章節 95: Chapter 95: Return and Recognition
William stood in the hall of the Ministry of Magic, with a mixture of exhaustion and relief reflected on his face. It had been an exhausting day, but the trial had concluded with the appropriate sentence for Greyback. However, before returning to Hogwarts, there was one last event to attend.
"William Rosier," called a firm voice. It was a high-ranking Ministry official, flanked by other distinguished-looking wizards. "For your bravery and exceptional service in the defense of Castelobruxo and the capture of Fenrir Greyback, the Ministry of Magic is proud to award you the Order of Merlin, Third Class."
A murmur of approval swept through the hall. William stepped forward, feeling everyone's attention on him. With a smile, he accepted the medal, feeling its weight in his hand. The official handed him the recognition and shook his hand firmly.
"Your bravery has not gone unnoticed, young Rosier," the official continued. "We are sure you will continue to do great things."
William nodded, grateful but also aware of the responsibility this honor carried. After a brief ceremony, he was allowed to return to Hogwarts.
Among all the people at the ceremony, William noticed his grandfather watching from the back. He nodded and then left in the same manner.
Before William could do anything, he heard a voice beside him.
"It is a great honor for Hogwarts to see one of its students receive such a well-deserved reward," Headmaster Dumbledore gained his attention. William held the medal hanging from his neck; it was certainly an honor that only a few could proudly obtain. Perhaps he was not the first Rosier to receive it, but he was certainly the youngest.
"I suppose I can consider this an honor," he said, tucking the medal inside his robe. The press had already taken a reasonable number of photos for his family to read about in the newspaper.
The fireplace in Dumbledore's office deposited him back in the headmaster's office. They shared a few words about the trial, William's perspective on the Greyback matter, and the honor of the medal. Although it was just a trivial exchange of words, it was mainly because William did not want to be a piece in Dumbledore's scheme, and the less he revealed, the better his hand in future problems.
After his conversation with Dumbledore, William headed to the Gryffindor common room. Upon entering, he was met with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. Hermione, Harry, and Ron were at one of the tables in the common room. It was obvious that everyone already knew about the trial and the medal; at Hogwarts, rumors spread faster than the wind, partly due to the magical paintings and the castle's ghosts.
Hermione was the first to approach, leaving her friends behind. "William," she called. "How was the trial?" she asked with concern, observing every expression on William's face.
"Greyback was sentenced to life in Azkaban," William said, trying to sound relaxed and maintain his usual confident smile. "It was an exhausting process, but justice was done."
Harry slowly approached to join the conversation as the rest of the Gryffindor students also came closer, driven by curiosity.
"It must have been hard to see him again," Harry mentioned, as if reflecting on his own experience last year when he had his first encounter with Voldemort.
Ron, on the other hand, couldn't hide his skepticism about the news. "I suppose a Rosier receiving an Order of Merlin isn't something we see every day," he commented to other Gryffindor students. Although he was careful with the volume of his words, it was difficult to evade the keen hearing of the white-haired boy.
William couldn't help but smile ironically. "I suppose not," he replied. "But the medal doesn't change what happened. Greyback is where he belongs, and I'm still here."
Hermione, trying to calm the tension, intervened. "The important thing is that you're back and Greyback can't do any more harm. We've all been worried, haven't we?" She looked at the students around them, and several nodded, especially Neville, who was more expressive in response to the question.
After exchanging a few more words, William continued to his room. Although he was mentally exhausted, it was not the time to rest, especially in the current situation. He prepared a duplicate of himself in the bed and then entered the expansion box where his magical creatures were kept.
Inside, he made sure to check, feed, and spend some time with his beasts, especially with Pruna, whom he could now ride and fly inside the box. In the future, she would be an important ally, no doubt about it.
Later, away from the creatures, in a separate space where William kept the magical books he had gathered from his family, Castelobruxo, Diagon Alley, and the ruins in South America. It was time to start his training not only in curses but also in magic control, potions, and, of course, combat.
Every night, William studied potions. With a large cauldron and some ingredients he obtained at Castelobruxo, he could design different potions, seeking to refine them to their maximum expression.
On the other hand, to practice combat, William focused on recreating an opponent he had seen before. In the initial stages of this training, William always recreated Professor Quirrell, but since the beginning of his second year, the opponent had always been the same. Yes, William's own trauma, Fenrir Greyback himself. The goal was to find a way to defeat him without taking damage, meaning that William sought to surpass him in every way. A very difficult goal for a young wizard of his age, but considering the upcoming events, it seemed necessary.
The duel practice became increasingly intense, and William used his "Mind's Eye" to anticipate the moves of his imaginary opponent. He remembered every detail of the real fight: Greyback's speed, his brutal strength, and the ferocity with which he attacked. Each training session brought him closer to perfection, to the ability to face and overcome any challenge.
As he practiced, memories of the battle at Castelobruxo returned to his mind. The adrenaline, the fear, and the determination mixed, driving him to keep improving. He knew he had to be prepared for anything, especially with the mysteries of the Chamber of Secrets looming at Hogwarts.
Finally, exhausted but satisfied with his progress, William put away his wand and exited the expansion box. He lay down on his bed, letting the duplicate dissipate. Despite the exhaustion, he felt a renewed determination. He was ready for whatever came next, aware that his training and preparation were key to facing the dangers ahead.
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