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Chapter 271: The Thoughts of Fudge
Chapter 271: The Thoughts of Fudge
Chapter 271: The Thoughts of Fudge
"I detest change."
In a small room behind the curtains, Fudge sat gloomily on the other side of a door, deep in thought. When alone, his expressions were unguarded, and anyone seeing his face would never associate him with passivity or lack of initiative.
Only after the visitors in the reception room dispersed did he step out from the room. Walworth Sidrick returned once more, standing before Fudge.
"Minister, Mr. Harp has already left. He departed with Mr. Scamander; they seemed to be acquainted."
"Is that so?" Fudge murmured softly. Scamander, another name that didn't evoke pleasant feelings. His breathing grew heavy, as if trapped in a web, sinking deeper with each struggle, unable to break free.
And at the center of this web stood an old man with silver-white beard and deep blue eyesthis man was Albus Dumbledore.
No one wanted to be a puppet. Though in the beginning of his tenure, to secure his position, he made three trips a day to Hogwarts, positioning himself alongside the greatest wizards of the time. After years of such gestures, he finally cemented his place as the Minister of Magic.
Yet, in the past year or two, he'd done so less frequently. Especially after his outstanding performance during last year's protests at Beauxbatons, where he earned himself several points. Interestingly, Felix Harp was present there too, a significant figure at the time.
Thinking of this, Fudge scratched at his growing unease. He inquired of Sidrick, "Has Barty Crouch made any recent moves?"
Sidrick understood his implication. "Not really. He's been preparing for next year's Triwizard Tournament, or should I say, the Quadwizard Tournament... Who knows? There have been suggestions to involve more countries. They're definitely going to have to readjust the Triwizard Cup, why not add a few more?"
Fudge nodded gently. Barty Crouch was a formidable contender just below him. In fact, had it not been for the scandal involving his son's collaboration with three other Death Eaters in torturing the Longbottoms, which tarnished his reputation after the war, Fudge wouldn't have caught the opportunity to take over.
Not long afterward, Crouch's wife passed away, and his son died in Azkaban. This left Crouch in a slump, confined to the International Magical Cooperation Department. But Fudge wouldn't forget how the iron-handed Head of the Magical Law Enforcement during the war had made his mark.
Equally strong-willed, the former Minister of Magic, Mirasen Bagno, had favored Barty Crouch as her successor. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, certain events came to light.
Fudge pondered and then asked about the organization of the Quidditch World Cup. Sidrick's expression turned sour this time. "Progress isn't smooth. Mr. Bagman has just started, he sent his subordinate Bertha Jorkins to investigate the site's environment. But Miss Jorkins is notorious for her poor memory; she can't even keep simple reports straight..."
Fudge' face turned red; he looked as though he wanted to punch something. He clenched his anger and said, "What's Bagman doing himself?"
"Um... he attended a fan gathering for the Wimbourne Wasps a couple of days ago. You know, even though he's retired, he's still one of the most popular Beaters."
Of course, Fudge knew. Ludo Bagman had been a remarkable Beater in his youth, which was why he eventually became the Director of the Magical Sports Division. Bagman had even faced accusations of passing information to the Death Eater Augustus Rookwood, but due to his stellar performance in the Quidditch match the previous week, people held him in such high regard that he managed to escape unscathed.
Barty Crouch was the judge in that trial...
A thought stirred in Fudge' mind. He inquired softly to Sidrick, "What do you think about putting those two together?"
"What?"
"Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman, there's no need for them to divide our interests. Let's have them work together on the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament."
"This..." Sidrick was tempted to scratch his head. These two individuals didn't seem to match well at all. He couldn't help but recollect the impressions they left on him
Barty Crouch was extremely solemn and serious, a man of strict discipline. The impression he left on Ministry members was one of resolute toughness during the war and impartiality during post-war trials. He had even personally convicted young Barty Crouch.
On the other hand, Ludo Bagman was the exact opposite. An international athlete with boundless energy and a simple mind, despite not being young, his round blue eyes, short golden hair, and rosy complexion attracted anyone who saw him. All of this made him appear like a big-hearted boy.
Sidrick attempted to imagine the two of them working togetherMr. Crouch would be preparing to discuss important matters, only to find that he couldn't locate Mr. Bagman. The latter would either be meeting fans or busy placing bets on some Quidditch match.
But speaking of which, Mr. Bagman did have an uncanny knack. Half of his wealth had been acquired through gambling. Maybe Fudge should also consider participating in this year's Quidditch World Cup betting. Rumor had it that Bagman was quite generous and enjoyed involving others...
"Wilkins?"
Walworth Sidrick snapped back to reality. He pondered carefully and finally offered a vague suggestion, "Mr. Crouch is serious and Mr. Bagman is enthusiastic. Their cooperation might... yield unexpected benefits?"
"Then it's settled," Fudge said decisively. "You bring it up in the next meeting, and I'll support your proposal."
"Understood."
"Also, what's Umbridge up to? Why did I hear that she went to Diagon Alley, and I've received several complaints."
"Minister, it's actually Knockturn Alley. We received accurate intelligence that Sirius Black appeared there, attacking a wizard. It seems to be a dark wizard... Anyway, he managed to steal his wand."
Fudge frowned; this wasn't what he had expected. "Send her back to Hogwarts," he wanted to say Hogwarts, but Dumbledore was strongly against it, and given the unpleasant incident with the Dementors running wild before, this matter brought back some headaches. And to think this could be related to Felix Harponly Merlin knew how surprised he was when he learned the Dementors had shrunken.
Since then, he had been paying attention to this person. His previous titlesa Muggle expert, a Hogwarts professordidn't amount to much, at most commendations for his potential. But recently, this man's name had been frequently mentioned in his ears.
Suppressing the attack by Beauxbatons students on the international conference venue; curing the Longbottoms, sentenced to death by the Dementor's Kiss; and drastically shrinking Azkaban's Dementor guards...
On the surface, there was no connection, but all of this actually represented one thing: strength. This Felix Harp possessed remarkably strong practical abilities.
'Is he another Dumbledore? How can I make him work for me?' These thoughts churned in Fudge's mind.
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