*Morpheus pov*
The walk back to the school was silent, both of us lost in thoughts about the future. I don't think Albus realizes how much today will aid us.
And how much it will backfire, "You know we will face backlash anyways," I said as we entered the castle, opting to take a long way so I could show him where the captives were.
He sighed, "I'm well aware, Morpheus, but the backlash will be insignificant compared to what it would have been if they succeeded."
He then chuckled, "Plus it seems you had an interesting time in the guest section," he nodded as I pointed at the door leading to the captives when we walked past.
A laugh escaped my lips, "Lestrange is a funny man. It seems he will be greatly disappointing his master today, and you know how he dislikes being disappointed."
Albus nodded, "Tom is unforgiving. Why did you tell Lestrange about the curse?"
"Ah, you're wondering why I gave him a possible out?" He nodded, urging me to continue, "He will tell Tom but it won't matter the man will be punished all the same, the real reason I told him is so it gets back to Tom."
He frowned, "You wish to be targeted,"
"Perhaps"
As we walked through the labyrinthine corridors of the castle, the weight of today's events bore down heavily on us it was odd walking through Hogwarts during the day and it felt too empty. The echoes of our footsteps were the only sounds that accompanied our thoughts. Each step brought us closer to the Great Hall, where we would meet the dueling judge and decide the outcome of today's events.
Albus broke the silence again, "Do you think the students will understand,"
I paused, considering his question. "They may not understand now, they probably think we are amazing wizards and witches and managed to subdue the intruders before they could react. The smart ones will realize we were in wait and the semi intelligent ones will be mad this happened on a dueling day," I joked lightly
As we neared the Great Hall, the noise from within grew louder. The anticipation and chaos of the students and guests was palpable. We pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside. The hall was filled with chatter and excitement, but it quickly hushed as we made our entrance. All eyes turned to us, awaiting the decision.
The dueling judge, a stern-faced witch with piercing blue eyes, stood at the center of the hall. He beckoned Albus forward Davu was already waiting. "Headmasters, we need to resolve the scoring."
I glanced at Albus, and then walked to the side joining my fellow professors. He approached the judge, and He spoke again, her voice carrying authority. "After reviewing the performances and considering the circumstances, I have determined that the duel was a tie. Both schools have shown exemplary skill and courage."
He continued, "Regardless of what transpired and how quickly you dealt with the attack it still must be reported to the association. The matches were rather close in score. If either of you disagree with my ruling please speak now,"
A murmur ran through the crowd. The students from both schools exchanged looks of mixed emotions. Some were relieved, others disappointed, but all were respectful of the decision.
"Thank you, Judge," Albus said. "We appreciate your fairness. I will agree to the ruling," his smile was gentle and grandfatherly he didn't look bothered by the ruling at all
Davu nodded as well, "I will agree to this ruling," he didn't sound as enthused as Albus
She nodded curtly, and with that, the matter was settled. Dinner would commence, and the guests would soon be asked to leave. The tension in the hall began to dissipate as everyone took their seats for the evening meal. The long tables were laden with a feast, a testament to the efforts of the house-elves.
As we made our way to the staff table, Albus leaned in and whispered something to Minerva she nodded her head and continued eating.
I turned to look at Abara. "Do not be upset my friend."
He shook his head, "I am disappointed, I could have helped,"
"You could have", I agreed, "But worry would still have flooded your mind, your focus needed to be on the students,"
He shook his head, "I am not so easily distracted,"
I laughed, "I never said you were Abara, I am merely saying we did not want to bother you or the students with the burden of keeping a lookout,"
He sighed and continued his meal in silence. Shaking my head I resumed my eating my pile of food and drinking my wine while scanning the hall.
The feast was a lively affair. Conversations buzzed around the hall, and the clinking of cutlery against plates provided a comforting background noise. The students and staff from Uagadou mingled with those from Hogwarts, sharing stories and forming possible friendships. Of course, whispers of the attack rippled throughout the meal speculations and theories being born from the littlest clues.
Halfway through the meal, Albus rose from his seat and tapped his goblet with a spoon, drawing everyone's attention. "Before everyone embarks on their trip home I wanted to thank Headmaster Davu for bringing you all here today, it is not often Hogwarts receives company my only wish is that you found your brief visit meaningful. Everyone who had a chance to duel was excellent and showed the genius of their respective schools. To the Hogwarts duelists, I am proud of how far you have come, to the Uagadou students I'm sure your headmaster can say the same. Thank you!" an applause tore through the silence
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere became more relaxed. The initial tension had given way to a sense of camaraderie. But all too soon, it was time for our guests to depart. The students from Uagadou gathered their belongings, domes with faces a mix of reluctance and sadness as they exchanged ways of communication with their new friends.
Others looked relieved to finally go back home.
Davu turned to Albus and shook his hand, "It was a nice visit, Albus, I'm saddened we couldn't figure out who won but I'm sure we will have more chances in the future. I hope you can deal with the issues Britain is having soon,"
With that, the Uagadou delegation made their way through the castle and towards the Black Lake, where a magnificent magical ship awaited them. The students exchanged last-minute farewells, promising to write and visit if they could.
As the final group boarded the ship, the professors and I stood at the entrance of the castle, watching until the last traces of our guests were gone. The cool night air was a welcome relief after the warmth of the Great Hall.