Chapter 75: Finalizing the Plan
"This idea might be a bit... drastic," Ryan said, giving the room a preemptive warning.
"One moment," Dumbledore said, his expression turning serious. If Ryan himself was describing his own plan as "drastic," he needed to prepare himself. The four Heads of House also took a collective deep breath, seemingly bracing for whatever was to come. Ryan was known for his boldness; a plan he considered extreme was likely to be utterly shocking to a normal wizard.
For a moment, the Headmaster's office fell silent. Even the portraits of the former headmasters on the walls seemed to be listening intently.
Seeing he had their full attention, Ryan leisurely picked up a cup of tea, feigning the air of a connoisseur. Once he judged the seasoned professors had sufficiently steeled themselves, he began.
"We all know Voldemort's objective is the Philosopher's Stone. He needs it to create a new body for himself."
"Although he already knows about the protections we've set—thanks to his time possessing Professor Quirrell—he also knows that breaking through them will take time and create a commotion. The slightest disturbance would bring the Headmaster down on him before he could succeed."
"At the same time, he has to be wary of me," Ryan continued. "He's constantly on guard against a sudden prophecy about his plans to steal the Stone, which would ruin everything for him."
"Therefore, his only real chance is to act when both myself and Headmaster Dumbledore are away from Hogwarts."
Ryan leaned forward slightly. "Every move he's made, every cursed Galleon he's scattered, is groundwork. He's preparing to create a massive, sudden crisis to draw the attention of every professor, leaving him a clear path to the Stone."
"So, my proposal is this: we give him that opportunity. We let him choose his moment, but we make sure that moment is one of our own design. We will be waiting for him."
He paused, his expression turning grim. "However, he is still the Dark Lord. His magical prowess is far beyond what I can imagine, even in his current weakened state. I cannot guarantee that Hogwarts, or the students within it, will be completely safe from the fallout of his plan."
The moment the words left his mouth, Professor McGonagall reacted with fury. "That is unacceptable! We cannot guarantee the safety of the students! Their well-being must come first!"
Professor Sprout also voiced her opposition, arguing that the risk was far too great. There was no way to be certain their own preparations could hold Voldemort off for long. If Dumbledore and the others couldn't get back before he reached the Stone, Ryan's plan would be a catastrophic failure on all fronts.
Professor Flitwick was quietly weighing the pros and cons.
Professor Snape's eyes, however, lit up with a dark fire.
Ryan saw the look and, remembering their conversation from the other night, suspected Snape was ready to give the signal for every wizard in Hogwarts to descend upon Voldemort at once to avenge the woman he loved.
Before Snape could speak, Ryan added, "As the Headmaster said, Voldemort currently exists in a state between life and death. Even if our plan succeeds, we won't be able to finish him for good. But we can incapacitate him, ensuring he remains powerless for years to come."
"So, as I see it, this is an all-or-nothing gambit. If our timing is perfect, it's a decisive victory. If it's not, it's an utter defeat."
Dumbledore was also weighing the options, his long fingers laced together in a knot of indecision. He knew that while Ryan's plan was audacious and placed the students in peril, its success would free him up to deal with the other three, unknown prophecies. If he remained constantly tied down by Voldemort's schemes, they would be utterly unprepared for the greater darkness that was foretold.
And if they were exceptionally lucky, they might even capture this severely weakened version of Voldemort alive. The possibilities then... Dumbledore knew Voldemort couldn't be easily killed, but that very indestructibility, if properly harnessed, could make him the perfect tool for uncovering the secrets of the coming darkness.
Perhaps Ryan is also thinking along the lines of capturing him alive, Dumbledore mused. He glanced at Ryan, who met his gaze with a knowing smile. The understanding passed between them.
Ryan's internal logic, however, was a bit more direct. Everyone is terrified that Voldemort has planted all these bombs around the school. But it's simple. If we let Voldemort set off the bombs, then the problem of 'there are bombs in the school' is solved. Then we can move on to solving the problem of 'the bombs have just gone off'. You can't say the first problem wasn't solved. As cynical as it sounded, he truly believed it was the most efficient way to force Voldemort out into the open.
"A highly dangerous proposition," Snape was the first to say, his voice a silken drawl. "But I believe it has merit." He had likely concluded that even if he couldn't get his final revenge, giving the Dark Lord a thorough thrashing was the next best thing. And with Dumbledore involved in a premeditated ambush, the chances of capturing him were tantalizingly high. A day of reckoning was at hand.
"It could work," Flitwick added, "but we would need to identify the students most likely to be holding the cursed coins. We would have to place powerful protective enchantments on them and their friends."
"It is still far too risky," McGonagall insisted, her brow furrowed with worry. "If, as Ryan says, Voldemort intends to use these students as a distraction, we need to ensure the incident occurs in an open space to minimize collateral damage." She elaborated, "A student being controlled in the Great Hall would cause infinitely more harm than one on the Quidditch pitch. The latter is clearly the safer option."
At her words, an idea sparked simultaneously in everyone's minds.
"A Quidditch match!"
"Of course, the next game!"
"If we're creating the opportunity, we might as well choose the venue."
"It's perfect," Snape added. "The Quidditch pitch is far from the main castle. By the time news of a disturbance reaches the professors and they rush back to the third-floor corridor, Voldemort would have all the time he needs. It's the exact scenario he's been hoping for. With a single move, he could tie up every professor on the grounds."
"And he could stroll right in and take the Philosopher's Stone," Dumbledore finished, stroking his long, white beard.
The trap was set. Within minutes, the greatest minds at Hogwarts had woven a plan to corner the Dark Lord, using his own greed for the Stone as the bait.
"Now for the final, most crucial piece," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes sharp. "What reason could Ryan and I possibly have to leave Hogwarts together, at that specific time, without raising Voldemort's suspicions?"
~~~
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