Anne shook her head slightly and leaned back on the sofa.
"If we can't figure it out for now, we'll just set it aside," she said. "I've memorized the symbol, I'll have someone look into it. So, how's your plan for Godric's Hollow coming along?"
"Almost ready," Hermione said, digging through the stack of papers on the table until she found a folder and handed it to Anne.
Anne accepted it and raised an eyebrow. "Finally, something that looks properly formatted. So, what are the main objectives this time, and who's leading the mission?"
"Me," Harry said, raising his hand slightly. "The primary goal is to find Bathilda Bagshot. Secondly, to look into the Golden Snitch."
"The Snitch?" Anne flipped open the folder, glancing through the notes. "What kind of lead?"
Hermione leaned forward. "I checked the records in A History of Magic. It turns out Godric's Hollow isn't only Gryffindor's birthplace, it's also where Bowman Wright, the wizard metalworker, forged the first Golden Snitch. His old house has been turned into a small Snitch museum. We thought it might be worth checking, maybe we'll find a clue there."
"I see you've added another location too," Anne said, flipping a page. "The graveyard. What for?"
"Godric's Hollow is the largest wizarding village in southwest England," Harry explained. "Its graveyard is full of old wizarding family names. We're hoping we might find something useful there."
"Alright," Anne said, nodding. "I've told you before, all missions related to locating and destroying Horcruxes are your call. Whatever you decide, I'll back it. So, what do you need? What can the Order provide?"
"Food, weapons, maps, disguises, we've got what we need," Harry said. "But… the broadcasts said the Order's scaled back a lot lately. What happened? The warning board's security level went up to Class A. And… why is Kingsley on the wanted list?"
Anne glanced at Hermione, then turned back to Harry.
"The Order's been helping fugitive wizards and Muggle-borns in secret, that's not exactly a secret anymore. Naturally, that provoked retaliation. The bigger the moves we make, the harder they hit back. I expected that, so we've cut down operations lately. As for Kingsley, that's tied to one of the Order's inner missions. But that mission's been completely shut down now."
"So that means the Order's getting more dangerous," Harry said quietly.
"Yes," Anne nodded. "From here on out, the Order might not be able to support you much longer. One of the promises I made to Dumbledore was to protect as many people in the Order, and outside it, as I can."
She looked around at the three of them, her tone suddenly firm.
"So, I need you to be ready for the day when there might be no help at all, no reliable intel, no steady food source, and the Death Eaters could find you at any time…"
"We've always known that," Ron said, speaking up. "Right, Harry? Honestly, back at Dumbledore's funeral when we made our decision, I didn't think hunting Horcruxes would feel like this. It's rough, but not worse than home. Well, that's a joke. But seriously, Anne, you're right. The Order members come first."
Harry and Hermione both nodded in agreement.
Anne smiled faintly. "Still, in theory, that day shouldn't come," she said, her tone lightening. "The Order of the Phoenix was founded for one simple purpose, to destroy the Dark Lord. Your mission will always be our top priority. You'll only lose our support if I die, and the Order is completely wiped out—"
"Anne!" Hermione's voice broke sharply, her face turning pale.
Anne immediately reached out and pulled her into her arms. Hermione froze for a moment, then pressed against her, trembling slightly.
Anne stroked her back gently and whispered, "Hey… I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Just a stupid joke. You know I'd never risk my life like that, I love it far too much. I promised you, didn't I? I haven't forgotten. And besides—" she smiled weakly, "Slytherin's first rule is self-preservation. That's my favorite one."
"That joke," Hermione said, her voice low and shaking, "is not funny. At all."
She buried her face in Anne's neck, gripping the fabric of her shirt tightly, the words coming out one by one.
"I'm sorry," Anne murmured. "Really."
For the next hour of discussion, Hermione said almost nothing. She stayed close, arms wrapped around Anne's waist.
Eventually, Anne called the meeting off, and Harry and Ron quickly excused themselves, retreating from the tense atmosphere.
As soon as they were gone, Hermione took Anne's hand and led her wordlessly into the bedroom.
When the door closed, Anne hugged her gently.
"I promise," she whispered. "I won't ever say things like that again."
Hermione pressed her lips together and began unbuttoning Anne's white shirt.
The second button came undone, revealing a glimpse of smooth, pale skin, soft, fine-grained, with almost invisible pores. Anne's complexion wasn't the typical fair of most witches; it had a delicate, childlike sheen.
When the third button opened, a deep brown leather breastplate came into view, ancient, with faint gold runes and goblin symbols shimmering across its surface.
Hermione looked up, meeting Anne's eyes.
"If one Graphorn-hide cuirass can weaken an Unforgivable Curse," she said quietly, "wouldn't two layered together work even better?"
Anne laughed softly.
She pulled Hermione a little closer and whispered by her ear,
"You know as well as I do, Hermione, even the Unforgivables depend on the caster. If the witch or wizard is powerful enough, ten suits of armor wouldn't save you. Two layers might help a little, but you also know I'd never agree to it. Armor just gives you a few extra seconds, that's all. If something happens, don't fight head-on. Run. That's the smart move. I can do that much."
"But what if—"
"The Order's headquarters is still well protected," Anne interrupted gently. "Even if this temporary one isn't quite as strong, Moody's often with Shacklebolt, that was Dumbledore's arrangement. Think about it, Hermione, it's Moody. In the Order, only Kingsley could really match his battle instincts."
She patted Hermione's back reassuringly. "Tell you what, if I catch even a whisper of trouble, I'll stay away from headquarters for a while. How about that?"
"…Alright."
"Wait, really?" Anne raised her brows. "But if the head of the Order's rarely at headquarters, it might shake the others' confidence."
"I don't care," Hermione said firmly. "You promised, your safety comes first."
Anne smiled faintly, touched.