Harry held that useless bezoar, standing as still as a stone statue.
Ron sat on the floor, blankly wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth.
Slughorn's face looked even worse than Ron's when he was being poisoned, sweat soaking the few sparse hairs on his forehead.
"W-what was that?" he stammered, his voice shaking like a leaf. "That spell..."
Hermione did not answer him.
She walked over to Ron, knelt down, and gave him a light tap with the tip of her magic wand; a Drying Charm restored his decency.
"How do you feel?" she asked, her tone flat and devoid of any emotion.
"B-better," Ron said as he stood up, stretching his limbs. "Just a bit dizzy. Just now... I felt like I was choking on something."
"It was poison," Hermione said succinctly.
She glanced at the overturned bottle of mead, then at the pale-faced Slughorn.
"It seems someone wanted to send a 'grand gift' to Headmaster Dumbledore through you."
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Slughorn's head.
He shuddered, the last trace of color draining from his face.
"N-no... that's impossible!"
Just then, the office door was burst open.
Dumbledore strode in, the usual gentleness gone from his blue eyes. Professor McGonagall and Snape followed close behind.
"Horace," Dumbledore's voice was exceptionally grave, "I heard one of my students had an accident here."
His gaze swept across the room.
Seeing Ron unharmed, he visibly relaxed.
But when his eyes fell on Hermione and Lia, especially Lia's excessively calm blue eyes, he paused.
Slughorn, as if finding a savior, scrambled over and incoherently recounted everything that had just happened.
He deliberately omitted the eerie spell Lia had cast, emphasizing only that he had brought out the wine intended for Dumbledore, which Ron had unfortunately drunk by mistake.
Snape said nothing; he walked to the wine stain, knelt down, dipped a finger in it, and sniffed it.
"It's a mixture of several rare poisons," he stood up and looked at Dumbledore. "The method is professional, yet foolish. The poisoner clearly overestimated themselves and underestimated Hogwarts."
His gaze swept the room, finally landing on Hermione with an inquisitive look.
"Miss Granger," he drawled, "to my knowledge, such a potent poison would take time to subside even with the immediate administration of a bezoar. Mr. Weasley seems to have... recovered far too quickly."
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Hermione.
Harry also stared at her intently; he needed an explanation.
Hermione met Snape's gaze, her expression unruffled.
"Professor, as you know, I have always enjoyed reading. Especially... obscure books on Ancient Runes and ancient rituals."
She spoke unhurriedly.
"Some ancient Purification rituals, under specific circumstances, are far more effective than conventional antidotes."
She casually attributed Lia's god-like ability to an 'ancient ritual'.
It was an unfalsifiable answer.
Snape's lips thinned into a harsh line; he didn't press further, but the suspicion in his eyes deepened.
Dumbledore gave Hermione a deep look, then turned to Harry.
"Harry, you did well, thinking of the bezoar in an emergency," he said gently, trying to lighten the mood. "Ron, you need to go to the Hospital Wing for a check-up to ensure there are no lingering effects."
He arranged for Professor McGonagall to escort Ron and Harry out, while he stayed behind to handle the aftermath.
As Harry and Ron passed Hermione, Harry paused.
"Hermione," he whispered, his voice full of struggle, "what exactly was that Lia used just now?"
Hermione looked up and watched him quietly.
"It was a spell that could save Ron," she answered.
"That's not what I'm asking!" Harry said, his emotions becoming agitated. "I mean, that wasn't any magic we've ever learned! It looked... wrong!"
"As long as it works, isn't that enough?" Hermione countered.
Harry was left speechless by her retort.
Yes, as long as it worked, wasn't that enough?
Ron's life had been saved.
But why was the chill in his heart growing heavier and heavier?
Looking at them, it was different from him not knowing the source of that notebook.
They seemed to know exactly what they were using.
Ron stood nearby, unconcerned, with a somewhat awkward yet relaxed smile.
"Harry, forget it. Hermione and Lia saved me; we should thank them."
In the end, Harry said nothing; he just gave Hermione a look and then left with Ron, following Professor McGonagall.
Only Dumbledore, Snape, Slughorn, Hermione, and Lia remained in the office.
Dumbledore began questioning Slughorn about the source of the wine, while Hermione stood quietly in the corner like an outsider.
Lia tugged at her sleeve.
"Hermione," she whispered, "that fat man is lying. The wine wasn't a gift; he bought it himself. Snape is strange too—his scent is half foul and half fragrant."
Hermione nodded impassively.
Lia's Eye of Truth always saw the essence of things.
She knew that today's events had pushed Slughorn completely to the brink of collapse.
Obtaining that key memory about the Horcrux was now only a matter of time.
But her goal was already far beyond that.
Dumbledore was using Harry as bait to fish out Slughorn's secrets.
Lord Voldemort was using Draco as a pawn, attempting to open the gates of Hogwarts.
And she, Hermione Granger, would be the one to flip the chessboard.
After the investigation concluded, Dumbledore told Hermione and Lia to head back as well.
"Hermione," Dumbledore stopped her before she left, "Her talent and knowledge far exceed those of her peers. But remember, some knowledge inherently carries great danger."
His gaze fell on Lia, his words loaded with meaning.
"Thank you for your guidance, Headmaster," Hermione bowed slightly.
A conversation between intelligent people requires only half a sentence to understand the full meaning, or even what lies beyond.
Having said that, she didn't linger, taking Lia's hand and turning to leave.
They returned to the empty girls' dormitory.
Hermione sat on the edge of the bed, silent.
Lia lay obediently on her lap, letting her stroke her long hair rhythmically.
After a long while, Hermione took something out of the beaded bracelet on her wrist.
It was an opal necklace shimmering with an ominous light.
The very one that had severely injured Katie Bell.
In the chaos, she had used a Doubling Charm to silently swap it.
What now lay in the evidence bag in the Headmaster's Office was merely an ordinary imitation.
Hermione couldn't tell if Dumbledore hadn't noticed or if this, too, was part of his plan.
She really wasn't confident about deceiving Dumbledore.
"Borgin said Draco is having him rush the repairs on the vanishing cabinet," Hermione said softly, as if to herself. "After the failure of the Christmas plan, he's become more impatient."
Lia looked up: "The scent of fear on him is getting stronger and stronger."
"Yes, fear can drive one mad." Hermione's fingertips brushed over the necklace, feeling the life-hungry curse upon it. "Since one necklace isn't enough, I'll give him a few more'surprises'."
She then took out the Human-skin magic book she had "borrowed" from Malfoy Manor.
Opening the pages, the ancient runes upon it came to life, emitting a dim light.
Her gaze rested on a malicious chapter about 'Item Animation' and 'Curse Grafting'.
"Lia," Hermione's voice was very soft, "don't you think it would be interesting if we let this necklace actively seek out its 'new owner'?"
Lia blinked, her sky-blue eyes reflecting the twisted runes in the human-skin book.
She wore a sweet smile.
"Draco will love it."
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