XXXVII

The headlines in the magical world's newspapers were dominated by "Great Success of the Auror Office, Horntails Captured." Not only in The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler but even in the fashion-oriented Witch Weekly, there was no other topic of discussion. The event at Hogwarts was described in detail across many pages, although many theories were far from the truth. The entire chain of events was classified due to the ongoing investigation, so the Aurors took great care to release only the information they wanted to the press. The biggest sensation was undoubtedly the sudden resurrection of Albus Potter, which was made public a few days after the events at Hogwarts. Journalists tried to contact him by all means, but he had gone underground and remained elusive to everyone. Scorpius' involvement in the events also attracted significant attention, mainly because of his father, who had to make frequent appearances at the Ministry. Harry Potter himself suggested revealing their contributions to the fight against the Horntails to quell any other negative speculations.

It was also reported that due to the fierce battle between the Horntails and the defenders of the school, one Auror and one teacher were killed, with five defenders wounded. Most of the attackers died, and only a few surrendered when they were surrounded. The heaviest fighting took place outside the Great Hall, where a trap had been set for the group's leader. Despite the precautions taken, one of the Horntails managed to cast Fiendfyre, destroying the ranks of both sides.

The casualties of that incident included Auror Dean Thomas and Professor Mirreck, who taught Ancient Runes. That news was a real shock to Scorpius, especially because he had known them both personally. Dean Thomas had helped him in the Peggy White case, and he had frequently interacted with Professor Mirreck during classes. That realization made Scorpius fully understand the gravity of the situation. Although he had always known it, he never truly let the thought that he could have died sink in.

He also learned that among the casualties was Torchfool himself, who refused to surrender until the very end. Upon hearing that, Scorpius felt relief, but somewhere deep inside, there was also a sense of sorrow. He understood that Romuald had been ruthless and acted without a shred of mercy, but Scorpius couldn't forget that many of his choices were not entirely his own. Pushed away by the wizarding world and manipulated by his aunt, he was a victim of the reality in which he had lived. However, Scorpius sincerely doubted that anyone other than himself would see it that way. The journalists saw only a villain in Torchfool, and they celebrated his death with no reflection on the matter.

The Aurors also arrested Lydia Slithorn and less than a week later, they tracked down and ultimately captured the former Death Eater Corban Yaxley, referred to as the Minister by the Horntails. That was achieved through a clever scheme devised by Rose's father. They provided different information to various Ministry employees about Torchfool's fate. Some pieces of information indicated that he had been captured and would be transported to Azkaban, while others suggested he had escaped and was in hiding.

When one of the supposed Torchfool transports was attacked by the Horntails two days later, the Aurors immediately knew who the mole in the Ministry was. It turned out to be Rufus Knot, the nephew of the former Minister of Magic. He had been feeding information to Yaxley but proved weak and easily influenced, so, under pressure, he unhesitatingly exposed everyone he had collaborated with.

With Yaxley's capture, the Auror Office could declare a complete success in the fight against the Horntails gang, although everyone was aware that that dragon might have many more heads. Taking into account the recent negative reputation the Auror Office had garnered in the magical world, that success was essential to rebuild its image. It also served as a warning to anyone considering following in the Horntails' footsteps that they wouldn't go unpunished.

Scorpius learned about all of that afterwards, mainly from his father, who remained in constant contact with the Aurors and frequently visited the Ministry to provide explanations.

Scorpius himself was first sent for a three-day observation at St. Mungo's, on Madam Pomfrey's clear orders, despite his assurances that he felt perfectly fine. He was kept in isolation for seventy-two hours, with only his parents allowed to visit him, under the supervision of Aurors. They feared retaliation from the Horntails and restricted his external contact to the absolute minimum. That, of course, didn't make him feel alone, as Astoria rarely left his room. He could see by the expression on her face how much that situation had affected her. While she tried to put on a brave face around him, he could imagine how many tears she must have shed because of him. That knowledge didn't improve his mood, but he couldn't change it. All he could do was assure Astoria that he would never, ever do anything as reckless again, even though both of them knew how much those promises were worth.

When they finally released him from St. Mungo's, much to his surprise, he didn't go home, nor did he return to Hogwarts. Instead, his father used the Floo Network to guide him to the dark house at Grimmauld Place 12. There, in the old-fashioned living room, he was met by Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

Even though he had already provided his testimony twice, he had to repeat everything. Sitting with a bottle of creamy beer in front of him, he recounted in detail, once again, everything that had happened since the moment Draco arrived home injured.

The Aurors meticulously took notes and asked for specifics. They then showed him a series of photographs of various people, both those captured at Hogwarts and those apprehended later. Scorpius was able to identify some of them, as he briefly saw a few in Lydia's mansion. He lingered the longest on a picture of Torchfool. The man was unquestionably dead in the photograph, a large, charred wound gaping from his chest. Scorpius tried to speak without emotion. He concealed all his feelings behind the mask of a cold-hearted Slytherin to ensure they didn't cloud his judgment of the entire situation. He repeated everything he discussed with Romuald and other things he heard during his stay at Lydia's estate. However, deep inside, he couldn't suppress the thought that he might have been in a similar photograph himself, some time in the future, which he hoped would never come to pass.

"That is probably not our last meeting on that topic," Mr Potter said in conclusion. "We'll probably be back with more questions as new facts emerge."

Scorpius made sure that not a single muscle twitched at the statement, even though the prospect of another similar marathon of questioning disturbed him slightly. In the end, with a short break, they had been in the room for nearly eight hours, and Scorpius felt he wouldn't be able to speak for the next month.

Noticing his exhaustion, Mr Potter rose from his seat and patted him on the shoulder.

"Go upstairs to the second floor. In the first room on the right, you have a prepared bed and a surprise waiting for you. You deserve some rest."

"How long will I have to stay here?" Scorpius asked, looking at the man.

"Until we're sure you're not in danger. It's the safest place in London that I know of."

The Slytherin let out a slight sigh. Knowing the speed at which the Auror Department and the Ministry operated, it could take a while before he returned to school. He had no intention of arguing about it, well aware that he had his father and two Aurors against him. Therefore, resigned to his fate, he said his goodbyes and then went upstairs to get some rest.

Finding the designated room wasn't particularly difficult, and when he confidently opened the door, he saw Albus lying on one of the beds with a book in his hands. Scorpius paused in mid-step and, for a moment, remained silently staring at the Gryffindor. He was almost at a loss for words, something that rarely happened to him. He knew that Potter was whole and well, but despite that, there were moments when he was plagued by visions of the boy lying lifeless somewhere in the distant Skye.

Albus, upon spotting him, set aside his book and rose from the bed, then gave him a crooked smile.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," Scorpius mumbled, then stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

The sound of the door closing seemed to break the spell since the Gryffindor approached and embraced him without warning.

"Merlin, you are the worst kind of idiot I know," he blurted out, his voice oddly shaky.

Surprised by Potter's sudden emotional outburst, Scorpius eventually patted him on the back.

"Are you crying?" he asked, masking his own emotions with amusement.

"Even if I am, it won't help you. I feel like choking you with my bare hands, or at least smashing your head until some sense gets in there. Only you could come up with such a dumb idea of joining the Horntails."

"Hey, there wasn't time for subtlety. I had to improvise," Scorpius began to defend himself and eventually managed to break free from the embrace, looking into the absurdly red face of the Gryffindor. "Out of the two of us, more people would cry for you," he added more seriously.

"By Merlin, I swear, I'm going to punch you for such comments," Albus said, and it was hard to tell whether he was more angry or more moved.

"Go ahead, because I'm not taking back a word. Besides, you're being a bit overdramatic; I was well aware of the consequences."

Potter groaned and rolled his eyes.

"If I got a Galleon for every time I've heard you reassure me like that, I'd be a rich man today. You could've gotten yourself killed, for crying out loud!"

Scorpius briefly closed his eyes, and all hints of amusement vanished from his face. When he looked at Albus again, there was no trace of the sarcastic Slytherin.

"I know, but at the moment, I wasn't thinking about that. I saw you bleeding on the ground, and I knew I had to act. Then, saving you was more important to me than my safety."

Albus clenched his fists tightly at those words and turned his gaze away.

"Do you realize that if you had died, I would have never forgiven myself?" he said.

"It works both ways. I would have never forgiven myself if I hadn't done something. That's how that damn friendship thing works, right? But what do I know; I'm just an ugly Slytherin," Scorpius replied.

Albus remained silent for a moment, only rubbing his face with his sleeve.

"Yeah, that's how it works," he muttered.

For a long time, they stood facing each other, looking at opposite walls. Maybe further discussions weren't needed at all. Albus knew Scorpius well and surely understood his motives. In the meantime, Scorpius was aware that he had caused them all worries, but he also knew that he did what he should have done at that moment.

"Thank you," Potter finally spoke.

Scorpius nodded and added with a somewhat lighter tone:

"You're welcome, just don't ask me to do it again."

Albus smiled too, though his smile lacked the sarcastic undertone.

"Don't worry; I have no plans for the weekend."

Scorpius chuckled and eventually forced his legs to cooperate, reaching the prepared bed on the other side of the room. He laid down among the soft bedding with his hands beneath his head. He felt tired, not so much physically but mentally, and, to be honest, he dreamed of nothing more than returning to school and erasing the entire story from his memory. But he was well aware that the latter wouldn't happen quickly.

Albus followed his example, sitting with his hands on his knees.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Albus Potter. Of all people, only he had thought that Scorpius might be fed up with the topic.

"I don't know," Scorpius muttered, staring at the ceiling, where quite a bit of the old plaster had fallen off. "I feel like I haven't talked about anything else for the past few days. On the other hand, some things still bother me. You know, cold facts don't capture everything that happened."

As he said that, Scorpius felt Albus' focused gaze. Gryffindor didn't ask, but he simply let Scorpius talk.

"Today, your dad showed me a picture of the dead leader of the Horntails, Romuald Torchfool, and you know what's the most messed up part? I felt sorry for the guy. He didn't deserve that. Sure, for the Ministry, he was guilty, and under the law, he was a criminal. For what he did to you, I should want to see him dead, but I can't. I can't revel in it because, you see, I talked to him a lot, and he wasn't some sick psychopath; he was someone whose limits of endurance were pushed to the edge. He just wanted revenge for his family, nothing more. And I understand that because I've also been a vengeful scoundrel. So I was thinking that if anyone had shown any interest in his fate at any point, none of that might have happened. Aurors celebrate success, but it's just the tip of the iceberg. How many more will be like Romuald, ending up dead because the wizarding world treated them like garbage?"

Albus had been listening in silence, his face serious, and when Scorpius finally fell silent, he said thoughtfully:

"After all that happened, I can't pity the guy, but I understand what you mean. And I agree that it's wrong. But you know what? I'm a Gryffindor, and not so long ago, a certain Slytherin saved my life, and now everyone thinks he's a hero. It's probably a sign of positive change."

Scorpius smiled slightly.

"If you want to change the world, start with yourself, right? It's a rather time-consuming method."

"Do you know why the Horntails are in a losing position from the start? Because they want to fix it with revolution where evolution is needed."

Against his will, Scorpius burst into laughter.

"You sound like a politician. Are you planning to run for Minister of Magic?"

Albus also laughed.

"Never in my life. Honestly, that statement you just heard, I read in yesterday's Quibbler."

"Well, that's the problem; you read those tabloids, and then you spout nonsense like that."

"You know, there's not much else to do here."

"Exactly, and now we're going to be bored together."

For most of the time, Scorpius and Albus spent their time in the room, as Albus had warned that the old house was full of unpleasant surprises. They read, played wizard's chess, or practised simple spells. Even though they probably shouldn't be using magic at all, that building was so saturated with magic that the best investigator wouldn't be able to detect it.

Various people passed through the Grimmuald Place house. Of course, the Potters and Weasleys, but also many people Scorpius didn't recognize, likely Aurors or Ministry employees. Draco also often came by, sometimes for a meeting, and sometimes just to check if Scorpius was where he left him.

One evening, Scorpius saw his father standing alone in the living room, gazing at a large tapestry hanging on the wall. Intrigued, Scorpius entered the room and examined the family tree depicted there. To his amazement, at the bottom of the tapestry, he saw images of Draco, Astoria, and his own.

"It's a self-updating material. It adds more people as they are born," Draco explained.

"I didn't know we were related to the owners of that house."

Draco shook his head.

"The house belongs to the Potters now, but in the past, it was inhabited by members of the Black family. My mother came from that family."

Scorpius looked from his father's image at the bottom, up to Narcissa Malfoy and her siblings. However, one of the persons had been burned out of the tapestry. Not only she; there were scorch marks in several places.

"What happened here?" Scorpius asked, pointing to the burned spot next to Narcissa.

"Andromeda Black married a Muggle and lost her place in the family, just like others who had different opinions," Draco replied, his expression hardening. "The Black family valued blood purity above all else, and their penchant for dark magic made them perfect allies for the Dark Lord."

After saying that, his father's gaze shifted to the image of Bellatrix, one of the Black sisters.

"I knew her personally, wonderful Aunt Bella. I've never met a bigger psychopath. I might not like the Weasleys, but Molly Weasley did the world a favour by getting rid of that lunatic."

The sarcasm in his father's voice could send shivers down one's spine. In an instant, Scorpius realized how many dark memories that tapestry must bring back. Most of the people on it were already deceased, but they still managed to evoke nightmares from the past. He could see it in his father's steely eyes and clenched jaws.

"But Grandma wasn't like her, I guess?" Scorpius asked, trying to ease the tension in the room.

The memory of Narcissa softened his father's expression.

"No, but she was the weakest of the three and couldn't restrain her sister's madness. Over time, she even became afraid of her. My mother didn't want to participate in the war, but like many others, she didn't have a choice. With a husband who was a Death Eater and a sister who was obsessed with the Dark Lord, she did everything to protect her family, to protect me." A faint smile passed over Draco's face. "She was really brave, in her way. We owe everything to her. If it weren't for her courage and determination, that world and our lives would be completely different. It's a great pity she didn't live to that day; she'd be very proud of you. Just as I am."

At that moment, Scorpius didn't know where to look. Despite the changes in his relationship with his father over the past few years, he still wasn't accustomed to praise from him. However, he wasn't going to act like a child. After all, he had overcome so many difficulties, he knew how to behave like a proud Slytherin, as befitting a Malfoy.

So he straightened up and looked at his father.

"Thank you," he replied, then smiled slyly. "I'm learning from the best. You showed style too."

Draco shrugged slightly.

"I didn't do it to prove anything to anyone. I did it primarily for you so that you'd never find yourself in a situation like I did in my youth. That world isn't fair and it never will be, but as far as possible, I want you to have a choice. So that you can make decisions about your life."

Scorpius fell into deep thought. In the past, hatred between wizards had allowed Voldemort to gain immense power. Who knew where the actions of the Horntails would lead if no one had stopped them in their tracks? He didn't realize his father's motivation until then. Once again, Draco proved that family was his top priority, and the awareness of that filled Scorpius with a warm, pleasant feeling. Draco might not be the nicest or most friendly wizard in the area, but he was undoubtedly a great father. Scorpius could only regret that so much had to happen for him to realize that.

Scorpius looked at the tapestry one last time.

"Maybe we should make one of these in our home, but with you and Mum at the top. I know that the past is important, but it shouldn't define what we do. I don't intend to submit to it. While the blood of many generations of wizards may flow in my veins, that doesn't define who I am or what I do. There will be those who try to label me, to prove that they know better who I am than I do. I used to be afraid of that, but now, I think I'm ready to show them all the middle finger. I am Scorpius Malfoy, no more, no less."

Upon hearing that statement, Draco placed a hand on his son's shoulder. He didn't say anything, but Scorpius could see in his father's grey eyes just how much those words pleased him. A lot had happened, both good and bad, but Scorpius was certain of at least one thing. He would walk with his head held high and make decisions that would allow him to look in the mirror without disgust. And if someone had a problem with it, well... you can't please everyone.

A week later, Scorpius and Albus received instructions to be ready for a trip in the evening. After hastily gathering their belongings, they descended into the dark living room on Grimmauld Place just before dinner. To their surprise, they found Professor Luna Scamander standing by the fireplace.

Scorpius couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. She might be eccentric and somewhat detached from reality, especially when she looked at them with her dreamy gaze, but she was one of those teachers he knew would never refuse to help anyone, even if it meant risking her own life.

"I'm glad to see you've recovered, professor," he said, approaching her.

The woman nodded.

"Fortunately, we all came out of that adventure unscathed. Even Manetail found his way home."

Scorpius wasn't particularly surprised that Professor Scamander mentioned the hippogriff. She was probably as concerned about the creature as she was about the students.

"Are you ready?" she asked after a moment, looking at the boys.

Scorpius exchanged a glance with Albus, and they both nodded.

Professor Scamander led them through the fireplace directly to the Headmaster's office. Professor McGonagall sat in her usual spot and greeted them with a warm smile.

"The school has been checked twice, and all known exits have been reinforced with additional security," she said as the boys took their seats. "I sincerely hope that neither of you will attempt or have any need to use them. I also hope that your greatest concern in the school year will be excelling in your exams."

"Professor," Scorpius interjected, "I genuinely don't dream of anything else."

Albus nodded in agreement.

"I believe you, but we both know you have a disconcerting tendency to attract trouble," Professor McGonagall added, half in jest and half seriously. "Fortunately, Mr Potter's presence seems to mitigate that effect to some extent."

Albus swallowed hard at that statement.

"I'll do my best to make sure he doesn't get into any new trouble."

"We'll both focus on that."

Scorpius looked somewhat puzzled, first at the teacher and then at his friend. It seemed that they had formed some sort of alliance when it came to ensuring his good behaviour. He wasn't sure if it pleased or frightened him more. He had a feeling that he wouldn't regain full independence anytime soon. On the other hand, he owed so much to these two. Without them, he wouldn't be sitting here. He might still be attending school, or he might have fled a long time ago, nurturing his hatred, just like those who joined the Horntails. He, however, had chosen a different path. These two had shown him that he wasn't condemned to just one grim future. He could be more, more than just a Death Eater's son, more than a deceptive Slytherin, more than a slippery serpent. He was something more, and he intended to prove it to the entire wizarding world.

"You have a lot of catching up to do from the three weeks you've missed," Professor McGonagall concluded. "But we'll address that tomorrow. Now, go to dinner."

The boys readily agreed and stood up. But before Scorpius left the office, he turned around one more time, gazing at the Headmaster behind her desk. Then, he smiled. She returned the gesture with a smile of her own and a hand gesture signalling that he should not waste any more time.

They walked down the corridor toward the Great Hall. It was getting quite late, but they hoped to catch the tail end of dinner. They didn't expect to find many students there, but it was probably for the best, as they didn't want any more attention drawn to themselves. The Prophet had already written plenty about the unexpected resurrection of Harry Potter's son and Scorpius, who had contributed to breaking up a dangerous group of rogues. Despite that, neither he nor Albus had any doubt that they would be the school's main attraction for the next few weeks, at least until their next visit to Hogsmeade. Neither of them was particularly eager for that. Thus, the late dinner worked in their favour; it allowed them to delay until tomorrow...

Scorpius and Albus stood frozen as they entered the Great Hall. They watched in astonishment as three-quarters of the students stood up and began applauding, and the applause eventually filled the entire room.

Suddenly, the doors slammed shut behind them, and when they turned around, they saw Karl and Zack standing guard.

"I hope you don't think we'll let you off the hook that easily," the blond Slytherin said with an incredibly Slytherin smile painted on his face.

"We'll never let you out of our sight again," Karl added, looking more seriously at Scorpius. "You just can't be left alone."

Despite the amusement, Scorpius saw concern in his friends' eyes and realized that McGonagall and Albus weren't the only ones who had always stood by his side. He probably didn't even fully realize just how much he owed his roommates.

"Albus!" Suddenly, they heard Lily calling, and she stopped right beside them. First, she hugged her brother, and then she hung around Scorpius's neck.

"I missed you guys so much!" she said once she had composed herself a bit.

The last time Scorpius saw her, she was unconscious, lying on a hippogriff's back. So he was truly glad to see that it didn't seem to have left any lasting effects.

"I missed your enthusiasm too," he said with a playful smile. Lily, however, didn't seem to be affected because she smiled even wider.

"Everyone here heard what you did to save Albus," Lily said, her tone a bit more serious. "It was incredibly foolish and incredibly brave."

Scorpius struggled to hold back an eye roll. He didn't feel like a hero, and it was never important to him.

Suddenly, Lily stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

"You saved me and my brother. I'll never forget that," she added firmly.

Scorpius felt somewhat taken aback, especially as he sensed many very ambiguous glances at him. And suddenly, among the many pairs of eyes, he spotted someone he didn't expect to see there.

Among the girls from her year stood Elizabeth, and she watched the whole scene with a gentle smile. Without much thought, Scorpius passed Lily and walked across the hall toward Ravenclaw. He hadn't seen her in what felt like ages. Back then, she disappeared into the fireplace at the Malfoy Manor with the injured Draco, and her assistance had proven invaluable.

While among the Horntails, he couldn't afford sentimental longings, but then he realized fully how much he had missed her presence.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, stopping a step in front of her.

Lizzy gave him a somewhat critical look and then crossed her arms over her chest.

"Three days ago, I turned seventeen," she replied. "Your mom even baked a cake for me."

"Oh right. So you don't have to hide anymore."

The girl shook her head and looked away for a moment.

"I don't have to, and I don't plan to. I talked to Albus' father and gave my statement."

Suddenly, Scorpius felt a pang of guilt. It couldn't have been easy for her, and he wasn't there for her, even though he promised he'd support her. After a while, Elizabeth's face brightened again, and she turned her gaze back to him.

"I decided to follow your example. Since you could face the Horntails, I can face my demons," she added firmly.

Scorpius nodded understandingly.

"I'm glad, it's a very good decision."

"I hope so because now there's no turning back."

Scorpius looked at the girl, and even though her face appeared calm, he still saw the deeply hidden fear. Nevertheless, it certainly wasn't an easy decision for her.

Suddenly, as if on impulse, he closed the distance between them and touched her face.

"There's no turning back from many things, right?" he asked and, not waiting for an answer, kissed her without hesitation.

He heard surprised whispers and other Ravenclaws' shocked questions behind him, but he didn't intend to pay attention to either. He was back at school and surrounded by the people he cared about. For sure, he'd get into trouble again, and he'd probably curse his rotten luck more than once, but at that moment, he was simply happy, and he didn't intend to apologize for it.

November 30, 2020

CORBAN YAXLEY CONVICTED!

Over two months since his capture, the trial of former Death Eater and current leader of the Horntails, Corban Yaxley, has concluded. The Wizengamot had no doubts; the wizard's wand was officially destroyed, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban. The possibility of applying for parole was set by the judges at forty-nine years.

"That is a great success for the magical justice system," said the Chief Prosecutor in an interview with our journalist. "That man will never threaten our society again, nor will he draw young witches and wizards towards dark magic. This day can be considered the ultimate defeat of the Horntails gang."

December 1, 2020

DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY.

Unknown culprits set a vile message ablaze on the doors of the Wizengamot building late last night. Although officials promptly removed it, our reporter interviewed the person who first noticed it. According to her, the message read: "Injuring a dragon cannot kill it; it can only enrage it."

February 15, 2021

HIGH SENTENCE FOR INFLUENTIAL MINISTRY MEMBER.

After several months of trial, Ambrose Nash was finally convicted. Judges sided with the prosecution's arguments, finding him guilty of abusing his wife and daughter, as well as repeatedly bribing and using his influence to cover up his actions. A psychologist from St. Mungo's Hospital declared that Mr Nash was fully aware of his actions and could not be considered mentally unfit. As a result, the court withdrew the application for placement in a closed facility, instead sentencing him to eight years in Azkaban.

Simultaneously, the case against his son is still ongoing, who committed many of the alleged offences while still a minor. Charges of physical and psychological abuse of his sister have been brought against him, and he has been placed in a psychiatric facility for treatment.

September 1, 2021

HISTORICAL CHANGES AT HOGWARTS

For the first time since its founding, today marks the absence of the traditional Sorting Hat Ceremony at Hogwarts. The Sorting Hat did not make an appearance at the start of the new school year, instead, students were divided into groups by a random draw. In that manner, four classes were created, but they do not belong to any of the former Houses.

"The older year groups will remain in the House system, but starting that year, after extensive consultations with teachers, parents, and Ministry representatives, we will gradually phase out the House structure," explained the school's Headmaster, Minerva McGonagall, in an exclusive interview with the Prophet. "Over the years, it has become increasingly evident that the early division of children into defined groups fosters lasting divisions in their future lives. School should be a place of growth, not labelling one fraction or another. I understand that change may challenge long-standing traditions for many, but we should not blindly follow conventions simply because they've been in place for years. The school's founders created the Houses mainly because they couldn't agree themselves. To what extent should we rigidly adhere to that model? Haven't the past two decades shown us how destructive these divisions can be to our society? Hogwarts is meant to be a place for building unity among wizards, and that is what we aim to achieve in the years to come."

September 1, 2027

A NEW CHAPTER IN HOGWARTS HISTORY

As of today, we officially bid farewell to the old-school structure. With the conclusion of the previous school year, the last year groups studying in the Houses completed their education. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin have officially become a part of history. Today, for the first time during the opening ceremony, the emblems of the four Houses were not displayed in the Great Hall. Many will likely remember them with nostalgia, but as the past few years have shown, the direction set by Headmaster McGonagall has not had a negative impact on the quality of education at Hogwarts.

Additionally, our correspondent reported that many students had positive feelings about the absence of the stress related to the House Sorting on the first day of school and it changed their perception of the event.

We also learned about some staffing changes among the teachers. The position of Muggle Studies professor is now held by Ester Moonbrown, a name that gained recognition a few years ago when the program to reintegrate wizards from the Muggle world was initiated on a larger scale. Ms Moonbrown was one of the first to resume her education at Hogwarts after three years of study in a Muggle institution.

Another change is the retirement of Professor Filius Flitwick, a long-serving professor of Charms. It was announced that his responsibilities would be taken over by Minerva McGonagall's protégé, Scorpius Malfoy. An article about that young wizard's intriguing life can be found on page 16.

Fin

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There will be one more, additional chapter.