In Umbrella Hermione's office, Dumbledore reached the doorway, then stopped and turned back to face Hermione, who had come over beside Allen to see him off.
"Don't blame yourself for another person's evil deeds, Hermione. Since Tom wanted to strike, he would have found some destructive action no matter what." Dumbledore's silver-white hair fell over his chest, and compared to his usual kindly face, there was no smile on his face today. "Allen, I understand the inevitable darkness in these fields of research... but this incident could also be considered..." Dumbledore sighed and did not continue along that line. Instead, his tone grew grave. "I'm doing my best to try to communicate with my acquaintances in America and explain the situation... the United States Congress won't allow Umbrella's forces to enter in the short term..."
Hermione's eyes were already swollen from crying, her nose red, and she nodded at Dumbledore haphazardly, looking dejected.
"I'm truly sorry, Albus, for making you worry over this..." Allen's white hair, usually combed neatly and properly, was somewhat disheveled now. "This was indeed our responsibility, in a way..."
Dumbledore's gaze passed over Allen's bloodshot eyes and somewhat dispirited face above his crescent-shaped glasses. His fingers shifted inside the wide sleeves of his wizard robes, and he restrained the impulse to pat the other man on the shoulder. "If it really comes to it, the Order of the Phoenix and I will go over in the name of a civilian organization to see whether we can help..."
After Dumbledore left.
"I'm sorry, Allen..." Penelope, who had stayed in the room without seeing Dumbledore off, was leaning back in a chair. She said somewhat guiltily, "I didn't manage the Red Umbrella Department properly and let a mistake happen... Now so many countries are using this as an