Strictly speaking, "as good as dead" and "actually dead" are not the same thing.
To most people, the former seemed far more terrifying. Take Harry, for instance—whenever he thought about Quirrell's body forever confined to a bed, his soul tormented day and night, a chill ran through him, as if he'd been cursed. The resentment he once held dwindled to almost nothing.
If it weren't for his knack for foresight, Hodge might not have noticed this subtle distinction.
But what caused this butterfly effect?
Hodge quickly arrived at an answer. It might sound arrogant, but he suspected Quirrell's survival had something to do with him. Considering Quirrell's ordeal, a new possibility sparked in his mind: a harmony of thought could reduce soul rejection.
After all, Voldemort himself had admitted as much.
"…That fool Quirrell was fascinated by your paper… begged me to let him correspond with you… all thanks to your work. If… if our ideas were perfectly aligned, or rather, if your thoughts were infinitely close to mine, wouldn't that be like me being reborn through you?"
Voldemort had spelled it out for him!
Not to mention, Quirrell was a textbook case of courting disaster. While completely opening his soul to Voldemort, he also desperately tried to align his thoughts with him. If Voldemort's primary goal hadn't been the Philosopher's Stone, in a few years, he might have fully merged with Quirrell, using his body to live again.
The thought sent a shiver down Hodge's spine.
On another note, the Patronus Charm and the spell Hodge had been tinkering with last year shared some striking similarities. Both relied heavily on the wizard's emotions, setting them apart from standard spells. The difference was that the Patronus Charm required the caster to recall their happiest memory, while Hodge's spell involved imagining a powerful future self or some other formidable figure. Additionally, a successful Patronus Charm summoned a semi-tangible entity, usually an animal reflecting the caster's inner self.
In other words, the Patronus Charm transformed the most vivid happy memories into a magical entity.
Hodge's spell, on the other hand, created a powerful figure that existed only in the mind…
Suddenly, inspiration struck. What if he combined the Patronus Charm with his own spell? He began to brainstorm, drawing on the mechanics of the Patronus Charm to project the imagined "future self" or "powerful figure" into reality, much like a tangible Patronus. Could it serve as a wizard's combat companion?
Without a doubt, this would be a powerful new spell.
Instinctively, Hodge mimicked the wand movement of the Patronus Charm, twirling his wand in a circle. A faint flush of excitement colored his cheeks as his mind raced with keywords: future, projection, belief, will, combat companion…
"Hodge?" Harry whispered, unsure if he should interrupt.
"Hm?" Hodge snapped back to reality. Now wasn't the time to get lost in thought. He had the basic idea down, and Lockhart's signature was still in his possession.
"…Just thinking about something else," he said.
Harry didn't respond. Hermione pointed at Hodge's wand. Glancing down, Hodge saw a wisp of silvery-white mist curling from the tip, where a dazzling light flickered, as if a small animal might burst forth at any moment.
"Is that the Patronus Charm?" Ron gulped.
Hodge didn't answer. He was afraid that if he wasn't careful, he might actually summon a Patronus.
The weekend arrived in a flash. A few minor events had occurred in the meantime.
First, Hodge received several letters. His family sent a large parcel of clothes, forcing him to remind his mother in his reply that his school trunk was nearly full. The publisher sent a surprising letter—Madam Marchbanks had agreed to write a review for his new book. Uncle Elaine, currently wandering in Africa, mailed him a stone inscribed with runes, supposedly a token from Uagadou School of Magic. Selma, now officially a healer at St. Mungo's, shared some vivid (and occasionally gruesome) case details, along with an update on Quirrell's condition.
Which was, unsurprisingly, no progress at all.
Tonks' letter caught Hodge off guard. She explained the reason behind Harry and Ron's recent troubles, which aligned with his suspicions. What he hadn't expected was the fallout: several people had sent Howlers to Fudge, accusing him of overreacting and meddling with Hogwarts' operations. Even members of the Wizengamot voiced their displeasure. "He's a bit frazzled now," Tonks wrote, with a hint of glee that Hodge couldn't miss.
The second event happened on Friday when the Ravenclaw Quidditch team captain approached him for tryouts. After careful consideration, Hodge declined. His schedule was already overflowing, and he couldn't commit to regular team practices. However, he agreed to be a reserve player—stepping in only if the team was truly desperate.
This gave him and his dormmate Michael Corner plenty to talk about.
The rest were minor incidents.
For example, in a second-floor corridor, he spotted a Hufflepuff first-year painting in front of a massive gold-framed portrait that likely hid a secret passage. Her name was Lottie Turner, or so he'd heard. The melancholic man in the painting set down his flowers, sat cross-legged on the grass, and discussed painting techniques with her. The two—one real, one painted—chatted harmoniously.
Then there was Ginny and Luna, whom Hodge saw sitting together in the common room more than once. Apparently, they'd become roommates. Beyond marveling at fate's quirks, he didn't think much of it—as long as Hagrid's chickens in the backyard didn't all drop dead, it wasn't worth worrying about.
Because Ginny was holding the Horcrux diary.
The diary was the key to opening the Chamber of Secrets.
The Chamber housed a Basilisk.
And Basilisks feared the crow of a rooster.
So, as long as Hodge occasionally strolled by Hagrid's hut to check on the chickens, he could prevent the worst-case scenario.
On Saturday morning, Hodge woke up and, as usual, said in a clear voice, "Expecto Patronum."
A radiant, silver-winged creature burst from the tip of his wand.
Joy surged within him. As a natural Occlumens, he'd always had a knack for this kind of magic. He'd assumed his Patronus would be an eagle or a raven—maybe even a dragon wasn't out of the question. But never in a million years did he expect it to be a Thestral.
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