The day the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were to leave Hogwarts dawned clear, with bright sunshine that stood in stark contrast to the invisible tension that was beginning to suffocate the wizarding world.
In the Great Hall, the atmosphere held a hint of relief, a touch of weariness, and the melancholy typical of farewells. The tables were full, and the murmur of conversation filled the air as the students shared their last breakfast together. The revelations of the Third Task seemed to have been momentarily put on hold or simply forgotten in the morning light.
Albus Dumbledore stood up in front of the teachers' table. Silence fell over the immense hall almost immediately. The headmaster gave everyone a warm, serene smile; his blue eyes moved from side to side, observing everyone present with attention, shining with their classic sparkle.
"Today marks the end of a truly historic year," Dumbledore began, his clear, comforting voice echoing in every corner of the Great Hall. "I want to congratulate you all—from our brave champions to every single person, student, and teacher—for your constant support and for living together in harmony. We have achieved an extremely successful Triwizard Tournament, forging bonds of friendship that I hope will last a lifetime."
He paused briefly, letting his words sink in. His expression grew a little more solemn, yet he lost none of his warmth.
"I know that our most recent events and the news coming from abroad have filled many of your hearts with concern. Shadows are gathering over our world once again," he said, making a subtle yet powerful reference both to Gellert Grindelwald marching across the continent and to the rumored and terrifying return of Lord Voldemort in Great Britain. "It is easy to feel fear in these situations, in the face of uncertainty and the future."
Dumbledore smiled again, a smile filled with hope and unshakable conviction, and raised a hand slightly.
Suddenly, a collective intake of surprise filled the Great Hall. Above the head of every person present—students, teachers, Aurors, and diplomats—a small flame of golden fire appeared, emitting a gentle, comforting warmth that seemed to dispel the anxiety gathered in everyone's hearts.
Dumbledore spread his arms, taking them all in with his gaze.
"But you must not worry about that darkness," he proclaimed forcefully and with absolute conviction. "For the light resides within each of you," he smiled more broadly. "As long as your light is strong, as long as you remain united and true to yourselves and continue to fight for your desires and goals, no darkness will ever be able to take away what makes you unique."
Just as he finished speaking, the tiny golden flames above their heads burst simultaneously into a shower of silent, sparkling fireworks, bathing the Great Hall in vibrant colored sparks that faded into the air, drawing gasps of wonder and shouts of joy from the students.
The entire hall erupted in deafening applause. The students from all three houses were smiling from ear to ear, their faces lit up not only by the magic trick, but by a new, real, and renewed hope.
Seated at the Slytherin table, Aurelian Gaunt clapped along with everyone else, a smile on his lips. His eyes took in the scene with great fascination.
"It's truly brilliant, Headmaster," Aurelian thought, feeling a mix of respect and a touch of amusement. "Dumbledore is a true master of words. A real puppeteer of emotions."
Aurelian watched as the old headmaster managed to inspire hundreds of people with just a few carefully chosen phrases and a visual spectacle. He was instilling in them a courage and bravery they didn't even believe they possessed five minutes ago. He was shaping them, psychologically preparing them to endure the war that was coming. It was a display of power and leadership that Aurelian could recognize and admire.
"It's clear that the 'For the Greater Good' applies to both Grindelwald and Dumbledore—they aren't so different from one another. Both achieve their goals by manipulating every situation to suit their needs at that moment."
As he applauded, Aurelian vowed to himself that he would never underestimate the Archmage's ability to move hearts.
The vast grounds of Hogwarts filled as the foreign delegations prepared to depart. The enormous winged horses of Beauxbatons pawed the ground impatiently, ready to pull the pastel-blue carriage, while the spectral ship of Durmstrang was already rocking on the water.
Aurelian, with his hands clasped behind his back, watched the scene alongside Hestia and Flora.
As the French students walked in single file toward their transport, Aurelian noticed that Fleur Delacour paused for a split second when her gaze met that of the Slytherin trio. Her face paled slightly. In her blue eyes there was only fear, clear submission, and a deep, undeniable relief at leaving that castle. Fleur quickly lowered her head and quickened her pace to board the carriage.
Hestia let out a short laugh.
"Well, well. It seems the French birdie has finally learned her place in the food chain," Hestia remarked, observing the Veela's new, docile attitude with obvious satisfaction.
Flora, however, looked at her fiancé. She scratched her chin gently, her eyes taking in the situation.
"My love... was there a problem with the French Minister of Magic?" Flora asked. "His daughter is looking at us as if you'd threatened to burn Paris to the ground."
Aurelian turned toward them and let out a small chuckle.
"There's nothing to worry about, girls," he assured them, giving Flora a few reassuring pats on the shoulder. "We just had a… little business chat. I'll tell you exactly what happened later."
The twins shrugged, brushing off the matter. If Aurelian said it was under control, then it was.
At that moment, the crunch of footsteps on the grass caught their attention.
Albus Dumbledore approached them.
"Miss Carrows, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to borrow Aurelian for a while," said the headmaster in a friendly yet firm tone.
Hestia and Flora frowned almost imperceptibly. They looked at the headmaster with obvious annoyance at the interruption, but nodding stiffly, they stepped back to let Aurelian leave.
Aurelian said goodbye to them and began walking alongside Dumbledore toward the castle.
The walk was silent until they entered the hallways. Dumbledore glanced sideways at Aurelian, his smile becoming a little more enigmatic.
"You know, Aurelian…" the headmaster murmured calmly, "Lately, you've been becoming the gravitational center of many of the things that are starting to happen in our world."
Aurelian kept a straight face, wondering where the headmaster was going with that comment, and simply followed him in silence to the stone gargoyle. They climbed the spiral staircase, and upon entering, Aurelian realized they weren't alone.
Alastor Moody was leaning against the wall. Professor Minerva McGonagall sat stiffly in a chair, and beside her, Professor Severus Snape maintained his usual demeanor. Finally, standing by the desk, was Professor Filius Flitwick.
Aurelian scanned the room. He greeted all the professors with a slight nod and smiled at Flitwick, who was undoubtedly his favorite teacher.
"Mr. Gaunt, I'm glad to see you," Flitwick greeted him, returning the smile with equal enthusiasm and giving him a small nod.
Aurelian sat down in the empty chair across from Dumbledore's desk. He immediately felt the weight of everyone's stares piercing him like daggers. It was an intense, evaluative scrutiny. Aurelian sighed. "How ironic. Potter should be here in my place, not me," he thought with annoyance.
Dumbledore walked around the desk and sat down, folding his hands in front of him. The smile vanished from his face, leaving a serious expression.
"Aurelian... I'll be blunt," Dumbledore began. "Everyone in this room knows that your father is Lord Voldemort."
Aurelian nodded slowly, as if he'd just been told it was raining in Scotland.
"I figured as much, Headmaster," Aurelian replied calmly, crossing one leg over the other. "The real question is, what does my father have to do with the fact that I've been summoned to this impromptu meeting?"
Moody stepped forward, stomping his foot heavily on the floor.
"It has everything to do with it, boy!" barked the old Auror irritably. "The Dark Lord has returned. Sooner or later, he'll want to meet his son; he'll try to corrupt you or use you. So we're here to decide how we're going to prevent that from happening and how we're going to keep an eye on you."
Aurelian slowly turned his head to look at Moody. His eyes locked onto him, and his voice lost all trace of politeness, becoming hard as steel.
"You are mistaken, Mr. Moody," Aurelian retorted. "No one in this room has power over me. And absolutely no one can decide for me what I do or do not do."
Snape frowned, and McGonagall opened her mouth to reprimand him, but Dumbledore raised a hand, immediately halting the hostility.
"Calm down, everyone," Dumbledore interjected, offering Aurelian a reassuring smile. "Alastor, you're mistaken. That's not what I meant, nor is it the purpose of this meeting."
The headmaster looked at Aurelian intently.
"I am well aware that you are a fully-fledged adult, Aurelian. You are of legal age and the head of the Gaunt family. Even if I wanted to lock you up in this castle, the law would prevent me from doing so. I cannot—nor do I wish to—control your actions."
Aurelian let out a sigh, relaxing his posture slightly.
Dumbledore leaned forward, his gaze piercing Aurelian's with overwhelming intensity.
"The real reason I called you here is… because I hope you will become my successor."
The silence in the room was so thick you could hear Fawkes breathing on his perch.
McGonagall stifled a gasp of astonishment. Flitwick's jaw dropped. Snape's eyes widened. Only Moody, who already knew, showed no surprise, merely muttering under his breath.
"I hope you will become the pillar that sustains this country," Dumbledore continued, ignoring his colleagues' commotion and speaking only to Aurelian. "I know you. I know your power. You possess a talent greater than my own, the intelligence and willpower to become not only an Archmage, but even a Sage in the future. You are the only one with the ability to maintain the balance not only of this country but of the entire world."
Dumbledore lowered his voice slightly, and for the first time, Aurelian detected a hint of vulnerability in the invincible wizard.
"Perhaps I won't survive much longer," Dumbledore confessed to everyone, gazing intently at Aurelian with a sad smile. "Grindelwald and Voldemort... are formidable enemies; my time is running out. The world will need a new leader."
Aurelian stared at the headmaster, completely speechless. His mind had gone blank.
He was confused and disoriented, unsure how to respond to those words. In none of his intricate plans or predictions had he expected that Albus Dumbledore, the champion of the Light and his father's greatest enemy, would see him that way.
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