Stepping through the dew dripping in the early morning, Sean left Hagrid's hut.
He could imagine that once Fudge began taking measures, the wizarding world's stability would ultimately be preserved.
As the masters of the magical world, wizards, when fully prepared, did not find it too difficult to handle a few uprisings.
Though panic among the people was unavoidable.
But even if the news of Voldemort's return spread within the Ministry of Magic and caused widespread alarm, were the current employees and wizards truly living peaceful lives now?
Doing everything possible to win over the giants, restrain the rioting werewolves, and properly guard Azkaban to prevent terrorist forces from expanding—that was the only way to save more innocent lives.
Hogwarts in the early morning was silent.
Sean's footsteps landed on the grass, making crisp sounds.
Water was hidden beneath the dew-covered lawn. The sunken grass bounced back up again after the young wizard's shoes stepped across it.
The stormy nights had lasted so long that the newly risen sun had not yet been able to send the droplets back up into the sky.
But no matter what, the sky had finally cleared.
Sean prepared to return to the cottage to practice Dark Magic and Transfiguration, and to wait for the mist to gradually thicken.
In the process, he saw an especially familiar figure.
"Mr. Grindelwald."
he said.
The tall wizard standing on the shore of the Black Lake split his mouth into an unrestrained grin. The next second, he appeared beneath the beech tree beside Sean.
"You came because of the Azkaban guards, correct?"
Sean said, putting away the book in his hand.
The tall wizard neither confirmed nor denied it. His aggressively sharp gaze swept over the top of every tower at Hogwarts.
"I heard that in Nanivici, when a person dies, they say that person's library has closed."
Sean did not understand, but he listened patiently.
"Tell me, in his library, how many volumes are printed with the name Grindelwald?"
"I don't know."
Sean was an honest child.
"You should know. After all, you're so much like him."
Grindelwald stared at the young wizard with that burning, intrusive gaze.
"Like him?"
Sean did not understand.
He knew that what Dumbledore and Grindelwald shared now was mostly a parting of ways.
Just as you could not force a fish to swim in the clouds.
The awakened Headmaster Dumbledore understood the errors of their past actions and had chosen another path without hesitation.
The same was true of Professor Snape and Lily.
Sometimes, Sean would think in a daze that Professor Snape had ultimately walked the same road as her.
After her passing, their wills had reached a conspiracy of agreement.
But when it came to Grindelwald, Sean completely failed to understand this Dark Lord's thoughts.
His actions were as impossible to predict as Fred and George throwing snowballs at Voldemort's forehead, or Ron eating three chicken legs in one bite and choking himself into an emergency trip to the hospital wing.
"Green, you interesting little wizard. I'm afraid even you don't know what kind of person you are."
Grindelwald's white hair lifted as he spoke with interest.
"Sometimes they think wizards like this are great, don't they? Possessing a heart that cannot be approached, yet cannot be extinguished."
Sean simply assumed that Grindelwald had been imprisoned for too many years and that his mind had gone muddled.
He turned slightly and prepared to politely say goodbye.
"The Azkaban guards—I will send people there. But don't you want to talk with me? He said that in all these years, you are the only achievement of his worth praising. He chose you. Perhaps he would print you in a hundred volumes."
A cold smile outlined Grindelwald's mouth.
"Is that not enough? But he handed you to me. You see, he told me to come, so I came. He told me to pay special attention to you. How rare—indeed, I paid attention. My eyes, after resting for so long, still told me more."
"What?"
Sean suddenly realized that Grindelwald was a famous Seer.
"I noticed that he ought to like you."
Grindelwald said in a low tone.
Sean realized it was very difficult for him and this feared Dark Lord to stay on the same wavelength.
"He doesn't care about himself. If one day he needs to die, he will willingly sacrifice himself."
Grindelwald's voice grew lower.
"Perhaps you are right. What did you see?"
Although Sean did not know what Grindelwald had seen, given Headmaster Dumbledore's dangerous act of hunting down Voldemort, Sean knew that if he grew too slowly, Headmaster Dumbledore might still meet with misfortune.
Voldemort could use the Gaunt ring as a trap to lure Dumbledore, who longed to see his family.
Naturally, he could also use other Horcruxes as traps to lure Dumbledore, who now wanted to kill him.
"Heh, heh—there it is. I said what I saw was you, yet you are not curious. You think his safety is more important than yourself. What's annoying is that he thinks the same."
Grindelwald leaned against the beech tree, as if mocking himself.
Sean grew more and more confused.
Did Grindelwald disapprove of Headmaster Dumbledore hunting Voldemort?
And what exactly had he seen in Sean?
Compared to exchanging riddles with Grindelwald here, Sean wanted to go back and grind proficiency more.
"I have seen through the hearts of many people. Filthy, crude, disgusting—but people like you, I cannot understand. He was once like me, but later became completely different."
Grindelwald was still muttering things Sean did not want to hear.
"I must figure it out. Oh, and the opportunity has come. Starting this summer, you will study with me. Understand?"
In Sean's ears:
Many people's hearts—this kind of person—opportunity—
Study Dark Magic under a Dark Lord!
Watching the wizard before him slowly brighten from dull pupils to luminous eyes, even Grindelwald felt a faint, inexplicable irritation rising in his heart.
He had not been listening at all.
"Heh—greedy wizard. Did you understand?"
Grindelwald said.
"I understand, Teacher Grindelwald."
Sean nodded like a pecking chick.
"You change quickly—but I am very satisfied."
Grindelwald knew he had not listened to the earlier words at all, but somehow, a trace of approval appeared in his eyes.
How alike.
A young wizard with such high expectations for magic, whose eyes could contain nothing else.
"Although he was the one who begged me, you had better not embarrass me."
"You heard that?"
Inside Hagrid's hut, the fire in the fireplace had not yet gone out.
A voice sounded.
"Of course."
Another voice was sparing with words.
"You should come back."
the older voice said.
"What?"
The low voice was puzzled again.
"Did he leave any other instructions?"
Dumbledore's face appeared in the sunlight.
"He told me to find—Green—"
"There are only two people in the world who should not call him that."
"Dumbledore—this is not funny."
"Sev, after so long, stop torturing yourself."
Snape fell silent. He did not seem to want to discuss this with Dumbledore any further.
"You saw it. If you died, someone would mourn you. He is the one you personally chose, perhaps even the one you snatched away."
Dumbledore said patiently.
"Don't mention—"
Snape gnashed his teeth.
That night when he chased after Minerva McGonagall was as disgraceful as the night he went to Gryffindor Tower—but neither had ever made him regret it.
"You should understand. Severus, there is only one thing in this world that can always be brought out with pride. Even for thieves, robbers, and shameful executioners."
Dumbledore pressed on.
"What do you want me to say?"
Snape growled.
"I will tell him nothing, Dumbledore. There is no man in this world who would betray his own—"
His voice suddenly fell silent.
"—son."
Dumbledore seemed to be seeing him for the first time. He looked him carefully over from head to toe, then gave a kindly laugh.
Light and melodious.
"That is enough!"
Snape angrily made to push the door open and leave.
"You must tell him."
But Dumbledore kept him in place with just one sentence.
"What—are—you—talking—about?"
Snape looked at him in disbelief.
"This heavy thing has made you lose your wisdom, Sev."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes and looked at him with an undiminished smile.
"Even if you don't tell him, he will find out. It would be far too easy."
"If we delay a little longer, this—if we delay just a little—"
Snape spoke in broken fragments.
"Is that so? I think it would take only as long as reading a newspaper,"
Dumbledore continued.
"When you return this time, you will soon be summoned back. He needs you to serve as his spy, because he has no eyes on this side anymore."
"I know."
Snape's expression shifted darkly.
"He will plan to kill him. Not only Harry Potter. As for killing Lucius, I hope that plan can delay him a little longer."
Dumbledore said slowly.
Snape gave a cold snort. He truly did not care about Lucius Malfoy's life.
"Very well. Perhaps the substitute professor should change identities. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is returning—the time is getting tighter, and the wizarding world is growing more dangerous. I need to find people to teach the children."
Dumbledore spoke with Snape about his plan as if conversing with an old friend.
"I can do it."
Snape said.
"Oh, of course you can, Sev. Naturally, you are very good. But up to now, how many Dark wizards have you killed?
"What we are about to face will no longer be just a few stray kittens. I will find an experienced wizard to assist you. Do you agree?"
Dumbledore suggested gently.
If Professor Snape were a cat, every hair on his body would now have been smoothed down.
So he gave a hum and nodded.
"If you agree, then we shall part here, Sev."
Dumbledore looked at him with that expectant, kindly gaze.
"You should be careful, and more careful still. You know someone is watching over you."
Snape did not answer. His robe swept past, and he disappeared from the hut.
Looking at the crackling fire in the fireplace, the corners of Dumbledore's mouth rose slightly.
See? That was how it was. Even a heart made of stone could be warmed eventually.
For any of them.
After that day,
the torrential rain stopped.
The Great Hall was as noisy as usual, especially in the days after Professor Snape returned.
"He's back again—"
Perhaps only Ron would think Professor Snape's return was more terrifying than Voldemort's return.
"Who? Voldemort?"
Harry was startled.
Recently, that rumor had been spreading like wildfire.
The Ministry of Magic had taken so many measures that even Azkaban's guards had been replaced.
These days, the magic hand mirrors reported such news every day.
Harry and the others worked even harder to practice magic. Although Sean was not around during this period, and Hermione was like a barrel of gunpowder.
But Justin had unexpectedly shown talent in teaching. Although his practical skills were not that strong, as the organizer and compiler of the Green Notes, he could always offer deep and effective insights.
At the Castle Kneazle Club, he often taught young wizards free of charge.
After the students' grades improved significantly, many younger students affectionately called him Professor Finch-Fletchley.
Even so, Harry's mood remained somewhat heavy. It was not only because Professor Lupin had resigned or Professor Snape had returned.
More than that, it was because of the rumor.
Fortunately, lately he could see Sean eating in the Great Hall.
This eased his anxiety a great deal.
He dared bet that many wizards here felt the same way.
On the last day of term, the exam results came out.
Sean still had perfect marks in every subject.
During the time he ate in the Great Hall, he also heard bits and pieces of news from many students.
This was perhaps his only relaxation all day, so he had made a habit of dozing while listening.
Percy had received high marks on his N.E.W.T.s, and Fred and George had finally earned some marks on their O.W.L.s.
Ravenclaw House mainly relied on the outstanding performance of a certain young wizard to win the House Cup for the third consecutive year. This meant the end-of-term feast was held beneath blue and bronze decorations. The Ravenclaw table was especially lively, with everyone celebrating.
Most students had forgotten the bad news from some time ago. Everyone ate, drank, talked, and laughed together.
That morning, Sean also saw Professor Snape again for the first time in a long while.
He sat at the staff table and would occasionally look over whenever Sean dozed off.
When they were leaving the table, Hermione announced an unexpected piece of news.
"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."
Hermione said to the dozing Sean and the surprised Justin.
"But you scored three hundred and twenty percent."
Justin said.
"I know,"
Hermione sighed.
"But I can't stand another year like this. That Time-Turner nearly drove me mad. I've already handed it back.
"Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I can have a normal timetable again."
"Mm. I support that."
Justin quickly said.
Then both of them looked at Sean, who was dozing.
Justin did not need to ask. Hermione knew what he wanted to say.
"I've tried to persuade him, but—"
Hermione said, a little helpless and angry.
At that moment, they thought of Hogwarts' earlier description of a certain Mr. Green:
an unshakable wizard.
As for Sean, he rarely had a dream.
He dreamed that tonight, mist would rise everywhere.