Sixth Years: Lesson Five

Profesosr Killian Borisyuk had his arms behind his head, as he leaned back in the chair behind his massive desk. He had another lecture today which would be fairly lengthy, much like the others were because anything to do with Voldemort took ages to get out and taught. He waved his wand to open the door to allow the sixth years in to see their massive professor, just relaxing behind the desk. He memorized the lecture for the day, and it was an interesting one - at least for him. He could not say the same for the sixth years. Many wouldn't find the past interesting, even though it was the end of the era. His green eyes loomed on each of them as they started to file in and have a seat. After it was time, he waved his wand and closed the door. "This is the final lesson for the semester, and it isn't a short one. So, note taking equipment out and we will get started." Killian saw some do as he said, which was for their benefit and not his. He didn't care if they weren't smart about this.

"So, we know Voldemort came back and Fudge was in heavy denial. We move on to when the war was more openly recognized. The Second Wizarding War technically started on 24th June 1995 but was not 'official' until 17th June 1996. It lasted until 2nd May 1998. The Death Eaters, under Voldemort's orders, ambushed Harry Potter and his friends at the Department of Mysteries. Dumbledore himself appeared and captured all of the Death Eaters except for Bellatrix Lestrange, who escaped. Voldemort and Dumbledore engaged in a duel which Voldemort used other means to try win, including possession. When the Aurors and Fudge arrived, Voldemort escaped but Fudge finally admitted that Voldemort was back. Since they were back in public, Death Eaters resumed their methods that were used in the first war. Acts of terrorism, kidnapping, and mass murder. Fudge ultimately resigned, leading Rufus Scrimgeour to replace him. Scrimgeour used to be Head of the Auror Office."

Killian paused to let some of the sixth years catch up with their notes. Well, those that were taking notes. "Voldemort's time to build his army was uninterrupted thanks to the Ministry being a whole year behind. Voldemort went forward and recruited giants for their strength and destructive abilities, Dementors, and werewolves. He appealed to them like he had in the past, using discrimination to manipulate them over. The Ministry attempted to make themselves look better with propaganda and even covered up crimes of the Death Eaters and Azkaban to make it look like they were winning. Because of this, the defence was dropped further, and allowed corruption to sink in. The Ministry would ultimately pay for this soon enough. If things were not dark enough, Albus Dumbledore was murdered by his comrade, Severus Snape, in June 1997.

"Death Eaters managed to break into Hogwarts and a battle ensued. Their task, killing Dumbledore, was complete so they retreated. Voldemort's greatest adversary was removed so he turned his attention to taking over the Ministry and killing Harry Potter." Killian folded his arms across his chest to take a moment to breath before he would keep going. "1st August 1997, the Ministry of Magic finally fell to Voldemort, as the take over was rather fast. Scrimgeour was murdered. Voldemort was smart and didn't make himself known as the leader then and there, but used confusion to keep society's lack of trust for each other. It made it easier to handle and rule from the shadows, I suppose. Keeping people from trusting each other will keep them separated versus uniting to fight back. Smart plan. Anyway, the Death Eaters in the Ministry placed a curse on Voldemort's name to install even more fear and to locate enemies that were not afraid to use Voldemort's name."

Killian had no fear with the name, but then again, who would with someone who had been dead for decades? "Death Eaters established the Muggle-Born Registration Commission to lock up Muggle-borns for allegedly stealing magic. It also asserted the control over Hogwarts. With how crazy the new policies were, confusion helped make the citizens just accept the new changes. Voldemort had his Death Eaters search far and wide for Harry Potter but seemed to be on another mission himself. I'll come back to this in a few. Voldemort launched an attack on Hogwarts, going after Harry Potter with his huge army. The school did not submit to Voldemort's threats though, and a battle began. Harry Potter surrendered himself in the forest, and Voldemort announced how Harry had been caught trying to escape and save himself, so he killed him. However, morale was restored when Neville Longbottom killed Voldemort's pet, so his bravery inspired house elves, residents of Hogsmeade, the school, centaurs, thestrals, and others to fight back."

Killian took a drink of water from his water bottle before continuing, "Harry somehow survived and confronted Voldemort again. They say that the two circled and bantered like what you would see from a western or some sort of muggle movie. After some bantering, I guess Voldemort had enough and tried to kill him with a Killing Curse, which was met with Harry Potter's Disarming charm. The curse rebounded, and killed Voldemort once and for all. And so, the Second Wizarding War was over, and victory was for the Order of the Phoenix along with Harry Potter's Dumbledore's Army. There were heavy casualties from both sides. Majority of the Death Eaters that survived were imprisoned. There might have been a few that escaped but who knows at this point. After the Second Wizarding War, the new Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt reformed the Ministry of Magic to end the prejudice policies, and to help battle dark wizards and witches in the future."

It was a long, long set of wars since Voldemort was pretty relentless. "So, you have to wonder... Voldemort did a lot of kidnapping and such as if he were searching for something other than Harry Potter. He possessed the Elder wand, which was Dumbledore's wand. Rumors say that it was one of the three Deathly Hallows. If you have all three, that makes you a master of death. I could go on with it, but it may be a legend, may not be. You can do all the research you want on the Deathly Hallows in the library on your own time. I won't give you any homework tonight, so other than that, you are free to leave." Killian snapped his fingers and the door opened to let the sixth years out.

---

Assignment: RP the lesson.​

 

[Elio Boneheart]

Elio tried to stifle a yawn as he scribbled furiously in his notebook, attempting to keep up with Professor Borisyuk’s relentless pace. The professor's voice droned on about the rise and fall of Voldemort, his strategic manipulations, and the tumultuous period of the Second Wizarding War. Elio couldn't help but find some parts intriguing, like the bit about the Ministry's downfall and how Voldemort exploited fear and confusion to gain control. Despite his interest in the tactical maneuvers and political machinations, he wished the lesson was a little more engaging. He could tell that a few of his classmates were struggling to stay focused as well, their eyes glazing over as they mechanically took notes. He was also still annoyed about the way their conversation about Horcruxes had gone, as the Professor had made no effort to really enlighten him on the subject despite inviting them to ask about it. His conversation with Anisha later in the library had confirmed she too had the same issue. It was endlessly annoying that people were roadblocking.

As Professor Borisyuk paused to take a sip of water, Elio took the opportunity to glance around the room. Some students looked genuinely interested, nodding along as if savoring every word, while others looked as though they were counting the minutes until the lesson ended. When the professor mentioned the Deathly Hallows, Elio’s curiosity was once again through the roof. The idea of becoming the Master of Death seemed like something out of a storybook, almost too fantastical to be true. Still, the professor's mention of this legend added an element of mystery to the lesson that made Elio want to learn more, perhaps even research it on his own later. As the class ended, and the door swung open, Elio quickly packed his things, feeling like maybe there was more to that story, there always seemed to be in this history class. Perhaps Anisha would be interested in knowing more as well, he hoped so, she seemed like the only one on par with his curiosity.​

 

[Cassius Styx]

Cassius Styx entered Professor Borisyuk's classroom, his posture relaxed but attentive. He knew today's lecture would be another lengthy one, which was typical when discussing anything related to Voldemort. Cass didn't mind; he found the history fascinating, if a bit grim. His silver eyes flicked over to the professor, who lounged behind his massive desk, looking as imposing as ever. Cass pulled out his quill and a fresh piece of parchment. He wasn’t one to let his grades slip, especially not in a subject as crucial as History of Magic. He had always found the study of past wars and their strategies intriguing, and the Second Wizarding War was no exception. Professor Borisyuk began his lecture with an overview of the Second Wizarding War, detailing its official start date and the key events that marked its progression. Cass scribbled down notes quickly, his handwriting surprisingly neat for the speed at which he was writing. He listened intently as Professor Borisyuk spoke about the ambush at the Department of Mysteries, the duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort, and the initial denial from the Ministry.

When the professor paused to let the students catch up on their notes, Cass took a moment to review what he had written. The Ministry's ineffectiveness in responding to these threats was also a crucial takeaway, one that Cass found particularly relevant. He was no stranger to the dangers of letting fear dictate actions, or worse, inaction. It was a lesson he knew well: power was not just about strength but also about the ability to manipulate and control others through their own fears and prejudices. The lecture continued, covering the darker aspects of Voldemort's regime, such as the Muggle-Born Registration Commission and the control over Hogwarts. As Professor Borisyuk moved to the end of his lecture, detailing the final duel between Harry and Voldemort, Cassius's quill slowed. He knew this part well—the rebound of the Killing Curse, the end of the Dark Lord. It was almost anticlimactic in its simplicity, yet it had changed the wizarding world forever. As Professor Borisyuk dismissed the class, Cassius began packing up his things, taking a moment to glance over his notes once more, and then left.​

 

[Terror Zhefarovich]

Terror Zhefarovich sat slouched in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, a mask of indifference plastered on his face. Another long-winded history lesson about the Second Wizarding War coming up. Professor Borisyuk started his lecture, lounging back in his chair with a casual ease that suggested he could do this in his sleep. As the professor went on about Voldemort's rise and the Ministry's fall, Terror tapped his quill absently against his parchment, not bothering to take notes. He already knew the basics, and anything beyond that was just unnecessary detail. When Borisyuk paused to allow the class to catch up, Terror took the opportunity to stretch. The professor continued, now detailing the Ministry's fall and the strategic brilliance of Voldemort's manipulation. Terror's ears perked up slightly at the mention of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission.

When the professor described Harry Potter's final confrontation with Voldemort, Terror found himself rolling his eyes. Luck had more to do with Harry's survival than any skill or heroism. He couldn't help but chuckle at the image of Potter and Voldemort circling each other like actors in some melodramatic Muggle film. As the lecture finally wound down, Professor Borisyuk mentioned the Deathly Hallows, a flicker of curiosity sparked in Terror's mind. Now that was an idea worth pondering. True mastery over life and death would be real power, not just some fleeting glory like the Order of the Phoenix claimed. When the professor dismissed them, Terror was one of the first to stand and leave. He had no intention of lingering or asking questions. ​