"So, that witch called Heliotrope just died for nothing?"
After listening to Albert explain the true cause of death of the leader of the Troll Rights Movement as reported in the Daily Prophet, Hermione somehow suddenly said that.
"Heliotrope certainly didn't die for nothing."
Albert looked up at Hermione and curled his lips slightly.
"Have they caught the culprit?" Hermione asked expectantly.
"Of course not. But Heliotrope's death was still quite valuable. She'll live on forever in another way."
Albert actually knew what Hermione wanted to hear, but he still shattered her last sliver of hope with the cruel truth.
"That woman used her own life to create an international joke that the wizarding world would remember forever. She also proved to everyone the danger and unpredictability of trolls. I believe no one will entertain the unrealistic fantasy that trolls are harmless in the future."
"But, I mean, how could they..."
The little sense of justice in Hermione's heart would not allow her to accept such an outcome. A person had died merely because of a joke, while those truly responsible did not have to face any punishment.
It wasn't fair at all! "It was just an accident, Hermione."
Cedric lightly tapped the front-page article on the newspaper with his finger and reminded her, "If Albert hadn't mentioned it himself, I think most people reading the paper would only take it as a joke. Besides, you don't have any evidence proving that she really... You know what I mean, don't you?"
"But Albert isn't..."
"I'm not going to be anyone's witness."
Albert would never do something so thankless and troublesome, especially since he had no evidence.
In fact, they did not need any evidence. Most of the witches and wizards who had attended that troll meeting had guessed what happened,