Struggling to survive at Hogwarts

Chapter 289 Departure

"That sword can destroy Horcruxes! Because it's tainted with the basilisk's venom!"

"---The reason Dumbledore didn't give it to you before was because he wanted to keep it to destroy that ring!"

"—And the reason he didn't include the sword in his will was because of the Ministry of Magic!"

"—That's right!"

Harry was so excited that his face turned red. The long-awaited dawn made it impossible for him to maintain his composure. Although it was an exaggeration to describe it as a ray of sunshine, there was no doubt that this news had given him a boost of confidence.

"—There's another question: Where did Dumbledore hide the real sword?"

Hermione was equally excited, but she remained relatively rational.

"Not at Hogwarts—that's absolutely true!"

Harry began to pace slowly, as if this would give him more inspiration.

“Maybe it’s the Screaming Shack, after all, it’s a place where we share secrets?” Hermione guessed.

“But Snape also knew that it wasn’t foolproof!” Harry immediately realized this.

“That’s true. Although Dumbledore trusts Snape, but…”

Hermione didn't say what she meant after that, but Harry understood.

Harry and Hermione were so engrossed in their discussion that they didn't notice Ron, who was standing silently like a stone.

What was clearly a tacit discussion between close friends appeared so jarring to Ron.

Perhaps I shouldn't be here.

Ron tried to convince himself with a joking tone, but... it had little effect.

Perhaps... I shouldn't have come out with them.

Harry has fighting skills, and Hermione has knowledge; one is intellectual and the other is physical, which is enough.

And what else can he do besides being a burden and a third party?

Unbeknownst to him, Ron's self-loathing grew stronger, and he unconsciously used various negative words to condemn his adventure.

His mother's worries, his father's helplessness, Ginny's punishment... he was powerless to change any of these.

He was utterly disgusted by this powerlessness.

Some people will open their hearts to those they trust when they are weak, while others will do the opposite, only raising thicker and higher armor around themselves, even using sharp spikes to hurt those who come to them.

Unfortunately, Ron was the latter.

Even afterward, Hermione was still terrified by the tense atmosphere at the time.

When the conflict reached its peak, Harry and Ron's faces were devoid of any human emotion.

With cold faces and gritted teeth, they desperately turned their words into the sharpest venomous thorns, hurling them at each other as if they wanted nothing more than for the other to die on the spot.

Harry roared:

"My parents are dead!"

"But my parents might suffer the same fate!"

Ron roared back, not to be outdone.

After those two sentences, Hermione, who had been standing frozen to the side, completely gave up.

Both parents are the Achilles' heel of their parents; once touched, there is no turning back.

As Hermione had predicted, Ron left.

------

"I was too impulsive at the time."

Harry said this to Hermione afterwards, but before Hermione could be amazed by Harry's maturity, his next words left her frozen in place.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have involved him."

“I have no parents, so I shouldn’t let him repeat my tragedy.”

Harry spoke with a calm look in his eyes and an expression on his face that Hermione couldn't decipher.

He was standing right in front of Hermione, and they were about the same height, but Hermione realized that Harry had grown into an adult she couldn't understand.

Seeing the astonishing light in Harry's eyes, Hermione suddenly had a premonition: what he was about to say wouldn't please her.

as predicted.

Harry didn't hear Hermione's thoughts, so he continued talking to himself.

"Hermione, I don't want to see my tragedy repeated on any of you—"

"I shouldn't be a burden to you anymore."

"So, you can leave now."

"I'll go find the Horcrux, you don't need to worry."

To be honest, Hermione wasn't surprised at all at the time.

Because she already knew what kind of person Harry was.

Kind and innocent, even though his face is as cold as ice, his sincerity remains unchanged.

But what good is it if you know exactly what kind of person Harry is?

Hermione's rationality told her that she shouldn't argue with Harry again, as it could very well lead to him leaving without saying goodbye.

Hermione was absolutely certain that Harry was capable of doing something like that.

But reason prevailed, and Hermione, suppressing the urge to punch this idiot to wake him up, said, word by word:

“Harry, I don’t know how to make you believe that I’m abandoning everything and risking my life to stay by your side to save the wizarding world.”

"Perhaps it is the expectations Dumbledore and the others had of you that shaped your current self-sacrificing character, but you must understand one thing:

You are neither the Minister of Magic nor the number one wizard.

“If we hadn’t left Hogwarts, you would still be a Hogwarts student who hasn’t graduated.”

"No one has the right to place the responsibility for the destruction of the world on you based solely on a title."

"Similarly, I follow you because we share the same goal, which has nothing to do with the title of savior, but is based on an identity, the identity of a wizard."

"Harry, do you understand what I mean?"

I understand, how could I not understand?

Looking at Hermione, who was thin yet resolute, with incredibly dark circles under her eyes, Harry nodded without saying a word.

He was speechless.

So he could only keep his mouth shut and pray to Merlin in his heart with the utmost sincerity:

If there truly is a God, I beg you, I beg you, please don't take away the friendship I have now.

If there truly is a god, I beg you, please let Ron return. I'm willing to pay any price just to have him come back.