ALL NOVEL Chapter 5: 05
Recovery was slower than I'd ever experienced. Days blurred together in St. Mungo's, marked only by visits from family and the system's constant updates on my magical core's regeneration.
[MAGICAL CORE STATUS: 15% - CRITICAL BUT STABLE]
[REGENERATION PROGRESS: AHEAD OF SCHEDULE]
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: MAGICAL SENSITIVITY]
"Your recovery is quite remarkable," Healer Matthews said during her morning rounds, her diagnostic spells creating a shimmer of blue light around my bed. "Though I must say, I've never seen magical exhaustion like this before."
I could feel what she meant. My magic was different now — where it once flowed like a river, it now felt like a tide pool, slowly filling drop by drop. The system had changed too, its interface was somehow more integrated with my consciousness than before.
[ANALYZING MAGICAL CORE ALTERATIONS...]
[HYPOTHESIS: SACRIFICE PROTOCOL HAS PERMANENTLY MODIFIED MAGICAL SIGNATURE]
[ACCESSING NEW CAPABILITIES...]
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Arabella Snape stood in the doorway, her dark eyes uncertain. Behind her, her brother Severus lurked like a shadow.
"Bell," I said softly, using her childhood nickname. "Sev."
"You idiot," Arabella said, crossing the room quickly. "What were you thinking, facing him alone?"
[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: ARABELLA SNAPE - COMPLICATED]
[EMOTIONAL ANALYSIS: CONCERN, ANGER, RELIEF]
[SUGGESTION: PROCEED WITH CAUTION]
"Wasn't exactly alone," I managed a weak smile. "Had my family with me." My eyes met Severus's. "Speaking of which, how are things at the safe house?"
Severus stepped forward, his face unreadable. "The Dark Lord is... displeased. Many of his followers are questioning his power after your encounter. Some have begun reaching out to Dumbledore."
[TIMELINE ALTERATION DETECTED]
[DEATH EATER DEFECTION RATE: INCREASING]
[WARNING: POTENTIAL POWER VACUUM FORMING]
"And you?" I asked carefully. "Where do you stand now, Sev?"
A muscle twitched in his jaw. "I made my choice when I warned Dumbledore about the prophecy. But now..." He glanced at his sister. "Now there's more at stake."
Arabella took my hand, her fingers warm against my skin. "We're with you, Ram. Whatever comes next."
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: SNAPE SIBLINGS SECURED]
[BONUS OBJECTIVE: PREVENT SEVERUS'S ISOLATION]
[NEW ALLIANCE FORMED]
Before I could respond, the system flashed an urgent warning:
[ALERT: MAGICAL SURGE DETECTED]
[LOCATION: MINISTRY OF MAGIC]
[ANALYSIS: DEATH EATER ACTIVITY]
As if on cue, a silver phoenix burst through the wall — Dumbledore's Patronus.
"Death Eaters have breached the Department of Mysteries," it announced in Dumbledore's voice. "They seek the prophecy. Severus, your presence is required."
Severus straightened, his face hardening into a mask. "I must go."
"Be careful," Arabella said, squeezing his hand.
[QUEST ALERT: DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES]
[CURRENT STATUS: UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE - MAGICAL CORE INSUFFICIENT]
[ALTERNATIVE ACTION REQUIRED]
I tried to sit up, but my body refused to cooperate. "Sev, wait. The prophecy — it's not what they think. It's—"
"I know," he cut me off. "Lily told me everything. About your dreams, about what might have been." He paused at the door. "I won't let that future come to pass."
After he left, Arabella turned to me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "You changed everything that night, didn't you? Not just saving the Potters, but..." She gestured vaguely. "All of it."
[RELATIONSHIP PROGRESS: SIGNIFICANT]
[TRUST LEVEL: INCREASING]
[SUGGESTION: SHARE PARTIAL TRUTH]
"Bell," I said carefully, "if I tell you something impossible, would you believe me?"
She smiled, and for a moment I saw the girl who used to help me practice Charms by the lake, who'd laugh at my terrible attempts at British slang. "Ramon Evans, I watched you face down the Dark Lord with ancient Mexican magic while spouting one-liners. I think we left 'impossible' behind a while ago."
[SYSTEM ALERT: CONFIDANT OPTION AVAILABLE]
[WARNING: DISCLOSURE MAY AFFECT TIMELINE]
[PROCEED WITH CAUTION]
I took a deep breath and squeezed her hand. "Then let me tell you about a story I once read, about a boy with a lightning bolt scar..."