At dusk in late July, Jerry stood beside the shimmering artificial lake at Stett Manor in France, leafing through a stack of letters Tom had just delivered: letters from Hermione, Catherine, Dumbledore, and even the newly resurrected Voldemort...
The setting sun poured molten gold across the lake, tinting its rippling surface a warm orange-red.
Pheobe approached along a path through the nearby flower beds, wearing an elegant blue long-sleeved knit top and fitted jeans. Her waist-length silver hair was tied in a high ponytail that swayed gently in the breeze. In just over a month, both her bearing and her strength had undergone a staggering transformation.
With light footsteps, Pheobe quietly approached Jerry, carrying a notebook.
"Chirp!"
Tom stood on the railing beside Jerry. Seeing that Jerry was still looking down at his letters and seemed not to have noticed Pheobe, he gave a soft chirp to alert him. But Jerry continued frowning at the jumble of correspondence in his hands until Pheobe slipped her arms around him from behind, her clear, bell-like laughter instantly breaking the surrounding silence.
"Darling, whose letter has you so engrossed that you didn't even notice me coming?" Pheobe rested her chin lightly on Jerry's shoulder and gave him a beguiling smile, her voice full of warmth and curiosity.
"Here, see for yourself." Jerry made no attempt to hide anything, gently passing the letter from Voldemort, marked with the Dark Mark, to Pheobe behind him.
"Oh, a letter from Voldemort..." Pheobe gave the page a quick glance. Though a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, she seemed to have expected it. She remained remarkably calm about correspondence from Voldemort and the Death Eaters, showing little emotional reaction.
"I thought it was a letter from Fawley," Pheobe said softly, with a hint of nonchalance. Neither she