Chapter 25 : Hallow Eve-2

I watched intently as Arjun took his seat at the Slytherin table, my curiosity piqued by his seemingly friendly interaction with Hagrid, the half-giant. Unable to contain my curiosity, I leaned in towards him and asked, "What's the deal with you and Hagrid? Getting cosy with the oaf, are we?"

Arjun rolled his eyes at my question, a small smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "I'll be spending an entire year with him. I have no intention of making it a miserable experience," he replied nonchalantly.

A surge of guilt washed over me as I recalled the detentions Arjun had been saddled with. It was clear that spending time with Hagrid wasn't exactly a walk in the park. I listened intently as Arjun continued; his tone tinged with a hint of resignation.

"Hagrid harbours a deep-seated hatred towards Slytherin's house," Arjun explained with a small sigh. "He was framed by a Slytherin friend for murder and unjustly imprisoned in Azkaban. Even after his release, the consequences of that situation lingered, with his wand being snapped."

Instinctively, I gripped my wand tighter at the mention of such a fate. A wand was the most precious possession of any true wizard and the thought of having it forcibly taken away sent a shiver down my spine.

Yet, as Arjun spoke, I began to understand the depth of Hagrid's loyalty to Dumbledore.

I couldn't help but recall the haunting expression on my father's face as he had imparted a lesson to me in the past. "Do whatever it takes to avoid a stay with the Dementors," he had said, his voice laced with a mixture of urgency and concern. "Even if it means enduring insults to our pride. I'm telling you this out of love for you, my son. Please remember this advice."

As I sat at the Slytherin table, observing the bustling activity in the Great Hall, my attention was drawn to a conversation unfolding nearby. Daphne Greengrass had injected herself into the discussion, voicing her disagreement with the notion of categorizing the entire house based on one individual's actions.

"It's dumb to categorize the entire house for that," she remarked, her voice tinged with frustration.

I could see heads turning towards us, eager to catch snippets of the exchange. Ever since the incident with Arjun teasing her, gossip had been swirling around like a whirlwind, speculating about their relationship and stirring up unnecessary drama.

What are we doing? This is not the medieval age where people married in their OWL years.

But Arjun and his actions towards Daphne are always funny.

 As expected by everyone, he responded to Daphne's comment with his characteristic teasing tone, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, my ice queen," he quipped, "I am always at your service. Let me clear your doubts."

Daphne's irritation was visible on her face, her icy expression cracking under the weight of Arjun's teasing. It was no wonder their friendship had never fully flourished; Arjun's penchant for disregarding the thoughts and feelings of others could be frustrating, to say the least.

But I acknowledge his intelligence, though. Despite his arrogance, he had a way of managing the consequences of his actions and often managed to sway situations in his favour. 

Just like me, I can kill all consequences with a single letter to my father.

Arjun's next words caught my attention, drawing me back into the conversation. "It's just like how everyone in Slytherin tends to associate all of Gryffindor's house with Dumbledore," he remarked casually.

A wave of discomfort washed over me at his words, the mention of Dumbledore and the implications of his association with Gryffindor's house hitting a nerve. It served as a stark reminder of the dark shadow cast by the Dark Lord, a Slytherin himself, and the weight of his failures on the rest of our house and our families.

I watched as Arjun sat deep in thought, his brow furrowed in concentration as he carefully set a clipboard on the table before him. Intrigued by his actions, I couldn't resist the urge to take a closer look at what had captured his attention.

The clipboard was titled "Average Reserves of Hogwarts Students," and as I scanned the contents, I cursed him for studying more than the homework needed.

[ Report:

Year 1: 20-30 L

Year 2: 50-70 L

Year 3: 100-130 L

Year 4: 150-200 L

Year 5: 250-300 L

Year 6: 400-500 L

Year 7: 600-750 L

The progression outlined a dramatic escalation in students' magical reserves throughout their education at Hogwarts, with a significant increase in magical abilities particularly in the later years. ]

THUD

Before I could think about the implications of Arjun's findings, our conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sudden slamming open of the Great Hall doors. The entire room fell silent as Professor Quirrell, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, stumbled in, his voice filled with fear as he announced, "Trolls in the dungeons, though you have to know." before promptly fainting.

Panic swept through the hall as the news of multiple XXXX beasts roamed the castle. Fear gripped me, but amidst the chaos, I noticed Arjun calmly grasping his wand, his gaze fixed on Professor Quirrell with an intensity that caught my attention.

I couldn't help but recall Arjun's demeanour in Defence Against the Dark Arts class, his subdued nature standing out amidst the chaos of the lessons.

While he always answered questions and earned points like the rest of the classes, there was something different about him. It was a subtlety that perhaps only those who spent significant time with him, like Crabbe, Goyle, and me, could see.

A single shout pierced through the chaos, cutting through the panicked voices and clamour of the Great Hall. It was a voice I recognized instantly, yet its tone was unlike anything I had heard before. "SILENCE," it commanded, resonating with authority and power.

I turned to see the source of the voice, and there he stood: the wizard my father had warned me about. Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, stood tall and imposing, his mere presence enough to quell the chaotic scene before us.

Hundreds of students fell silent, their eyes drawn to him, including mine. Even during this emergency, a single glance from Dumbledore had a calming effect on me.

"Teachers with me. Prefects guide your respective House students to the dorms."

In a matter of seconds, Dumbledore issued orders with swift precision. He instructed the teachers to subdue the beasts and assigned prefects to accompany each student to their rooms.

As the chaos began to subside, the students organized themselves into lines, with the youngest students positioned at the centre and the older students forming outer circles for protection.

I observed as the teachers quickly took charge, leading the way and clearing a path for us to follow. Even the Astronomy professor, whom I had never seen in such a state of urgency, cast spells and dashed ahead with remarkable speed.

As the lines formed, it became evident that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students would head towards the upper part of the castle, while Slytherin and Hufflepuff students would take the lower path. It was a common route until we reached a point where our paths diverged.

"Mommy, I really should have stayed back heeding my mom's request. What kind of school has life-threatening dangers."

"Calm down, Rosy. It will be fine."

The murmurs of discontent from the muggle-born students in Hufflepuff grated on my nerves, their words dripping with disdain and ignorance. How dare they insult Hogwarts like that?

The collective frustration must have been evident, for Arjun, ever the voice of reason intervened with his calm demeanour. "Magic in itself is dangerous if explored without proper heed and respect," he explained patiently, his words carrying a weight of wisdom. "In some cases, the consequences can last for generations. That's why Hogwarts was established by the founders—to provide a safe environment for young witches and wizards to learn and grow. They with their genius skills essentially blessed the castle with the capability to aid its inhabitants like a mild case of luck."

Davis completed the wording with, "After Merlin enhanced Hogwarts, it became even better in actively aiding."

She pointed out the straight line of stairs leading to the dorms, defying their normal unpredictable nature.

Arjun's contemplative expression didn't escape my notice, and I couldn't help but wonder about his thoughts.

"No wonder the headmaster position of Hogwarts needed to be filled with his men before attempting an assault. Unfortunately for him, Dumbles outplayed him," he muttered, his voice tinged with realization. 

"So, we will be safe right," the muggle-born student, displaying their ignorance, questioned Arjun's words, prompting me to interject with a pointed remark. "He just said it's only mild luck," I countered, my tone laced with sarcasm. "There's a reason ghosts exist in Hogwarts—though a dozen is nothing compared to the long history of this school."

However, one thing that gave me an ominous feeling was Arjun's look towards me and the rest of Slytherin, which solidified as if signalling some decision of his. Unfortunately, I learned it in the common rooms, along with some very uncomfortable things.