Chapter 336: Departure and Conspiracy
Gandalf watched the Great Hall awash with happiness and youthful laughter, the smile never leaving his face.
"This truly is wonderful, is it not, my lady?" he said cheerfully to Galadriel at his side.
Galadriel, too, was touched by the atmosphere. Her smile bloomed, her radiance softening. She inclined her head. "This is a joy found nowhere else—so carefree, so full of life. Even the Blessed Realm cannot compare to this moment."
She turned to him with laughing eyes. "So this is why you have chosen to remain at Hogwarts, Mithrandir? You are a wanderer whom neither Rivendell nor Lothlórien could keep, yet now you tarry here. I confess, I am surprised."
Gandalf chuckled, his gaze fond upon the children below. "These children are the hope of what is to come. In them, the future holds endless possibilities. If there is one thing about Kael that moves me most, it is not his ingenious creations, but that he founded this school of magic and brought these children to learn."
"He has spread magic among them—wizards, Dúnedain, Elves, and perhaps others to come. When they come of age, they will be a strong force against darkness.
"I foresee an age of flourishing magic. And when it arrives, even if Sauron should gather power, he and his dark host shall be little to fear."
Galadriel nodded in agreement, wisdom glinting in her deep eyes, as though she already beheld that future. Then a worry creased her brow. "But their hearts must be guarded. Sauron must be given no chance to corrupt them. Not one child can be allowed to be lured into shadow."
"Remember Númenor," she said softly. "How mighty it was—driving Sauron and his darkness to defeat, even taking him captive. Yet in the end, he ensnared and corrupted them, and Númenor fell.
"Sauron's greatest power has never been his strength in battle. It lies in his words and the corruption of the heart.
"As Hogwarts grows stronger and trains more wizards and witches, it will surely draw his gaze. If he finds a way to beguile and corrupt these wizards, it would be a fate none of us would endure."
Gandalf understood. He nodded. "Your concern is not misplaced, my lady. It is one reason I remain. With the power of Narya, the castle can be shielded against the touch of darkness."
His eyes turned toward Kael, warm with trust and esteem. "And we can trust Kael as well. He has worked many wonders. He has surely thought about this already."
Following his gaze, Galadriel saw Kael tending to Arwen, and her eyes softened further.
Kael himself, holding a golden goblet of milk and urging his wife to drink a little more, had no idea what Gandalf and Galadriel were saying of him.
Arwen had been with child for more than two years. By elven reckoning, the birth would likely be next term—in the third month of the year.
Because she carried twins, her belly was already great. Though Arwen moved lightly, Kael watched each step with care, fearful of the slightest bump.
At his urging, Arwen had at last set aside her plan to teach next year; her grandmother Galadriel, would take her classes.
In an elven pregnancy, the children draw not only nourishment but also the mother's magic, leaving her weakened. Twins draw even more.
Elrond had therefore prepared ample draughts and tonics well ahead of time to ease his daughter's burden.
Madam Amanda, renowned for her healing magic, remained at the castle at all hours to examine Arwen whenever needed.
Kael was more anxious still. To strengthen her, he even brought out frost dragon meat and asked Galadriel to invite the finest elven chef of Lothlórien to prepare nourishing dishes.
He also made the Golden Cup—known for its healing and nurturing virtue—Arwen's daily goblet. The Cup infused any liquid with magic and vitality; Kael filled it with Ent‑draught and milk from the Kine of Araw to ensure Arwen's health.
So carefully tended, Arwen felt no discomfort beyond the heaviness at her waist.
With the year‑end feast concluded, the school year drew to its close.
At dawn the next day, the students left the castle in carriages down to Hogsmeade.
Their parents had long been waiting. Many who had not seen father or mother for months leapt from the carriages the moment they arrived, flinging themselves into their parents' arms.
After farewells to friends and classmates, they parted for their separate homes.
Every student's home fireplace now stood connected to the Floo Network, allowing them to travel home instantly. It was very convenient.
Or, if they wished to travel another way, there was always the Knight Bus.
So long as one could name a place, the Knight Bus could take you there—even where the Floo did not reach.
Students like Adam Bailey, who lived in Hogsmeade, did not even need Floo Powder. They simply walked home out of long habit.
Some did not go home at once, but ran off to Diagon Alley to buy magical sweets, or to play with their friends until nightfall, and only then returned, earning black looks from their parents and a loving lesson at once.
Once the students were gone, Hogwarts Castle fell quiet again.
Most professors left the school to spend the summer at home.
Even Gandalf set out wandering, riding Shadowfax from place to place. He would not be back until the next term began.
The sudden stillness left Kael feeling a little out of step, but his thoughts quickly returned to Arwen's late pregnancy. At such a time, he would do nothing else—he would care for her, and her alone.
Mordor, the Tower of Barad‑dûr.
A white‑robed phantom descended in the high chamber and bent the knee before the Shadow. "Master, what is your will?"
Sauron regarded the deferential wraith in white, satisfaction burning in his red eyes. "Saruman," he said, "I grant you a chance for vengeance. Go and infiltrate Hogwarts Castle.
"First, learn the whereabouts of the One Ring. Even if it is not in Kael Black's hand, it is surely bound to him.
"Second, seize any chance to steal the Philosopher's Stone. The Stone can remold flesh. If you obtain it, you can be reborn and reclaim your power.
"Third, I will give you one of the Rings of Power. In secret, corrupt those wizards—especially the young ones. I want Kael to taste the pain of betrayal by those he raised with his own effort."
At the name of Kael , the white‑robed spirit—Saruman—showed an endless hatred. Though Sauron bound him now as a thrall, he still remembered Kael as his slayer, and his hate ran to the bone.
Yet he hesitated. "Master, Hogwarts is Kael's stronghold. There are many wards upon it, and he is no common man. I fear that the moment I drew near, I would be discovered…"
Sauron cut him off with a gesture. "Do not trouble yourself. I have a way to ensure that even if you stand before him, you will not be seen."
Saruman looked up in surprise. "Master, what way?"
Confident, Sauron gazed westward through the stone and shadow, his eyes full of calculation and plot.
"As I understand, Kael has founded a school for children born with magic. They have just returned home from their first year, and in two months, Hogwarts will open again.
"You will find a child, possess him, and enter the castle disguised as a student…"