Chapter 46: End of the year
The end-of-year feast at Hogwarts was always a grand affair, but tonight, the energy was unparalleled. The Great Hall shimmered with enchanted banners of all four houses, their colors rippling like water in the torchlight. The tables were laden with food, yet much of it was untouched as students clamored over the freshly delivered special edition of the Daily Prophet.
The front-page headline blared: "SIRIUS BLACK INNOCENT! MINISTRY IN TURMOIL!" A moving photograph of Sirius Black walking triumphantly out of the courtroom, flanked by Dumbledore and a grim-looking Amelia Bones, looped endlessly. Across the hall, reactions were as varied as the students themselves.
At the Ravenclaw table, Jason sat with his usual calm, quietly cutting into a slice of roast chicken. Around him, his friends buzzed with barely contained excitement.
Vik: [leaning over, stage-whispering] "Honestly, Jason, how do you stay so composed? Pettigrew captured, Sirius free—this is madder than Trelawney on a sugar high!"
Jason: [without looking up] "I find chewing and talking at the same time ruins the flavor of a perfectly good meal."
Simon: [grinning] "Oh, come on. We all know you had a hand in this. You're far too quiet for someone not involved."
Tobi: [mock-serious, pointing a wand at Jason] "Yeah, mate. You're the type to casually save the wizarding world and then complain about the weather."
Jason: [finally looking up, smirking slightly] "If you lot keep making up stories, maybe I'll start charging for autographs."
The table burst into laughter, and Jason's smirk grew as he went back to his chicken. Across the hall, the Gryffindor table was no quieter.
Seamus: [standing, raising his goblet] "A toast to Harry! The man who survives everything! Cheers, mate!"
Harry: [beaming] "Sirius says I can live with him now. No more locked doors or Aunt Petunia's cooking!"
Ron: [still wide-eyed, shaking his head] "Scabbers… I mean, Peter Pettigrew… sleeping in my bed. Eating my biscuits. For years! How did none of us notice?"
Hermione: [brushing her hair back, sighing] "To be fair, Ron, animagi are designed to blend in. But I still can't believe Sirius didn't get a trial in the first place. If the Ministry had just—"
Harry: [waving her off] "Hermione, not tonight. Can we just enjoy this? He's free, and that's all that matters."
Hermione huffed but relented, sipping her pumpkin juice with a look that clearly said she wasn't dropping the topic anytime soon.
Over at the Hufflepuff table, Susan Bones was glowing with pride as she held up the Prophet, pointing excitedly at the picture of her aunt.
Susan: "There she is! Head of Magical Law Enforcement. Aunt Amelia's going to sort out this mess."
Hannah Abbott: [nibbling nervously on a bread roll] "She'll definitely shake things up, won't she? Is that… good?"
Susan: [nodding firmly] "Of course it is! Though I probably won't see much of her now. She'll be swamped, cleaning up the Ministry's disaster."
Nearby, Zacharias Smith muttered something about the Ministry being a lost cause, but he was quickly shushed by a glare from Susan.
Meanwhile, at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was in his element, sneering loud enough to draw attention from surrounding tables.
Draco: "Sirius Black, the supposed noble pureblood, running off with Muggle-lovers and blood traitors. Utter disgrace."
Pansy Parkinson: [snickering] "I'd be mortified if I were related to him."
From the nearby Ravenclaw table, Jason, having overheard, calmly set down his goblet and turned his head.
Jason: [smoothly] "Funny, isn't it, Malfoy? Sirius Black is free, and your family's still trying to worm their way out of a Death Eater scandal. Might want to tread carefully."
Draco's face flushed red as several nearby students snickered. He jabbed at his pudding angrily, muttering under his breath.
Back at the Ravenclaw table, Freya, Talia, and Padma chattered animatedly while sneaking glances at Jason.
Freya: [nudging Padma] "It's like something out of a novel. Pettigrew alive, Sirius innocent… I can't keep up!"
Talia: [leaning closer to Jason] "And you, Mr. Mystery. I'd bet my last Knut you know more than you're saying."
Padma: [smirking] "He always does. Jason's practically a walking prophecy."
Jason: [dryly, not even looking up] "If you're done narrating my life, could you pass the mashed potatoes?"
The girls dissolved into laughter, with Talia tossing him the bowl.
===
The Great Hall was filled with the warm, flickering glow of hundreds of floating candles as the end-of-year feast reached its climax. Plates of food had been polished off, goblets drained, and chatter filled the hall as students recounted the highs and lows of the year. The enchanted ceiling above mirrored the night sky, scattered with stars, as if bearing witness to the momentous evening.
Professor Dumbledore rose from his seat at the center of the staff table. The murmuring ceased almost instantly, the weight of his presence commanding attention. He looked over the hall with twinkling eyes, his half-moon glasses slipping slightly down his crooked nose. His voice, as ever, carried a blend of gravitas and warmth.
Dumbledore: "Another year at Hogwarts has come to a close. And what a year it has been—a tapestry woven with bravery, learning, challenges, and, above all, growth."
The students leaned in, captivated as he continued, his tone shifting slightly, hinting at something deeper.
Dumbledore: "As we look back, it is often our mistakes that loom the largest in our minds. Yet, it is in those mistakes that we find our greatest opportunities to learn. The true test of character is not in never erring but in what we choose to do after. In seeking understanding, in granting forgiveness, and in daring to hope for a better tomorrow."
At this, some of the older students exchanged knowing looks. Hermione, sitting at the Gryffindor table, nodded as if affirming an unspoken truth. Ron, meanwhile, was busy trying to balance a spoon on his nose, oblivious to the profundity of Dumbledore's words.
Dumbledore: "The future stretches before us, as vast and uncharted as the Great Lake. And though the waters may sometimes seem murky, remember that even the smallest light can guide us safely to shore."
He paused, letting his words settle over the hall, and then, with a slight smile, his tone shifted to one of celebration.
Dumbledore: "Now, before we all grow too philosophical and risk our desserts going cold, it is time to award the House Cup!"
The hall erupted into cheers and applause as students leaned forward eagerly. Even the Slytherins, sitting with their usual aloofness, couldn't help but perk up.
Dumbledore: "This year, the House Cup goes to a house that has demonstrated not only intelligence but camaraderie, and a remarkable spirit. The winner is… Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaw table exploded in jubilation. Students leapt to their feet, hugging each other and clapping wildly. Blue and bronze banners unfurled from the ceiling, and the Ravenclaw eagle soared majestically above the hall, leaving a trail of shimmering sparks in its wake.
Freya: [jumping up and down] "We did it! We actually did it!"
Talia: [grinning] "I knew all those hours in the library would pay off eventually!"
Padma: [teasing Jason] "I'm pretty sure Jason's Quidditch heroics sealed the deal. Care to confirm?"
Jason: [leaning back smugly] "Oh, I wouldn't dare take all the credit. Just… most of it."
At the Gryffindor table, the reaction was mixed but good-natured.
Seamus: "Ravenclaw, eh? Well, at least it's not Slytherin. Cheers to that!"
Ginny: "They deserved it. Did you see their chasers this year? ."
Ron: [grumbling] "Still reckon Gryffindor could've had it if not for all the injuries."
Hermione: [rolling her eyes] "Oh, Ron, just admit they were better this time."
Harry: [smiling] "Good for them. Next year, though? It's ours."
At the Hufflepuff table, the students joined in the applause with genuine warmth.
Susan Bones: "You can't argue with Ravenclaw. They earned it. Still, next year… watch out."
Hannah Abbott: "I hope we're not up against their Quidditch team early. Jason alone is a nightmare."
The Slytherin table, however, was a stark contrast, sitting in stony silence.
Draco: [sneering] "Of course it's Ravenclaw. The Teacher's favorite pets. No ambition, just books."
Pansy: [half-heartedly] "At least it's not Gryffindor."
Blaise: [calmly] "Draco, if you could read half as well as they can, maybe we'd win something for once."
As the cheers for Ravenclaw subsided, Dumbledore raised his goblet high, his voice cutting through the noise.
Dumbledore: "To the friendships forged, the lessons learned, and the adventures yet to come—here's to Hogwarts."
The hall echoed his words: "To Hogwarts!"
Jason, still sitting amidst the chaos of celebration at the Ravenclaw table, glanced around, a rare smile tugging at his lips.