Before long, the school term was nearing its end.
One day, Arsesi sought out Aiden.
"Aiden," she said, her eyes bright with anticipation, "I think I've completed my 'acting'."
"I know," Aiden nodded, a proud smile on his face. "But the new potion can't be brewed until the holidays. You'll have to be patient for a little while longer." He then leaned in, his voice dropping slightly. "By the way, Arsesi, during the holidays, I need you to take over a subordinate organization of the Twilight Hermit Society."
"What?" she asked, surprised. "We have a subordinate organization?"
"A group of dark wizards in Knockturn Alley," he explained with a mysterious smile. "They will handle the tasks our organization cannot perform in the light. To put it simply, they are our 'white gloves'." Aiden then changed the subject. "What about members within the school?"
"There aren't any suitable candidates at the moment," she mused. "Why don't you consider your roommates?"
"Oliver and Ethan might be possible," Aiden replied thoughtfully, "but Edmund would likely be constrained by his family, so let's forget him for now."
"Aren't you afraid I'll be constrained by my family, too?" Arsesi teased.
"The Greengrass family?" Aiden chuckled. "That's too easy for you, Arsesi. You're a talented person. Your powerful mind ensures you won't be easily controlled by anyone." He looked at the vast magical power that seemed to emanate from her very being.
"Hmph," she said, though a pleased smile touched her lips. "Remember to bring me the potion during the holidays. Don't stand me up again this time. It's ungentlemanly to keep a lady waiting, you know." With that, she turned and left, her lingering voice echoing off the stone walls.
In the afternoon, Aiden went to Hagrid's hut.
"Hi, Aiden!" Hagrid greeted him warmly, his voice booming. "Professor Dumbledore told me you helped a lot in clearing my name. Thank you so much."
"It was nothing," Aiden said politely. "We're friends, Hagrid."
"Oh, what brings you here today?" Hagrid asked.
"Well," Aiden began, a bit sheepishly, "I need some materials. I've run out of my alchemy solution, so..."
"Oh, is that all?" Hagrid bellowed with a hearty laugh. "What do you need? Just go and pick whatever you want! There are often fights between magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest, and I've picked up a lot of good stuff over the years." As he spoke, he stood up and led Aiden to his storeroom.
The dazzling array of rare and valuable magical ingredients inside nearly blinded Aiden.
"Go on," Hagrid said grandly, patting his chest. "As thanks, from now on, I'll cover any materials you need."
With that one generous offer, he had casually saved Aiden hundreds, if not thousands, of Galleons. He truly was the richest man in Hogwarts.
Aiden left Hagrid's hut with a small, packed leather case and returned to his dormitory.
That evening, Dumbledore held a grand feast on the grounds that all who had been petrified had now recovered.
"Good evening," Sir Nicholas was saying, greeting the young witches and wizards as they entered the Great Hall. As he floated toward the entrance, a small witch with an explosion of bushy brown hair walked in.
"Good evening, Hermione, welcome back," Sir Nicholas said with a graceful bow.
"Hello, Sir Nicholas. Thank you," Hermione replied, her face beaming.
At the Gryffindor table, Neville saw her enter and shouted to Harry. "Harry, look! Hermione's back!"
Harry and Ron turned around. Seeing their long-missed friend, both were overcome with excitement. Hermione ran toward them, throwing her arms around Harry in a tight hug before pulling away and shaking hands somewhat formally with Ron.
From his own vantage point, Aiden watched the scene with a wry internal smile. 'Go for it, Ronny,' he thought. 'Sincerity is the ultimate weapon.' Unfortunately, Ron couldn't hear a thing.
Next, Professor McGonagall tapped her glass with a spoon. "Your attention, please. Our headmaster has an announcement to make."
Dumbledore stood up and cast a Sonorus charm on himself. "Before the feast begins," he announced, his voice echoing through the hall, "let us first thank Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey for their hard work. It is their efforts that have allowed the petrified to return to us so quickly."
The crowd below applauded enthusiastically. When the noise died down, Dumbledore continued. "Furthermore, I must also announce that, based on recent events, as a gesture of goodwill, we will be canceling all exams this year!"
As soon as Dumbledore finished speaking, the young witches and wizards below erupted in a deafening roar of cheers and pandemonium. Then the main doors were suddenly pushed open, and a tall, burly figure walked in. The hall instantly fell silent.
Dumbledore spoke again, his timing perfect. "Finally, our groundskeeper has been cleared of all wrongdoing and has returned to Hogwarts!"
Harry ran up the aisle and hugged Hagrid tightly.
Hagrid winked his left eye at Aiden, who raised his cup from across the hall in a distant toast.
The whole of Hogwarts was immersed in a sea of joy. Only the Slytherin table seemed a bit subdued, for reasons not worth mentioning.
While the other students stood up to cheer, Aiden grabbed a pork chop and started gnawing on it.
"Why do you always look like you haven't eaten in a week?" Edmund said, looking at his friend with exasperation.
"Hunger is a great enemy," Aiden's gaze sharpened suddenly.
"Where did you get that strange idea?" Ethan laughed.
"Oh, is it not?" Aiden said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I thought it was the famous catchphrase of a certain legendary king from another story."
Oliver offered no comment on the matter.
The feast concluded amidst cheers and laughter.
The next day, it was once again time for the long-awaited departure. The Hogwarts Express's chimney puffed great clouds of steam as it slowly pulled into the station. A gentle breeze brushed against Aiden's cheek, bringing with it a bittersweet mix of joy for the summer holidays and the quiet melancholy of parting.
[Chapter Complete]
***
Want more? Check out my Patreon for:
✓ Advanced chapters of all my stories
✓ Exclusive novels & fanfics
✓ Early access content [email protected]/meowthtl
💪 Community Goal: 500 Power Stones unlocks a bonus chapter!
Thanks for reading and supporting the story!