That night, Hogwarts was in an uproar.
Harry Potter had returned from the Third Task with a story that no one wanted to believe: Lord Voldemort had returned.
Some students whispered that Harry must have been mistaken, while others refused to say the name at all.
The idea of Voldemort coming back was frightening enough without Harry insisting he'd seen him with his own eyes.
Then there was Victor.
He'd been hit by the Killing Curse. Madam Pomfrey had found no pulse, no sign of life — yet three hours later, he'd simply woken up.
In the Great Hall, the Slytherin table was unusually quiet. Victor sat in his usual place, eating as though he hadn't spent the afternoon being declared dead.
The seats around him, though, sat empty. Several Slytherins kept glancing his way, whispering whenever they thought he wasn't listening.
Draco was the only one who'd sat beside him.
Victor noticed another student quickly turn away and said, "They look like they've seen a ghost."
Draco gave him a tired look. "You were a ghost for three hours."
Victor paused, fork halfway to his mouth. "Fair point."
Draco studied his brother's face, still not quite convinced he was actually sitting there. "I still can't believe you're eating."
"I woke up hungry."
Draco sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Of course you did."
Victor kept eating while the whispers went on around him. No one seemed brave enough to walk over and just ask what had happened.
For once, even the Slytherins didn't know what to make of Victor Malfoy.
***
The next day, the news from Hogwarts had reached the Ministry of Magic.
Cornelius Fudge did not take Harry's statement lightly, but neither did he accept it.
The idea that Voldemort had returned was precisely the sort of news the Ministry couldn't afford to acknowledge without proof, and Fudge was determined not to believe it.
At the Ministry, he listened as the reports were read out.
"Potter says he was taken to a graveyard by the Triwizard Cup," one official explained. "He claims You-Know-Who was there, along with Peter Pettigrew."
Fudge's expression tightened. "And Dumbledore believes him?"
"Yes, Minister."
"No. We cannot simply announce that You-Know-Who has returned because Harry Potter says so."
"But, Minister, Crouch Junior was found dead at Hogwarts, and—"
"I know about Crouch Junior," Fudge snapped. "He was a convicted Death Eater who escaped Azkaban. That does not prove You-Know-Who has returned."
The official hesitated. "What about the other boy?"
Fudge looked down at the report on Victor. "Malfoy?"
"Yes. Pronounced dead after apparently being struck by the Killing Curse. Then he revived several hours later."
Fudge frowned. "That is certainly unusual."
"Could it be connected to You-Know-Who?"
"We don't know that," he said sharply. "And I won't have the Ministry making accusations based on guesses." He gathered the papers and handed them back.
"For now, the official position is simple. There is no confirmed evidence that Lord Voldemort has returned."
The Ministry's position quickly spread beyond the department itself.
The Daily Prophet had no intention of printing Harry's story as established fact, and Fudge had no intention of letting the wizarding public panic over a claim he considered unreliable.
At Hogwarts, Dumbledore understood exactly what that refusal meant.
Fudge wasn't merely unconvinced — he was refusing to see what was right in front of him. And if Harry was telling the truth, that refusal could cost the wizarding world dearly.
***
The school year was finally coming to an end.
Most students had already started packing for the journey home, but Victor had slipped away from the castle and gone down to the Black Lake.
He stood near the shore, watching the sun sink behind the hills, turning the water gold.
He took a quiet breath. "Well, sometimes I miss this peace."
A soft laugh came from behind him. Victor turned and found Fleur standing there.
"It did not take you for someone who enjoys peace," she said, walking closer. "You always give off ze feeling that you are looking for trouble."
He smiled. "Well, who knows what is inside someone's heart? It can be anything."
She looked at him a moment. "Yes. Sometimes ze heart can be anything."
Before he could respond, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. Victor was mildly surprised but didn't pull away.
Fleur rested her cheek against his shoulder for a moment. "I am going to miss you," she admitted quietly.
He looked down at her. "So you're returning to France?"
She gave him a small smile. "Yes. My time at Hogwarts is nearly finished." She loosened her arms and looked up at him. "I will write to you."
"Then I'll write back."
"You had better."
She gave him one last hug before stepping away. For a moment neither of them said anything, the sun disappearing beyond the horizon, the lake darkening as evening settled over Hogwarts.
Fleur glanced toward the castle. "I should go. I 'ave much to do before leaving."
"Good luck, Fleur."
She smiled. "Goodbye, Victor."
She turned and walked back toward the castle, leaving him alone beside the lake. He watched her until she disappeared from sight, then turned back to the water.
The school year was over.
*****
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