[HP]Timepiece Countdown

"...cough cough!"

Harry was awakened by an indescribably strange smell.He coughed several times intermittently before he noticed the current situation——

He was in a room, also bound from neck to toe to a wooden chair.The room was full of high shelves, and many crystal reagent bottles were neatly placed on top of them. The liquids contained in them were of various colors, and some of them were still emitting fluorescence.There was a long workbench near the wall, on which were stacked balances and crucibles of various sizes, cut parchment, and necessary tools for potions such as silver knives and stirring rods.

Looks a lot like a pharmacy in a clinic...

When Harry deduced this, the woman in a white coat with a blond bun was backing away from him, holding what should be a smelling bottle in her hand. "Harry Potter," Freya Duran stood up straight and pronounced his name calmly, "Excuse me, can you explain what you do in my garden?"

Harry shook his head vigorously to wake himself up. "Why... did I faint?" He asked without answering.

Duran just stared at him. "Those mandrakes have had their roots cut open, and the smell of the sap is narcotic and hallucinogenic," she replied unemotionally, "I thought Hogwarts must have taught that in Herbology."

Harry was sure she was right, but that wasn't the point he wanted to know. "Can you let me go?" He continued to try to win for himself, "I'm really... not feeling well..." He coughed twice again.

However, Duran was not impressed by Harry's show of weakness. "Unless you can give me a reasonable answer to the question I just started." She put down the smelling bottle, crossed her hands in front of her chest, and narrowed her eyes slightly. "I know you're an Auror. But I'm equally sure that even our Aurors can't break into my house without permission."

Again, Harry was indefensible. "I'm just..." He frantically scratched his head, trying to find a relatively good reason, "I just have a little physical problem..."

"In case you're mistaken, I'm basically a specialist clinic here." Duran interrupted before Harry could make up an excuse, "And as far as soul mates go, your connection couldn't be better." It was so obvious that she didn't even bother to point it out, and patients generally walked through the front door in a demure manner.

Harry's eyes widened.When a long-buried secret is revealed to a stranger, he almost chokes in shock. "……How did you know?"

"I'm not boasting. In this respect, I'm the best therapist." Durand said, the smile on his lips couldn't be said to be without a trace of complacency. "If I don't have such abilities, do you think any wizard is willing to come to me?"

This is true.A soul mate is an extremely intimate and intimate relationship. If you cannot confirm that the therapist is reliable and capable, no one is willing to hand over the deepest things in your heart.

"Okay." Harry reluctantly gave up on pretending to be sick, thinking that he couldn't tell him the side effects of not seeing his other half - the disgraced Dark Lord - for so long. she. "I...I heard about your trial," the only subject I can hold back for a while—though it may be too sensitive—"I'm curious about the details...I mean, I've never met a wizard's soulmate before. Probably Muggles."

Upon hearing this, the blond woman pursed her lips tightly, with firm lines.Harry guessed right, this was indeed something Duran didn't want to touch.She looked like she wanted to say what this has to do with you, but when she actually said, "What details?"

It was a strange reaction, and Harry wondered.This was the first conversation between him and Duran, but the other party seemed to give in to him; or in other words, reluctantly cooperated.Then imagine that the moment she opened her mouth, your connection is fine...

Harry had reason to suspect that Duran already knew his soul mate was Voldemort.He wasn't too pleased, and wanted to know how she knew, but it would be silly to point out when he could take advantage of it. "Is that partnership the same as a partnership between two wizards?"

The expression on Dulan's face hesitated for a while.She opened her mouth and closed it again, as if she was trying to figure out the right words. "I……"

"Dr. Duran," a woman called out, the voice seemed to come from downstairs or around the bend of the stairs, "you have a visitor!"

This time Harry didn't ignore it, and Duran was indeed relieved. "I want to excuse you for a while." She calmed down more, and her tone returned to her usual confidence. "I hope you can give me a good reply when I come back."

Then she left.Harry couldn't help feeling annoyed secretly, he was sure that Duran would find a perfect explanation to prevaricate later.This guest came at the wrong time, it seems that he and Malfoy really didn't get along...

But it was impossible for him to just give up, and Harry began to struggle.Just now he has discovered that although there are many ropes on his body, they are not tied too tightly.All kinds of performances point to Duran's already following Voldemort's lead. She already knew the connection between the two of them, so she didn't dare to go too far with him.

It sounded unpleasant that Voldemort had become his patron, but he couldn't fault the benefits he was enjoying.

Harry kept trying while thinking hard.Soon, he discovered that his feet could move within a small range.Here's the way...

Holding his breath, he shifted his center of gravity forward, let the four feet of the chair slightly off the ground, accumulated energy on the soles of his feet, and then jumped forward——

Only a little bit forward.

But he didn't fall, and he didn't make any noteworthy noises, which was fine.

It took Harry a moment to move to the door.His hands were tied behind his back, and he couldn't reach the cylindrical doorknob, so he could only put his ears on the door panel as much as possible.When he was observing outside, he had noticed that the clinic's reception room was designed with high ceilings. If he was in the upstairs room next to the corridor, he might still hear some movement from below.

At first, Harry could only catch vague voices.After a while, his neck was almost sore, and the voice downstairs became slightly louder.

"...too polite, first time meeting..."

"There is no...deserved...Viking blood...golden horned helmet, dedicated to wizard rituals..."

"... Careful... Thank you very much..."

It sounds like Malfoy brought Duran a valuable Viking horned helmet as a gift, and Duran seemed to like it...

Harry thought, trying harder to stick to the door panel.

Afterwards, Malfoy probably asked a question about soul mates, because Duran was talking for the next ten minutes.Her volume was well controlled, somewhere between inaudible and audible, and Harry very much suspected she was doing it on purpose.

"Thank you very much," Draco Malfoy's answer sounded afterwards, and Harry never knew that the other party could have such a sincere and excited tone. Apply your method."

"Of course," Duran's voice was also a little louder, "I welcome it. After all, the part about soul mates is a niche research direction, and there are not many cases for reference. If I can help a little, I will Very happy."

"Of course you can, and it's no small favor. Soul mates are rare, but a small number of people deserve someone to take care of their needs. In the end, that's our job."

"That's right, Draco. I'm very optimistic about your future development!"

There was another burst of mutual flattery after that, which sounded like it to Harry anyway.His neck was already sore from having to force himself to one side; his wrists were aching from keeping in the same position.But he still didn't want to miss any news he might get.

"Draco still has a lot to learn," Mr. Malfoy followed unhurriedly. "After all, his patient isn't the only one who needs your help, is it?"

"That's true," Duran laughed. "Everyone seems to come to me with any questions about soul mates. It's not that I don't like it: but I'm really too busy to do it alone."

"It's to be expected," Mr. Malfoy continued, this time with a hint of secrecy, "I've heard that you can not only heal wizards who have lost their soul mates, but also repair damaged connections between partners? And, if A wizard wants to know what it's like to have a soul mate, and he will ask you for help?"

Duran laughed this time. "You really know everything, Lucius! Let me guess—" she said in a very brisk tone, "are you one of them, too?"

Mr. Malfoy coughed lightly. "Soul mates fascinate me," he admits. "I would really like to know what it would be like to have a destined imprint, if possible." He pauses, speaking hopefully, "Since you ask, Can I think you really have a way?"

"Not all of them, but some of them—" Duran dragged his voice a little, "it is indeed possible. I have developed a potion that can make ordinary partners feel like soul mates. From the beginning of the effect to the complete disappearance, one sip can It lasts twelve hours." She further added, "The imprint is the first sentence they say to each other during this period, and the position is random-of course, it will disappear as the effect of the drug wears off."

If Harry could see, he thought there was light in Mr. Malfoy's eyes at this point. "It's okay! I mean, it's totally acceptable. Can you sell me some? The price is not an issue!"

"Of course the price is not a problem," Duran repeated humorously, "because I plan to give it to you as my return gift."

"That's wonderful!" Mr. Malfoy was overjoyed.

Dulan ordered his assistant to take out the potion, followed by a movement of walking around.Harry, who was in the pharmacy, almost panicked, and half a second later realized that it was impossible for Duran to expose him.

Sure enough, Mr. Malfoy quickly got what he wanted and thanked him repeatedly.The three of them talked about other, innocuous matters, and then Mr. Malfoy said his goodbyes.

"It was a very pleasant evening, and I look forward to our next meeting." Duran said this, with just the right etiquette.

"So do we," Mr Malfoy laughed happily, "I promise we'll meet again soon!"

I have to say that the last sentence is the most suggestive one in the whole conversation.soon?How fast?They both seem to know exactly when they'll meet next?

Harry was thinking desperately, not noticing that his originally tense body relaxed because of the end of the conversation, and he fell backwards.With a bang, the half-suspended chair legs at the back fell heavily to the ground, making a loud crashing sound.On the nearest shelf a crystal vial was knocked to the ground, shattered whole, spattering hot bright red liquid.His pupils shrank, and he stepped back instinctively, and the chair creaked again.

The movement was so loud that the deaf couldn't hear it, and the people downstairs looked at each other in dismay.

"...What's going on?" The clinic assistant poked his head out of the duty room with a puzzled face, "Doctor, do you need me to go up and take a look?"

"It's okay." Duran waved his hands calmly under the suspicious eyes of the two Malfoys. "I locked a group of Billywigs in the jar and planned to remove the poisonous needles. Maybe they are too restless. I'll deal with it. If they fly out, you might get stung."

Harry didn't hear the next sound, because he was trying to move himself to a relatively clean place.The color of the knocked-off potion didn't look very ordinary. Although it smelled tasteless and was not corrosive by visual inspection, what if it was poisonous?

Soon, footsteps came from the direction of the stairs.Duran immediately entered the door, and his brows were tightly frowned after seeing the mess and Harry who was already far away from his original position. "You are really dishonest," she commented, but her eyes were fixed on the potions that could no longer be saved, "and this..."

The conversation was so suspicious that Harry's heart skipped a beat. "I didn't mean to, I didn't expect it to fall, sorry for breaking your stuff..." He wanted to figure out what happened, "But what the hell is it?"

Duran gave him a deep look.Thoughts were written on her face, more subtle ones. "You should have heard it just now."

Harry was embarrassed for a moment, pointing out that he was eavesdropping. "You mean, the kind of potion that can make ordinary partners feel like soul mates?" It sounds good, it should be non-toxic...

"I'm afraid you don't really understand what I mean." Duran seemed to have discovered Harry's fluke mentality, "Except for the part of the temporary imprint, this thing is an aphrodisiac in layman's terms."

The statement had the effect of a needle being stuck in an inflated balloon: Harry's cheeks collapsed before a relieved smile appeared. "...What did you say?!" He opened his mouth in shock.

Duran shrugged slightly. "Again, you heard me." She stepped across the mess, took a long-necked flask from the wooden shelf on the other side, and poured out the clear liquid inside.

Harry watched as she gulped it down, feeling increasingly bad for some reason. "Wait," he stared dryly, trying to get the other person's attention, "does your potion only work for people who don't have a soul mate?"

However, Duran didn't nod in his expectant eyes. "On the contrary," she replied, "it works better with soul mates."

Harry froze even now.But he thought of another point, and asked hopefully: "Didn't you just say that the effect of one sip lasts for twelve hours?" He didn't drink a drop!

"I'm talking about the effect of the diluted potion," Duran explained further, and his gaze fell on Harry almost with pity, "What you smashed is the original liquid, and the amount you take in by breathing is enough."

That was true, Harry could already feel his body warming up.If this is true... His scalp was numb, and he couldn't imagine what would happen next. "What did you drink just now?" He asked eagerly, not bothering to hide his intentions. "It has a soothing effect, doesn't it?"

"In theory, it is, but it's not my turn to deal with your affairs." Duran shook his right hand at him, and Harry noticed that there was a silver ring carved into a double snake with its head and tail intertwined, "I have already informed Your soul mate," she smiled, looking genuinely happy, "he'll be here soon."

Harry couldn't say a word about it, he could only stare at her.He has never had such a strong sense of crisis as he does now, about the desperate situation he will soon have to face, and there is no way out.