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"Well, you came all the way here to ask me what I intend to do about this whole disaster, and I've already given you my answer," I said, pulling Sirius and Nick out of their thoughts.
"But you know something? I think you two should be worrying about another wizard… or rather, wizards and witches."
Hearing that, they both looked at each other with the same confused look.
Ignoring their confusion, I continued:
"In fact, they're also of interest to me. And they're even more important to me than finding out what Voldemort and his loyal little dogs are planning."
"More important than Voldemort and the Death Eaters?" Sirius looked at me, somewhat skeptical. "And who exactly would those witches and wizards be?"
"The people of wizarding britain, of course..." I replied with a small shrug. "And to be more precise, their opinion is what matters."
"Oh, and tell me… why would the opinion of these people be more important than knowing what the maniacal, insane, bloodthirsty Dark Lord is planning?" he asked sarcastically.
"I don't know, maybe because it's those people who influence most of the decisions the Ministry of Magic makes regarding the wizarding community?" I shot back, even more sarcastically.
"You're giving their opinion more importance than they deserve, Ethan," Sirius scoffed disdainfully, crossing his arms. "You may not know because you weren't born back then, but it was because of the population's inactivity, cowardice and fear that the Dark Lord rose to power in the first war."
"And that's exactly my point!" I said, staring at Sirius seriously. "Now that a possible second war is on the way, we need to be very careful about what the witches and wizards of Britain think."
"If we can influence public opinion in our favor, it'll be much easier to fight Voldemort when he starts his attacks… and if not, then at least they won't get in the way as much as last time."
Hearing my explanation, Sirius furrowed his brow. He began thinking over what I had said… and reluctantly admitted to himself that I might have a point.
"Hmm, I see what you're trying to say," Nick murmured, stroking his goatee, thoughtful.
He then looked at me, a glint of understanding in his eyes. "That's why you made that whole show on the Quidditch pitch, isn't it?"
"Yes," I answered with a nod. "I knew Fudge would try to hide the truth or invent some story to cover up the situation, so I decided to tell everyone myself what happened in that graveyard."
"Besides that, I'm sure many of the people in the stands must have noticed the absence of certain witches and wizards with… let's say… a rather questionable history."
"That alone should already raise suspicion about them. Especially now, with the revelation that the Death Eaters were gathering again."
"So even those who didn't believe what I said will stay cautious and alert… enough to pressure the Ministry for answers."
Finishing speaking, I looked at the two wizards sitting with me. They were silent, and I could see they were both staring at me with slightly widened eyes.
"Looks like we worried for nothing… seems you already had everything planned out," the immortal said, impressed.
In response, I only smiled mischievously.
'Oh Nick, you have no idea…' I thought, knowing this was the result of more than five years of planning.
"Uh, speaking of the absence of certain dark-history wizards… I just realized something," Sirius suddenly said, a thoughtful look on his face.
Turning to him, Nick and I raised an eyebrow, giving him a look that basically meant 'What?'.
Seeing this, he decided to answer our unspoken question.
"Well, I can't say I'm the most observant guy in the world… and I also didn't actively look for them in the stands," Sirius began, "but I don't remember seeing any member of the Macnair family present to watch the tournament."
Hearing his answer, I blinked.
I expected him to talk about Voldemort, the Ministry, or even the man he despised most, Severus Snape.
But instead, he brought up the Macnairs — a family whose downfall was only a matter of time, given their circumstances.
And I had no idea why he seemed to think that information was important or even remotely relevant at the moment.
"Okay, but so what?" I asked, genuinely confused.
And before he could answer, I continued:
"Look, the Triwizard Tournament was a very important event this year, sure, but that doesn't mean everyone cares about it."
"Besides, I'm sure the Macnairs weren't the only ones who didn't show up today, so what difference does it make that they weren't present?"
"Yes, that's true…" Sirius admitted. "And, actually, the Macnairs always kept their distance from these types of events. So it's not really a surprise that none of them came today."
"But the fact that Walden's family wasn't there means they still don't know about the death of their family head."
"Not that it matters much, since they'll probably be informed by the Ministry. And even if the Ministry doesn't inform them, tomorrow morning, when the newspapers reach their homes, everyone will learn what happened to Walden."
"But what I'm trying to say is that when his family learns of his death, they will definitely be shocked and shaken."
"And beyond that, they'll be furious and enraged… and they will certainly want revenge."
"So prepare yourself, Ethan, because at some point, they will act against you," he warned, now with a completely serious expression.
Showing no sign of concern, I nodded. "I know."
"In fact, I could have simply left Macnair's head in the graveyard, but I wanted to bring it with me… not only as proof, but also as a warning," I said calmly.
"A warning? What kind?" Nick asked, curious.
A small wild smile appeared on my face. "That I'm not someone they should mess with."
"I want all those supremacist, arrogant, foolish families to realize that they're not as untouchable as they think. And I want them to know there is someone who won't hold back when dealing with them," I said, in a dangerous and undeniably threatening tone.
"Ethan… you're talking about provoking the oldest and most powerful families in the country," Nick reminded me, somewhat worried.
"Yeah, and just like you said yourself, they're arrogant and foolish, so you should know that this warning of yours won't stop them or scare them," Sirius said, grimacing. "In fact, it will probably only make them even angrier."
"Well, I hope so," I replied naturally. "Because if they really try something against me, then I'll have a completely justifiable reason to retaliate."
"And the only thing I can say is: If they don't bring the fight to me, then I will bring it to them."
As soon as they heard that, the two wizards blinked, stunned by my boldness and arrogance.
They weren't expecting that instead of thinking about hiding or protecting myself from the Death Eaters, I was actually thinking of actively seeking them out to fight them.
"Hah!" once he recovered from the initial shock, Sirius let out a booming laugh. "Now that's a real wizard talking!"
"And now I can say with absolute certainty… you may wear the clothes and colors of Ravenclaw, but deep down you're a complete Gryffindor!" he said, looking at me with a proud smile.
"Hey, don't lump me in with that group of loud hot-heads," I pointed a finger at him. "I may have courage and bravery, but everything else is intelligence, common sense, and an incredibly handsome face — completely different from you brutes."
"Whatever you say, our amazing book-lion," Sirius waved dismissively, still grinning widely.
And in the chest of that man who had once been broken and depressed, something rekindled.
A feeling of anticipation and excitement rose inside him… along with the Black family's lust for battle that ran through his blood.
Watching the excitement of the two adrenaline junkies in front of him, Nick could only shake his head helplessly.
'Sigh… It seems things are going to get much more chaotic from now on,' he thought, torn between his worry for me and the pride he felt.
Even though he found my decision risky — and honestly, a bit insane — he couldn't deny that there was some merit to it.
In wars, being the side that only defended, always letting the enemy make the first move, rarely ended well.
Taking the initiative, on the other hand, could change that outcome.
Of course, it was dangerous and possibly deadly… but in a way, it was also our best choice.
'Well… in any case, I've spent too many years just relaxing and hiding from the world. And I'm also tired of living the same calm and simple days, almost tedious, over and over' he admitted to himself.
'So I think it might be time to spice things up a little… and what better way to do that than by joining a war?' he smiled, making his own decision with a determined glint in his eyes.
In that moment, this man who had been practically a pacifist for most of his life felt his "old" heart begin to beat strongly.
And he finally understood.
Right then and there, he understood exactly what Sirius and I were feeling.
End.
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