Harry Potter : Cael Vale’s journey to Hogwarts

The warm chatter of the Great Hall filled the evening air, golden lanterns floating overhead, casting a soft glow across the four House tables. Plates clattered as food appeared, and laughter echoed from groups of students gathered to enjoy dinner after a long, exhausting week of exams.

Cael sat among the Gryffindors, wedged between the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, while Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Neville Longbottom sat nearby. Plates were piled with roast chicken, potatoes, and pumpkin pasties, but Cael barely noticed the food.

His eyes flicked toward the Gryffindor table's end, scanning for familiar faces — but something gnawed at him.

Where are they?

Hermione. Harry. Ron. The so-called "Golden Trio."

They should've been here, yet their seats sat empty. Cael leaned back, eyes narrowing in thought.

In my old life… they sneaked off to the Forbidden Corridor around midnight. But it's still evening… maybe they're in the common room planning their little 'heroic mission.'

"Oi, Cael," Fred nudged him with his elbow, voice low. "Look over there ."

Cael snapped from his thoughts. Fred's freckled face was unusually serious, eyes darting across the hall. "Notice anything odd?"

Cael followed his gaze toward the Slytherin table… and his frown deepened.

Half the Slytherins sat eerily still, untouched food in front of them, their blank eyes fixed on their plates — unmoving, expressionless, like mannequins frozen in time.

"What the hell…?" Cael muttered under his breath.

Across the hall, the rest of the students seemed oblivious. Some Hufflepuffs chatted cheerfully, a few Ravenclaws flipped through books between bites, but there was… tension. Subtle, but there.

Cael's sharp gaze swept the professor's table — empty. No Dumbledore, no Snape, no McGonagall. The absence hit him like a brick to the chest.

McGonagall never skips dinner. She's always here, watching the lot of us like a hawk.

Cael's eyes narrowed . His eyes landed on Cassandra, seated near the end of the Slytherin table, flanked by first-year students. Her expression was strained, knuckles white as she gripped her fork, glancing at her surroundings with suspicion.

"System," Cael muttered under his breath, shielding his mouth with his hand. "This feels wrong. Any insight? Or is this one of those… deviations from the story?"

The System's voice responded instantly in his mind: "Uncertain. Situation does not align with what you know from your previous life so I suggest you take caution as the situation is not looking good "

Cael didn't hesitate. His hand slid to his wand, hidden beneath his robes, as he rose to his feet.

"Listen," he whispered urgently to Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. "Something's wrong. Get the seniors organized — shield the first-years, especially the little ones who can't duel."

Fred's playful expression dropped into serious focus. "You're not joking, are you?"

George followed suit. "You've got that look — the 'bad things are about to happen' look."

Cael's eyes narrowed toward the Slytherins, noting several older students still motionless, their expressions… vacant. It sent an icy chill down his spine.

"Move. Now."

The Gryffindor table stirred as seniors subtly rose, gathering the younger students behind them. Lee Jordan whispered instructions, while Angelina and Alicia guided wide-eyed first-years toward safety. Katie Bell joined them, wand in hand.

Other Houses noticed. Hufflepuffs exchanged confused glances; Ravenclaws paused mid-conversation.

At that moment, the Head Boy and Girl approached, alarm clear on their faces.

"What are you doing?" demanded James Wicker, the tall, broad-shouldered Head Boy from Ravenclaw. His prefect badge gleamed under the lantern light.

The Head Girl, a stern-faced Slytherin named Clarissa Floyd , narrowed her eyes. "Explain yourselves."

Cael opened his mouth, but chaos struck before words could form.

A flash of red light — Stupefy — rocketed from the Slytherin table, striking James Wicker square in the chest. He collapsed backward, unconscious before he hit the floor.

Screams erupted. Plates clattered to the floor. Students dove beneath benches, eyes wide with panic.

The Slytherin students — those with blank, soulless eyes — rose in unison, like puppets cut free from invisible strings. Wands appeared in their hands as they unleashed hexes and jinxes into the panicked crowd.

"Down!" Cael shouted, diving behind the Gryffindor table as spells sizzled past.

A beam of blue light shattered a goblet beside him; shards of glass rained down.

The Weasley twins sprang into action, conjuring shields with practiced ease. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie ushered terrified first-years behind makeshift barriers of overturned benches and floating magical shields.

"Protect the first-years! Anyone who can fight, front and center!" Cael barked, wand raised.

Across the room, the enchanted double doors of the Great Hall slammed shut. Three older Slytherin students stood guard, their eyes glassy, faces eerily blank. They raised their wands toward the fleeing students near the exit.

"Get away from the doors!" Cael shouted, but it was too late.

A jinx struck a Hufflepuff sixth-year in the leg — she crumpled to the floor, crying out.

More spells flew, lighting the hall with bursts of blue, red, and yellow. The chaos escalated — screams, shouts, and the hum of magic filled the air.

The Head Girl, Clarissa Floyd , advanced, wand drawn. "Stop this madness!" she bellowed toward the Slytherins, but her demand met only silence — and another curse hurled her way.

Defendo! she cast, slicing the incoming spell apart mid-air. She deflected two more in rapid succession, gritting her teeth.

Cael ducked, firing stunning spells back toward the bewitched students, knocking one clean off their feet.

He pushed through the chaos, reaching Cassandra as she shielded several frightened first-years, her wand flashing as spells ricocheted around her.

"Cassandra!" Cael grabbed her arm, pulling her behind cover. "Keep them safe — fight back if you have to!"

Her eyes were wild, but focused. "What the hell's happening? I just got here — they were acting weird, but I thought… some stupid protest or something, but this—"

"It's not a protest," Cael growled. "They're cursed. Controlled. Dark magic — maybe Imperius, maybe worse."

A spell whizzed by — Cael deflected it with a sharp flick of his wand.

Cassandra's expression hardened. "Understood." She turned, shielding the cluster of first-years. "Stay behind me! If anyone's got a wand, help, otherwise, stay down!"

Nearby, the battle intensified. Senior students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff rallied, forming defensive lines. Gryffindors fired spells over cover, driving back the Slytherins advancing from the far side.

Alicia and Katie, side by side, launched stunning hexes, knocking two attackers unconscious. Fred and George, grinning despite the chaos, hurled enchanted smoke bombs into the fray, momentarily obscuring enemy sightlines.

"Classic twins," Cael muttered, weaving through the smoke, blasting spells toward their attackers.

Lee Jordan ducked beside him. "This is insane — professors? Where the bloody hell are they?"

"Good question," Cael replied grimly, eyes scanning for signs of faculty — none.

A blinding light burst near the enchanted doors — the bewitched Slytherins guarding the exits retaliated fiercely, curses striking anyone near.

Cassandra appeared at Cael's side again. "We can't hold them forever — they're organized."

"They're not organized," Cael corrected, eyes narrowing. "They're controlled."

A shriek echoed as another student fell — blood staining their robes.

Anger surged in Cael's chest. He raised his wand, shouting, Expulso! — the floor beneath an attacker cracked, sending them sprawling.

Neville, pale but determined, helped shield a group of cowering first-years, his wand shaking but steady even though he himself didn't know much magic .

"Stay strong, Neville!" Cael encouraged, ducking as another hex flew overhead.

Across the hall, Clarissa Floyd, bleeding from a gash on her cheek, barked orders at remaining prefects, rallying them to hold the defensive lines.

The Great Hall resembled a war zone — shattered plates, splintered benches, smoke curling under floating lanterns. The bewitched Slytherins pressed forward, their expressions lifeless, relentless.

This isn't how it's supposed to go, Cael thought grimly, blocking another incoming curse. The Dark Lord's influence is bleeding in faster than expected…

But retreat wasn't an option.

"Hold the line!" Cael roared to the students. "Protect the young ones — we fight, together!"

Spells ignited the air once more as the battle raged.

The Great Hall — a place of meals and laughter — had become a battlefield.