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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 86: Invitation
"I'm home, honey," Harry announced the moment he entered the shop.
Morgan walked out of the basement. She did not look amused. "What did you call me?"
Harry chuckled. "It's just something that Muggles say. I heard it a few times on those televisions of theirs."
"Well, don't call me that again. I hate it," Morgan huffed. "Have you been spending more time on the Muggle side of London?"
"A little bit," Harry responded. "You could say that my first impression of the city was not a great one. I have been giving it another chance, and I'm glad I did."
"You have been out for a week. I know you haven't spent all that time mingling with the Muggles." There was a clear tone of annoyance in her voice.
"What got you so upset?" Harry noticed this and decided to ask. "Have I done something wrong?"
"You know why. I told you to stop reading the Black Tome. That creepy book is dangerous, and its contents could bring you disaster. Yet, you won't listen to me." Morgan frowned.
Harry didn't question how she knew what he had been doing. "I have never made such a promise. There was a time when my sole goal was to learn as much as possible about this world and all its wonders, particularly everything that was related to magic. The Black Tome is a truly fascinating ancient artifact, written by a lost civilization. The knowledge contained within its pages is truly fasc—"
"I think I could take a guess at what made that civilization extinct," Morgan interrupted him.
"Knowledge by itself is not harmful, Morgan. Only the way that it is applied. I thought I taught you that when you were my apprentice."
"I do remember your words, Merlin. But…" She glanced over at the broken Excalibur resting inside a glass case. "Aren't you curious?"
"About what?"
"Arthur was consumed by a corruption so powerful that even Excalibur was unable to cleanse it. It took over his body and mind, turning him into a bloodthirsty monster. Haven't you wondered about the origin of this corruption? Where did it come from? How did it spread over Camelot without anyone noticing?"
Harry's expression grew grim. "You believe that my Black Tome is the source of this corruption? Arthur didn't even know I had that book. And surely, he never interacted with it in any way."
"Still… it could have influenced him. Do you recall what happened in that haunted house where you found the book? That whole mess was caused by its influence on Muggles. Even if you didn't notice its effects, the people of Camelot could have been different," Morgan explained.
Harry went silent. He had not considered such ramifications. If the Black Tome was truly guilty of such a thing, then that would make him responsible for everything that befell Camelot, as unlikely as that was.
Still, he could not completely discard her theory.
"Very well." He finally spoke again. "I shall heed your request. I will put the tome away for the time being. And let us hope that I don't need its knowledge in the near future," Harry said with a solemn tone.
"You will?" Morgan asked to be sure.
"Aye." Harry nodded. "You have my word on that matter."
A sincere smile formed on her face. "Thank you. I know it was not easy for you to give up any source of magical knowledge."
Harry sighed. "You are right on that one."
"Oh, I have something for you. Wait here." Morgan rushed back to her laboratory in the basement.
A minute later, she returned with two small vials. They contained a blue liquid that emitted a soft glow.
"That's…" Harry recognized it. This was the unknown substance that the Lady of the Lake had gifted him. He had left it in Morgan's hands to identify it. "Have you discovered its effects?"
"I have done more than just that. I have learned the identity of the potion itself." She carefully placed the two vials inside a box. "This is a legendary substance called Panacea. According to the tales that I have found, it is something capable of curing all diseases and healing any wound, no matter how severe. It is the ultimate healing potion."
"Oh! No wonder the Lady of the Lake called it a gift. It is a wonderful gift indeed," Harry said.
"Yes, it is extremely precious. Likely the only vials in existence. Unfortunately, there was only enough liquid for two doses. Any less than this, and it would greatly reduce its effects." Morgan closed the box.
"It could save our lives twice. That will have to do," Harry said.
"You should keep this box yourself. I already have a strong regeneration. And besides, I have no idea how the potion could react to my… condition," Morgan added.
"Ah, I see." Harry understood what she meant. Vampirism as well as lycanthropy could essentially be considered a disease or a curse. There was a chance that the Panacea would simply remove all of Morgan's abilities if she were to drink it. But it would also make her mortal, like a normal human.
"I will keep these with me then." He took the box and stored it carefully in his bag.
"And another thing." Morgan walked back to the counter of the shop and grasped a paper resting on it. "This has arrived for you."
"A message for me?" Harry asked. "From whom?"
"It's from your new group of friends. That Order of the Phoenix that you were invited to join. Apparently, there is a meeting tomorrow."
"And Dumbledore wants me to attend?" Harry took the letter and read it. "He wants me to meet the other members. It also says that he has some news to tell me."
Morgan threw him an inquisitive gaze. "Are you going?"
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