I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 557 Memorial Service

Three o'clock in the afternoon

The group of young wizards who had arrived at Thornfield Castle were sitting in the chapel, whispering as they waited.

There were only three long tables in the chapel.

The original Christ sculpture in the main seating area has been removed, and the faculty and staff's tables and chairs have been placed in its place.

Behind him were the flags of the four houses and the Hogwarts school flag.

Although the professors all felt that the new school should not be located in a separate campus, they could not forget the four founders. After brainstorming, in addition to erecting sculptures of the four founders in the campus, the professors also unanimously decided to name several estates of the new school after the four founders.

Thornfield Castle was renamed the main building, while the others became Gryffindor Estate, Hufflepuff Estate, etc.

For the young wizards who were visiting the new castle for the first time, everything here was new and exciting.

The castle is filled with all sorts of novel magical artifacts, war magic items researched by the twins, ancient magical puppets, and the like.

There are also some Muggle items—such as electric lights, televisions, projectors, and so on.

In short—in this castle, you can see some of the most advanced scientific and magical items.

"Hey, Owen." Justin sat down next to Owen.

After the Sorting System was abolished, their seating arrangements were entirely voluntary. This was true, though in most of the Hogwarts world as well.

However, on some important occasions, such as Christmas parties, Halloween parties, and opening ceremonies, the junior wizards from the four houses still need to sit separately.

"You guys created a new Hogwarts all by yourself without making a sound, that's impressive!" He had been out and about these past few days, responsible for admitting new students, and hadn't had much of a chance to come here.

It's inevitable to be a little excited when we meet for the first time.

"It wasn't my doing," Owen said calmly. "I wasn't in England during that time."

On his other side, Miss Granger was looking worriedly out of the chapel.

A few of the returning students are still missing.

She was worried that something might happen to the other party along the way.

"I know it was definitely you and Hermione who planned this together," Susan added from the side. "To be honest, I was shocked—I heard you were going to build a new Hogwarts."

"Building a castle isn't difficult; the important thing is the people," Irving said.

"Yes. People—" The young wizards' mood immediately darkened when these words were mentioned.

Unlike the bewildered freshmen, the upperclassmen knew exactly what was going to happen today.

Today, a memorial service will be held for Albus Dumbledore, the greatest headmaster in Hogwarts history.

"Alright, everyone, follow me."

As they were speaking, Professor Sprout's weary voice suddenly came from the chapel door.

She was accompanied by several young wizards who looked terrible.

His appearance clearly indicated that the dizziness was caused by excessive Apparitions.

The group of people stood up one after another.

They gradually left the chapel.

Even though the British wizarding world was at war at the time, and there was a very high probability of death if one set foot on this land, many wizards from all over the world still came here spontaneously to attend this memorial service.

Among them were quite a few foreign wizards.

Not only European wizards, but also wizards from the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and East Asia.

Among these people were high-ranking wizards, such as many officials of the Federation, and friends of Dumbledore, such as Professor Shatty from the Imperial Academy in Chang'an. There were also envoys sent by the Ministries of Magic from various countries—in short, the open space outside the castle was filled with wizards from all over the world, all wearing robes.

They were all different in size, but all had solemn expressions.

Owen and Hermione also saw a tall, imposing woman with black hair and yellow skin step down from the carriage and throw herself into Hagrid's arms, who was waiting there.

Hibiscus also came with Mrs. Maxim.

She didn't enjoy a single happy day after her marriage; almost immediately she returned to the Special Operations Team of the Federation. She began fighting Voldemort under Sirius's orders.

In addition, there were some vampires dressed in black robes, and some very short creatures.

These people were not among Irving's expectations.

You see, this is to avoid revealing the location of the new Hogwarts.

All visitors arrive by going through several transfers of door keys scattered throughout various safe houses in the UK, finally reaching their destination via a winding, folding path.

The journey was so winding that they had no idea where they were, except that they were still in England.

In addition, an anti-Apparition spell has been cast here, so once these people leave, they will never be able to return.

This means that any wizard who comes here must be an enemy of Voldemort; otherwise, how could those wavering individuals have the patience to travel such a long and winding road?

As for vampires...

Didn't most of them join Voldemort's side?

How did I end up here?

Although Irving couldn't figure it out, he figured it was probably related to Theseus Scamander.

In addition to the above-mentioned guests.

The young wizards also saw many important figures.

This included: a delegation from the Ministries of Magic of various Far Eastern countries, high-ranking officials from Wizengamo and various international magical associations, and Professor Euryale Hicks, the principal of the Ilvarmoni School of Magic.

This is clearly a classic example of "funeral diplomacy".

Theseus Scamander's purpose is self-evident: he wants to unite the entire world.

And this naturally includes the intentions of the British government.

I believe the Prime Minister would be even more willing than he is to meet these wizards.

------

These are the most beautiful and pleasant days of early autumn. The sky is a clear, deep blue, and the bright, warm sunshine generously spills onto the earth, adding a touch of warmth to this golden season. A gentle breeze carries a hint of coolness.

Dumbledore's grave lies quietly beside a river on the east side of the castle, nestled in a lush forest, surrounded by mountains and water. Far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world, it is only the sound of the murmuring river and the occasional birdsong.

The entrance to the cemetery is hidden by rows of neat trees, which seem to silently guard this great figure. Stepping inside, one sees a wide expanse of grass, in the center of which stands a tall stone monument. The stone is hard and smooth, engraved with Dumbledore's achievements and life story. Every word is solemn and powerful, telling the tale of a hero.

Several bouquets of flowers were placed around the stone tablet.

Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stone tablet, adding a touch of mystery and solemnity to this dignified and sacred place.

Led by Professor Sprout, the young wizard walked along the quiet path and arrived at the white cemetery.

On a newly cleared area beside the river, there were...

There are rows and rows of chairs, numbering over a thousand.

Half of the seats were already occupied, and the people were a mixed bag: some had blond hair and blue eyes, while others clearly had Asian features; some were dressed in rags, while others were neat and presentable; some were elderly, while others were young.

Owen didn't recognize most of them, but some of the strangers felt familiar to him; he had seen their portraits and names in various magic books.

These people were all accomplished in various magical fields, and they were all acquainted with Dumbledore.

On the outermost edge of the chairs sat the rest of the Order of the Phoenix: the Weasleys, Bill and Fleur, Fred and George in their black dragon-patterned leather jackets, Kingsley Shackleton, and Mad-Eye Moody.

Tonks and Remus Lupin sat together, holding hands.

Oh, and there were also Hagrid and Mrs. Maxim, who were particularly eye-catching, taking up about five or six seats.

Hagrid was in low spirits, and Mrs. Maxime was whispering something to him.

Zhang Xiaolin and her professor, Xia Ti, along with Professor Larry Hicks, were also seated in the crowd.

There was also a group of people from the British government.

Owen saw that the Prime Minister and the Queen were also present at the funeral.

Well—according to Muggle logic, Dumbledore, as the president of the International Confederation of Wizards, held a position equivalent to a head of state, and his memorial service was indeed qualified to invite heads of state from various countries to attend.

Besides these people, he also saw Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth Dumbledore. His expression was unreadable; he sat there very discreetly, and it was estimated that no one except for 'old guys' like Theseus Scamander would recognize him.

To be honest, Dumbledore had a terrible relationship with his brother.

So many years have passed and there has been no improvement.

I can't even imagine what kind of emotions Aberforth must be feeling right now.

Is it sadness or relief?

On the left, all the vampires were there, along with those short creatures.

They are almost invisible under direct sunlight, only becoming visible when you move around, shimmering with an ethereal light in the bright air.

On the riverbank, the centaur Ferenze stood there like a sentry.

His gaze was distant, and Sirius was speaking beside him.

Irving guessed that it was probably an invitation to form an alliance with the centaurs.

He thought the centaurs would agree with this. Perhaps because of him, the centaurs were now more friendly towards Hogwarts wizards than in the original stories.

Finally, the young wizards all arrived at the stone tablet.

At the very front of everyone stood Professor Sprout and Theseus Scamander.

At that moment, several sirens emerged from the river.

The sound was ethereal, like celestial music drifting from another world.

They must have been brought by Hagrid.

After all, Death Eaters have always been cruel to non-human wizards, and leaving the siren in the Black Lake might very well lead to their deaths.

In the clear river water under the sunlight, a chorus of sirens sang in a strange, ancient language that humans could not understand. Their fair faces rippled, and their red hair danced in the air like a waterfall.

Their songs tell the story of the end of an era, like the last song left by the Roman Empire.

Accompanied by somber music, Hagrid also stood up.

With Mrs. Maxim's comforting words, Hagrid nodded, raised his hand and vigorously wiped his eyes, which were already red and swollen from crying. He picked up the portrait of Dumbledore, which was covered with purple velvet and studded with gold stars, from his lap and slowly walked forward along the aisle in the middle of the seats.

Because Dumbledore has already been buried, a photograph of him is needed at the memorial service.

In the photo, Dumbledore is as kind, benevolent, and wise as ever, with a smile on his face, just like when Evan first met him at Hogwarts.

A sense of sadness churned around me.

People began to cry, tears streaming down their faces; Hermione, Ginny, and Hannah were all wiping away tears.

Irving didn't feel sad. He knew very well that this was the old principal's choice, and he was willing to continue on this path to witness the brilliance beyond the stars.

Hagrid cast a spell, causing the portrait to float carefully in the air.

Then, unable to contain her grief, she blew her nose forcefully, making a sound like a trumpet.

Next, a short man with thick hair, dressed in a simple black robe, rose from his seat, stood before Dumbledore's portrait, and began to speak. He did not use magic to amplify his voice; only occasional snippets of his words floated over the hundreds of heads to the back of the room: "noble spirit," "scholarly maturity," "great mind," and so on…

This is how Dumbledore appears to other wizards. He is the greatest wizard in the world, the strongest white wizard, and has outstanding academic achievements. In the past, during countless dark times when the wizarding world was in turmoil, it was because of his existence that good wizards were able to fight against evil.

Dumbledore has become a symbol, a synonym for a great wizard.

But in the students' hearts, Dumbledore will always be their approachable headmaster, a role model they are proud of and learn from, the white-bearded professor who invented "Idiot!", "Crybaby!", "Scumbag!", and "Twist!"...

Hogwarts will never return to the distant days when the headmaster would joke with the young wizards, and together they would create lies and crises to inspire their growth.

The sea monsters in the river, and the guests coming and going.

British government personnel.

They all listened attentively.

They know very little about Dumbledore, and this will be a great opportunity to learn more about this legendary wizard.

The short man spoke slowly, and time seemed to stand still as everyone waited in silence.

Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the crowd, originating from a group of government officials standing in the open space. Their gazes all turned to the distant horizon, where the once tranquil sky had suddenly become exceptionally bright.

A huge ball of flame gradually rose on the horizon, as if it were a giant fireball rapidly approaching. The color of the flame was so vivid that everything around it paled in comparison.

Around the flames, a layer of white smoke swirled, rising in wisps as the flames rolled.

As the flames drew nearer, people gradually saw their true form—it was Phoenix Fox.

The phoenix, shimmering with light, scatters sparks from its feathers.

It landed on the stone tablet amidst mournful cries, its head bowed and eyes closed, as if silently weeping.

The flames in the sky vanished, like the afterglow of the setting sun.

Such a fantastical scene made everyone understand in their hearts.

An old era has come to an end.

A new era is quietly unfolding.

(End of this chapter)