Mrs. Cole

"Take the iodine upstairs to Martha. Billy Stubbs has scratched all his scabs open..."

"Eric Walle's chickenpox medicine must be applied on time. That child scratched himself bloody and stained all the bed sheets..."

"Be careful not to let the other children sneak in. Preventing chickenpox is the top priority right now!"

Mrs. Cole was not an easy woman to get along with. It was obvious from the way she gave orders to her assistants with a stern face that the orphanage supervisor was a hardliner.

Mrs. Cole strode swiftly through the Entrance Hall, paved with black-and-white tiles. Her gaze swept across the shabby, cramped rooms, ensuring every corner was neat, clean, and spotless before she finally looked at Dumbledore, who was waiting inside.

Like the other caretakers, she wore an apron, but it did nothing to conceal her sharp, imposing air. She was gaunt, her hollow cheeks making her features stark and defined, her cheekbones slightly prominent, and her gaze so piercing that it was hard to meet.

The three people immersed in the distant memory stood silently in the corner. Harry instinctively looked away from Mrs. Cole's gaze, even though he knew she could not see him.

"Can a... supervisor like that really take good care of those children?" he muttered quietly.

"The orphanage was severely short of funds. The money issued by the Muggle Government, along with donations of money and supplies from churches and charitable foundations, was only barely enough to keep them fed and clothed..." Loren explained calmly. "As the supervisor, only a cold attitude and forceful methods could keep the orphanage running."

"..."

Harry fell silent.

Dumbledore put an arm around Loren's shoulders and gave him a gentle pat, saying nothing.

Looking at Mrs. Cole, Loren felt that her severity was different from that