Chapter 745
The Storm Has Not Yet Subsided
Chapter 745 The Storm Has Not Yet Subsided
Wade looked at the Slytherin table, and amidst the fluttering green flags, even Crabbe and the others, who usually had gloomy faces, couldn't help but twitch their lips and reveal a rare smile.
In the teachers' seat, Professor Snape's lips twitched slightly, forming an expression that could barely be called a "smile," which only made him look more terrifying.
“That’s strange,” Michael said. “Professor Snape doesn’t seem very happy. Wasn’t Slytherin winning the House Cup the result of his hard work?”
Wade paused for a moment, then said, "It's probably because... Professor Dumbledore has added back all the points he usually deducts at will?"
Of course, Wade knew very well that the reason Snape didn't show any joy on his face was because he knew very well that Voldemort was still at large.
I just wonder if the Dark Lord risked summoning this "double agent" who was under Dumbledore's nose every day...
The cheers continued for a long time before Dumbledore stretched out his hands and pressed them down slightly, at which point the cheers stopped intermittently.
At this moment, when most of the Slytherin students looked at the headmaster, the underlying resistance and resentment had faded; their faces were flushed with excitement, and their eyes shone with joy.
"Congratulations, Slytherin House, congratulations, children."
Dumbledore said gently, "In the past year, due to the limited number of places allowed in the competition, Slytherin has not had any champions participate in the league."
"However, you have demonstrated extraordinary focus and a thirst for knowledge, making remarkable progress in your studies and earning unanimous praise from your professors. Your top-ranked college grade is proof of your unity and hard work!"
This time, a round of applause erupted from the Slytherin table, not loud, but full of pride.
Although Professor Snape favored his own house, he mostly added or subtracted points by a mere one or two. If the Slytherins had performed poorly in other courses, they wouldn't have fallen so far behind the other houses.
Before Harry displayed his extraordinary Quidditch talent, the Slytherin had won the House Cup for six consecutive years.
Amid the applause, Dumbledore nodded slightly, but his eyes gradually deepened.
“However,” he changed the subject, his voice lowering, “we must remember that not long ago, we all witnessed Voldemort’s resurrection.”
The name seemed to instantly lower the temperature in the auditorium, and many people's faces showed unease.
“I know that many people think the crisis is over—but I want to tell you—it is not.”
Dumbledore's gaze swept over the young faces, and instead of directly stating that Voldemort was still alive, he said:
"Darkness never truly disappears; it merely lurks in the shadows, waiting for its chance. Once it has the right nourishment—"
The headmaster looked at the students who seemed out of place because of their Death Eater fathers.
"Darkness will rise again, tearing our families apart and causing rivers of blood to flow for the innocent!"
"Please remember, children... We are strong only when we are united; if we are divided, we will become vulnerable. We must put aside our differences, arrogance, and blind pursuit of power, maintain clear judgment, uphold the right stance, and together protect the light of the magical world!"
……
The sumptuous dinner ended in a noisy atmosphere, the candlelight flickering gently as the students left. The common rooms of various colleges remained bustling for a long time that day, and everyone slept very late.
Before going to sleep, Wade stroked Ava's smooth feathers, sending the owl home ahead of time, carrying its mission of delivering a message.
Early the next morning, they packed their bags and boarded the rickety carriage to Hogwarts Station, the Hogwarts spire gradually disappearing into the morning mist. The crimson train departed with a long whistle, Harry remaining on the platform, waving goodbye to everyone with a broad smile. Sirius Black stood lazily beside him, hands in his pockets, his handsome appearance attracting the attention of the girls already on the train, who pressed their eyes against the windows to watch him.
Wade and his friends successfully found an empty cubicle. After closing the door, they stuffed the small boxes they had been carrying into their backpacks, which were enchanted with a Stretch Mark spell. Theo and Ryan took out all sorts of food and two large bottles of juice that they had gotten from the cafeteria and laid them out on the table.
"Do you remember what the principal said at the end yesterday?" Theo asked, opening the candy jar with a puzzled look. "What did he mean? It felt like there was something behind his words, and it was a bit creepy."
Ryan, who was sitting by the window looking at the scenery outside, turned around when he heard this and said, "It's easy to understand, isn't it? Even without the mysterious man, Grindelwald and the Mughal Party are still active, aren't they? And this time, their influence has quietly entered Britain..."
Most of the students who heard those words thought the same thing.
Dumbledore didn't care who they thought he was implying to; he just wanted people to remember to stay vigilant.
Michael leaned back in his chair, casually playing with his little magical puppet pet, and suddenly laughed:
"You can't arrest all the dark wizards. If there's no Dark Lord, there's Grindelwald. And if there's no Grindelwald, who knows, maybe a Red Wizard, a Green Wizard, or something like that will pop up in the future..."
He turned to Wade and winked: "You're right, aren't you—the Grey King?"
A few soft laughs rang out from inside the box, but Vader didn't roll his eyes at him as usual. He gazed at the fleeting scenery outside the window, his fingers unconsciously stroking his wand, his brow slightly furrowed.
Michael sensed something was amiss and asked shrewdly, "Wade, could there really be something more to this?"
Wade hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and lowered his voice.
"I'm only telling you few about this..."
He glanced quickly at the door of the private room, waved his wand to cast a soundproofing spell, and then said, "That night... Voldemort escaped; he didn't die."
The air in the private room froze instantly. Theo, who had just opened the chocolate frog, jumped out of the window with all his might. Ryan dropped the cup in his hand to the ground. Michael's lips twitched, and he managed to force out a stiff smile.
“Hey, buddy… this joke isn’t funny at all…” he said in a trembling voice.
“This is no joke,” Wade said seriously. “The Ministry of Magic hasn’t released the news because they’re worried about causing panic…”
In reality, even if it were made public, it wouldn't have made much difference. The vast majority of Ministry of Magic officials firmly believed that Voldemort was dead, and Dumbledore's magic to break the Brain Hall spell was very expensive and couldn't be used on everyone.
"Voldemort has lost most of his followers and is unlikely to make any major moves in the short term. He has more important things to do right now and doesn't have time to attack ordinary people indiscriminately..."
Wade looked at each of his friends with a serious expression and said softly, "But anyway... remember to remind your family when you get back that they need to be extra careful lately."
The others naturally didn't think Wade would joke about something like this, and they nodded silently, making the atmosphere in the cubicle instantly heavy.
Wade turned to look out the window—
Above the undulating mountains, a hazy layer of gray clouds spread across the horizon, obscuring the peaks in a leaden shadow. A few black birds fluttered their wings across the somber sky, hovering uncertainly.
(End of this chapter)