"Come in, Miss Granger!"
Hearing the familiar voice from not far ahead, Hermione tensed slightly.
Instinctively, she reached out and gently pushed the badger-shaped brass knocker on the oak door. With a creak, the door to the Headmaster's Office opened.
She stepped inside and glanced around somewhat awkwardly—the portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses sleeping on the walls, the beautiful and luxuriant phoenix perch, and the delicate silver instruments arranged around the room.
The layout of the Headmaster's Office was almost exactly the same as the last time she had visited. Nothing had changed.
Except for the person sitting in the Headmaster's chair.
It was no longer the familiar figure of Albus Dumbledore.
Jon sat there instead. He wore an elegant black wizard's robe decorated with golden stars, an outfit that made him look more mature than his true age.
After removing the pointed wizard's hat from his head, Jon looked up and spoke gently.
"Good afternoon."
His voice was nowhere near as booming as Headmaster Dumbledore's, yet it carried the same quiet quality that naturally inspired trust.
"H-hello… Jon…" Hermione stammered. "Oh… no… Headmaster Hart…"
For some reason, she suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable, as if she didn't quite know where to place herself.
...
"You seem a little nervous." Jon smiled, leaning back lazily in his chair and stretching. "If you're not used to that title, you can just keep calling me Jon."
"Alright, Jon." Hermione visibly relaxed, a small smile appearing on her face.
"Have a seat." Jon gestured to the chair in front of him—the same one Horace Slughorn had been sitting in moments earlier.
"The world really is strange, isn't it?" Hermione sat down carefully, choosing her words as she looked at him. "Very strange."
"Yes," Jon nodded thoughtfully. "Unexpected things happen all the time."
"How have you been feeling lately… sitting in that position…" Hermione asked cautiously, raising a finger and pointing behind him toward the Headmaster's seat.
"To be honest, the pressure is enormous," Jon replied easily. "But most of the time, I actually enjoy it."
Hermione's lips twitched slightly. She wasn't sure what to say for a moment. Then she remembered the conversation she had just overheard.
"Sorry… I overheard your conversation with Professor Slughorn earlier…"
"Yes," Jon replied calmly. "As you heard, Professor Horace Slughorn isn't exactly trustworthy."
"Is it really true, like the rumors say, that he used to be a Death Eater?" Hermione looked shocked. "And just now… you seemed to be threatening him…"
"In a sense, yes." Jon nodded without hesitation. "Slughorn isn't trustworthy. But given his nature, at a moment like this he'll definitely stand on our side."
Hermione took a deep breath and looked straight at him.
"Jon… I just feel… like you've changed so much…"
"…Or maybe I never really knew the real you at all. We were never truly close friends… were we…"
An awkward silence settled over the room.
"Sorry, Hermione." Jon spread his hands slightly. "Let's get back to the main topic."
...
"That's right—I brought her," Hermione said, clearly understanding why Jon had asked her to come.
Then she took a small sealed glass jar out of her bag.
"I really don't understand how you knew about this… Are you actually a Seer or something? Nonsense—Divination is all fake!" Hermione said, waving the jar slightly.
Inside the jar were several small twigs and leaves, along with a plump beetle. The markings around its antennae looked almost exactly like the ugly glasses Rita Skeeter wore.
"You won't let her escape, will you?" Hermione asked. "If I let her out."
As she spoke, Hermione opened the lid of the jar.
"Of course not," Jon replied immediately. "This is my territory."
The plump beetle shot out of the jar like a mad creature, flying straight toward the window. But before it could reach it, the phoenix Fawkes had already swooped down from her perch and blocked its path.
Left with no choice, the beetle transformed back into human form.
Rita Skeeter appeared—her elaborate curls were now a tangled mess, though she still wore her signature jeweled glasses. Judging by the expression on her face, she was furious.
"Miss Perfect!" the reporter shouted angrily. "I don't understand! Our deal clearly ended over a year ago!"
"But you violated Hogwarts' rules," Hermione replied clearly and firmly. "You were banned from entering Hogwarts, yet you sneaked back here anyway."
"That was Dumbledore's rule… and Dumbledore… is already…" the reporter argued weakly.
"Actually, Miss Skeeter," a voice interrupted the exchange between the two women. "I'm the one who invited you here."
"Oh—"
Rita turned around. When she saw Jon, her lipstick-covered mouth fell wide open.
"The new Headmaster of Hogwarts, Jon… and Miss Perfect… This is a huge story!"
Jon waved his hand.
A strip of tape appeared out of nowhere and sealed Rita's mouth shut with perfect precision.
"Now can you listen to me, Miss Skeeter?" Jon said calmly, his tone completely steady.
Rita first made muffled squealing noises like a pig, but eventually nodded in reluctant agreement.
Hermione lowered her head at first, but when she heard Rita's ridiculous muffled cries, she couldn't help bursting into laughter.
"Here's the situation," Jon said calmly.
"I'd like to invite you to become the Order of the Phoenix's special correspondent."