Amost did not raise his hand above his head, nor did he even make a cautious attitude. Instead, he barely twitched his lips and turned his back to the person behind him, asking politely with a smile,
"Excuse me, honored lady, have I broken any laws?"
"Oh, don't you know that?"
The voice still maintained a serious tone, but it sounded like it was suppressing laughter.
"Don't you know, sir, that the Auror's Office has obtained a mandate from the Department of Magical Transportation and Minister Fudge to impose traffic control in Hogsmeade? Any unauthorized travel to Hogsmeade by means of Apparition, Floo Network or Portkey is prohibited without prior application. You've made a grave mistake, sir!"
"But the Ministry of Magic's recent press conferences and The Daily Prophet have made no mention of it."
Amost pursed her lips and smiled.
"We've posted the notice on the bulletin board at the village entrance, so it's your problem if you didn't see it, sir. It's not the Ministry of Magic's fault!"
Amost had heard the laughter of the person behind him, who had given up pretending and was laughing out loud before he could even say anything.
"For your egregious disregard for the law, Amosta Braen, I believe you deserve severe punishment... Hmm, I've got an idea. How about a one-semester detention?"
Amosta laughed as well, turning directly to face the person behind him, teasingly.
"Wanna be grounded? Of course, that's fine, Trelawney, as long as someone keeps me company."
The village of Hogsmeade was bathed in a cool, liquid sun in the morning, with most of the local inhabitants still at home. On the commercial street, which had few pedestrians, Amosta and Trelawney smiled and shook hands.
In the empty Three Broomsticks pub, the alluring Madam Rosmerta moved her sultry figure over and put a cup of syrup soda and a cup of green tea on a tray. She nodded in greeting before tactfully walking away.
"....Some things are not public secrets..."
Trelawney fiddled with her slightly dull purple hair, turning it into the same color as ripe wheat in autumn. She looked at Amosta with curiosity and excitement. "So, what brings you here?"
"The Daily Prophet says the boy and his friends brought that beast from the Slytherin dormitory, but everyone in the Ministry more or less knows it was you who saved those kids from the monster's mouth... But few people know where you came from, many are asking around about your background!"
"Then have you told them who I am?"
Amost smiled, showing no signs of much concern.
"I know you don't like drawing attention, Amosta--"
Trelawney boasts proudly,
"There's an unpleasant woman named Umbridge who's been asking around about you among many Ministry youngsters, and she even came to me, but I didn't tell her anything."
"Thank you so much--"
Umbridge is the Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic, and it's said that she is the right-hand woman to Minister Fudge, enjoying his great trust. Amosta guessed that this woman must be trying to gather some young wizards who are skilled and not well-known for Fudge.
One day, when Minister Fudge and Dumbledore were on opposite sides, the people in the Ministry would be divided. Some would be more loyal to power, some would be neutral, and some would be Dumbledore's 'apprentices', who would follow him loyally. It was uncertain who they would listen to if Dumbledore ever rose to power again!
"By the way," Amosta looked at Trelawney's pride and joy - her Auror's black robes, and her gaze flickered for a moment, as if she had caught a glimpse of something unfamiliar.
"You've become an Auror? That's a good job. Back when we graduated, apart from Bill Weasley, who met all the requirements for an Auror invitation, everyone else in our batch seemed to have fallen short of the qualifications?"
"I was specially recruited," Trelawney said with a nose in the air, proudly saying,
"As you know, Amosta, I'm an Animagus with a talent for concealment and disguise... Of course, being an Auror isn't an easy job. I'm still a 'trainee'... By the way, Amosta, what have you been doing these years under a false name? I mean before you joined Hogwarts as an 'investigator' last semester?"
"Freelancer," Amosta said, lifting her teacup and smiling, "aiming to help people who are in trouble solve their current predicaments."
"It doesn't sound like a proper job--" Trelawney questioned suspiciously.
"Yes," Amosta nodded seriously, "The Aurors are our dead enemies."
The sun, flushed with red, slowly and resolutely climbed towards the sky. A carriage loaded with oak barrels stopped outside the pub. The landlady, carrying a patterned moneybag, hurriedly pushed open the door to receive the delivery. Inside the pub, there were only Amosta and Trelawney left.
Amost leaned back in her chair with a smile, while Trelawney was enthusiastically discussing her exciting experiences as an Auror.
"Just a little, Amosta..."
Trelawney made a gesture with one finger, as if to emphasize something.
