Chapter 3
It Hurts
Harry woke up the next morning, feeling better than last night. He and Ron went down to the kitchen. "Is Hermione still asleep?" Ron asked, frowning. "Oh, no…there they are" Mrs. Weasley said. Harry looked around and saw Ginny and Hermione coming down from the stairs. "Good morning" Hermione said, while yawning at the same time. "What's wrong?" Ron asked her, "why are so tired?" "Nothing" she said, "haven't got enough sleep last night". "Why?" Harry asked her. "well, I had difficulties sleeping when I went upstairs, but after an hour, I finally slept…but unfortunately…a big noise came from the hall out the room, and…this time…well, let's just say that it was really difficult the second time" she shrugged, and went to the bathroom. Ginny was looking at Harry, frowning. "What's up with you?" he said to her, frowning too. "Oh, what have you been doing last night?" she asked him, her frown deepening. "Me? Oh, nothing…it's just the trunk…you see I forgot it downstairs and I had to get it up" he smiled at her, but she looked annoyed. "Did you have to bring it at that time?" she said, and then she went after Hermione to the bathroom. Now that Harry thought about it, he really didn't have to bring it upstairs at that time. "Sorry" he said, to no one in particular. "It's ok mate" Ron said, patting Harry on the back.
Breakfast went quite good, everybody was angry about the noise, but it was all peaceful and good. "Harry dear…are you alright today? Better than last night?" Mrs. Weasley asked, in the middle of silence. "Yeah…I'm fine…I…I'm ok" Harry said, as he remembered the ring and his gift that he had two nights earlier. "You look troubled" Ginny said, looking worried. "No…I'm…just fine" Harry said, wanting to get off the table and go to his room, so he could see the ring more closely. And without another word, he got up from the table. He was just heading towards the stairs when Mrs. Weasley said, "Harry…where are you going?" she was frowning at him. "I remembered just now…I have to do something…in the room" he headed quickly before anyone else spoke, and entered the room. It was empty, that's because everyone was downstairs.
He went to his trunk and opened it. There it was again, the box with the diamonds. He carefully opened the lid, and saw the ring again. He was a bit nervous, and was hesitating. But nonetheless, he took the ring and put it on his right hand, in the middle finger. For a moment, nothing happened, but then Harry started to feel warmth in his hand, like the ring belonged there, and it just got back home. "Wow" Harry whispered, astonished at what he was feeling at this moment. And then he saw the ring from a close aspect. It looked very old, and it had a glow to it that Harry never seen before. There on top of the ring was a stone-snake, it was dark green, and it has eyes that had a greenish glow to them. Harry felt scared and amused at the sight of the snake. He looked at it, as though the snake was alive. And then he noticed markings around the snake, he couldn't understand them, and as he looked more closely at the snake, it looked that the ring could be opened, just like a locket with a picture inside it. Harry reached for the snake, and tried to open the ring, but with no luck. "If I could only recognize the initials…" he whispered, as he looked at the note, lying inside the trunk. He heard footsteps coming from outside. He had to keep the ring a secret, even from Ron and Hermione; he thought that Hermione wouldn't think that it would be safe to keep it. He was taking it off, but there was a problem, it couldn't be taken off! The footsteps came nearer and nearer, and Harry heard Ron and Hermione's voices getting close. He didn't know what to do; he thought that butter might help him to take this ring off. But now there was no butter around. He used the only thing that might help. He saw clothing nearby that he didn't wear, he covered his hands with it, as though there were bandages. Ron and Hermione entered the room as Harry was closing the lid of his trunk shut. "Harry" Hermione said, and then she noticed his hand. "What's wrong with your hand, Harry?" she asked, looking at him. "I…I accidentally shut the trunk on it, it hurts, but this clothing helps ease the pain a bit" he thought that this lie was the best, she couldn't say no to it, and he didn't lie hundred percent, he felt some pain now. He moaned as the pain became intense. "Harry, are you ok?" Ron asked, frowning at Harry. "I'm…uh…I'm fine" he replied, as the pain became unbearable. "Well…why don't you go downstairs, Mrs. Weasley will put some ice on it, and you'll feel better" Hermione said, taking Harry towards the door. "Go". Harry still didn't want anyone to see the ring, so he thought he will put ice by himself. He ran downstairs and saw Mrs. Weasley and Mr.Weasley sitting with Fred, Ginny and George on the table. Harry ran to the sink and took off the clothing. His hand was normal, but it was red as though it was burned. Harry felt his hand under the cold water that was pouring out of the sink, it was quit warm, but he felt better. But then he noticed something that made him shocked. The water was pouring on his whole hand, but it didn't touch the ring at all, and as Harry touched the ring, it was as dry as before. "Harry" Mrs. Weasley was calling him from the table, "are you ok?" she said, and Harry heard her getting up from the table. "What's wrong?" She asked, coming near him. "nothing Mrs. Weasley" Harry said, covering his wet hand with the clothing, "I'm fine" he ran from the kitchen as fast as he could before Mrs. Weasley would ask to help.
He headed towards the room quickly and entered. He saw Ron and Hermione playing chess. "Oh, Harry, are you ok? Do you feel better?" Hermione said, as Ron was telling his king to make the next move, which took Hermione's queen out on the board. "I'm ok" Harry said, honestly. "oh no" Hermione turned and saw the shattered pieces of her queen. "I'll never beat you Ron, not in my entire life…at least not in this game" she said, moving her knight for the next move. Harry sat on his bed and opened his trunk, nothing changed, the box was on the same place. Harry looked at his hand, which was now back to normal. How can I open the lid? He wondered. He knew that what happened was because of his attempt at finding what was inside; the ring has some kind of protection against thieves and water. Maybe it'll open with some kind of password, he thought, looking around for an answer, but none came. "Oh my…is that…?" Hermione had seen the box inside the trunk, and now Harry was in trouble. "Harry, where did you get that?" Ron asked, looking wide eyed at the box, "do you know how much money you have to pay to get such a thing?" he said, not taking his eyes off the box. "But it's empty" Hermione said, frowning at Harry, "what was inside?" she asked him, taking the box from the trunk and looking at it. "Er…there was…something" he said, what kind of an answer is that? He thought, what a stupid answer. "What?" Hermione asked again, still looking at the box. "Well…I had a gift from…a gift for my birthday, you know" he said quickly. "Oh, and who sent it?" Ron asked, looking at the box too. Now Harry was so in trouble, what am I supposed to tell them? He thought, as the silence continued.