The news, when it broke, did not just make a splash; it was a tidal wave that reshaped the entire landscape of magical medicine and social hierarchy.
At Ariana's insistence, the procedure was not kept a secret. She, with Dumbledore's guidance, coauthored a formal research paper with Hermione and Daphne. It was submitted not to the Daily Prophet, but to the prestigious "International Journal of Alchemical and Magical Theory," the wizarding world's foremost academic publication.
The paper, titled "A Proposed Method for the Extraction and Containment of Hereditary Magical Curses (Maledicti) via Core-Recession Anesthesia and Runic Transference," was a dense, brilliant, and utterly revolutionary document. It laid out their theory of the curse as a "magical parasite," detailed the development of the anesthetic potion, and provided the exact runic specifications for the containment procedure. The three authors were listed clearly: Ariana Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, and Daphne Greengrass. Their names, alongside Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape (who were credited as consultants on the practical application), were now permanently etched into the annals of magical history.
The paper was published, and the magical world erupted.
At first, there was disbelief. An incurable, ancient curse, solved by three teenage girls? It seemed preposterous. But then, the Greengrass family, one of the oldest and most respected pure-blood lines, issued a formal statement through their solicitors, confirming that their youngest daughter, Astoria, had been successfully treated using the exact method described in the paper. The Ministry of Magic's Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures was forced to reclassify the Maledictus curse from "Incurable" to "Treatable." Healers from St. Mungo's scrambled to understand the new paradigm.
The social implications were immense. Families who had hidden their cursed daughters for centuries suddenly saw a glimmer of hope. The fact that the solution came from a team comprising a Dumbledore, a Muggle-born, and a Slytherin pure-blood was a powerful, if uncomfortable, statement about the future of magical collaboration.
Whispers also began to connect the dots. The "experimental potion" that had miraculously brought Alice and Frank Longbottom back from the brink of insanity was now re-examined in the light of this new discovery. While the truth of Ariana's direct, hands-on healing remained a closely guarded secret, the wizarding world at large began to suspect that this new "Dumbledore girl" was at the center of a medical revolution. Her reputation grew from that of a powerful prodigy to something far more profound: a true innovator, a paradigm-shifter.
Amidst this global storm of academic debate and social upheaval, life at Hogwarts continued. But for the three girls at the center of it, everything had changed. They were no longer just students; they were the co-authors of a miracle.
One evening, a few days after their return to the castle, Ariana found Daphne sitting alone by the windows of the Owlery, looking out at the setting sun. The usual Slytherin mask of cool composure was gone, replaced by an expression of deep, quiet emotion.
Ariana stood beside her, the two of them watching the last rays of light paint the sky in shades of orange and violet.
"My father sent an owl this morning," Daphne said, her voice soft. "A family in France, the Delacours, have a distant cousin with the curse. They are consulting my family's healers about the procedure. They have… hope." She turned to Ariana, her blue eyes shining with an unshed, grateful tears. "You didn't just save my sister, Ariana. You saved generations of witches who were born with a death sentence. You gave them back their lives."
Before Ariana could respond with her usual logical, detached explanation, Daphne did something very un-Slytherin. She closed the distance between them and hugged her, fiercely and tightly. It was not the awkward, hesitant embrace of a new acquaintance, but the desperate, grateful hug of someone whose entire world had been remade.
"Thank you," Daphne whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Ariana, surprised by the sudden, intense physical contact, slowly relaxed and returned the hug. She held her friend, feeling the genuine, overwhelming gratitude pouring from her. She understood, in that moment, that this was more than just a successful research project. She had changed the fundamental reality for families like the Greengrasses.
When they finally pulled apart, Ariana looked at Daphne's emotional, sincere face. She saw not just a political ally or a research partner, but a friend who had stood by her, trusted her, and shared in her most ambitious undertaking. Her internal calculations, which had always placed Hermione in the singular category of 'best friend', required a significant update.
"Hermione is my best friend, Daphne," Ariana said, her voice quiet but clear, her periwinkle eyes holding an unwavering sincerity. "We connect on a level of intellectual and emotional understanding that is unique. She is the first true friend I have ever had."
Daphne nodded, a flicker of understanding and perhaps a little disappointment in her eyes.
"But," Ariana continued, holding her gaze, "what we have accomplished together, what you have contributed… the trust you have shown me and the loyalty you have given… it is a bond of a different kind, but it is no less powerful. You are also my best friend."
The distinction was subtle but crucial. Hermione was the friend of her heart and mind. Daphne had become the friend of her purpose and will. It was not a competition; it was an expansion. Her capacity for deep, meaningful alliance was not a zero-sum game.
A slow, brilliant smile spread across Daphne's face. It was a smile of pure, unadulterated joy and acceptance. She had not replaced Hermione, but she had earned her own, unique place in Ariana's inner circle. She had been seen, valued, and claimed.
"I… thank you, Ariana," she said, her composure regained but her eyes still shining.
"Alliances must be maintained," Ariana said, a faint smile touching her own lips. "And strong alliances are built on mutual trust and shared purpose. We have both."
They stood there for a moment longer, two powerful young witches from rival houses, united by a secret project and a profound, new friendship. The sun set on their third year at Hogwarts, a year that had seen them face down Dementors, exonerate an innocent man, and cure an incurable curse. The future was uncertain, Voldemort was still a looming shadow, but as Ariana stood there with the loyalty of a Gryffindor lioness and a Slytherin serpent at her back, she knew she was ready for it. Her team was assembled. Her power was growing. And the game was about to get much, much bigger.