Time passed quickly in the weeks that followed. The air grew steadily colder, hinting at the approach of winter. Leaves turned crisp and golden, and the wind that swept through the stone corridors of Hogwarts carried the scent of woodsmoke and damp earth. Today was Halloween.
Though weeks had gone by, there was still no news of a second hearing for Hagrid. The rumors had faded into silence, as if the Ministry had forgotten him—or chosen to ignore the case entirely. Life at Hogwarts trudged forward. Classes resumed their rhythm, homework piled up, and students adapted to the familiar chaos of castle life.
But then came the first jarring event. In a dimly lit classroom beneath the North Tower, Professor Trelawney caused quite a stir during one of her Divination lessons. Her eyes rolled back theatrically as she predicted—loudly and ominously—the death of none other than Harry Potter.
The room had fallen silent.
To make matters worse, she also foretold the death of Lavender Brown's pet rabbit. Students scoffed at the dramatic display, but the laughter died a few days later when, on the following Friday, Lavender received an owl from home: her rabbit had indeed been killed by a fox.
From that moment, the atmosphere around the castle shifted. A sense of unease crept in, like a cold mist that settled in the bones. Whispers traveled in hushed tones down every corridor. Students murmured that the prophecy was true—that Harry Potter would die this year, and not just die, but be killed… by Sirius Black.
Professor McGonagall was furious.
At breakfast, she scolded Professor Trelawney in front of half the staff table for spreading fear and nonsense. "She once predicted my death," McGonagall declared dryly. "That was five years ago. And yet here I am, still teaching."
The students laughed, but the discomfort lingered.
Another notable event unfolded in Defence Against the Dark Arts. During a lesson on boggarts, Neville Longbottom nervously stepped forward. The boggart transformed into Professor Snape—dark, looming, and terrifying. But with a flick of his wand and encouragement from Professor Lupin, Neville dressed the boggart-Snape in his grandmother's frilly clothes: a green hat with a stuffed vulture, a long pink dress, and a big red handbag.
The class burst into laughter.
It became a favorite story in Gryffindor Tower. Neville finally had his moment. But Snape didn't take it kindly. He began targeting Neville more cruelly than ever, assigning impossible tasks and snapping at him for the smallest mistakes. In one particularly malicious lesson, Snape forced Neville to test a defective potion he had brewed—on his pet toad, Trevor. The poor creature was ill for three days.
Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy had started spending more time around Lyra Potter.
He was often seen speaking with her in the courtyard or walking beside her after classes. Whatever his motives, Harry didn't like it. Not one bit. Arguments broke out more than once between the two boys, and tensions flared during meals and lessons. Ron, always loyal to Harry, clashed with Draco too—earning them several detentions with Filch. But Draco seemed to enjoy it all, using Lyra's presence as a new way to torment Harry.
At the same time, Hermione Granger was under increasing strain. She had taken on a near-impossible schedule by using the Time Turner to attend multiple electives. The pressure showed. She grew snappish, more easily irritated, and more prone to arguing—especially with Ron. The two frequently clashed over their pets: Crookshanks and Scabbers. Their bickering wore down the strength of their friendship, and more than once, Hermione stormed out of the common room after yet another spat.
Cael watched all of this unfold quietly.
While others became entangled in drama, rumors, and emotional strain, Cael used these two months with careful purpose. He practiced the new spell taught to him by Rose—the one that could give him the ability to see future . Mastering it required both focus and silence, which he found in the early mornings or in the Room of Requirement when no one else was around.
He also dedicated time to studying the ancient runes from the books he had taken from Myrddin's hidden fortress. Line by line, glyph by glyph, he memorized their meanings, their layered enchantments, and the philosophical riddles hidden within them.
In those quiet hours, while the rest of the castle carried on with its drama and distractions, Cael was preparing for his future.