With the end of the Easter holidays, the stretch of rainy weather that had lingered for days finally came to an end. For several days in a row the sky remained clear and bright, the temperature gradually warming, and the air carried the unmistakable hint that summer was on its way.
It also meant that this school year—filled with so many unexpected events—was approaching its conclusion.
The news that Voldemort had left Britain was undoubtedly encouraging. Many parents who had previously taken their children home had now allowed them to return to Hogwarts Castle to continue their studies, though most of those parents still had little faith in the school's new Headmaster.
Howlers continued to arrive in an endless stream. However, Jon himself hadn't received a single one—every unpleasant letter had been dealt with by the stone gargoyle outside the Headmaster's Office.
Meanwhile, the Hogwarts students were busy preparing for their annual final examinations. Although they had experienced the unexpected tragedy of their previous Headmaster's death, the exams had not been canceled—something that could only be described as terrible news.
Hermione had long since drawn up a detailed revision plan, marking her notes in different colors.
Although sixth-year final exams were not as critical as those in the fifth and seventh years, a series of unexpected events had cost her several weeks of study time this year. That sometimes made her anxious, and she ended up spending most of her time in the library.
Her two friends, however, were clearly far less concerned about the exams. What interested them far more was the matter Jon had mentioned during the Order of the Phoenix gathering on Easter.
"What exactly did he ask you to do?" Ron asked impatiently, tossing his quill aside. "Hart—the new Headmaster who's even younger than I am… honestly, who knows why Professor Dumbledore chose him."
Harry, sitting nearby, didn't lift his head, but he quietly pricked up his ears.
Hermione simply shook her head and replied softly, "In his letter, he asked me not to tell anyone about it for the time being…"
"Not even me?" Harry looked up, clearly disappointed. "I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix too… and I promise I wouldn't tell anyone else."
"Sorry, Harry, I really can't." Hermione shook her head again. "But I think you'll know soon enough."
As she spoke, Hermione gathered her books and stood up.
"I'll be back in a moment."
With that, she quickly left the library.
"Hermione's acting really strange," Ron muttered, scratching his head.
"Yeah," Harry Potter agreed. "I've never seen her leave the library this early before."
...
After leaving the library, Hermione did not return directly to the Gryffindor common room.
Instead, once she reached the eighth floor of the castle, she turned and headed toward the Headmaster's Office.
Five minutes later, she arrived at her destination and stopped in front of the enormous, ugly stone gargoyle.
"Password?" the statue asked sternly.
"No one understands magic better than I do."
After thinking for a moment, Hermione recited the strange password Jon had written in his letter.
With a creaking sound, the statue shifted aside, revealing the spiral staircase behind it.
Hermione instinctively touched the glass bottle in her pocket before stepping onto the automatically moving staircase and riding it upward.
At the top of the spiral staircase stood a gleaming oak door, fitted with a brass knocker shaped like a badger's head.
But the oak door was slightly ajar, and voices drifted out from inside the Headmaster's Office. It seemed there was a visitor.
Hermione felt it would be inappropriate to enter, so she waited patiently outside the door, listening to the conversation within.
...
"Welcome—welcome back to Hogwarts, Horace."
Looking at the exhausted old man standing before him, Jon, seated behind his desk, looked up and greeted him with a smile.
"Oh, Headmaster Hart…" Horace Slughorn said weakly. "Thank you… thank you so much…"
The once-bloated walrus of a man had lost a great deal of weight after spending some time in Azkaban. He looked frail and diminished.
Yet the joy of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster was still visible on his face.
"Thank you so much, Headmaster Hart… thank you… If you hadn't spoken for me during that interrogation… I don't know if I would have lived to see another sunrise."
His voice carried a faint trace of hysteria.
"No need to thank me, Professor Slughorn," Jon said with a smile. "It was simply the right thing to do. Though we haven't had much contact before, you are still a professor at Hogwarts. And at the time, I was only telling the truth."
"Regardless, you were the one who rescued me from Azkaban," Slughorn said sincerely. "If there's ever anything you need from me in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."
"What a coincidence, Horace." Jon suddenly blinked. "There actually is something I need your help with right now."
The "sincere" smile on Slughorn's face instantly froze.
"Here's the situation," Jon continued bluntly, paying no attention to Slughorn's reaction. "The Order of the Phoenix has recently discussed a plan to publicize the Order's actions through the media."
"B-but… that doesn't really have anything to do with me, does it?" Professor Slughorn stammered. "I'm not… a member of the Order of the Phoenix…"
"Oh, right!" Jon suddenly slapped his forehead. "I heard you have a good relationship with Barnabas Cuffe, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet."
Slughorn visibly relaxed. He patted his chest proudly.
"Of course. Barnabas is one of the students I'm most proud of. He respects me greatly and often writes asking for my views on the current situation."
"That's precisely why I came to you, Professor," Jon replied with a smile. "After all, I don't know many people in the wizarding world."
"…And considering your relationship with Mr. Barnabas Cuffe, I also plan to present you as a model member of the Order of the Phoenix in our publicity."
Slughorn's smile froze for the second time.
"Headmaster Hart, what are you saying?" he said, forcing an expression of surprise. "I'm not a member of the Order of the Phoenix."
"Joining the Order doesn't require any formal procedure," Jon replied casually. "Besides, this is only for publicity—setting an example. 'Horace Slughorn, the great wizard who infiltrated the Death Eaters.' It sounds quite admirable, doesn't it?"
Without even looking at the completely stunned Slughorn, Jon snapped his fingers.
Fawkes, now covered with half-grown feathers, flew from her perch and landed in Jon's hand.
"Oh, by the way, Professor Slughorn," Jon said slowly. "There's something else I should tell you… Professor Dumbledore never left any instructions at all. The evidence I submitted during the Ministry interrogation was forged in a moment of desperation."
"Headmaster Hart…" Slughorn took a deep breath before speaking with a solemn expression. "Regarding what you mentioned earlier, I will contact Barnabas as soon as possible. And as for joining the Order of the Phoenix, I have always been very eager to do so."
"That's wonderful, Horace," Jon said with another smile.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now… I still need to prepare for my Potions class."
After saying that, Slughorn hurried out of the Headmaster's Office, stumbling slightly as he left.
He seemed so distracted that he didn't even notice Hermione standing behind the door.
...
Hermione stood outside the Headmaster's Office, completely at a loss for what to do.
Just then, Jon's voice drifted out from inside the room.
"Come in, Miss Granger."