The Dementors suffered significant losses this time. Already sparse in number, most of them perished at Augustus's hands. It seemed the Ministry of Magic might need to reconsider Azkaban's guardians.
Things rarely go perfectly, though. Unfortunately, Peter Pettigrew took advantage of the chaos caused by the Dementor attack to escape. Failing to hand him over to the Ministry for trial was disappointing. However, with testimonies from Augustus and Snape, Sirius Black was fully exonerated. He only needed to attend a hearing in a month to restore his legal status and citizenship officially.
All in all, despite the twists and turns, the events concluded on a satisfying note.
On the final day of term, exam results were released. As expected, Augustus failed Divination—Professor Trelawney's grudge against him was apparent. In stark contrast, he achieved perfect scores in all other subjects, proving that even the brightest students can have their weak points.
Meanwhile, news of Professor Lupin's identity as a werewolf spread throughout the school. While many students were unfazed, Lupin would not be returning as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher next term. This was a disappointment, as his excellent practical teaching was hard to replace. Comparing him to someone like Lockhart made Lupin seem even more ideal, werewolf or not.
In the Great Hall, Dumbledore announced the House Cup winner for the term. Unsurprisingly, Slytherin claimed the title once again. The Hall was decorated in green banners for the celebration, and the Slytherin table buzzed with excitement.
On the day of departure, the weather was exceptionally warm. The spring-like air seemed to fill their luggage with cheer. As they boarded the train bound for King's Cross Station, soft sunlight flooded the compartments.
Lillian squinted her panda-like eyes and gazed sweetly out the window. "Good morning, world. What a tumultuous term this has been! If it weren't for those wretched Dementors, sneaking into the Forbidden Forest at night to moonbathe might have been fun."
Augustus chuckled warmly. "The Dementors had it rough, too. Their already sparse population might make them an endangered species after their visit to Hogwarts."
Loki smirked. "But Augustus, you were so brutal as their executioner. I wonder if those creatures that feed on human happiness will now have a psychological trauma whenever they see you?"
"We can't entirely dismiss the value of Dementors," Augustus replied thoughtfully. "After all, most Azkaban inmates were Voldemort's Death Eaters. Using violence to counter violence isn't the worst approach to crime prevention. But for innocent prisoners like Sirius, it's a cruel injustice."
Thor's sapphire-blue eyes remained fixed on the greenery outside. "Speaking of Sirius, he's technically my distant uncle. It's nice that we could clear his name. But that loathsome Peter got away—such rotten luck."
"Quite the bombshell!" Lillian teased, her crimson eyes glinting with mischief. "Sirius is your uncle? You've kept that under wraps until now, waiting for his redemption to unveil this juicy family secret!"
Thor's face reddened slightly as he cleared his throat. "Well, it's complicated. As a respectable young man with ambition, having an imprisoned uncle wasn't something to boast about. But now that he's a tragic hero with a sense of justice, it's only right to show some familial concern."
Loki scoffed. "Typical opportunism. Augustus, it must be embarrassing to have such a student."
Thor coughed more forcefully. "Come now, knowing how to adapt is wisdom! You're just too young to understand."
Augustus shook his head with a wry smile. Thor's opportunistic nature was deeply ingrained, shaped by his environment, though it couldn't excuse everything.
"By the way, Augustus, are you planning to attend the Quidditch World Cup this holiday?" Lillian asked, her eyes bright with anticipation.
"The Quidditch World Cup?" Augustus mused. "It's not particularly exciting to me. But observing foreign magical practices might be worthwhile—if nothing else arises during that time."
"Minister Fudge likely invited you already. My father's decided to go," Loki said matter-of-factly. "The real purpose of the World Cup is international magical exchange. Quidditch is secondary. There's also a fair share of behind-the-scenes manipulation."
Thor nodded in agreement. "I've attended several times. The merchandise and pre-game performances are the highlights. The matches themselves are rather dull."
"Too many spoilers!" Lillian protested, wrinkling her nose.
As the train sped through the countryside, the scenery blurred by. Overhead, a dark speck descended—a pure white sea eagle carrying a letter landed by the window.
Augustus opened the envelope curiously. It bore his father's name.
"To Augustus Clovey:I hope this letter reaches you before you disembark. Your mother and I cannot meet you at the station. We are currently in Rome, just another stop in our world tour. We likely won't return before the end of the holiday. We've left ample funds at home for your expenses. Apologies for not informing you earlier. Please take care of yourself.
Best regards."
Augustus sighed, shaking his head. His parents were as carefree as ever—no warning, just sudden departures. It seemed his days of solitude were about to begin.
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