Discretion was indeed necessary, but they couldn't afford to do nothing and let the situation deteriorate further. Evan was eager to find a way to reverse the current situation, at the very least to make more people aware that Voldemort had returned.
After some thought, Evan realized that, at this stage, they needed to rely on the newspaper to fight back in terms of public opinion. Since Fudge and the Ministry of Magic controlled Hogwarts Magic's content, they could secretly remove the newspaper's logo and distribute it discreetly. Evan decided to implement this plan after returning from his trip to Egypt.
He believed that after some time of rumors spreading through the Ministry of Magic's efforts, Voldemort would eventually make more overt moves, providing clear evidence. At that point, when the Ministry's explanations failed to match the mounting evidence, it would be the perfect opportunity for Evan to counteract.
"At least by going against the Ministry of Magic's narrative and confirming Voldemort's return, we can create alarm and make people more aware," Evan said.
The mainstream magical society hesitated to believe that Voldemort had returned, as they had enjoyed a long period of peace and comfort.
"Discretion!" Sirius snorted. "Fudge lacks the courage to confront Voldemort on this matter. Instead, he's focused on spreading rumors about Dumbledore to undermine his stable position, making his situation more secure."
"You're absolutely right," Lupin added. "Since the Ministry of Magic insists on denying Voldemort's return, it's hard for people to believe it, especially when most don't want to accept this fact. Apart from here, the Ministry has also been exerting pressure on the Daily Prophet to prevent them from reporting related news. They claim that these reports are just Dumbledore's rumors, so most wizards have no idea what's happening."
Evan nodded, acknowledging that Hogwarts Magic was not the only newspaper facing such control.
"Many people have expressed dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Magic's actions. Several editors and reporters targeted with malicious comments in our newspaper have secretly contacted me. They believe Dumbledore's words and hope to leave the Daily Prophet and work with us," Lupin disclosed. "I haven't promised them anything yet. We don't need that many people, but they are exceptionally talented. With time, we'll likely attract more of them. The Ministry of Magic's explanations are riddled with holes."
Evan suggested that they should consider accepting some of these talented individuals. He was aware of their significance in the development of Hogwarts Magic. Ghosts and house-elves alone couldn't sustain the newspaper. They needed to seize this opportunity to compete with established media like the Daily Prophet.
Evan shared his idea, and both Sirius and Lupin approved.
"We believe that Dumbledore is waiting for the right moment to counterattack. He's also considering You-Know-Who's current focus," Lupin said. "But he can't maintain this situation indefinitely. He will surely take some action."
"What's his current focus?" Evan inquired.
"You two may not know, but when Dumbledore previously discussed this matter with us, You-Know-Who was searching for something covert that he could obtain. He didn't specify what it was, but it seemed to be related to Harry," Sirius said.
Evan understood that Voldemort was after Professor Trelawny's Prophecy Record about him and Harry. Initially, Evan had planned to prevent Voldemort from obtaining it, but now he had a different idea. He needed to find that special Time-Turner from the Department of Mysteries—a perfect opportunity to stay ahead of Voldemort's plans without arousing suspicion.
"Harry is truly in danger," Evan remarked. "During the summer vacation, Hermione and I are going to Egypt. I'll be helping Dumbledore with a task in Norway, not in Britain," Sirius explained. He turned to Lupin and said, "Remus, I need you to look after Harry during the summer vacation."
"In fact, I have a duty as well," Lupin hesitated, continuing, "Dumbledore hopes I can return to the underground world, back to the werewolves. He wants me to persuade them to support our cause, and I've agreed."
"Dumbledore is sending you to the werewolves?" Evan asked in surprise.
"Yes, just as we sought the giants as allies, we must also find allies among the werewolves. Someone has to do this," Lupin explained. "But don't worry, I know the place well and how to handle it."
Sirius remained silent, refraining from commenting further.
There existed an underground world in the magical community of London, a hidden realm on the outskirts of mainstream society. It resembled a labyrinthine network of dark alleys, with an entrance deep within Knockturn Alley. This place was beyond the reach of the Ministry of Magic's influence and was notorious for its darkness, housing various creatures, including vampires, werewolves, dark wizards, thieves, con artists, and dark creatures. The shops there were authentic purveyors of dark magic.
Though the Ministry of Magic had attempted several raids, they had made little impact. Dark forces regrouped quickly, starkly contrasting the bustling Diagon Alley.
To enter this place, one had to prove their wickedness convincingly, and Lupin's status as a werewolf served as a shield.
"After the kids have left for their summer vacation, Arthur and Jasmine should come here," Lupin continued. "Don't worry, Sirius. I'll ask them to look after Harry, and Dumbledore has certainly arranged for someone to watch over him. After satisfying the requirements for that magical activation, we'll retrieve him."
The discussion concluded there, and Evan and Sirius slept after Kreacher had served them dinner. Despite Kreacher's diligent efforts in tidying up, the old house still bore the marks of neglect from over a decade of abandonment. The creaking floors and the classical luxury of the room's decor seemed like a relic from a bygone era, the peak of the pure-blood wizarding families' affluence.
The next morning, Evan woke up early Apparated back to his home.
Compared to the gloomy Black family home, Evan's own home felt much warmer and comforting. With a slight popping sound, he visualized himself back in his room, just as he had done a year ago during summer vacation.
Back then, Evan had returned after a perilous adventure with Dumbledore and Sirius in the Albanian Forest, where they had retrieved Gryffindor's Philosopher's Stone. It was the very stone that had helped save him from Voldemort's curse, though he had been left in a comatose state. Evan vividly remembered that the first thing he saw when he woke was Hermione sitting by his bedside. Overwhelmed with excitement at the time, he had even held her hand tightly. Seeing the comfortable bed in his room, he remembered Hermione once again.
Though less than a year had passed, those events now seemed distant. Evan couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead during his upcoming trip to Egypt with Hermione. He quickly shifted his focus elsewhere.
Thanks to his mother's diligent upkeep, the room was nearly identical to how he had left it. There were hardly any traces of magic in the room. The materials Evan had left behind, including various magic books and research materials, were piled in a corner. After learning the Extension Charm the previous year, Evan could carry or store these items in his Hogwarts dormitory's trunk.
On his desk, there were several Muggle books neatly arranged. This was where Evan had received his Hogwarts acceptance letter from a few years ago, marking the beginning of his magical journey.
What drew his attention the most on the desk was his suitcase. Dobby, the House Elf, had already packed it and left a letter on top of it. Evan noticed several envelopes, each bearing a letter.
He walked over and picked up the topmost envelope marked with the Hogwarts school insignia. It was Hermione's letter, written the night before after she learned of Evan's return. Her handwriting was delicate and familiar to Evan. He opened the letter and quickly scanned its contents. Hermione expressed concern for him and inquired about his experiences over the past few months. At the end of the letter, she provided the address of her family's home, as they had agreed to meet three days after their summer vacation began.
To maintain secrecy and avoid Ministry of Magic scrutiny, Evan had suggested to Dumbledore that he and Hermione travel to Egypt by Muggle means. Lupin had handled all the necessary procedures for them. Once they arrived in Cairo, Bill Weasley would receive them. Bill and Charlie, Ron's older brothers, had joined the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore aimed to recruit as many foreign wizards as possible to the Order's ranks. Though the primary battlefront was in Britain, the Order had grown beyond Evan's expectations in terms of its scale and reach. Lupin said they had members worldwide, including some from the enigmatic East.
Unlike previous wizarding wars, Dumbledore intended to expand the Order of the Phoenix into a global alliance, attracting as many wizards as possible to join this secret society dedicated to resisting Voldemort and thwarting the evil on the rise.
Gabrielle's letter, written by Hermione's younger sister, revealed they had already begun their journey back to Beauxbatons. Gabrielle mentioned that they also planned to visit Egypt during the summer vacation and hoped to meet.
Fleur, who had graduated that year, hadn't decided on her plans yet but intended to travel the world for a while. She was particularly interested in becoming a Curse-Breaker at Gringotts. Additionally, she had also joined the Order of the Phoenix.
The last letter, in a green envelope with red handwriting, bore a unique emblem—a bat with two fangs. It was Elaine's letter. Evan could tell from the handwriting that it was from her. Due to the need for secrecy, the contents were brief and to the point. Elaine confirmed that the person they needed had agreed to help. She and her uncle Kreshkov had left Britain and wouldn't return. She assured Evan she would return to see him and provided a code word for their communication. The code word was related to the bat emblem on the envelope. If Evan wanted to contact Elaine, he had to draw a bat on a letter and take it to Hogsmeade.
"Elaine, you've always had your own style," Evan mused.
After reading the last letter, Evan watched as the letter paper ignited and burned to ashes. It was a security measure—the letter might have exploded if he hadn't opened the envelope himself.
As for Voldemort's plans and why Elaine mentioned them, Evan couldn't help but wonder.
Evan left the room with Hermione and Gabrielle's letters and went to the living room. Since it was still early, his parents hadn't yet left their bedroom. Evan prepared a cup of tea, took out some parchment and a quill, and began writing replies to his parents' letters.
An hour later, Evan's parents emerged from their bedroom, wearing their nightclothes. They were equally surprised and joyful to see their son sitting on the living room sofa.
"Evan, you're back!" his mother exclaimed, rushing over to hug him.
"Yeah, I'm back," Evan replied, returning his mother's embrace. He wanted to say so many words, but at this moment, he found it hard to express them. The emotions welled inside him, and he could have easily burst into tears. The warmth of his mother's embrace was a testament to the love of family.
"Alright, you two, you've seen your son. Why are you crying?" his father said with a smile as he approached them. "Evan, I remember that your school vacation is supposed to be for half a month. I had planned to go to the station to pick you up."
"I came back early because of some matters," Evan replied, giving his parents a simplified version of the situation without mentioning the dangers of Voldemort's return and the encounters he had faced. His parents were from the Muggle world and knew nothing about the magical events around them. All they needed to know was that Evan had returned safely. Magic and its mysteries were beyond their understanding, and there was no need to burden them with worries they couldn't comprehend.
In any case, Evan had come back early to spend more time with his family, as he hadn't been home for extended periods over the past few years.