The man extended a hand, his palm glistening with sweat.
Dumbledore gave it a light shake. "Cornelius, I didn't expect you to come by so late."
"As Minister, I must think about the future of the wizarding world," Cornelius Fudge said, pulling out a handkerchief to dab his forehead. "Though I detailed everything in the letter, I thought it necessary to come in person."
Dumbledore gestured for him to sit, but Fudge shook his head.
"No time for pleasantries, Albus. The Board of Governors has already decided—tomorrow, in London…"
"Tomorrow won't work," Dumbledore interrupted decisively.
Fudge froze, his eyelid twitching. The words caught in his throat, and his voice cracked slightly. "This is a decision by the Board of Governors—"
"I'm aware. There's no need to repeat yourself," Dumbledore interrupted again, his tone gentle yet firm. "But tomorrow is not an option."
"I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Cornelius. I must stay here."
Fudge, trying to assert his authority, raised his voice, his bluster faltering as he continued. "But you've failed to protect the students! How many now? How many have been attacked?"
Dumbledore didn't answer, his calm gaze meeting Fudge's increasingly flustered demeanor.
"How many, then? How many?"
The silence was broken by Harry's flat tone. "How many, indeed?"
Dumbledore's eyes flickered with faint amusement at Harry's interjection.
Fudge, visibly embarrassed, opened his mouth, then clenched his teeth as he turned to glare at Harry. But the moment his eyes locked onto Harry's cat-like pupils, the words lodged in his throat.
This was the Harry Potter, after all.
"Harry," Fudge began, his tone softening, "if we don't address the current situation, these numbers are only the beginning. Things will spiral out of control, and the numbers will grow far worse."
Harry smirked slightly, unimpressed.
Such a familiar tactic—deflection without providing real answers. Still no specifics?
"Headmaster Dumbledore, we must act responsibly toward the students," Fudge said, turning back to Dumbledore. His earlier confidence had evaporated, leaving his words weak and unconvincing. "You can't be so stubborn—"
"The ones being stubborn are you," Dumbledore interrupted for the third time, raising a hand. "Staying here is acting responsibly toward the students."
"But the Board of Governors has the authority to evaluate whether the Headmaster is fit for the position, and the Headmaster must comply!" Fudge blurted, speaking hastily as if afraid of being cut off again.
"Then… where is the Board's formal notice?" Dumbledore extended a hand, fingers spread.
Fudge faltered, unable to respond.
"Cornelius, as the Minister of Magic, you must show more maturity," Dumbledore said with quiet emphasis.
Adjusting his hat, Fudge retorted, "I am mature, Albus. I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Let's hope that's true," Dumbledore replied with a faint smile.
"The Board's official documentation will be delivered to you soon. Be ready," Fudge said, retreating awkwardly. His words, like his posture, radiated defeat.
"He's afraid of you," Harry remarked softly, watching the still-open door.
Dumbledore waved his wand, and the door shut with a quiet click. "There have always been rumors that I aspire to replace him as Minister of Magic."
"Wizards should stay far away from politics," Harry said, shaking his head.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Harry, you never cease to amaze me. It took me many years after coming of age to realize that."
"Was it your old flame, the Seer, who taught you that?" Harry asked, a sly glint in his eyes.
Snape pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh.
McGonagall, on the other hand, seemed caught between surprise and confusion.
"We don't have much time," Dumbledore said, smoothly steering the conversation back. "Five days at most, possibly less. Unless it involves money, they've always been surprisingly efficient."
"We must find Voldemort before then."
"Legilimency," Harry suggested.
Dumbledore blinked, taken aback.
"Use the spell to read his thoughts directly," Harry said earnestly, looking at Dumbledore. "There's no need to tiptoe around him."
Dumbledore shook his head. "I've already tried."
His expression turned complicated. "I never expected Lockhart to be… the kind of person he is."
"I thought he was merely stealing other people's achievements, but he's far worse than that."
"There were things I never could have imagined. But no memories related to Voldemort's artifact."
"What about Veritaserum?" Harry pressed.
Snape let out a cold laugh. "Potter, there's no need to state the obvious. I used it during the Christmas holidays."
Dumbledore turned to Snape in surprise. "Severus, you never told me this."
"You and your soft, indecisive mind would've stopped me," Snape replied sharply. "So, I didn't bother mentioning it."
"And?" Dumbledore asked.
"No effect," Snape said curtly. "Veritaserum is potent, but not infallible. That slimy creature is protected by an extremely advanced secrecy charm."
Dumbledore rubbed his temples. "You can trust me—I'm willing to go further if it's for the students' safety. That night in his office, I used enchantments to monitor his every move."
"Including his dates with female students?" Harry interjected.
Dumbledore stiffened. "Actually… McGonagall spoke to him about that, and he's improved. Truly, only two incidents since then."
"But the Christmas holidays ended just a week ago," Harry pointed out flatly.
"His life is under constant observation," Dumbledore admitted, his tone betraying a hint of discomfort. "I can confirm that Lockhart hasn't transferred the book elsewhere."
"Nor has he interacted with any suspicious entities. Occasionally, he talks to himself, but…"
Harry caught on. "Talks to himself?"
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Precisely. Like you, I suspect Voldemort is inside him."
"But I've checked him thoroughly. Quirrell couldn't hide from me, and Lockhart doesn't seem capable of such deception…"
"If Voldemort's inside him, that simplifies things," Harry said, spreading his hands. "Remember my earlier suggestion? Fire him."
McGonagall spoke up, her tone stern and unyielding. "I fully agree, Albus. Even without a Dark artifact in his possession, this scoundrel has no place in this school."
"A professor involved with students! I've never heard of such disgraceful behavior—especially with multiple students at the same time!"
Harry commented, "To be fair, he does have the looks to attract people."
"This isn't about appearances!" McGonagall snapped, her voice trembling with anger. "He's violated every standard of a professor's conduct!"
Dumbledore stood. "If even the Deputy Headmistress insists—"
He turned to Snape.
Snape gave a curt nod. "I support the motion."
"The Head of Slytherin agrees, and I doubt the Head of Ravenclaw would object. As Headmaster, I must respect your decision."
With a wave of his wand, a quill began scribbling furiously on the desk. Moments later, the parchment folded itself into a paper bird and zipped out of the room.
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Powerstones?
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