"—This had been the most unforgettable week I'd experienced in decades."
Professor Dumbledore stood behind the long staff table, surveying the Great Hall. His gaze slid from the newly repaired castle ceiling down to the long tables of the four Houses and the young wizards seated behind them. A kindly smile appeared on his face. "Evil wizards, brave wizards, reckless wizards, cautious wizards, clever wizards, foolish wizards..."
The Great Hall was silent.
Whether they were the professors seated on either side of the staff table, the young wizards from the four Houses, or Hogwarts' guests temporarily seated among the different Houses, everyone looked solemnly at the school's headmaster.
Other than at the start-of-term feast and the leaving feast, the students and staff rarely gathered so completely.
And this was merely an ordinary weekend.
Officially, everyone had been gathered to bid farewell to the Oceania Quidditch Team, who had come to Hogwarts for the friendly match, and to thank the Southeast Asian wizards visiting Hogwarts for extending a helping hand to the school during the disaster a few days ago.
In reality, everyone knew that they needed an explanation.
But after that disaster, Professor Dumbledore had first been occupied with repairing the damaged Hogwarts castle. Then he had hurried to the Ministry of Magic to explain what had happened at Hogwarts to the Wizengamot, the Ministry of Magic, and the International Wizard Federation. Only now had he found time to reassure the school's staff and students.
Harry craned his neck.
He looked around.
He saw the Oceania Team members seated behind the Slytherin table. Their captain, the young man named Reinhardt, looked listless and somewhat pale. He saw the Southeast Asian wizards seated among the Gryffindor tables. When the castle had split apart a few days ago, these gloomy-looking people had