Ivan went on and on about the Ministry's next task, and how Pierce should send more men to capture the remaining Death Eaters according to the list Snape had given him.
Did I say something wrong? Ivan was confused at first, but he quickly recovered and said, "Of course, it's just a little advice. It's up to Minister Pierce to decide what to do."
Pearce nodded eagerly, agreeing that the Ministry of Magic would never be so dictatorial as the former Fudge government, and would seriously consider every useful suggestion.
Their stilted attempt at subterfuge did not work, however, and the professors could not help but feel that the acting Minister was being too kind to Ivan, no… almost obliging.
However, even they could not have imagined that this sixteen or seventeen-year-old young wizard in front of them was actually controlling the entire British Empire from behind the scenes.
McGonagall and the others attributed this to Ivan's mother, Alicia, who had helped Pierce during the Battle of the Burrow and was now in an important position within the Ministry of Magic.
"By the way, where are Harry and Professor Snape? How are their injuries? I have some important information that I need to confirm with them." Ivan was reluctant to explain further about the Ministry, so he changed the subject.
"They're being treated at the hospital wing. They'll probably be awake by now," Professor McGonagall said hesitantly.
"You guys go ahead, I'll go check on Harry," Ivan said casually, then turned and headed back to the hospital wing.
The smell of the potion quickly reached Ivan's nostrils as he pushed open the closed doors, and his gaze swept over the beds of injured students — though not because of the Exploding Charm Grindelwald had cast on the Great Hall, as many of the young wizards had been accidentally trampled by the crowd as they fled.
Madam Pomfrey was standing in front of Harry's room with a bowl of dark potion in her hand.
Harry looked miserable, but he accepted the bitter potion and gulped it down.
Madam Pomfrey had been badly injured in the attempt to save him, and was now caring for them with her own injuries, so Harry did not want to put Madam Pomfrey on the spot.
Snape's bed was next to Harry's, presumably because they were sent to the hospital together, but he was apparently not too happy about it and insisted that Pomfrey change his bed.
"I need to remind you, Severus, that every bed in this room is taken. And since your leg is injured, if you don't want to become a cripple in the future, you will stay in this bed for the next few days…"
Pumphrey's face was stern as he scolded Snape, scaring him into silence. When Ivan opened the door and came in, Pumphrey turned around and asked with concern, "What are you doing here? Harls? Are you hurt too?"
"No, I'm fine, ma'am!" Yvonne shook her head and took a few steps closer, looking at the couple in the hospital bed. "Could you give me a moment with Harry and Professor Snape?"
"That will not do!" Pomfrey was adamant when it came to matters of the wounded. "Save your questions for tomorrow, they are in dire need of rest."
"I'll only be delayed for a short while. I'll leave when I'm done! This is a very important matter. Minister Pierce asked me to come, and it may concern the safety of Hogwarts and the entire wizarding community!" Ivan said seriously, not joking at all.
Even though Yvonne made it sound so serious, Madam Pomfrey reluctantly agreed after much consideration.
"I'll give you five minutes, tops!" Madam Pomfrey checked her watch, and when Ivan nodded in agreement, she grabbed her empty bowl and went off to tend to the other patients.
Harry looked apprehensively at Ivan, and Snape looked grave, both of them worried that they might hear bad news from Ivan.
However, after Madam Pomfrey left, Ivan's grave expression suddenly relaxed, and he reached out to pat Harry on the shoulder, saying with a smile, "Congratulations on killing Voldemort, Harry!"
"What?! I killed Lord Voldemort?" Harry was shocked by the news, remembering that he had only destroyed the snake.
Snape was not surprised. When he first saw Grindelwald holding the Elder Wand, he had his suspicions, but he could not confirm them.
"Can you be sure of that, Harls?" Snape asked.
Ivan nodded. Lord Voldemort had been badly beaten by Grindelwald, and his soul had been ripped from his body and scattered in the air. Not even Merlin's resurrection could bring him back.
With Ivan's confirmation, Snape looked as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. His eyes lit up with relief, and he leaned against the headboard with the air of a sage who had nothing more to ask for.
"Wait, what's going on?" Harry asked, still confused as to why he had claimed to have killed Lord Voldemort.
"When you and Professor Snape killed Nagini, Voldemort was badly injured and lost his duel with Grindelwald…" Ivan briefly explained the situation to Harry before asking about their time at Riddle House.
Although he had learned some things from Professor McGonagall, he still had many questions.
Harry had no intention of hiding the truth, so he explained what had happened.
Snape added a few words from time to time, keeping an eye on Ivan's face. He had been trying to keep Harry safe by not revealing Dumbledore's plans to Ivan, and now he was worried that he would try to get even with him.
With their help, Ivan was able to piece together the whole picture, and it was safe to say that Dumbledore was behind Voldemort's death.
And this primer is the legend of the Elder Wand and the Three Hallows!
Even Ivan had to admire Dumbledore's ingenious set-up, which led Voldemort to his own death.
In a sense, Trelawney's prediction was correct again, and if he was not mistaken, it was Harry who delivered the final blow to Voldemort, using a power that Voldemort did not understand — courage and belief!