During the first week of summer vacation, the only thing Amanda and Hermione did, besides spending time with Mr. and Mrs. Granger, was their homework.
Indeed, even if they were going to search for Horcruxes and fight Voldemort later, as long as they hadn't dropped out or graduated, their homework still needed to be completed.
This was something both Hermione and Amanda firmly believed in; after all, they were still students, and completing the assignments left by the Professors was only natural!
This time, Mr. and Mrs. Granger didn't keep emphasizing that the two children should rest more.
Combining what Hermione had said about fighting Voldemort, they guessed that the children's upcoming summer wouldn't be easy, let alone leave time for homework, so they let them make the most of their time now.
They simply provided "logistical support" for the two children, feeding Amanda and Hermione all sorts of different things every day, like milk, walnuts, and fruit.
They were afraid that the intense studying would overtax their bodies.
However, for Amanda and Hermione, before they could overtax themselves with studying, they first received a letter from Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Headmaster Dumbledore says he's coming over tonight." Hermione swallowed half a strawberry, turning to look at Amanda, who had also leaned in to read the letter, and naturally offered the other half of the strawberry to her lips.
Amanda nodded expressionlessly. Without the slightest hesitation, she opened her mouth and ate the half-strawberry Hermione fed her, as if she didn't know it was the one Hermione had just bitten.
"Mm, the letter says he wants to talk to us about something regarding Harry."
"I wonder what it is." Hermione shook her head and set the letter aside, naturally reaching out to let her hair down to hide her slightly reddening ears.
Amanda had eaten her strawberry without hesitation! Without hesitation! A strawberry she had bitten!
Even though she was already used to kissing Amanda whenever and wherever, Hermione still felt delighted by such things; with Amanda, she always felt a sense of freshness she could never tire of.
Hearing Hermione's words, Amanda swallowed the half-strawberry, her voice like the cold and steady seawater beneath a glacier. "Based on the analysis, it is currently summer vacation, and the only connection between us and Harry is through letters."
"Inferring further, given Headmaster Dumbledore's erudition and keenness, there is a ninety-one percent probability that he is already aware that Harry is an accidental Horcrux created by Voldemort."
"Considering that Voldemort can see what Harry is experiencing through this accidental Horcrux, there is an eighty-seven point six percent chance that Headmaster Dumbledore's purpose is to ask us not to write to Harry at all this summer."
"Not write to Harry at all this summer?" Hermione frowned deeply.
"According to your analysis, Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn't just ask us; he would likely ask Ron, Senior Cho Chang, and the others—even every friend and elder Harry knows, including Sirius—not to write to him."
"Yes." Amanda nodded expressionlessly, confirming Hermione's deduction.
"Merlin's holey stockings," Hermione said, rubbing her brow with a headache, "With Harry's temper, if we really do that, he'll be furious."
"He won't do anything truly out of anger," Amanda added indifferently, "but throwing a massive fit is inevitable."
"I understand," Hermione said, spreading her hands. "But I don't think we need to do exactly what Headmaster Dumbledore expects, right? Seeing as someone already made Harry master Occlumency and even gave him assignments for the latter half of the summer."
As Hermione spoke, she raised an eyebrow at Amanda. She hadn't thought of it before, but now that she knew Headmaster Dumbledore was coming and heard Amanda's analysis, she realized.
She didn't believe for a second that Amanda hadn't considered this when she made Harry practice Occlumency!
"That was indeed part of the reason," Amanda admitted frankly, "but the primary reason was to prevent Harry's mind from being pried into by Voldemort."
"Mm." Hermione nodded. Seeing that they had finished their private chat, Mr. and Mrs. Granger—who had taken a long leave to spend a week with their two daughters—hurriedly approached.
"I think I just heard Hermione say that your Headmaster is coming over tonight?"
Mrs. Granger looked a bit nervous. After all, he was her daughter's Headmaster. Furthermore, according to the books on the British Wizarding World she and her husband had read, this Headmaster was the greatest and most powerful white wizard in the British Wizarding World.
"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore is coming tonight. He said he has something to discuss with Amanda and me at nine o'clock tonight."
Seeing her mother's rare display of nervousness, Hermione had to forcefully suppress the urge to let the corners of her mouth curl up.
No, she couldn't laugh, at least not in front of her mother.
Catching Hermione's suppressed smile out of the corner of her eye, the corners of Amanda's lips quirked up slightly as she spoke to draw the Grangers' attention.
"Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger, there's no need to be nervous. Headmaster Dumbledore is a very humorous and kind elder."
"Yes, he certainly is an elder." Thinking of Headmaster Dumbledore's age as written in the books, Mr. Granger nodded solemnly.
This time, even Amanda was momentarily stunned. Was that really the main point of her words?
Whether in or out of context, whether analyzing the vocabulary or the overall sentence structure, that was definitely not the main point she was trying to convey!
However, the Grangers clearly weren't considering that. They were already discussing whether they needed to wear suits and formal gowns to meet such a highly respected elder of the British Wizarding World and Hermione's Headmaster.
Of course, between the two, the latter was the primary reason they took the meeting so seriously.
"Uh." Hermione felt she really needed to step in and stop them a bit, otherwise... she felt that when Headmaster Dumbledore arrived, he would be the one feeling uncomfortable.
Because at Hogwarts, the Headmaster Dumbledore the Young Wizards usually saw was rarely ever that formal.
Even though he was very reliable, his appearance was rarely strictly formal; "interestingly reliable" was the impression he more often gave the Young Wizards.
"Mom, Dad, you really don't need to wear formal gowns. Just make sure you're comfortable, clean, and presentable. If you dress too formally, Headmaster Dumbledore might actually feel a bit uneasy."
Hermione tried to join her parents' conversation with a weak voice. However, just as Hermione sometimes insisted on her own opinions and didn't listen to her parents...
This time, Mr. and Mrs. Granger clearly had no intention of following Hermione's advice, or rather... they didn't even hear her.
Hermione let out a long sigh. Fine, just as her parents usually respected her opinions, she would respect theirs.
Whatever they wore, as long as they thought it was appropriate.
So, when Headmaster Dumbledore knocked on the door of the Granger Residence as promised at nine o'clock, he saw Amanda and Hermione opening the door, with Mr. Granger in a sharp suit and Mrs. Granger in a formal gown behind them.
After a brief pause, Headmaster Dumbledore gave a kind smile to the two Young Wizards and their parents.
"I'm sorry to disturb your vacation, Miss Lin, Miss Granger."
"And I'm sorry to interrupt your family time, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger."
"Also, if I may say so, Miss Granger's elegance in a gown must be inherited from you, Mrs. Granger. Very beautiful."
Headmaster Dumbledore's kind attitude and humorous words almost instantly broke the Grangers' slight tension.
He really was someone who easily made people think of him as a family elder.
This thought occurred simultaneously to all four of the younger generation present.
"Of course it's no disturbance, Headmaster Dumbledore." Mrs. Granger shook her head with a smile.
"Yes, we very much looked forward to your visit. Please come in, Headmaster Dumbledore." Mr. Granger also spoke with a smile, inviting Headmaster Dumbledore inside.
Amanda and Hermione stepped aside to let Headmaster Dumbledore in and closed the door, then watched as he turned to converse with the Grangers.
After a bit of small talk, Headmaster Dumbledore looked down at Amanda and Hermione.
"Please allow me to get straight to the point, Miss Lin, Miss Granger."
"I think what I am about to say may be difficult for you, and perhaps a bit offensive, but I hope you will let me say it and try your best to do it."
Hearing Headmaster Dumbledore's words, Amanda was almost certain of her deduction from yesterday: Headmaster Dumbledore wanted her and Hermione to cooperate and not write to Harry this summer.
"Please go ahead, Headmaster Dumbledore." Thinking this, Amanda nodded calmly.
"Yes. For some special reasons, I would like to ask you not to write to Harry this summer. It would be best if there were no contact of any kind."
Her cool gaze swept over the Grangers nearby, and Amanda understood instantly why Headmaster Dumbledore didn't state the reason directly.
For the Grangers, who were Muggles, they were safer knowing less about these things.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, we already know why it's not suitable for Harry to communicate with us."
Amanda spoke in a cold, emotionless voice, while also mouthing the word 'Horcrux' to Headmaster Dumbledore.
His eyes widened slightly, then remembering the book he had put back on the shelves of the Hogwarts Library's Restricted Section, Headmaster Dumbledore gave a gratified smile.
"Very impressive, Miss Lin. Your reading speed is truly fast."
"No," Amanda shook her head slightly, "to be certain of this, I read that book more than ten times, so it took quite a while." She hadn't read it fast; in fact, she had deliberately slowed her reading efficiency.
This was a phenomenon that shouldn't exist in studying.
But for a friend, Amanda felt it was worth it.
"And regarding this point," Amanda paused slightly, "Harry knows it himself now."
Headmaster Dumbledore was clearly stunned. He took off his half-moon spectacles. "Is that so? I... how is Harry? I've been wanting to delay it, not wanting to tell him. I wanted him to be happy like a normal child, to enjoy his time at Hogwarts like an ordinary Young Wizard."
"I think perhaps we've achieved that, Headmaster Dumbledore." Thinking of the smile Harry usually wore and the fact that he'd basically faced no danger since his first year, Hermione spoke soothingly.
At the same time, she glanced at Amanda, whose expression hadn't changed. How much of Harry's happiness and ease over the years was due to this person's help?
"Yes," Headmaster Dumbledore put his glasses back on, "I think much of the credit goes to Miss Lin's help and your companionship as his friends."
"Harry is our friend; it's what we should do."
Amanda and Hermione answered in unison.
Facing Headmaster Dumbledore's gratified smile, Amanda continued, "Knowing this, Harry already mastered Occlumency before the end of the school year."
"So personally, considering Harry's personality and his need for communication, I don't believe it's necessary to cut off contact with him."
"Of course," Headmaster Dumbledore nodded immediately, "since the concern has been resolved, there is no need to let Harry feel he is all alone."
If possible, he naturally hoped Harry could always be happy and always know the love his friends and elders had for him.
"Additionally," Amanda pursed her lips and looked at Hermione, "Hermione, Harry, Ron, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, Senior Penelope, and I will be splitting into three groups in a few days to complete our respective tasks."
"Tasks?" Headmaster Dumbledore looked down at Amanda, his hands folded. "I really must ask what these tasks are. Would you mind telling me? If you'd rather not, that's perfectly fine too."
"Of course we don't mind," Amanda shook her head with a mechanical calm. "Hermione and I are in one group, while Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, and Senior Penelope are in another. We will be splitting up to search for those things of Voldemort's."
Headmaster Dumbledore nodded, but a trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes. Horcruxes were too dangerous after all; while he, an elder, was still around... he didn't really want the children to take such risks.
But Amanda and the others had clearly already taken this as their own responsibility.
Is this the trouble of having children who are too mature and independent? Headmaster Dumbledore looked at the two young witches before him, then thought of the other Young Wizards, and couldn't help but feel proud and honored for them.
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