"Now then, you can tell me why you've come—"
After bringing them each a cup of tea, Professor Breen did not sit down. Instead, he returned behind his desk and sorted through several scattered sheets of parchment.
"Comprehensive Proposal on Admitting Foreign Wizards as Permanent Residents of the British Wizarding World"
Hermione's sharp eyes immediately caught the red-ink title on the document Professor Breen had inadvertently flashed before them, leaving her stunned.
After several seconds passed without either of them speaking, Amosta looked up toward the sofa.
He saw Harry anxiously winking and gesturing at Hermione, while Hermione stared blankly at the parchment in her hands.
"Ah, you saw that—" Amosta said with a smile, raising the parchment in his hand.
"Oh, sorry, Professor Breen. I didn't mean to pry into a Ministry of Magic secret!"
Hermione's cheeks instantly flushed scarlet, and she stood up in embarrassment.
"It's not exactly classified—" Amosta said with a smile. He set down the document, came out from behind the desk, made a calming gesture toward Hermione, and walked over to the sofa. "At a certain stage of economic development, finding a way to break through population limits becomes the key issue. So, I'm trying to overcome that obstacle. But it would indeed be inappropriate for this document to get out. The other Ministries in the European wizarding world would certainly have objections, so—"
Amosta smiled at them both and said gently, "I hope you won't spread this matter around—"
Population growth and economic development.
The subject was far too lofty for schoolchildren to fully grasp.
Harry and Hermione both looked somewhat dazed, but when Hermione caught the fleeting helplessness in Professor Breen's eyes, she immediately came back to herself and realized it was time to state why they had come.
"It's about the