Relevant Reports

Leaving Professor McGonagall's office, Loren walked back to the Common Room. Although Professor McGonagall had given him four notices, he had no intention of visiting each house.

The entrance to the Gryffindor Tower is on the Seventh Floor. As you slowly walk up, you'll inevitably encounter members of other houses.

Of course, before doing so, he wanted to take advantage of his position to get a sneak peek. Loren unfolded a Parchment Notice and began to read it with great interest.

The list was arranged by grade, with the Names of Those Who Passed at the top. Only three second-year students passed. Seeing the three familiar names, Loren raised an eyebrow.

It wasn't surprising that he and Hermione passed the test. His understanding of Transfiguration far surpassed that of his peers, and Hermione had practically memorized all the knowledge points during the time she spent idly in the Hospital Wing.

Others slacked off to varying degrees during the holidays; Harry and Ron were examples, almost failing to finish their holiday homework, let alone review.

Neville probably dedicated his entire vacation to this exam, and he deserves the reward he has now.

While passing the Third Floor, they ran into Luna and Ginny, Loren gave Luna the Ravenclaw copy of the notice. On the Fourth Floor, they met Blaise Zabini, a black classmate from Slytherin, and gave him the Slytherin copy as well.

Blaise Zabini's expression when he opened the Grade Report was priceless; his face was filled with disbelief. "How could this be? How could the second year be all Gryffindor, and two of them..."

He didn't dare utter the word "Mudblood" in front of Loren, and left dejectedly.

"Tsk!" Loren was somewhat surprised.

He couldn't understand why a England black man would become a supporter of Pure-blood. Didn't Blaise Zabini have any doubts about his own origins...?

Loren didn't encounter any Hufflepuff House wizards all the way up to the Seventh Floor. Just when he thought he would have to make another trip to the Hufflepuff Common Room, he bumped into Hannah coming down from the Seventh Floor.

"Hello, Loren," Hannah greeted cheerfully, her voice almost like she was humming a song.

"Hey, Hannah, you've come at just the right time." Loren pulled out a parchment and handed it to her. "The Pass List the Animagus Exam is out. Could you please take a copy back and post it on the Notice Board in your lounge?"

"Okay." Hannah took the parchment and unfolded it casually.

Upon seeing Neville's name, a joyful smile spread across her face, and she descended the stairs with light steps. Even Loren could sense the happiness emanating from her.

Meanwhile, Hermione 'Apparition practice at the Edge of the Forbidden Forest wasn't going very well.

Bang!

The little Witch appeared instantly, Hermione's pale face devoid of color, and she coughed violently. The teleportation process, compressed by the space, had left her feeling somewhat unwell.

"This—" Professor Flitwick's brows furrowed tightly... The teleportation point was too far from the target Old Wooden Ring. How could the little Witch's skill have deteriorated so much in just a few days without practice?

"Miss Granger, you seem to be in a hurry from the beginning. Is something the matter?" Professor Flitwick asked in a high-pitched voice.

Hermione slowly caught her breath and replied somewhat apologetically, "I'm sorry, Professor. I received a note from Professor McGonagall when I arrived, and I asked Loren to go to Professor McGonagall for me. I've been thinking about it ever since."

"Remember, the most important thing when Apparition is to remember the Three Ds! That is, goal, determination, and composure!" Professor Flitwick patiently instructed. "You didn't bring the Three Ds with you today, so let's end this exercise here."

"I'm sorry, Professor..." Hermione felt even more guilty, lowering her head to carefully examine her shoes, not daring to look into Professor Flitwick's eyes.

Professor Flitwick gently comforted him, "It's nothing. I was a little worried because you were learning too fast. Next time something like this happens, tell me in advance. You know, if you hadn't learned so well beforehand, not being able to concentrate might have caused you to Splinching during teleportation."

Professor Flitwick comforted his favorite student for a while, and even used Flying Charm to give her a ride, considerately taking her back to the Castle ahead of time.

Hermione went to Professor McGonagall's office first, and after learning that nothing was wrong, she walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room with a light step.

After climbing out of the Portrait Hole, Hermione saw George and Fred gathered in front of the bulletin board, with seven or eight young wizards around them, chattering excitedly about the list.

Hermione felt a surge of tension and regret that she had forgotten to ask Professor McGonagall about her grades.

She walked over and saw Neville occupying the spot closest to the bulletin board, grinning foolishly, completely absorbed in his own world, and unable to be pushed away by the people around him.

George said smugly, "Look, all the Weasley except Ron passed the test!"

"Sigh," Fred sighed and added, "It's probably because our mothers forgot to develop their brains during pregnancy."

Hermione glanced around but didn't see Harry and Ron. Otherwise, based on that one sentence alone, there would have been another scene of the Weasley Brotherly Feud to the death tonight.

Angelina, who was joining in the fun, spotted Hermione stuck outside in the crowd and shouted at her, "Don't push! Come back when it gets a little quieter. You and Loren are both on the list!"

Hermione was stunned for a moment, then felt a surge of joy and happily left.

She found Loren in a corner of the lounge, with Seamus and Dean. They were huddled together reading a copy of the Daily Prophet, all three of them staring intently at one page, Seamus and Dean's faces full of indignation.

What are you looking at?

Loren, Seamus, and Dean looked up when they heard the sound. Loren spread the newspaper out on the small wooden table in front of them.

A sarcastic news headline. "Basilisk? The Dark Lord?"

A large photograph of unknown meaning— the Basilisk and Dumbledore.

Hermione's temper flared up immediately, and she angrily read through the report carefully.

"Reported by top journalist Rita Skeeter... The Current Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Percival Wulfric Dumbledore, was born in 1881 in Fertile Plain 'Godric's Hollow, England. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gryffindor House, from 1892 to 1899. In addition to Transfiguration, he also had considerable knowledge of Dark Arts."

"Albus Dumbledore's family situation was very bad. When his sister Ariana was six years old, she was abused for accidentally casting a spell in front of three ordinary boys. The magic entered her mind and drove her insane. His father, Percival, attacked the boys to avenge his daughter and was imprisoned."

"Reporter Rita Skeeter interviewed his brother Aberforth, Aberforth said that Young Dumbledore lacked concern for his family, was obsessed with the study of Dark Arts, and was obsessed with the pursuit of fame and honor. Every summer vacation, he would lock himself in the attic, count his awards, and correspond with the world's most famous wizards."

"... Dumbledore defeated the first Dark Lord Grindelwald in 1945, making him famous throughout the Wizarding World. As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the undisputed Greatest Wizard of the Age, he has since lived in seclusion in Hogwarts Castle and rarely appeared in the public eye."

"However, according to journalist Rita Skeeter's investigation, Dumbledore and Grindelwald were once very close. According to unnamed residents of Godric's Hollow, Grindelwald visited Dumbledore for an extended period. Aberforth Dumbledore was extremely secretive about this and refused to discuss it. This forces us to speculate what other hidden secrets lie within the story of Dumbledore and the Dark Lord..."

"Just prior to this, a horrific Basilisk Attack on Students Incident by the Basilisk occurred at Hogwarts. The following is what journalist Rita Skeeter learned from interviews with current Hogwarts students (names withheld): A terrifying atmosphere pervades the school, all the young wizards live in fear and anxiety, no one knows who will be attacked next, because the Basilisk will not spare even a cat."

"Rumors suggest that the Builder of the Chamber of Secrets by Salazar Slytherin, One of the Founders of Hogwarts. The Basilisk had been hiding within Hogwarts Castle for over a thousand years without any attacks occurring until Albus Dumbledore became Headmaster..."

"After an investigation over the Christmas break, the school finally captured the Basilisk and presented the so-called truth to the Ministry of Magic... In fact, the Ministry of Magic's investigators never saw a real Basilisk corpse from beginning to end; the only evidence at the scene was an ancient, empty basilisk skin, as well as scales, flesh, and bones of some unknown Fantastic Beasts handed over by the school. Reporter Rita Skeeter specifically consulted Fantastic Beasts expert Newt Scamander about this, but he was vague on the matter, claiming it was difficult to answer and unwilling to give a clear answer."

"Journalist Rita Skeeter found the answer in his book. According to Newt Scamander's * Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, the Basilisk hasn't been sighted in England for centuries. Whether Newt Scamander's ambiguous attitude, as a Dumbledore, signifies anything remains to be seen..."

"According to relevant staff of the Ministry of Magic, the incident report submitted by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Wizardry mentioned clues about the Dark Lord. According to Dumbledore, the Basilisk attack was planned and orchestrated by the Dark Lord, targeting Half-blood wizards and Muggle-born wizards. However, the special case among the victims, the pet cat kept by Hogwarts staff, clearly does not fit the above criteria."

"Reporter Rita Skeeter investigated Vincent Crabbe, a person directly involved in the case. The student has recently been transferred to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for treatment. According to Healer at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Vincent Crabbe is under the control of Dark Arts artifact, has lost his memory of the case, and has no intention of harming anyone..."

"... According to sources, Dumbledore's Hogwarts curriculum reforms attempt to completely detach themselves from the supervision and management of the Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic. Is Albus Dumbledore no longer satisfied with the power of a normal headmaster, no longer content with merely being the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot? Does he harbor ambitions for even greater power...?"

"Our special correspondent Rita Skeeter will continue to report on this..."

The main text ends here, and below the printed line dividing the page is the reporter's name in italic cursive script— Rita Skeeter.

"How dare she! How dare she!" Hermione slammed her hand on the newspaper, making the small table rattle loudly.

"These vile words blatantly reveal Rita Skeeter's sinister intentions. She's trying to portray Dumbledore as someone from a tragic family background, lacking affection from childhood, leading to his fascination with Dark Arts, a deep-seated cunning, and a wicked heart. She's trying to depict Dumbledore as a dark wizard like the Dark Lord, implying that Dumbledore fabricated the truth for power, or even manipulated the attack." Hermione trembled with rage.

Seamus and Dean stared wide-eyed, then held up the newspaper again and read it carefully, word by word.

At first, they only understood that Rita Skeeter was slandering Dumbledore, and only understood the part that was written down. They had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but they never expected that there was such a hidden and sinister intention behind it.

Loren pulled Hermione to sit on the sofa next to him and said softly, "Don't worry, those who believe in Dumbledore won't change their minds because of this report, and those who don't believe in Dumbledore aren't worth getting angry about."

He saw things very clearly... Reports, slander, the truth—none of these matter; what matters is the struggle for interests.

Don't be fooled by these clowns' antics now. When Voldemort is truly resurrected, these clowns will be spouting nice things and coaxing Dumbledore back.

Hermione was still fuming, her fists clenched tightly.

After reading it again and gaining a deeper understanding, Dean looked up incredulously. "No matter what, Headmaster Dumbledore is the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and has connections with many powerful people. Why does this reporter have the audacity to slander the headmaster?"

"Because someone is backing you up."

Loren sighed softly, "Don't forget, Dumbledore over a hundred years old. His contemporaries are either dead or old. So many secrets have been unearthed, even things from Headmaster Dumbledore's childhood. Where can a small reporter find people from back then to interview? Most likely, he'll find it in the scrolls of the Ministry of Magic."

"Minister for Magic Fudge!" Hermione recalled what she had seen and heard in the Chamber of Secrets of Secrets that day.

"He both respects and fears Headmaster Dumbledore, so he probably couldn't have come up with such a disgusting scheme. I think it was his toad-like lackey who orchestrated it," Loren said.

The description was so vivid that Hermione immediately pictured the person in her mind. "Dolores Umbridge?"

Loren pointed to the section about Vincent Crabbe in the newspaper, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Not only that, there's probably some Pure-blood Families involved. Look, this is paving the way for his exoneration."

"They can get away with this?!" Seamus exclaimed. "If Colin and Justin hadn't been lucky, they would both be dead by now!"

"What's impossible? Even the Death Eater escaped trial back then..."