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Chapter 271: Fudge's Thoughts
Chapter 271: Fudge's Thoughts
"I hate change."
In the small room behind the curtain, Fudge's face was grim as he thought, alone and unguarded. Anyone who saw his expression would never associate him with the hesitant, indecisive man he usually presented.
Not until the people in the drawing room had dispersed did he emerge from the room. Walsh Sidwell returned and stood before Fudge.
"Minister, Mr. Heap has left. He departed with Mr. Scamander; they seem to know each other."
"Is that so", Fudge murmured. Scamander, another name he found unpleasant, made him feel as if he were caught in a net, sinking deeper and deeper, unable to break free.
At the center of this net was an elderly man with silver hair and beard, and piercing blue eyes—this man was Albus Dumbledore.
No one wants to be a puppet. Despite his efforts at the beginning of his tenure, visiting Hogwarts three times a day to stand alongside the greatest Wizard of the age, it took him years to secure his position as the Head of the Ministry of Magic.
But in the past couple of years, he had done so much less, especially after his commendable handling of the Ilvermorny student protest last year, which earned him significant praise. Felix Hep, who was also present at the time, played a crucial role.
Thinking about this, Fudge felt a growing itch. He asked Sidwell, "Has Barty Crouch made any moves recently?"
Walsh Sidwell understood his concern. "No, he's been preparing for next year's Triwizard Tournament—though it might be a Quadwizard Tournament… who knows? Some in the Ministry have suggested inviting more countries. They might as well adjust the Goblet of Fire and include a few more."
Fudge nodded lightly. Barty Crouch was a formidable competitor for his position. If not for the scandal that erupted at the end of the war, revealing that Crouch's son had tortured the Longbottoms along with three other Death Eaters, leading to a plummet in Crouch's popularity, Fudge would not have had the opportunity to take over.
Shortly after the scandal, Crouch's wife died, and his son perished in Azkaban. This left Crouch disheartened and confined to the Department of International Magical Cooperation. But Fudge could not forget how the iron-fisted Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement had once been a beloved figure.
The former Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold, who had a similarly strong-willed approach, had been very supportive of Barty Crouch as her successor. Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, that scandal happened.
Fudge pondered for a moment and then inquired about the organization of the Quidditch World Cup. This time, Sidwell's expression was less than favorable. "The progress has not been smooth. Mr. Bagman has only just started, and he sent Bertha Jorkins to investigate the site conditions. As you know, Ms. Jorkins's memory is notoriously poor; she can even mix up the simplest reports."
Fudge's face turned red, as if he wanted to strike someone. He suppressed his anger and asked, "What is Bagman doing himself?"
"Um… he attended the Wimborne Wasps fan gathering a few days ago. As you know, even though he's retired, he's still one of the most popular Beaters."
Fudge was well aware of this. In his youth, Ludo Bagman had been an exceptional Beater, which led to his appointment as the Head of the Department of Magical Sports and Games. Bagman had even been accused of passing information to the Death Eater Augustus Rookwood, but his outstanding performance in a Quidditch match the previous week had won him enough public favor to escape the consequences.
Barty Crouch was the judge at that trial...
Fudge had an idea and asked Sidwell softly, "What do you think about putting them together?"
"What?"
"Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman. They don’t need to keep track of who does what. They can just handle the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament together."
"This..." Sidwell wanted to scratch his head. These two people were completely mismatched. He couldn’t help but recall the impressions they had left on him—
Barty Crouch was extremely serious and methodical, always following the rules to the letter. He left an impression on Ministry of Magic employees as a stern and decisive figure during the war, and as a cold, impartial judge during the post-war trials. He had even personally sentenced his son, Barty Crouch Jr., to be found guilty.
On the other hand, Ludo Bagman was the opposite. He was a world-class athlete, full of energy and simple-minded. Despite his age, people who met him for the first time were often drawn to his round blue eyes, short golden hair, and rosy complexion, making him seem like a big, cheerful boy.
Sidwell tried to imagine these two working together—Mr. Crouch preparing to discuss important matters, only to find that Bagman was nowhere to be found, either meeting with fans or busy placing bets on Quidditch matches.
Still, it had to be said that Mr. Bagman had a keen eye. A good portion of his wealth came from gambling. Sidwell wondered if he should join in the Quidditch World Cup betting this year. It was said that Mr. Bagman was quite generous and enjoyed bringing others along for the fun...
"Walsh?"
Walsh Sidwell snapped back to reality. He thought carefully and finally offered a noncommittal suggestion, "Mr. Crouch is serious and meticulous, while Mr. Bagman is full of enthusiasm. Their collaboration might, might... bring some unexpected benefits?"
"Then it’s settled", Fudge said decisively. "Bring it up at the next meeting, and I’ll support you."
"Understood."
"Also, what’s Umbridge up to? I heard she’s been in Diagon Alley, and several people have complained to me."
"Minister, it’s actually Knockturn Alley. We received accurate intelligence that Sirius Black appeared in Knockturn Alley and ambushed a wizard, who was likely a Dark Wizard... In any case, he stole the wizard’s wand."
Fudge frowned. This was not what he had expected. "Have her return to Hogsmeade—" He had actually wanted to say Hogwarts, but Dumbledore strongly disagreed, and there had been some unpleasantness over the Dementor incident. Thinking about it made his teeth ache. This matter also involved Felix Hep. Who knew how surprised he was when he found out the Dementors had shrunk.
From that moment on, he had been keeping an eye on this person. Previous titles like Muggle Expert and Hogwarts Professor were nothing special, at most a compliment for being young and capable. But in recent times, this person’s name had come up more and more often in his ears.
Calming down the Ilvermorny students who attacked an international conference in France; curing war heroes like the Longbottoms who had been given a death sentence by St. Mungo’s; and causing the Dementors at Azkaban to shrink severely...
On the surface, these events seemed unrelated, but they all represented one thing: power. This Felix Hep possessed extraordinary combat skills.
'Could he be another Dumbledore? How can I make him work for me?' Fudge thought to himself.
(End of Chapter)
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