Pomona took the hefty book she used for leisure from the shelf and flipped through it at random, landing on the passage where Van Helsing led a young special envoy, unarmed, into Rice Castle.
It was unwise to fight "vampires" with wisdom and soul, yet Baron Rice had once been a hero. Why had he fallen because of creating the Philosopher's Stone, and why had he suddenly sought immortality?
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Pomona said, returning the book to the shelf.
Flitwick walked in.
"What a rare visitor," Pomona could not help saying. "What wind blew you here, Filius?"
Flitwick climbed into the chair opposite her desk.
"It's about the Celestial Ball," Flitwick said calmly. "You want to stop this tradition?"
Pomona did not know how to answer. After all, she had once defended a "tradition" herself.
"Please sit," Flitwick said politely to Pomona. "I'm not here to blame you."
Pomona sat across from the professor who had once taught her Charms.
"Socrates once said that there should be windows open in people's hearts, so that knowledge would not be hidden and observation could remain open. I was pleased to see the Astronomy Club's recent project. I heard from Sinistra that you were the one who told her about it?" Flitwick said.
"That's right. Just as you said, we should open the windows in our hearts. We cannot remain shut away forever, knowing nothing about Muggles," Pomona said.
"Then what about Miss Aiken?" Flitwick asked.
She let out a long sigh. "I let her choose for herself."
"Like Ilvermorny?" Flitwick asked.
"The Sorting Hat thought she wanted to be an ordinary girl, but she herself has great talent. And sometimes that hat truly refuses to listen to anyone else's opinions."
Flitwick fell silent