Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged a look, both of them seeing the same disbelief in each other's eyes.
They knew exactly where Tom came from. In fact, it was thanks to the two of them working together that the Ministry even agreed to let this cat have a legitimate "student record." (Well… mostly Dumbledore asking McGonagall to talk to the Ministry in his name, but fine—close enough.)
And because they knew his situation so well, Tom's sudden "bold declaration" was even harder to believe.
Sure, the Lovegoods were a wizarding family, but still—Tom was just the cat they adopted!
If Tom had been raised by someone like Newt Scamander, then Dumbledore might still have a little bit of faith. After all, Newt was one of the few people alive who truly understood Obscurials. But the Lovegood family…
It wasn't that they looked down on them—it was just… how could anyone feel reassured when that family was involved?
The entire wizarding world was helpless against an Obscurus, and now a not-so-ordinary—but still very much a cat—claimed he could solve the problem? That was like hearing the neighbor's border collie claim it could solve the Goldbach Conjecture. Completely absurd.
"Brother, what did Tom say just now?"
As the only person in the room who couldn't understand cat-speech—well, souls in portraits didn't count—Ariana looked confused. She'd been sad moments earlier about not being able to attend school and make friends, and now both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were staring suspiciously at Tom. Had Tom said something outrageous?
Why is it that the moment we left that other place, I suddenly can't understand him anymore?!
The thought made Ariana's mood sink even lower. The Obscurus in her began to stir restlessly but thankfully didn't break free.
Dumbledore didn't answer her. Instead, he looked at Tom, who was now casually wandering around the headmaster's office like nothing had happened.
In his mind, if Tom chose to speak in cat-language, then maybe he didn't want Ariana to know. Perhaps even he wasn't confident.
And Dumbledore himself didn't want Ariana to hear it. He didn't want to give her hope only to snatch it away.
But clearly, Tom didn't understand that.
Noticing Dumbledore's stare—and realizing exactly what he wanted—Tom sighed, pulled out his whiteboard, and wrote:
[I said, I should be able to remove the Obscurus inside her.]
"Really?! Does that mean… I can come to Hogwarts and make friends?!"
Ariana's eyes lit up instantly, her whole face filled with excitement.
Since McGonagall had rejected her earlier because of the Obscurus, then if that problem went away, she'd have no reason to refuse her anymore!
She still had some fear of magic, but she wanted friends in this castle.
And if Big Brother Albus chooses Grindelwald someday, I won't be alone. And Aberforth won't have to fight with him because of me…
"Yes… Ariana."
McGonagall cleared her throat. "Earlier I rejected you because, as deputy headmistress, I have to consider the safety of the other students.
If you're no longer an Obscurial, and the Obscurus is gone, then I naturally won't oppose your enrollment."
Honestly, with a ghost professor already working at Hogwarts, adding a ghost student wasn't a big deal.
Besides…
Last time I was the one arguing with the Ministry for that cat's enrollment. This time it's your sister—so it's your turn to do the paperwork, Headmaster. (¬‿¬)
Professor Cat—who was still technically deputy headmistress—definitely wasn't being petty. Nope. Not at all.
"I agree as well," Dumbledore said firmly. "If this is your wish, Ariana, and as long as the other students can be kept safe, I will make sure you're allowed to attend Hogwarts—no matter what."
Letting a ghost enroll? Please. If it didn't endanger anyone, he had the authority to make it happen.
Plus, the Book of Admittance had already written Ariana's name. Anyone who tried to argue would be going against Hogwarts itself—and the Four Founders. If it came to that, he didn't mind reminding the world why he was called the greatest wizard of the age.
"But Ariana," he added carefully, "Tom Lovegood is still new to the wizarding world. He may not be able to fully resolve the Obscurus issue.
Perhaps we should wait? I know a specialist in this field. With him involved, your chances might be better…"
He couldn't bear to see Ariana crushed if this failed. So he tried to soften the blow in advance.
"No need, Brother. I trust Tom!"
Ariana said it without hesitation. She knew better than anyone how strange and incredible Tom truly was.
The sack he used to pull her out of that illusion…
The ordinary bedsheet he could turn invisible…
The way he could take her into a painting's world…
After everything she'd personally experienced, she had absolute faith in him.
"…If you say so, then…"
Dumbledore turned toward Tom.
"Tom Lovegood, I entrust Ariana to you."
(Leave it to me!)
Tom sat directly in front of Ariana, staring at her with an intense, focused expression.
Dumbledore and McGonagall stepped back, giving him space.
The office fell into an almost eerie silence.
A long time passed.
Just as Dumbledore was about to ask whether something had gone wrong, Tom finally moved.
He pulled out his whiteboard again.
[Um… does anyone know how to get that dark, wriggly thing out of her body?]
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Ariana even began questioning whether she had been way too quick to put her faith in him.
I swear this isn't my fault!! Tom howled internally.
If the Obscurus came out on its own, he had a thousand ways to deal with it.
But it was hiding inside Ariana's body.
And searching someone's insides for a thing made of darkness?
That was a very different job description.