The Hogwarts Emerald

Chapter 456 Beginning

The end-of-term banquet is coming as scheduled. There will be a banquet on the last day of each school year, which can be regarded as a kind of celebration. The winner of the house championship cup will also be announced at that time.

Sitting in the auditorium, Ada suddenly realized that she had never paid attention to the school points in this school year, and had no interest in who would win the school cup. The same was true for the other people around her.

At this time of year in previous years, the auditorium would be hung with flags and banners of the previous year's winning college, which would be replaced after the new champion college was announced.

But this year there were no Gryffindor decorations in the hall, no banners or flags, and the whole hall seemed a little empty.

The real Mad-Eye Moody was now sitting at the staff table. Under the care of Madam Pomfrey, his physical condition had improved a lot, but his mental condition was still not good.

This will probably take a long time to heal.

Ms. Maxime was sitting next to Hagrid, and the two were whispering to each other. Judging from the expression on Ms. Maxime's face, they seemed to be flirting with each other.

Snape was still sitting in his seat, his face looked much better, not as pale as before. Snape also realized that Ada was looking at him, and their eyes met and separated.

There was a sense of distance in that look, and even a hint of disgust.

Ada didn't know why Snape's eyes changed like that, but she kept Dumbledore's advice in mind and always believed in Severus Snape.

The hall was filled with the clinking of cups and plates, and it was very lively. At this moment, Dumbledore suddenly stood up from the teacher's seat. The students who had been noisy just now suddenly became quiet and looked at Dumbledore.

"Another year," Dumbledore said, looking at everyone. "It's over." He paused and looked at the long tables.

The students from Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons all listened attentively. They thought Dumbledore might explain the third task.

"I have much to say to all of you tonight," said Dumbledore, "but first allow me to tell you about the past."

"Many, many years ago, there was a boy sitting here like you, enjoying this end-of-year dinner. He was a student at Hogwarts, where he studied, lived, and grew up... He was a prefect and the president of the male student union, and he was loved and respected by many people. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

The students were confused. They didn't know who this Tom Riddle was that the headmaster mentioned, nor did they know why the headmaster suddenly mentioned him. Only a few students knew this name.

"Later, Tom Riddle graduated with excellent grades. He was not able to stay on as a teacher as he had hoped, nor did he get a job at the Ministry of Magic as people expected, although he received many job offers. Afterwards, he traveled around and disappeared for a long time."

Ada raised her head and looked at Dumbledore. She understood what Dumbledore meant.

The headmaster will tell the truth about Voldemort's return at the banquet tonight. Dumbledore wants to tell everyone that Voldemort is not an invincible monster like everyone else through Voldemort's past.

Peeling off the layers of disguise and veils, Voldemort is also a human being and a student who graduated from Hogwarts. He is just Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Dumbledore continued, "Many years later, Tom returned to school and again asked to be the teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts. I rejected his application. I know what he did during his disappearance. He returned to the school to teach only to recruit more followers."

"After that, Tom gathered a large number of followers. He and his followers used various means of coercion and inducement to strengthen themselves, and gradually openly used violence and killing to spread panic."

The students in the auditorium had gradually realized something, and many of them began to feel uneasy and frightened.

Among the students present, the younger ones did not experience those dark years, and even senior students like Ada may not have any memories of those years.

But the fear of Voldemort is rooted in their bones and flows in their blood. Although everyone is not aware of how powerful Voldemort is, the fear of him still makes the students tremble and shiver unconsciously. "His followers call themselves Death Eaters, and he calls himself Voldemort."

Before the words fell, there was a sound of inhalation in the hall, and the sound of cups, plates, knives and forks falling one after another. Even the Gryffindors, who were known for their bravery, were like this, and the situation in Slytherin was not much better.

"In 1981, at the height of his powers, Tom attacked a student in the room."

Everyone in the hall looked at Harry, and Dumbledore continued: "Tom failed. He lost his body and his magic power. The war that lasted for many years ended. People celebrated the victory and called the student who was attacked the 'boy who survived'."

The students collectively breathed a sigh of relief, as if they were back to that night in 1981, but Dumbledore did not stop talking.

Dumbledore said in a heavy voice: "The Ministry of Magic does not want me to tell you this, but I think you have the right to know the truth. Telling the truth is always better than lying."

"Tom Riddle is back. Voldemort is back. On the night of the Third Task, in the village of Little Hangleton."

There was a nervous murmur in the hall. Everyone stared at Dumbledore in horror and disbelief. So Dumbledore stopped the game because the mysterious man had returned, and the fire in Little Hangleton was also caused by the mysterious man...

How can this be?

The students' murmurs gradually fell silent. Most of them were like Fudge. They did not believe that Voldemort had returned. They did not dare to believe it, nor did they want to believe it.

And Dumbledore didn't have enough evidence to prove that Voldemort had returned, did he?

Ada's eyes were still on Dumbledore. Although the headmaster had not mentioned the result of that night's conversation before, according to the report in the Daily Prophet, Dumbledore failed to convince Fudge.

Tonight, in front of his students, Dumbledore told the truth. Is he ready to bear the double pressure from Voldemort and the Ministry of Magic at the same time?

Dumbledore was still speaking, telling everyone to unite and trust each other, but the students seemed distracted. Ada also withdrew her gaze and turned to look at the Slytherin table.

Cody Avery, he was talking in a low voice with the students beside him. Among the Death Eaters who appeared in the cemetery, there was one with the last name Avery.

Draco Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle sat together, neither talking nor looking at Dumbledore. The fathers of the three of them appeared in the cemetery, and Ada almost burned Crabbe and Goyle's father to death.

Theodore Nott, a tall, thin boy with buck teeth, and his father also appeared at the cemetery that night.

Their grandparents and parents have made the choice for them, and the family education and concepts they have received have also made the choice for them. Just like the year of the Chamber of Secrets, weren't the Slytherin students just watching a joke?
You're next... Wasn't the word Draco Malfoy didn't say Mudblood?
Ada looked away again and lowered her head, not looking at anyone in the auditorium.

Dumbledore's speech was to hope that everyone would abandon their prejudices, unite, and fight against Voldemort together, but the headmaster's idea was doomed to fail. There had long been a split within Hogwarts, and this split had existed for much longer than Voldemort had existed.

The holiday is about to begin, and Voldemort is still hiding and no one knows what kind of back-up plan he will have, which is worrying; what kind of reaction will the Ministry of Magic give to Dumbledore's outspokenness, which wants to conceal the truth?
The war has really begun, a war in which the enemy is attacked from all sides.

Suddenly, Ada felt someone tapping her shoulder. When she came to her senses, she found that students began to leave their seats and walk out of the auditorium.

Fred and George did not leave. The two brothers stood beside her, their smiles brighter than the summer sun.

(End of this chapter)