Chapter 18: 18 Another Deserved Headache

Harry kept studying Flitwick's reference books in Charms class as the short professor continued to teach the locking and unlocking spells. He wanted them to be able to do them proficiently before he moved on.

Lunch was next and it was spent out by the Black Lake at 'their' spot. Only, it was starting to get crowded as more students showed up and brought their own food.

After lunch was History of Magic and unlike many of the other students, the first years actually looked forward to it. Harry was a great teacher and they had fun as he talked and then showed displays of magic used during some of the conflicts. At one point, he even showed a mock battle using matchsticks transfigured into little goblins and wizards.

There was a short free period next and then Flying, which Harry wasn't allowed to attend, so he bid Padma and his friends a good afternoon and went to the school's library. Irma Pince smiled and waved to him and he waved back before he went to the next part of the library that he was storing and searching through.

His Master skills were rising steadily as he progressed across the library and absorbed different information from the books the school contained. The Ravenclaw Library might have just as many books, the difference was they had been donated by other Ravenclaws after graduation and it was fairly comprehensive. It wasn't as prolific as the school's library, however.

Harry was also running out of time. He only had two days left before he would suffer the quest failure about finding out what Snape had done and he was getting desperate. He mentally marked the books he would have to read and absorbed as many books as he could while not drawing attention to himself. He was so distracted in his task that he didn't notice when Padma approached.

“Hi, Harry!” Padma said happily.

“AH!” Harry gasped and both rows of books on either side of the aisle disappeared.

Padma's mouth dropped open from shock and she stared at the completely empty shelves that used to hold hundreds of books.

Harry took a deep breath and used the books he could to level his skills and spells, then waved a hand and put the books back. “I can explain.”

“Ex-explain?” Padma asked. “I want you to do it again!”

Harry was stunned by her words for a moment, then he took her hand and they went to the next aisle. They had to wait for a minute before the older male student there walked away with a book. Once he was gone, Harry waved his hand and cleared out the entire section.

Padma gasped and her hand gripped his tightly. “Where did they go?”

“Undetectable expansion charm.” Harry whispered and absorbed their knowledge before putting them back in the same order. He would have to come back tonight to get the books that were currently being used by other students, if they didn't check them out. It was one of the downsides of using the library for information, actually. There was almost no way to have all of the books present at the same time.

Padma nodded. “No wonder you could organize the Ravenclaw Library so quickly.”

Harry was a little surprised that she was so accepting of his ability.

“I assume you're studying all of the books as much as you can and that's why you can teach so well, despite only being a first year?” Padma asked him and he nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Your fiancee has requested to join your party and help you in your quests! Do you wish to add Padma Patil (Bones) to your party?

YES! Harry yelled mentally and felt happy that he could share this with someone.

Installing Party System... installing... installation failed. Gamer Mind at insufficient level. Please upgrade completely to install the Party System.

OH NO! Harry shouted in his mind. How do I do that?

Storage of entire school library should complete Gamer Mind.

“Harry?” Padma asked with concern in her voice. “Why do you look like you're in pain?”

“I... I just figured out how you can help me.” Harry said and looked at the time as he contemplated what he was going to do. It was suppertime and there were still students around. “I really should wait until tonight to do this; but, I want you to cause a distraction. I need everyone to not be looking at the books for about two minutes.”

Padma looked at the shelves beside her and back at his face. “You're not going to do what I think you're going to do, are you?”

Harry gave her a sheepish smile. “It's the quickest way to do what I need to do. After that, I can share everything with you.”

Padma caught her breath. She was sure she knew what he meant. Or could guess. It wasn't anything dirty... or so she hoped. By the look in his eyes, she knew he was being truthful and she wasn't going to disappoint him, not after proving that she could keep his secret.

“I'll see what I can do.” Padma promised.

“Thank you, future wife.” Harry said and gave her a quick kiss, right on the lips.

Padma blushed and gave him a nod, then she walked away with a purpose.

Barely a minute later, there was a screaming shout about a fire and smoke entered the library.

She's brilliant! Harry thought and walked to the center of the library. He easily saw everyone, even Madam Pince, run towards the library's entrance... then the contents of the entire library disappeared.

Harry grit his teeth in pain as a massive weight settled into his mind and his eyes were flooded with popup notifications of spell and skill levels. He had to endure it, though. He needed Gamer Mind completed and he couldn't do that if he fell unconscious.

Your Pain Resistance Skill has levelled up! Child Bonus x2 XP

He had to read them all!

Your Pain Resistance Skill has levelled up! Child Bonus x2 XP

He needed to keep going!

Your Pain Resistance Skill has levelled up! Child Bonus x2 XP

He had to...

Congratulations! Gamer Mind has maxed out! Full benefits have been granted.

Warning: System Corruption at 26%. Scanning system for errors...
Mental deficiency detected.
Foreign presence detected.
Health Monitor detected.
Magical suppression detected.
Emotional suppression detected.

Do you wish to reformat and correct these errors? Warning: Formatting will take 6 hours.

Harry dropped to his knees as the pain coursed through his brain.

Your Pain Resistance Skill has levelled up! Child Bonus x2 XP
Your Pain Resistance Skill has levelled up! Child Bonus x2 XP
Your Pain Resistance Skill has levelled up! Child Bonus x2 XP

Harry had just enough presence of mind to put the library books back before he gripped the sides of his head and groaned. “Yes.” He whispered and then lost consciousness and limply dropped to the floor.

“HARRY!” Irma yelled when she saw him fall and rushed over to him.

She checked him to see if he was bleeding anywhere or if he was still breathing. She sighed with relief that he was not bleeding and his breathing was even, then she picked him up in her arms. She strode over to the library's entrance where she had extinguished the small fire someone had started using a handkerchief and had added leaves to create smoke.

“Out of my way!” Irma growled at the gathered students in her way and they jumped aside for her.

“Harry!” Padma gasped and ran after the librarian. Oh, no! What have I done?

*

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Harry's consciousness seemed to be floating around a large cloud of blackness. He couldn't quite make sense of it, even with his Intelligence so high. It was confusing, because he didn't have a body and the cloud in front of him seemed to be pulsing like a heart. It didn't make sense.

Reclamation of corrupted sector of Host's mind initiated.

Harry was surprised when the blue box appeared and disappeared after he read it. Then he was shocked when a huge farm combine formed at the edge of the black cloud. The large swooshing blades on the front cylinder looked like an old fashioned push lawnmower. The machine moved forward and the cloud started yelling and screaming.

For some reason, this didn't bother Harry. He actually felt satisfaction as the combine did its work and the cloud was processed into mulch. When it was done and the screaming faded away, another machine appeared. This one was a giant soil tiller and ran over the large patch of mulch and churned it up and mixed it into the odd looking greyish pink ground below it.

Congratulations! The corrupting influence has been destroyed. Foreign presence removed. Mental deficiency removed. Emotional suppression removed. Magical suppression removed.
Warning: Foreign information found! Do you want to save this information or clear the space for new information?

Harry was sure that whatever that knowledge was, it was going to be knowledge he didn't have before. As a Ravenclaw, he sought out information to better himself, so ignoring that information would be anathema to his mentality and well being.

Save it. Harry thought, even though he wasn't sure how he could think without having a body.

Integrating information into current system storage. Integrating... integrating...
Warning: Mastered magic skills will become locked and will no longer be able to level. Continue with integration?

Now that was a difficult question for Harry. He knew he had been close to levelling some of them up, thanks to the new library information. The problem was that there wasn't a level above Master. Would locking them stop him from upgrading or altering them?

Once a skill is max level, it becomes locked. If a new skill utilizes it, it becomes part of the new skill and that can be levelled.

Oh! I've done that a couple of times already. Harry thought. Thanks! Proceed with the integration.

Four hours remain until the procedure completes. Would you like to rest or play a game?

Harry smiled, even though he didn't have a face at the moment. Let's play!

*

Padma hadn't left Harry's side the entire time he had been unconscious. She had cried occasionally as well, because if she hadn't helped him, he wouldn't have hurt himself by storing the whole library. She was conflicted about that, because she somehow knew that if she had refused him, he wouldn't accept her help ever again. But, because she helped him, he ended up in the hospital wing.

Fresh tears came to Padma's eyes and she let out a soft sob as she held onto Harry's limp hand. She sat there and tried to be strong for him, because he needed her and she shouldn't show weakness like this.

Padma felt the hand she held twitch and she caught her breath and sat up straight to look at Harry's face, only to see that he had tears in his eyes as well.

“I am so sorry to put you through that, Padma.” Harry said and held his arm open in a clear indication for a hug.

“Oh, Harry!” Padma exclaimed and half-jumped onto the bed to hug him tightly.

The pair stayed like that for several minutes, both crying and comforting each other.

“Miss Patil, if you will let go of the patient, I can check him over.” Madam Pomfrey said.

Padma didn't want to and whispered that to Harry, which made him smile, and she reluctantly let him go and sat back on the chair beside the bed.

Madam Pomfrey cast several spells and checked his pulse and breathing before she nodded. “It seems Mister Bones just fainted from exhaustion.” She said and looked at Harry. “If you are feeling tired at all, you will go directly to bed, no matter what time of day it is. You need rest and I will give you a note for the professors. They won't give you any trouble.”

“Thank you, Madam.” Harry said, his voice full of gratitude.

“I'll allow you to leave the hospital wing if you promise to go right to the Ravenclaw Tower and right to bed.” Madam Pomfrey said.

“I will promise... as long as I am allowed to stop at the library first.” Harry said. “Madam Pince must be worried sick, just like Padma.”

Madam Pomfrey smiled and nodded. “Miss Patil, ensure he makes it to bed.”

“Yes, Madam Pomfrey.” Padma said and helped Harry out of the bed. The two of them wiped at each other's faces, making each other laugh a little, and they held hands as they left the hospital wing.

*

Irma Pince sat behind her desk and kept a stern look on her face; but, it was just a facade. She was very worried about her favorite young man. It was almost time to close up the library for the night and she still hadn't heard a word from Pomfrey about him. She had just resolved in her mind to give the healer a piece of her mind when Harry and Padma entered the library.

Irma jerked in her seat, because she wanted to run over to him and scoop him up into a hug to make sure he was okay. As if he knew what she wanted, Harry blushed as he approached her desk. He whispered something to Padma, who nodded and let his hand go.

Harry walked around Irma's desk and took her into a tight hug. “I'm so sorry to put you through that, Irma.”

Irma put her arms around him and hugged him back. “I'm just glad you're okay.”

“I'm better than that.” Harry said and looked up at her. “I have someone else that cares about me.”

Irma nodded as she ran a hand through his long hair. “Are you putting this back into a ponytail?”

“No.” Harry said with a smile. “Padma likes doing what you're doing, too.”

“Harry!” Padma gasped and blushed.

Irma let out a soft laugh and stopped combing his hair with her fingers. “I assume Pomfrey ordered you to go straight to bed?”

Harry nodded. “I agreed, as long as I could see you first.”

Irma smiled. “Thank you, Harry.”

“No, thank you.” Harry said and a very large and thick book suddenly appeared in his hands. “I want you to have this.”

Irma gasped when she read the cover. 'A Comprehensive Information Guide To All Things Magic'. As far as she knew, no such book existed, and she had made it her mission to know of every book that existed.

“It's a little dry, as most books like this are.” Harry said with a smile and Irma nodded. “On the plus side, it has everything in it. And I mean everything.”

“Harry, I... I can't accept...” Irma started to refuse.

“I have multiple copies and I'm giving one to Padma, too.” Harry said and it was Padma's turn to gasp. “I hope you enjoy it and think of me whenever you read it.”

Irma accepted the surprisingly light book. “Thank you, Harry.”

“You don't have to worry about anyone taking it either. It's your book now and everyone else sees gibberish.” Harry said with a grin. “Who knew the babbling potion worked for eyes, too?”

Irma let out another soft chuckle. “You are just going to keep surprising people, aren't you?”

“Only if they don't expect it.” Harry said. “Goodnight, Irma.”

“Goodnight, Harry.” Irma said and waited until Harry and Padma, once again holding hands, left the library. She quickly ushered the last few students out and locked the doors, then she went back to her desk and admired the book. The brand new book. The book that shouldn't exist.

Irma sat down and relaxed as she opened it to the index of contents and sighed happily. She always did love an indexed and comprehensive list.

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