Parents' conference?!
Professor McGonagall's voice was like a bucket of cold water, splashed directly onto the faces of the excited young wizards.
Perhaps the children of Hogwarts didn't understand the meaning of "parents' conference" on its own, but when followed by "introducing school life," it was more than enough for them to imagine the terrible scene of hell descending, even for model students like Percy.
As for any talk of home-school collaboration or Hogwarts family weekend... they didn't want to hear a single word!
However, Professor McGonagall clearly didn't care about the panic and fear that were gradually spreading below. She cleared her throat and continued.
"In addition, the dining location for tonight will be changed to the outdoor grounds—we will be holding a bonfire party there. The Hogwarts kitchens will provide some ingredients and cooking seasonings, and there will also be treated meats at the central bonfire. Miss Kaslana will be responsible for these related matters..."
"The bonfire barbecue party is expected to end at three in the morning, and Hogwarts curfew will be temporarily postponed to the same time."
"Now, everyone can return to their respective dormitories to tidy up and make their beds..."
Professor McGonagall glanced at the confused young wizards, nodded at Argus Filch with a smile, and added, "After the parents' conference today, the caretaker will also lead the parents on a tour of the school dormitories to get a close look at everyone's daily life—"
W-wait?!
There's going to be a group tour... of the dormitories?!
A group of young wizards blinked, subconsciously beginning to recall if there were any "forbidden" or "dangerous" items under their beds or beside them.
Immediately afterward, a kind of panicked, dazed expression quickly spread throughout the Hogwarts Great Hall—you had to know that young wizards in their adolescence and rebellious phase secretly hid a lot of personal interests in their dormitories, and on closer thought, at least half of them belonged to the "things that would get you in trouble with your mom" category.
"Hey, look at these kids. They're so excited to have their parents come to school that they can barely speak—"
Sirius Black wrapped his arms around himself, wearing a look of schadenfreude, and nudged Lupin, who was sitting next to him.
"Which year levels did McGonagall assign you to? This afternoon's, um... parents' conference."
"Originally, I had to go to every year level—Umbridge and Professor Apocalis are both away—but Professor McGonagall said that Aileena will be responsible for the first and second years, and I just need to give her the materials, so all in all, it's not too bad. What about you?"
Lupin yawned, his voice hoarse, exhaustion practically written all over his pale face.
The full moon night had only passed two days ago, and his body hadn't fully recovered its vitality yet.
"Sixth year, seventh year... and continuing education students, three year levels."
Sirius shrugged. During this time, he was mainly responsible for assisting with the teaching of advanced Transfiguration.
Compared to those rash lower-year students, the young wizards who entered advanced classes after passing their O.W.L.s exams mostly didn't make any maddening low-level mistakes. He would just comment on their homework as usual, and discuss the future prospects of new Transfiguration theories.
In fact, for Sirius, the more important thing today was assisting Filch with dormitory inspections—after all, he also served as the caretaker of the castle.
"Home-school collaboration, heh—"
Sirius looked at the anxious little fellows in the hall below, shaking his head with a complex expression.
Perhaps only those who had graduated for many years could understand the preciousness of this change.
The Hogwarts full-time boarding model had lasted for hundreds of years. From the moment young wizards received their acceptance letters, they spent the vast majority of their next seven years in the castle. Apart from Christmas and summer vacations, the students' interaction with their original families was almost completely cut off.
This maintenance wasn't just writing letters and sending gifts, but more importantly, the bond from family, and something deeper.
A child's growth shouldn't be missing the companionship of parents and family, that was Minerva McGonagall's original words last night.
Hogwarts could never and should never replace the role of every family, and the regrets of the previous era shouldn't become the regrets of the current students.
Therefore, when Professor McGonagall pointed all of this out last night, almost every professor agreed with the decision—even though it was inconsistent with Hogwarts' long-standing rules. But if they added the saying "pilot program" first, everyone expressed that they could give it a try, except...
"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall, I still don't understand—"
At the staff table, Severus Snape stopped McGonagall before she left.
Snape glared at the young wizards who scattered like birds and beasts, and the two of them tacitly walked to the corner of the hall.
The Slytherin Head of House looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping nearby, then stared at Professor McGonagall with bright eyes.
"I agree with your view from last night, cultivating an excellent wizard is not only the school's responsibility, but the time you chose for the 'pilot program' is clearly inappropriate... Professor McGonagall, you should know the reason why Dumbledore asked for the school to be temporarily closed. The situation is particularly delicate now, I don't think inviting so many students' parents to Hogwarts is a wise decision—"
Professor Snape glanced around worriedly again, lowered his voice, and said seriously.
"We all know that among the students' parents, there are quite a few people we should be wary of..."
"Severus..."
Professor McGonagall was silent for a few seconds, then sighed helplessly.
"Well, it's actually Professor Dumbledore's request, if you're referring to the matter of notifying parents to come to school."
"Professor Dumbledore's request? No wonder—"
Snape frowned, a hint of incomprehension flashing in his deep black eyes.
"Wait, even if this is Dumbledore's request, I still think it's completely inappropriate."
"I actually think so too."
"Then why—"
"Because..."
Professor McGonagall sighed lightly, looking worriedly at the main hall not far away.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the all-out attack should be launched this afternoon—a surprise attack against Voldemort and the Death Eaters."
"Professor Dumbledore doesn't want any children to resent the school for losing their parents, and this is also part of our Hogwarts' responsibility. Let the professors settle things from the past... I plan to lock down the surrounding area after everyone arrives at the castle, until after midnight..."
"Are you so sure that Dumbledore can defeat the Dark Lord in one fell swoop?" Snape raised his eyebrows.
"Of course, because..."
Professor McGonagall nodded gently, looking at the group of students gathered at the entrance of the hall with a subtle expression.
"That child's grandfather will also be taking action this time—"
…………
Succubus City, 9:07 AM.
This was an incredibly empty room, with a giant obsidian cauldron in the center.
The cauldron was filled with water, and scorching flames danced inside. As the flames licked at it, the liquid surface quickly began to boil, with diamond-like sparks erupting from the surface. The rising mist surged, filling the surroundings in an instant, and a small hole appeared in the ceiling.
"Boiling point reached, add the Horcrux medium in five seconds, team one ready—"
A voice came from the corner of the room, and a large, shimmering golden chalice slowly floated down from the hole.
The cup sank into the boiling liquid, and a faint, almost imperceptible clinking sound was heard a few seconds later.
"Father's bone, unknowingly given, will cause your son to be reborn!"
The voice rang out again, and a small wisp of dust, as if guided by a whirlwind, gently fell into the cauldron.
The diamond-like surface of the liquid shattered, hissing and sputtering, and the liquid turned a vivid blue, but the voice hidden in the mist didn't waver or show any surprise, continuing to recite the eerie incantation calmly, "Servant's flesh, willingly given, will cause your master to be reborn!"
A small clump of flesh fell into the cauldron with a plop, and the potion quickly turned crimson, emitting a blinding light.
The walls around them echoed with the sound of mechanical ratcheting. Several machine gun muzzles protruded, crisscrossing, and five crystal aiming spears were firmly aimed at the area not far in front.
"Enemy's blood, forcibly given, will cause your enemy... to revive."
A few drops of blood gently dripped from the small hole in the ceiling.
The cauldron bubbled with unusual intensity, and diamond-like sparks flew outwards, emitting a bright light.
2.17 seconds later, the sparks on the cauldron extinguished.
A cloud of white steam rose from the giant obsidian cauldron.
Immediately afterward, the black figure of a man slowly rose from the cauldron, tall and thin, like a skeleton.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Before the skeleton-like man could even speak, five intense green lights lit up in the room simultaneously.
The blinding Killing Curses crisscrossed, just brushing the man's skeletal body and hitting the walls around the room, as if they also carried some kind of powerful Petrification Curse, instantly freezing the tall, thin figure in place, unable to move.
"You—"
A cold, shrill voice, full of anger and confusion.
BEEP—
But before he could finish the words in his mouth, a harsh static noise came from a black, honeycomb-like box in the upper right corner of the room.
Immediately afterward, a clear voice, as if processed to sound like a child's, rang out in the room.
"Hello, Tom Riddle—"
"I heard you're known as the most dangerous Dark Wizard in the world—"
"So..."
"We want to play a game with you..."
————
————
Yay!