At the Roland Manor, Gooka served three cups of tea to Aaron, Diana, and Anne, who were seated together. After a slight bow, he disapparated quietly.
"Anne, can you tell us now?" Diana ignored the milk tea in front of her.
Aaron didn't touch his tea either. After it was served, he simply glanced at it before shifting his gaze back to Anne. Clearly, he was just as curious as Diana.
Anne took a sip of tea, cleared her throat, and sat up straight, placing her hands neatly on her knees.
Aaron and Diana exchanged a glance, their expressions growing solemn.
Seeing their reactions, Anne picked up her tea again, took another sip, and relaxed her posture slightly, resting her hand on the armrest.
"Okay, yes, I have something to say. But with you two looking like that, it's making me nervous," she admitted honestly.
"Alright," Diana said, taking a large sip of tea herself. Her demeanor became much more casual as she smiled at Anne.
Aaron followed suit, taking a big gulp and loosening one of his collar buttons.
"Much better," Anne said with a little smile. "But I still haven't figured out where to begin, there's just so much to say."
"Just say whatever comes to mind first," Diana encouraged.
Aaron nodded in agreement.
Anne's eyes darted around before she smiled. "Let's start with some good news, I'm seeing someone. I've been keeping it from you because of various reasons, but we've actually been together for a year. I've been hinting at it in my letters to you, I wonder if you guessed?"
"You finally said it!" Aaron grinned, pumping his fist. "I was wondering when you'd tell us. Were you afraid we wouldn't approve? No way. I'm thrilled you managed to land the top first-year student in Gryffindor in years!"
Diana gently swirled her teacup, smiling as well. "After spending more than half the summer with her, I think she's lovely. Congratulations, Anne!"
Anne stuck out her tongue bashfully, touched and slightly embarrassed. "So, you both knew already, and were just waiting for me to say it?"
Aaron patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay, Anne. I understand why you'd be shy about this."
"When can we invite her over for dinner? How about right here at home?" Aaron asked.
"Well..." Anne scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. "That might not be a good idea right now. Even though I've told you, the next thing I need to say might explain why you shouldn't get too close to her just yet."
Aaron and Diana exchanged another surprised look.
"Why not, Anne?" Aaron asked, his tone serious now.
Diana didn't speak but gave Anne a thoughtful look.
Anne placed her cup down and said, "I think it's best if I just come out and say it. Ask me anything afterward if there's something you don't understand. Uncle Aaron, I know you've joined the Order of the Phoenix."
Aaron froze for a moment, then gave a knowing smile. "Anne, I figured you'd find out eventually. I just hoped it would be a little later."
"This is exactly the right time for me to say it," Anne said firmly, glancing at both of them. "Uncle Aaron, Aunt Diana, you two are the most important people in my life."
"I've been of age for almost a year now, and I want to protect you from here on, not just be protected. And I can protect you."
Aaron and Diana smiled, each ruffling Anne's hair affectionately. She let them do it, even as they pinched her cheeks fondly, commenting how she'd really grown up.
Once they'd settled back in their seats, Anne continued, "Now that Dumbledore is gone, the wizarding world is in an even more precarious state. The Ministry is under Scrimgeour's control, but he hasn't been very effective. In fact, the capture of three Death Eaters in March was thanks to the Order's leadership and cooperation."
Aaron's eyes widened. "Anne? How do you know that? The Daily Prophet never reported it. Even within the Order, that was, "
"I'll explain that part last," Anne interrupted, then turned to Diana. She reached into her schoolbag beside her chair and pulled out a file. "Diana, this is something I didn't tell you while I was handling affairs in India. But I resolved it by Christmas. These are the numbers for the first quarter of this year."
Diana flipped straight to the last page where the comparative data was listed.
Anne didn't waste time. "The numbers in Q1 doubled compared to Q4 last year. That was because of Gahlawa Singh. The second document explains the full story."
Aaron, who had been listening silently, suddenly stood up in shock. "Double?! What happened?"
He knew roughly how large the Roland family's operations were, especially the trade volume between the Far East and the UK. For such a dramatic shift in just one quarter, something major must have happened.
Born into an old wizarding family himself, Aaron also understood how deeply economic interests could intertwine with dangerous internal politics. The implications worried him, and he cast a mildly reproachful glance at Diana.
But Diana didn't look at him. Instead, she focused squarely on Anne.
"Diana? Aren't you going to read the second file?" Anne asked, surprised by how calm she seemed.
"No need." Diana took another sip of tea. "Anne, I already received a report from Gahlawa. He spoke very highly of how you handled it. Said you've inherited your grandfather's decisiveness. He believes the Roland family will thrive under your leadership. Your timing in upgrading the Chinese market and leveraging that to counter India's position was spot on."
Anne and Aaron both looked stunned.
"Diana, are you saying…?" Anne asked, still processing.
Diana gave her a warm smile. "It's a family tradition..."
In that moment, Anne suddenly understood something that had puzzled her for ages: why had Gahlawa Singh only started embezzling in 1993? And why had he been so reckless with the amounts yet hardly fought back once caught?
The chaos of the Order and the larger battle had distracted her, but now, with Diana's comment, it all clicked.
"But Anne," Diana motioned for Aaron to sit back down, "I thought I'd have to bring this up myself, it's a major issue. But clearly, this isn't the real reason you called us here."
Diana pressed her lips together and asked, "So, may I assume what you're about to tell us is even more significant?"
Aaron pulled his chair closer to Anne, frowning slightly.
"Yes," Anne nodded. "Next school year, I want to withdraw from Hogwarts."
Aaron looked at Diana. She shook her head, signaling him not to interrupt.
"It's because the Dark Lord's return is inevitable. For a promise, for myself, for the future, and for my parents, I've joined the Order of the Phoenix."
"But I've never heard, " Aaron began, alarmed.
"You wouldn't have. I worked directly with Dumbledore himself," Anne said, pulling a small wooden seal from her pocket and placing it on the table. "I'm the current Head of the Order."
Silence fell over the room.
Aaron stared open-mouthed at the simple-looking wooden seal. It bore a stylized phoenix emblem, the symbol of the Order, known only to newly inducted members.
Diana looked at Anne, her eyes soft. "That's our Anne. Impressive."
"I know this news must be a lot to take in. But I also know neither of you would ever leave Britain during the dark times ahead. Uncle Aaron, I know exactly why you joined the Order, I read your letters and learned the rest from Dumbledore. I support your decision."
"The Roland family suffered greatly from Grindelwald's war and now Voldemort's return. My parents were brutally killed for refusing to reveal secrets from the Department of Mysteries."
"Aunt Diana, I know you were preparing to move our assets abroad and stay behind in Britain yourself."
"But I can't allow that," Anne said, her voice steady. "Because of you two, I came into the wizarding world. I discovered magic, made wonderful memories, met so many people. Now I have the ability to do something. I can't just bury my head in the sand like I once thought I would."
"I want to stay. I want to protect you both." Her voice was firm. "And right now, I believe I can."
She looked at them, seeking support.
Diana smiled first, then pulled Anne into a hug. Anne hugged her back tightly.
"Anne, when you used the Roland family's business network and Muggle law loopholes to help persecuted wizards escape Britain undetected, I had a feeling this day would come."
"What? That ancient runes piece in the Daily Prophet, that was Anne's idea? That was you?" Aaron blurted out, then suddenly thought of something else. "So… Skolll was you? The joint Order-Ministry operations? The membership restructuring? The new tiered secrecy rules?"
Anne nodded, slightly embarrassed. "Yes. But Dumbledore taught me a lot. I studied with him for a year, Occlumency, silent casting, all sorts of things."
"I won't underestimate Anne ever again," Diana said with a grin, ruffling her hair. "I never told you this, but testing you with the complex economic issues in the Far East, that was a traditional leadership trial for Roland heirs. I thought you'd need a year or two after discovering the problem. I never imagined, "
"It took me three years back then, and I still missed a whole section of the books. Only Gringotts and magical accounting saved it. Anne, how did you quietly handle ten years of data?"
"I didn't just use magic!" Anne said proudly. "I used computers and accounting software. I even think we can leverage the internet in the future, it'll be much more efficient."
"But Anne, I've met Skolll," Aaron said. "I don't doubt you, but why would Dumbledore?"
"Because of a promise," Anne said quietly. "We both agreed to keep this from everyone."
"As for Skolll, I used a high-level magical item made by goblins with advanced Transfiguration properties."
"And what's the next mission?" Aaron asked quickly. "Is it dangerous?"
Anne smiled. "Not really, Uncle Aaron. Don't worry too much. The Order will always remain a secret organization. The leader even more so, always hidden in the shadows."
"For special reasons, only you two and the Gryffindor trio can know I'm Skolll."
Anne had come to a final conclusion.
Her true identity had to remain secret. "Vacuum," the ultimate secret weapon, must never be exposed.
For final victory. For the safety of many.
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A/N: Book Seven has officially begun.