Chapter 349 - 349

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For a brief moment, the thought of boredom ran through my head, and I pulled out the Two-way mirror that had been silent the whole time from the inside pocket of my robe. I tapped it with my wand and sent a signal to the other end. A minute, two minutes, and then Nymphadora's face appeared in the mirror.

"Hello, cousin," she smiled, changing her hair color from pink to purple. "You haven't sent a message for a long time."

"Neither have you. Can you talk?".

"Yes, but not for long. There's a lot of work to do, and... the Order takes up all my free time. I'm exhausted. Just like the rest of us."

"What's going on at the Ministry? What's going on in general?"

"Heh! What's going on here!" there was feigned admiration on Nymphadora's face. "The Minister promotes the story of the madness of the Headmaster and Potter in every possible way. The Aurors received an order forbidding them to teach defensive and attacking magic to relatives, students at Hogwarts. It's the same story at the DMLE. Bones is furious, but she can't do anything. Almost everyone suspected of having ties to the Headmaster has been kicked out of their posts or suspended. Fudge is really afraid that the Headmaster is recruiting and training his army at Hogwarts! You have no idea what rumors are circulating around the Ministry."

"Any activity from the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters?"

"Nothing at all. There is only suspicion. In the last two weeks, we've had seven reports about missing Muggle-borns and half-bloods. Seven, Max! In a year, Merlin forbid, one or two appear, and then usually after a week, it turns out that they were just drunk somewhere. The Obliviators are out more often, and it's a big deal, but everyone keeps quiet - secrecy."

"What about the Muggle-borns?"

"Unemployed or returnees. Half of them, you can almost definitely tell, just left the country quietly. But the two cases are pure missing with traces of magic. Tell your friends from the second generation of wizards there in Hogwarts to write to their relatives so that they do not go to the magical world. It's all too unclear."

"I see. How are the others? How is Aunt Dromeda?"

"She's fine. Mom is all about the work. Moody is bored out of his mind - he's been suspended. And in general — a lot of work. There was suspicious activity in the Department of Mysteries several times. The alarm was triggered, but everything is clear. At least, according to the reports. I'm still in the junior ranks, so you know - they don't report."

"I see. So the Ministry is really afraid of children?"

"I'm shocked myself!" smiled Nymphadora. "Who's there to be afraid of? I remember, I passed the O.W.L.s and the N.E.W.T almost with honors, I thought - a talent, a genius, I know everything. Aha! The Academy showed me very clearly that I was incompetent as a witch and even more so as a fighter. I think Fudge understands all this too, but through Umbridge, he's just trying to get you to frame Dumbledore. Okay, well, I have to go... work."

The image of Nymphadora in the mirror disappeared, and I tucked it away in my robe pocket.

"Good thing," Hermione spoke up, resting her head on my shoulder again, "that we convinced my parents to leave. It's unlikely anyone would have touched them, but just in case."

"Right. As the saying goes, 'Believe in Allah, but tie your camel.'"

"Hmm... Interesting phrase."

When it was time for Dumbledore's Army to disperse, Hermione and I quietly cast a complex of concealing charms on ourselves and left the Room of Requirement. After taking the girl to the common room, I decided to visit the Headmaster. However, my desires do not always coincide with the situation around, and the Headmaster did not seem to be in place. But an owl flew to me right in the hallway. It was an ordinary owl, and judging by the pouch on its paw, it was from the post office. There was a small letter in the other paw.

I moved my hand to the side so that the owl could use my forearm as a perch and waited for the winged messenger to land. I ran my hand over the letter, made sure there was no danger, took the package, and threw a sickle into the owl's pouch. The bird hooted contentedly and flew away. Honestly, I didn't think they could roam freely inside the castle, either. Although, just because I didn't see something, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

I opened the envelope with the familiar traces of Lady Greengrass's magic and pulled out a letter. I read it.

"Huh..."

I read it again. This is... Unexpected. Quickly went to the Gryffindor's common room. As soon as I went inside, I immediately found Hermione sitting on our couch and scribbling something in a notebook with great enthusiasm. She was so carried away that a little more and would have stuck out the tip of her tongue, biting it.

"Mione, you know what?" I sat down next to her.

"No, but I think I'm about to find out."

"Yeah. There's no lecture with the mentor tomorrow."

The girl turned her head sharply in my direction, looking with incomprehension and waiting for clarification.

"Tomorrow morning, Lady Greengrass and I are flying by portkey to Prague for the transfiguration degree defense. My defense..."

Hermione looked extremely surprised.

"Ah... What about... You have to get your research papers published there beforehand."

"That's right," I nodded. "According to her, there's some kind of reform, and I have to seize the moment. Now, or not until a year from now."

Hermione immediately threw herself into a hug smiling happily.

"Congratulations!"

"Not yet. Tomorrow and the day after will be the result. Maybe I won't pass?"

"Nonsense!" the girl pulled away. "Right. It's late..."

"It's quite early, isn't it?"

"No. You need to get enough sleep and be ready."

"Got it, got it. Good night. Don't stay up too late."

"You too."

Hermione gave me a fleeting kiss on the lips, and I headed to my room to get ready for bed. It was all too sudden, and I don't like suddenness.