While one end of Britain ushered in chaos, the tranquil halls of Hogwarts faced some disturbances. Harry Potter had just gone for a night out with his newly acquired Christmas present, the invisibility cloak.
During his clandestine explorations, Harry encountered Filch and ended up discovering the Mirror of Erised.
A day went by, bringing the end of the Christmas break, and by now, the ministry had locked in for the search for Gabrielle Lestrange. Fudge's requirement for a scapegoat had been gratified by the presence of the Lestranges.
The Daily Prophet sales soared as British wizarding world's curiosity grew.
Mysterious Killing Shocks the Wizarding World (Rita Skeeter)
The Ministry's Department of Magical Law and Enforcement, combined with the Department of Mysteries, conducted a full-body autopsy report, revealing signs of unnatural decay and damage. This likely means that the culprit has used a form of really ancient and volatile magic. During the incident, few claim to have seen a masked figure flee. Was the figure really Gabrielle, or is the new minister of magic merely trying to paint another picture?
The return to Hogwarts after the holidays was uneventful, aside from the murmurs of the growing unrest in the wizarding world. The Daily Prophet continued its coverage of the Gabrielle Lestrange situation, but inside Hogwarts, life moved on as usual.
"Slytherin versus Ravenclaw's coming up," Draco said over breakfast, looking up from his schedule. "We're winning this one. Their chasers are terrible."
"You're overconfident," Theodore Nott muttered. "Cho Chang's quite decent."
Adrian, seated across from them, wasn't paying much attention to the conversation. He was more focused on his upcoming plans. Solaria had been growing more responsive, and he had decided it was time to start combat training in the Room of Requirement. He hadn't told anyone, as the fewer people knew, the better.
"How's the new shop thing doing?" Daphne asked, sitting beside him.
"Fine, just something I did during the holidays." Adrian replied.
Adrian did not want to reveal anything about the Tempest, just not yet. It would be launched within two days.
Daphne nodded, glancing at him. "You've been more distant since the holidays. Something on your mind?"
The conversation shifted back to Quidditch. The Slytherin-Ravenclaw match played out just as expected. Draco's confidence wasn't misplaced as Slytherin won without much trouble, though Ravenclaw put up a decent fight. Cho Chang was good, but it wasn't enough.
After the match, Adrian spent most of his time between classes and occasional meetings with his usual group. Daphne had begun asking more questions about his time away from the common room, but he brushed them off. Felix and Theodore, on the other hand, were too caught up in Quidditch talks to notice much.
The more talked-about game was Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. The moment it was announced that Snape would be refereeing, the entire school started whispering.
"Potter's going to have a nightmare," Draco said.
"It's a disgrace, really," Terry Boot commented from the Ravenclaw table. "A head of house refereeing a match where his rival house is playing? Completely biased."
Adrian wasn't particularly invested in the outcome, but it was amusing to watch the reactions. On the day of the match, Snape's favoritism was painfully obvious. Every foul committed by Gryffindor was called out, while Hufflepuff's aggressive plays were ignored. The entire school could see it, but there was nothing they could do.
"Did you see that? That was clearly a foul!" one of the Gryffindors yelled from the stands.
Despite Snape's interference, Potter managed to catch the Snitch, much to the collective shock of everyone. Gryffindor won, but the victory felt sour with the controversy surrounding it.
"Snape should have hexed him midair," Felix said as they walked back from the match.
"I am going to try out next year, and we will win for sure." Adrian confidently replied.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore had finally spoken to Potter about the Mirror of Erised.
"He told us not to go looking for it again," Potter told Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. "Said it's dangerous."
"That means you're absolutely going to look for it again," Hermione persisted.
"No, actually," Potter said, frowning. "He looked serious. I don't know… I feel like there's something more to it."
Adrian ignored the conversation, and after dinner, he made his way to the Room of Requirement, where Evanna was waiting.
"Are you really going to train Solaria?" she asked.
"I have also wanted to train my Nekomata, but I will do it once she is older," sighed Evanna.
The door opened, and Adrian stepped inside. It was time to begin.
The room adjusted itself, forming a wide, open space with various dummies scattered around. Solaria perched on Adrian's shoulder, letting out a soft cry as she scanned the area.
"Alright," Adrian murmured, extending his arm. "Let's start simple. Aim for that dummy and give it a light burn."
Solaria flapped her wings, and with a swift movement, a burst of golden flames shot forward, hitting the dummy squarely in the chest. It smoldered for a moment before vanishing into ashes.
Evanna raised a brow. "That was light?"
Adrian smirked. "She's holding back."
Over the next hour, they worked through several exercises, testing Solaria's speed, precision, and defensive capabilities. The Ho-Oh moved with a grace unmatched by any ordinary bird, weaving through the air effortlessly. By the end of the session, Adrian felt more confident than ever.
As they exited the Room of Requirement, Evanna glanced at him. "That bird is overpowered."
The rest of the night passed quietly, but Adrian's mind was already on the next steps. Training was only the beginning.