Even the number of owls appearing in the Great Hall at lunchtime had noticeably increased.
Students who had not received any letters picked the feathers off their steaks and continued concentrating on their lunch.
The expressions of those who had received letters became rather subtle after learning what was inside.
They ate lunch distractedly, occasionally lowering their voices to exchange thoughts.
Even during lessons, they sometimes could not help muttering a few words to their classmates. Only when the bell rang for class to end did their voices grow louder.
The students' discussions were all much the same: which two wizarding worlds had gone to war again, which two Muggle countries had broken out into armed conflict, and which Ministry of Magic had issued what statement.
Although their expressions had become subtle, they had not yet reached the point of despair.
After all, these conflicts and wars still seemed far away from England, separated by the English Channel and the mountains of the Scottish Highlands.
There were not many parents like Anthony's great-grandmother, Tina Goldstein. More parents believed that Hogwarts was one of "the safest places in the world," and that staying here was the safest option.
It was only natural for them to think that way. When Gellert Grindelwald had set the world ablaze with war, England alone had remained untouched.
Now that the flames of war had risen again, Hogwarts would naturally remain safe and sound.
As the atmosphere gradually grew more anxious, evening arrived, and the students gathered in the Great Hall for dinner.
Another wave of owls swooped in, dropping copies of the Evening Prophet.
Anthony tore open the wrapping but did not immediately read the contents of the Evening Prophet.
He clasped the Evening Prophet between his palms in a praying gesture and murmured with