"I'm sorry, I can't guarantee your daughter's absolute safety right now. But I can promise you this, if she's ever in danger, I would give my life to protect her. I swear on my family's name."
Mr. and Mrs. Granger were visibly moved.
Anne pressed on, "You probably don't know how foolish your daughter was at the beginning. She intended to use magic to alter your memories so you could live safely and happily in Australia. If she didn't come back, you wouldn't even remember that you had a daughter."
"But I stopped her. I believe every parent has the right to know the truth. She chose to tell you everything, and I think you should seriously consider the weight of that choice. Not everyone has the courage to do what she did. There are billions of people in this world, but only a few are brave enough to face darkness and stand up to fight it."
Mrs. Granger clenched the photo frame tightly in her hands, its glass slightly cracked, a result of her earlier emotional conversation with Hermione.
"Besides," Anne continued, "let me be clear: the bloodline conflict in the wizarding world is no different in essence from the racial superiority ideology of Hitler during World War II. A small group of pure-blood wizards believe they're inherently superior and are attempting to 'cleanse' the magical world. We're in the midst of a war. And your daughter, the top of her class, has defeated countless pure-blood and half-blood wizards. She chose to stand on the frontlines of resistance."
Anne took a breath and added, "You know better than I do what kind of person your daughter has been since she was little."
There was a long pause. Mr. Granger finally squeezed Mrs. Granger's hand. "She's grown up." Tears welled in Mrs. Granger's eyes as she buried her face in his shoulder.
"Thank you, Anne," Mr. Granger said, patting his wife's back. "You know Hermione well. I agree."
Mrs. Granger didn't object. She simply dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.
Mr. Granger kissed his wife's forehead. "We raised Hermione together. You know what she means to us."
He looked up at Anne. "Now, about those arrangements you mentioned?"
"Oh, of course. Weekly phone check-ins, I've already made the arrangements in Guangzhou." Anne placed a prepared folder on the table. "I don't know much about dentistry, but I looked up some resources. There's space in the documents to list any equipment you might need. As for identity issues, "
Anne patiently explained the plan she and Hermione had devised.
Just then, the door opened. The first thing Anne saw was Hermione leaning against the wall, her eyes red from crying. Mr. and Mrs. Granger saw her too. Without hesitation, Mrs. Granger rushed forward and pulled Hermione into a hug. The two embraced and cried together.
Watching the scene before her, Anne clenched her fists. Mr. Granger's eyes were also red as he handed Anne the cracked photo frame. "Can you repair this with magic?"
"Of course. It would be my honor, sir." Anne tapped it with her wand, and the shattered glass reformed flawlessly.
"Thank you," Mr. Granger murmured, still gazing at the photo. He then joined his wife and daughter in a warm hug, before leading his wife upstairs.
"Now that we've made our decision, we'd better go pack."
The Grangers had barely disappeared upstairs when Hermione threw herself into Anne's arms, her voice still thick with emotion. "Anne, "
Anne gently wiped the tears from Hermione's face and hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't think this would upset you so much."
"No, " Hermione shook her head rapidly. "You were right. I never thought I'd actually get my parents' support... and you were there."
Anne was silent for a moment.
"How... how did you convince them?" Hermione asked, her face pressed against Anne's neck.
"Oh, that?" Anne chuckled softly, patting her back. "Just my usual approach, practical and persuasive. I told them the truth, from the heart."
Hermione gave a faint laugh, then kissed Anne lightly on the ear before resting her head on her shoulder again. Anne smiled and hugged her even tighter.
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In the London suburbs, May had finally brought a clear day. The sky was a bright blue, with a few high clouds casting shadows on the ground. The Burrow's front door and windows were wide open, and freshly washed sheets fluttered in the backyard breeze.
Harry sat at the kitchen table, sipping tea and flipping through the latest issue of The Daily Prophet. In three days, Bill and Fleur's wedding would take place.
Hermione and Ron clapped the dust from their hands as they came in.
"Why aren't you out helping?" Ron asked. "You finished your chores?"
"Yeah, George and I cleaned the chicken coop." Harry nodded. He flipped to page two of the paper, and froze.
"What is it?" Hermione leaned in to look.
On the second page was a picture of Dumbledore striding purposefully, looking grave. The headline read:
Dumbledore, The Truth at Last?
A shocking biography will be released next week, chronicling the life of the troubled genius widely considered the greatest wizard of his era. Rita Skeeter strips away the beloved image of the silver-bearded sage, revealing Dumbledore's tumultuous childhood, chaotic youth, lifelong enemies, and the dark secrets he took to the grave.
Why didn't he pursue becoming Minister of Magic? What was the real purpose of the Order of the Phoenix? And how exactly did he die?
All this and more in Rita Skeeter's explosive new biography: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Exclusive interview with author by Betty Braithwaite.
The trio exchanged looks and continued reading.
From the Daily Prophet: "Dumbledore – The Truth at Last?"
A stunning new biography is set to be released next week, focusing on none other than the flawed genius many have called the greatest wizard of his era. In her latest exposé, Rita Skeeter sheds the image of the beloved silver-bearded sage, unveiling a stormy childhood, a reckless youth, lifelong enemies, and dark secrets buried with him.
Why did a man once considered a shoo-in for Minister of Magic settle for being a headmaster? What was the real purpose of the Order of the Phoenix? How did he truly die?
All this and more is explored in Rita Skeeter's sensational new book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, with an exclusive interview conducted by Betty Braithwaite.
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"He was every biographer's dream," Skeeter tells me.
Rita Skeeter's writing is known for its sharp edge, but in person, she's surprisingly warm and friendly. She welcomed me into her cozy home, led me straight to her kitchen, and over tea and an indulgent slice of rich, sugary cake, and plenty of hot gossip, we dove right in.
"Needless to say," Skeeter said with a grin, "Dumbledore had a long, dramatic life. Mine is the first biography, but I doubt it'll be the last."
Skeeter is undeniably fast. The 900-page biography was finished just four weeks after Dumbledore's mysterious death in late April. I asked how she managed such speed.
"Oh, darling, when you've been a journalist as long as I have, working under pressure becomes second nature. I knew the wizarding world was starving for a full account, and I wanted to be the first to deliver it."
I brought up perhaps the most prominent critique, from Elphias Doge, a Wizengamot Elder and longtime friend of Dumbledore's. Doge claimed Skeeter's "so-called facts are worth less than the back of a Chocolate Frog card."
Skeeter burst out laughing.
"That sweet old dodger! (You know, the English word Doge does sound a bit like dodgy, doesn't it?) I interviewed him years ago on merpeople rights. Bless him, he spent the entire time acting like we were sitting at the bottom of Lake Windermere, warning me to beware of salmon."
Still, many media outlets have echoed Doge's criticism, saying the book is riddled with inaccuracies. Could Skeeter truly have captured the full complexity of Dumbledore's extraordinary life in just a few weeks?
"Oh, sweetheart," Skeeter beamed, giving my hand a friendly pat, "you know as well as I do that if you've got a heavy sack of Galleons, the tenacity of a Niffler, and a top-of-the-line Quick-Quotes Quill, there's no end to the secrets you can uncover! People were lining up to gossip about Dumbledore. Not everyone thought he was so saintly, he made plenty of enemies."
Then she added with a glint in her eye, "And Doge can come down off his high Hippogriff, because I've got a source most reporters would trade their wands for, someone who has never spoken publicly before, but was closely tied to Dumbledore during his most turbulent years."
Skeeter claims her book will shock those who believed Dumbledore's life was spotless. I asked her what the most explosive revelation was.
"Oh, come now, Betty!" Skeeter laughed, wagging a finger. "I can't spoil all the best bits before the book hits shelves! But I will say this, anyone who still believes Dumbledore was as pure as his beard is in for a rude awakening. Those who admired his moral outrage at the Dark Lord will be stunned to learn he himself dabbled in the Dark Arts in his youth! He preached tolerance later in life, but he was narrow-minded when he was younger. Yes, Albus Dumbledore had a very dark past. And his family? Utterly suspicious, he spent years trying to hide the truth."
I asked if she was referring to Aberforth Dumbledore, who was fined by the Wizengamot fifteen years ago for inappropriate use of magic, a minor scandal at the time.
"Oh, Aberforth?" Skeeter smirked. "He's just the tip of the dungheap. No, no, I'm talking about things far worse than a brother with a thing for goats, or a father imprisoned for attacking Muggles, both of which were already public record. No, it was the mother and the sister who caught my interest. Dig just a little deeper and the dirt practically flies at you. But as I said, if you want the juicy details, you'll need to read Chapters 9 through 12. Let's just say there's a reason Dumbledore never spoke about how he broke his nose."
Despite the family drama, could Skeeter really deny Dumbledore's brilliance in magical research?
"Oh, I'm so glad you brought up Grindelwald," she said, her eyes gleaming. "People who believe in Dumbledore's 'great victory' over Grindelwald should prepare for a shock, maybe even a stinkbomb. A very dirty deal indeed. Let's just say, don't believe the fairy tale of a legendary duel. When people read my book, they may conclude that Grindelwald surrendered with a polite little hanky-wave!"
I tried to push for more details on this tantalizing topic, but Skeeter refused to elaborate. Instead, we turned to what might be the book's most controversial angle: Dumbledore's relationship with Harry Potter.
"Oh yes," she nodded emphatically. "There's an entire chapter devoted to their relationship. It was, shall we say, deeply unhealthy, even twisted. Readers will have to buy the book to get the full story, but let me assure you: Dumbledore's interest in young Potter was not as noble as many believe. Was it truly for the boy's sake, or something more? Time will tell. But let's not forget, Potter's teenage years were famously stormy."
I asked whether Skeeter still had contact with Harry Potter. Her interview with him last year, in which he publicly claimed the Dark Lord had returned, made headlines.
"Oh, of course, we're quite close," she said airily. "Poor boy, barely has any real friends. We met during the Triwizard Tournament, at one of the hardest points in his life. I daresay I'm one of the few people who truly understands Harry Potter."
Naturally, the conversation turned to Dumbledore's final moments. Did Skeeter believe Potter had been present at his death?
"Well, I won't spoil what's in the book," she said coyly, "but eyewitnesses at Hogwarts claim they saw Potter flee the scene right after Dumbledore either slipped, jumped, or was pushed from the tower. Potter later blamed Severus Snape, a man he's long held a grudge against. Is that really all there is to the story? Let the wizarding world decide, after reading my book."
With that final tease, I took my leave. One thing is certain, Skeeter's new biography is sure to become an instant bestseller, and Dumbledore's many admirers will be trembling in fear, wondering just what secrets will be unearthed about their fallen hero.
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"Lies! Absolute garbage!" Harry slammed his teacup down with a loud clatter, breathing heavily as though the rage had drained every ounce of energy from his body.
"Hey, calm down," Ron said quickly. "You know what she's like. She'd say anything to make money."
Hermione didn't join in their argument. Her eyes were locked on a small article buried in the corner of page four.
Sources reveal major changes to the Roland family's business operations in the Far East. The family's primary heir has already departed for the region. Meanwhile, many wizarding families are discreetly relocating assets. Could this suggest a decline in the Ministry's control?
"It's nothing unusual. Just a standard realignment," said an anonymous business associate of the Rolands.
Above this small article, the top half of page four featured a different report, a large image from inside the Ministry of Magic.
Headline: Internal Report – Wizards Fleeing the Country
A Ministry insider confirmed that in the past three months, many wizarding families persecuted by the Dark Lord have quietly fled Britain. Who is orchestrating these vanishing acts behind the scenes?
Additionally, many Muggle-borns have disappeared without a trace. Is there a connection between the two?
Hermione flipped through the rest of The Daily Prophet, but found no further useful information.
Harry and Ron, though still fuming, had calmed down and joined her in reviewing the articles.
"Time flies," Ron said with a sigh. "Only two days left before the wedding... and then we're off."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"At least now," he said, "we're not alone anymore. We've got people behind us."
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The complete release can be accessed through Patreon.com/Crimson_Lore