Infinity and Magic Ch 74: Everything
*Anos's POV*
"Hermione," I asked stopping her in her tracks outside the library.
"May I ask why you set my Father on fire." I continued and Hermione looked surprised and then afraid.
"No, I didn't." She replied trying to get away.
"Hermione. I'm preceptive to these things. You were the only one not with us at the time and also the only one with a reason to do it. Tell me, why there's no need to lie." I said leaning into one of the pillars.
Dad was burnt badly, the wound from Halloween had just started to fade.
" I.... I just went to the bathroom." Hermione continued and I couldn't help but sigh.
"I can see you from that distance you know. The moment I thought my Dad was on fire I looked around and through an opening in the benches I saw you clearly." I said in answer.
It wasn't that much of a lie. I Could see her through that but only if I was specifically looking for her.
Hermione shuffled her feet, not quite being able to decide if running away was better.
"We live 2 rooms apart Hermione. You'll have to have this conversation one day. Let's go to the library, and you can tell me why you did it. I promise to listen to you." I said and she nodded.
It wasn't exactly viable to have this conversation in the Hallway, all of the school was still returning from the Quidditch match and I had followed Hermione to the library.
"Okay." She said with a nod and we walked into the empty library and found a seat in one of the corners.
"I thought he was jinxing her." She said after a few moments of silence.
"Harriet?" I asked.
"Maybe Harriet was naturally losing control of her broom. I think every Athlete has a bad day not to mention when magic is involved." I said and she bit her lower lip before replying.
" I saw him muttering. He was chanting something." She retorted.
" And how can you say he wasn't just using a Charm to make the ground soft? Or removing the jinx from the broom if it had one in the first place? Or anything else to help her for that matter?" I said dropping a hint in between.
This was my choice. The future could go in a lot of ways but if I knew how things would play out I could do things against it. It was a choice of allowing some suffering to make sure the threat was squashed.
But at the same time, I didn't want to see my father being set on fire.
I had to make a choice to allow some things to play out. If Quirell escaped or got a hint who knows where Voldemort might go?
I had to play things safe. I had to keep my knowledge a secret, it allowed me advantages but I was changing things and each decision made the future a bit more hazy.
Didn't mean I would allow everything to play out as it had. I would intervene. But slowly.
"I.... I don't know why I didn't think of that." Hermione answered honestly.
"You were given a decision to do something to save your friend. It was an instant to do something or believe in others to do something. I understand why you did it, Hermione, don't get me wrong but please wait until you make such a decision. What if you were wrong? You would've been expelled. A lot could've gone wrong. You could've made me an orphan first of all. You did something good without thinking of how bad it could potentially bring." I said and her shoulders dropped and I could hear tears dropping.
"It's okay. I understand why you did it, Hermione. I don't blame you for it." I said and waited for her to calm down.
"Did you read the King Arthur Book I recommended?" I asked.
"No.. sob... Not yet." She answered and I nodded.
"There's a quote in it that I particularly like. 'The way to hell is paved with Good intentions.' I don't know how much of that applies here but a lot could've gone wrong Hermione. Magic is chaotic. I want you to understand that because you're my friend." I said and she nodded and wiped her eyes.
" But I am angry that you had time to read 'Hogwarts a history' but not my recommendation," I said and chuckled and the tension lessened.
" I'll read it."
" Now I think we've a friend to congratulate. Harriet would bash our faces in when she just won her first Quidditch match and we're here. Come on, we have a friend to congratulate." I said and that got her to smile and we walked out of the library.
" You go ahead. I'll grab some water real quick." I said and slowed my pace to a walk.
" Okay, but we're plenty late already," Hermione said and speed walked out of view.
" Hey, Alucard," I said and watched a shadow move.
" What would you've done if you were Omniscient?" I asked and the shadow moved to give way to Alucard.
" Why ask me," Alucard asked, his voice didn't speak of intrigue.
"Don't know, you seemed to like reading existential things so I thought you would have answered." I reasoned, and started to walk.
" Your question has no definitive answer. An enormous amount of things could go right and a horrible amount of things could go wrong." Alucard answered matching my pace as we walked the halls. Distantly I could hear celebrations.
" Still if you had to give one?" I pressed the question.
" My answer would be to try. Men that bury themselves deeper into knowledge for search of answers may find the knowledge vile. They'll beg for the shackles of ignorance once again. We're all mortals in one way or another." Alucard answered with a cold voice and a neutral tone.
" I see." Was all I could answer with.
'When given Everything, you can't do anything.'
--------------------------------
Author's Note-> Well its been a while......apologies. In the last few days I've moved houses and am now living alone in an entirely different city so well it's taken a bit to get adjusted to everything and well I'm balancing that alongside my studies too.
Do not fret I'll do something about the schedule and after I'm adjusted I think it will be better than ever before.