The end-of-term feast arrived as scheduled.
On the last day of every school year, there would be a feast that could be considered a celebration.
The winner of the House Cup would also be announced at this time.
Sitting in the Great Hall, Eda suddenly realized that throughout this school year, she seemed to have never paid attention to House points, nor had she cared much about who would win the House Cup. The others around her were the same.
In previous years, around this time, the Great Hall would be decorated with the flags and banners of the House that had won the previous year, which would then be replaced after the new champion House was announced.
But this year, there were no Gryffindor decorations in the Great Hall. There were no banners or flags either, making the entire hall seem somewhat empty.
The real Mad-Eye Moody was now sitting beside the teachers' table. Under Madam Pomfrey's care, his physical condition had improved considerably, but his mental state was still poor.
It would probably take a long time to heal.
Madame Maxime was sitting beside Hagrid, and the two of them were quietly talking about something. Judging by the expression spreading across Madame Maxime's face, the two seemed to be flirting with each other.
Snape was still sitting in his usual place. His complexion had improved considerably and was no longer as pale as before. Snape also noticed Eda looking at him, and their eyes met briefly before quickly separating.
There was distance in his gaze, and perhaps even a trace of disgust.
Eda did not know why Snape's gaze had changed like this, but she remembered Dumbledore's instructions clearly. She would always trust Severus Snape.
The Great Hall was filled with the clinking of plates and cups and lively chatter. Then Dumbledore suddenly stood up beside the teachers' table. The students, who had been making quite a bit of noise just moments ago, immediately fell silent and looked toward Dumbledore.
"Another year," Dumbledore said as he looked at everyone. "Has come to an end." He paused, looking from one long table to another.
Whether they were Hogwarts students or students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, everyone listened attentively. They felt that Dumbledore might finally explain what had happened during the Third Task.
"Tonight, I have many things to say to all of you," Dumbledore said, "but first, please allow me to tell you about something from the past."
"Many, many years ago, there was once a boy who sat here just like you, enjoying this end-of-year feast. He was a Hogwarts student. He studied, lived, and grew up here... He was a prefect and Head Boy, and he was loved and respected by many people. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle."
The students did not understand. They did not know who this Tom Riddle the headmaster was talking about, nor did they know why the headmaster had suddenly brought him up. Only a handful of students among them knew the name.
"Later, Tom Riddle graduated with outstanding results. He was unable to stay at the school as a teacher as he had hoped, nor did he enter the Ministry of Magic as people expected, despite receiving several offers of employment. Later, he traveled far and wide, disappearing from sight for a very long time."
Eda raised her head and looked toward Dumbledore. She understood what Dumbledore intended.
The headmaster was going to reveal the truth about Voldemort's return at tonight's feast. Through Voldemort's past, Dumbledore wanted to tell everyone that Voldemort, like everyone else, was not an invincible monster.
Peeling away layer after layer of disguise and veil, Voldemort was also a human being. He was also a student who had graduated from Hogwarts. He was simply Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Dumbledore continued, "Many years later, Tom returned to the school and once again asked to become a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I rejected his application. I knew what he had been doing during the years he had disappeared, and his return to the school as a teacher was only intended to recruit more followers."
"After that, Tom gathered supporters and recruited a large number of followers. He and his followers used all kinds of threats, coercion, and enticements to strengthen themselves, gradually making their violence and massacres public and spreading fear."
The students in the Great Hall had gradually realized what was happening, and many of them began to feel uneasy and frightened.
The younger students present had never experienced those dark years. Even older students like Eda might not necessarily have memories of those years.
But the fear of Voldemort was rooted deep in their bones and flowed through their veins. Although everyone did not clearly understand how powerful Voldemort was, their fear of him still made the students tremble and shudder involuntarily.
"His followers called themselves Death Eaters, while he called himself Voldemort."
Before the words had even fallen, a wave of gasps swept through the Great Hall. The sounds of cups, plates, knives, and forks falling came one after another. Even the Gryffindors, who were famous for their bravery, reacted this way. The situation among the Slytherins was no better.
"In 1981, Tom, who was at the peak of his power, attacked one of the students present here."
Everyone in the Great Hall looked toward Harry, while Dumbledore continued, "Tom failed. He lost his body, and he lost his magical power.
The war that had lasted for years came to an end. People celebrated their victory and called the student who had been attacked 'the Boy Who Lived.'"
The students collectively breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had returned to that night in 1981. But Dumbledore did not stop speaking.
Dumbledore said solemnly, "The Ministry of Magic does not want me to tell you these things, but I believe you have the right to know the truth. Telling the truth is always better than lying."
"Tom Marvolo Riddle has returned. Voldemort has returned. It happened on the night of the Third Task, in the village of Little Hangleton."
A wave of nervous whispers spread through the Great Hall. Everyone stared at Dumbledore in horror and disbelief. So Dumbledore had stopped the Tournament because You-Know-Who had returned, and the great fire in Little Hangleton had also been caused by You-Know-Who...
How was this possible?
The students' murmurs gradually fell silent. The vast majority of them were like Fudge. They did not believe that Voldemort had returned. They could not believe it, nor did they want to believe it.
Besides, Dumbledore did not have enough evidence to prove that Voldemort had returned, did he?
Eda's gaze remained on Dumbledore. Although the headmaster had never mentioned the outcome of their conversation that night, judging from the reports in the Daily Prophet, Dumbledore had failed to convince Fudge.
Tonight, in front of all the students, Dumbledore had revealed the truth. Was he prepared to face the combined pressure of Voldemort and the Ministry of Magic?
Dumbledore continued speaking from the front, talking about how everyone should unite and trust one another, but the students were all somewhat distracted. Eda also withdrew her gaze and instead looked toward the Slytherin table.
Cody Avery was quietly talking to the students beside him. One of the Death Eaters who had appeared in the cemetery that night had the surname Avery.
Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were sitting together. None of them spoke, nor did they look toward Dumbledore. All three of their fathers had appeared in the cemetery that night, and Eda had nearly burned Crabbe and Goyle's fathers to death.
Theodore Nott, a tall, thin boy with protruding front teeth. His father had also appeared in the cemetery that night.
Their grandparents and parents had already made their choices for them. The family education they had received and the beliefs they had developed had also made the choice for them.
Just like during the Chamber of Secrets incident, hadn't the Slytherin students simply stood by and watched the spectacle?
"You're next..." Wasn't the word Draco Malfoy had left unsaid precisely Mudblood?
Eda withdrew her gaze again and lowered her head, refusing to look at anyone in the Great Hall.
Dumbledore's speech was meant to encourage everyone to abandon their prejudices, unite, and resist Voldemort together.
But the headmaster's hopes were destined to fall short. Hogwarts had long since been divided internally, and this division had existed for far longer than Voldemort himself.
The holidays were about to begin. Voldemort remained hidden and had yet to reveal what other moves he might have prepared, which was worrying.
And after Dumbledore's blunt revelation, what response would the Ministry of Magic, which wanted to conceal the truth, give?
The war had truly begun, a war in which they were attacked from both sides.
Suddenly, Eda felt someone pat her on the shoulder. Coming back to her senses, Eda found that the students had begun leaving their seats and walking out of the Great Hall.
Fred and George had not left. The two brothers stood beside her, their smiles brighter than the summer sun.
...
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