Hogwarts: Era of Darkness

This time around, the two schools arrived at the same time, traveling side by side, coming not with a ship or with a carriage drawn by dragons but by using a portkey. It was much more straightforward, less flashy, and without any display of power that would be easily mistaken as an attempt to overwhelm anybody with their entrance. It was their way of showing that they were taking this seriously as an opportunity and not as a challenge.

Of course, the real talks wouldn't start until the second day. The first one was all about arriving, meeting, sweet-talking, and having dinner in the Great Hall of the school. Only a few students were accompanying their Headmasters from both schools for this event, which was logical; to be honest, I was surprised that there was even one who was brought over. But it made sense very quickly.

At the dinner, where many others were also invited to meet and greet the guests, I saw Hermione welcome some of the Beauxbatons, probably old friends from school. At least, it told me that Hermione valued friendships over public perception because I was sure that Dumbledore's journalists would use it to support the rumors that she was being paid by them behind the scenes.

However, she wasn't the only one who had met with familiar faces as we also watched students from Durmstrang emerge behind their leader. Few of them were the same who worked against us when we masqueraded as siblings, and of course, there was Dimitris. Because it was only he who knew our actual appearance, it was only him who looked towards us, barely able to hold back his smiles. Yet, he matured a lot because he didn't betray anything and kept walking beside the new Headmaster of Durmstrang, Zevron.

I knew not much about him, nor did I really care. If they chose him, there had to be a reason, and I trusted that they wouldn't screw it up, not after everything that happened there. Plus... I think Dimitris would have already contacted us if they had made the wrong decision and put another dark wizard at the helm of their school.

The dinner itself was just as enjoyable as most feasts despite the boring part happening from start to finish. What I mean by it is the speeches from the Headmasters. I thought it would be interesting, but both Zevron and Flamel spoke about the past decade's horrors and Voldemort's dark shadow, drawing parallels between his reign and Grindelwald and then speaking about a much brighter future. About cooperation, peace, and sunshine. The usual, so they very quickly lost my interest. So, instead of staying for dessert and listening to Dumbledore standing up and giving a similar sermon filled with twisted truths and half-lies, we stood up and left.

It didn't take long for a third person to catch up with us, finding me and my wife sitting on a stone bench, facing the sparkling silver lake thanks to the full moon's light.

"Conrad! Quincy!" He shouted, making us smile and stand back up, hugging Dimitris, who almost jumped on us like an overexcited puppy. "It is so good to see you again!"

"Same, same! How are things? You look much better! Wait, you grew a few inches, didn't you?"

"Maybe!" He grinned, sitting back down with us, "Many things happened, and right now, I am the First Student in the school leading the Student Council!"

"Wait, the what?" Quincy giggled, listening to him curiously.

"We established a Student Council composed of the top male and female students of each year, and we are organizing the different families, bloodlines, and talents to ensure the peace is not disturbed. We are also the body that translates between the teachers, students, and their families! It is a lot of work, but it is also fun!"

"Damn, you became really busy and famous, eh?" I joked, elbowing him.

"Busy? Oh, for sure! I was already on three trips to Beauxbatons, establishing an exchange student missive that helped us strengthen our bonds. We hope to appoint one with Hogwarts, too!"

"Who knows? First, we need to get through the first hurdle." I answered with a shrug, making him look around and turning his tone down to something much more silent. I appreciated it, but Quincy had already cast a spell that would muffle our words to prying ears wanting to listen in.

"True enough... I got your letters and brought up the issue within the school. I know that the new Headmaster agrees with my notion that things need to change."

"Speaking of Zevron, who is he? Or, what kind of person he is?"

"He is excellent! He comes from a relatively new wizarding family, only four generations old, but they seriously contributed to Durmstrang and its improvements, not just now but in the past, too! The best part is that he didn't want the post at first but got voted in by everyone else."

"He didn't want to be your Headmaster?" I asked, finding it surprising.

"Yeah! So, he also employs aides from the Durmstrang staff and openly discusses everything with them. When I brought up the issue of the Elder Wand, we had a long discussion and then a public forum before deciding that it is indeed a dangerous artifact that either needs to be destroyed or buried forever."

"That sounds good." Quincy whispered, making me nod because it was exactly what I was hoping for. The only part that made me unsure was the Beauxbatons' stance. "Did you manage to talk with Flamel?" she continued her question.

"I was not there, but yeah, the Headmaster did visit them multiple times. His retellings were about that Flamel will consider the issue, but we think he knew about it beforehand."

"I am sure of that." I exclaimed, leaning back, crossing my hands, "The question is, how much he knew or how much he cared."

"Or how much he cares now!" Quincy added.

"Well!" I shrugged, stretching, "We will see tomorrow! Let's discuss it then. For now, why not join us at our tent, Dimitris? We can have tea and talk about what happened since we separated!"

"Oh, that sounds excellent! Let's go!" He laughed, standing up, truly happy to see us again, and we felt the same way.

...

When the second day arrived, there was news that the first half of the open forum would be held in the Great Hall. It was there, on the teachers' podium, where the three Headmasters would discuss the future of the schools and, in turn, the Wizarding World's next generation. The very first half of it went surprisingly well, going from morning up to lunch, but when afternoon came, it was time for the real deal.

"I am glad that we all agree that the future is in our younger generation. It is in cooperation and in the fact that we need to learn from the past to avoid repeating its mistakes." Zevron spoke, addressing the crowd and the headmasters. "As Headmaster Flamel explained in his speech a few hours ago, history tends to repeat itself when it is forgotten."

"I have to admit, he speaks well." I whispered to Quincy while the crowd, including us, clapped and waited for him to continue.

"Many of us know the old tale," Zevron continued, and while I watched Dumbledore, he seemed to remain calm and collected, probably expecting this from the start. "of three ancient artifacts. We read that tale to our kids and even heard it recounted by my grandmother many times when I was little. It turns out that it isn't just a kids' story. Is it Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"No, it isn't." He nodded when Zevron looked at him.

"I am right to assume you have it with you right now?"

"You are."

"Can you enlighten us of its origin?"

"..." When he remained silent, Zevron didn't wait for long, continuing as if nothing had happened.

"Wasn't it wielded by Gellert Grindelwald before his defeat at your hands?"

"It was." He answered plainly, his face remaining emotionless, yet before Zevron could say anything, he continued, "Meaning that the Elder Wand can be defeated by any regular, talented wizard. It is just a wand, after all."

"That is said to have a will of its own, always choosing the better wizard." Flamel added, finally making Dumbledore look at him, and I could feel he just determined that his old friend was no longer a friend.

"What should we do?" Dumbledore asked in a monotone voice, "Share it? I am open to your suggestions, old friend."

"Destroy it." Flamel declared while standing up. "There are things in this world that need not exist!" and with that, he placed his Philosopher's Stone on the podium set up in the middle. "Just like my stone, your wand is too dangerous. They need to be destroyed."

I think nobody expected such a resolve, not even we. Flamel wasn't playing around; he was announcing that he would give up his own life. But... as I looked at Dumbledore, the light I saw flash in his eyes made my stomach drop. I could envision him raising his hand, attacking them, taking the stone, and escaping... Yet, that didn't happen. Ultimately, he blinked his aged eyes as the emotions I could read from his face disappeared in a flash.

"Let's arrange it then," he said, standing up and producing his wand, which he placed on the pedestal next to the Philosopher's Stone. "For the Greater Good."