“I approached the location of the suspected smugglers with a reasonable level of caution for the expected threat level. However, as I entered the hut that was shielded from both remote viewing and apparition, I was hit by Expelliarmus and Petrificus Totalus spells from two directions and found myself disarmed and immobile on the floor, as four assailants revealed themselves and started describing what they planned to do to me next. I used wandless magic to touch space geometry and applied crushing force and extreme rotational swirl. As they died, I was released from the body-bind curse and immediately called my boss for help”, Hermione finished her debriefing before the Wizengamot.

“May I assume that the boss in question was Lady Lyra Malfoy-Potter, and that she was the one who taught you this form of magic?”, Minister Shacklebolt inquired.

“That is correct, Your Honour”, she nodded.

“Lady Lyra, do you have anything to add to this statement?”, Minister turned to the young blonde.

“No, Minister”, she replied. “It is both accurate and specific. But I would add that my husband and I already implemented steps to assure that Aurors do not end up in similar high-risk situations in the future. We decided it would be better to overestimate than underestimate the level of threat, because this time we got lucky that the sole Auror we sent to investigate happened to be immensely overpowered for the task. A less powerful magical user would be killed and it would have been a tragedy”, she finished gravely.

“Can you please inform us of those steps?”, the Minister raised an eyebrow.

“No”, she turned her head decisively. “It is a matter of national security. If we reveal our tactical parameters to the public, the criminals will become aware of them and we will expose our officers to mortal danger”.

The Minister smiled. “Thank you for your time and for your service. Does anyone have questions?”, he turned to the judges.

“We understand that you taught your magical method to your sister of choice. Is there a reason why you restrict sharing your knowledge?”, an elderly Witch inquired.

“Yes, Your Honour”, Lyra nodded. “I taught my husband, Hermione and Viktor, because they are members of my family, I know them to be immensely honourable, reliable, disciplined and virtuous, and I trust them implicitly. Outside that circle, I have no intention of sharing my knowledge either now, or at any point in the future”.

“This is an incredible contribution to human understanding of magic”, an elderly judge spoke out. “Absolutely worthy of Order of Merlin, first class, if you documented and shared your discoveries, and it would certainly advance our society immensely were it widespread”.

“And it would destroy our society outright if some new Voldemort or Grindelwald happened to get his hands on it”, Lyra countered, waiting for the murmur of consternation to dissipate. “I decided to share it with people whom I already trust with my life, and share my life with. Every single one of them was at one point or another in a position to have me perfectly helpless under their protection and care. They are also the people who will listen to my warnings and obey them without question. I don’t know if you saw the pictures of the aftermath of Lady Hermione’s intervention?”, she raised her eyebrows questioningly, and few nods of assent were seen in the audience.

“Well, if you saw what she did to those criminals, while wandless and bound, lying on the floor unable to move even her eyes, can you imagine what one of those criminals could do to innocent people if they learned this method of magic? Yes, I see that you understand. All three people I taught are Aurors. Harry and Hermione were awarded Order of Merlin, first class, for their contribution to ending the last war. They are the most fundamentally trustworthy people in the world. Viktor is Hermione’s husband and my brother of choice, whom I trust with my life. I trusted them with the most lethal knowledge in the world, and what have you seen so far as the consequence? Hermione liquified four hardened criminals in line of duty. Harry broke himself and Viktor out of a hundred kilometers per hour death dive on brooms. Had some untrustworthy person learned that knowledge, they could do absolutely whatever they wanted and nobody could stop them”, she concluded. “So, regardless of my likely loss of state honours for magical contributions, I’m afraid I couldn’t sleep peacefully at night knowing that I released this potential horror to the public”, she concluded.

“Thank you for your time, my Lady, and also for your service”, concluded the Minister.

…

“I can’t believe it”, Hermione read the Daily Prophet over breakfast. “They awarded you the Order of Merlin, first class, for immense contribution to both knowledge of magic and to national security”, she giggled. “Also, they issued an edict whereby you hold the exclusive stewardship of this knowledge in the name of the Ministry, and have exclusive authority of choosing whom to share it with”.

“That settles it, I guess”, Lyra sipped her white coffee and smiled.