<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">August 25th, 2018</span></div><br/><br/>A week before classes started for the upcoming school year in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, things seemed to be peaceful. The last War had ended twenty years ago, with several casualties that had been sorely felt by the wizarding community. But the sacrifice had not been in vain. With the loss of many precious lives, had come victory. The wizard who had renamed himself Lord Voldemort had finally been defeated, putting an end to his reign of terror.<br/><br/>It took the wizarding society as a whole some time to start feeling at ease again. It had been a very long and destructive war, and it was hard to fall back in a routine without the threat of a Dark Lord looming over everyone’s heads all the time.<br/><br/>But it had finally come. Peace, calm and the regular life style every respectable wizard or witch craved. They could leave their houses and be sure they were going to return. It was probably even more of a change for half-bloods and muggle-borns, as they were the main target for those who called themselves Death Eaters.<br/><br/>Of course, as everyone knows, forgetting history was risking repeating it. And as that was a part in history nobody cared to repeat, everyone was in full alert. A team of aurors was kept constantly ready for the moment they needed to spring into action. Everyone hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, but it was better to be safe than sorry.<br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline"><div style="text-align: center;">Professor Beatrice Caroline Blake</div></span><br/><br/>While the world at large lived in peace, in that small cottage outside London, a mother and a daughter lived the life of those prepared for any eventual change in scenery. Mrs. Caroline Blake and her daughter Beatrice had every reason to be on alert. Beatrice had the gift of foresight, and she had been feeling restless for the past few days. There wasn’t anything she could put her finger on, but both ladies knew that something was about to happen.<br/><br/>It was a constant concern of theirs and everyone else’s that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry might be targeted in a future conflict, which was why the protection barrier around it was kept in prime condition at all times. That was a task every adult wizard or witch was welcome and even required to help with. Aid on that was mostly voluntary, but calls for help could be issued if needed. For Beatrice Blake, a call was unnecessary. With her usual concern for others, Professor Blake did her best to use her free time reinforcing the protective spells whenever she saw the need to do so.<br/><br/>The rest of Beatrice’s time was devoted to Divination classes and counseling for troubled students. It was a good life, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her door was always open for anyone who needed her, and Prof. Blake tried to keep good - or at least neutral - relations with everyone else around the school.<br/><br/>Right now, she didn’t need to think about the other members of staff, as she was home. Sitting on her favorite chair with a cup of tea, Beatrice smiled as she heard her mother telling her how much she missed her already.<br/><br/>“Oh, poor mother”, she replied to the woman’s words, blowing her a kiss. “I will miss you terribly too. But I will write to you every night, and we we will meet in Hogsmeade eventually for dinner, right? It will be good for you to leave the house for a while”.<br/><br/>Mrs. Blake smiled and nodded at her daughter’s words. “I think you have a point, dear”, she agreed. Beatrice was always so optimistic, always seeing the bright side of everything. Crossing the small living room, Mrs. Blake sat on the couch and gestured for Beatrice to come sit with her. She did so, resting her head against her mother’s shoulder. “I worry so much about you, dear”, she said, now more seriously. “You think everyone is as good and kind-hearted as you”.<br/><br/>Beatrice smiled and shook her head on a negative. “No, I don’t, mother dear. I know not everyone is a good person, and that I can’t trust everyone. I just choose to give most people the benefit of doubt”. Mrs. Blake sighed and kissed her daughter’s cheek. She nodded afterwards. She should have known by now that this was an useless conversation. “That is good, Bea. But please, be careful. Don’t… I don’t know. Just be careful, sweetheart”.<br/><br/>Beatrice’s smile faded at her mother’s apparent hesitation. Her gaze went up to meet the older woman’s with a concerned expression. She didn’t know exactly what she was talking about, but it had to be acknowledged that there was something strange in the air. At least for those sensitive enough to realize it. It was like the calm before a storm. And storms were never a safe thing. “I know”, Beatrice replied softly after a moment of silence. Standing up, the young woman kissed the top of her mother’s head. “Now, I must get out of here. I would love for you to see me off at the station, if you are willing to”.<br/><br/>For Beatrice’s joy, her mother decided to join her, and after giving Mrs. Blake some time to get ready, the two women left the house for the nearest train station, from which they would make their way to King’s Cross.<br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline"><div style="text-align: center;">Professor Jonathan Sykes</div></span><br/><br/>Unlike the other professors, the Headmaster was already in the school. Most of Professor Sykes's time was spent inside the castle, even during the summer. The man was single, had no living relatives, and was not involved in any sentimental relationship. His was not a lonely life, though. Prof. Sykes was the kind of man who made friends easily, and the free time he had between obligations was liberally shared with them.<br/><br/>That summer, he had visited some of them for a few weeks back at his home town in Scotland, not too far away from the castle, and taken a trip to Russia for some research. The rest of the summer, he had spent back in the school, resting and making sure everything was safe and ready for when classes finally started.<br/><br/>At the moment, the man was in his office, reading. He was keeping an eye on the wall clock, as was his intention to go out to the platform and welcome the professors as they arrived. A meeting with professors and staff would be held, as usual, but that would wait for next morning after breakfast. Most professors would need some time to rest after taking the trip back to the school, after all, and no urgent matters required their attention at the moment.