Severus left, and before he went, Amorticia pulled him into the corridor outside the school infirmary.
"If Voldemort asks why I appeared as Gabrielle at his resurrection ceremony, tell him that the event organizers had chosen Gabrielle as the most important person for Fleur, and considering Gabrielle's age, going underwater would scare her, so I replaced her privately. Voldemort urgently needs an explanation for the mistake in his resurrection plan; he needs a reason, and he shouldn't pursue it endlessly."
"As for the fact that Hermione and Ron were hit by the Killing Curse but didn't die, just tell them the truth."
This was something Harry had not mentioned in his story, Severus realized immediately, staring through the glass display case with an underlying tone of anger at Dumbledore before fixing his gaze on Amorticia.
"Is everything within his plan, then?"
"I agree with Dumbledore on this. Only by bringing Voldemort back into the public eye can we completely eliminate this threat. Otherwise, he will continuously plot new schemes."
Amorticia said calmly.
"Regarding Lucius, he expected me to shelter Draco, so he is to some extent trustworthy."
Severus nodded, understanding what Amorticia meant. He looked at Amorticia, whose expression was full of concern, and his lips moved as if to speak. However, in the end, he said nothing. After showing Amorticia a pale smile, he strode away.
Amorticia did not return to the school hospital. She looked at Dumbledore, who was talking to Harry and the others. Sighing heavily, Amorticia descended to her office.
With hands behind his back, he stood silently at the window of his office, gazing out at the world beyond.
The sun outside was still bright, but there was a cold whiteness to its brilliance. The hustle and bustle of the lake in the morning had disappeared, replaced by rows of empty seats and an idle goblin tinkering with equipment.
Due to his own reasons, the 3rd Hogwarts Triwizard Tournament drew unprecedented attention. During the competition, the live broadcast was interrupted, and after that, it would be necessary to provide an explanation to the European magical community.
And it needs to be done quickly.
This time, he had no intention of making any excuses again. He should tell the public that the Dark Lord had returned to people's midst, and everyone should remain vigilant.
Of course, this would undoubtedly further enrage Cornelius Fudge, but Amorticia didn't care. An angry Fudge and the power attached to him would certainly be angrier, making more foolish moves. He hopes to see it all happen.
Dumbledore will eventually realize or, to be more accurate, he has always been well aware that in the short term, the obstacles posed by the Ministry of Magic under Cornelius Fudge are greater than those from Voldemort.
Assuming everything goes according to plan, the Ministry of Magic will definitely try to interfere directly in Hogwarts. It will officially deny the news of Voldemort's return to the public. For the vast majority of ordinary citizens in the magical community, they will undoubtedly be more convinced by the Ministry of Magic, especially when they themselves do not particularly want to hear that they have been shrouded by the darkness of war.
And to peel away the halo of Dumbledore and himself, to smear Dumbledore and himself, this is also a predictable thing that will happen.
"What's going on, Amorticia?"
About half an hour later, Remus knocked on the door of the office.
"What do you mean?"
Amorticia smoothed the weight from her brow and asked with a smile.
"Everything,"
Remus asked solemnly,
"Are you telling me that you had me impersonate you, while you yourself became the little girl at Beauxbatons, and Criana posed as Moody, and Voldemort's resurrection? Is it true that both you and Albus are aware of this, and what is the nature of your relationship with Albus?"
"As you guessed,--"
Amorticia returned to her desk with the tea, and calmly said,
"All of this has indeed been under the watchful eyes of Dumbledore and myself. Yes, we have implicitly allowed Voldemort to return to the magical world--"
Amorticia repeated the words she had said to Severus to Remus,
"As for my relationship with Dumbledore."
Amorticia massaged her brow as she said, "You can understand it as there being some differences in our ideas about how to deal with the upcoming war. But our goals are consistent."
"Albus and you are our hope for victory, Amorticia--"
After listening to Amorticia's explanation of all this, Remus was silent for a long time, then he said seriously,
"If there's anyone who wants to create conflict between the two of you, it has to be Voldemort."
"Rest assured--"
Amorticia nodded slightly,
"On the day I decided to return to Hogwarts, I think Dumbledore and I both anticipated that there might be some disputes between us on that day, but the conflict won't escalate; we will seek common ground while respecting our differences."
Remus was relieved by Amorticia's assurance, but then he became worried again.
"Albus gave me a task similar to that of Sirius, he doesn't agree with my plan to leave the Potions Workshop, he hopes I can gain the support of business partners. He said that the joint workshop with goblins is equally important and hopes I can ensure its normal operation. Moreover, he plans to reorganize the Order of Phoenix as soon as possible, Amorticia——"
Remus looked at Amorticia's eyes, hesitating.
"Given the current situation, do you think it is appropriate for us to leave Britain to promote our business?"
"Of course--"
Amorticia said,
"To be honest, Remus, I did not start this Potions Workshop with the intention of enriching myself. Its primary purpose is to ensure the independence of Hogwarts, and prevent it from being influenced by the Ministry or the Board of Governors due to financial constraints. Dumbledore knows the importance of this, so he asked you to run the workshop well."
Remus furrowed his brow, he seemed to understand what Amorticia meant, but not entirely clear.
"Make the preparations as soon as possible. After Easter, we'll set out."
Amorticia ultimately agreed to this.
Time suddenly became pressing. In just a few hours after Voldemort's return, Amorticia's life was thrown into disarray. He sent out several letters and finally had time to summon Krum with a Patronus.
"Sit down--"
Amorticia walked over to the fireplace and handed Krum a cup of unique-smelling potion. She smiled gently at the nervous-looking boy,
"I have been wanting to talk to you for a while, Viktor, but haven't found the right opportunity."
As a renowned Quidditch star in the magical world, Krum, though not yet twenty years old, had seen many big scenes. However, in front of this similarly young wizard, he couldn't help feeling nervous, especially when the other said something with unclear meaning.
"Are you trying to, uh, learn more about Demontaunt?"
Krum's tone carried a sense of reserve.
"I suppose Professor Karkarov must have warned you to keep the details of your school to yourself, eh? But let me be frank; if I want to find out something, he can't stop me—"
Amorticia smiled and said,
"What truly puzzles me is you, Viktor--"
Amorticia leaned closer to the sofa, her expression still soft, but her gaze on Krum held a hint of inquiry.
"We first met on the Quidditch World Cup Final last year, Viktor. To be honest, I could sense some admiration for me in you after that night and when you arrived at Hogwarts last year."
This wasn't surprising, just like many Quidditch-loving kids regarded you as an idol, and it wouldn't be odd for you, coming from Dumontau, which places more emphasis on strength, to admire the magic I possessed. But my curiosity is: when did I seem to notice that you were afraid or repelled when facing me? Is it because Professor Karkarov shared some dirt about me with you?"
Facing Krum, who was lowering his head, Amorticia spoke in a playful tone,
"Oh, of course, this is just a casual chat to break the ice before we get into the real topic. If you don't feel comfortable trusting me, you can certainly keep it to yourself—"
(Chapter ends)
