The letter to the Order of the Phoenix needed to be different from the others and focused on intelligence rather than personal sentiment:
To the Members of the Order of the Phoenix,
This letter contains crucial intelligence about Lord Voldemort's current state and capabilities, information gathered through careful observation and research over the past several months. I trust you will use it wisely in your continued fight against him.
First: Voldemort is currently inhabiting the body of a Hogwarts student named John Selwyn, a quiet Slytherin who joined the school this year.
However, this body is failing rapidly, deteriorating under the enormous strain of containing and channeling his fragmented, damaged soul. The physical breakdown is accelerating with each passing day. By the time you read this letter, that vessel may have become completely unusable, forcing him to find alternative methods of maintaining physical form.
Second: Voldemort's soul has been further damaged by the destruction of his Horcruxes. I personally destroyed two. Harry Potter destroyed Tom Riddle's diary during his second year at Hogwarts.
This means at least three Horcruxes have been eliminated. I have strong reason to believe there are still others hidden somewhere, but despite my best efforts, I have not been able to locate them. Dumbledore may have additional theories about what objects Voldemort might have chosen and where they might be concealed.
Third: Voldemort is desperate in a way he has perhaps never been before. A desperate Dark Lord is the most dangerous kind. He's seeking something that can repair his damaged soul, something that can give him a new, permanent, powerful body. Do not underestimate him simply because his current vessel is failing.
Fourth: Despite his deteriorating physical vessel, his magical abilities remain formidable. I have personally witnessed him use advanced dark magic to create a corporeal mist-form that can exist independent of his body, to project his presence and consciousness across significant distances, and to construct temporary physical manifestations using pure magical energy and willpower.
Fifth: If I have fallen and you are reading this letter, then you must assume he has likely obtained what he was seeking from my plantation. In that case, you should consider him more dangerous than he was before.
His power will have increased. His body may be more stable. He may have capabilities that even I couldn't predict. Do not engage him directly unless you have overwhelming numerical advantage and no other choice.
My personal research notes are located in my quarters at Hogwarts. The password to enter is "Moonlit Canopy." These notes contain detailed information on soul magic, advanced defensive spell construction, theoretical frameworks for combating dark magic, and various other projects I've been working on over the years. Much of this information is not available in standard magical texts. Use it wisely and well.
Stay vigilant. Stay united. Remember that divided, we are vulnerable, but together, we are strong.
Fight well. Fight wisely.
And may you succeed where I could not.
Adrian Westeros
He sealed this final letter with the same care as the others, then sat back and looked at the three pieces of parchment lined up on his desk.
These were the three backup plans, three farewells to three different audiences and attempts to leave something useful behind if tomorrow went badly.
Adrian gathered the letters and placed them carefully in his desk drawer—all except Harry's letter, which he slipped into an inner pocket of his robes. He would give that one to Hermione today, with clear instructions to open it only if he didn't return from tomorrow night's confrontation. She was responsible, and would honor that instruction even if curiosity burned within her.
The letter for Order will also go through Dumbledore's hands as if he thinks that some sensitive things should not be mentioned to all Order members, he will keep this letter and read it in the Order meeting at Black Manor.
He has already written a letter for his parents too and it would reach them in a week or two if he did not stop anything. It was better for them to remain in the US as they will remain safe and away from the turmoil and other complications.
Dawn was fully breaking now, golden light was coming through his window and turning the stone walls of his quarters in warm colors.
The morning started with a class—Gryffindors and Slytherins together, which always made for interesting incidents given the traditional rivalry between the houses.
Adrian had been teaching them about Kneazles this week, intelligent magical creatures that fascinated students with their ability to judge character and their loyalty to trusted humans.
For today's lesson, Adrian had arranged for three Kneazles to be present for hands-on observation and interaction. The creatures sat in individual carriers near the edge of the cleared teaching area, their tufted ears were twitching as they watched the students arrive.
The students came in gradually, most of them were still looking slightly sleepy despite the fact that it was already well past eight o'clock in the morning.
"Good morning, everyone," Adrian called out as the last few stragglers hurried into position. "I hope you're all well-rested and ready to learn. Today we'll be working hands-on with Kneazles, which means I need everyone alert and attentive. These are intelligent creatures who deserve respect."
He gestured to the three carriers. "Before we begin the practical work, can anyone tell me the primary characteristic that distinguishes a Kneazle from an ordinary cat? Yes, Miss Davis?"
Tracey Davis, a sharp-minded Slytherin girl with dark hair pulled back in a practical ponytail, answered confidently. "They're highly intelligent, Professor. Far more so than regular cats. And they have an innate ability to detect untrustworthy people. A Kneazle won't approach or bond with someone who has bad intentions or poor character."
"Excellent answer, Miss Davis. Five points to Slytherin," Adrian confirmed with an approving nod.
"Kneazles are indeed remarkably intelligent creatures, with some magical scholars suggesting they may be as smart as some of the lesser-known magical humanoids. Their ability to judge character is almost supernatural in its accuracy, they can sense things about a person that even skilled Legilimens might miss.
They also possess excellent memories, capable of remembering locations and people for years, and when properly bonded to a trusted human, they can find their way home from hundreds of miles away, navigating by methods we don't fully understand."
He moved to the first carrier and carefully opened it, allowing the Kneazle inside to emerge at its own pace.
The creature was a magnificent specimen with spotted coat of grey and white, unusually large ears that seemed funnily oversized, and intelligent yellow eyes that immediately began assessing the gathered students.
"This is Whiskers," Adrian introduced the Kneazle with a slight smile. "Yes, I know, not terribly original, but he came with the name when I acquired him for educational purposes. Whiskers is five years old and has been working with students here for the past two years. He's generally friendly but, like all Kneazles, he has strong opinions about people."
The lesson proceeded smoothly from there. Adrian divided the students into small groups and supervised as they took turns approaching the three Kneazles—Whiskers and two others he'd introduced as Patches and Shadow. It was fascinating to watch the creatures' reactions to different students, to see how their behavior changed based on who was approaching them.
Whiskers took an immediate liking to Neville Longbottom, much to the boy's surprised delight. The Kneazle approached him without hesitation, purring loudly and rubbing against his legs, even allowing Neville to pick him up, something Kneazles rarely permitted with people they'd just met.
"That's remarkable, Mr. Longbottom," Adrian observed with genuine surprised. "Kneazles are excellent judges of character, and Whiskers clearly senses something trustworthy and kind in you. You should take that as a genuine compliment."
Neville blushed but looked pleased, carefully stroking the Kneazle's spotted fur while the creature continued to purr contentedly.
In contrast, Shadow seemed deeply suspicious of Theodore Nott, keeping its distance and watching the Slytherin boy with narrowed eyes that suggested extreme caution.
Theodore looked somewhat hurt by this reaction, his expression showed a flicker of genuine disappointment.
"Don't take it personally, Mr. Nott," Adrian said gently when he noticed the boy's expression.
"Kneazles are extremely cautious creatures by nature. They need time to properly assess people, to understand their intentions and character. Try moving more slowly, speaking in a quieter voice. Let Shadow come to you rather than approaching directly. Patience often works better than eagerness with these creatures."
Theodore adjusted his approach based on Adrian's advice, and gradually Shadow began to relax.
By the end of the lesson, the Kneazle was allowing Theodore to stroke its dark fur, though still maintaining a certain wariness that showed it wasn't entirely convinced yet.
As the lesson continued, Adrian found his mind drifting despite his best efforts to stay completely focused on teaching.
"Professor Westeros?"
Adrian blinked and realized that one of his students had been trying to get his attention. It was Dean Thomas.
"I'm sorry, yes, Mr. Thomas?" Adrian said, forcing his wandering mind back to the present moment.
"I was asking if Kneazles can interbreed with regular cats," Dean repeated patiently, clearly having noticed that Adrian's attention had been elsewhere. "And if so, what characteristics the offspring would have?"
"Ah, yes, excellent question," Adrian said, grateful that Dean hadn't called out his momentary distraction openly.
"Kneazles can indeed interbreed with ordinary cats. The offspring are called Kneazle-cat hybrids, and they possess some characteristics of both parent species. They're more intelligent than ordinary cats but less so than pure Kneazles—you might think of them as having roughly the intelligence of a very clever dog.
They retain some ability to detect trustworthiness in people, but it's less reliable and more prone to errors than a pure Kneazle's judgment. They also inherit the excellent memory and navigation skills, though again, to a lesser degree than their fully magical parents."
He managed to get through the rest of the lesson without any more lapses in attention. When the students finally left for their next class, dispersing in small groups across the grounds, their voices carrying fragments of conversation about the Kneazles and their own reactions to the creatures, Adrian remained behind for a moment, taking slow, deep breaths of the cool morning air.
He gathered the three Kneazles back into their carriers, making sure each creature was comfortable and had access to food and water.
They would be returned to their usual accommodations shortly, but for now, they seemed content to rest after their morning of interaction with curious students.