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HP401- To South America!
🕑 Added 2025-03-30 20:58:17 +0000 UTCHarry left Grimmauld Place after breakfast, letting Sirius ramble about some half-baked prank idea involving enchanted paint. As much as he pretended to listen, his mind was elsewhere. Once he got back to his room at the Leaky Cauldron, he shut the door, activated his privacy charms, and tossed the ring on the desk. Taking a seat, he stared at the cracked stone embedded in the ring and closed his eyes.
Harry blinked back to the physical world, wiping his forehead. Half an hour, and he could still feel the remnants of the fragment trying to worm its way into his mind even as it dissolved. Just as he was catching his breath, Nigel’s voice cut through his thoughts, dry as ever.
"That one was especially nasty. Not attached to the stone itself, but the soul piece seemed... stronger, somehow. Who knew?"
Harry hummed. "Yeah. Not the strongest, smartest, or toughest, but it could dodge Astral Sight. If I hadn’t seen that weird imprint on the Invisibility Cloak, the Stone, and Dumbledore before, I might not have noticed it at all."
"Six down," Nigel commented. "If he hasn’t made any new ones, the next time you blast his head off, he’s as good as dead."
Harry just gave a short nod, not bothering to respond. Instead, he picked up the ring and examined it, twisting it in his fingers. Now that the soul fragment was gone, it looked almost unremarkable—just an old, cracked ring with a dull black stone.
"Looks like we’re good. Now we just have to meet Professor Goshawk at the airport. She wanted to pick up some supplies before we take off." Selena checked her watch, leading the way.
When they arrived at the airport, Miranda Goshawk was waiting for them near the entrance, blending in effortlessly with her muggle clothes. She wore a simple, dark green coat over a neatly pressed blouse and trousers. Her silver-streaked hair was tied back in a modest bun, and she looked entirely at ease amidst the bustling crowd. It was clear this wasn’t her first time flying to another continent.
“Selena, Mister Potter,” she greeted them with a nod. “Punctual as always. That’s good to see.”
Selena gave a respectful nod back. “Of course, Professor. Hope you didn't wait to much.”
Harry gave her a small nod. “Professor Goshawk.”
Miranda gave him an approving glance. “It’s been a while, Harry. I trust your studies have been progressing well?”
Harry smiled. "They are. But learning from the two greatest spell crafters? Can’t miss that opportunity."
Selena smirked, giving him a nudge. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Potter."
Miranda chuckled lightly, her eyes bright with amusement. "You’re too generous with your praise, Harry. Though I suppose you’re not entirely wrong."
Harry shrugged. "Just being honest. Can’t imagine a better pair to learn from. Besides, better than staying stuck in Britain dodging idiots and Death Eaters."
Miranda gave a small nod, her expression thoughtful. "Given the current state of affairs, I’d say your choice is a wise one. You’ll find South America has its own challenges, though. Magic there is... wilder. Less restrained by tradition."
"Good," Harry said with a slight smirk. "A bit of chaos keeps things interesting."
Selena shook her head, giving him a look of mock exasperation. "You say that. Just don’t get yourself cursed within the first week, alright? I’m not dragging your unconscious body through the rainforest."
"No promises," he shot back, grinning.
Miranda glanced at them both with a hint of amusement. "I see you two haven’t changed. Let’s get moving before we miss the flight. We’ll have time to catch up properly once we’re in the air."
The airport was more crowded than usual, with people hustling through the halls and dragging luggage behind them. Selena took charge of their bags without a word, easily maneuvering through the chaos before handing them off to Harry when he stepped up. She shot him a quick smile as they fell in step together.
They moved through passport control without issue. Harry touched the small briefcase tucked in his pocket. It was barely the size of his palm, shrunken down with a charm so subtle that not even the machines could pick up on it.
“Hopefully it won’t fry their machines,” Nigel muttered in his mind, sounding half amused, half cautious.
Harry gave a faint smirk, not bothering to respond. Magic and technology never mixed well, something Petunia had complained about often enough when the telly decided to die on her. Fortunately, the security checks went smoothly, and none of the Muggle staff seemed to notice anything off.
Once on the plane, they found their seats without much trouble. Selena got the window, Harry took the aisle, and Miranda settled between them. The plane itself was more cramped than anything Harry was used to, but it didn’t bother him. It wasn’t like he planned to move around much.
After the safety announcements, the plane taxied down the runway and finally took off, leaving the ground behind. Harry leaned back, letting himself relax a bit.
Miranda Goshawk pulled a small potion bottle from her satchel, swirling the pale blue liquid inside. It glowed faintly, giving off a soothing, almost minty scent. Selena glanced over, raising an eyebrow.
"Sleeping Draught?" she asked, keeping her voice low.
Miranda nodded. "Thought it might be useful on the plane. I’m not fond of long flights."
Before she could tuck it away, an elderly Muggle woman across the aisle caught sight of the bottle. She leaned over, eyes curious.
"Is that some sort of relaxing tonic, dear?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky. "I'm terrified of flying... Would you mind sharing a little? Just a sip?"
Her granddaughter, a girl who couldn’t have been older than twelve, looked mortified. "Gran!" she hissed. "You can't just ask people for their medicine!"
Miranda gave the woman a kind smile, keeping the potion tucked in her hand. "Oh, I’m sorry," she said lightly. "It’s just a herbal sleep aid. Nothing special. I’d be happy to recommend something similar once we land."
The old woman gave a nod, looking a bit disappointed but still polite. "Oh, thank you, dear. I just get so jittery on planes. My nerves aren’t what they used to be."
The granddaughter gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. She gets nervous during takeoff."
Miranda waved it off easily. "Don’t worry about it. Flying can be daunting." She glanced at the potion and capped it securely before slipping it back into her bag.
Harry watched the interaction with mild amusement, glancing at Selena, who smirked faintly. He could tell she was holding back a remark about Miranda practically flashing magical potions in a Muggle setting.
Once the old woman settled back into her seat, Miranda turned to Harry and Selena. "I'll take a bit of it once we're in the air," she said, almost as if reassuring herself. "Jet lag at my age isn't pleasant."
Harry just gave her a nod, not bothering to point out that Miranda was hardly the frail, elderly sort. The woman could probably out-duel half the Ministry on a bad day.
The plane started to rumble as the plane started to take off. The old woman across the aisle clutched her granddaughter’s hand, muttering something about praying the plane didn’t suddenly fall out of the sky. Harry resisted the urge to snort. Some people acted like every flight was a death sentence.
As they took off, Miranda finally relaxed into her seat, though Selena kept an eye on the view from the window, like she was measuring how far they’d have to drop if something went wrong. When the plane leveled out, the cabin lights dimmed, and people started settling in for the long haul.
It was going to be a long flight, and Harry half-considered taking a potion to sleep as well. But even on a regular day, he never slept fully—part of his mind always stayed alert, keeping an eye out. Sleeping high up in the sky surrounded by strangers? Not happening. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and slipped into the Virtual Room instead.
