Chapter 19: The Invisible Puddle and the Professor's Assessment part-2
Harry pushed himself up on his hands, blinking water out of his eyes. He looked down.
He saw the translucent shirt. He saw the pale skin underneath. He saw the lace of her bra. He saw the curve of her waist leading down to the panties that were now on full display.
"System Alert," the voice sang a beautiful aria in my mind. "Incident recorded. Type: The 'Invisible Puddle' leading to 'Swamp Water Soak' and 'Teacher Involvement'. Target: Hermione Granger. Witnesses: Harry Potter and Professor Lupin. Rating: SS-class. Reward: Skill 'Time Dilation (Minor)' and one hundred attribute points."
"Get it off me! Get it off me!" Lupin shouted, wrestling the Grindylow which was trying to strangle him with its long fingers.
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, realizing her position and her state of undress. "My skirt! My shirt!"
Harry scrambled backward, slipping on the invisible slime again and falling on his bum. His face was a mask of absolute shock.
"I didn't mean to!" Harry yelled. "The floor! It was slippery but it looked dry!"
I stood in the doorway, the only dry person in the room, shaking my head with feigned horror.
"Professor! Harry! Are you alright?" I shouted, rushing over—carefully avoiding my own trap.
I pointed my wand at the Grindylow. "Relashio!"
Sparks flew and the demon released Lupin. I levitated it back into a bucket in the corner.
"Thank you, Ron," Lupin gasped, sitting up and wiping slime from his robes. He looked at the students.
He saw Hermione. He quickly covered his eyes with one hand.
"Miss Granger, please... cover yourself," Lupin said, his voice strained. "Mr. Potter, turn around."
"I am trying, Professor!" Harry cried, shielding his eyes but clearly having seen everything there was to see.
Hermione was sobbing now, trying to pull her soaking wet, transparent shirt away from her body, but it only clung tighter. She grabbed the ruins of her skirt from her ankles and held it over her chest.
"It is the curse!" she wailed. "I told you! The water just appeared! The tank just fell!"
"It certainly was... unfortunate," Lupin agreed, standing up and vanishing the water with a wave of his wand. However, he kept his eyes strictly on the ceiling. "I have never seen a stand collapse like that. Termites, perhaps?"
"It is me!" Hermione cried. "I am a hazard! I cannot go to classes like this! I will flash the Transfiguration department next!"
"Hermione, calm down," I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We will get you dried off."
I used a Drying Charm on her. It dried her clothes instantly. The shirt became opaque again. The skirt... well, the skirt was still broken.
"Here," I said, taking off my own robe. "Wrap this around your waist. It will cover the broken zipper."
"Thanks, Ron," she sniffed, tying the sleeves of my robe around her waist. She looked like a refugee from a fashion disaster.
"I think," Lupin said, coughing lightly, "that we should call it a day. I will write you a note for your other classes, Hermione. You should go rest. This level of stress is not healthy."
"Thank you, Professor," Hermione whispered.
She grabbed Harry's arm—who was still sitting on the floor looking dazed—and hauled him up.
"Come on, Harry," she said. "Let us go."
They left the office. I lingered for a moment.
"Sorry about the mess, Professor," I said.
"Accidents happen, Ron," Lupin sighed, inspecting the broken stand. "Although... the floor looked dry. Strange."
"Very strange," I agreed. "Maybe it was a refraction of light through the glass?"
"Perhaps," Lupin muttered. "You have a good scientific mind, Ron. You should use it."
"I intend to, Professor," I smiled. "I intend to."
I left the office and caught up with Harry and Hermione in the corridor.
(Time Dilation,) I thought, checking the new skill.
Skill: Time Dilation (Minor)Description: Allows the user to slow down their perception of time for up to ten seconds. Real time remains the same, but the user's reaction time is enhanced by 500%.
(Incredible,) I thought. (This means I can execute complex setups in the blink of an eye. I can undo a button, untie a lace and cast a tripping jinx before anyone even blinks.)
Harry was walking beside Hermione, looking at the floor.
"Harry?" I asked.
"Yeah?" he croaked.
"You okay?"
"I saw the lace," Harry whispered, his eyes unfocused. "It was... pink. The bra was pink."
"Pink is a nice color," I noted.
"I cannot unsee it, Ron," Harry said, sounding terrified. "Every time I close my eyes... I see Hermione in a wet t-shirt wrestling a Grindylow."
"Could be worse," I offered. "Could have been Snape."
Harry shuddered violently. "Don't. Just don't."
Hermione was walking ahead of us, muttering to herself about probability curves and magical resonance. She was broken, but she was rebuilding herself. She was trying to solve the puzzle.
But she couldn't solve the puzzle because the puzzle was walking right behind her, earning points for every humiliation.
We rounded the corner toward the Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady portrait was waiting.
"Password?" she asked.
"Dignity," Hermione said bitterly.
"That is not the password, dear," the Fat Lady said.
"It should be," Hermione snapped. "Caput Draconis."
The portrait swung open. We climbed through the hole.
The common room was packed. It was peak hour. Everyone was there.
(System,) I thought. (How many points do I have?)
"Current Points: 410," the system replied. "Host is eligible for a System Shop unlock."
(Shop?) My interest peaked. (What is in the shop?)
"Items include: Invisibility Spray, Wind Gust Charms (Permanent), Fabric Dissolving Mist and the 'Dream Weaver' potion which allows you to enter the target's dreams."
I grinned. The game had just leveled up.
But first, I needed to test out Time Dilation.
I looked at Parvati Patil, who was carrying a stack of books near the fireplace. I looked at Seamus, who was tying his shoe. I looked at Hermione, who was walking toward the stairs.
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