Ginny straightened up, staring at him for a moment, "I remember you mentioned it several times, but not so much after Easter."

"Remembering pretty clearly," Ron said indignantly, looking at her. "Since your memory is so good, you should know I don't want to see my sister being all lovey-dovey with someone, even if that someone is my best friend—"

"You could find someone else," Ginny retorted.

"Who?" Ron asked warily.

Ginny tilted her head up, and both Harry and Ron followed her chin's direction to see a girl looking in their direction. "Ravenclaw?" Ron exclaimed, "What does she have to do with it?"

Ginny glanced sympathetically at him, leaving him with a proud side profile. "Dimwit," she said clearly, and Ron's face turned crimson.

Harry immediately recognized the danger signal—Ron's ears were turning red. He grabbed the passing figure in front of him and asked eagerly, "How was it?"

Seamus plopped down on the armrest of Harry's couch, looking bewildered.

"Oh—what? Hey," he seemed to misunderstand, speaking seriously, "I think it's going well. I'm getting used to the patronus transformation, and my cousin Figo has been practicing with me this summer—things were still uncertain back then, and people were trying to be prepared as much as possible."

"I know," Harry continued, "just like the popular spell to repel Inferi for a while."

"That's right," Seamus said excitedly, "Mom said she was exhausted during that time, but she only learned the repelling spell. She couldn't get the Bright Fire Charm—it was too difficult for her." He quietly told Harry, "Figo gave me some extra guidance—I mean, the Animagus transformation. There were several times I felt light as a feather, as if I fell into cotton. It means I'm close to success, doesn't it?"

"Perhaps you'll nail it on the first lesson," Harry said based on his own experience.

"Or it could be a split," Ron said with a grin, and Seamus's face turned pale. Ron hurriedly tried to remedy it, "I mean—actually, a split isn't a big deal. With the professor there, except for some pain—"

From Seamus's expression, his words didn't offer much comfort.

Harry shrugged and looked at Ron and Hermione, saying, "Let's go, we better sign up too, just in case we're not allowed in class..."

On the second-floor corridor, Felix arrived at Professor McGonagall's office, ready to discuss the weather issue for Animagus training. He was prepared to reluctantly admit the fact that he could summon a 'storm of thunder and lightning.'

The door was slightly ajar, and a gentle push opened it. He heard voices inside.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Noel, but Hogwarts currently doesn't accept transfer students for higher grades... We do have exchange programs with Ilvermorny, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang schools, but they've been put on hold due to the war, and this is school-to-school cooperation, not for individuals... Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore shares the same sentiment."

Felix pushed the door open, and Professor McGonagall was facing him, talking to a middle-aged couple. He was somewhat surprised, having just heard the surname 'Noel,' he had thought there was a stylish old lady inside, but the result was somewhat different from what he had imagined.

"I'm sorry. We'll come back," the man said hoarsely.

They didn't linger, getting up and leaving. As Felix passed them, he caught sight of a sharp-featured face, and those blue-green eyes left a deep impression.

"Oh, Felix," Professor McGonagall said from behind her desk, looking relieved.

"What's with that family?" Felix sat on the couch, seemingly asking casually.

"They're from America, planning to move to Britain and settle down, hoping to let their children finish the last half year here." Professor McGonagall said. "They insisted on it after arguing with me for a long time."

"They couldn't wait even half a year?"

"I find it strange too. They said things aren't very stable over there..." Professor McGonagall said. They discussed the weather issue for the rest of the time, and when Felix stated his purpose, she unexpectedly laughed.

"I was actually going to ask Dumbledore for help, no, not for a storm... but for the next full moon. The leaves of the mandrake must receive pure moonlight after being thoroughly reacted with saliva, but the weather has been a bit gloomy lately." Professor McGonagall said seriously. "If we fail due to weather conditions, I doubt those students would have the patience to do it all over again."

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