"Good afternoon, Professor."
Albert knocked on the door to the Headmaster's office and greeted the old man behind the desk with a smile. He was actually a little surprised that Dumbledore knew he had come to Hogwarts.
But on second thought, it was hardly strange. This was, after all, the other man's stronghold of many years. With Sirius Black's earlier break-in, it was perfectly normal for him to have set up defensive wards and alerts.
If it had been Albert, he would certainly have had similar safeguards in place to prevent anyone from sneaking into Hogwarts School without his knowledge.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Anderson. How is Mr. Diggory doing?"
Dumbledore set down the Daily Prophet in his hand, looked up at Albert as he entered the office after knocking, and offered him the gentle smile one gave an old friend.
"He's awake now. Madam Pomfrey said Cedric would be fine after a few days of rest." Albert walked over and sat in the chair beside the desk. "I hope you'll allow him to recuperate here for a few days. St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries isn't exactly safe right now."
"Of course." Dumbledore's gaze swept over the newspaper headline beside him as he asked with a smile, "Would you like something to drink?"
"Milk tea."
"I just heard about that matter from Scrimgeour. You did the right thing. This isn't the time to face the Dark Lord."
With a light flick of his wand, a steaming cup of milk tea appeared before Albert. The Headmaster then handed him the newspaper he had just finished reading. Its latest headline read:
The author of Peering Through the Mist to See the Future, Master of Prophecy Cassandra Vablatsky, had mysteriously disappeared from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
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