Ch.19 - Graduation From Hogwarts

After he had gotten the result of his exams, Alex and his friends celebrated until midnight. There was a crazy atmosphere in the common room. Emotions were high. People were relieved and sad about their upcoming graduation.

The next day, Alex received words that Prof. Flitwick was expecting him in his office in the Ravenclaw Tower. He hurried along as he didn't want to make his favourite professor wait too long.

He knocked on the door. Then, he heard the professor's voice telling him to come in. He opened the door and saw the small professor behind his desk. There were tall stacks of books all over the room. No doubt, the professor had to use magic just to remove a book from its place.

"Professor, you sent for me?" asked Alex.

"Yes, yes, . Come seat," said the professor.

Alex obliged. "What can I do for you, professor?"

"Let's get to the point. You have performed very well in Charms all throughout your Hogwarts years. Quite the talent, if I do say so myself. I invited you here to formally extend an invitation for an apprenticeship position with me as your master," said the professor who could barely stay on his seat.

"I'm honoured, Professor. But, I thought Hogwarts professors do not take in apprentices."

"Not normally, no. After all, we're busy teaching all of the students in Hogwarts. However, as Masters, we still have the right to take in apprentices. We just don't do it normally."

"Professor, I'm truly honoured. But, I plan to do a bit of travelling after I graduate. It has been a dream of mine for a very long time. Would it be possible to accept your offer at a later time?"

For a minute, Prof. Flitwick thought that Alex would turn him down just like the last person he offered an apprenticeship to. Alex's talent reminded him of Lily Evans, a muggle-born witch who was especially talented in charms. He offered her an apprenticeship after her graduation from Hogwarts in 1978. But, it was a time of chaos and she got involved with the Order of the Phoenix. Soon after, she had married James Potter, and that was the last he heard of her until the news of the Halloween of 1981. [AN: Prof. Flitwick was not a member of OoTP, but he probably knew about it.]

"Of course. Of course. A young man like you needs to spread his wings. I totally understand. When I was younger, I was also quite the adventurer."

"Thank you, Professor. I'll be sure to write to you and tell you about my adventures," said Alex with a laugh.

"I wish you all the luck, then. Oh! Before you leave, the Headmaster would also want to see you. Go ahead to his office. The password on the staircase is 'Lemon Sherbert'," said the professor.

He said his goodbye to the Charms professor and walked to when the staircase to Dumbledore's office was located. He wondered what Prof. Dumbledore could possibly want with him. He had been careful not to attract his attention, but, he supposed it was unavoidable with his N.E.W.T results.

When he entered the Headmaster's office, he was amazed by the collections of Hogwarts artefacts and other curiosities that the professor must have collected throughout his long tenure as the headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Prof. Dumbledore, are you in?" he yelled.

"Just a minute. I'll be right with you!" he heard a voice say.

Then, a phoenix had flown toward him a landed on a table beside him. It was his first time seeing a phoenix. It was as big as a swan with long red and golden tail feathers. He felt awed at the creature as it stared him up and down as if evaluating him. Then it trilled a sweet-sounding chime. He reached out and touched the head of the phoenix, petting it like how a person would a dog. The bird seemed to enjoy it.

"Ah. I see you have met Fawkes," said Dumbledore as he approached Alex. "Phoenixes, they are an amazing creature."

"Yes. He truly is. You called for me Headmaster?" said Alex.

"Indeed, I just wanted to talk to one of our brightest students before you graduate. Come and have a seat," said Dumbledore as he guided Alex to a chair by his desk. When Alex was properly seated, he continued, "I was wondering what are your plans after graduation."

"I want to travel the world, sir. See a whole new place," said Alex.

He felt a thug on his mental defences. Dumbledore was undoubtedly using a passive Legilimency on him. He had felt the same in the few times that he talked to Prof. Snape, so he was always prepared every time he talked to a Hogwarts professor. In seven years of training plus his recent meditation routine, he had become quite good with Occlumency, probably master level. He was able to control what surface thoughts were readable by a mind-reader. So, he was creating a show for Dumbledore, allowing him to see what seemed like the innocent dreams of a talented student.

"What about employment? Have you given a thought to what you might be doing for a career?" asked the old man.

"I've had some offers to play quidditch professionally, also Prof. Flitwick offered me an apprenticeship under him," said Alex. There was no harm in telling Dumbledore as much, he thought.

"Good. Very good, my boy. Prof. Flitwick is not a man who is easily impressed. Quidditch would also be very exciting also. I personally think your prospects are very high."

"Thank you, Headmaster," he said sincerely.

"Of course, it is our obligation to apply our selves to the betterment of all. In recent times, there had been some changes in our world. But oftentimes, it is the things beyond our control that we end up regretting the most. In times of uncertainty, I hope you will not lose your way as many others have done in the past," said Dumbledore solemnly.

"I'll keep that in mind, sir. I'll find some ways to use my abilities to serve the greater good," said Alex.

Dumbledore was stunned for some reason. Alex didn't think that he said anything that might have alerted the old man, and he knew that his metal shields were unpenetrated.

He was right to protect himself from Dumbledore, but, he still respected the man. He didn't even have to outright lie. In fact, he was quite honest with their conversation. But, Dumbledore was from a world where the good always triumphed over evil. Alex lived a life where the powerful could decide what was good or evil. He remembered the criminalization of being muggle-born. People like him had to give up even their rights to be called witches and wizards or face prison time. That was the future he was given the chance to change, and he will do just that, for the greater good.

"Sir?" asked Alex. Dumbledore hadn't said anything for a few seconds.

"Hm? Oh. Right. Old age must be catching up to me. Well, that should be enough for the day. I wish you the best in the coming years. I know you'll make Hogwarts proud. You may return to your dorm now and join your friends," said Dumbledore.

Alex had thanked the headmaster one last time before leaving the office. He had also said goodbye to Fawkes, the phoenix. It seemed the right thing to do.

After Alex had gone, Dumbledore was left alone in his office. He just sat there in deep contemplation.

"What do you think of him, Fawkes?" he asked the bird.

The bird trilled a cheerful sound.

"I hope your right, my friend," he said. "hm… the greater good, huh," he mumbled.

On graduation day, Alex, Clay, and Katie were dressed in their complete uniform, with robes and hats, in the Great Hall with every other seventh year students. All the other students have already left the school the day before. So, it was only the Hogwarts faculty and the graduating students who were there.

The headmaster had said his final words to them. It was short and sweet with the usual optimistic message that the headmaster was known for. He wished all the students good luck before finally sending them off.

From there, they marched to the boathouse. The same place where they all entered Hogwarts the first time. The three of them, Alex, Clay, and Katie, decided to ride on the same boat together. It was a symbolic moment for the students. They arrived at Hogwarts by boat and now they were leaving the same way.

When they got to Hogsmeade, their possessions were already prepared for them. Some parents were there waiting for their newly graduated children. However, there was nobody there for the trio. Katie's parents would be waiting in London, and Clay's mother and grandmother do not have the habit of going out of their home.

Unlike the usual end of the year, riding the Hogwarts Express was optional for the students. They were no longer Hogwarts students. The train was there to take them to London should they choose it. If not, they were free to make their own arrangements. The three of them were going to London, so, they decided to take the train one last time.

They spent the train ride reminiscing their time in Hogwarts. They laugh and laugh. And they promised one another that they would make the effort to stay in touch. The most formative time of their youth was now at an end.

Early July in the middle of the night, Alex was meeting with Mr Grant in person in some undisclosed location.

"So, what have you found out?" he asked.

"They met with some other prominent families three times since the beginning of the month. I fear they are truly a part of a certain scheme," said Mr Grant.

"And who were they meeting with?"

"It was Crabb and Goyle. Malfoy was suspected to have joined them."

"So, the Death Eaters are meeting again. Even without their Lord, they are still dangerous. Very well then, we'll deal with the target once and for all, learn what they know and remove them from the game board."

A few days later, ten wizards of the Order, masked and dressed in all black attires, were flying on their brooms in some rural area in Scotland. They surrounded a certain plot of land and deployed some portable anchor stones that was Alex's invention. The first set of stones placed a Magic containment and Muggle-repelling ward around the property. The second set of anchors created an Anti-Apparition and an Anti-Portkey hex. The third set of anchors was to create a faulty ward that continuously drained all the wards within its bounds.

They waited for about ten minutes until the protective wards on the area were completely drained. First, they used a set of detecting spells to find all the people and elves living there. There were no House-Elves and they found their target located in separate rooms on the second floor of the solitary building on the property. They were most likely asleep.

"No. 3 and 4, as fast as you can, on my 'go', you will blitz through the house and find their Floo fireplace. Guard it, make sure no one gets in or out. No. 5 and 6, No. 7 and 8, and No. 9 and 10 find the father, elder son, and youngest son, respectively. Stupify them, take their wands, and tie them up. No. 2 and I would follow you later. Go!" said Alex.

The eight wizards moved out as ordered while Alex and Mr Grant walked leisurely. When they finally reached the house, everything was already quite. Alex went toward the biggest bedroom in the house where the father was most likely located. Two of his men were there guarding a bound wizard lying unconscious on the floor. It was the patriarch of the Travers family, Angus's father.

Alex had revived the stunned wizard. He pointed his wand at the wizard and said, "Tell me what you are planning with Avery and Goyle. 'Legilimens'!"

Then, he learned the answer to his question. Crabb and Goyle had been planning to attack the AIM building and burn it with the office of the Observer. The wizard in front of him and his son were supposed to draw the patrolling Hit-Wizards away from the area while Crabb and Goyle got to work. Lucius had decided to keep his hands clean, but, he assured them that he would be handling the fallout in the Ministry after the attack.

"Good. Now for my next question. What do you know of what happened to the previous patriarchs of the Rosewood family? 'Legilimens'!"

It was one of the things he was curious about. Angus Travers had alluded to knowing about what truly happened to Clay's father. Alex was surprised at what he learned. Clay's grandfather was approached by the Death Eaters and had turned them down. The Dark Lord's followers didn't take too kindly at that. He was tortured and killed shortly after.

Then there was Alex's father who managed to track down his missing father's last whereabouts. He was killed by the very wizard kneeling in front of Alex.

"So, it was you, after all. 'Crucio'!" exclaimed Alex.

He tortured the wizard until he died on the floor. Since he got what he wanted. He ordered his men to kill the two sons in the other rooms. Alex thought about his order that would kill Angus, one whom he always thought of as a child. He had to remind himself that the wizard was no longer a child. He just entrusted the task to his men, he didn't want to look at Angus's dying face.

After the deed was done, he ordered them to make sure that there was no trace of their presence there. He emphasized that it must appear as if the family had simply chosen to leave town. His men knew exactly what to do, they packed some trunks with clothes and took the wands while creating the right kind of disorder in the rooms. The corpses and the trunks were transfigured to small trinkets so they could get rid of them somewhere else. Alex instructed Mr Grant to assign someone to watch the house for the next week from the shadows so they could learn who exactly would decide to snoop around when the Travers's absence was finally noticed.

And just like that, the Travers family was extinct. Alex thought about Angus. But, he didn't regret what he'd done. Angus must have known the matters of Clay's father disappearance, at least since the beginning of the last term.

Crabb and Goyle might decide to postpone their attack when they realized that the Travers had gone missing. Or, they could go ahead with it. The plan was already set up and they no longer required to meet with the Travers another time. Alex had to figure out how he would deal with it as soon as possible.

END OF CHAPTER

Author's Note:

I killed off Angus. There was no longer any use for him narrative-wise. If you were wondering what exactly was the Travers's connection to the Death Eaters, there was a 'Travers' that is a minor member after Voldemort returned. It may be the father or the older brother.

For Dumbledore, I won't be bashing him in this fanfic. I prefer to think of him as a good guy.

Disclaimer:

This work is not for profit. No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters, plot, setting, etc. are the property of J. and/or Warner Bros.