In his excitement, Fudge clicked his tongue in slight dissatisfaction.
"You should have been gentler, Bryan. If we could publicly show Greyback and Peter both, the effect would be much better, and we would also reduce the impact of this matter."
"Sorry--"
Bryan, with a shrug of his shoulders and a helpless expression, defended his actions.
"You know, Minister, when the werewolves tried to storm Hogsmeade and attack the villagers, there were many of them and their emotions were unstable. I could only use some magic that was not easy to control in terms of power--"
"That's understandable—"
Fudge said with a smile, but still wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
"That's settled then. I'll go and tell Rufus to keep it a secret for now. Sirius Black's situation still needs to be kept confidential for a few more days. Oh, by the way, Dumbledore, would you come with me? The school staff also needs to be on the same page as us. Do you have any objections, Dumbledore?"
"Of course, Cornelius--"
Dumbledore calmly said, getting up and walking towards the door.
"Oh, by the way!"
As the office door opened, Fudge suddenly turned around, looking kindly at Bryan, and smiled, "Your efforts won't go unnoticed, Bryan. Just wait, the Ministry of Magic's gratitude will surprise you."
"I look forward to it--" Bryan nodded and smiled in return.
With the office door closed, Fudge took a deep breath, filled with fighting spirit as he prepared to ascend the stairs. It was then that the overly quiet Dumbledore finally made him sense something amiss, magnifying his inner concerns about Bryan.
"Bryan" Fudge hesitated and said, "Well, Dumbledore, I suppose since you hired Bryan Watson to protect the children, it must mean you have complete trust in him. He's young and possesses such formidable magic power. You understand what I mean, right?"
Dumbledore, striding forward, responded to Fudge's unspoken fears.
"If you're worried that Bryan will follow in Voldemort's footsteps--"
In the sound of Fudge's gasp, Dumbledore walked forward with big steps, "I don't think there's a need to worry too much."
"I guess--"
In the aftermath of Fudge and Dumbledore's departure, the once stifling air of tension within the office dissipated like mist under the morning sun. Madam Amelia Bones, a paragon of justice within the wizarding world, sat with an air of composed authority on the plush sofa, her lips pressed into a thoughtful line. Her keen eyes, which had seen much in her esteemed career, regarded Bryan with a mixture of curiosity and contemplation.
"Cornelius probably has the idea of recruiting you into the Ministry—"
Amelia Bones, the Chief of the Magical Law Enforcement Department and a high-ranking member of the Wizengamot, was well-known and highly respected in the European wizarding world. There were even rumors that she had a good chance of becoming the Minister of Magic after Fudge.
"Well, he would be disappointed then--"
Bryan sat in Dumbledore's previous seat, smiling without a care. He could see that Fudge probably didn't have a strong desire for him to join the Ministry, but this woman in front of him, Amelia Bones, probably had the idea of bringing him into the Ministry and working in the Auror Office under the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"It's surprising--"
Madam Bones didn't know that her thoughts had been seen through by Bryan. With a tone of surprise and regret, she said, "Many young wizards who graduate from school hope to work in the Ministry of Magic. If they knew that someone had been personally invited by the Minister himself but declined, they would be furious!"
Bryan didn't reveal anything, just continued with Madam Bones's words,
"As far as I know, one of my classmates, Bill Weasley from the Weasley family, once refused an invitation from the Ministry of Magic and became a curse breaker at Gringotts in Egypt. And Headmaster Dumbledore himself has repeatedly declined people's proposals to become Minister of Magic. Compared to the Ministry of Magic, I personally prefer a more relaxed and free working environment--"
Since coming out of the cave where Voldemort hid the locket, Bryan had a vague feeling that the final moment of Voldemort's return to the wizarding world was not far away.
Before that, he needed to make some preparations. Gaining prestige in the Wizarding world and having some influence within the Ministry was also part of his plan.
Observing the fleeting look of regret that danced across Madam Bones's eyes, Bryan offered a reassuring smile.
"Of course, if the Ministry of Magic needs my help, I am willing to assist--"
Meanwhile, in the hospital wing, a scene of quiet turmoil unfolded.
"How could that be?"
Hermione, her eyes brimming with tears, clutched the inert Time-Turner in her trembling hands. Her distress was palpable as she paced the room, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily upon her.
"The Time-Turner—it's broken! How could this have happened?" she lamented, her voice tinged with panic. "Maybe it got damaged during the ride, but oh, I've caused trouble, Harry. The Time-Turner is a strictly regulated item by the Ministry of Magic, and each one is registered. Professor McGonagall told me when she gave it to me, she warned me to take good care of it. If it's lost or damaged--"
As she spoke, Hermione's slender frame shook with barely contained fear, and she succumbed to quiet sobs, the words catching in her throat.
Harry, witnessing her distress, felt a surge of urgency.
"What will happen now, Hermione?" He hadn't read the regulations regarding Time-Turners, but seeing Hermione's reaction, he had an idea of the severity of the situation and urgently asked.
"They might—oh—"
Hermione's response was choked with emotion, her tears carving paths down her cheeks as she whispered the dreaded possibility.
"The Ministry… they might prosecute me. I could be sent to Azkaban, Harry-"
The very thought seemed to drain the color from her face, leaving her looking ghostly pale in the dim light of the infirmary.
Even though Harry had tried to imagine the consequences as severe as possible, when he heard Hermione's words, he was still taken aback.
"You must be joking, Hermione--" Harry said nervously, "How could it be so serious?"
But Hermione's despair was unyielding as she considered the full implications of their actions.
"Think about what we did tonight, Harry. Isn't that enough to make you realize how powerful the Time-Turner is? To prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, all the laws related to Time-Turners are the strictest!"
Hermione exclaimed in despair.
"I can't imagine what my parents' faces would look like when the school notifies them that I've been sent to wizarding prison!"
The thought of Hermione being sent to Azkaban was terrifying. Harry would rather go back and face that spider named Aragog again than let this happen.
In this moment, Dumbledore was the first person Harry thought of.
Using the Time-Turner to find Peter was Professor Dumbledore's idea, and he would definitely not stand by and do nothing. But then he thought, if breaking a Time-Turner was an unforgivable offense, Dumbledore would surely take all the blame upon himself. Harry would rather go to Azkaban himself than involve Dumbledore.
"Oh, right!"
Harry suddenly exclaimed with a frown on his face,
"We can go to Professor Watson!"
In Hermione's puzzled gaze, Harry confidently smiled,
"Professor Watson is very good at fixing things. Maybe he has a way to repair the Time-Turner!"
*Scenebreak*
In the dimly lit corridors of the Ministry of Magic, the air was thick with tension and urgency. Cornelius Fudge, his face etched with lines of concern and authority, led a procession of officials through the labyrinthine halls, their footsteps echoing ominously. They were accompanied by the figure of Dwarf Peter, whose shackles clinked with each small step, and Sirius Black, whose injuries had rendered him barely conscious, his breathing shallow and labored.
Upon learning that he would not face execution but would instead be condemned to the dementor-infested depths of Azkaban sent a wave of relief crashing over him. Peter crumpled to the cold, stone floor, tears of joy mingling with the grime of his face. For him, life in Azkaban was a sliver of hope in the darkness that had become his existence.
As long as he was alive, there was still that hope.
Dumbledore did not reveal the Ministry of Magic's plans to Professor McGonagall and the others. He simply told them that, considering the impact of this situation, they needed to keep the truth about Sirius's innocence a secret for the time being. However, he promised that this secrecy would not last long, and within a week at most, the truth would be revealed to the world.
Upon hearing Dumbledore's words, Harry, who had the most intense reaction, had no choice but to comply and obediently return to bed to rest.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. The Ministry of Magic needed to release a brief statement before eight o'clock the next morning. Even Barty Crouch Sr., who was on a visit to Germany, received a notification from Ministry and needed to return immediately for an emergency meeting.
The Daily Prophet, alerted to the situation, sent out all of its reporters. Some were responsible for gathering information from the mouths of the rarely seen high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Magic, while others went door to door in Hogsmeade, trying to learn more details from the villagers.
Back at Hogwarts, the castle had settled into a deceptive calm. Professor Flitwick remained vigilant, aiding Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary, where Hagrid and Snape were under her meticulous care. The rest of the faculty and involved students, drained from the day's upheavals, sought the comfort of their beds, and returned to their dormitories to rest.
Knock, knock, knock...
The door was knocked, and Bryan, who had his feet propped up on the coffee table and was resting on the couch with his eyes closed, opened his eyes.
Dumbledore's expression showed no signs of anything unusual. After receiving permission, he walked in with a smile and sat on the couch. After taking a few sips of the hot tea that Bryan had brewed for him, he said with a smile, "Ah, a wonderful drink—"
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in appreciation. "While I personally have a sweet tooth, I must admit, this bitter drink is not bad at all, oh and it even has a bit of a stimulating effect!"
Bryan chuckled and leaned back on the couch. The steam rising from the tea cup blurred his expression. "Remus had a bit of a rough night. Earlier in Hogsmeade, Tonks had already taken him to St. Mungo's. Given his condition, I'm afraid you'll need to find a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the second half of the term—"
Dumbledore's mood soured at once, and he sighed, "Every summer break, I'm faced with this troublesome task, and this year is particularly bad. Bryan, would you consider taking over the class for a while?"
It was a redundant question; Dumbledore knew the answer he would receive.
Their casual conversation lasted about twenty minutes. Bryan brought up Madam Bones's ulterior motives, and Dumbledore's unworried demeanor struck Bryan as odd. "Aren't you concerned I might change my mind and take this opportunity to leave Hogwarts for a higher position at the Ministry?"
"Oh, about that—" Dumbledore laughed without a hint of concern. "Yes, I know you wouldn't choose the Ministry. We're both Wizards adept at scheming, but for various reasons, we prefer not to resort to such tactics to solve problems. However, working at the Ministry would likely make it difficult to avoid—"
The conversation between the two powerful wizards, each with a strong personal style, was not warm at the beginning. While they sought the same outcomes, their methods could be vastly different, and conflicts were inevitable unless one side compromised.
At the beginning of the conversation, Bryan was worried.
He had agreed to return to Hogwarts because he sensed sincerity in Dumbledore's attitude—that he would not easily interfere with what he wanted to do and how he did it.
But tonight's events were far-reaching, and Bryan was unsure if Dumbledore could "stick to his principles." However, it now seemed that Dumbledore had made up his mind and hoped that Bryan would stay at Hogwarts, even if it meant changing some of his principles.
With this revelation, the subtle undercurrent of tension that had threaded through their earlier exchanges dissipated like mist at dawn. A newfound harmony enveloped their conversation, softening the edges of their words and smoothing the furrows of concern that had marred their brows.
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