Old Friend
Cornelius Fudge stammered and described:
"I can't believe it... the dementors of Azkaban have never encountered this situation..."
"... Sirius Black is a vicious criminal. He once used a spell to end thirteen lives in succession..."
"...I informed another minister about this half an hour ago, although I think he must be helpless..."
But Jon had some doubts about whether Albus Dumbledore was listening carefully.
His eyes still fixated on the pebbles on the beach, as if they were more attractive than Fudge's fat face.
"Oh, Dumbledore!" Fudge wailed.
"I'm listening, Cornelius!" Professor Dumbledore said gently. "Do you need teachers and students from Hogwarts to help you catch this fugitive?"
"No, Professor Dumbledore!" Amelia Bones, the director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, explained. "You should remember that Sirius Black was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban."
"Yes, I remember clearly... Eleven years ago, it was my own evidence that I provided to the Ministry of Magic, stating that Black was the secret-keeper of the Potters, which means that he betrayed the Potters!" Dumbledore's tone was devoid of any emotional fluctuations.
"Yes, Black, as the number one suspect, was imprisoned in Azkaban!" Fudge nodded.
"The Azkaban guard informed us that Black has been talking in his sleep for a while... he always says the same thing, 'He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts...'" Amelia Bones said solemnly.
"Black is anxious, Professor Dumbledore... but he is clever enough to escape from Azkaban, something no one has done before."
"Unsurprisingly, his target after the escape would be Harry Potter at Hogwarts. He believes that killing Mr. Potter would bring the person he serves back to power. The night Mr. Potter stopped that person, Black lost everything. He has spent twelve years alone in Azkaban, giving him ample time to reflect."
"That is a plausible hypothesis, Amelia, but may I understand that you have ulterior motives?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, Dumbledore!" Fudge stepped forward. "We hope that the dementors can be stationed at Hogwarts to catch Black if he tries to break in, while also ensuring the safety of the teachers and students."
"Wait, Cornelius..." Professor Dumbledore interrupted him abruptly. "Are you suggesting that one of my students be used as bait to capture Sirius Black?"
Fudge looked up awkwardly.
"Dumbledore..." the Minister of Magic's tone held a pleading note.
"However, I believe I need to seek advice from others!" Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. He turned around and looked at the boy who was already in deep thought. "Jon, what do you think?"
"Me?" Jon was taken aback for a moment, feeling the eyes of the three influential figures on him.
"Do you think it is acceptable for dementors to be stationed at Hogwarts?" Dumbledore asked, blinking. "I want to hear your opinion."
"I... Professor, I don't know what a dementor is, and I'm not familiar with Black... But if a fugitive can break into Hogwarts at any time... It seems reasonable to have Ministry of Magic personnel stationed at the school," Jon stammered.
...
With Jon expressing his "opinion," Dumbledore agreed to Fudge's request.
Afterward, the two high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Magic invited Dumbledore to inspect the cell where Black was held and question the guards of Azkaban.
Dumbledore, however, decisively declined: "I'm sorry, Cornelius, Amelia, but I have plans to meet a friend!"
With just a brief exchange of greetings, Jon and Dumbledore set off on their way back home.
It was another long apparition, and Jon felt the intensity of the experience might have increased compared to before.
Suppressing his nausea, Jon realized they had arrived in a sparsely forested area.
"Are you alright?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"I'm fine, Professor!" Jon raised his head. "But I'm a little confused, what is a dementor?"
He tried to portray himself as a twelve-year-old boy with no knowledge of them.
"A creature that robs you of happiness and fills you with fear!" Dumbledore explained with a serious expression. "I detest them... But to be honest, they shouldn't affect you too much."
"Really..." Jon didn't sense any negative emotions in Dumbledore's tone. He had expected his agreement to the dementors entering the school to repulse Dumbledore.
They continued walking deeper into the woods.
"But I suggest you familiarize yourself with ways to defend against dementors. Your friend, Miss Greengrass, must have been heavily affected by them!" Dumbledore remarked.
"What happened to Astoria?" Jon asked with concern.
"I'm sorry, Jon!" Dumbledore shook his head. "That involves personal privacy, and I have no right to disclose it to you... I believe Miss Greengrass will reveal it to you someday."
"Well, Professor..." Jon sighed, giving the anticipated response.
"By the way, Professor, where are we now, and where are we going?"
"We are in Devon now!" Dumbledore explained. "I want to take you to meet a friend of mine, Nicholas Flamel."
Nick Flamel?
Jon couldn't help blinking. The alchemist who created the Philosopher's Stone?
...
A few minutes later, they reached their destination.
Dumbledore stopped and solemnly took out his wand. He conjured a flower in his left hand.
They continued walking.
Jon noticed numerous people along the way. There were hundreds of wizards, each holding a bouquet of flowers like Dumbledore.
However, unlike Dumbledore, they didn't proceed further. Instead, they stopped and bowed their heads in silence.
Finally, they reached a tombstone with a few engraved lines:
"The greatest alchemists in European history, Nicholas Flamel (1325-1993), and his wife Perenelle Flamel (1332-1993).
'With your passing, there are no master alchemists left in the world.'
Hector Granger, President of the International Alchemical Association, July 1993."