411 A Chaotic Choice
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Lunchtime at Hogwarts was drastically different from the usual vibrant gathering of people. The people were still there, but the vibrancy and the sheer energy of young students had been snatched, leaving behind a dull grey ambiance in the room.
Ivy looked around the Great Hall, and she could see more people who were toying and stabbing at their food instead of actually eating and enjoying the meal. Even Ron by her side hadn’t piled up his plate with food and was swirling a breadstick in his bowl of soup which had a long cold. Not ever at the Slytherin table could she see the children of ‘Death Eaters’ glancing around nervously— clearly scared of retaliation from hundreds of wands, blamed for the current situation, no wonder why some looked much worse than everyone else in the Great Hall.
She sighed as she failed to spot even a single happy face and was sure the tables would’ve been much emptier if Dumbledore hadn’t declared attendance at Great Hall during meal times to be mandatory. Many older students wished to oppose and resist the decision and had come close to it, but one look at Dumbledore’s face told them that the Headmaster wasn’t in any mood for discussion.
“All of you should eat something,” she lightly said to her friends.
Hermione looked at Ivy and then at her plate. Ivy followed her eyes and glanced down at her plate to find that her serving of pasta had turned into a gooey clump from not being touched. She looked up at Hermione and saw her looking up at the ceiling.
For the first time since she had entered the Great Hall for the first time during her first year, the ceiling that had been charmed to reflect the sky above had been turned off. She thought that she and everyone here were among the rare group of people in the entire Hogwarts history that had actually seen the actual Great Hall ceiling without the charms. . . and it was pretty standard, just like as anyone would expect a ceiling to be. . . there was no secret hidden in it, as many had theorized over the years.
“The Aurors. . . ” Ivy turned her attention to Dean Thomas, who was sitting close by with Ginny by his side. The dark-skinned boy spoke quietly, “. . . they will be able to break the ward and rescue us. . . right?” He was looking at the table, and the jovial look usually in his eyes was nowhere to be seen.
“Of course, they will,” spoke Harry with confidence. “Entire Ministry is working on rescuing us and beating Voldemort,” people gasped, but Harry didn’t look abashed at all. They were inside Hogwarts, and if Voldemort couldn’t come inside, no Snatcher could even dream of it.
“How do you know that?” The people who had been attracted by the conversation and listening all turned towards Seamus Finnegan, who posed the question with a dark look on his face. “This is You-Know-Who we are talking about. Even if they were able to break the ward, how would they go against him? He isn’t even alone; he has his Death Eaters with him.”
“They have Aurors and Hit Wizards together. . . he can’t be that strong, can he?” asked Dean, worried.
“Me dad doesn’t think so, he said—”
“We have Professor Dumbledore,” Harry budged in and cut Seamus off. Everyone around him at the Gryffindor table and even those Hufflepuff tables were now looking over. “Voldemort. . . stop flinching. . . Voldemort fears Professor Dumbledore, which means he can’t defeat him. Dumbledore will never allow Voldemort to win.”
“Then why hasn’t he done anything,” questioned Seamus; he looked at the Headmaster, who was at the head table talking to McGonagall. “If he can defeat him, why hasn’t he done so already?”
Hermione supplied the response to his question. “Because of Hogsmeade. They have taken the people of Hogsmeade hostage,” she glanced at the head table. “He must be waiting for the Aurors to be in a position where he doesn’t have to worry about their safety and can focus on facing him.”
As if he was listening, Dumbledore turned to them. Everyone froze and looked away and started eating their food. Ivy glanced back at Dumbledore, but he was already back talking to McGonagall.
“So,” Hermione finished her explanation, “the moment the Aurors rescue Hogsmeade hostages, Dumbledore will duel. . . Voldemort.”
Ivy thought so as well. But she had another thought that stemmed from a conversation she had with Quinn where he had said: “Voldemort and Dumbledore are much more powerful than anyone thinks they are. If they truly fought, they would wipe out villages without even trying— they’re monsters who can’t express their magic to the fullest because of the consequences. . .”
That had spurred the thought that the reason why Dumbledore hadn’t stepped out to face Voldemort was that if things got severe and the two ‘magical monsters’ let their magic out, Hogsmeade wouldn’t look as it stood now, and the lives and safety of anyone in the vicinity couldn’t be guaranteed.
But even knowing that, Ivy couldn’t help but desire to witness their fight.
She picked up her fork and decided that even though she wasn’t in the mood to eat, she should at least finish what she was put on her plate. Her fork was about to stab the pasta clump when she heard something that shook her mind.
“Habitants of Hogwarts. . .”
Even though she had never heard it, she knew precisely who the voice belonged. It boomed around the castle, touching every wall and corner of the grand magical castle. None in Hogwarts didn’t listen to the voice, and it echoed in their chests, thrumming inside their body.
At the head table, Dumbledore stood up with stoney emotions etched on his face as he looked somewhere far away into the distance, his gaze passing through the walls towards the source of the voice.
“. . . listen to me, to Lord Voldemort,” continued the voice, and everyone in the Great Hall shivered as a commotion erupted— but the voice continued as clear as crystal with a hint of eerie chill mixed in: “Today, I arrive at the doorstep of the place that my ancestor Salazar Slytherin helped build. Today, I arrive here to take the first step to take what is rightfully mine. This country has devolved into something of a mockery with those unworthy of the gift being allowed to grow. I wish to return this country to its lost glory— return it to the country that had once birthed Merlin himself. . .”
It was as if Hogwarts itself hung onto Voldemort’s every word. Nothing and no one made a single sound, fearing they would miss what he was saying. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“. . . but before I do that, I need to accomplish something first. Understand that I hold no desire to hurt any of you— the children of Hogwarts are the future of this great country, and I wouldn’t even dream of harming them. . .” Despite how impossible it sounded, the words caused hope to sprout in many people’s minds. “. . . But beware if you stand in my way, will be struck down without mercy no matter whoever they are,” and that sent a shiver and fear to the depth of many’s souls.
“I call to you in this way, for I can use your service. I offer all of you to gain my favor if you can accomplish one simple task. . . . Turnover Har—”
Dumbledore got up and swung his wand in a grand gesture, and immediately the voice was extinguished, letting the silence replace it. Everyone turned to Dumbledore, but he had his eyes trained ahead. For a moment, silence became too loud. . . and then a screaming voice louder than before returned, and if it was not audible before, it was now.
“HAND HARRY POTTER AND HIS FAMILY OVER, AND I GIVE MY WORD THAT EVERYONE, AND I SAY EVERYONE, OTHER THAN DUMBLEDORE, WILL LIV—.” Again Dumbledore worked his magic, and Voldemort’s voice was quelled again.
This time no one looked at Dumbledore. Instead, Ivy felt hundreds of pairs of eyes on her, and it made her want to shrink into herself until she could disappear. She wished so much that she could pull out the Cloak of Invisibility and simply vanish out of the Great Hall to escape the eyes staring holes into her. Ivy looked at Harry and was surprised to see that he was sitting there calmly without a hint of nervousness or unease on his face.
She had always known that even though Harry was somewhat uncomfortable with mass attention that came because of his identity as the Boy-Who-Lived, he had long become used to it. But now, as she saw her brother sitting there unbothered while she was feeling a burning sensation from the stares, she understood how her brother’s life had been.
Dumbledore announced, “Harry, Ivy, to the ante-chamber, please— immediately.”
Harry stood up, and Ivy hastily followed after him, completely following his lead because she didn’t know what to do and think.
“Harry,” she said.
“Don’t worry, Ivy. We’re fine; you don’t need to worry about what he said.”
“But—”
“Dumbledore won’t give us out even if everyone in the castle wants us out. And I’m sure more people will refuse to agree with Voldemort’s demand than agree with him. . . no one will believe that maniac’s words. He would kill every Muggleborn the moment he steps inside the castle, so don’t worry— we don’t have to talk to anyone who isn’t close to us.”
“I. . .” Ivy couldn’t voice her thought or even properly formulate them. But even then, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of worry about what had just taken place.
As they entered the ante-chamber, she saw Lily already in there. “Mum,” she called as Lily hugged her.
Lily combed Ivy’s hair and gently said, “It’s okay; no one is going to do anything that monster said.” She also took Harry into her motherly hug. “Dumbledore and the other professors are going to make everything clear, so don’t worry about it; throw it out of your minds, relax, and don’t let it affect you. . .”
Ivy hugged Lily back, but she couldn’t ignore the bad feeling in her mind. She wished Quinn would be here, and she would feel safe enough to make the bad feeling go away. She wished that she could leave and be alone to talk to him.
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Quinn, the person in question, was nowhere near Hogwarts and was in another part of the country, staring at the door in an alley in front of him with an intent look.
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Quinn West – MC – Presence only.
Ivy Potter – Worried – I don’t feel great right now.
Voldemort – Dark Lord – I have given a choice. . .
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