Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 95: A Sliver of Hope
The wooden cabin felt several times bigger on the inside. The entrance hall alone was more than large enough for the entire group to stand comfortably.
Ron was the last one to cross the doorway, and as soon as he did, the door shut. "Bloody hell!" the redhead shouted.
"Welcome, please… come in." The sweet voice came from another room, further inside.
Ron, Hermione, and the twins had the same look of concern on their faces.
Ginny, however, was looking completely determined to carry this out. She walked into the main hall of the shop with no hesitation. She looked around at the countless shelves and items placed on them. Above her were more levels, too many to count, and they extended into the distance. Every level of the shop appeared to be filled with even more colorful items on its shelves.
Ginny had never seen a shop this massive. She had the feeling that she would be able to find anything she wanted in here.
"Would you like to take a look?" The shop owner was comfortably seated behind a large wooden counter, her elbows resting on its surface.
Ginny got startled and realized how lost she had become while looking at the shelves, as if she had been in some sort of trance. Only now did she notice Lady Rose staring at her with her intense blue eyes that shone like sapphires.
"No…" she responded. "I came for—"
"I know what you came here for." Lady Rose pointed at Charlie and the bundle he was carrying. "You can leave Mister Potter on that couch."
Charlie glanced in the direction she pointed and was confused to find nothing but empty space. "What cou—"
Suddenly, a magnificent maroon-colored couch manifested out of nowhere.
"Oh… okay." Charlie untied the ropes and gently placed Harry on the couch.
"First of all," Lady Rose started, "I would like to apologize for the poor reception. One cannot choose one's neighbors."
"What kind of shop is open at this time?" Ron asked while getting lost in the countless items being displayed. "Whoa! You have shirts from the Chudley Cannons. This one is even signed by the Captain!"
Hermione was drawn to another shelf, where she found many old tomes. "A first edition of A History of Hogwarts? This one was written by one of the founders!"
Charlie's eyes moved to a nearby glass case. "Are these globes made with the scales of a Norwegian Ridgeback? I have been looking for ones like these."
"Hey George, check this out. They have Skiving Snackboxes. Remember these?" Fred said.
"We used to eat tons of those when we were kids and get sick. Didn't they stop making them? Too many parents complained," George responded.
Lady Rose smiled. "I have been collecting trinkets for a very long time. In my shop, you will get whatever you desire, as long as you can pay for it, of course." She glanced at Ginny, who was no longer paying attention to the shelves. "And what do you desire?"
Ginny frowned. "Harry told me about you."
"Indeed? Mister Potter has been a good client of mine," Lady Rose said with an inquisitive look. "Is that why you came to see me? He is not looking very good today."
"I need you to heal him, please," Ginny said. "I'll pay whatever price you ask for."
"My dear, that is a dangerous thing to say. But...I am not a healer. I am a merchant." Lady Rose walked from behind the counter and moved closer to Ginny. Her feet could not be seen beneath her long dress, and it gave the impression that she was gliding across the room.
"But… Harry told me that you… If anyone knows how to help him…" Ginny clenched her fists in frustration. If this woman could not be of help, she didn't know what else to do.
"Now, now, there is no need to despair just yet." Lady Rose placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I said that I am no healer, but Mister Potter does not need one."
"You can help him, then?" A sliver of hope appeared in Ginny's eyes.
"Come here. Sit down." Lady Rose guided Ginny to Harry's side and made a couple of chairs appear next to the couch.
Once seated, she continued. "Mister Potter's body is not the problem. The issue lies in his mind… I can tell that it's currently broken."
"Broken…" Ginny flinched. "But then…"
"That is why the Obscurus is trying to gain control over his magic and body. That is how those dark creatures operate. A magical body with a broken mind is their vessel. To restore Mister Potter, his mind needs to be pieced back together. Only then will he be able to free himself from that parasite once and for all."
"You can do that?" Ginny asked, not even questioning why this woman knew so much about Harry's situation.
Lady Rose shook her head. "I'm afraid that delving into human minds is not my specialty. But do not lose hope, my child, for there is still a way."
"There is?! How?" Ginny leaned forward, wanting a proper answer.
"There may be something that you can do for him," Lady Rose said. "And perhaps you are the only one who can."
"Please, tell me how I can save him," Ginny insisted.
Lady Rose extended her hand, palm up, and a tiny box flew toward her, landing carefully on her hand. She opened the box to reveal two rings inside. They were metallic with a bluish shine to them.
"If two people who deeply care for each other wear these rings, they would create a powerful connection between them. You could make use of this connection to dive into Mister Potter's mind. You could reach the deepest parts of his psyche and perhaps… You could figure out how to restore it."
"That's it? I just have to put on that ring and go into Harry's mind?" Ginny asked.
"Ah… but it is not a simple task, my child." Lady Rose glanced at Harry. "A broken mind is a very complex place, and I have the feeling that Mister Potter's will be especially challenging. You could get lost in there and never find your way back. Do you understand what that means? You would be risking your life by doing this."
Ginny grabbed one of the rings and placed it on her finger without thinking twice. "He would do the same for me. Just tell me what to do next."
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