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Chapter 313: Shadows and Messages
Chapter 313: Shadows and Messages
As the words were spoken in a barely audible whisper, Remus, with his keen hearing, was stunned, his eyes widening in shock. Fudge, on the other hand, reacted as if he had been burned, immediately releasing Sirius's hand with a swift motion.
His face turned deathly pale, and he stared at Sirius in terror, his small eyes flickering with uncertainty as if he saw something terrifying through him.
Beside him, the bald wizard with dark skin wore a grave expression, scrutinizing Sirius with an intense gaze, as if trying to see through his flesh and into his soul.
Sirius, unperturbed, smiled and extended his hand again, "Minister, you can take me away now."
Fudge took two quick steps back, as if those hands were venomous snakes. He stammered,
"Ah... You... This... Arrest... I think... I think there are still some unclear aspects to this matter. We can't blindly arrest innocent people..."
Remus, who had been staring at Sirius in shock, immediately shifted his attention upon hearing this. He almost laughed at Fudge's excuse, remembering their previous argument.
During their heated discussion, Fudge had been adamant, insisting that Sirius had orchestrated everything and was a deeply hidden Dark Wizard. He had claimed that not arresting Sirius would be a disservice to the wizarding world and an injustice to the late James and Lily.
Remus had almost been swayed by his moral argument.
But now, Fudge merely uttered a stammering sentence and then quickly turned to leave with a group of Aurors.
Remus finally had a moment to process what he had just heard.
He furrowed his brows and looked at his friend with confusion, "Sirius, what you just said..."
"You should ask Harry about that."
Sirius's feigned confidence vanished instantly, and he nodded, gesturing to the boy who had poked his head out from behind the door.
"It was Vold who taught me!"
Harry blinked innocently, "I didn't know it would be this effective either."
"Indeed, Fudge practically ran away! He's so cowardly! I wonder how he became Minister in the first place!"
Sirius seemed pleased, but his mood quickly turned somber, "If I really knew where that rat was, I wouldn't need them to tell me; I'd crush that guy into dust myself!"
Remus had grown accustomed to Sirius's recent mood swings—ever since the news of Peter Pettigrew's escape from prison, Sirius had been working tirelessly day and night to capture the traitor.
As time passed, there was no news of the three individuals, especially Peter Pettigrew. Everyone suspected that he had learned from his past mistakes and was hiding in the Muggle world in his rat form.
With such a vast world, finding a single rat was almost impossible.
Consequently, Sirius's temper had become more volatile with each passing day of fruitless searching.
The last time he had agreed to spend time with the two children in Diagon Alley was also at Harry's request.
Officially, it was a shopping trip for the kids, but it was also an opportunity for Sirius to relax.
Upon hearing Harry's explanation, Remus's concerns only deepened, and his brows furrowed even more.
"Vold? How did he come up with this idea? Never mind, I'll ask him myself."
"But..." Harry said, "If Fudge is scared off, Sirius should immediately Apparate away—that's what Vold said."
"Leave?" Remus was puzzled, then understood, "A fake is still a fake; it can't deceive them for long."
Sirius, you go to Hogwarts first..."
"No, I'm not going to Hogwarts," Sirius shook his head. "I have somewhere else to go."
"Where?" Harry asked eagerly.
Sirius patted his head and said, "I recently found out that Garrus, who escaped with me, has a relative in Glasgow, Scotland. I want to go and find him."
Remus nodded. "Be careful on your journey."
He didn't suggest going together because someone needed to keep an eye on Harry.
Even if the possibility was slim, they had to be prepared for Peter to come after Harry.
...
Fudge's mind was filled with Black's voice, and his footsteps quickened, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.
His mind was in chaos, and he couldn't achieve the composure required for Apparition. All he could do was walk as fast as possible, as if he could leave his troubles and fears behind.
And then there was that chilling statement.
"We are not afraid of being misunderstood. For the greater good, sacrifice is honor, and my honor is loyalty."
At first, Black's words seemed like a clumsy defense, but each word triggered Fudge's deepest fears.
It was as if he had been transported back several decades, when the entire world was shrouded in darkness, and the black-robed wizard legions were fanatical, efficient, cruel, and restrained.
At that time, Fudge was just an insignificant young man. In front of the Wizard Purity Party led by Grinder, he felt like a piece of paper that could be easily torn apart.
Filled with passion, Fudge left England and went to countries where the Wizard Purity Party was rampant, hoping to help those who had been harmed.
However, in less than three months, Fudge returned to England like a frightened bird, and the experience left a deep shadow in his heart.
After Grinderwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard, Fudge thought the Wizard Purity Party was completely finished. He never expected that today, the memories of death would be awakened again.
"What's going on? Is the Wizard Purity Party making a comeback? Did Grinderwald escape from Nurmengard? Why didn't I receive any news? Is the Austrian Ministry of Magic hiding the truth?"
Fudge muttered to himself, thinking of the Wizard Purity Party's rampage in his own country, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
Voldemort's Death Eaters were already terrifying, but if the even more terrifying Wizard Purity Party were to be resurrected...
Maybe it would be better to let Dumbledore take over as the Minister of Magic... Only he could stop those guys from running amok...
"Minister."
"Minister Fudge!"
Fudge was immersed in his thoughts, already contemplating which country would be the safest to flee to after stepping down, when a voice from behind startled him.
Fudge was initially annoyed, but seeing that it was one of his trusted subordinates, he patiently asked, "What is it, Kingsley?"
Kingsley Shacklebolt, the bald, dark-skinned man, said, "Minister, I don't believe Sirius Black could be the kind of person you think he is."
Fudge frowned. "Did you hear what he said? Do you know what those words represent?"
"I heard a bit."
Kingsley calmly said, "But Minister, the followers of that person from back then are all old now. If they secretly trained the next generation, allowing the Wizard Purity Party to continue and regain power, would Black risk it all for such a minor matter?"
Fudge was stunned, his sturdy face showing an expression of confusion and honesty.
(End of Chapter)
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