"HP: Too Late, System!"Chapter 340: Fudge—I'm the Minister for Magic
Bones frowned as she read the letter in her hand.
"Cornelius, Remus Lupin's public revelation of his werewolf identity could certainly cause a stir. Wizards have feared werewolves for generations, and now that he's at Hogwarts… Once this gets out, it's bound to spark panic."
Fudge waved her off impatiently. "It's too late to stop the news now. Between the Daily Prophet and the students, word will spread through the wizarding world in no time."
Bones glanced at the letter again. "What I mean is, if this potion truly works, it could change our approach to dealing with werewolves… I've never met this Professor Holmes, but I trust Albus's judgment."
There was a hint of resignation in Fudge's voice. "Amelia, Albus is over a hundred years old. He's been at Hogwarts far too long—he's losing his grip on reality."
Scrimgeour snorted, his disdain obvious. "Hmph! I know Holmes. Maybe he's got some talent in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but as far as I know, he only got an O in his O.W.L. Potions and never studied the advanced courses. How could a novelist possibly improve a master-level Wolfsbane Potion?"
He still remembered how he'd been outmaneuvered by Douglas during the Wormtail incident, and had made a point of digging into his background afterward.
Thinking about how Dumbledore and the others had known about Peter all along, yet let him slip away "for the students' practice," Scrimgeour adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said bluntly, "How do we know this isn't just another of Dumbledore's schemes? He loves to pull these stunts and put us Aurors and the Ministry in impossible situations. For all we know, this so-called potion doesn't even exist—it's just to make us look foolish."
The head of the Werewolf Capture Unit nervously wrung his hands as he looked at the senior officials. "Minister, whatever happens, the Werewolf Capture Unit is ready to act at your command. If Lupin loses control, we'll contain the situation immediately…"
Fudge rubbed his forehead irritably. "This isn't the time for arguments. Bones, draft a statement right away. If anything goes wrong tonight, we need to inform the public at once and stress that the Ministry will guarantee everyone's safety.
Also, notify all members of the Wizengamot—except Albus—to stand by. If things spiral out of control, we'll bring Lupin and anyone involved in for an emergency trial."
Amelia Bones nodded crisply. "Understood, Minister. I'll prepare a statement from a legal perspective to minimize panic. Still, I suggest we verify the authenticity of this potion first."
Fudge turned to Rufus Scrimgeour. "Rufus, choose your best Aurors and come with me to Hogwarts tonight. If Lupin shows any sign of being dangerous, act immediately to protect everyone present—especially the students. And if necessary, arrest Lupin's accomplice, Douglas Holmes, and… Albus Dumbledore. Don't worry, he's over a hundred."
Neither Rufus nor Amelia seemed fazed by the plan. After all, Dumbledore was just one man—and they had the Ministry's finest wizards. Numbers would win out…
A confident smile played at the corner of Scrimgeour's mouth. "Don't worry, Minister. My Aurors have been itching for action. If this turns out to be a trap, we'll bring in Albus and Holmes—no matter what."
Aurors never worked alone. When it came to taking down dark wizards, they had their own professional methods.
Scrimgeour figured that, while he might be a touch weaker than Douglas one-on-one, no lone wizard could stand against a trained team.
Noticing the hopeful look from the Werewolf Capture Unit leader, Fudge said, "You and your people will be on standby around Hogwarts. If anything unexpected happens, or if other werewolves show up, be ready to support us. But remember—don't act rashly. Wait for orders."
The leader nodded eagerly. "Yes, Minister. We'll be ready at a moment's notice."
The Werewolf Capture Unit hadn't had much to show for itself over the years—especially with Fenrir Greyback running rampant under the Ministry's nose. This time, he was determined to make a name for himself in front of the Ministry leadership.
Fudge leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming on the armrest, worry clouding his gaze.
"Let's just hope nothing goes wrong tonight. If it does, the whole wizarding world could be thrown into chaos. We'll take it one step at a time and proceed with caution."
Whether he was worried about the wizarding world—or about being replaced by Dumbledore—was anyone's guess.
Once the Auror squad was assembled, Fudge and Scrimgeour set off for Hogwarts that afternoon.
As they passed through the Hogwarts gates, they saw Dumbledore striding toward them from beside Hagrid's hut, as if he'd been waiting for their arrival.
"Cornelius, Rufus—how wonderful you could come so early. The students are still in the middle of their exams, so let's not disturb them.
Remus and the children are playing games on the Quidditch pitch. Would you like to take a look? Do you need directions?"
Scrimgeour arched an eyebrow, his tone cool. "No need. I think we all know Hogwarts quite well. Let's go."
With that, he limped off, leading the Aurors toward the Quidditch pitch.
Watching the group recede, Fudge growled under his breath, "Albus, what are you really up to? You know they're in the middle of exams—why pick now?"
Dumbledore's expression was grave, his voice calm. "Cornelius, please calm down. I believe this is the perfect time for such an announcement. First, a limited release, then a feature in the Daily Prophet, and finally, official certification from the Ministry. Isn't that a perfect sequence?
As for the students, I want to teach them something this term: when apparent danger arises, they must learn to judge for themselves, not panic and follow the crowd.
And if this shakes their exam performance, then perhaps it's a lesson they need. Should the wizarding world ever face real danger, I hope they'll remember this day and face it with composure."
He raised an eyebrow, unable to deny that Douglas's "twisted logic" was surprisingly persuasive—he'd ended up convinced by it himself.
Fudge bristled at Dumbledore's words, snapping back, "The wizarding world has always been friendly and peaceful. It's peaceful now, and it'll stay that way with me as Minister. What danger could possibly threaten us?
Dumbledore, you're just the headmaster of Hogwarts—not the Minister for Magic. That's my job! These are my responsibilities!"
But his tone faltered as he added, "Sorry, Albus, I didn't mean it like that. I'm not against what you're doing, but why didn't you consult me first? You know I've always respected your opinion."
Dumbledore looked down at Fudge, his gaze gentle but piercing.
"Cornelius, how long has it been since we last corresponded?"
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