Old Acquaintance

Amosta Breen had outshone everyone else in Europe's magical world over the past two years. Refusing a request from a wizard like him was undoubtedly very difficult for a House-elf, but Hain still bent beneath the immense pressure and said with boundless apology,

"I am terribly sorry, respected Mr. Breen. Master does not wish for his peaceful life to be disturbed. Apart from old friends, he has not received any guests for nearly twenty years—"

"I'm sorry, Hain, but I'm afraid I must see President Vogel today—"

Amosta did not become angry. He merely repeated his request calmly, but his resolute manner had clearly made Hain understand his determination.

The aged elf panted several times. Fear and faint despair flashed through its clouded eyes, while the fingers hanging at its sides, nearly reaching its knees, trembled slightly. It seemed to be calculating the odds of driving Amosta Breen away.

In the end, however, Hain made the rational choice.

"Please wait, Mr. Breen—" Hain bowed to Amosta, then Apparated away in some haste.

"Unbelievable. Anton Vogel is actually still alive? I thought he had long since... How old is he, exactly?"

After Hain left, Kingsley could no longer restrain himself. Rarely so flustered, he stared at Amosta in astonishment.

"Hmm, around one hundred and ten, I suppose?"

Amosta glanced at Louise, whose mouth twitched in shock at hearing that age, and said with a chuckle,

"Since Dumbledore is still alive, it isn't all that unbelievable that Vogel isn't dead either, is it?"

Though he said that, Kingsley still could not digest the shock of the matter. At the same time, he finally understood why the name Jasna Vogel had sounded familiar to him.

"Don't forget, there's a... Muggle here!"

Louise looked from Amosta to Kingsley and back again, saying indignantly,

"Could