Upon hearing Nolan's reminder, Hermione turned her head and saw him already wearing his sunglasses, looking cool and composed.
"You sure came prepared," she remarked, taking the sunglasses without hesitation and putting them on. Harry followed suit, though he had to remove his prescription glasses, which immediately made his vision blurry and dim.
"I always thought your glasses were just for show," Nolan commented, watching Harry fumble about. He pursed his lips to suppress a smile.
"So, they're actually for nearsightedness?"
"This joke isn't funny at all," Harry grumbled. "I think I should just put my glasses back on. In this snowy terrain, one misstep, and I could tumble right off the mountain."
Harry sounded dejected, his whole demeanor deflated. The lack of clear vision left him feeling unsettled.
"Don't worry," Nolan said with a grin. "If you do fall, I'll catch you. Besides, having functioning legs is still better than being blind."
Harry didn't respond, only tightening his lips as he carefully trudged forward.
They had been climbing for barely an hour, yet exhaustion already weighed heavily on them. Hermione, too drained to care about the freezing cold, plopped down onto the snow without hesitation.
"We're moving way too slowly," she said, breathing heavily. "At this rate, it'll take us a week just to reach the mountain's peak."
Ron didn't have that kind of time.
Before their departure, Dumbledore had warned them—Ron's body, already weakened by frostbite, wouldn't last long. If they didn't return soon, even if the cursed wraiths didn't consume him, the cold alone could kill him.
"We need to think of a solution," Nolan muttered, standing with his hands on his hips, surveying the desolate landscape. Unfortunately, there was nothing useful in sight. Even summoning undead creatures was out of the question here.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the temperature plunged even further.
"We can't waste time," Nolan said. "We need to find a place to rest for the night."
"Let's keep moving a little longer," Hermione suggested. "There might be a cave ahead."
Taking her and Harry by the hands, Nolan hauled them up from the snow and led the way.
There was no cave—but a steep cliff face loomed before them.
Its sharp-angled overhang formed a triangular alcove, perfect for shelter. If they piled snow along the outer edge, it would block the wind, and once they lit a fire, the heat would stay trapped inside.
Nolan tossed his backpack aside and assessed the area.
Luckily, some hardy plants grew on the mountainside. After some effort, he managed to gather a pile of dry branches.
"Use these sparingly. They should last us through the night," he instructed.
"Hermione, wrap yourself in the blanket—don't let yourself get cold."
The "blanket" was actually their flying carpet. It wasn't particularly warm, but at least it was something.
"What about you two?" Hermione asked hesitantly. She was willing to share if necessary.
"One of us has to keep watch," Nolan said matter-of-factly. "Harry and I will take turns. You don't need to worry."
He hadn't even asked Harry beforehand, but he was certain the boy would agree.
"We'll be by the fire the whole time," Harry assured her, nodding in agreement. "You're a girl. You need to stay warm."
As he spoke, he swapped his sunglasses for his regular glasses, sighing in relief as the world finally came back into focus.
Harry gazed out at the snowy expanse, troubled.
"Today, we didn't even make it a fifth of the way up," he murmured. "Even if we do find the spring… by the time we return to Hogwarts, it might already be too late."
He let out a deep sigh.
"Honestly, I'm just relieved Ginny isn't here. She actually packed her bags and was ready to come with us. If Dumbledore hadn't insisted that someone needed to stay with Ron, she would've been right here with us. There's no way she'd survive this kind of cold."
Hermione sighed as well.
Ginny had been in agony over Ron's condition, constantly anxious and crying herself to exhaustion. At this rate, she might succumb to despair before Ron did.
"Let's rest up," Nolan said, already closing his eyes. He would be on the second watch. Vampires might not need sleep, but that didn't mean they didn't get tired.
Harry didn't argue. He simply stared into the flickering fire, lost in thought.
Then, in the stillness of the night, he heard something.
A sound—soft, sorrowful, echoing faintly through the air.
Curious, he turned toward the source of the noise.
There, in the shadows, sat a ghost.
A small boy, no older than seven, curled into himself, sobbing quietly. He had not been there during the day. He had only appeared now.
"Who are you?" Harry asked, studying the spectral figure.
The child looked up, startled.
"You can see me?" he whispered. His ghostly eyes widened in shock before filling with hope.
"Then—please! Can you take me to my mother?" The boy's voice trembled with longing. "Tell her that I never blamed her. That it was my own foolishness that led to this."
He looked at Harry with desperate, pleading eyes.
Harry hesitated, unsure.
"We're here to find the Mirror Moon Spring," he explained. "We need its waters to save our friend. We can't leave just yet."
Harry had a kind heart. In any other circumstance, he might have tried to help.
But not now.
Not when Ron's life hung in the balance.
The ghost's expression changed.
"I know where the spring is!" the boy exclaimed. His translucent eyes shimmered with excitement. "I can take you there!"
His words were almost frantic.
For years, he had been trapped here, unseen and unheard. No one had ever acknowledged him—until now.
And now, Harry was his only hope.
Harry hesitated.
"I need to ask my friends," he said at last, glancing toward Nolan and Hermione.
Neither of them stirred. They remained sound asleep, completely unaware of his conversation with the ghost.
"Alright," Harry said. "I'll talk to them first thing in the morning."