12dz Chapter 204 The Unshakable Hand Holds the Sword!
Chapter 204 The Unshakable Hand Holds the Sword!
Chapter 204 The Unshakable Hand Holds the Sword!
After a night of fun in the Burrow, Harry instantly forgot the little unpleasantness he encountered at the Dursleys' house, and only Ron was picked up by Mr. Weasley when he came back from work. For half an hour, although he knew that his son was good at fighting, he had to be on guard against others. The lunatic hiding in the dark was not an ordinary troublemaker.
After breakfast the next day, as the green flames in the fireplace flickered one after another, Ron and the three of them soon came to a strange house.
"Neville, your friends are here."
Mrs. Neville's grandmother, Mrs. Augusta Longbottom, spoke in a resonant voice, which did not diminish her aging appearance at all. Her complexion was very good, and there was a kind smile on her face.
"Sit down, sit down, I'll ask Moti to prepare some snacks for you, Neville is in the backyard, he'll be here soon."
"It's really rare. There haven't been so many guests at home for a long time."
The old lady got up from the chair. Although she was at home, she was still wearing a simple but elegant formal attire, but she didn't wear the vulture stuffed hat on her head today.
"You're Ron Weasley, aren't you?"
Mrs. Longbottom held out her hand and shook Ron, "Thank you very much for taking care of Neville at school."
"And you, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter."
"There's nothing better than Neville being able to make friends with brilliant kids like you at school."
They were flattered by Mrs. Longbottom's enthusiasm. After all, in the few words that Neville leaked before, Mrs. Longbottom was a very serious person. The hat seemed to confirm what Neville said.
After a few plates of delicious snacks were served on the coffee table, there was a sound of hurried footsteps, Neville was holding a long sword in his hand, and he was all drenched in sweat, wiping the sweat off his face, Then he showed them a simple and honest smile.
"You are here!"
Before Neville could get close, Mrs. Longbottom pulled out an old stick with pulp all over it, and knocked it on Neville's forehead with lightning speed. .
"That's it?"
After being lightly glanced at by Mrs. Longbottom, Neville, who was immediately cowardly, drooped his eyebrows and said repeatedly. He smiled apologetically at Ron and the others, and then went back and forth in a hurry.
After gently teaching Neville a lesson, Mrs. Longbottom put away the stick in her hand.
"As a member of the ancient Longbottom family, how can you be rude in front of the guests? You laugh at me."
Then the old lady bid farewell to the three of them. A group of children are here. If there are elders around, the children will be somewhat restrained.
After eating two shortbread, Neville, who was tidied up, appeared from the corridor just now.
He scratched his hair and smiled cheerfully. The little embarrassment just now made Neville a little unsure how to speak.
"Grandma didn't scare you, did she? In fact, she's usually uh. Normally she's like that too."
Immediately running out of words, Neville was so embarrassed that he didn't know what to do. He sat on the sofa next to the coffee table, showing an embarrassed but honest smile.
Neville's appearance immediately made Ron and the others laugh. After laughing for a while, they found the feeling of getting along in school again.
To be honest, Neville's change is a huge change visible to the naked eye. After studying with Bell Ryder for a few months, his originally fleshy face has lost a lot of weight. Neville, who has been studying hard during the holidays, is now I can't see the appearance of the little fat man at all. If it weren't for that cheerful smile that remained unchanged, I guess that after returning to school, the classmates would not recognize who he is.
Longbottom's house is a very traditional wizard's mansion, with three floors and a large open-air backyard. In a corner of the yard, there is also a small and vibrant herb greenhouse, which is full of all kinds of magic plants with teeth and claws. Although crowded in the not-so-large space, these magical plants miraculously did not fight, and stayed in their respective territories peacefully.
Following Neville to visit his home, the four of them pulled out a tablecloth and spread it out on the lawn in the backyard, eating snacks and drinking tea, and then shared their experiences during the holiday.
While talking, the topic came to the matter of Ron Hermione picking up Harry yesterday, and Bellatrix's name was brought up naturally.
"In other words, she really escaped from Azkaban, right?"
They didn't see any excitement or anger from Neville.
"Grandma has already told me, three days ago, that Bellatrix has escaped from Azkaban for several days, but the Ministry of Magic dare not announce it to the public."
"Grandma beat Fudge pretty hard with her handbag in the Ministry of Magic, and she told me later that if Fudge didn't handle it well, his position as Minister for Magic might really be over soon. "
"I don't care when the Ministry of Magic announces this"
Neville lowered his head slightly, he clenched his fists tightly, and there was a tremor in his voice that he didn't know whether it was nervousness or excitement.
"She was able to escape from prison. Actually, it's pretty good"
"Ron, I'm not. I mean." Neville seemed to realize something, he raised his head and waved at Ron repeatedly, "I didn't mean that, I mean"
"I'm not afraid of getting troubled." Seeing Neville's nervous look, Ron quickly interrupted his explanation, "Even if Voldemort suddenly appeared in front of me, I guess it would be a little difficult to deal with it directly."
He smiled and waved his hands, so what if Bellatrix escaped from prison for himself, simply equating age and strength is an incorrect thing, especially in this unscientific In the world of magic, this equation is even more untenable.
"How about we give her a chance now?"
"If we go back to Hogwarts, even if she wants to trouble me, I feel that there should be no chance. There are so many professors there. Bellatrix has a few wands in her hand and can come to support at any time. Are the professors playing tricks?"
"How about going camping? Find a big lake and we'll go fishing there. It's so boring to stay at home every day. Shouldn't you go out and walk more during the holidays?"
"That's pretty good!" Harry, who had never gone out for a camping picnic, had bright eyes. Even when he was in elementary school, he basically never participated in spring outings and autumn outings. Only Dudley could go, bringing He went out with a big bag of snacks, then returned home empty, and showed off triumphantly in front of Harry.
They were chatting until noon. After Madam Longbottom told them that it was time for lunch, the group of little wizards came back to their senses. A sumptuous lunch filled their stomachs, and Madam Longbottom readily agreed Wei's request to go out.
However, there was one more thing he needed to do before Neville left.
Holding a double-layer insulation box, under the leadership of Mrs. Longbottom, they left the Longbottom family's mansion. After walking out of this place, Ron and the others discovered the unusualness of this mansion.
A mansion with an open-air yard and an area of almost an acre is actually located in an old house in the city of London. The mirrored oak door they pushed open looked like a rusty red iron door from the outside. , the door with the broken lock can still make a creaking sound when the wind blows.
"St. Mungo's is not far from here, just walk outside."
Neville was already very familiar with this kind of thing, "It's just two streets away next door, and the entrance to St. Mungo's is there."
It is noon in August, the sun is still hot, there are few pedestrians and cars on the street.
After passing through several alleys and two streets, a house made of red bricks appeared in the middle of the street, with a dilapidated sign hanging on it, which read: Taotao Co., Ltd., here is a Abandoned dilapidated department store.
The place looks dilapidated and deserted, with only a few cracked dummies in the window in various poses with wigs askew, clothes from at least ten years ago, and "Closed Business" hanging on the dusty door. "Renovation" big brand, but it is very doubtful whether it is possible to reopen here, or whether this place has ever opened or not.
"It's right here, we're going to go in from here later."
Neville led Ron and the others to a display window. There was a particularly ugly female dummy in it. It had many cracks and peeling marks on its body. The false eyelashes were about to fall off. It was wearing an ugly green nylon dress.
"We're coming to see Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom."
Mrs. Longbottom spoke softly to the dummy. Although the street was very quiet, her voice was also very low. If Muggles saw this kind of talking to the dummy, they would definitely find it inconceivable, but in the wizarding world , in fact, this is not surprising.
The dummy nodded slightly after hearing Mrs. Longbottom's words, and then waved its sticky fingers. After getting a response, they walked straight into the platform like they were entering platform nine and three quarters. into the glass window.
It felt like walking through a curtain of slightly cool water, yet warm and dry.
The ugly dummy and the tattered window it stood in disappeared, and they seemed to be in a crowded waiting room, with rows of wizards and wizards sitting on rickety wooden chairs, some of them looking very ugly. Normal, still reading the outdated "Wizard Weekly", and the other part looks quite eye-catching.
Some people have huge tumors growing on their heads, or a head growing on a tumor, and their bodies have become deformed due to the wrong use of magic or magic items.
Especially for some wizards who try to transform the human body, their transfiguration skills are not good enough so that they only partially complete the transformation. Two or three feet long fangs, the mouths can't be closed, and some have extra arms and feet, making them even more grotesque like radiation mutants.
Some of them made strange noises and some smelled badly, which made people who had just walked from the empty streets look uncomfortable with the noise here.
There are many wizards in green robes walking around among the waiting people asking about the situation, and then writing and drawing on the clipboard. They all have a badge embroidered on their chests, which is a cross made of wands and bones.
"I think these doctors need to take care of their own safety."
Hermione frowned slightly. He saw a St. Mungo's doctor approaching a patient covered in horrible pustules without any protection. While admiring their courage, Hermione also wanted them to pay attention For her own safety, after all, she saw the abscess exploded and was very disgusted. She grabbed Ron's sleeve and raised her arm to cover her mouth.
"Doctor?" Neville was stunned for a moment, "Oh, I see, but in St. Mungo's, they are called therapists. The patients here are all mild and non-infectious. The intensive care unit and infectious disease unit are in another place. not here."
Neville was very clear about St. Mungo's layout. After all, he had been here eight hundred times if not a thousand.
"hope so."
Hermione still didn't put down her sleeves, she didn't dare to glance at the place just now, because she heard the slight sound of a series of pustules bursting.
"Why do you add abscess potion to the bath? This is the seventh time this month! And this month has only passed a week!"
Probably because of being sprayed all over, the therapist spoke angrily. He waved his wand to clean up the bursting juice, and his voice was full of despair.
"This can make me defecate smoothly. Constipation is much more serious than abscess." The wizard who exploded on the ground said in a low voice. Hearing these words, it seemed that he was still planning to die.
"You have been prescribed medicine for constipation seven times, seven times!"
"Is it?"
"Yes!" The gnashing of teeth was clearly audible even after they were far away.
"it is this?"
"That's right!"
"You can't eat it all at once."
"Run!"
The therapist roared, and when people looked at him curiously, people saw a pale and green face with fright.
"Bang~"
The therapist didn't even need to explain why, the guy with the pustules was blown up on the spot, a stench spread quickly with those disgusting things, and after a mess of turmoil, the clean The curse was used in turn to suppress this tragic situation within a controllable area.
"Magic made his brain broken?" Ron asked wonderingly, how could this not look like a normal person, why could he be a wizard?
"Probably, if there is no problem, how come to St. Mungo's, right?"
Neville, who was not surprised, shrugged. He had seen worse patients.
After ignoring the small accident that happened on the first floor, they turned around and went up the stairs to the fifth floor, which is the floor of the Spell Injury Department.
"Neville, you're here today too."
Just after they reached the fifth floor, a female therapist who was holding an empty tray greeted Neville with a smile. She knew Neville very well.
"And Mrs. Longbottom, good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Julia."
Mrs. Longbottom also smiled and nodded. This therapist, who wore a filigree garland and exuded a warm maternal radiance, took care of patients with permanent spell injuries like the Longbottoms.
"They've been in pretty good shape lately, especially after Neville's back from holiday, I can see they're happy."
"Hurry up Neville, they are all looking forward to the lunch you brought, what is it today? I can smell the sweet scent of butter, it must be very good!"
Julia leaned over and hugged Neville, "I still need to take care of Agnes and Mr. Bird, see you next time."
"See you."
After leaving Julia, they walked straight along the corridor. This is the long-term ward, and almost every house is closed. There are faint sounds from time to time, but there is no strange smell.
They came to the middle and back of the corridor. Mrs. Longbottom tapped the lock with her wand, then pushed the door and walked in.
Two gray-haired men and women with withered and haggard faces were sitting silently beside the bed. They should have thought about Neville, but the two with round and happy faces had turned into the withered appearance of the current book because of the torture of the Cruciatus Curse. .
Mrs. Longbottom was very calm, and Neville was also very calm, but the three of them who followed them into the ward couldn't calm down.
Neville's father seemed to be more seriously ill, he was a little stunned and his eyes were full of numbness, while Neville's mother slowly got up after Neville and the others entered.
She opened her mouth slightly, but she couldn't make a sound, her thin fingers were as dry as rotten wood, and she seemed to be holding something in her palm.
Those eyes that were too big due to being too thin stared straight at Neville, she weakly raised her hand, and Neville also bent down so that she would not have to exert so much effort.
The skinny hand stroked his son's healthy and smooth skin, and a line of water drops silently moistened the dead bark-like skin.
Neville's mother slightly moved her eyes away, staring at the water droplets on the back of her hand in a daze, then moved her palm lightly, very lightly, as if she wanted to wipe away the tears on Neville's face.
There was a slight sound like a breath, and she placed her other hand in front of Neville, and then spread out the palm, which contained a piece of wrapping paper of Chubao Super Bubble Gum.
Neville accepted his mother's gift with great care, which made Mrs. Longbottom sigh slightly.
"thanks Mom."
Neville hugged his frail mother carefully, and combed her dry and messy hair.
"I brought you and Daddy lunch, your favourites."
Then Neville held his mother's arm and led her to sit with his father.
The food in the double-layer food box is not too much, but everything is very careful.
The soft aroma filled the room, and Neville's father, who was originally dumbfounded, moved his eyelids a little.
He was more seriously injured than his wife, and had even lost a lot of external perception and feedback, but the familiar smell that had been familiar for ten years could awaken the few remaining fluctuations in him.
Neville skillfully fed the lunch to his parents spoon by spoon. His hand was very steady, without any tremor, because it was his hand holding the sword, and no tremor was allowed.
It seemed to be too silent, Neville sat between them after gently wiping the stains on the corners of their mouths, then held their hands and talked to them softly, somewhat ramblingly. His own, his and his friends', his school's.
"I"
Ron opened his mouth slightly, but his voice seemed a little hoarse and he couldn't speak clearly.
"I go out for a while."
Ron patted Harry on the shoulder, rubbed Hermione's hair, and left the room quietly.
At the end of the corridor, there is a small empty platform, one window is open, but it is protected by a fence fence.
Outside the window is the street scene of London, but under the scorching sun, there are still few pedestrians to be seen.
Ron lay on the window sill and closed his eyes slightly.
"Master!"
"I see, brat, I'm a good uncle after all, right?"
"Come back with her head, that's the way to go, right?"
"Correct."
"Then do it."
"Thank you, sir, it's very kind of you."
"Stinky boy" the uncle cursed with a smile, "Go ahead, do what you want to do, even if you turn the world upside down, your uncle will always be your uncle."
"What about the resurrection?"
"The rules of each world are different. Even if it is me, although I can modify the rules, it is best not to do so. It will cause big trouble. At that time, your uncle, I can only take your soul~ run away .”
"Can't you?"
"If you change to a world where resurrection is similar to farting, then you can play whatever you want, but here, the underlying rules determine."
"Remember what that old Dumbledore said to you?"
"Death is just a greater adventure?" Ron speculated.
"At least this sentence, he got a glimpse of the essence of this world."
"Remember, there is no regret at all, you can only go on firmly, no matter what choice you make."
"I remember my uncle, I will."
"That's good."
Ron slowly opened his eyes, and the eyes were bright, slightly dazzling.
When he returned to the room, Neville also seemed to have ended his unresponsive conversation with his parents.
"We should go."
Mrs. Longbottom glanced back at her son and daughter-in-law for the last time, then closed the door gently, and they left this huge hospital full of unpleasant smells without the pungent disinfectant smell.
"Any owls? I want to send a letter."
After returning to Neville's house, Ron borrowed a pen and paper, and wrote quickly on it.
"It's too late for her to come to the door, the sooner the better, isn't it?"
The flying owl took the letter to the place where it was to be delivered, and they also left Neville's house and came to Diagon Alley.
Rewatched Order of the Phoenix today, while rewatching Chapter 23, St. Mungo's Hospital.
I was both amused and pissed off.
Le is in Rowling's description of Ron, the positioning of the buffoon is not concealed at all, the following is an excerpt from the original text:
"This is the skin Shen Ke, young master, it will leave scars, making you less attractive than you are now—"
"Who do you think is not attractive?" Ron's ears turned red.
"The only way is to take the liver of a toad and stick it on the throat, and stand naked in a bucket of eel eyes when the sun and moon are shining brightly—"
"I don't have pinto beans!"
"But you have obvious flaws on your face, young master—"
But Qi, it was when Qi met Neville later, Harry's reaction at that time was to divert other people's attention, so as not to embarrass Neville, after all, Neville's expression was still very obvious.
Ron's mouth, however, was connected to the rectum and couldn't be blocked without a contraction of the sphincter.
Afterwards, he spoke loudly at various inopportune times. Harry on the side was almost scalped. This EQ is negative just like IQ?
When he met Lockhart before, Ron still felt guilty that his bad wand made Lockhart lose his memory. If it wasn't for this, he and Harry would have been washed out of memory, and Ginny would be dead. I don't know Should he be said to be stupid, or hopelessly stupid?
That's my sister's life, you're guilty ass, if your wand isn't broken, Ginny will be dead!
What an indescribable original Ron, I'll never have the slightest liking for him.
By the way, I only wrote 6K today, so I will try my best to write [-] tomorrow, and start writing when I wake up in the morning.
(End of this chapter)