Hogwarts: Era of Darkness

In the chateau of the Beauxbatons, their Headmaster, Nicolas Flamel, was standing in his study, looking out the double-sided windows, watching the snowfall and his old school facility where he also once became a fully-fledged wizard. Just a day ago, a delegation from Durmstrang arrived, currently enjoying his hospitality as the two schools were discussing their future and debating over their subsequent actions, considering the happenings within Britain and how they should react to it.

Even though he knew about the change within Durmstrang's leadership, seeing it first-hand was not something that could be taken in so easily and readily. Yet, it was a welcomed change, something that also made Flamel think of his next steps. He was well aware of his old friend and his obsession that had reared its head in the past decade or so. Yet, despite it all, he decided to help him.

It was not the first time that Flamel saw dark wizards rise and grab for power, and it wasn't even Grindelwald who he would consider the worst. He was only the first to take it to a never-before-seen level, taking advantage of the fact the world became so connected through the centuries. Yet dark times like this were always present, and they weren't something that could be eradicated. Not in the past, not now, and not in the future. It was a cycle he had seen many times being repeated, and right now, he knew that they had already stepped into the last phase of the current era.

"It is time to take a step back and let it play out by itself." He mumbled, deciding to agree with Durmstrang and their delegation, stopping his support of the Order, letting them and the Death Eaters determine who comes out on top. After that, he will have time to decide what to do next and prevent it from becoming another global issue.

Amidst his thoughts, a knock interrupted him as Professor Michelle, an experienced old witch, strode in, wearing an emerald robe.

"Sorry for the interruption, Headmaster, but we have a returning student. You did tell us to warn you if she reappears."

"Ah, yes. Young Hermione, yes?" He asked, turning back toward Michelle.

"Yes. She also wishes to meet with you. For now, she has been let back into her old dormitory… but…"

"She has been coercing students to a new cause?"

"Affirmative, Headmaster. Mainly refugees from Britain."

"Let her be. It is their right to decide what to do, and if they go, let them leave."

"Many of the staff will be delighted to hear." She smiled, making Flamel shake his head. He knew that many of the teachers were annoyed by the fact that a handful of students were enjoying special treatment and weren't even forced to learn French.

"I know. I will meet with Young Hermione tomorrow. I will signal when I'm ready, bring her to me, and then we will speak privately.

"What about the man who came with her?"

"Man? What's his name?"

“It is Krum. Victor Krum, from Durmstrang.”

"I see. Well, his old friends are also here, so let them meet. I am curious what it would lead to."

"Understood, Headmaster." Michelle bowed, closing the door as she left, making Flamel think again, deciding to let his thoughts marinate for a little while before meeting with Hermione, wanting to organize every possibility within his mind for his next step.

…
….
……

"Krum? It is you!"

"Hm? Dimitris?" Krum turned around after hearing the shout while walking with Hermione, heading towards the library. They wanted to pass the time there until the time arrived to go to bed and meet the Headmaster the following day.

"You know him?" Hermione asked, curious.

"Um. He was a student. Bright but… unique. Bullied."

"Hmmm… I see."

"It is good to see you!" He smiled, laughing, finally catching up and shaking his hands, "I heard from Conrad you were fine!"

"What?" The two asked, making Dimitris realize what he had blurted out without thinking. He looked around hurriedly and giggled with a sheepish look.

"Oops… Um… Can we get to somewhere private?"

Of course, after hearing something like that, there was no chance they would say no to his request. Ultimately, they entered the hedge maze in the middle of the central garden, finding its middle and sitting down in the gazebo there. When Dimitris made sure there was nobody else listening in, he quickly told them everything that happened; being so fired up to finally be able to share it, he failed to notice the sudden changes within Krum's face.

Unlike Dimitris, Hermione caught on quickly but didn't ask because Krum very promptly hid it, making her decide to only question him when they were alone. Focusing on Dimitris's tale was surprising, but it also gave more insight into Conrad and Quincy's lives and motives, further strengthening Hermione's idea of working with them.

"So," Dimitris finished, scratching his throat, inhaling too much cold air throughout his tale, "We are here to negotiate a long peace between our schools and to start up friendly relations that would last for a long time. I'm mostly here with other students to mingle, establish connections, and things like that. Later on, we also want to have exchange students!"

"That is a good idea! If Britain also settles down and things can change for the better, we could do that! Learning about each other is better than listening to propaganda and speculations."

"Exactly!" Dimitris chuckled, "What about you?"

"We are…" Hermione began, but instead of the truth, glancing once at Krum, she decided to not reveal everything. "Just visiting. I have friends here, and I came back to see how they are and meet with the Headmaster. I was a student here but had an incident and was on a long leave. Krum is helping me recover."

"Oh, I see! If we can help…"

"No." Hermione smiled, shaking her head, "I'm afraid it is permanent. But thanks!"

"Oh… okay. I'm… sorry." He said with an honest smile on his face and eyes, quickly changing the topic and talking with them for a long time.

After more than two hours of talking, they finally separated, and Hermione led Krum back to their room instead of the library, asking a question stuck in her throat the moment she closed the door behind him.

"What is it, Victor?"

"Grindelwald." He answered simply, beginning to pace in their room, and it was her first time to see him like that.

"I thought so. An old Dark Wizard… that never brings good news, no matter how your friend describes him. He may have repented and changed his ways, but… Who knows…"

"The Grindelwald I understand is evil. Killed my grandfather."

"…" Hearing him speak the way he did, she quickly stood up, holding his hands, stopping him from pacing and looking into his eyes.

"If it's true… I won't work. Not with Grindelwald.”

“…”

For a long time, Hermione was only watching his eyes, reading his emotions, feeling them through his fingers before gathering her courage, tiptoeing, and kissing his lips. It surprised Krum, but he didn't pull away. He just returned the kiss and held her hands in the meantime.

"We will deal with this together. What do you say about that?"

"Um. I do that." He answered after a moment of silence, flashing a soft smile at her before leaning in for a second kiss, being the proactive party this time around.

…
….
……

"Bad dreams?" Quincy asked, catching me sitting on the windowsill, looking out into the night, watching the heavy snowfall and the darkness.

"Something like that…" I answered honestly, letting her climb up straight into my lap, snuggling up against my body, leaning against my chest, and listening to my heartbeat while I began rubbing her head. "I didn't want to wake you up."

"You should have. You know I would notice it anyway if you disappeared from next to me."

"Perceptive little witch~!" I chuckled, playing with her hair.

"I know! What was it… Was it Father?" She asked softly, knowing me too well.

"Um. It is Christmas… I just… I just remembered him and Squeaky. How it was growing up… So I got swept up in nostalgia."

"It is not that bad once in a while."

"Yeah, but I have you, so I shouldn't cling to the past."

"You also don't need to throw it out!" She argued, pecking my lips, "Come, let's go down, I'll make you a fancy hot chocolate; what do you say about that?"

"It sounds awesome, so what are we waiting for!" I laughed, lifting her and carrying her in my arms, only putting her down once we were in the kitchen.

We didn't use any magic, preparing it by ourselves, feeling relaxed and liberated, and ending our little midnight outing by being entangled on the kitchen counter, enjoying each other's warmth.

"Good morning! Merry Christmas!" Shouted Professor Lockhart, coming into the kitchen in the early morning. Luckily, both of us were already dressed and making breakfast for everyone.

"To you too, Professor!" We answered, giggling like fools, feeling like we were really bad and naughty…

"You two look visibly refreshed! Good, good! That is how it should be, ahaha!"

"You too, Professor. Did something happen?"

"I can sleep well when I see the pile of gold glinting in our vault, and when I peek at it after my morning stroll… it fills me with wonder!"

"Ah. I see." I shrugged, rolling my eyes but keeping my smile, "It will be depleted soon enough."

"And refilled! I wrote all the advertisements you asked me for. We can distribute them any time you want. Do you really think it would work?"

"We will see." Quincy answered, putting scrambled eggs on the plates and serving breakfast for everyone in the household, even if they were yet to wake up. "It is outlandish, but that is the point. Let us see the brave ones who bite an obvious bait."

"Want to disappear? We will pay you 500 Galleons! Get out of Britain and be spared the worst fate: death!" He exclaimed, striking a pose, "I will be honest, my young friends; they won't bite."

"It is enough if a few do." I replied, "It is just the first phase. Those who appear will be the desperate ones, those who would take the money and do what is advertised: disappear. The rumors will spread when it happens, and then they will realize we aren't joking. Then, we can start step two and start bribing them left and right, and they will know we aren't for show… I will use their own money and dissolve their pathetic forces until only the truly loyal remain at their sides…"

"And for those," Quincy smiled, sticking her fork into her food, "nobody will shed a tear."