Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 341, Section 340: The Lost Soul
This is a mysterious place.

Harry got up from the ground and found himself lying in a bright mist, but it was unlike any mist he had ever seen before.

It's not that the surrounding scenery is shrouded in misty steam, but rather that the misty steam has not yet formed the surrounding scenery.

He touched his face; his glasses were gone.

Then I touched myself again, and there were no clothes left.

At that moment, he hurriedly wished he were dressed. The thought had barely formed in his mind when a long robe appeared nearby. He picked it up and put it on.
The robe was soft, clean, and warm. How peculiar that it appeared just like that.

The thought had just crossed his mind...

Then I saw a black cat staring at me.

Harry was completely dumbfounded:

"Mr. Black Cat! But... how could this be? Why am I unconscious?"

The black cat didn't speak, but instead placed its dark, furry paws near its whiskers.

Harry found it strange; Mr. Black Cat was telling him to shut up.

Soon he knew why.

A sound reached his ears from the surrounding unformed nothingness:
The faint thumping sounds were from something constantly slapping, swinging, and struggling.

The voice evoked pity, yet also a hint of lewdness. He felt deeply uncomfortable, as if he were eavesdropping on something secret and shameful.

Harry slowly turned around. The surrounding scenery was still a vast, bright, and clean space.

It's empty here, as if only he and Mr. Black Cat are there.

Suddenly—he backed down.

He saw the thing that made the sound.

The shape of the thing was that of a naked child, curled up on the ground, with rough, red skin that looked like it had been peeled off. It lay shivering under a seat, abandoned and haphazardly stuffed there, struggling to breathe.

Harry was terrified.

Although the creature was small, weak, and injured, he was unwilling to approach it.

However, he still moved over little by little, ready to back out at any time.

Soon, he was close enough to touch it, but he didn't have the courage to do so; he felt like a coward.

He should comfort it, but the thing disgusted him.

"You can't help."

"The black cat said."

Harry whirled around, and the black cat was walking toward him.

Its emerald green eyes were sparkling.

Harry and Voldemort's connection was deeper than it had imagined; simply separating the two caused Harry to fall into a coma, and Voldemort to be on the verge of death.

But that's exactly what Sheen wanted to see.

"What is that, Mr. Black Cat?"

Harry turned his head and looked at the injured little life trembling under the chair.

"It's something that none of us can change."

The black cat said,
“He was most afraid of coming here, and now I’ve brought him here. No matter how powerful your magic was, Harry, everyone is equal here.”

The black cat stared at the life form, and at that moment Harry felt that Mr. Black Cat was on a much deeper level more radiant and complete than the life form itself.

Mr. Black Cat is solid, agile, and imbued with wisdom and erudition.

This life is both pitiful and disgusting.

"Is this... Voldemort?"

After a long while, Harry finally asked.

"Harry, you are an excellent wizard."

"The black cat said."

Harry quickly lowered his head, wondering if he would blush here; if he did, his face would surely be as red as an apple. Harry always liked it here; he even loved it.

Mr. Black Cat always appeared whenever he needed help, and although he always spoke in words he couldn't understand, it never confused him.

Because when he encountered difficulties and pondered deeply, Mr. Black Cat's words were like a faint but steadfast lamp in the darkness.

Language... is truly an inexhaustible resource in the magical world. It can both inflict harm and heal the soul.

“Harry, look.”

The black cat rummaged through a wisp of mist, and the tiny life inside was sucked in—the wisp reflected the image of a terrifying wizard who ruled the entire magical world.

But once Harry is out of the fold, he can only see Voldemort's pitiful and laughable fragile soul.

"In the world of the soul, getting lost is natural."

"The black cat said."

The life behind them twitched and groaned before finally disappearing completely into the mist.

Harry sat there for a very long time.

Finally, like snowflakes gently falling, Harry slowly realized what was about to happen:

"You destroyed it, Mr. Black Cat?"

"It chose to die. The soul within you can be clearly heard wailing even in the soul world."

It had no love, Harry, and therefore it was powerless to choose life. And a wizard powerless to choose life must choose death.

"The black cat said."

"What about me..."

Harry muttered to himself.

The black cat's lips curled up, and its whiskers trembled.

Harry saw it so funny and cheerful for the first time, which made it feel less distant from him.

“Harry, you’re not nearly as afraid to come back here as he is.”

"The black cat said."

Harry felt that Mr. Black Cat thought he was far more powerful than he himself believed.

As the fog completely enveloped the area, Harry silently thought that Mr. Black Cat must be his favorite magical creature in the wizarding world.

Sometimes he really wanted to... touch it...

One of Voldemort's Horcruxes was destroyed.

The black cat's steps were much lighter, and he could stay at the border for two more seconds because a thin line of mist had grown stronger around Harry.

It is these anchor points that allow the black cat to remain at the border without getting lost.

That's why the black cat was willing to talk to Harry a little more.

That's what they think.

The Dream Story mentions that seven hours later, the sky here will turn dark, the stars will become brilliant, and you can see a clear and bright night sky, which is the best time for divination.
The Dream Story also mentions that seven hours later, the sky here will brighten, and at the approaching dawn, it is always easy to encounter some waiting souls.

They wait here, then disappear again at dawn. Lingering in the eve of a dawn that never seems to break.

……

Finally, the dream ended, and a heavy silence, like snow on the ground, enveloped the entire castle.

Harry didn't feel bored at all; on the contrary, he felt very peaceful, and he was happy at the thought of Voldemort's soul disappearing from his body.

Mr. Black Cat was the most wondrous presence he encountered at Hogwarts. He would wake him from nightmares and whisper comforting words in the darkness, assuring him that he was actually safe and that nothing would be a problem.

"The messenger of Christmas night, the fairy cat of the castle who holds good fortune."

The majestic castle is his ears, the spiral staircase is his breath…

Harry murmured devoutly.

(End of this chapter)