Poison Ivy | T. Riddle ✔

[57] Jeopardy

After the attack at Hogsmeade, security around the school had been tightened even more. Students were forbidden to leave the school grounds, Quidditch matches as well as Hogsmeade weekends had been completely postponed.

A wave of fear gripped the witches and wizards, uncertain of what would happen next. The Ministry too was in chaos as the upper tier of the pureblood families had banded together and overthrown Eugenia Jenkins.

Elections for the next Minister For Magic had been held in secrecy and many believed that the selection of Harold Minchum as Minister had been highly unfair. He was a hard liner who took strict reforms such as placing even more Dementors around Azkaban but still no desirable outcome had been achieved.

Nevertheless, with the attacks and the fact that they were standing at the brink of war, none of the wizards could do much other than hope for the difficulties to cease soon though no such chance was visible just then.

Eridanus was even more troubled for he had come to know of the attack on his house as well as his grandparents' place and though Dumbledore had taken the boy aside and assured him that his parents and uncle were safe, still there was a nagging feeling of dread in his heart. That feeling implied that they were all in jeopardy and could no longer be safe until somehow Tom Riddle was vanquished.

But with every passing day, Riddle was gaining power and he was no longer the student his teachers knew him as at Hogwarts, nor the man Demelza and Perseus knew him as. Instead he had become Lord Voldemort, the most terrifying Dark Wizard of that era. Such a feared Dark Wizard that people refrained from voicing out his name let alone standing up against him.

Dark times loomed ahead of the Wizarding World and there was no knowing when the calamities would cease.

Even at Hogwarts, Voldemort's newly recruited group of student Death Eaters were playing their part in spreading fear and dread among the other students.

All the mail and Floo conversations were being monitored, owls were getting intercepted hence all of the students took great care in sending letters, making sure not to write anything that could be suspected.

Danny could not go to his parents for Christmas Break as their location had been kept extremely confidential and even at the end of term, he hadn't been sent to Kings Cross like other students, instead Professor Dumbledore himself had taken him to Nathan's safe house.

They were living in secret and no one except Dumbledore knew about their hideout for they were at extreme risk from Lord Voldemort. Danny's fifth year too passed bleakly even though he had been made Prefect.

Life had not stopped but it had surely gotten worse for the Whitburgs. They couldn't step out like normal people, Demelza was already in a much worse state after the death of her parents and it all had a rather adverse effect on all of them. A sense of jeopardy hung over them constantly akin to the sword of Damocles.

Perseus and Nathan were somewhat accustomed to such a confined living but Demelza and Eridanus were not so it was quite difficult for them to adjust. To Perseus, it reminded him of the years of confinement in Riddle's cottage and while the thought was terrifying even then, he felt grateful that at least he had Nathan and Demi safe beside him.

Dumbledore occasionally came to visit in order to check up on them and keep them updated about the events going on but other than him the family had no visitors. They had resorted to a very Muggle living style so that they couldn't be traced by tracking out their wands.

Because even though the use of the Trace was only confided to trusted ministry officials, in such dark times many had changed sides hence no one could be trusted anymore.