Lowering her wand, Amanda looked around at everyone present. "Everyone, our summer vacation will begin one week after the start of summer break. This way, everyone can have a good reunion with their families and quickly handle their homework."
She turned her head and looked at Harry and Ron with a cold expression. "One more thing, Harry and Ron, you two need to pay attention. For the rest of the summer, you two will be giving speeches throughout the British Wizarding World, so you probably won't have time to do your homework."
"Okay." Harry rubbed his head and nodded along with Ron.
"Also," Amanda paused slightly, "Harry, you need to write your own speech, in your own voice."
"What?" Harry's hand rubbing his forehead suddenly stopped. He didn't even care about the headache caused by the previous noise and pointed a finger at himself.
"I'm writing the speech? Me, myself?" Merlin knew how bad his writing skills were!
"Yes, you write it yourself."
Amanda answered with a cold and certain expression. "Only if you write it yourself will the speech best fit your way of speaking—it will be the most authentic and sincere."
Lowering his eyes to think carefully for a moment, Harry felt that what Amanda said made a lot of sense, so he immediately nodded and agreed.
"Alright, I'll write it in advance, but," he raised his hand and scratched his hair, "I'm not sure if I can write it well, or if everyone will like listening to it."
Forgive him, he really couldn't be like Amanda or Hermione, who didn't even need a script and could just speak off the cuff.
"No problem." Amanda nodded with certainty. That was exactly the feeling she wanted.
Only then would Harry's words seem sincere. When everyone was forced to admit that Voldemort had returned, it would show his painstaking efforts.
The citizens of the Wizarding World would then be more supportive of him and Hermione, who had his support.
After the initial arrangements for the summer vacation were completed, Amanda, Hermione, and the others enjoyed their last two days at Hogwarts for this school year.
At the End-of-Term Feast on the last day, Headmaster Dumbledore and Madame Maxime formally presented Cedric with the Triwizard Tournament trophy and prize money.
Originally, it should have been presented jointly by the Principals of the three schools and the Minister for Magic.
But now that Karkaroff had fled and Fudge didn't want to step into Hogwarts again, that plan was abandoned.
After presenting the award to Cedric, Madame Maxime returned to her seat, and Headmaster Dumbledore stood in front of the Staff Table, looking down at the Young Wizards.
"The Ministry of Magic does not support me telling you this news, but I feel that you need to hear it."
Headmaster Dumbledore's usually gentle eyes were now filled with seriousness. "Voldemort has returned. This is an indisputable fact. No matter who denies it or who is afraid, it cannot be avoided."
"We have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. All we can do is face the challenge head-on; all we can do is unite as one."
The four houses of Hogwarts once united to get through a difficult time in the Middle Ages, and also through the first time Voldemort was rampant.
History teaches us that united, Hogwarts will be invincible; divided, we will fall.
In the future," Headmaster Dumbledore lowered his head slightly, looking at the Young Wizards over the top of his glasses, "we will have to face even more critical situations. But remember, no matter which house you are in, no matter where you are, Hogwarts welcomes you home."
"Together, we will be invincible, regardless of house, or even... regardless of nation."
Headmaster Dumbledore took one last look at the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, then waved his hand gently.
"Let the feast begin."
Countless delicacies appeared on the four long tables in the blink of an eye, yet not many Young Wizards could muster the same appetite as in previous years while looking at them.
For no other reason than they all knew in their hearts that Voldemort's return was clearly a fact.
Potter had no reason to lie, Headmaster Dumbledore had no reason to lie, and Amanda and Hermione had even less reason to lie.
As for the claims in The Daily Prophet denying Voldemort's return, and the speculation that such rumors appeared only because Headmaster Dumbledore wanted to take over the Ministry of Magic, or to satisfy Amanda and Hermione's ambitions...
Well, it had a strong scent of Fudge... Guess if they believed it?
On one side was Fudge, and on the other were Amanda, Hermione, Potter, and Headmaster Dumbledore. Who was more credible? Even a fool would know.
Naturally cutting a piece of steak and putting it in her mouth, Amanda's peripheral vision caught the sight of few people at the Ravenclaw Table moving their cutlery.
Presumably, the situation at the other three long tables was similar. Indeed, they were all just children who were either underage or had just become adults, facing the news of Voldemort's return.
No matter how brave they were, or how firmly they believed Hogwarts would be fine, there would be occasional moments of fear and hesitation.
Swallowing the steak in her mouth, Amanda spoke mechanically. Although her voice wasn't very loud and lacked any tone, it still spread powerfully throughout the Hogwarts Great Hall.
"There is an old saying in the East: 'When the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up.' Headmaster Dumbledore is still here, the Professors are still here, and I am still here."
"So why doesn't everyone enjoy this delicious feast?"
As Amanda's voice fell, the Young Wizards in the Great Hall were stunned for two seconds.
Then it clicked in everyone's minds—right, Headmaster Dumbledore is still here, the Professors are all still here, and what's more, Amanda is here!
What were they worried about? What did they have to worry about?
If nothing else, based on the skills of Amanda they had seen before, even if Voldemort and the Death Eaters really came to attack Hogwarts, it probably wouldn't be their turn to do anything.
Slowly, the sound of the Young Wizards' conversation echoed in the Great Hall again as in previous years. Everyone pulled themselves together and began to enjoy the feast, as if Voldemort's return had never happened.
The End-of-Term Feast ended, and after a night of sound sleep, the Young Wizards collectively boarded the hogwarts express to go home.
Walking into the compartment with Hermione holding her arm, Amanda looked at the luggage rack above. Their luggage quickly rose off the ground and floated onto the rack by itself.
Just as the luggage was put away, Amanda felt a gentle but undeniable force from behind. She leaned back, following that force.
By the time her body stopped, she was already sitting on Hermione's lap, leaning in her arms.
Feeling the warm and soft touch behind her, Amanda narrowed her eyes in a rare moment of comfort.
Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore, who entered the compartment afterward, weren't surprised at all. They looked at the scene as if it were routine, and then Cho Chang pulled Marietta Eckmore into her arms, letting her sit on her lap as well.
Next to enter the compartment was Penelope. To the surprise of the younger students—or perhaps not too much of a surprise—
She also brought their junior, Luna.
Hermione hugged Amanda in her arms and raised an eyebrow at Senior Penelope and Luna. "Oh... Senior Penelope, Luna, when did you two...?"
"Cough, cough..." Penelope coughed gently, a blush spreading across her face. "It was, it was..." She wanted to explain but found she couldn't quite say it.
Well, it turns out she really would be a bit shy when it came to herself.
"It was not long after the Christmas Ball." A trance-like smile appeared on Luna's face as she turned her head to look at Penelope, her misty eyes blinking.
Without waiting for Penelope to speak, she pulled her to the seat next to Amanda and Hermione. After sitting down herself, she pulled Penelope onto her lap as well.
"Oh, I must be too heavy. I'm several years older than you."
Penelope clearly felt the heat on her face intensify. She wanted to stand up from Luna's lap. At least, at least she shouldn't be sitting on Luna's lap right now; Luna was still young.
"Not heavy," Luna wrapped her arms around Senior Penelope's waist, pulling her completely into her embrace, and countered in an ethereal voice, "Senior Penelope is very light. Sit properly, okay?"
"Oh, oh, alright."
Penelope nodded with a red face and sat quietly in Luna's arms. Honestly, it was quite comfortable.
"I think my grades this year should satisfy my mother..."
The compartment door opened. Ron was talking to Harry as he opened it.
When he saw Harry's suddenly widened eyes and stunned expression, he turned back and saw the situation inside the compartment, immediately stopping his words.
"Merlin's hogwarts express..." Ron murmured softly, instinctively raising his hand to cover his right gums.
"Should we... find another compartment to sit in?" Staring at the gazes of the several young witches looking at him, Harry forced himself to finish the sentence to Ron.
This, this, no matter how you looked at it, this compartment wasn't suitable for the two of them to sit in.
"I agree with you, mate. Let's go!"
Ron nodded without hesitation, reached out to close the compartment door again, and "fled the scene" with Harry.
For the rest of the time, the young witches chatted happily for nearly the whole day. Of course, Amanda, Marietta Eckmore, and Penelope didn't sit for long before getting off the other three's laps.
If they had sat like that the whole way, Hermione, Cho Chang, and Luna's legs would have definitely gone numb.
Stepping off the hogwarts express, Amanda and Hermione said goodbye to their friends and then followed her toward Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
"Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger, good evening." Amanda stood still and nodded politely to the two of them.
"Mom, Dad, good evening." Hermione also greeted them with a smile, holding Amanda's hand.
"Good evening, my two good girls." Mrs. Granger happily pulled both Amanda and Hermione into her arms.
While Mr. Granger greeted his daughter and Amanda, he naturally took their luggage.
At the same time, after letting go of the two girls, Mrs. Granger's gaze toward Amanda was softer and more affectionate than ever before.
Her darling daughter had told her in the letter she sent back at Christmas that she had successfully kissed Amanda at the Christmas Ball.
Her daughter had finally won over her sweetheart, so of course Mrs. Granger was happy.
"Let's go, let's go home for dinner."
Mrs. Granger smiled and rubbed the soft tops of the two girls' heads, leading them out of King's Cross Station.
As soon as they sat in the car of the Granger Residence, Amanda and Hermione buckled their seatbelts.
Then Hermione looked at Mr. and Mrs. Granger sitting in the driver's and passenger's seats in the front.
"Mom, Dad, I think I should tell you."
"Tell us what?" Mrs. Granger buckled her seatbelt and looked back at Hermione with a gentle gaze.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione held Amanda's hand beside her. "Voldemort, the greatest Dark Lord in the Wizarding World, has returned. It happened this school year."
"Voldemort..." Mrs. Granger murmured softly and exchanged a look with her husband, who had just started the car.
"And, Amanda and I need to leave home in a week to do some things—things that can help us truly kill Voldemort."
Hermione had been struggling with this the whole way, but she finally decided to tell her parents the truth. After all, given how well her mother knew her, if she lied, her mother would probably discover it from her expression before the lie even left her mouth.
"Oh," Mrs. Granger frowned, not immediately saying it was out of the question or forbidding Hermione from doing it, but looking at her with some confusion. "I understand what you said before about the Ministry of Magic in the Wizarding World being unreliable, but why can't these things be left to your Professors? I mean, they are at least older than you, aren't they?"
"Mom, how should I put it," Hermione's fingers gently stroked the back of Amanda's hand, "things related to Voldemort have been entangled with me since four years ago, and with Harry since fourteen years ago. We must act; it must be us who act."
"Others can help, but the main part must be us. We cannot run away. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Sigh..." With a helpless sigh, Mrs. Granger reached out and affectionately rubbed her daughter's head, looking at her daughter who had already grown into a graceful young woman.
"Your father and I never stop you from doing what you want to do, as long as it's legal, not to mention you're grown up now."
"You can do what you feel is right. Only one thing: be safe, okay? Both you and Amanda. I want to see my two daughters whole and sound, not easily injured."
"Of course, Mom."
Amanda also agreed without hesitation from the side, "Of course, Mrs. Granger. I will ensure Hermione isn't harmed in any way."
Even a small bump or a scratch, she would not let it happen to Hermione.
"Protect yourself too." Mrs. Granger smoothed Amanda's hair and turned back. She didn't know if it was because of the windshield, but her view of the car in front was a bit blurry.
"Since you've decided, go ahead and do it, Hermione. Your father and I are always proud of you," Mr. Granger said as he steadily turned a corner. "If you encounter danger or feel wronged outside, just come home. Mom and Dad are always here."
"Okay..." Hermione closed her eyes and reached out to tightly hug Amanda's waist.
Amanda hugged Hermione back, patting her back gently as if to soothe her.
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