Dumbledore set plate aside, stood up greeting cheerfully. "Good afternoon, everyone."
He looked past Parkinson and Yaxley, tone carried some surprise. "Truly unexpected—you all came. Is such mobilization necessary?"
"I think it's necessary!" Parkinson stood before Dumbledore. "I seem to recall you're no longer Hogwarts Headmaster."
"Really?" Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I'm not that old yet. I remember the prepared statement was 'temporary suspension.'"
"You need to investigate me and confirm I'm no longer suitable as Hogwarts Headmaster—only then can you truly remove my position."
"So now..." He lowered head slightly and swept past their hands. "Investigation results out? You didn't bring them?"
"So what?" Parkinson shouted harshly. "You're suspended now—no authority to act independently!"
"You returning to Hogwarts now equals ignoring Board of Governors' demands. Don't you know what this means?"
"Of course I understand..." Dumbledore's lips curved slightly and showed perfectly measured gentle smile. "I think those present can't represent entire Board of Governors?"
"I still remember last night—riot occurred at Forbidden Forest. Other governors contacted me and hoped I'd quickly return to school to handle this sudden riot."
Yaxley stepped forward. "This shows your lax governance! At least as I know, Hogwarts never had..."
"Indeed, very coincidental matter." Dumbledore smiled in agreement. "Actually there's another coincidence about everyone present..."
"What do you want to say?"
Not only Parkinson and Yaxley—other governors also shouted. Their brows gradually furrowed and seemed to realize something.
"What I want to say is..." Dumbledore's tone peaceful, eyes extremely bright, slowly turned head making eye contact with governors.
Governors felt Dumbledore's gaze—either lowered heads or turned away, all instinctively avoided Dumbledore's eyes.
Dumbledore maintained smile. "I discovered everyone present seems to be planning something under certain pretext."
"Remember years ago you all used various reasons and claimed yourselves innocent—either controlled by Imperius Curse or family threatened..."
"You won't have evidence! Absolutely impossible to have evidence!" Yaxley straightened and made low roar like cornered beast.
Dumbledore smiled at Yaxley. "Perhaps? You seem somewhat too fervent, thinking old master returned..."
"Of course, possibly because of guilt, so willing to reveal more secrets as apology gift..."
"Those cellar secret entrances or certain secrets hidden in mountains, lakes, forests—various kinds..."
"I must admit, this time Mr. Lucius Malfoy more rational. I remember he's also Board member and has good relationship with you..."
"But this time he's wise, understands what he should do, knows as Board member what responsibilities to bear. What do you think?"
"Lucius Malfoy!" Parkinson's tone filled with hatred. "This traitor! This damned traitor!"
"I have business—must go back!"
"I also have business—you continue chatting!"
"I have banquet—if I don't go will be late!"
These governors wavered, found various reasons, and rushed out of Headmaster's office in one go.
Dumbledore closed door and sat back in seat.
He pulled open drawer—inside was Spirit-Luring Box Wizette made, inside preserved soul fragments from Voldemort and Tom Riddle.
Those soul fragments contained much interesting content, including recent period Tom Riddle's memories contacting pure-blood families.
These memories extremely precious—since Voldemort willing to abandon and use as exchange condition, meant Tom Riddle's soul fragment more important to him.
Dumbledore also had dirt on these families, just not as effective as memory materials and also couldn't take effect so quickly.
"Wizette, you saved me much effort!" Dumbledore slowly stretched. "Calculating time, Ministry people should have already gone..."
In corridor, governors discussed noisily.
"Is what Dumbledore said true?"
"What does Dumbledore plan to do? Will Ministry trouble us?"
"That pure-blood traitor! His search operations haven't stopped! He'll definitely make big deal of this!"
"But Ministry has our people—now we go back write letters and they can at least delay for us!"
"Doesn't Dumbledore have people? Like this matter—those governors actually agreed, must be Dumbledore causing trouble!"
"I said Dumbledore not easy to deal with! You persuaded me initially! Said Dark Lord controlling everything behind scenes—where's Dark Lord! Where is he?"
"Yaxley! Parkinson! Say something! Where did Dark Lord go now?"
"How would I know?" Parkinson swung arm, eyes constantly flickering. "Must be Lucius who informed! He's traitor! Betrayed my friendship!"
An owl flew through window and dropped letter before Parkinson.
Parkinson looked at family crest, expression suddenly panicked, as if already guessed letter's content.
Just as he opened letter reading inside content—several more owls flew in and delivered letters to Yaxley and others.
Group just froze in place, looking at each other's letter contents, foreheads broke out in cold sweat.
"Arthur Weasley already went and conducting searches on those places..."
"How dare Ministry? What about our people?"
"Don't you understand? Dumbledore also has people in Ministry! Entire Hogwarts is his! Even if we recruit Hogwarts graduates, how many can we recruit?"
"Plus this time we broke rules and made Ministry launch search on Hogwarts..."
"No wonder Dumbledore so agreeable..." A governor slumped down, cold sweat already soaked his robes. "So was waiting for this opportunity!"
Another governor's tone revealed despair. "Dumbledore used this reason—Ministry had to also search our territories! This terrifying person..."
In their minds suddenly surfaced recent scene in Headmaster's office.
Dumbledore's gentle smile then—in their current view—seemed like dragon's pleased expression before dining.
"Do you remember what's Hogwarts' motto?"
"Never... Never tickle a sleeping dragon..."
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