Chapter 51
Chapter : Halloween Unveiled
Alex McKinnon's POV
Halloween at Hogwarts was always an occasion for festivity, but this year, I was tense. I knew what was coming—or at least, I had a good idea. According to canon, this would be the night Voldemort, still a wraith clinging to Quirrell, would make his first significant move. The troll in the dungeon, the distraction, and then his attempt at the Philosopher's Stone. But things weren’t playing out exactly as they had in the books—how could they after all the changes I had set in motion?
I was torn. Should I expose Quirrellmort tonight? The pros were obvious: Voldemort’s torn soul would be removed from Hogwarts, and the threat to the school would be diminished. But there were cons too. If he escaped, dark wizards would try to resurrect him faster than anticipated, perhaps even bypassing the slower events of canon.
But with all the cons weighed against my conscience, I made my decision. There was no use in placing my faith in the events of a book after everything I’d changed. This was my world now, and I had to act accordingly.
I wrote two letters—one to Amelia Bones, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and another to Rita Skeeter, the infamous reporter. Both letters were sent anonymously, as they had been before. I had earned credibility with them by previously providing crucial information on the whereabouts of certain Death Eaters. I knew they would take my warnings seriously.
The plan was simple. I warned them that something major would happen on Halloween night at Hogwarts—something tied to dark forces and possibly involving Voldemort. I emphasized the need for Aurors to be present at the castle and, knowing Rita's flair for drama, hinted at a potentially explosive story.
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The Great Hall was filled with the usual excitement that accompanied the Halloween feast. Glowing pumpkins floated overhead, their faces carved into various expressions. Plates piled high with all manner of food covered the tables, and students chattered excitedly about the holiday. Yet, my mind was far from the festivities.
Harry sat beside me at the Ravenclaw table, occasionally sneaking glances at the Gryffindors. He was obviously eager to join them in conversation, but tonight, I kept him close. If everything went as I suspected, I wanted him nearby, ready to move when necessary.
Just as I was picking at a pumpkin pasty, the doors of the Great Hall burst open. In walked Amelia Bones, her stern gaze sweeping the room, followed by several Aurors. The students began to whisper in confusion, and I saw Dumbledore raise his eyebrows in surprise. This was definitely not part of his plan.
"What's going on?" Harry whispered to me.
I leaned in and muttered, "Just stay close. I think something big is about to happen."
Before anyone could react further, the doors of the Great Hall burst open again—this time with Quirrell stumbling in, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear.
"T-t-troll! In the d-d-dungeon!" he stammered, right on cue. Just like canon.
He collapsed to the floor in a dramatic heap, sending waves of panic through the students. Screams erupted from all around the hall as the younger students began to panic. The professors quickly stood, wands drawn, ready to take action. But I kept my focus on Quirrell.
This was it. The moment where everything would either fall into place or go horribly wrong.
As Dumbledore began to calm the students, I subtly grabbed Harry’s arm, pulling him toward Quirrell. "Come on, let's check on him," I whispered, pretending to be concerned.
Harry hesitated for a moment but then followed me. We knelt by Quirrell’s side, and I carefully used a touch of magic to position Harry’s hand. His palm grazed the back of Quirrell’s neck—and then, suddenly, smoke began to rise from the contact point, and Quirrell let out a blood-curdling scream.
Gasps filled the hall. Harry yanked his hand back in shock, his eyes wide with fear as Quirrell began convulsing, writhing in agony. I stepped back, knowing what was about to happen next.
From the back of Quirrell’s head, a ghostly, horrific face began to emerge. Voldemort’s face. His pale, serpent-like features twisted in rage and pain. He screamed, his voice echoing through the hall, "Potter!"
The hall went silent in shock. For many students, this was the first time they had seen the Dark Lord, and their faces were frozen in fear and disbelief. Harry, who had been standing beside me, looked as though he might collapse from the sheer terror of what was unfolding before him.
At that moment, Dumbledore and Amelia Bones rushed forward, their wands drawn, creating shields around the students. "Get back!" Dumbledore commanded, his voice filled with authority.
Voldemort, or what was left of him in that wraith-like form, hissed in fury. "I will return! You cannot stop me!" His voice was nothing more than a whisper now, fading as his form began to dissipate into the air. "Potter…"
And then, with one final screech, he was gone.
The Great Hall was filled with a deafening silence. No one moved. No one spoke. The students, still in shock, seemed frozen in place. The professors exchanged nervous glances, and I could see the gears turning in Dumbledore's mind as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.
I turned to Harry, who was staring at his hands, his face pale. "You okay?" I asked softly.
He blinked a few times before nodding, though I could see he was still processing the fact that he had just come face-to-face with Voldemort. I felt a pang of sympathy for him. He was only eleven, and yet the weight of the world seemed to be bearing down on him already.
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After the initial shock, the professors quickly ushered the students out of the Great Hall and back to their dormitories. Aurors remained behind to deal with the aftermath and question Quirrell, though I doubted they would get much out of him now.
As we walked back to the Ravenclaw Tower, the halls buzzed with whispers and speculations. Word had already spread among the students—Harry Potter had touched Professor Quirrell and somehow caused the face of Lord Voldemort to appear.
I could only imagine how fast the rumors would spiral. Tomorrow, Hogwarts would be in chaos.
But for tonight, as the stars twinkled outside the castle windows, I felt a strange sense of relief. Voldemort was gone, at least for now, and though the danger was far from over, we had bought ourselves time.
Perhaps, just perhaps, this year would turn out differently after all.
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Aftermath
The professors and the students were left reeling from the events of Halloween night. The sight of Voldemort’s face had instilled a new sense of fear and urgency in the school. Amelia Bones, stern as ever, was already setting up interrogations and investigations. The presence of Aurors at Hogwarts would become more frequent after tonight.
And Dumbledore—I could see it in his eyes. He was troubled. His carefully constructed plans were unraveling before him, and he didn’t yet know how to piece them back together. He’d underestimated the danger that lurked within his own school.
But for now, things were in motion, and I had made sure that Halloween night wouldn’t be the disaster it could have been.
As for me, I would continue to watch over Harry, to ensure he was ready for the trials to come. Voldemort wasn’t gone forever, but at least, for now, Hogwarts was safe.