When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 96

A New Year

Late August 1944

The days after the incident at the castle and leading up to Armando's funeral had been hauntingly grim to say the least. The students had been collected by the Hogwarts Express only hours after the event, and the school had closed for the remainder of the term.

Tom Riddle had escaped, and even though Harry and the aurors had given their all to track the boy down, there had been no sign of him.

Harry had managed to trace his route from the castle to the point he had apparated from, but by the time he had done so, the trail was too cold to follow.

Nonetheless, an extensive search of the castle had been conducted, but with only a visit to the chamber, the Room of Requirement, and consulting the map, Harry had quickly deduced that Riddle was indeed gone.

What the boy, no, man now, had done, infuriated the former Hit-Wizard so and he had spent much of the long summer that followed doing all he could to locate him, to no avail.

Tom was keeping his head down, a smart move on his part if he wished to live, because now, Harry wasn't seeking him out to hand him over to the aurors.

No, it was his life he wanted, and he would settle for nothing less.

Myrtle Warren's funeral had taken place the week after she had been killed, an event that Harry had insisted on paying for and attending, gestures that were appreciated by her mourning parents who were inconsolable.

The news of what had happened had spread quickly throughout the magical community, and there was not a single person in Britain who did not know the name Tom Riddle, and who didn't demand the man be punished as harshly as the law would allow.

As soon as Harry caught up to him, justice would undoubtedly be had.

Armando's funeral had been an incredibly touching affair, the adoration the man had cultivated for himself undeniable as thousands of witches and wizards alike had lined the streets of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley to pay their respects.

Even those that frequented Knockturn Alley had done so in honour of the man that had overseen their education.

Armando had been laid to rest in Yorkshire, and even now weeks later, not a day passed that his grave wasn't visited and inundated with fresh flowers.

His loss was quite the blow to the magical community of Britain.

It was Albus who had been the most affected by the murders.

Harry had seen for himself how close the two men were, and Albus had not taken the loss well.

Having immediately been promoted to the position of headmaster, he had thrown himself into the role, mostly in an attempt to cope with his own grief, but also to honour his friend who had been so dedicated for many, many years.

He had attended both funerals but had seldom been seen since until a joint meeting had been held between the Wizengamot, and the school governors to discuss the reopening of the school in September.