A/N: It's 2.40 AM here... Hope you enjoy this one. Goodnight all you lovely people... P.S. Title will be changed to Harry Potter: A Marauder's Tale effective from tomorrow (18-Mar-2018)

Celeste38: I'm afraid, you still may have to wait just a tad bit more to get your "worlds-flipping thing" question answered :) Also, I am sure you especially are going to like this chapter a LOT... :) Can't wait to read your review! :)

At all the Follows and Faves: Thanks a lot for believing in this story and for sticking with me for so long... I owe you all a LOT! :)


Chapter 50: The Long Night


DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
ASTRONOMY TOWER, HOGWARTS
12:01 AM

He had been locked up in this tower for more than an hour now, but his anxiety had not diminished even a little bit. In fact, his head was exploding at the thought that he was not a part of all this chaos, that... that he was not witnessing the sheer MADNESS that was taking place in the rest of the world while he sat here, being locked up in the loneliest part of the castle. The rustling of the trees and the light wind blowing through the bars and the false sense of peace that he was experiencing at the moment only managed to choke him even more!

He stared long at the sky and his eyes fell on a particularly bright star in the blue-black expanse. It looked like it was moving but, on some level, he was also certain that it might seem that way to him only because he was slowly descending into mental retardation...

God, I hope you're safe, he thought to himself as his mind wandered off towards Isabella. Oh, who am I kidding, this is Bella! The girl hates that word! Of course, she's not safe! he ground his teeth as a fresh bout panic shot up through his spine making him jump up to his feet and prowl on the wooden floor. Desperation peaked, followed by claustrophobia that was fast getting out of control.

"Oh my god, get me out, get me OUT!" he screamed, as he gripped the iron bars and foolishly tried to wrench it open. It was as if the heavens had finally heard him because, only an instant later, he heard voices approaching. Happiness gushed in his chest as he recognized one of the voices.

"...I mean, WHAT sort of a 'school' is this?! Who runs a school like a blooming gorilla enclosure?!" Abraxas spat out, as Lucius heard him storming up the stairs to his tower. "And to think they locked up my son! MY SON! Oh, I cannot wait to get my hands on that Potter boy!"

"It's remarkable how, even in these grave times, you care about the substandard quality of life your son is leading, Mr. Malfoy," Lucius could almost sense the smirk that Bagshot was sporting as she spoke those words.

Silence prevailed for a split second during which Lucius could've sworn on his broom that his father had dedicated that time to glare daggers at Bagshot. "Well, had it not been for Dumbledore and his love for mudbloods, we wouldn't even be here trying to devise a plan to overthrow the Dark Lord now, would we...?"

"Careful, Malfoy!" came a male voice that Lucius did not recognize. "Also, if I were you, I would refrain from making sly innuendos now more than ever..." he warned. "We do not want to forget which side we're on for the sake of staying out of Azkaban at least!"

The voices sounded much closer now and Lucius's panic was firing in all directions and before he could stop himself he had yelled out a, "Father! FATHER! I am here, I am HERE! Get me out! Get me out, father, please!"

"LUCIUS!" came his father's panic-stricken voice. A shuffle of footsteps was heard before his father's angry face came into view. "Lucius, are you alright! By god, Dumbledore has stooped too low this time, even for his standards!" he spat out, gripping at the iron bars. "Diggle! Release him immediately!"

Shaking his head exasperatedly at the ruckus that Abraxas was making, Dedalus grudgingly cast a spell at the lock making it click. Lucius's happiness knew no bounds as the gate swung open. Without even thinking, he prepared to dash towards the castle and finally rejoin the brouhaha that ensued down there when he caught his father's eye.

That look always meant trouble.

"Lucius, where are you going? Did they hurt you?!" he snarled, making his nostrils flare up.

"No, no, no, I'm fine, I'm perfectly alright! Thank you for coming for me, father, but I… I am afraid I can't stop to talk right now. I need to get going, they..."

"Pardon me?! What do you mean you don't have the time to talk, you're not going anywhere! I am taking you home as soon as I am done with this rotten council meeting!"

He knew it! He knew this was coming. Exasperation and panic nearly smothered him as he scanned his father's face. And in this very instant at least, he preferred being locked up in that darned tower than to have to deal with his father!

"Father, please... I cannot go with you. I am needed here! Things could blow up any minute and they need me!"

"THEY?! 'They' who?! The ones that locked you up in here? They haven't spent ONE day being actual 'Aurors' and they think the law is their hands?! Absolutely not! You're coming with me and that's final!" he concluded, leaving no scope for an argument.

Bagshot cleared her throat from the back. "Mr. Malfoy, may I remind you that we're running late for the council meeting? The sooner we get this done with, the sooner you can escort your son back to Malfoy Manor, is it not?" she added, while also managing to send a sly wink in Lucius's direction. At first, he didn't understand what was happening before it finally dawned on him. He wanted to hug her tight in gratitude for saving him from the very jaws of the devil as he eagerly nodded at his father.

Abraxas rolled his eyes. "No. Send Dumbledore and the Minister my apologies, but as you can see I have to escort my son back to Malfoy Manor at once! Also, the wedding ceremony is to happen in five days..."

Everything his father said after that faded into the background and exhaustion took over once more.

And just when he was about to explode and retaliate, he saw it. The star that he had been staring at a while ago was growing bigger and bigger now. Everything else around him seemed disappear as he continued to stare at the growing white object which seemed to be flying straight towards them at a great distance. Lucius squinted at the object and adjusted his focus a bit more until his jaw dropped in awe. His breath hitched in his throat as he realized that that tiny star was actually a massive silver-white Patronus of a DRAGON! And not just any Patronus, it was HIS Patronus! What in the world was it doing here dipping in and out of sight over the Forbidden Forest and who had conjured it?! Surely, he hadn't done it, not that he remembered of at least...

"...is that clear?!"

Lucius continued to be lost in thought when he was jerked awake. "IS THAT CLEAR?! LUCIUS!" said Abraxas.

"Y-yes, father! Absolutely!" he committed, not even knowing what his father had asked of him. But he didn't care because he would do just about anything that would get him out of here and by Bella's side. He also made a mental note that he had to teach that girl a massive lesson in self-preservation one of these days!

DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
McGONAGALL'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS
12:19 AM

The tranquility and pure bliss that prevailed inside McGonagall's office momentarily threw Malfoy, Bagshot and Diggle off balance when they joined the council meeting in McGonagall's office.

"This officially qualifies for MASS MURDER! The Death Eaters are winning…!"

"…the Muggle community is starting to panic too!"

"…Yes! The streets are reeking of innocent wizards' BLOOD!"

"…and they're marching towards the Ministry for answers!"

"And instead of going out there and defending the Wizarding community, we're hiding inside the four walls of A SCHOOL!"

"First of all, we're here because we have issued the Centaurs a notice to prepare for War and fight on our side when the time comes…"

"Yes, and we have neither heard back from them nor from the school's administration on their participation!"

"That is because they have DECLINED the Order! The Centaurs do not just fight someone else's war!"

"Yes, and now you've angered them! Serves the administration right for designing such erratic, last minute strategies!"

"Are you suggesting that the Ministry is doing NOTHING about this, Traviss?!"

"Maybe I am!"

"Watch it! That's the MINISTER you're talking to!" yelled Nigellus.

"ENOUGH!" screeched McGonagall, silencing them all altogether. The council members grudgingly quietened down whilst exchanging death glares with one another.

*Around the same time*

DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS
12:19 AM

He gripped Hermione's hand tightly as panic shot up to his head. The time was here, and they needed to get a move on and they needed to do it quick! He could hear Hermione's erratic breathing from next to him as he watched the group of innocent teenagers grow up to become homicidal warriors all in under an hour! And even as he stood there watching a helpless Sirius pretend to be completely fine with everything despite his whole world flipping over, he felt himself feeling a tinge of pity for the young boy...

As for Sirius, he was panicking again as he replayed his brother's words when they parted ways a minute ago: "Oh, and one more thing… There are a couple of 'outsiders' in our world… Outsiders from the future… The Dark Lord has marked one of them as his equal and is heading towards Hogwarts to find him! I don't recall his name, but keep a lookout…"

Could it be the 'Well-Wisher' person? was the first thought that had crossed his mind. The shock wave that had blasted up his spine when the revelation hit him had almost numbed him dead. What, so now, they're being visited by aliens from outer-space all of a sudden?! Why was shit so out of control?!

The feeling of nervousness was almost ripping his heart out of his chest as he raced towards the room at the end of the third-floor corridor. He didn't even know what he was about to witness but he somehow knew it was going to be THE MOST foolish thing he's ever going to do in his entire life. And just as the thought crossed his mind, his stomach twisted uncomfortably.

"Which room is it?" he huffed in Isabella's direction.

"That one," Severus replied, pointing to the large wooden entrance to the abandoned classroom at the end of the corridor. That very instant was when Sirius noticed the emerald-green locket dangling around his neck.

"What do we have to do?"

"Oh, it's simple! Awaken the monster inside the locket via high frequency sound waves that can quickly transcend through different mediums like tinnitus!" yelled back Isabella.

Sirius gaped at her in disbelief for a split second before going all, "English, please!"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Clang the locket to the mirror!"

"Wasn't so hard now, was it?" he said scathingly as he skidded to a halt in front of said door. "Okay, that sounds doable. Why did you two have to panic so much for this?!"

"Yeah, right! Wait till you stand in front of that mirror," Isabella responded, her eyes clearly gripped with fear.

"Exactly why I think we should rethink this whole idea!" Severus said glancing nervously in Isabella's direction.

"Snape, come on, not now, please!" she panted.

"No, it's not that, I... Williams, do you realise that we're going against the first ever Dark Lord?!" Severus replied, visibly shaking from head to toe. "He may be DEAD, but his Magic was so powerful that it lives on TILL NOW! My Occlumency skills may have worked with Voldemort but I am not sure if it's strong enough to ward off Mávros and trust me, you DO NOT want to die at the hands of a ghost..."

Sirius was predictably running out of patience now. "Yeah, you know what, I honestly don't mind just dropping dead right about now, so the joke's on the ghost! Now, come ON!" he said and ran into the room.

Isabella followed him chuckling to herself.

DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
McGONAGALL'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS
12:26 AM

"…we're losing faith in the system because the Ministry has completely sold itself out to the DARK SIDE!" Bones screamed and bolted up from her chair, glaring straight at Bagnold. "You think no one's noticed the glaring changes in the laws and policies in recent times that blatantly support the Dark Side?! You think no one's noticed the comings and goings of certain witches and wizards that are believed to be his followers?! And do you think it didn't raise a few eyebrows when you hired an assassin to eliminate a sixteen-year-old innocent girl who has got NOTHING to do with any of this?!

"She has got EVERYTHING to do with this WAR!" Bagnold bellowed. "Her very existence might shroud our whole world into darkness…" she hissed, glaring daggers at all the disapproving faces around her. "The longer she remains alive, the faster our world plunges into Hell! She is the other half of the Cursed Pair!"

Several people gasped in shock. Others gaped disbelievingly at her, but McGonagall couldn't care less as just sat there, admiring her nails.

"No…" gasped Abraxas, looking pale and lifeless. "No, this can't true…"

"Unreal…" said Mormonte, looking equally gobsmacked. "Is it really…?"

"Yes. The legend of the Cursed Pair is real, and every minute spent debating about my allegiance only means we're tumbling towards our own doom!"

There was nervous shuffling around the room as the news of the Cursed Pair stung them all repeatedly. No one could believe that the oldest ever magical myth that had been told and retold over the centuries was, indeed, real…

A moment passed when no one said anything until Bones cleared her throat yet again. "Er… One more question though, Minister," she said, hesitating just a tad bit this time. "This is a Code Red situation that ideally ought to have triggered the MAWSP, or the Mandatory Wizarding Security Protocols, Minister… Why—Why didn't you initiate the same and why doesn't any of your Advisors know about this?"

More nervous mumbling followed that as the situation plunged further down into Hell.

Bagnold narrowed her eyes at Bones and raised an amused eyebrow at the Junior Magical Law Enforcement Officer's guts. "Are you sure you want to take that tone with me, Madam Bones?" she said, giving her a look that could have melted even the Hungarian Horntail! "You do realise I could have you arrested RIGHT here for treason, don't you?!"

"Pardon me, but you are under Oath, Minister, and I challenge you to deny the truth in my words," she hissed, glaring dangerously at an unperturbed Bagnold.

This time, even the council members who were on Bones's side knew that she had gone too far.

"Treason, it is!" screamed Nigellus. "I am issuing the arrest warrant right away! Besides, if anyone's allegiance needs to be questioned, it ought to be Dumbledore's! Where is the greatest wizard of all time when we NEED HIM THE MOST?!"

"Right here…"

A large thunder CRACKED the skies open right that second and the room fell silent instantly.

DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS
12:31 AM

Sirius had not seen a more empty and ominous-looking room in all his life until now. The ceiling was high and arched and the room itself looked like it hadn't been used for anything in centuries. He turned to his left and finally saw it: The Den of Desire (or so it was called). His heart skipped a beat as he remembered what Isabella had seen in this mirror and what all that little incident had led to... How all his life had changed overnight...

"Alright fine, so what's the first step. What do we do, Izzy?"

"Okay, so I made little notes based on every important prophecy or instruction we have come across till now, including those little mystery notes that's been flying at us out of nowhere," she said pulling out a long scroll of parchment from inside her robes and handed the note to Sirius.

A large thunder sounded overhead making them all glance nervously at the skies outside.

Sirius tore it open and gazed dazedly at the four feet long parchment that contained scores and scores of bullet points and sub-bullet points and notes and theories and assumptions and scribbles and drabbles... even little sketches! "How am I to understand anything from this?!" he asked, staring weakly at her.

"By looking at the summary at the bottom of the parchment OBVIOUSLY!" she said and pointed it out to him most impatiently. Rolling his eyes in amazement, he read it out loud, "'It happens in 1976. Seek the boy with the Jewel of Light. Reflect on DESIRE and burn it bright. Daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn. What is up is now down.'"

[Ron raised his eyebrows at Hermione in amusement. That little note has finally come a full circle...]

"Wow, that… does sum it up comprehensively…"

"Blimey, Sirius, get a move on!"

"Alright, alright fine!" he said and moved towards the large mirror, still reading Izzy's little notes and examining the emerald-green locket clutched in his hand.

He stopped in front of the Den of DESIRE and looked up.

Another MASSIVE thunder boomed across the room as his brain froze at the image that stood in front of him… For a few seconds he didn't even know WHAT emotions coursed through him because the reflection that stood before him made absolutely NO sense to him whatsoever… A couple of seconds later, however, his head cleared, and he finally understood what he was feeling: PANIC. Pure and unadulterated panic like he had NEVER experienced before!

"Hello, Sirius…" his reflection spoke to him. The chills that went up his spine made the hair on his hands stand up. Who was this man and why was he talking to him? And… Why does he look SO MUCH like… like James?!

This is not happening… This is NOT real…

"Sirius, what's wrong?" said Isabella, her voice thick with worry, but Sirius didn't respond.

Still shuddering, he inched closer to the mirror and examined the reflection more keenly. There were two people standing side-by-side in the reflection, one that looked exactly like James and yet, it was not James and, the other was Sirius himself except… Except he looked a lot older and his features seemed to bear years and years of struggle and sadness... Those grey eyes that stared back at him no longer bore the fierce arrogance that he's so accustomed to seeing; instead all it held was deep compassion and serenity… The reflection of Sirius looked so different, so much so that Sirius didn't even recognize the man staring back at him.

The thunderstorm that was forming outside had gotten so loud that, it felt like the inside of a raging volcano.

"Sirius," the younger man spoke once again, making him break eye-contact with his own reflection. "My name is Harry Potter. I am James Potter's son… and your godson," the man said, almost choking with emotion. "I'm here to give you a message from the future, Sirius. I've travelled back in time for the sole purpose of changing your fate and giving you a life that you truly deserved instead of the tragic one that you would have had, had I not meddled with time… I have seen your life, Sirius, and believe me, no one should ever have to lose their wife and child in the way that you did… I came in here thinking I could change all that and give you a happier life with Izzy. I have been a part of your world for the last five days and much has changed since my arrival and now, right this second, I stand before you with the biggest irony of life," he said, as the corners of his lips twitched with grief. "Sirius, I came here to change your life for the better, but I am afraid I have failed you yet again… I have failed you because, with my arrival, I have only managed to cut your life even shorter!"

All the blood in Sirius's face drained as the words slowly sunk into him. Isabella and Severus knew something was happening and watched silently from the sidelines.

"Sirius, you and Izzy are the 'Cursed Pair' today because, a really long time ago, a Slytherin had fallen in love with a Gryffindor and they couldn't be together… Every once in several decades a Cursed Pair is born and History repeats itself, causing immense havoc and bloodshed in the Wizarding world. Tom was born the same way too… His mother loved Riddle but he didn't love her back. She tried to win him over through Amortentia but the love was short-lived. Tom is what he is today because of that.

"What I am trying to say is, you and Izzy aren't meant to be together for the sake of the rest of world… If you want to give the Wizarding world a chance at surviving this War, the centuries-old pattern needs to break and Izzy needs to… Izzy needs to choose the Slytherin this time around at least… And… and if that needs to happen, you cannot remain in the picture…" said his godson, gasping for breath. "You have to give up your life, Sirius…" were his last words and they came out in a whisper.

A tear escaped Sirius's eyes as he processed everything that Harry said. So Sirius did get his happily-ever-after, after all… He and Izzy really had made it out of this mess and had, indeed, made a good life for themselves… Hell, they even had a baby together! How wonderful?

And then he looked towards his own reflection. His own older self who was staring back at him looking worn-out beyond measure and seemed like he had lost all the desire to live anymore. His brain instantly buzzed with questions even as he tried to push them away. Was he willing to live and watch his loved ones suffer and die or should he just call it quits now like his godson had suggested…?

"Sirius, is everything alright?" Isabella asked, moving closer to him.

He looked towards Isabella and found her anxiously examining his face. It made his heart explode in his chest because, in that very instant, he knew what he to do… Wiping his face with his thumb, he shook his head as if to say it was nothing and looked into the mirror again.

"I'm really sorry," said Harry, looking completely helpless.

Sirius shook it off. Trying to change the subject so that the grief doesn't swallow him entirely, he said, "How did you get in there though…?" whilst managing to smirk a little.

Harry gave him a watery smile. "I well, took a one-way ticket to the 'In Between' to tell you that… that I'm sorry," he said. "You'll learn later on that I was the reason that you got stuck behind The Veil in the first place," he added quickly as Sirius's expression hardened.

"Right, and I'm able to see you now because that's my heart greatest desire…" Sirius concluded more to himself than anyone else. "Have to admit though, I really am too smart for my own good…" he grinned, making Harry smile more widely now.

"That's still up for debate," Harry replied, grinning broadly. "I've lived my entire adult life with this guilt, Sirius, and I had to do what I did. And now, it looks like I'll be stuck here forever, but that's fine…" he said.

Sirius shook his head. "No, it's not," he replied matter-of-factly. "Let me fix it…" he smiled and stretched his hand out, moving purely on a hunch.

Time slowed as Ron's senses went on HIGH alert mode now… Everything in the background faded into oblivion as he got into position, ready to take the leap of faith. He never once removed his eyes from the mirror as he calculated for his next move: the time had come, and it HAD to be done right!

Sirius was moving in ultra-slow motion towards the mirror as Ron wrapped the Invisibility Cloak around him, watching the mirror from a great height.

Sirius was almost touching the mirror now as Ron shifted to go on sprint. A split-second later, Sirius's hand almost merged with the smooth surface of the mirror and Ron took off at full speed running towards the scene on some blind faith that all would well end when he finally crashes to the floor. Sirius's hand had dipped inside now and was wrapping around an invisible object when Ron leaped high into the air, prepared to land precisely between Sirius and the mirror…

A nano-second later, Ron saw the white, pale hand of Harry's emerge from inside the mirror and panic shot up through his spine like a current. Harry was being pulled out of the mirror and in a second, he will be fully out, and Sirius SHOULD NOT see him! Plunging his lungs in a truckload of air, he took a final leap in mid-air and spread his hands out JUST in time to wrap them around his best friend's body and roll over to the other side of the room with the Invisibility Cloak wrapped tightly around them, making it look like Sirius had imagined the whole thing…

Bewildered beyond belief, he turned around and looked at the white faces of Isabella and Severus, to mutely ask them if they had witnessed that too, but neither of them was in any position to either confirm or deny anything that they may have or may have not seen…

"Well, I did see a hand come out of that though…" Isabella offered.

DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
McGONAGALL'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS
12:33 AM

Everyone in the room was still too shell-shocked to say or do anything as they looked into the weak yet determined face of Dumbledore. He was so weak and lifeless that he could hardly even stand up right, but there was a burning in his eyes that made him seem unbelievably dangerous.

"Albus!" gasped McGonagall and rushed to his aid. "You cannot be here, you need more rest!" she scolded and offered to help him up, but he politely declined. "Why are you here?!" she finally asked crossly.

"To do something that I should have done a long time ago…" he replied calmly but the fierceness in his eyes got more intense with every syllable. "To address the unbelievable crimes of a certain someone that were committed in an alternate timeline…" he said, making the council members practically shudder. "The crimes are so cruel that I am compelled to impose a punishment on them in this timeline for their sheer willingness to carry out such acts for, it only goes to show how corrupted their hearts are…"

At the instant, a crack of lightening illuminated the room and sound of hooves hammering against the stone floors could be heard. Dumbledore continued to talk as if he noticed nothing.

"Dumbledore, I beg your pardon, but we don't have time for your lunatic theories and sentences right now as we have bigger problems to deal with!" yelled Bagnold, her pupils visibly dilated. "As Minister for Magic, it is my responsibility to put a battle plan in place and you are not helping!"

The thundering of hooves was louder than ever before now and the room itself was starting to vibrate with.

"That won't be necessary anymore, as I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, sentence thee, Millicent Olivia Penelope Rue Bagnold, to be imprisoned for life under the watchful eyes of my dear friends, the centaurs…" he said just as the doors to McGonagall's office burst open and in gushed a herd of more than twenty Centaurs, neighing and kicking at the floor in celebration.

"What?! What is this, what is HAPPENING?! Dumbledore, would you care to EXPLAIN YOURSELF?! What have I done so bad…?!"

"The terms of the sentence is non-negotiable and has been deemed right given that you openly rendered your support to the Dark Side, misused your power as Minister for Magic, administered the Unforgivable Imperius Curse on hundreds of Aurors to do as per your bidding, hired an assassin to assassinate an innocent sixteen-tear-old girl for the sole purpose of showcasing to the world that the Ministry indeed was doing the right thing, for mercilessly assassinating her using the Unforgivable Cruciatus Curse and for wiping out the memories of a young lad so that he won't even remember that he had a daughter…"

The Centaurs behind Dumbledore neighed and thumped their hooves on the floor as anger and loathing rode up their spines as the crimes were read out.

"I OBJECT" screamed, Nigellus. "You have NO authority to pass a sentence at the Minister for Magic!"

Dumbledore graced him with his most condescending look ever before slapping him with his most powerful comeback ever: "I... am Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot! I think I have some authority, Nigellus."

"RIDICULOUS! I have never heard of such a thing and I will not subject myself to such a RUDE reception…!"

An arrow flew straight towards her and caught her pointed hat in passing, thus, silencing her entirely. The fear that rode up her face was more than evident as all the colour drained away, leaving her a white, palpitating mess.

"You just… at—attacked… a Minister! You attacked me, the Minister for Magic?!" she bellowed, her eyes widening in rage. "You shall be imprisoned. You shall ALL be imprisoned!" she screamed as the Centaurs started to close in on her.

"Back off! I command you to BACK OFF!" she said, making more mistakes than ever. The Centaurs' rage knew no bounds now as they closed in on her ominously, neighing bloody murder! "No, back off, let me go, LET ME GO!" but her last few words were muffled as the Centaurs mercilessly threw her in a large cloth bundle. Bagnold's struggle in the bag was evident as she writhed and kicked and pulled at the cloth screaming on top of her lungs but the human-hating species seemed unnerved as they carried out Dumbledore's sentence most willingly, leaving the rest of the council members absolutely speechless...

DAY 6: DECEMBER 26, 1976
HOGSMEADE VILLAGE
12:56 AM

A green light shot up from the black hooded warrior's wand and rose up high in the air, leaving a trail of fluorescent light behind it. Another incantation and the spell EXPLODED into a thick, green cloud of smoke that illuminated the dead skies to slowly form the image of a hollow skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.

Voldemort was here. The War begins.