HP: Wizardry’s a Hassle, Wand in the Right Hand, Gun in the Left

The two of them made their way to the Gryffindor common room. Dinner had just ended, and since today was a joyous occasion, many of the younger witches and wizards who had slept through most of the day were now out celebrating. As a result, the common room wasn't too crowded.

Hermione and Ginny chose a large sofa near the windowsill and fireplace, sitting side by side. To ease Ginny's tension and encourage her to speak, Hermione decided to take the lead in the conversation, just as she had earlier.

But before Hermione could say anything, Ginny spoke first.

"…Hermione, you were the one who first noticed something was wrong with me yesterday and reported it to Professor Sentinel, weren't you?"

The young girl took a deep breath, sitting upright with her fists clenched tightly on her knees. She turned her head slightly, as if trying to look at Hermione, but in the end, she didn't lift her gaze.

"Thank you…"

Hermione was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, seamlessly continuing the conversation according to the plan they had discussed the previous night.

"Well… to be precise, it was your dormmates who first noticed something was off. Yesterday, when I saw that you hadn't left your dormitory all day, I asked them for details, and that's how I found out."

"Because your condition hadn't been great recently, and you didn't share much when we tried to check on you, the matter was left unresolved."

"Ah… I'm sorry. I felt so out of it back then, and… I didn't want to drag you all into it."

Ginny blushed, guilt evident on her face. Although she had meant well, she still felt bad for lying to her friends so many times during that period.

"It's okay. I know you were trying to protect us, so there's no need to apologize."

Hermione chuckled softly, putting on a reassuring smile.

"But it wasn't your fault. Professor Sentinel told me that you were under the control of that diary at the time. Even if you wanted to tell us, you probably wouldn't have been able to."

Hermione spread her hands as she stated the fact.

At the mention of the diary, Ginny's previously flushed face turned pale again. She fell silent, her hands twisting the hem of her robes.

Seeing Ginny retreat into silence again, Hermione decided not to let the conversation stall. She began recounting a simplified and modified version of the events, filling in the gaps to make the story more coherent.

"That day, when we attended the dueling club together, I sensed a strong unease and exhaustion from you."

"Uh, I tend to be sensitive to other people's emotions. Since I was teaching you the Disarming Charm one-on-one, and it had been a while since we were that close, I immediately noticed something was off with your mood."

Hermione twirled a strand of her hair around her finger as she continued to elaborate.

This was, of course, a lie.

If Hermione hadn't used the power of Sanctity on Ginny, the thoughts in Ginny's mind might still be under Tom's control. But since Ginny had temporarily escaped his influence thanks to Hermione, she was now able to recognize her true feelings. In that sense, Hermione's words weren't entirely untrue.

"I noticed you hadn't interacted much with other professors before, but that day, you spoke to Professor Sentinel, and he seemed quite kind to us. So I asked him to check if something was wrong with you, thinking you'd feel less pressured around him."

Ginny began to focus, lifting her head slightly.

Hermione continued, "As soon as I shared my observations and request with Professor Sentinel, we headed straight to your dormitory."

"Professor Sentinel agreed almost immediately. Later, I found out he had been investigating this matter for a long time and had anticipated your situation, which is why we acted so quickly."

"Since Professor Sentinel didn't know where your dormitory was, I led the way. It was already quite late, and by the time we arrived, you and your dormmates were all asleep."

"I initially suggested that Professor Sentinel return the next day, but he had no such intention. Instead, he opened the door to your dormitory and went inside."

"I had no choice but to follow. I watched as the professor cast a spell to ensure everyone stayed asleep and then began searching the room. Finally, he found that cursed diary in your desk drawer."

At this point, Ginny suddenly stood up, her expression urgent. "Did the professor touch the diary directly with his hands?"

Seeing the genuine concern on Ginny's face, Hermione smiled and gently tugged her hand, signaling her to sit down and not get too worked up.

"It's fine. Don't worry. Professor Sentinel must have been prepared beforehand. He used magic to handle the diary and sealed it inside a magical container."

"Phew… that's good. That eerie thing should never be touched directly, or it'll mess with your thoughts…"

"…That feeling was truly terrifying. During the time I was under its influence, I even lost some of my memories."

"This won't happen again."

Hermione held Ginny's hand, silently channeling the power of Sanctity to her. "Professor Sentinel said he would take care of that diary and ensure it never harms anyone again."

"As for what happened next, I don't know much. I wanted to follow Professor Sentinel, but he told me to return to my dormitory."

"'I'm going to destroy the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. It's dangerous, and I can't let you follow me. Go to sleep. By the time you wake up tomorrow, Hogwarts will be safe again.'"

Hermione paused, spreading her hands as she added, "That's what Professor Sentinel said. He briefly explained the diary, the Chamber of Secrets, and your situation to me. So I didn't follow him and went back to sleep."

"That's everything I know. And when I heard Professor Dumbledore's announcement today, I realized Professor Sentinel had resolved the situation."

Ginny's emotions finally stabilized. Nothing was more reassuring to a victim than knowing they were truly out of danger.

"Ah, I… um…"

"Waaah…"

With her mental defenses lowered and under Hermione's gentle guidance, all the grievances and sorrow Ginny had bottled up burst forth. Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her cheeks, soaking her robes and leaving dark patches.

"There, there. Just let it all out."

Hermione gently pulled Ginny into a comforting embrace, letting the poor girl lean against her shoulder as she released her pent-up emotions.

"Ginny, you're safe now."

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