Time slipped by like a silver arrow, and before anyone knew it, Easter break was nearly upon them.
While most of Hogwarts basked in the school's usual hum, time showed no mercy—especially for the fifth and seventh years. For them, the days seemed to vanish in a blur of anxiety and mounting pressure. With less than two months until the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, panic usually didn't set in until the week before exams. But this year, everything was different.
The new Chamber Challenge training, after being trialed by the best of each year, now focused squarely on the fifth and seventh years. Not only did they have to prepare for their exams, but they also had to contend with the professors' ever-evolving, often bizarre ideas—each challenge unique, unpredictable, and exhausting.
It forced everyone to go beyond the textbooks, scrambling for any edge or skill that might help them survive. Some seventh years even joined the Gale Sword Society in hopes of picking up a few physical combat tricks.
This unexpected demand gave the goblin smithies—long on the verge of extinction in the wizarding world—a sudden revival. Some goblins were even considering approaching Hogwarts to reclaim the Sword of Gryffindor, insisting it was time to choose the sword's next true bearer.
On Douglas Holmes's suggestion, the Charon Detective Society decided to organize a special field trip for the Easter holidays: a collective pilgrimage to Godric's Hollow.
Harry gathered every member of the society, even roping in Draco from Slytherin. Looking more than a little embarrassed, he read out the speech prepared by his cousin:
Esteemed Society Members:
With the highest respect, I invite you to join our upcoming Heroes' Memorial event. This is not only a journey through history and a tribute to our heroes, but also a celebration of our love for the wizarding world. Together, we will study the great deeds of those who came before us, draw inspiration from their courage, and use their legacy to ignite our own sense of justice and strengthen our ideals. Let us honor them through our actions—learn from them, and pay them the tribute they deserve!
Event Details:
Participants will gather aboard the Hogwarts Express at the start of the holiday. Upon arrival at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, we'll board a Muggle bus—kindly sponsored by Justin Finch-Fletchley's family—for the journey to Godric's Hollow.
Headmaster Dumbledore has already secured approval from the Ministry of Magic, and Mr. Sirius Black will serve as our guide and security advisor.
Our journey will take us through Muggle towns, just as the ancient wizards once did—seeking the wizarding world hidden within the Muggle one…
Finally, participation is limited to members of the Detective Society and the Gale Sword Society. We hope everyone will join us with enthusiasm!
At first, the Ministry of Magic was dead set against the idea—especially Minister Cornelius Fudge, who insisted that under his leadership, the British wizarding world was perfectly peaceful. Allowing students to commemorate the fallen, especially after the past two years of Hogwarts chaos, might shatter that hard-won peace and shift public favor toward Dumbledore.
But Douglas simply published the proposal in the newspaper, framing it as a call for public input—while slyly suggesting the Ministry was reluctant to acknowledge the sacrifices of the past.
The response was immediate and overwhelming. Both Hogwarts and the Ministry were flooded with owl post. Aside from a handful of letters expressing concern, the vast majority were in favor. Some parents even argued that every student should visit the memorial.
After all, things had been tranquil for years—but if another Dark Lord ever rose, the wizarding world would be thrown into chaos again. Instilling values of peace and unity in young witches and wizards was more important than ever.
One particularly bold parent even sent a Howler that exploded in the Great Hall at dinner, bellowing at the Slytherin table: "Why aren't you volunteering to go?!"
The controversy only grew, with some voices outside the school turning their attention to Death Eaters who'd escaped justice. If they refused to speak up now, it was as if they still longed for the days of Voldemort. This pressure was enough to make them fall silent on the subject.
In the end, Sirius Black made a grand gesture, donating a hefty sum of Galleons to the Ministry to cover the official costs and holiday overtime for Ministry staff.
With that, Fudge signed the approval with a forced smile, assigning several Aurors who'd once hunted Death Eaters to serve as official representatives and deliver speeches at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Rufus Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Office, quietly dispatched a team of Aurors—hoping the event might provide the perfect chance to finally catch the fugitive Peter Pettigrew.
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