Chapter 40
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
The war had begun in full, and Voldemort had given the little respite since the break in at Azkaban. Dumbledore had always thought Dementors to be abhorrent creatures, and they had proven him right as they broke their alliance with the Ministry and turned traitor and joined Tom in his crusade against the Ministry and all that it stood for.
Attacks, the likes of which had plagued Europe but half a century ago, were now common all over the British Isles, and everyone grew more and more nervous by every passing day.
The Ministry had taken a hard line and had classified the Dark Mark as a symbol of Terrorism, declaring it illegal. Yet the ban meant nothing for many within the Ministry who held sympathies for Tom's crusade. Amidst these rising tensions, Albus found himself tested in his duties as Headmaster as the School found itself at the precipice of the start of a new tumultuous term.
It was a truly trying time, and many within the Ministry had even offered up the opinion that the school be shut down for the year, yet Albus had strongly resisted all such attempts as he highlighted the importance of the school in building up consensus and unity in these trying times.
"This is going to be a troubling year," added Minerva, and with him gone, she had taken charge at the School with him too busy at the Ministry because of the ongoing war.
"Indeed, I agree," Slughorn added from the side, and the Potions master had grown much thinner and paler since the start of the war, and not without good reason. After all, he had been the first one to stoke those flames of ambition in Tom's heart.
Tom's Death Eaters were in a way a replication of his own Slug Club, and he had been one of Horace's favoured students. And now that very student was hell bent on tearing down the Wizarding World of Great Britain.
"I have already had over ten of my students drop out of the school year," Horace added, and Minerva put down her glasses as she rubbed her eyes.
"Same here, and the term has not even begun," and Albus had thought that the last year had been tumultuous, yet this year was proving itself to be a lot more challenging, even without the term starting.
"If this continues, the number of students might as well be cut in half," added Flitwick in his squeaky voice. The usually cheery Charms Master lacked his usual cheer as well, as he continued.
"Is it even wise to open the school in the current circumstances?" and this was not the first time such a question had been asked of him, as all eyes within the room turned towards him.
"I agree," Horace added in a quick word.
"With how things are, it would be better to just delay the classes until things settle down," and he wondered when that would happen.
"I will not deny the turbulent nature of these times," Albus began as he looked at all of his Head of Houses.
"But shutting down the school is not the solution to the problems we face today. Hogwarts is a place of learning and is perhaps the only hope for our society in rooting out the prejudice that plagues our society today," and the war they faced today was a failure of this very institute, and he hoped to rectify that.
"We are an ailing society, and if we are to ever have a chance at healing, then it is my belief that it shall begin in these very Halls," and above everything, the four people in front of him were all educators, and none of them wished to see the school shut down.
"Well said," added Pamona, as she gave a little clap at his words.
"Thank you," and Albus nodded.
"Now, I believe we must move ahead with the meeting," and he turned towards Minerva and Horace.
Write a letter to the families of all of the students who wish to drop out. Try and convince them to come back," and she nodded.
"As for the risk of infighting, we must call upon the Prefects and the Headboy and Headgirl to intervene and ease out the tensions between the students. We already have a war outside our Halls, we cannot risk one breaking out here," and Minerva nodded.
"Indeed," Minerva agreed with him.
"And speaking of that, I believe we might have to reopen the Prefect lodgings," and those words caught everyone by surprise.
"We haven't opened those for centuries," added Flitwick, and he was right. Apart from the usual dorms, Hogwarts had some special rooms within the castle commonly called the Prefect lodgings.
Though they were named Prefect lodgings, they were not actually reserved for Prefects only. The rooms were there to accommodate married or engaged couples, and apprentices in older times, though they had not been used for quite some time now.
"Indeed, but with the tensions so high, we will have need of them to protect some of the students," and the truth was that he had forgotten about them himself until a very long letter had arrived from a very concerned student.
"Don't you think it will seem like discrimination?" and that was indeed a problem.
"I would much rather have my students feel safe," he argued, and Minerva agreed.
"If you think so, but who will get those rooms?" and he had but a few names in mind at the moment.
"Well, we will see to that over the course of the year, but I do have one application regarding their allotment already," and that intrigued them all.
"Who?" questioned Flitwick.
"Narcissa Black..."
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ALDER EVANS
"Fidelius charm," his words took Ted aback, but Alder had been agonising over this for months and had reached this conclusion.
"There is no better option," Alder added, and he had done rather extensive research to reach that conclusion.
"I have scoured through nearly all of the books regarding wards and protective charms, yet nothing comes close to the effectiveness of a Fidelius Charm. I can cast it on the House, and with that, you, Andy, and Narcissa will never have to worry about your safety," and he intended to do the same for his own family.
He had discussed it with Lily, and his parents had agreed to go on a vacation after Alder had revealed to them his hidden fortune. His father had been a bit angry at first, but he had agreed in the end as he saw how much his and their mother's safety mattered to him and Lily.
They were still deciding on their destination, but this was but a temporary solution. Alder planned on buying a separate property and putting it under the Fidelius for his own family as well, and believed that Ted should do the same thing for himself and his newfound fiancée.
"But the Fidelius is too complex, and you need the Ministry's approval to even cast such a thing," and indeed you did.
"You need not worry about either of those things," and his stint at the McKinnon Manor had won him quite a few friends, and the permits for the spell were all issued by the DMLE. The truth was that one could not simply pick any place to cast the spell, given its effects.
There was a slew of rules and regulations regarding it, but the House they had bought together fit them all. The House was small and remote enough that it would not alter the maps too much, and Alder could cast the spell himself.
"It is undeniable that we are now at war," Alder added, hoping to convince Ted.
"And the simple truth is that yours and Andy's engagements have put a massive target on you both," and they needed to protect themselves.
"I know," Ted added, though Alder knew that neither had any regrets regarding that at all.
"They can not target you at your workplaces, but you are at your most vulnerable at your House. I have put up quite a few wards over it, but you have seen what happened at the McKinnon Manor," and the manor had wards that were far more complex and ancient than the one in this House, and yet even they had succumbed to the might of Voldemort's magic.
"Yeah, I remember," Ted added as they sat in his lounge and discussed their plans. Hogwarts was set to start within a week, and if they were to do this, then he needed to make his decision quickly.
"With the Fidelius, you will be safe, and Voldemort and his men won't be able to get to you no matter how much they try," and Ted nodded.
"Yeah, you are right," and he felt relief rush through his body at those words.
"I will write to the Ministry today, and we will have their approval by tomorrow. In the meantime, you and Andy should discuss who should be the Secret Keeper for this," and Ted's lips thinned.
"Yeah, I will talk to her," and the decision was up to them, and given that it was their House, it would be best if one of them was the Secret Keeper.
"Still, what brought this on?" and he could simply say that it was the war that worried him, but the truth was something far more troubling.
He thought about lying, but in the end decided against it, for it would be best for Ted to know exactly what was going on.
"I received a letter a few days back from Regulus," and Ted's surprise was obvious at the mention of Andy's younger cousin. He had been just as surprised upon receiving the letter, yet its contents had been more troubling than surprising.
"Regulus?" and Alder nodded.
"Yeah, and the truth is that Regulus is not as sympathetic to Voldemort's cause as his family would like to believe. He simply lacks the courage to defy them, but he is a good kid," he added.
"What did he say?" and he took a deep breath before he began once more.
"He heard his father mention a meeting," Alder began, and the letter was written in haste and lacked many details, though the intent was clear.
"He says that Voldemort had a spy at the wedding, and that Andromeda's and Narcissa's names came up at this meeting, and the Dark Lord plans on making an example out of them for betraying his cause," and now Ted paled, as he cursed loudly.
"Merlin's Beard!" and his friend gasped in fear, just as he had upon hearing the news.
Narcissa would join him at Hogwarts and be safe there. But Andromeda had already graduated and would make for a far easier target. Given Regulus' words, it felt like the Death Eaters planned on attacking them both as soon as they could.
"Yeah, that is why I came here to discuss the Fidelius charm, because if Regulus is right and I believe him to be, then we need to ensure your safety," and Ted had begun to pace now, as he put down his cup.
"But what about Narcissa?" he asked.
"She will be at Hogwarts with me. I have already secured her one of the Prefect apartments, and with Dumbledore at Hogwarts, Voldemort would not dare attack the school," and while he may have a few hidden henchmen at school, none would dare make such an overt move.
And even if they were to try, they would first have to go through him.
"Have you told her?" and he shook his head.
"I don't want to worry her any more than she already is. I have only mentioned it to you because it would be best to have you prepared for anything," and Ted nodded.
"I will talk to Andy today and convince her regarding the Fidelius Charm. We will put the House under it within a few days," and so the decision was made.
"I will make the preparations," and with that, Ted had a deep sigh.
"We both knew that such a thing could happen," Alder added, as he gently reminded him.
"I know," Ted nodded.
"But that does not make it any less scary...."
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