Chapter 608: The Dismissal of Dumbledore
For the first few days of the school year, a peculiar atmosphere hung over the castle.
The most obvious sign was the influx of owls at breakfast. Every morning, a flood of letters arrived, far more than usual. Typically, this time of year was filled with chatter and excitement as students shared holiday stories and laughed over their meals. But now, the Great Hall was eerily subdued.
Students were absorbed in reading and responding to letters, their attention fixed on parchment rather than conversation. The lively chatter had been replaced with the sound of quills scratching, and if an outsider were to observe, they might assume everyone was cramming for an important exam.
This strange shift in mood had persisted since the very first day of school.
"My mom's asking about school again," Justin Finch-Fletchley muttered at breakfast, tossing a half-read letter aside. "That's the fifth letter in just a few days. Dad's written, too. It's like they think there's a madman loose in the castle, ready to snap at any moment."
"Isn't that exactly the case?" Zacharias Smith said from across the table. He finished scribbling a reply and handed it to the owl perched nearby.
"That old fool Dumbledore is just making a spectacle out of Harry Potter to grab attention," Zacharias continued. "A headmaster as famous as him, pandering to frauds. No wonder parents are worried."
"I don't think Professor Dumbledore would do something like that," Ernie Macmillan said quietly.
He agreed with Justin and trusted Dumbledore, but he refrained from arguing with Zacharias directly. "My family reads The Daily Prophet, and they've suggested I not come back to Hogwarts. But, of course, I still came. I don't want to give up on magic."
"Well," Zacharias replied, "I have to write home every day to assure my family I'm safe here. It's their condition for letting me stay."
"That sounds exhausting," Ernie muttered.