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Chapter 232: The Second-Class Merlin Order of the Merlin
Chapter 232: The Second-Class Merlin Order of the Merlin
The unexpected visitors immediately caught everyone's attention.
The cheers of celebration subdued, and the young witches and wizards turned to look at the newcomers, recognizing only Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, among them, while the others were unfamiliar.
Even Dumbledore, seated at the head table, paused briefly in surprise.
However, he quickly approached them with a warm greeting.
"Oh, Dug, Cornelius, Pegasus... It's wonderful to see you here at Hogwarts. I thought you weren't arriving until tomorrow."
"We were supposed to come tomorrow..."
The elderly wizard, Dug McPhail, who was leading the group, smiled as he spoke, "But Nico felt that this was a rare opportunity that shouldn't be limited to just a few people.
And I personally agree. After all, there hasn't been a young wizard as young as twelve years old who has received the Merlin Order of the Merlin. It's an extraordinary achievement, setting a new record by lowering the minimum age requirement by eight years."
"That is certainly worth celebrating," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"So, we hurried a bit and managed to arrive just before the end of the Hogwarts school year," McPhail said with a chuckle. "To have the entire Hogwarts community present for the awarding ceremony... It will surely be a memorable moment for the young recipient."
At his words, the Great Hall fell into an unexpected hush, every pair of eyes widening in disbelief as a suspicion formed in their minds.
A twelve-year-old wizard receiving the Merlin Order of the Merlin... How could that be possible?
Not far away, at the Gryffindor table, Fred glanced stiffly at George.
"Twelve years old, so he must be in second year," Fred whispered.
"Or... it could be first year," George replied, his expression uneasy. "It could be Harry. After all, everyone knows he defeated the Dark Wizard. It wouldn't be surprising for him to receive a Merlin Order of the Merlin."
"But... Harry's birthday is in July, which means he's still eleven," Fred argued.
George fell silent, a name suddenly popping into his mind, one that he was sure Fred was also thinking of.
"You don't think..." Fred began.
"It can't be..." George whispered.
The twins exchanged a glance, their eyes drifting towards the Hufflepuff table.
At that moment, McPhail, who had traveled a long distance, cut short the pleasantries.
"Shall we begin, Dumbledore? The youngest member of the Order of Merlin... I'm quite eager to get started, and we shouldn't keep the children waiting."
"Of course, but will you be presiding over the ceremony this time?" Dumbledore inquired.
McPhail shook his head. "No, we have a more suitable candidate in mind."
Hearing this, Cornelius Fudge cleared his throat reflexively and took a small step forward, eager to take on the task.
However, McPhail continued as if he hadn't noticed, "Since we're at Hogwarts, it should be you, Albus.
And it's only fitting, given your role as the Chief Wizard of Wizengamot. You can't keep passing this responsibility to me... Don't you remember, I've been retired for a long time now."
"But you're far more suited to this task than I am, Dug," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Today is a joyous occasion," he announced loudly. "Allow me to introduce our esteemed guests..."
"Dug McPhail, a wise and steady leader. During a time of noticeable unrest in the Muggle parliament, he guided the Ministry of Magic through a pleasant period of tranquility."
McPhail waved to the entire hall in greeting, eliciting enthusiastic applause.
"I know him!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "Remember when we were searching for Nicolas Flamel? Dug McPhail served as the Minister of Magic in 1858, and he's one of the most trusted ministers."
"1858?!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief. "So, he must be over a hundred years old now!"
"One hundred and thirty-three," Harry whispered.
"You two..." Hermione frowned. "To be precise, he's at least one hundred and thirty-three. He couldn't have been the Minister of Magic since birth."
"He's certainly lived a long life..." Ron muttered. "I mean, he doesn't have an elixir of life, does he?"
On the platform, Dumbledore had moved on to introduce the next guest.
"And our Minister of Magic, Mr. Cornelius Fudge..."
Fudge removed his hat, revealing a friendly smile.
"Newt Scamander, renowned Magizoologist and author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them..."
As Dumbledore introduced these individuals, Kyle's gaze remained fixed on the last two figures.
They were none other than his parents, Chris and Diana.
However, Diana wore a large, black hood that obscured her features, concealing her identity.
And for some reason, she had an incredibly low presence; if she hadn't been standing next to Chris, Kyle might not have noticed her at all.
It felt like the Muggle-Repelling Charm...
Just then, Kyle felt something odd in the palm of his hand and lowered his head instinctively to find a few small words that hadn't been there before...
"Don't look around, focus on the task!"
Kyle's lips twitched.
Apparently, his mother had taken leave during her mission to attend this event, but due to the sensitive nature of the Department of Mystery, she had to keep a low profile.
After receiving this reminder, Kyle nodded slightly and refrained from looking at them again.
Knowing that his parents were there was enough.
For such an important occasion, he felt their presence was essential.
"Kyle, why are you smiling so happily?" Cedric asked, looking at him in confusion. Then, as if realizing something, he added, "Wait, don't tell me that Merlin Order of the Merlin is for you?"
Like George earlier, he had assumed it was for Harry Potter.
Kyle spread his hands, not saying a word, but Cedric's expression turned more and more astonished.
And in that astonishment was a hint of stupefaction.
Soon, Dumbledore finished introducing the last person.
"Damocles Belby, the inventor of the Wolfsbane Potion."
Aside from Fudge, the other four were all recipients of the Merlin Order of the Merlin, with some having received the First-Class honor while others held the Second-Class distinction.
As for Chris and Diana... they had quietly taken seats near the entrance.
And it seemed that Dumbledore had sensed something as well, for he refrained from mentioning the two.
"You may find it strange and wonder why these well-known and accomplished witches and wizards are here at Hogwarts..."
Dumbledore stood before the head table, his voice clear and loud as he said, "It's quite simple, really... they are here to bestow upon a student the Merlin Order of the Merlin."
Upon hearing Dumbledore's confirmation, an uproar erupted from below.
Everyone began to speculate about the recipient, and the name that came up the most was Harry Potter.
"Harry, is it really you?" Ron asked excitedly.
"Impossible," Harry shook his head. "I've never heard of this, and as you know, I'm not even twelve years old yet."
"I know, but who else could it be... Don't forget that you defeated You-Know-Who and saved the wizarding world." Ron argued. "Maybe they just got your age wrong."
Harry furrowed his brows, still feeling that something wasn't quite right.
If it was indeed because of Voldemort, why wait until now to present the award, and why make him live with the Dursleys for eleven years?
If Hagrid hadn't taken him away from that seaside hut, he might never have even known about Hogwarts.
The Great Hall was filled with chaos and noisy chatter as everyone debated the identity of the recipient.
But soon, Dumbledore revealed the answer.
"Kyle Joba!" he announced loudly.
The Great Hall fell silent as if someone had pressed a pause button, and all eyes turned towards the Hufflepuff table and Kyle, who stood there.
"Come up here, child," Dumbledore said gently.
Kyle walked forward.
Dumbledore spoke solemnly, "At St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, you successfully subdued a rampaging werewolf, saving the lives of 57 patients on an entire floor.
To commend your courageous and valiant actions, I, Albus Dumbledore, on behalf of the International Confederation of Wizards, the Merlin Order of the Merlin, the Wizengamot, and the wizarding community, bestow upon you the Second-Class Merlin Order of the Merlin!"
(End of Chapter)
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