When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 36

On the Eve of War

The arrival of The Daily Prophet heralded a stunned silence amongst staff and students alike within Hogwarts. Harry had been adamant that war was on the horizon, but Minerva had not wanted to believe him.

Calling All Able-Bodied Men of Wizarding Britain!

The following article had been a brief explanation of how terrible things had become on the continent, the corruption discovered within the ICW that had led to a lack of action, and the subsequent need for men to defend the country as they had some three-decades-ago.

Minerva could only shake her head in disbelief, but if there was anyone who had taken the news worse, it was her mentor.

Upon the arrival of the newspaper, the man had paled, and had remained silent since.

Unusually, the students were subdued, the younger years asking their older housemates what this meant, some becoming inconsolable when they realised their fathers, and perhaps their mothers could be called upon to fight the threat emerging, not only just in Europe, but across the globe.

Minerva too felt lost.

Although her father was not at risk, many of her friends were, and seeing Harry arrive and standing in the doorway, his expression grim, did little to assuage her fears.

She felt pleased to see him, as she always did, but with the war looming, if there was any that would be in the thick of it, it was him.

He approached, the students taking little notice of him as he did so, and he came to a stop at the top table.

"When you have some free time, headmaster," he said simply.

Professor Dippet nodded.

"Wait in my office. I will be along shortly with the rest of the staff."

With a nod, Harry shot Minerva a smile and left the hall as the headmaster stood to address the room.

"In light of the news we have received, all lessons for today are cancelled," he announced. "Please feel free to make use of the school owls if you do not have one to write to your loved ones, and take some time to allow this to sink in. Please, rest assured, that whilst you are within these walls, you will be safe."

Many of the students immediately took their leave, but Minerva remained at the staff table.

"I can only imagine he has more to tell us," Rosalina murmured.

"Evans?" Slughorn asked. "What more can he know?"

"I'm sure we will find out shortly," Dippet interjected. "Come, there is no time like the present."

The members of staff filed from the room and made their way towards the headmaster's office.

Minerva suspected that even if Harry had not arrived, they would have been asked there.

Although the fighting would be far away from the castle, or so she hoped, measures would need to be put in place to keep the students safe, and to protect the castle.