Chapter 456 Begin

The end-of-term banquet is coming as scheduled. There is a banquet on the last day of every school year, which can be regarded as a kind of celebration. The winner of the Academy Championship Cup will also be announced.

Sitting in the auditorium, Ada suddenly realized that this school year, she had never seemed to pay attention to the college points, and she had no interest in the ownership of the college cup. So does everyone else around me.

At this time in previous years, the auditorium would be hung with the flags and banners of the winning college of the previous year, which would then be replaced after the new champion college was announced.

However, there were no Gryffindor decorations in this year's auditorium. There were no banners or flags, and the entire auditorium seemed a bit empty.

The real Mad-Eye Moody now sat at the staff table, under the care of Madam Pomfrey. His physical condition was much better, but his mental condition was still not good.

This will probably take a long time to heal.

Ms. Maxim sat next to Hagrid, and the two of them were whispering something. Judging from the look on Ms. Maxim's face, the two of them seemed to be flirting.

Snape was still sitting in his seat, and his face looked much better, not as pale as before. Snape also realized that Ada was looking at him, and their eyes instantly separated.

There was a distant look in his eyes, and there seemed to be a hint of disgust.

Ada didn't know why Snape's eyes changed like this, but she remembered Dumbledore's advice and always believed in Severus Snape.

The auditorium was buzzing with cups and plates, and Dumbledore suddenly stood up from the teacher's chair. The students who were noisy just now suddenly became quiet and looked at Dumbledore.

"Another year," Dumbledore said, looking at everyone. "It's over." He stopped talking and looked at the long tables one after another.

Students from Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons all listened attentively. Everyone felt that Dumbledore might have to explain the third project.

"I have much to say to all of you tonight," said Dumbledore, "but first allow me to tell something from the past."

"Many, many years ago, there was a boy sitting here just like you, enjoying this end-of-year dinner. He was a student at Hogwarts. He studied, lived, and grew up here... He was a prefect and a Head Boy, he was loved and respected by many. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

The students were confused. They didn't know who the Tom Riddle was that the principal mentioned, and they didn't know why the principal suddenly mentioned him. Only a few students know this name.

"Later, Tom Riddle graduated with very good results. He was not able to stay in school to teach as he had hoped, nor was he able to enter the Ministry of Magic as people expected, although he received multiple job invitations. Later , he traveled around and disappeared for a long time.”

Ada raised her head and looked at Dumbledore. She understood Dumbledore's intention.

The principal will tell the truth about Voldemort's return at tonight's banquet. Dumbledore wants to tell everyone that Voldemort, like everyone else, is not an invincible monster through Voldemort's past.

Peeling away the layers of disguise and veil, Voldemort is also a human being and a student who graduated from Hogwarts. He is just Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Dumbledore continued: "Many years later, Tom returned to the school and once again asked to be a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I rejected his application. I know what he did during the time he disappeared. He returned to the school to teach. It’s just to recruit more followers.”

"After that, Tom recruited party members and gathered a large number of followers. He and his followers used various means of coercion and inducement to strengthen themselves, and gradually openly committed violence, killings and spreading panic."

The students in the auditorium have gradually realized what happened, and many people began to feel uneasy and frightened.

The younger students here have not experienced those dark years, and even senior students like Ada may not have the memories of those years.

But the fear of Voldemort was rooted in his bones and flowed through his veins. Although no one knew how powerful Voldemort was, the fear of him still made the students tremble and tremble unconsciously.

"His followers called themselves Death Eaters, and he called himself Voldemort."

Before the words could even be said, there was a sound of inhalation in the auditorium, and the sounds of cups, plates, knives and forks falling. Even Gryffindor, who is famous for their bravery, is like this, and the situation on the Slytherin side is not much better.

"In 1981, at the peak of his power, Tom attacked a student here."

Everyone in the auditorium looked at Harry, and Dumbledore continued: "Tom failed. He lost his body and his magic power. The war that lasted for many years is over, and people celebrate the victory. The student who was attacked is known as the 'Boy Who Lived'."

The students collectively breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had returned to that night in 1981, but Dumbledore did not stop talking.

Dumbledore said in a heavy voice: "The Ministry of Magic doesn't want me to tell you this, but I think you have the right to know the truth. Telling the truth is always better than lying."

"Tom Riddle is back, Voldemort is back, on the night of Project Three, in Little Hangleton."

Nervous murmurs filled the auditorium. Everyone stared at Dumbledore in horror and disbelief. Therefore, Dumbledore stopped the game because the mysterious man came back, and the fire in Little Hangleton was also caused by the mysterious man...

How can this be?

The mutterings of the students gradually fell silent. Most of them, like Fudge, did not believe that Voldemort was back. I can't believe it, and I don't want to believe it.

And Dumbledore doesn't have enough evidence to prove that Voldemort is back, does he?

Ada's eyes were still on Dumbledore. Although the principal had not mentioned the outcome of that night's conversation before, judging from the report in the Daily Prophet, Dumbledore failed to convince Fudge.

Tonight, in front of the students, Dumbledore told the truth. Is he ready to withstand the dual pressure of Voldemort and the Ministry of Magic at the same time?

Dumbledore was still talking above, saying words to unite everyone and trust each other, but the students were a little distracted. Ada also withdrew her gaze and turned to look at the Slytherin table.

Cody Avery, he was talking in a low voice with the students next to him. One of the Death Eaters who appeared in the cemetery was named Avery.

Draco Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle sat together, neither speaking nor looking at Dumbledore. The fathers of all three of them appeared in the cemetery, and Ada almost burned Crabbe and Goyle's father to death.

Theodore Nott, a tall, thin boy with buck teeth, and his father also appeared at the cemetery that night.

Their grandparents and fathers have already made choices for them, and the family education and concepts they have received have also made choices for them. Just like in the Chamber of Secrets year, weren't the Slytherin students just watching the joke?

You're next... wasn't the word Draco Malfoy didn't say the mudblood?

Withdrawing her gaze again, Ada lowered her head and did not look at anyone in the auditorium.

Dumbledore's speech hoped that everyone would abandon their prejudices, unite, and jointly resist Voldemort, but the principal's idea was destined to fail. There has long been a split within Hogwarts, and this split has existed for far longer than Voldemort has existed.

The holidays are about to begin, and Voldemort is hiding, and there is no telling what kind of back-up plan there will be, which is worrying; Dumbledore's blunt statement, what will be the reaction of the Ministry of Magic, which wants to hide the truth?

The war has really begun, a war with enemies from both sides.

Suddenly, Ada felt someone tapping her shoulder. When Ada came back to her senses, she noticed that students began to leave their seats and walk out of the auditorium.

Fred and George did not leave. The two brothers stood beside her, their smiles brighter than the summer sun.