Summer, 1990. British Ministry of Magic.
The door to the Chairman's office of the Experimental Charms Committee was slammed open, striking the wall with a loud bang.
Several self-recording quills floating in the air were startled and dropped to the floor.
"William Shafik!"
"I have evidence that the serial bombings along the lower Thames last week are related to the alchemically modified rabbit, code-named 'White Branch,' from your committee!"
Behind the desk, a handsome man was bent over a notebook, writing. Hearing the accusation, he merely paused his pen, his fingers tapping lightly against the tabletop.
William looked up, his grey-blue eyes calmly settling on the wizard standing before him, who was panting slightly.
The wizard's name was Cornelius Fudge, the current Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic and Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.
Fudge wore a pinstriped suit and clutched a roll of parchment tightly in his hand. Beneath his dark green bowler hat, his face was flushed red with the excitement of what he clearly believed was an imminent success.
Behind him, two assistants stood guard at the doorway, wands in hand, their expressions blank.
"That rabbit was supposed to be destroyed last month, but it escaped, and…" Fudge waved the parchment as though brandishing a ceremonial sword. "You failed to report this serious blunder. As Chairman of the Experimental Charms Committee, you must take full responsibility for it."
The air in the office seemed to freeze. In the surrounding cubicles, employees cautiously poked their heads out, watching the confrontation with unease.
William rose slowly to his feet, smoothing his immaculate deep blue robes. His gaze swept calmly over Fudge and the assistants behind him.
"And so?"
Fudge froze for a moment, clearly not having anticipated such a response. He quickly composed himself, puffed out his chest, and said, "Therefore, until the charges against you are cleared, in accordance with the Management Regulations for Ministry of Magic Civil Servants, you are hereby temporarily suspended from your position as Chairman."
"Furthermore, I suggest you begin preparing for the upcoming trial immediately."
"Trial?" A playful curve lifted the corner of William's mouth. "When?"
"July 10th," Fudge replied quickly. "During this period, you are required to be suspended for reflection."
"July 10th… how interesting."
William let out a soft chuckle and walked around the desk, leaning casually against its edge. "Holding the trial only after the Minister's election concludes? Fudge, I can hear your little scheme all the way from my office."
Fudge's expression shifted. "This is a procedural arrangement by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement…"
"As far as I know, I'm not the only one who has been accused or suspended for various reasons lately," William interrupted, waving a hand. "If you look closely, you'll find we all share one thing in common. We happen to have the same good friend, or former colleague."
By now, the corridor was packed with staff watching the scene unfold, whispers rising and falling.
"The Chairman and Director Crouch are close…"
"It looks like Fudge is purging dissenters ahead of the Minister's election…"
Seeing William tear away the fig leaf so openly, Fudge grew visibly flustered. He quickly raised his voice. "Quiet, Shafik! We have solid evidence. This is an official document approved by the Council of Magical Law. Don't try to confuse the public here!"
"Evidence?" William narrowed his eyes slightly, the gentle air around him fading away. "Then bring it out and let me see exactly how that so-called rabbit crossed half of London to bomb the Thames."
"The evidence has already been submitted to the Legislation Committee and sealed!" Fudge shouted, forcing bravado into his voice. "As a suspect, you have no right to view it before the trial begins!"
"He has no right to view it, but what about me?"
An angry voice rang out.
The crowd instinctively parted as Barty Crouch strode in.
His meticulously groomed toothbrush moustache was trembling slightly with rage, and his stiff wizarding robes rustled sharply with every step.
"B-Barty?" Fudge clearly had not expected him to arrive so quickly. He subconsciously took half a step back. "You… weren't you attending the International Confederation of Wizards conference?"
"I was already on my way back the moment I heard the Ministry was being turned into a mess."
Barty Crouch fixed Fudge with a cold stare, his eyes sharp as blades. "Cornelius, in order to win the Minister's election, you've resorted to such underhanded methods, fabricating charges and slandering my friends and colleagues? The relevant reports and files are well preserved. You can review them at any time."
"Shall I have someone fetch them for you right now, Deputy Head Fudge?"
William folded his arms, watching Fudge with evident interest.
Cold sweat broke out on Fudge's forehead. He seemed to sway under the pressure of Crouch's presence. The murmurs around them grew louder. What had initially appeared to be a righteous law enforcement action was rapidly being exposed as blatant political persecution.
Just as Fudge looked on the verge of collapse, a sickly sweet voice suddenly cut in.
"Oh, Director Crouch, you've quite misunderstood Cornelius."
A short, squat woman stepped out from behind Fudge. She wore a garish pink cardigan and a large velvet bow atop her head, resembling a pale toad.
Dolores Umbridge.
She came to stand beside Fudge, a fixed, artificial smile plastered across her face. "Cornelius is merely following procedure. We do indeed have the relevant documents signed by the Legislation Committee. This is simply a matter of handling affairs impartially, isn't it?"
William watched the two of them working in concert, a flicker of understanding passing through his eyes. "It seems our Senior Undersecretary has weighed the pros and cons and made her choice."
Umbridge's appearance had been well within William's expectations. As Chairman of the independent Experimental Charms Committee, his rank might not match that of the Heads of the Seven Departments, but he was certainly not inferior to a Deputy Head like Fudge. He had never believed Fudge would dare to move against him alone.
"Hehe, Mr. Shafik is joking," Umbridge said, letting out a string of bell-like laughter. "We are only acting for the sake of order in the wizarding world. As for the Minister's election, that is a matter between the candidates and has nothing to do with you or your colleagues."
"In any case, the document is now in effect," Fudge said, straightening his back as though clutching at a lifeline. "We must act in accordance with it and temporarily relieve William Shafik of his duties."
Although Umbridge had no real desire to offend a high-ranking pure-blood official like William, she had already placed her bet on Fudge.
Through a series of mutual exchanges of interest, they had finally secured this legal document. Now that they had gone this far, there was no room to retreat.
Today, they would thoroughly suppress William Shafik, the Chairman of the Experimental Charms Committee.