The Protector Hero, the Failing Sage
I just realized something outrageous: those damned irresponsible people put an 8-year-old girl in a lake full of dangerous creatures, all for a ridiculous competition, blindly trusting that the mermaids would protect her just because Dumbledore could communicate with them. And let's not forget, these are the same organizers who allowed a Quidditch match where Death Eaters attacked, innocent people died, and others were brutally tortured! It's unbelievable how negligence and a complete lack of common sense seem to be the norm at these events.
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Amid a charred crater, Dumbledore stood tall, his gaze fixed on the Elder Wand. All around him, the ground had been reduced to ashes by fire and the fury of battle. The air reeked of ozone, scorched earth, and defeat. What was once grass was now blackened and cracked. The headmaster's robe flapped in the hot wind, torn, while his face showed a bitter mixture of frustration and resignation.
"Why did you abandon me...?" he whispered, his voice breaking at the end, as if the wand could hear his pain.
(Flashback. During the wand weighing ceremony:)
"It seems it's just as you feared, Dumbledore. The wand no longer recognizes you as its master," said Ollivander, eyeing the legendary wand in Dumbledore's hand with interest.
"Are you sure? According to legend, the wand only follows the victor… but that wasn't even a real fight," Dumbledore frowned. His gaze turned cold, and his voice took on a sharpness he rarely used.
"You should know better than anyone, Dumbledore. You defeated its previous owner"the one who's now in prison," said Ollivander. "And the wand decided that this shift in power was enough to realize your opponent held more strength than you."
"Isn't there anything I can do?" Dumbledore asked seriously.
"Only defeat the true owner. But you'll have to do it with another wand, because this one already belongs to them. It still obeys you… but the moment you attack its true master, you won't be able to use it anymore," Ollivander said, shaking his head before walking off to complete the task he came for.
Dumbledore looked at the wand in his hand with slight anger.
"Then I'll have to change a few plans for the future," he muttered, walking after Ollivander.
(Back to the present)
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Dumbledore stood up. He tucked the wand into his robes with such tense force it almost looked like he was going to break it. But he couldn't. Not yet. Not while there was still a sliver of hope to regain control.
"This wasn't supposed to happen until the end of the competition!" Dumbledore growled, furious at having lost control of his plans. "You're just making things harder, Einar," he said, feeling the students' eyes on him.
The murmurs around him forced him to calm down. He returned to his office without another word.
When he arrived, Einar was sitting in one of the corners with unshakable calm, his silhouette like a war statue sculpted by the gods. He still wore his armor, every buckle clean, every part shining, cloaked in the aura of a warrior who had just tamed chaos. His mere presence suffocated the room. No professor dared to look him in the eye for more than a second. He was a wolf among lambs.
The hostages"the chosen students"were sitting with him, protected. None of them seemed afraid of him. Quite the opposite. His overwhelming presence, far from frightening them, gave them an absolute sense of safety. Only Ron had a slightly annoyed expression.
"Dumbledore...? Are you alright?" Karkaroff asked, his voice cracked by fear, barely able to swallow under Einar's stern gaze.
"I'm fine, don't worry," said Dumbledore, doing his best to appear completely unharmed, though his dirt-covered robes didn't help his case.
"Then let's continue the meeting," said McGonagall seriously. Part of her thoughts were beginning to change... the fact that the headmaster wasn't properly protecting the students and their families. And without realizing it, she began to support Einar's methods. Though violent, they were the only ones actually working to keep the students safe, as was her duty.
Many other professors began to question their own roles upon seeing the ferocity with which Einar protected the students and the innocent.
"I... I... well, um..." Ludo was still in full panic mode, feeling that if he said the wrong thing, Einar might snap his neck. The bruises and the mark on his neck were proof that it was possible.
"First of all, I'll say this," Einar interrupted. "I will not allow any student, family member, or even pet of the champions to be hurt or put in danger, no matter what so-called safety methods you intend to create. And I will personally take charge of ensuring the champions' safety… since their useless headmasters clearly aren't thinking about that," Einar said, his voice full of contempt for Madame Maxime, Karkaroff, and Dumbledore.
"Of course we care…!" Maxime began.
"Silence," Einar commanded. His voice wasn't loud, but it was absolute.
"You have no right to speak. You're using a little girl, who's not even officially part of your school, to toss her into a dark lake full of savage creatures," he said, glancing at Gabrielle Delacour.
Gabrielle, however, looked at him with admiration. Her eyes sparkled as if she were seeing a hero straight out of the stories.
"Anything else you say to justify this competition from now on… I'll take it as another nail in your coffin," Einar declared. "And when something happens"because it will happen if you keep going like this"don't expect mercy."
A deadly silence fell over the room. Ludo tried to catch his breath.
"W-w-well… then, what precious items might the champions bring?" Ludo asked, still frightened by Einar.
"Since their friends and loved ones are here, we can ask them," proposed McGonagall, her tone more relaxed. Perhaps for the first time, she truly felt backed up in the protection of the students.
Ron was a bit annoyed. To him, being a hostage sounded like something that would draw people's attention… and that would be an honor, something he didn't get to share with the others, so he was the only one in a bad mood.
"Harry loves his broom. That's obvious," he said irritably.
"Well, Cedric's is obviously his broom," said Cho Chang with a smile.
"Oh, I know! Fleur loves her latest photo with Grandpa. She takes it everywhere," said Gabrielle quickly, wearing a childish smile.
Then, everyone's eyes turned to Hermione.
"Well, I… I don't know what Viktor prefers. I was just his dance partner, and we didn't even spend much time together," said Hermione quickly.
"Mm? But Karkaroff said you were his favorite person," said Ludo, confused.
Then Einar's gaze fell upon Karkaroff, who began to sweat coldly.
"Well… Viktor usually doesn't approach other girls," said Karkaroff. He was lying, and everyone knew it. Obviously, he didn't want to endanger his students just for this competition. Viktor had friends and family. Instead, he chose someone he had only met once…
"So, you decided to put one of my students in danger. Fine. I'll remember this when the tournament ends," said Einar seriously. It was a full-blown threat.
Percy, in a nervous tone but trying to help, intervened:
"Since he's a Seeker, like Cedric and Harry, his broom would probably be the right choice," said Percy, speaking for the first time that day. He had only been there as a filler.
"Then we'll go with that. Is that okay, Professor?" asked Ludo, still scared of Einar.
"Of course. I'll take the four hostages to their rooms, safe and sound," said Einar as he stood up and gestured for the four of them to follow him.
The four followed in silence. The air felt lighter once he left the office.
Meanwhile, the people inside Dumbledore's office let out a sigh of relief.
"With that, our meeting is done. Let's gather the students' belongings and, please, let's get out of this place," said Ludo, wanting to get as far away from Hogwarts as possible.
"Alright," said Dumbledore.
McGonagall said nothing. She only cast one last judgmental look at the three foreign headmasters… and left without saying goodbye.
.....
Einar left the office, and his armor""dark as a living shadow, wrapped in a heavy, biting aura that seemed to devour light itself""gradually faded. In its place appeared his usual formal attire, simple yet elegant, befitting someone who walked among both mortals and gods.
As he walked, he pulled the Morokei mask from his cloak and gently put it on. He still held some of the fury that had consumed him before the duel, though facing Dumbledore had allowed him to release a fraction of his anger. He hadn't fought with all his strength. He didn't need to. He had only wanted to leave him with a lesson he wouldn't forget.
"Hey, hey! Why do you wear a mask? Don't you like showing your face?" asked Gabrielle, trotting beside him with childlike energy.
"A little," Einar replied, glancing at her, his voice softened by the unexpected tenderness he felt for the girl.
"Why? Is it because you're half-veela and don't want the girls to fall in love? But my grandma said only women can be veelas," she said quickly, getting tangled up in theories.
Gabrielle was around eight years old, wearing a charming outfit that mimicked the uniforms of Beauxbatons students"like a tiny, childlike replica of her sister Fleur. She was a whirlwind of energy and sweetness.
"No, I'm not veela. I'm half-elf," Einar replied calmly, letting the breeze carry away the chill from his voice.
"A high elf? But… elves are ugly and have big ears! You don't look like them!" said Gabrielle quickly, thinking of the house-elves she knew.
Einar let out a light laugh.
"Haha. Not those."
"Oh, I know! Like the elves from stories! Mommy used to read me those before bed," she said cheerfully, as if she had just remembered a treasure.
"Oh yeah? And what are those elves like?" asked Einar, with a patience that even surprised Hermione and Cho, who were walking a few steps behind, smiling at the scene.
"Elves are magical, like the heroes in Mommy's stories. They're tall, almost as tall as trees, and have shiny hair, like sunlight trapped in threads. Their eyes look like stars that can see you even if you're hiding behind the curtains. They always wear pretty clothes that never get dirty, even when playing in the forest.
They say they can talk to animals and make flowers grow faster just by touching them. They live in hidden castles with lights that dance like magical fireflies. They're happy, but also mysterious, like they know secrets they only tell fairies.
Oh! And if you ask them a hard question, they answer by singing… because their voice sounds like bells ringing far, far away."
Einar laughed, and for the first time in a long time, his soul felt light.
"Haha… Then you can think of me as half of those elves."
Without realizing it, all the remaining anger within him vanished thanks to the little girl's lively spark.
Even Hermione and Cho chuckled silently, charmed by the purity of Gabrielle's stories.
After dropping the students off at their respective rooms, Einar accompanied Gabrielle to the Beauxbatons carriage. She had come with her sister, probably because Fleur wanted her to see the tournament, even if she wasn't the champion.
"…So Marlenchen hid the ring in the forest, and only someone with a pure heart can find it to make people happy," Gabrielle concluded, enthusiastically telling another story featuring an elf. This time, it was The Elf's Ring.
"It must have been a very powerful ring," commented Einar with a smile.
"Yes!" she replied without hesitation. "Now that I think about it, my sister also has a gold ring and she gets happy every time she looks at it. Maybe an elf gave it to her!" she added, excited.
"Gabrielle! Where were you? It's already dark! You had me worried," exclaimed Fleur, quickly getting down from the carriage. Seeing her sister safe and happy, she sighed in relief… until she noticed Einar's presence.
"Professor Einar…" she said, surprised, instinctively reaching for her hair. She wasn't dressed up, not even wearing makeup. Though her veela heritage shone without any need for adornment, she felt a blush rise to her cheeks.
"Hello. I came to make sure she got here safely. I'll take my leave now"I have matters to attend to," said Einar courteously, offering her a faint smile.
"Awww? You don't want to have dinner with us?" asked Gabrielle with sadness in her eyes.
"I can't. I have to watch out so the bad guys don't do bad things tonight," said Einar, kneeling to gently pat her head like an older brother.
"Then another day?" she asked quickly.
"Of course," he replied, before giving Fleur a brief nod and vanishing into the evening shadows.
Gabrielle watched him leave before turning to her sister with a big, mischievous smile.
"Well, sister. I got you a date with the handsome elf Einar!"
"Gabrielle!" exclaimed Fleur, blushing instantly and running after the little girl, who giggled mischievously as she climbed into the carriage.