A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

"After the ceremony," Felix shook his head.

As the group entered the Ministry of Magic through the red telephone booth, many staff members silently acknowledged their presence. But soon, a group of Aurors approached, escorting them to a massive conference room.

Harry felt like a closely guarded prisoner being moved from one place to another. Looking at Ron and Hermione's uneasy expressions, it seemed they felt the same.

The room was dimly lit, filled with people, the atmosphere grave and solemn. It reminded Harry of the scenes he'd seen in the Pensieve during Crouch's trial, with a pounding heart.

He heard Ron and Hermione gasp.

"We'll sit up front," Felix said, his hand on Harry's shoulder, leading them to seats in the front row of the dais.

Flashes lit up the corners, making Harry squint. From below, he spotted the distinct figure of Rita Skeeter, clad strangely, chewing on a prominent quill, her gaze fixed intensely on them.

"Quick, take the picture! This is headline material," she said.

The room buzzed with discussion, leaving Harry feeling like an animal in a zoo, inexplicably observed by the crowd.

"Alright, let's begin," Madam Bones announced loudly, "Esteemed guests, today we'll witness a special ceremony. In these times, unity and belief are more crucial than ever..."

Madam Bones had become rather verbose as Minister—Felix's thought. He stared at the talkative Madam Bones, acknowledging the necessity of her approach, at least for maintaining stability.

"...to instill confidence and courage... we already have role models... displaying unwavering determination... no need for fear..."

The flashes below seemed like a continuous stream, dizzying. It wasn't until noon that the entire ceremony concluded.

"I've got the Merlin Medal?" Ron exclaimed incredulously, examining the medal repeatedly.

Felix also looked at his gold medal, similar to the previous one but with a green ribbon, signifying a first-class honor.

Then, Madam Bones led them to the Minister's office, casually drawing the curtains shut.

Dumbledore arrived, and Harry was eager to ask, but Madam Bones stopped him. "Wait until everyone's here." They anxiously waited; a minute felt like tenfold. Harry even doubted if he was in Professor Snape's pensieve. Finally, Kingsley and Sirius cautiously entered through a side door.

Sirius gestured smoothly, "No one noticed."

Only then did Madam Bones start, explaining the entire action plan—

"A decoy?" all three exclaimed.

"Exactly. The Death Eaters have been inactive. I think it's necessary to test once. This ceremony is a good chance for them. Usually, they can't catch anyone, and it'll be even harder for you once you're back at school," Madam Bones said.

"What do we need to do?" Harry asked.

Sirius stepped aside, and on the table were three glasses of bubbling potion.

"Quite simple. We'll wear your faces and take a stroll outside."

"What about us?" Harry inquired, with Ron and Hermione also staring intently at the adults.

"Stay here until it's done," Sirius said expressionlessly.

Convincing Harry took some time, but they succeeded. Kingsley, Sirius, and Madam Bones drank the potion infused with strands of their hair, then hid in a small compartment. Shortly after, stifled painful groans emanated from inside. When the noises ceased, they staggered out.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched their 'selves' across, observing them adjust to the new bodies, a feeling of peculiar strangeness overwhelming them—100 times stranger than when they disguised as Crabbe and Goyle in their second year.

'Harry' kept taking off and putting on glasses, murmuring, "This is what James feels like."

"Don't play, Sirius," 'Hermione' said, turning to the real Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Your families have also been replaced, impersonated by Aurors and Order members."

Impersonating Harry, Sirius said, "We're a group of imposters pretending to celebrate a birthday in a shabby place. Mr. Weasley wanted to try Muggle transportation, so he rented two cars..."

'Ron,' freckled and silent, was actually Kingsley.

"What about Professor Dumbledore and Professor Lupin?" Harry blinked, asking slowly.

"Ah, I'll show up in Diagon Alley, pretend to use the public fireplace to return to school... but actually come back quietly and stay hidden," Dumbledore said with interest. "It's been a while since I've experienced something like this."

The real Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at Felix.

Felix shrugged. "I'll stay here, nowhere else. Someone's got to keep an eye on you." He gestured toward the roaring fireplace. "If there's a fight, I'll leave through the fireplace first and head to the battlefield."

"Alright, we've delayed enough. If we stay longer, the Death Eaters might grow suspicious," 'Hermione' said authoritatively. "Let's go. The riskiest part of this plan is that we have to fend off the first wave of attacks from the Voldemort ourselves, but thankfully, we're prepared."

Watching the other 'her' giving orders, the real Hermione couldn't help but stare in amazement. Soon, they all left the room. Harry heard Dumbledore's gentle voice from outside the office door, "Madam Bones, I'll head back to the school now; there's a heap of matters to attend to."

He paused for a few seconds, nodded slightly, feigning the presence of someone inside, and closed the door from the outside.

"Stay a while," Felix said to the three, seating himself on the sofa, toying with a coin at his fingertips.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances, hesitantly sitting opposite Felix.

"Professor," Hermione asked softly, "Will the plan work?"

"It depends on how you define success. It's like a game of chess; we make a move, wait for the opponent's response, and the result may not be what you initially expected," Felix said. "But it's indeed an opportunity. By making a big spectacle here, the Death Eaters are bound to get wind of it, and you—" he glanced at Harry, "or rather, all of you—" his gaze swept over Ron and Hermione, "making Voldemort lose face, disrupting the ceremony, he'd surely want to deal with you."

"On the contrary, if the Death Eaters don't show up, that's troublesome."

"Why do you say that?" Hermione asked.

"It means Voldemort has his own secret plan, and none of us, including the Death Eaters, are aware of it," Felix said softly.

>

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