Chapter 611: The Bonfire Feast

Chapter 611: The Bonfire Feast

Chapter 611: The Bonfire Feast

In the last week of July, several significant events took place.

First, the Ministry of Magic officially announced the end of the state of war. This declaration finally put the minds of the Wizarding community at ease. Even though the public had been celebrating the end of the conflict for some time, the official announcement brought a new wave of joy and relief. People took to the streets to celebrate peace, as it marked the Ministry's formal conclusion and the definitive end of the war.

The announcement also included the results of the investigation into the crimes committed by Wizard criminals during the war.

Several Pureblood families breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The second piece of news came as a surprise to many and had a broader impact: Headmaster Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry resigned from his position as the President of the International Confederation of Wizards, citing his advanced age.

"Well, no wonder", Hagrid said in his deep, rumbling voice, sitting on the couch in the Black family's living room, taking up two spots. "Those fools kept whining at international conferences about their losses, all nonsense! The Dark Lord's reign of terror didn't even last two months in total."

"What did they demand?" Bill Weasley asked.

"Quite a lot", Mr. Weasley said, wiping his glasses. "As you know, the Dark Lord first stole the Ilvermorny School's Snake Wood Wand and murdered their Headmaster at the school gates. After a period of quiet, he reappeared and went on a spree, robbing treasures from various countries—"

"Gringotts suffered significant losses", Bill Weasley interjected.

"That's right", Mr. Weasley continued. "It's clear that the Dark Lord was extremely interested in powerful magical artifacts, such as the legendary Invisibility Cloak, the African Death Mask, the Egyptian Coffin of Death, and the Nordic Elf Spring—"

"Do those things really exist?" Harry, who had been listening quietly, asked. "I thought they were just myths, like—like—" He glanced at Ron, who murmured, "Like fairy tales."

"Pretty much", Mr. Weasley said, frowning. "I doubt any of them live up to their grand reputations. They're probably just hype. But the problem is, these items are missing, and we can't find them."

"Missing?" Mundungus repeated in a low voice, his eyes gleaming with a mix of greed and cunning. "Maybe the Dark Lord hid them somewhere in Britain, in some vast treasure trove?"

"Or maybe he destroyed them or lost them", Bill Weasley said. "Remember the incident in Switzerland? In a black market, the goblin leader there claimed to have a vampire fang that could induce a death-like state, and it was all hyped up—turns out it was just a werewolf's tooth. The Dark Lord went on a killing spree after his wasted trip, and not many survived."

Mundungus let out a sound that mixed laughter and sympathy.

"Clearly, the Dark Lord wanted the real thing. That old goblin hit a brick wall."

"But Voldemort did take a lot of treasures, right?" Harry asked. "Maybe that means they are real, or at least effective."

Bill Weasley shrugged.

"I suspect the Dark Lord couldn't immediately tell what was real and what wasn't, so he needed to study them carefully. It's a meticulous job. But we can only speculate. In the end, only a few items were found—on Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Oh", Ron said.

"Right, those third-rate tabloids, led by Rita Skeeter, sensationalized the Dark Lord's supposed illicit romance with his most loyal followers... nonsense. They should have seen what happened to that woman in the end..."

"I heard..." Mundungus whispered, "that Mr. Heap found her first, on the edge of the battlefield where Dumbledore and the Dark Lord had their final duel, deep underground, hundreds of feet down..."

"Don't get any ideas", Mr. Weasley warned him kindly.

"I know—I wouldn't dare", Mundungus mumbled. "Mr. Heap is a great alchemist and has inherited Nicolas Flamel's fortune. He wouldn't be interested in those old trinkets..." But he knew Professor Hep had a keen interest in old artifacts. He planned to ask, in a few weeks, if Mr. Heap intended to 'dispose' of them. Mundungus wouldn't mind returning to his old trade and doing some dirty work for a profit.

After all, those big shots needed people like him...

"Besides the recovery of stolen goods, there are also some small countries that somehow got wind of the Dark Lord's supposed survival and are demanding to join the trials. It's a chaotic mess. Oh, and didn't they form an International Auror Squad that suffered significant losses? These are all issues."

By mid-afternoon, more and more people started arriving.

Some stayed to chat, while others greeted everyone and then flooed to the Burrow.

With the war over, the Order of the Phoenix had completed its mission. They had voluntarily fought for a noble cause, and now it was time for them to return to a quieter life, just as they did after the first war.

Before parting ways, they planned to hold a bonfire feast.

"Are we going to dance with torches in the living room?" Tonks asked cheerfully. "I wouldn't mind—"

"Neither would I", Sirius said. "But this is a place for conversation. The formal feast is at the Burrow. I just checked, and Molly and the others are busy preparing. I took a break from chopping wood to get some fresh air."

"Mum must be keeping everyone on their toes", Ron sighed understandingly.

"Don't say that", Mr. Weasley said with a hint of reproach. "Your mum is over the moon. She keeps saying it's a miracle that no one in the family was hurt—"

"What about me?" Ron said indignantly. "I've still got a scar from the Cruciatus Curse on my chest."

"No, you don't", Harry said instinctively.

Everyone in the room burst into laughter. Harry, realizing his mistake, quickly apologized to Ron. He had been sorting things out in his head and wasn't quite with it.

Tonks also chuckled and said to Lupin, who was holding her arm, "I'll go check on things and see if I can help... dear."

Lupin smiled and nodded. As she disappeared into the fireplace, his expression turned somber. Sirius Black walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, saying loudly, "Don't overthink it! Today is a happy day. Harry and I are planning a trip in August. Want to join us for a bit of a break? He's even written a book..."

"You wrote a book?" Hagrid bellowed.

"You wrote a book?" Ron's eyes widened.

Harry glared at Sirius Black. He had promised not to tell anyone! But Sirius Black had already taken his best friend upstairs, saying they needed to have a proper drink. Harry, under the curious gazes of everyone, reluctantly nodded.

"About what?" Bill Weasley asked, intrigued.

"Patronus", Harry mumbled. In reality, it wasn't just about the Patronus Charm. It also covered his thoughts on other areas like the Disarming Charm, Lumos, Runic Script magic, Quidditch flying, and his understanding of combat. He had even included the knowledge he had received from Voldemort's mind. This idea had come to him in the days before the holidays. If death was waiting for him in the near future, he at least wanted to leave something behind.

But the Patronus Charm was the part he was most confident about, so he mentioned it first.

There was no laughter, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, Mr. Weasley chuckled and said, "I heard the examiners at the Ministry this year were quite stumped. Apart from Harry's groundbreaking understanding of the Patronus Charm, which no one dared to grade, many students wrote about unpublished Runic Script spells, leaving the examiners scratching their heads."

"Really?" Harry asked, eager to steer the conversation away from the dangerous waters, even though he knew Ron would eventually ask—because Ron knew him better than even Sirius Black.

"Not hard to understand if you think about it. The field of Ancient Runes is constantly evolving, and many of the research findings are the work of students. I heard that over half the invitees to the mid-August Ancient Runes annual journal are under twenty years old."

Harry and Ron were speechless.

"Did you receive an invitation?"

"We did", they admitted honestly.

"That's it, then."

Mr. Weasley and Bill Weasley stayed for a while before leaving. Sirius Black then took a slightly flushed Remus upstairs, saying they needed to have a proper drink. Harry and Ron stayed behind, watching the time pass. Finally, a commotion came from the hallway of the old house, followed by Hermione's voice.

She burst in like a whirlwind.

"Harry! Ron! Oh, how was your holiday?" Hermione beamed, firing off questions like a machine gun. "I just got back from abroad, and I'm interning at Gringotts. I almost lost track of time; everything there is so fascinating. I never thought my discoveries would be so useful... Oh, right, how did you do on your exams—"

Harry and Ron exchanged a smile.

"I knew you'd ask."

"Let's trade."

Harry pulled a crumpled envelope from his pocket, unfolded it, and Hermione and Ron leaned in to read.

Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.) Examination Results

Passing Grades: Outstanding (O); Exceeds Expectations (E); Acceptable (A)
Failing Grades: Poor (P); Dreadful (D); Troll (T)

Harry James Potter's Results:

Astronomy: A
Care of Magical Creatures: E
Spellcraft: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
Divination: P
Herbology: E
History of Magic: D
Potions: O
Transfiguration: O
Ancient Runes: O

...

"Tsk, even after seeing it, I still can't believe it—five Outstanding grades", Ron said, shaking his head.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions, Spellcraft, and Ancient Runes..." Hermione mused. "You're more than qualified for Auror certification."

"In a nutshell, Harry excelled in all the practical subjects. I did too", Ron said, frowning. "It makes us look like we're all brawn and no brains... I wish I could break that stereotype."

Harry smiled. He was very pleased with his results.

"Ron, how about you?" Hermione asked.

"Pretty much the same as Harry, except for Potions, where I got an Exceeds Expectations. I probably won't make it into Snape's advanced class, but that's fine", Ron shrugged. "I can always retake it this year... Don't give up, even for the sake of your Auror dream."

But Ron's face showed no sign of disappointment; instead, he was grinning.

"You forgot?" he said happily. "Harry and I are official members of the Anti-Dark Magic Alliance. They won't refuse to write a couple of recommendation letters... I got the best possible outcome—no Snape classes and no negative impact!"

Hermione pursed her lips but didn’t object. They had discussed this issue many times before, and in the end, no one had convinced the other.

“What about you, Hermione?”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Hermione said softly.

“Come on! Just tell us which exam you didn’t ace.” Ron said, and Hermione opened her mouth. “All Outstanding!?” Ron shouted, “You’re not satisfied with that?” Hermione quickly shook her head, her eyes curving into crescents.

They tidied up, locked the door, and used the Floo Network to arrive at the Burrow. As soon as they stepped out, Sirius and the Weasley Twins dragged them away. “Come on, we need help. We’re swamped with setting up spells around the area. No work, no dinner.”

“Defensive spells?” Harry asked, confused. Was it really necessary?

“Muggle-Repelling Charms,” Fred said with a grin. “We’re planning a big event tonight, and we need to prevent anyone from the village getting curious and showing up…”

They arrived at the orchard, where Charlie, Bill Weasley, and Lupin were setting up tents. Fleur was leaning against Bill, cooing, “Darling, what do you think about doing something like this for our wedding? But we should add a small fountain and some ice sculptures…”

Ginny’s face fell, but when she saw Harry and the others approaching, she breathed a sigh of relief and ran over, pretending to cast spells.

Everyone split up. Fred and George Weasley seemed to have found a goblin hole. They crouched down, pinching their voices, “Is anyone home? I dropped some fruit…”

Harry and Sirius stood together. Harry whispered, “What did you talk about with Remus?”

“Adult worries,” Sirius said, lazily waving his wand.

“Tell me more,” Harry said.

“Oh, you know Kreacher, right?”

Harry nodded.

“Thanks to Mr. Heap’s genius, we found Bellatrix’s exact location through Kreacher, but that’s not the end of it. With my cousin’s death, Kreacher lost his master again…”

“So, he’s free?” Harry guessed.

“You’re getting to the heart of it, but it’s not that simple,” Sirius said. “According to Black Family tradition, Kreacher automatically belongs to the next eligible heir, which is Narcissa Black.”

Harry’s eyes widened, and he blurted out, “That’s not right! Look at how they treated Dobby!”

“Exactly. So, Felix approached them, and the family was quite reasonable and gave up their inheritance rights. Thus… well, Kreacher ended up with Narcissa’s sister, Tonks’s mom.”

“Felix didn’t expect that, but it’s all among friends. Remus visited to explain the situation—”

“Was there a problem? Did they refuse to let him go?”

“No, they were quite friendly and even invited Remus to stay for dinner.” Sirius said with a hint of bitterness. “But Tonks was there, and they noticed her unusual attitude. After some questioning, her relationship with Remus couldn’t be hidden, and they had a ‘little’ argument.” He held his thumb and forefinger close together, leaving a tiny gap.

Harry took a deep breath, avoiding Ginny’s gaze as she looked over. He mouthed the word.

“Werewolf?”

“Yeah,” Sirius whispered. “From Tonks’s state, she’s confident she can persuade her parents, but the issue is Remus. He’s under a lot of pressure. You might not know, but werewolf offspring have a chance of inheriting the condition. It’s just a chance, but Remus… he can’t bear that risk.”

For the rest of the time, Harry was distracted, occasionally glancing at Remus, who smiled warmly and helped set up the large tent, transfiguring tables and chairs. Even with Voldemort’s downfall, everyone had their own worries.

Just like Harry, who deliberately avoided Ginny, unsure how to respond to her feelings.

At eight o’clock, the banquet officially began.

Hundreds of wizards sat under a huge tent supported by wooden poles, with more apparating in continuously. Harry finally met Ron’s Aunt Muriel, who had a hooked nose, red-rimmed eyes, and a pink feathered hat. She seemed to have a bad temper.

As soon as she arrived, she started nitpicking about the tables and decorations. “Look at this tablecloth, how many years has it been since it was washed? It stinks…”

“Actually, Fred used a skunk to make it, we didn’t have enough real stuff at home,” Ron whispered to Harry, who quickly moved away, deciding not to take any food from that table.

Aunt Muriel noticed them.

“Harry Potter? Yes, I see the scar. Lucky boy, does your scar glow?” Harry frowned, displeased with the comment. But the old witch shifted her attention to Ron. “Not as lucky as you, though. Let me tell you, when I heard the Weasleys’ youngest son’s name from those old hags, I knew how much of the story was true… The Dark Lord couldn’t handle two little kids?”

She droned on, and when she asked Ron in a mysterious tone how much the Order of Merlin had cost, both of them struggled to keep their tempers. Hermione tried to change the subject, but Muriel commented on her “prominent teeth and messy hair.”

“Let me see your ankle, little girl.” Hermione huffed and walked away, and finally, the cavalry arrived.

“Aunt Muriel? We’ve been looking for you!”

Fred and George Weasley descended from the sky, almost dragging her away.

“What a touching brotherly bond,” Ron remarked.

They found a seat (far from Muriel and the skunk-covered table), and platters of food descended from the sky. The music played beautifully, and the banquet began.

Clearly, no one was paying much attention to their food. The hum of conversation and bursts of laughter filled the air. Harry turned his head to look around and saw Fred and George Weasley performing magic tricks for Fleur's French relatives. Their table was full of young people, so the Weasleys' jokes were well-received.

"If Uncle Bilius were still around, he’d down an entire bottle of Firewhisky in one go, then run to the dance floor, lift his robes, and pull out bouquet after bouquet of flowers from—well, you know where."

Harry also noticed Aunt Muriel seated at a table with distant Weasley relatives. She was loudly recounting the similarities between goblins and the Weasleys, but no one seemed eager to join in. Their faces were as cold as ice. From his angle, he could see Mafalda propping her chin in one hand, her head tilted to one side, while the other hand, hidden under the table, was casting bright sparks with her wand.

Harry spotted a few classmates as well.

Neville was intercepted by a stern-looking old wizard on his way over. He waved helplessly at Harry and followed his great-uncle. Ron shuddered and muttered, "All the elders are the same. Just wait, we might get to see Neville spitting fire rings soon!"

Across their table, Tonks, Lupin, Hagrid, and Sirius were seated together. It was clear that many people were hesitant about getting too close to Hagrid, perhaps because his hands could easily pluck their heads off like grapes.

"New professor at the school?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah, his last name is Bashir", Hagrid replied, waving a pair of lobster claws.

Harry asked with concern, "How is he doing? I mean, is he well?"

"Not sure—” Hagrid frowned, “He seems okay, but he doesn’t come out much. I’ve seen him a few times in the Great Hall—occasionally on the second-floor balcony, basking in the sun."

Harry felt a bit more at ease. Professor Hep had been vague about it, almost as if he was deliberately teasing him, though Harry couldn’t figure out what the fun was.

"Did they find a new professor?" Ron asked, somewhat disappointed. "I thought they couldn’t find anyone, and Sirius could come back!"

His voice was a bit loud, and Sirius turned his head to smile. "Teaching you lot that year nearly killed me. I haven’t had enough rest yet."

"Sirius?" Hermione couldn’t help but ask, "What’s it like being an Animagus?"

"Yeah", Ron’s eyes lit up, "You promised to tell us how to practice Animagus transformation if we got good grades!"

"Oh, can’t wait, can you?" Sirius drawled, eyeing them. "You’re just about qualified, but don’t rush. For detailed knowledge, talk to Felix. I won’t get involved, but I can give you some pointers..."

To Harry, it seemed more like Sirius was showing off rather than sharing advice.

"…Starting from the full moon, you have to put a Mandrake leaf in your mouth and keep it there until the next full moon. You can’t spit it out. Think about it, you might fail just by mumbling in your sleep. That’s just the first step. James and I found a method using the Stunning Spell and the Petrifying Spell… but that only works at night. For a while, James loved telling jokes…"

Hermione listened intently, her hand reaching for her beaded bag several times as if to take notes, but she held back.

"Sounds complicated", Ron said, frowning, clearly thinking about backing out.

Harry also thought it wasn’t worth it. After all, Animagi could only turn into ordinary animals. He suddenly thought of Professor Hep, who could transform into a Swift but had denied learning Animagus transformation…

He thought that if he could turn into a bird, it would be quite convenient, but the animal you transform into is uncontrollable. He might go through all that trouble only to find himself a toad, which would be the last thing Harry wanted.

His mood sank. With the burden of the Horcruxes, he didn’t see the point in spending time learning new skills.

At that moment, Sirius leaned in, lowering his voice. "Trust me, it’s worth it. Once you learn Animagus transformation, the doors of Transfiguration will open to you… The advanced Transfiguration class is half about human transformation. If you know Animagus, you’ll feel like a fish in water."

He blinked and sat up straight. "That’s how I got my N.E.W.T. certificate. I didn’t spend much time on it at all."

...

"There are so many people here", Hermione said, looking around.

Harry shook his head slightly. "The Order of the Phoenix is disbanding."

"Disbanding?" Hermione was initially surprised, having just learned the news. Then she slowly understood. "Indeed… Voldemort has fallen, but where will they go?" Hermione watched the busy people coming and going—Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Hestia Jones…

"There’s always somewhere to go. As far as I know—Remus is going back to Hogwarts, Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt are returning to the Ministry of Magic. I heard Madam Bones invited Neville’s parents to become Aurors, but they declined and plan to open a small shop… Alastor Moody, who was retired, became an Auror instructor but no longer goes on missions. Everyone has their own path."

"You’re right", Lupin agreed. "Voldemort’s fall will only make our lives better."

Midway through the banquet, Ms. Bones appeared in a hurry. She offered polite smiles to everyone she saw, but soon found an opportunity to pull Hermione aside.

By the time Harry and Ron saw Hermione again, dinner was almost over.

"You two really had a long chat. Did the Ministry of Magic just can't wait to recruit you?" Ron teased, still chuckling at Hermione's awkwardness when she talked about her grades.

"Hmph", Hermione said, "It had nothing to do with my grades. But she did hope I'd join the Ministry of Magic after graduation—"

"Which department?" Harry asked, intrigued.

"I guess it could be the Minister's assistant; that would be one of the best positions", Ron said, looking uncertainly at Hermione.

Hermione shook her head. "The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"That's one of the worst choices, Hermione", Ron said, surprised. "The people there are either exiled or genuinely love those magical creatures..." He glanced at Hagrid, who was nearby. "Maybe Hagrid would love some of the positions, but I bet he'd break a colleague's ribs within three days—those executioners..."

"It's not what you think", Hermione shook her head. "She talked to me about S.P.E.W.—" "What?" Harry and Ron exclaimed in unison. "—Don't interrupt. And the Pan-Magical Alliance, you know, I've written a few essays on it... She hinted that the Ministry of Magic might form a new department focused on this area in the future."

"Oh, my God", Ron whispered.

"But why?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"It's related to a report submitted by Professor Hep", Hermione said softly. "I could hear the urgency and caution in her tone."

"Yeah, she's even starting to seek help from students", Ron said. "You still have two years before you graduate."

"Ms. Bones said they'll start planning this after the trials and award ceremonies, which might take a few months", Hermione said, determined. "She suggested I think more about this and stay in touch with her... I guess whatever Professor Hep's report is about must be significant."

Bundles of campfires were lit in a circle around the tents. The sky was clear, dotted with stars.

People were dancing around the campfires, and Harry joined in, swaying his body until he heard Aunt Muriel say he danced "like a bear who had stolen some corn." He sulked and moved to the other side of the tent to watch Neville perform the Lumos Maxima spell.

The bright, glowing white fire drew applause from the crowd, and Harry clapped along with everyone else.

Luna and her father were dancing happily in the distance, dressed in pale yellow, like two fluttering butterflies, particularly noticeable by the campfire. Cedric and his parents sat together, watching with gentle smiles.

Ron was chatting with Collins, who had come with Ms. Bones.

"I'm about to become a full Auror", she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, congratulations", Ron said dryly.

Harry noticed a few people were missing and shared his thoughts with Hermione, who was standing alone.

"The Malfoys, Professor Snape, Professor Hep, and Headmaster Dumbledore... none of them are here. I can understand the first two, but why aren't Professor Hep and Headmaster Dumbledore here? That's unusual..."

Hermione had no explanation.

"Maybe they have something else to do?" she said softly. "I haven't seen Professor Hep in the past few days, but I think the opportunity will come soon."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"The Ancient Runes yearbook, and 'Future World' Company has a big event coming up. Professor Hep will definitely be there", Hermione said confidently.

Harry thought of Voldemort, who might be occupying most of their attention?

He imagined the two of them in a cave, braving the cold wind, or in a dark and terrifying prison, talking to a bound Voldemort... Thinking of this, the resentment buried deep in his heart wasn't as strong.

His fate had nothing to do with these people. If he had to hate, he could only hate Voldemort.

But the truth was a bit different.

Felix was sitting idly at the school table, bantering with Grindelwald off and on. This had been going on for some time, especially after he relayed Harry's greetings to the old man, Grindelwald had been in a bad mood ever since.

Professor Mcgonagall was well aware of her new colleague's rebellious nature and was no longer surprised. For instance, today, they were discussing Hogwarts' school policies.

"Too outdated and too isolated", Grindelwald said, half-closing his eyes. "Almost a century ago, someone spent nearly a decade perfecting the Wizarding Code, which detailed the rights and obligations of wizards. The foundation of it all is education..."

"Professor Bashir", Professor Mcgonagall said, unable to hold back her discontent. Concerned about Hogwarts' honor, she said firmly, "Perhaps I am uninformed, but I have never heard of this law."

"Because it never spread to Britain, and it was met with devastating opposition abroad", Grindelwald said, raising his voice slightly but calmly. "And another reason is that the code had another name, a name that was not allowed to exist, a name erased from history: the Grindelwald Code."

“Hisss!” Professor Mcgonagall gasped sharply, her fork clattering onto her plate as she widened her eyes. “Mr. Bashir, we never mention this person!”

“Never mention,” Grindelwald repeated in a low voice, slowly raising his goblet. “Can you see the whole world with your eyes closed, madam?”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end