Chapter 284

Thick clouds covered the sun, hanging so low they seemed to merge with the surrounding mist. As far as the eye could see, only vague, shadowy figures moved through the gloomy haze, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night. The dim sky and damp air put Barty Jr. in high spirits. He strolled leisurely down the corridor, feeling quite cheerful as he made his way toward the Great Hall. Silent young wizards passed him from time to time. If not for the different colors of the scarves around their necks, he wouldn't have been able to tell which house they belonged to. Lately, everyone wore long, mournful faces; this taciturn silence, matching the gloomy, rainy weather, was a period of mourning for those lost lives. The portraits on the walls, usually whispering to one another, remained mute. They were merely moving inanimate objects, and he couldn't understand why such things would feel fear.