Chapter 27: The Ministry's Errand
"Ah... this is Miss Lovegood, correct?" Watching the two of them emerge from the book, Dumbledore first greeted Luna. He nodded gently with a smile. "Mr. Lovegood and I have met many times."
"Headmaster Dumbledore, hello." Luna was also exceptionally respectful toward Dumbledore.
You were just spreading that rumor about Dumbledore and Lord Grindelwald... Lyra thought, shrinking slightly behind Luna and shoving the magical storage book into her robes. She did not want Dumbledore to see the cover.
Besides, she already knew why Dumbledore had come.
"It looks like you have something to discuss with Lyra, doesn't it?" Luna tilted her head, glanced at Dumbledore, and said, "Then I'll be going."
"Goodbye, Lyra! Goodbye, Headmaster Dumbledore!"
She left with a skip in her step, as light as the wind.
Leaving a very flustered Lyra alone with a smiling Dumbledore.
"Miss Hamilton, you seem to have succeeded," Dumbledore said, slowly sitting down. Lyra stood before him like a student awaiting a scolding.
"I succeeded..." Lyra peeked at Dumbledore. It was impossible to read his thoughts from his ever-smiling, aged face. Is he angry? Or not... Or did he forget? He's old, after all. That's a possibility, right?
"That's good. In that case, you should be able to continue your work for the Ministry, shouldn't you?"
Great. He didn't forget at all.
Hearing the word "Ministry," Lyra flinched. She backed up a few steps until she was leaning against the table. "Of course... I just... sort of... forgot... ah... no... I mean, I wasn't feeling well..." What excuse did she give the Ministry?
"I believe it was 'visiting relatives,' wasn't it?" Dumbledore said with a smile, taking a piece of candy from his robes and offering it to Lyra.
Oh, so that was it. Lyra was silent for a few seconds, then took the candy.
"This... is..." Lyra instinctively thought it was another one of those Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She really had gotten a bogey-flavoured one last time... but looking closely, it didn't seem to be one.
"It's a Fizzing Whizbee," Dumbledore said, eating one himself. "The sweet honey... reminds me of happy times."
Your happy times? You mean when you defeated Lord Grindelwald?
"And what about you, Miss Hamilton? When are your happiest times?"
"I..." Lyra thought hard. She didn't seem to have any especially happy times. Did becoming friends with Mr. Lupin and Miss Lovegood count? Or her days with Lord Grindelwald in Nurmengard... But for some reason, she couldn't say she felt the "happiest." That superlative didn't seem to fit.
Watching the silent Lyra, Dumbledore shook his head gently. "In that case, you must go and find them. Perhaps you will discover them at Hogwarts."
Definitely not... Even if I do, it will be the day I defeat you...
Lyra shook her head, sweeping those thoughts from her mind, and asked the question she was currently more concerned about: "Was... Mr. Scrimgeour... angry?"
"Rufus... is always like that," Dumbledore shrugged. "I'm not sure I'd know if he was angry."
"But don't worry, he won't suck your blood." Dumbledore apparently also knew what Miss Lovegood had brought up.
Right, he must have heard it from Mr. Lovegood... Lyra gave an awkward smile.
"On the other hand, a certain Mr. Gester Parkinson seems to miss you very much."
"Parkinson...?" Lyra froze, then immediately remembered that motor-mouthed Auror. He was probably her most-hated Auror, second only to Dumbledore... The thought of having to spend more time with that relentless man filled her with dread.
Watching Lyra's face turn pale, Dumbledore smiled. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Th... Then... when... is the next... time?" Lyra tried her best not to make "going to the Ministry" sound like "going to her execution," but Dumbledore could hear it in her trembling voice.
"Tomorrow morning," he said slowly. "And... the morning after that."
"And..." he paused, "...the morning after that, as well."
Should I be grateful that English doesn't have such a straightforward word for "three days from now"?
"Don't worry. That third day will be the last one," Dumbledore said, seeming to read her mind.
"Th... That's good..." Lyra sighed in relief. Otherwise, she felt that long before she could achieve Lord Grindelwald's great cause, she would end up using a spell on Mr. Parkinson simply because she couldn't stand him anymore.
"Oh, by the way, Miss Hamilton." Dumbledore seemed to think of something, his gaze falling on the replicated diagram on her table. "You've met with Mr. Scamander, haven't you?"
"Mm... hm." Lyra looked at Dumbledore in surprise. Did Mr. Lupin tell you? Or did Newt? It couldn't have been Miss Lovegood, could it... So you're one of Dumbledore's spies, too?
"I went to chat with Mr. Scamander a few days ago, and he mentioned you," Dumbledore said slowly. "He believes you are a true Formation Master."
"I... I've only just scratched the surface..." Newt, you... don't talk nonsense... My understanding of Magic Formations is far from being an expert's. "There are many people who know more than I do."
"I see..." Dumbledore nodded at her words. "But this has certainly given me some new ideas." He slowly stood up. "However, it's a bit late for those ideas now."
"Good night, Miss Hamilton." He said, walking to the door. Then, as if he'd suddenly remembered something, he turned his head slightly.
Lyra, who had just started to breathe out, quickly sucked her breath back in.
"Miss Hamilton, would you like another Fizzing Whizbee?"
"N... No, thank you."
Click.
The door closed. Lyra let out a huge sigh, flopped onto the bed, and rolled over sideways a few times.
Phew... She let out a few more long breaths.
Lyra felt the tension in her chest dissipate. The moment Dumbledore left, the joy of having completed her magical storage book rushed back.
I completed something I've never attempted before... That's wonderful... A small smile appeared on her face, and her pointed ears, now free of the hood, twitched back and forth.
Next, I just need to find time to take notes. Father always said that after crafting a formation, you must take notes to review and find any gaps...
But the next few days are going to be busy... Lyra felt a headache coming on at the thought of having to "serve" those Aurors tomorrow.
Whatever... I should just rest...
I wonder when Mr. Lupin will be back? Abruptly, just before falling asleep, she thought of Lupin.