On the second day of summer vacation, an old friend came to visit Aiden at the Burrow.
"Oliver?" Aiden called out the visitor's name upon seeing him at the door.
"Although I really don't want to disturb your pleasant vacation time, the situation is urgent, so I had to take the liberty of visiting," Oliver said, taking out a letter and handing it to Aiden.
Aiden took the letter and opened it to read its contents.
The letter was from the Director. According to information from the Department of Mysteries, they seemed to have detected new Deep Realm worshippers appearing in the real world.
Combined with disturbances in the Deep Realm itself, the Director had taken most of their combat strength into the mysterious dimension and couldn't spare hands to deal with the worshippers operating in reality.
So the Director could only have Oliver organize the remaining people and send a request for aid to Aiden.
After reading the letter, Aiden nodded to Oliver, sent out a Patronus to inform Aunt Molly of his departure, and then left with Oliver.
Following Oliver to the underground levels of the Ministry of Magic, the Department of Mysteries seemed more deserted than usual.
Passing through the circular hall, Oliver brought Aiden to the Time Room.
"What's this?" Aiden looked at Oliver in confusion.
Before Aiden stood a triangular passage opening, with strange winds blowing out from within.
Looking through the passage to the other side, an endless white plain stretched before Aiden's eyes. Winds would occasionally blow across the desolate landscape, carrying white sand particles that seemed ready to crush any living being that stepped into this place.
"This is the third layer of the Deep Realm, the Silent Plain, where the legendary Deep Realm King called Entropy is said to reside," Oliver explained.
"The Director and the others went in?"
"Since time inside is completely chaotic, we have no way to contact them," Oliver replied with a helpless shrug.
"Then let's go deal with the worshippers first. Tell me about their situation," Aiden said, turning to look at Oliver.
Oliver's expression was strange, looking like he wanted to speak but hesitated.
"Related to someone I know?" Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"It's the Greengrasses," Oliver admitted.
"Why?" Aiden inquired.
"The head of the Greengrass family funded these people. We currently don't know how deep their connection goes," Oliver handed the materials to Aiden with a 'you decide' expression.
"Then let's go meet them," Aiden said, his staff materializing in his hand.
Oliver also gathered the remaining seven or eight Unspeakables.
Under Aiden's leadership, the group came to the Greengrass family estate.
Inside the estate, Arsenius seemed to be scolding Astoria, and the father and daughter had erupted into a heated argument.
Then, Aiden led his people onto the scene, and the two stopped arguing upon seeing this group of black-robed figures.
"Mr. Prewett, from your appearance, it seems you're not here for a social visit," Arsenius said, narrowing his eyes.
"Head of the Greengrass family, it seems you've forgotten the admonitions from our ancestors," Aiden's words carried dark implications.
"What are you talking about? How could someone from the Greengrass family possibly be the type of person who forgets their ancestors?"
Arsenius adjusted his collar, then turned his gaze toward Astoria.
"People born into our family would never forget the family's kindness and are very willing to sacrifice for the family, right, Astoria?"
"Father, so for the sake of a so-called heir, you want your daughter to do such things," Astoria looked coldly at the man before her, hoping to find even a trace of paternal love from him.
"Astoria, you don't understand. This is all for the family. You three girls can't protect this place. We need..." Arsenius wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Astoria.
"So you'd rather trust those madmen than believe in your own daughter?" Astoria questioned.
"What do you know? Without an heir, the family's honor and your futures will all be in jeopardy," Arsenius said, his eyes carrying a trace of sorrow as he roared.
"Wait, you want to ally with the Deep Realm King for the sake of an heir?" Aiden spotted the key issue.
"Deep Realm King? How could that be? Why would I ally with those entities?" Arsenius was genuinely stunned.
"So what exactly is going on? The Greengrass family is already on the Department of Mysteries' watch list. We hope you can explain clearly," Oliver stepped forward.
After Arsenius's explanation, Aiden learned that this man had funded a research team of ordinary people in order to have a male heir.
They claimed they could use embryo technology and genetic screening to help the Greengrass family create the heir he desperately wanted.
"But why Astoria?" Aiden was puzzled.
"Because she's the strongest of the three in terms of magical power, and she's already completed organ transformation, showing obvious genius tendencies. The Greengrass family needs her to produce sufficiently powerful descendants."
Arsenius acted as if this was perfectly natural, making Aiden's expression darken.
"But she's only thirteen this year," Aiden pointed out.
"The Greengrass family has supported her for so many years. What's wrong with her repaying the family now?" Arsenius acted as if Aiden was making a big fuss over nothing.
Aiden turned his gaze to Astoria, who seemed to have reached her limit of tolerance.
"Father, this is the last time I'll call you that. Previously, Aiden advised me to take over the Greengrass family. But I've always been grateful for your kindness and never wanted to act against my family."
Astoria's voice was steady but cold. "But if the so-called family only treats people as bargaining chips and tools, then this place truly disgusts me. I, Astoria Greengrass, voluntarily renounce this surname."
She removed the ring engraved with the Greengrass family crest from her hand, threw it toward Arsenius, and stood up, preparing to leave.
"Stop! How will you repay what you owe the family?" Arsenius looked angrily at Astoria, his fists clenched.
"Then please send me the bill. I'll find a way to pay it off," Sequence 7 Astoria used Awe, her powerful aura, suppressing Arsenius.
"Astoria, how dare you step out that door! Without me, could you have come into this world?" Arsenius, affected by the supernatural deterrence, spoke with somewhat chaotic intonation.
Astoria turned back, her eyes carrying a trace of final resolution. She used a spell to extract half her blood and bone and splashed it on the Greengrass family grounds.
"Just consider your daughter already dead."
Astoria's voice carried weakness. Her body, having completed organ transformation and reached Sequence 7, barely managed to hold on after such a drastic action.
Aiden stepped forward to support her, and they both disappeared from the Greengrass family estate in a swirl of spatial magic.
Arsenius still wanted to chase after them, but was stopped by Oliver.
"Head of the Greengrass family, you are suspected of allying with Deep Realm entities. Please explain the situation clearly to our department first," Oliver showed a deceptively "kind" smile.
On the other side, Aiden brought Astoria back to the Prewett ancestral home and prepared some healing potions for her.
"Sibby, help me take care of her. I need to go out again," Aiden said, looking at his house-elf.
"Yes, Young Master Aiden," Sibby bowed respectfully.
After settling Astoria safely, Aiden went to meet up with Oliver again.
"How did it go? Did you find anything?" Aiden asked.
"In northwest England, a place called Sellafield. For some reason, they seem to need large amounts of energy," Oliver's expression was grave.
"Then let's go meet these people," Aiden nodded grimly.
The group, accompanied by spatial flashes, rushed toward Sellafield to confront whatever awaited them there.