The Rise of the God-Emperor

CH 13: Breaking Away

The rest of the day dragged on with a strange tension that Harry couldn't quite shake. His classes passed in a haze, and though he dutifully took notes and paid attention, he felt a growing sense of detachment from the people around him. Even as Hermione fired off answers during Charms class, her hand shooting up before Flitwick could finish asking the question, and Ron grumbled about his latest essay for Potions, Harry felt as though he were drifting further and further away from them.

And the truth was, he didn't mind.

Ron had spent the entire lunch period complaining about trivial things—homework, Quidditch, how Fred and George had pranked him again in their latest letter. His voice droned on like static, and Harry found himself tuning out more often than not. Every joke Ron cracked fell flat, every complaint felt hollow. Once, this had been normal—comforting, even—but now, it just seemed like noise.

Hermione, meanwhile, had been prattling on about her own problems. She had always been bossy and overbearing, but lately, her incessant need to control every situation, to correct and educate, grated on Harry's nerves like never before. Her sharp comments about Harry's supposed lack of focus in class were more frequent, her tone becoming more critical with each passing hour. She seemed completely oblivious to the weight Harry was carrying, far more interested in her academic achievements than anything else.

"Honestly, Harry, you really should be taking this more seriously," Hermione had scolded during their walk to Defense Against the Dark Arts. "You've been so distracted lately. I mean, I understand that you're dealing with a lot, but the NEWTs are coming, and if you don't—"

"I know, Hermione," Harry had cut her off, his voice sharper than he intended. He was tired of hearing the same lecture over and over, as though nothing else mattered except their grades and future careers. How could she possibly understand what he was going through? The pull of power, the connection he felt with the castle, the throne waiting in the shadows—none of that would ever fit into her neat little world of textbooks and schedules.

Hermione huffed, clearly irritated. "Well, if you do know, maybe you should start acting like it."

Ron, trailing behind them, chuckled. "Blimey, Harry. You've got your work cut out for you if Hermione's on your case."

Harry clenched his fists but said nothing. He didn't have the energy to argue, and he didn't want to explain himself. Instead, he kept walking, tuning them out again, letting their voices fade into the background. The more time he spent with them, the more he realized how different he had become. And though part of him felt the weight of that realization, another part—the part connected to the power that pulsed within the castle—felt... free.

Later that day, as the sun began to set and the corridors of Hogwarts grew quieter, Harry found himself walking alone. After another frustrating session with Ron and Hermione—one filled with endless debates about homework and plans for the weekend—he had excused himself, saying he needed to finish some reading for Transfiguration. In reality, he just needed to get away from them.

He wandered through the castle, his feet guiding him without any real destination in mind. The pull from last night still lingered in his chest, though fainter now, like a distant hum that never fully went away. The castle was alive around him, watching, waiting, but it wasn't demanding anything from him. Not yet.

As he rounded a corner, he spotted Luna standing near a tall window, the last rays of sunlight catching in her silver hair. She was staring out at the grounds, a small smile playing on her lips as though she were watching something no one else could see.

"Luna," Harry said, walking over to her, relieved to see a friendly face.

She turned, her expression soft as ever. "Hello, Harry. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Harry blinked, confused for a moment. "What do you mean?"

Luna tilted her head slightly, as if the answer should have been obvious. "You've been searching for something all day. I could feel it."

Harry sighed, leaning against the windowsill beside her. "I don't know if I found it yet. I just... I needed to get away from them."

"Ron and Hermione?" Luna asked, though her tone didn't carry any judgment.

Harry nodded. "They don't get it, Luna. They never will. They're so focused on their own problems—on schoolwork and Quidditch—that they don't see what's happening around them. Or what's happening to me."

Luna watched him for a moment, her eyes filled with quiet understanding. "They've always lived in their own worlds, haven't they?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "I guess I never noticed it before. But now... it's like we're not even on the same path anymore."

"They're part of your past, Harry," Luna said, turning back to the window. "And you're moving into your future. Sometimes, that means letting go of the people who can't walk that path with you."

Her words settled over him like a blanket, soft but heavy with truth. Harry had always thought Ron and Hermione would be with him until the end, but now, as he stood here with Luna, he realized that wasn't true. They couldn't follow him down the road he was heading. They didn't understand the weight of what was happening inside Hogwarts, or the power that was starting to grow within him. They couldn't feel it like he could.

"I don't know what's going to happen next," Harry admitted. "But I know I can't keep pretending everything is the same."

Luna's eyes sparkled with a kind of knowing that only she seemed to possess. "The castle has already chosen you, Harry. You don't need to explain yourself to anyone. You just need to follow the path it's laid out for you."

Harry felt a strange calm settle over him at her words. Luna always knew the right thing to say, always cut through the confusion and doubt without even trying. She wasn't like Ron or Hermione, who constantly questioned and criticized. She saw things the way Harry was starting to see them—clearly, without the noise.

"Thanks, Luna," Harry said, his voice quiet but sincere.

She smiled again, her gaze drifting back toward the horizon. "You're welcome, Harry. But don't thank me. You already know what you need to do. I'm just here to remind you of that."

For the first time in days, Harry felt lighter. He stood with Luna for a while longer, watching as the last of the daylight faded and the stars began to appear, twinkling faintly in the deepening night. The castle, ever watchful, seemed to hum with approval around them, its magic wrapping itself around Harry like a cloak.

He didn't need Ron or Hermione. They were part of a chapter in his life that was closing, and while he would always remember their friendship, he knew now that his future lay elsewhere.

The throne awaited him, and soon, Harry would be ready to claim it.

The night fell quietly over Hogwarts, but Harry's thoughts were anything but silent. Luna's words echoed in his mind, steady and reassuring. He was walking a different path now, one that required him to leave certain things—and people—behind. Ron and Hermione, with their constant bickering and small-minded concerns, were no longer part of his journey. And for the first time, Harry was at peace with that.

The castle knew. And so did he.

The time for change had come.