The Forest Guardians

38. HP Chapter 9

Mike's POV

After the reveal of Peter Pettigrew, Dumbledore immediately took over things. The whole misunderstanding of Sirius being the killer of the Potters was cleared to the Wizarding World, especially to Harry. He was released immediately and Peter took his place in Azkaban.

All that happened within a span of a couple of weeks.

Of course, I made sure I wasn't noticed by the Ministry of Magic or more trouble would follow.

The existence of Guardians is often... unwelcoming to many residents of any Worlds.

[System Notification:

Due to drastic changes in storyline, the Library has listed this deviated story as a fan fiction story.

NEW! Fan Fiction Universe discovered.

NEW! Guardians can now access Fan Fiction Universe and change the storyline according to one's wishes.]

I didn't think it was possible to change how a story goes.

I thought that a Guardian's job is to protect the books and the universes within them for eternity until death. That a Guardian's job is to ensure that the storyline continues without any changes...

Maybe a Guardian's job is more than just protecting books.

I concluded as I observed the first snow appearing from one of the school windows. It was Christmas in the Wizarding World. That means that I have stayed in this World for a few months now.

If I don't hurry back to the Library any time soon, Omen would be back by then. Given her personality, she would probably try to enter this World and hurry me.

Also, the issue with the Countess...

I sighed as I rubbed my temples. After uttering the password, the statue to the headmaster's office creaked and gave way for me to enter.

"Micheal, good that you are here." Professor Dumbledore said as he gestured for me to sit.

"I believe you found how the memory was made?"

"Hope. And lots of good and happy memories. Memories that you hold dear to yourself. That is the key to understanding this phenomenon."

Then as demonstration, he pulled out a strand of memory from himself and placed it in a bottle. He capped it and waited for it to work. True enough, it was wriggling around with a mind of its own.

"Just... just like that?"

I couldn't believe it. It felt like if I search hard enough, I should have known the memory was made like that.

"I... Thank you, Professor." I continued when standing up. I extended a hand for a handshake and Professor Dumbledore took it. "Without you, I would have spent a longer time on this."

"You don't have to thank me. You staying here has been a great help to me especially when you protected the students. Not only that, you helped cleared Sirius Black's supposed crime and reunite him with young Harry Potter."

"But you're the one doing all the work." I gave a sideway smile.

Then I suddenly remembered something.

"Someone tipped off to the Ministry about Buckbeak's attack."

There was a curious twinkle in his eyes as he let go of my hand.

"Yes. But I think the matter will be resolved soon."

I was confused.

"How?"

"Sirius Black." He winked at me. I still couldn't comprehend how Sirius Black could help with all this. "Give it some time and I'm sure the hearing will end pleasantly."

"If you say so."

We walked towards the door. Dumbledore opened his door before he spoke again.

"I believe that you will leave the school after this?"

I pondered for a moment. It was true that I could leave anytime but...

"I think I will stay for a just one more week. There are still some matters that I will need to tend to."

The sides of Professor Dumbledore's mouth moved upwards albeit paired with a slightly regretful expression.

~~~~~

"Why... am I here again?" I frowned when I stood in front of the Room of Requirements. I wasn't paying attention since I had memorised the way to going outside the castle. But it seemed that a compelling force had brought me back here.

"Fine."

I walked past the spot three times while wondering about what brought me here. When I opened my eyes, a door had appeared.

The door lead to was an enormous room filled with peculiar objects. It was a never-ending maze which its walls were small hills of piled up objects that their previous owners had left them here and never came back to get them again.

"Am I supposed to find something here?"

I rose an eyebrow in disbelief. Then, I sighed with helplessness.

"This is just like finding a needle in a haystack."

Stepping fully into the room, I closed the door. To my surprise, it disappeared. Apparently, it looked like I will have to find this object before I could leave this room. Someone must have arranged this because I knew the room operated according to the requester's demands and needs.

Could that person be in here?

With that in mind, I walked aimlessly around the endless mountains of queer objects. Occasionally, I cast a spell to search for the person but it ended with nothing.

I walked past a mannequin wearing the Ravenclaw's diadem. I narrowed my eyes when I heard faint whispers from it. The sensation was similar to Dark Shadow's Black Pearl.

"Could Dark Shadow have gotten his inspiration from the horcruxes?" I wondered out aloud while continuing my aimless stroll.

However, that was not possible.

A horcrux, as defined by the magical world of Harry Potter, is a cursed item used to house a fragment of the caster's soul for the purpose of attaining immortality. While Dark Shadow's Black Pearl, from what we had experienced in the Black Butler World, was made from negativity born from humans to turn and manipulate anyone who had ingested it. So far it was an unfinished product but the next one that we will soon encounter, could very well even control Guardians like marionette dolls.

So, the both of them are very different in uses.

Suddenly, there was a thud when I passed a bedside table. I paused and glanced down.

It was a pack of ordinary poker cards.

There was a motif of common wild flowers decorating the border of the cover with a violet eye on the centre. A squiggly cross was on it, as though someone had vandalised it.

I bent down to pick it up for a closer look. Something about the drawing of the eye was bothering me.

As if on cue, a furious roar of wind blew on me that I couldn't help but closed my eyes and raised my hands to protect myself.

When it had died down, I lowered my hands and opened my eyes. Much to my surprise, I found myself outside the Room of Requirements. I returned my attention to the pack of cards that I was holding.

"So, this is what I'm supposed to take?"

~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~ 26 April 2021

2 more chapters before we can conclude this Arc of the story. After that, I may have to take a short hiatus because I'm getting a bit of a block in how to continue after this. I could barely write in 5 chapters for the next Arc so that is a bit of problem. Will tell you guys more once this Arc ends.