A turning point suddenly appeared just as Dumbledore winked.
A brisk figure rushed from the end of the corridor, her plump body bursting into the crowd and completely blocking Sean from view.
"Oh, my poor dear!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, then grabbed Sean's hand, carefully checking if there were any issues with the curse.
"Poppy, you're here," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Well, Professor, Headmaster, I must take the patient back. We're leaving now—"
Madam Pomfrey pulled Sean along and vanished at the end of the corridor.
Leaving Professor Snape to glare fiercely at Dumbledore before turning to leave: "Albus, you had best remember what you said."
"Hogwarts should be the safest place, Albus," Professor McGonagall said. She evidently didn't believe that a typically rule-abiding wizard would run out on his own, especially since there was a prior record of this happening—Dumbledore and Sean leaving Hogwarts together, only for Sean to end up in the hospital wing upon their return.
"Ah..." Dumbledore said nothing, merely smiling calmly.
Silence returned to the corridor.
At the other end of the corridor, reminded by the word "patient," Sean realized he should be in the hospital wing right now.
He had completely forgotten.
According to his plan, he was only supposed to retrieve the scroll...
The memories in his head were chaotic, and Sean felt dizzy again.
"You need rest, child, no matter what task Headmaster Dumbledore assigned you... He really is... always taking such dangerous measures," Madam Pomfrey muttered, then handed a glass phial to Sean.
Sean looked at the phial, which was emitting a faint, silvery-white steam.
It was a Draught of Peace, a magical potion used to calm and soothe anxiety and agitation.
Madam Pomfrey sometimes used it to calm young wizards. Some Quidditch players were given this potion when injured to prevent them from becoming agitated and interfering with Madam Pomfrey's treatment.
Sean's impression of this potion was: difficult to brew.
To make this potion, ingredients had to be added to the cauldron in a strict order and quantity;
The mixture had to be stirred exactly the right number of times—no more, no less—first clockwise, then counter-clockwise;
When the cauldron boiled, the flame's temperature had to be lowered to a specific standard—neither too high nor too low—and maintained for a specific period before the final ingredient could be added. If the ingredients were added carelessly, it would put the drinker into a deep, sometimes irreversible sleep...
With so many thoughts in his head, Sean's vision blurred slightly.
Ravenclaw's memories were not so easily assimilated.
"I'm sorry, Madam Pomfrey. I ran out on my own," Sean said before becoming completely groggy.
"Oh—you don't need to cover for him. I know much more than you do. I was the nurse here decades ago..." Madam Pomfrey looked somewhat pained, seeing as Sean couldn't see clearly and was talking to a flowerpot.
"Such a nasty curse. I've rarely seen anything like it. Rest now, child."
And so, Sean's head spun even more. He drank the potion and fell into a deep sleep.
For several days, he was groggy and slept for long periods.
It might have been the effect of the Draught of Peace, but most of it was because Ravenclaw's memories were gradually integrating with him.
This was not a quick process.
During this time, Hogwarts was in an uproar.
Some said Mr. Green had received a hundred cards on Valentine's Day and was knocked unconscious by them;
Some said Mr. Green had rejected a certain young witch's kindness and was subsequently knocked out by the furious witch;
Others said Mr. Green was lost in a lucky dream and would gain great benefits!
One didn't need to think hard to know which club was spreading that rumor.
On this day, the sun was shining, and the winter snow was melting.
Evidently, it was a clear March. The wind battered the bright haystacks, and the arriving spring counted her flowers every night.
"Is Sean awake?"
Outside the hospital wing, amidst a group of people, Justin asked anxiously.
Madam Pomfrey chased them away three or four times a day, but her expression softened a bit: "He was hit by a curse. I've never seen such a nasty curse, but he will recover."
"A curse..."
Hermione murmured the word, which represented the most terrifying and dangerous part of the Dark Arts.
Beside her, Harry's face was pale.
He felt this matter wasn't simple.
Think about it: they had experienced so many dangers, yet none of them had been able to knock Sean down.
Now he was lying in the hospital, unconscious. He could probably guess who did this.
"Is Headmaster Dumbledore still at Hogwarts?" Harry forced himself to stay calm.
"That is not within my purview," Madam Pomfrey said as she shooed them out.
On the way back to the hut, the five of them said nothing.
Hermione and Justin were pale.
They knew more than the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and they knew that evil could not be completely eliminated.
Hogwarts might have encountered danger again, only for it to be nipped in the bud once more.
They felt a chill down their spines, as if a venomous snake were watching them from the shadows, ready to strike.
"Is he back?" Hermione asked Justin.
Justin nodded, then looked toward the distant horizon.
They had to get rid of Lockhart as soon as possible. That fraud taught nothing.
As a result, whenever they encountered the Dark Arts, they were flying blind, relying entirely on Sean's notes to build any understanding of Dark Magic.
As for how to counter Dark Magic, they knew nothing.
But what they had to face was the most powerful Dark Lord in the wizarding world today.
"Is the Veritaserum ready?" Justin asked.
"Just a few more days," Hermione said, knowing what he meant.
Subsequently, the two looked back at the hospital wing with worry.
Two wizards entered there again.
Snape stood silently in the shadows. In front of him was a pile of snacks consisting of Fizzing Whizzbees, Fudge Flies, Chocolate Balls, and so on.
These snacks were exactly the same as they had been three days ago; they hadn't been touched at all.
On the pristine white hospital bed behind the snack pile, Sean was still sorting through the memories in his mind.
After several days of drifting between sleep and wakefulness, these memories had finally found a suitable place. They no longer overlapped with Sean's own memories, making him feel like he was Ravenclaw.
But a problem arose—these memories were buried deeper. Sean would only recall them when triggered by specific magic.
When triggered, it felt as if Lady Ravenclaw were always by his side, guiding him.