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Harry Potter: The Gamer's Dimension Chapter 7
🕑 Added 2024-02-18 09:25:39 +0000 UTCHi all,
Here’s the next chapter. There is fallout from Dobby’s confession, and Dumbledore has a candid discussion with Harry.
Chapter 7
The interrogation ended following Dobby's unexpected appearance. Amelia wanted to arrest the house elf after he admitted to the murder, but Harry argued that he was in no condition to be moved anywhere. Dobby appeared to be on the verge of dying. He grabbed the house elf before she could argue and rushed him towards the infirmary, with the others following behind him.
“You did well to tell that old battle axe to take a hike,” Celeste said as she flew beside him.
Harry cast a glance at her. "I haven’t known you long, but I can already tell you are going to cause me a lot of grief."
“You mean excitement. Stick with me, and you will never be bored.”
Harry entered the infirmary and placed Dobby on one of the beds. Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office and quickly assessed the situation. If she was surprised to see a house elf in her infirmary, she didn’t show it.
Harry paced anxiously while the Healer performed her examination. Dumbledore tried to speak to him, but he wasn’t in the mood to speak to anyone.
After a few minutes, Pomfrey finished examining the house elf and stood up. "His magic is rebounding on him. This is a serious issue for which there is no known cure. I can only relieve his pain by putting him in a medically induced coma. We will have to wait and see if the condition gets better on its own."
Harry felt a knot in his stomach. “Is there nothing you can do for him? What about St Mungos?”
"They will be unable to help him either because his condition is so serious. Besides, they only accept human patients.”
Amelia stepped forward. “How secure will he be in a coma? The house-elf just admitted to killing Justin Finch-Fletchly, so we can’t allow him to escape.”
Pomfrey’s eyes widened. “That would explain how he got past the wards.”
"He was ordered to kill Justin," Harry exclaimed angrily. "His master is the real culprit."
"That would explain why his magic is in such disarray," Pomfrey realised. "If he attempted to resist his orders, his magic would turn against him."
“You haven’t answered my question,” Amelia snapped.
"Even if he weren’t in a coma," Pomfrey dismissed. "He isn’t going anywhere."
The women exchanged angry expressions. Pomfrey had not felt charitable since Amelia had overtaken her infirmary yesterday, forcing her to work from a temporary one.
While they were preoccupied, Kingsley asked Harry a question. “Do you have an idea who Dobby’s master is?”
"Be very careful with your words, Harry," Dumbledore warned. "Without evidence, you run the risk of upsetting someone."
"The question isn’t on the record," Kingsley assured him. "I will not hold you to your answer, nor will it get out unless we find evidence to support your claim."
Amelia ceased her argument with Pomfrey and listened intently.
Harry informed them about Lucius Malfoy and his suspicions that the man hid the diary in Ginny's cauldron at Flourish and Blotts. Now that Harry has given it further thought, Lucius must have purposefully caused a commotion with Arthur Weasley to hide his actions.
"That is insufficient evidence to bring the man in for questioning," Amelia told him. "If the house elf wakes up at some point, we will try to get his master's name from him."
“His name is Dobby,” Harry asserted.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. “Since Dobby confessed to the crime, we have no further reason to detain you. But I would like to hear more about your adventures at some point.”
Harry shrugged and moved closer to Dobby's bedside. He considered his interactions with Amelia Bones to be over and did not want to see her anymore. Perhaps he was biased towards her from the beginning because of her niece, Susan. The girl had been one of the main instigators behind the Hufflepuffs' constant attacks on Harry.
He was more concerned with finding a solution to help Dobby. Was there anything he could do to help Dobby? Perhaps there was something in the Nexus that could help his condition? What about using an HP Potion? Would that work?
"I will have an Auror in the infirmary to keep an eye on Dobby," Amelia said, turning to face Dumbledore. "If Dobby did follow his master's orders to murder the boy, then they may come to finish him off to get rid of the evidence."
Dumbledore frowned, not liking the idea, but eventually agreed to the demand. Pomfrey appeared to be about to protest, but Dumbledore shook his head, signalling for her to remain silent. Amelia marched out of the infirmary, accompanied by her Aurors.
“Would you please give us some privacy, Poppy?” Dumbledore asked. “I would like to speak to Harry alone.”
Pomfrey nodded before returning to her office. Celeste flew over and perched herself on Harry's shoulder. She had been exploring the infirmary while they were talking. Everything was new to her, so she was full of curiosity and couldn’t stop asking questions about his world. He had to remind her to be discreet and not tell anyone about the Gamer's Dimension.
“I’m staying,” Celeste stated when Dumbledore looked at her. "Just deal with it, old man."
"Very well," Dumbledore said, walking over to stand beside Dobby’s bed. "First and foremost, I must express my admiration for how you conducted yourself during the interrogation. I have always known that you have some nerves of steel, considering your adventures, but it was still impressive nonetheless.”
If only you knew about my most recent adventure. It would blow your mind, Dumbledore. "It helps to know you are innocent."
Dumbledore cleared his throat. “Yes, about that. Harry, I wanted to discuss the school year with you. My colleagues have brought it to my attention several times that I didn’t do enough to protect you from the other students this year. I should have taken action earlier, but I let less significant matters distract me. You have my sincerest apologies."
Harry frowned, staring at the floor. What use was an apology after the fact? Would that end all of the abuse he had suffered? “What about the students who constantly attacked me? Are they going to be punished?”
“The professors and I will discuss this matter further,” Dumbledore said. "To be fair, if we had intervened sooner, it would never have progressed this far. But that doesn’t excuse the students from breaking several school rules and attacking a student. I will have it resolved by the end of the school year. Is that good enough for you?”
Harry nodded, and Dumbledore continued.
"I will address the issue of your innocence in the Great Hall tonight. I will also tell them about how you saved Ginny Weasley's life. This should put an end to any further abuse. But if it doesn't, please notify me or one of the professors."
“I don’t want anyone to find out about Ginny’s role in the ordeal.”
“Don’t worry,” Dumbledore assured him. “I won’t say anything on the matter. No one needs to know the full details of what happened.”
Harry was relieved. Ginny had been through enough already and didn’t need any more trauma added on top of it.
“I would like to ask some more questions about the chamber,” Dumbledore said. “But there is no rush. I want you to enjoy the rest of the school year in peace. There is one final thing I want to discuss before I leave.”
“What is it?”
“It concerns the Basilisk in the chamber. Have you thought about selling the carcass? Its components are extremely valuable. As the one who slayed the creature, you get to decide what happens to it and receive the proceeds if you sell it."
“How much is it worth?”
Dumbledore stroked his beard while thinking about it. “Given the size of the Basilisk you described, I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t reach a million galleons. But I am no expert and would need to consult someone on the subject."
Harry’s mouth dropped open. “And it would be all mine?”
"Yes. As headmaster, I wouldn’t mind if you made a small donation to the school, but it’s certainly not required. Snape has already requested some venom from the Basilisk, but I imagine you would be hesitant to give it to him for free."
"I would charge him the full price," Harry confirmed.
Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled. "Well, I was always a firm believer in karma. Perhaps this is what he deserves.”
Harry had a thought. "How will this affect my Gringotts account? Since the proceeds from the sale will belong to me, I shouldn’t have to get your permission on how I should spend the galleons.”
It had always grated on him how Dumbledore, as his magical guardian, had put a limit on how much he could spend every year. Although, so far, he hadn’t needed all of it, since things like his school fees had already been paid in advance.
“As your magical guardian, I am afraid it does,” Dumbledore said, raising his hand when Harry opened his mouth. “Please let me explain my reasoning before you argue.”
Harry snorted and motioned for him to continue.
"The Potters were once one of Britain's wealthiest families, but due to a series of events, their fortunes were severely diminished. It was the war that did the most damage, and I’m afraid I had a part to play in it.”
Harry frowned. “What do you mean?”
"Your parents were members of a resistance group I founded to combat Voldemort and his allies," Dumbledore explained. "We were short on funds, and your parents didn’t hesitate to spend the Potter fortune to help us. They didn’t care if they didn’t have a galleon to their name as long as they survived the war."
"That didn’t work out so well, did it?"
Dumbledore gave a sombre nod. "I could have declined their assistance, but for the sake of the greater good, I accepted their galleons. The Potter account has become severely depleted. It’s enough to get you through school and keep you comfortable for a few years afterwards, but it will not last forever. This is why I set a limit on your spending."
Harry nodded. “I can understand your reasoning. However, with the influx of galleons from the Basilisk, I won’t need to be so stringent.”
"That is true. How about doing this?" Dumbledore suggested, putting his hands together. "I will double your annual stipend, and if you need to make any major purchases, you can come to me and we can discuss using additional funds."
Harry thought about the suggestion for a moment before agreeing. He was only arguing because he disliked the feeling that he had no control over his life. Even without an increase in his stipend, he could make more money from the Gamer's Dimension, and Dumbledore would never know about it.
“Can I ask a question before you go?” Harry asked.
“Go ahead.”
"Can you really force a house elf to murder someone?"
"Normally, I would say no," Dumbledore replied. "But there is a lot of magic out there, most of it dark, that can force even a house-elf to do terrible things."
Dumbledore exited the infirmary following their discussion. Before leaving, he promised Harry that he would arrange for the Basilisk to be harvested and notify him of the time. As soon as he was alone, Harry removed an HP Potion from his inventory and used Assess on it.
===============
HP Potion | Common | Type: Healing | Quality: Low
Description: A common health potion that restores a small amount of health. Due to its low quality, it may not restore the entire amount. However, it is also determined by the player's vitality attribute. Has a moderate consumption rate. It cannot be used by anyone outside of the Gamer’s Dimension besides the player.
Restores HP + 200
Consumption Rate: 40
===============
Harry sighed. He was unable to use the potion to help Dobby. He shouldn’t be surprised that it will not be this simple. It looked like he needed to pay another visit to the Nexus soon, as he couldn’t afford to wait.
The description detailed a new characteristic that he had been aware of but that hadn’t come into play yet. Any food, beverage, or potion in the Gamer's Dimension that provided special benefits, such as restoring health, had a consumption limit. When it reaches a hundred, the item's effects will be significantly reduced. It gradually decreased, and his vitality influenced how quickly it did.
“Are you going back to the Nexus?” Celeste interrupted his thoughts with a question.
“Yeah. I want to see if I can do anything to help Dobby, and I need to start learning a skill from James."
“Boring.”
Harry cast a thoughtful glance at Celeste. He had an idea that had been brewing in his mind, but he wasn’t sure how the fairy would react to it. "I do not think the Nexus residents would mind if you entered the gate room. How about you explore the dungeons with me?
Celeste kicked his shoulder with her tiny feet as she considered his suggestion. “That depends. What’s the loot distribution?”
“Eighty to twenty,” Harry said, grinning.
“I will take the eighty percent.”
"No way. I suppose we can decide when the time comes. I want to learn some new skills before taking on the boss in the Snake Pit again."
He couldn’t count on James to show up again and deliver a motivational speech in the middle of a fight. That had been a one-time occurrence for the tutorial, and the man no longer had access to the dungeons.
“There isn’t much I would gain from the current dungeon,” Celeste said. "I am already at level eight, and there is a limit to how many levels you can gain in each dungeon."
Harry nodded. He understood it well enough. Now that the Snake Pit had been conquered, the upper limit was level ten, which was more than enough to keep him busy for the time being. He still needed to get some more materials to give to the Altar of Sacrifice for the rewards.
Celeste pouted. “My old home was level eight, and I have been stuck at that level for years.”
“Then you can join me when I unlock a new dungeon,” Harry said. “I’m going back to my dorm so I can return to the Nexus.”
“I'm going to find Hermione. She promised to teach me more about the world."
“What did you tell her?” Harry asked, alarmed.
“Nothing. I just mentioned that I had spent my entire life in the forest and was completely unaware of the outside world. You need to relax. I know what to do."
"Get out of here," Harry told her, and she flew away, giggling.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Harry walked out of the gate room and into the plaza. He noticed immediately that there were NPCs on the streets, unlike the first time he visited. There were a wide variety of humans and magical beings walking around, going about their business or interacting with one another. As he searched for James, he used Assess on several of them when he got close to them. He received notifications that they had been added to his relationship menu as soon as he did so.
================
002 - Merril/Elf: Hatred 700/1000
Profession: Enchantress; Owner of Merril’s Enchantments
Benefits: New stock; discounts
003 - Andre/Human: Hatred 550/1000
Profession: Blacksmith; Owner of the Iron Hammer
Benefit: New stock; discounts
004 -Alfyn/Human: Hatred 100/1000
Profession: Apothecary; Owner of the Potent Elixir
Benefit: New stock; discounts
005 - Vincent/Vampire: Hatred 800/1000
Profession: Bartender; Owner of the Queens Blood Tavern
Benefit: New services; discounts
006 - Ellywick/Gnome: Hatred 700/1000
Profession: Bard
Benefit: Performs new songs and tells new tales.
007 - Samwise/Hobbit: Hatred 950/1000
Profession: Gardener
Benefit: New ingredients; discounts
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The information he gleaned from the NPCs revealed a lot more about what the Nexus had to offer, and once he had a few more dimension coins, he would have to investigate their services further. He noticed their stares, but they didn’t say anything to him. Tough crowd. He wondered again where they had all come from. James mentioned they were refugees, but this didn’t provide him with any other details.
Harry discovered James sitting in the park, staring at the pond. He appeared to be more sad than usual, so he approached slowly. James looked up when he approached, and his expression instantly morphed into a smile.
“Harry,” James said. “It’s about time you got here. Are you ready to learn mana sense?”
Harry nodded. “How long will it take?”
"Perhaps a few days? It depends on your aptitude. The Upper Path is different from the other skills in that you have to work for it. It will be easier to train here as I have something to assist you that you don’t have in the real world. ”
“Before we get into that,” Harry said. “I have a problem. Dobby is in—”
"Trouble," James finished. "I saw the situation on the screen.”
“Right. I had forgotten you were watching me like a voyeur. Do you snack on popcorn while watching me?"
"No, but that’s not a bad idea," James joked before his expression turned sad. “I can’t believe that happened to Dobby. Nothing like that occurred in my dimension. He lived a few more years after my second year before he was killed in the process of saving my life. I still miss the little guy.”
“Is there anything you can do for him?”
“Harry, I’m not allowed to help you outside of the things I teach you here,” James told him. "I have to follow some strict rules, and if I break them, I will be removed from the Nexus. You will need to find a solution on your own."
Harry kicked the ground angrily. He could look around the shops to see if there was a potion or another item that could help him, but he suspected that it, like the HP Potion, wouldn’t be able to be used on anyone in the real world.
James got up from the bench. "All right, come on. I will show you an interesting place that will help you learn the skill I want to teach you."
Harry followed James to a two-story building he hadn’t seen when he last visited. It was as if it had appeared overnight. A sign on the door revealed that it was called the Magic Training Centre.
"How do you like my new place?" James asked. "I received it as a gift for becoming a resident. It includes some features that will help you progress faster."
A reception area greeted him with a front desk and a screen overhead showcasing the available services. As he passed by, he noticed something named "Duelling Room" before being guided through a corridor to a door labelled "Mana Sensitivity."
The room was small, with a single mat lying in the middle. Harry searched the room, but couldn't find anything else.
"Are you messing with me?" Harry asked. "There is nothing here."
Jams rolled his eyes. "That is how it appears on the surface, but this room serves an important purpose. Why don't you sit down on the mat and let me demonstrate?"
Harry sat on the floor as James approached a small panel near the door and pressed a button, plunging the room into darkness and rendering him completely blind. But this was just the beginning. Each of his senses was gradually taken away, until finally the sense of touch vanished, leaving him devoid of any physical sensation.
He tried to fight his fear, but the eerie loss of his senses was truly terrifying. It felt like his mind had detached from his body, leaving him adrift in a void. Just as he felt himself succumbing further, the lights flickered on, restoring his senses. He yelled in surprise and fell backwards, hitting his head on the floor. Laughter filled the air as he looked up to see James smiling down at him.
“Asshole!” Harry exclaimed. "You could have warned me that was going to happen."
“Where would the fun be in that?” James asked.
“What is this place?”
"This is where you will learn to sense mana, which is another name for magic that is used in the real world,” James explained. “Mana is all around us, in the very air we breathe. However, most wizards are unable to perceive it because their five senses filter out information that they believe is unnecessary for the body's survival. This process evolved over millennia as new tools were introduced that served the same purpose. Wizards became lazy, relied on the tools too much, and lost a valuable skill along the way."
"I know how lazy wizards are," Harry snorted. "So, this room disables all five of my senses, allowing me to sense mana with my mind?"
“That’s only the first half of this room’s function,” James replied, before pressing another button.
Harry looked around in confusion, feeling an itching sensation on his skin. There was something else present in the room, but he had no idea what it could be.
James pressed a button and the sensation vanished.
“I am flooding the room with mana,” James said. "This improves your chances of learning the skill. Even with this room, learning will take some time. I recommend that you keep coming here every day until you learn it. I will not charge you a fee for this room.”
Harry scratched his face, still feeling itchy. "I have been meaning to ask, but how will this skill help me?"
“There are a lot of powerful skills that require mana sense. This is the reason why it’s the foundational skill in my Upper Path magic system. Do you want to be able to use wandless magic one day?”
“I have the gamer’s gloves for that.”
"But they are extremely limited in their usability. You can only cast spells from gems that you have socketed into them, and their power stays the same regardless of other factors.”
Harry nodded, conceding the point.
“Speaking of your magic attribute, I suggest you spend the points you have to increase it right away,” James suggested. "You have to anyway because the new grimoire you discovered requires it."
"It doesn’t help me, though," Harry said, frowning. "If I use the gloves, I will not reap any benefits from the attribute. Wait, I can just use my wand in the dungeons.”
“You can,” James acknowledged. "If you learn some offensive spells, they may help you against certain monsters. But they aren’t part of the Grimoire Board, so you won’t get any extra benefits from using them, other than increasing your damage output with the Magic attribute. The wand is better suited for utility purposes, such as assisting you in navigating the dungeons."
"That sounds too restrictive."
"You must remember that one of the main objectives of the grimoire board is for you to learn my magic system," James reminded him. "Believe me. When you have learned everything, you will not want to return to using the Lower Path."
“Lower Path? Is that what the magical system in the real world is called?”
"We have talked enough," James said, returning to the panel. "Let us use the time remaining for you to get used to having your senses cut off."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Harry returned through the gate after spending some time training in the room. He didn’t feel; like he had made any progress, as he was still having a hard time adjusting. While he was training, something had been on his mind since James had spoken about increasing his magic attribute. At first, he thought that there was nothing else to the man’s suggestion, but he did briefly mention the new grimoire Harry had found. Was the man hinting at something? Is it possible that it contained a skill that could help Dobby?
He had no idea what the new Grimoire was because he hadn’t met the requirements to unlock it. He had to level up twice more before he had enough AP to acquire the attributes needed. For the time being, he spent the ten points he had saved and increased his magic level to fifteen. At the very least, it would give him more power when casting spells with his wand.
He didn’t feel any different compared to when he increased his strength, which was understandable given that magic wasn’t a physical attribute.
Harry headed downstairs to the first floor but ran into some Hufflepuffs looking for trouble. Hannah Abbot, a blonde-haired girl with pigtails, stood in front of the group. This wasn’t the first time she had caused trouble for him.
"Perfect," Harry said, retrieving his wand. "I was looking for something to try out my new power on."
Hannah blinked, not expecting that response, but she quickly recovered. "How can you be walking around free after murdering Justin? The Aurors may be blind, but we aren’t. We are going to exact some vengeance for Justin.”
Harry twirled his wand as he watched them intently. So far, they weren’t reaching for their wands. "Do you know what I learned this past school year? The Hufflepuff house is full of a bunch of dumb cunts. I never believed the stories about it being a house of rejects before, but now I have changed my mind."
"Bastard!" Hannah exclaimed, reaching for her wand. The students behind her copied her.
Harry cast five disarming charms in quick succession, ripping the wands from the students' hands and sending them tumbling onto their asses. He grinned. It felt great to get back at his tormentors. He moved forward, collecting the students' wands as he passed them.
"Hey, give those back!" Hannah shouted.
“Do you really want them?” Harry asked as he reached the Grand Staircase. Without hesitation, he tossed them into the depths below. "Then, go fetch."
Harry whistled as he made his way down to the first floor, leaving the upset students behind. He was taken aback by the disarming charm he had cast. He had never been able to pack so much power into the spell before, which sent his opponent sprawling. Because his magical strength was reset when he was initiated into the system, he was surprised that increasing his magic attribute would have such an effect. Perhaps his magic used to be weak. Nonetheless, the results of such a modest increase were encouraging.
He found Hermione and Celeste in the library, with an open book on the table. Hermione was explaining something to the fairy, and when he looked over her shoulder, he saw a world map displayed on the page.
"You must have the patience of a saint to teach that menace," Harry said, which made Hermione jump.
“Harry!” She turned around and swatted him on the arm. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
Harry sat down beside her, and she looked at him expectantly. He yawned and stretched his arm, teasing her. When he took too long to respond, she slammed the book shut, sending Celeste flying away while cursing the girl.
“What happened with the interrogation?” Hermione asked. He noticed that her hair was messier than usual, as if she had been running her hands through it. “Is everything alright?”
“Well, I have been cleared of Justin’s murder,” Harry said.
Hermione launched herself into his arms and squeezed hard. “That’s great news! I knew that once they talked to you, they would find you innocent.”
When he did not respond, she drew back and studied his face intently. "So, what else happened?"
Harry told her everything that had happened to Dobby, including how the house elf was in a magically induced coma. He scooted his chair back as she watched Hermione's reaction to the news. She erupted with rage, her face turning red and her eyes narrowed to slits. It reminded him of Mrs. Weasley when he first arrived at the Burrow and she discovered what her sons had done to rescue him. Scary.
“I can’t believe it,” Hermione yelled, prompting Madam Pince to shoot her a glare. She sent the woman an apologetic look, before speaking in a quieter voice. “Do wizards really have the means to order house elves to murder someone?”
“Not typically,” Harry said. "Dumbledore told me that some kind of dark magic was used to compel Dobby to do it. Even so, Dobby made a huge effort to fight it.”
“We must do something to help him,” Hermione declared, looking like she was going to march off on a crusade.
Harry grabbed her arm, keeping her from standing. "I doubt we would find anything that an experienced Healer like Madam Pomfrey hadn’t considered."
Hermione sat down, but she was still very worked up. "If Lucious Malfoy really did this, we cannot let him get away with it."
Harry nodded in agreement.
They spent the rest of the day at the library, conducting research to find a solution for Dobby. Harry knew it was pointless and was only humouring her, but she needed an outlet to release the anger she was feeling. When dinnertime arrived, they made their way to the Great Hall. Celeste appeared at that point because this was her favourite part of the day.
While they waited for the food to appear, the trio discussed Dumblefore’s upcoming speech. Celeste, who looked bored, decided to demonstrate one of her abilities as a beautiful blonde-haired girl from Slytherin passed by their table.
Celeste wolf-whistled, then imitated Ron's voice perfectly. "Wow, what a beauty! Hey, Blondie, how about we find a quiet corner and examine each other's tonsils?"
The girl paused and turned to look at Ron, murder in her eyes, before reaching for her wand.
“What?!” Ron looked around in confusion, his mouth hanging open in surprise. “I didn’t say anything!”
Harry realised he needed to act quickly to save Ron's life. He grabbed Celeste from the table and presented her to the girl. “Sorry. My companion knows how to imitate voices and enjoys causing trouble."
The girl hesitated a moment before nodding and continuing on to the Slytherin table.
"You are a bloody nuisance!" Ron lunged at the fairy, but Harry stopped him.
The rest of the table laughed after seeing Ron getting owned by the fairy. The twins stood up and bowed to Celeste.
"What an excellent prank! Bravo, little lady,“ Fred exclaimed.
“Quite the companion you got there, Harry,” George added.
"You should thank her, Ron," Fred joked. "She may have set the stage for a lovely romance with Miss Greengrass."
Ron slumped in his seat, his red face clashing with his hair.
Celeste seemed pleased with the chaos she had caused. Hermione gave her a disapproving look, but she also smiled slightly, seeing the humour in the situation.
Dumbledore stood up to address the students, and Harry turned to listen to his speech. What would the headmaster say?
So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Harry starts grinding experience in the dungeon, and the school year comes to a close.
Thanks for reading.
