Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Hermione finished reading, and Elphias Doge’s account was basically true.

This was Dumbledore, the greatest wizard in the world.

For many people, this might have been the first time they heard about these past events related to Dumbledore. What they were familiar with was the Dumbledore of the present:

A man advanced in age and esteemed in virtue, silver-haired and bearded, who had led Hogwarts for many years.

As for Dumbledore’s early years, few people mentioned them now, and even if they did, they mostly talked about his extraordinary achievements.

Evan knew a bit more about Dumbledore’s past. He understood that Dumbledore’s greatness was not only reflected in his remarkable accomplishments, but also in his noble character.

In his long and wonderful life, he had the opportunity and ability to get more, whether it was greater power or stronger magic, but Dumbledore finally gave up everything. The position of Minister for Magic, the Deathly Hallows, even immortality, these things had once been within Dumbledore’s reach, yet he chose to reject them, because they did not align with what he truly sought.

Just as the obituary said: for the greater good.

In Nurmengard Wizarding Prison, Evan had seen these words engraved on the gates.

That was what Dumbledore left there, a portrayal of his life. He had sincerely dedicated everything to Hogwarts and the better development of the Wizarding world.

Dumbledore — a great man!

The more one learned about his past, the more admirable he seemed.

But not everyone saw him that way. Soon, Hermione pulled out the latest issue of the Daily Prophet, and on the front page was a picture of Dumbledore striding along looking harried, with a smaller headline and introduction.

“Elphias Doge’s obituary was nicely written, but it wasn’t very detailed in places. Clearly, that awful Rita Skeeter has a different view of Dumbledore’s past,” she said. “Listen to this, Evan:

DUMBLEDORE — THE TRUTH AT LAST?

Coming next week, the shocking story of the flawed genius considered by many to be the greatest wizard of his generation. Stripping away the popular image of serene, silver-bearded wisdom, Rita Skeeter reveals the disturbed childhood, the lawless youth, the lifelong feuds, and the guilty secrets that Dumbledore carried to his grave. WHY was the man tipped to be Minister of Magic content to remain a mere headmaster? WHAT was the real purpose of the secret organization known as the Order of the Phoenix? HOW did Dumbledore really meet his end? Why didn’t people see his body at the funeral?

The answers to these and many more questions are explored in the explosive new biography, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, by Rita Skeeter, exclusively interviewed by Betty Braithwaite, page 13, inside.”

Evan blinked and looked at Hermione who had suddenly become very angry.

“Don’t be upset, Hermione. You know what she’s like — she just loves to make things up.”

During this summer vacation, Evan had made some adjustments to the operations of Hogwarts Magic. Simply put, it had gradually been relocated abroad and gone underground.

After Dumbledore’s death, Voldemort’s rise to power was inevitable.

Therefore, Evan had to prepare early.

He couldn’t expect Voldemort and the Death Eaters to turn a blind eye to a hostile newspaper located on the busy streets of Diagon Alley. Adjustments were necessary.

After the adjustment, Hogwarts Magic began to lose out to the old Daily Prophet, and the increasingly restless Wizarding world was also changing.

Under these changes, although Rita Skeeter did not completely turn against Evan, she started writing articles for the Daily Prophet again, producing a few pieces about Dumbledore before vanishing for a while, only to now reappear with this explosive scoop.

Perhaps in her opinion, Evan was no longer a threat to her.

And in truth, Evan and the Order of the Phoenix had no time to worry about Rita Skeeter at the moment.

Expecting a journalist like her to have integrity and restraint during such times was about as realistic as hoping Voldemort might have a change of heart.

“You’re right, it’s all worthless nonsense.”

Hermione flipped through the newspaper for a while and threw it into the wastebasket.

She had promised to help with dinner, and once she left, Evan went over and retrieved the latest issue of the Daily Prophet, flipping to page 13.

He was curious about what Rita Skeeter said. Was she really planning to write a biography of Dumbledore?

To be fair, that woman was good at digging up information.

Had she discovered anything about the secret behind Dumbledore’s death?

Of course, many of the contents in Skeeter’s writing should be read with caution, and not all of them could be believed.

In the newspaper, a familiar face appeared in front of Evan: a woman wearing jeweled glasses with elaborately curled blonde hair, her teeth bared in what was clearly supposed to be a winning smile, wiggling her fingers up at him.

Doing his best to ignore this nauseating image, Evan read on.

In person, Rita Skeeter is much warmer and softer than her famously ferocious quill-portraits might suggest. Greeting me in the hallway of her cozy home, she leads me straight into the kitchen for a cup of tea, a slice of pound cake and, it goes without saying, a steaming vat of freshest gossip.

“Well, of course, Dumbledore is a biographer’s dream,” says Skeeter. “Such a long, full life. I’m sure my book will be the first of very, very many.“

Skeeter was certainly quick off the mark. Her nine-hundred-page book was completed a mere four weeks after Dumbledore’s mysterious death in June. I ask her how she managed this superfast feat.

“Oh, when you’ve been a journalist as long as I have, working to a deadline is second nature. I knew that the Wizarding world was clamoring for the full story and I wanted to be the first to meet that need.”

I mention the recent, widely publicized remarks of Elphias Doge, Special Advisor to the Wizengamot and longstanding friend of Albus Dumbledore’s, that “Skeeter’s book contains less fact than a Chocolate Frog card.”

Skeeter throws back her head and laughs.

“Darling Dodgy! I remember interviewing him a few years back about Merpeople rights, bless him. Completely gaga, seemed to think we were sitting at the bottom of Lake Windermere, kept telling me to watch out for trout.”

And yet Elphias Doge’s accusations of inaccuracy have been echoed in many places. Does Skeeter really feel that four short weeks have been enough to gain a full picture of Dumbledore’s long and extraordinary life?

“Oh, my dear,” beams Skeeter, rapping me affectionately across the knuckles, “you know as well as I do how much information can be generated by a fat bag of Galleons, a refusal to hear the word ‘no,’ and a nice sharp Quick-Quotes Quill! People were queuing to dish the dirt on Dumbledore anyway. Not everyone thought he was so wonderful, you know — he trod on an awful lot of important toes. But old Dodgy Doge can get off his high hippogriff, because I’ve had access to a source most journalists would swap their wands for, one who has never spoken in public before and who was close to Dumbledore during the most turbulent and disturbing phase of his youth.”

The advance publicity for Skeeter’s biography has certainly suggested that there will be shocks in store for those who believe Dumbledore to have led a blameless life. What were the biggest surprises she uncovered, I ask?

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