Chapter 429
Chapter 429
“I’m very curious how much the Ministry of Magic had to offer the Board of Governors to get them to sign this dismissal, or if you used other means,” Dumbledore said, unfurling the parchment with the letter.
“No, this is just the will of the people,” Fudge said, shrinking back slightly at Dumbledore’s anger but quickly straightening his back to counter, “Since Dolores arrived at this school, we’ve finally uncovered the issues that have been hidden here. Dumbledore, you’ve controlled Hogwarts for too long, treating it like your private domain. But the Ministry of Magic believes that Hogwarts belongs to the Board of Governors, and you are merely the caretaker.”
“Oh, well said, Minister, you’re absolutely right!” the young wizard with a face full of acne, who was following Fudge, said excitedly, his pimples looking like they might burst. He didn’t stop writing, his pen moving quickly across the parchment.
“The will of the people? It seems my guess was correct. Some events have occurred that have made certain individuals eager to clear the way for their masters,” Dumbledore said, his elbows on the table and his fingers interlaced, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Perhaps your age has made you lose your former wisdom, and you’re resorting to incoherent ramblings to cover up your problems. I believe this is why Hogwarts has had so many incidents in recent years. So, I think you should step down from your position and let someone more capable take over,” Fudge said, raising his chin.
“If the Board of Governors wants me to leave, Cornelius, I will, of course, step down from my position.” “But—” Professor Mcgonagall stammered.
“No!” Harry growled. “If you leave now, Hogwarts won’t be safe anymore.”
“Nonsense!” Umbridge interjected. “Because of Dumbledore’s previous mistakes, this school has become unsafe. I believe that under the Ministry of Magic’s control, Hogwarts will truly become the safest place in Britain—”
“Enough.” Dumbledore’s piercing blue eyes remained fixed on Fudge’s brown eyes, which were a mix of excitement, fear, and cowardice. “I will respect all lawful regulations, but I hope you recognize the dangers the magical world faces. Don’t let your vision be limited to such a small area.”
He then looked at Harry and Professor Mcgonagall. “Even if I leave this school, I will still keep an eye on it. You will find that at Hogwarts, those who seek help will always receive it.”
“Please note, you are now the former Headmaster,” Umbridge interjected at an extremely inappropriate moment. “Some may miss your unique approach to problem-solving, but I believe your successor, under the leadership of the Ministry of Magic, will do better.”
“Very well.” Dumbledore turned back to Harry. “There are some exercises I hope you will continue, even if you dislike them. Just like how parents make children eat broccoli even if they don’t like it, some things are necessary.”
After giving his final instructions, Dumbledore raised his hand and gripped the long golden tail of the phoenix. With a burst of flame, they both vanished, leaving behind a final message from the fire: “I won’t run far away and hide, Fudge. I can assure you that you will soon wish you hadn’t removed me from Hogwarts.”
Fudge’s face turned uglier than ever. “Who does he think he is? A former Headmaster of Hogwarts, what right does he have to say these things to me?”
“He is Dumbledore, the greatest White Wizard in the world, and that is enough,” Professor Mcgonagall said, raising her voice. Several portraits of former Headmasters hissed at Fudge, and one or two even made rude gestures.
“Hmph, Milerva,” Fudge said viciously. “But I know this time your friend is finished.”
With that, he turned to Professor Mcgonagall, nodding dismissively at Harry and Marietta. “You’d better take them back to bed. It’s been a terrible but hopeful day.”
Professor Mcgonagall shook her head, saying nothing, and led Harry and Marietta towards the door. As the door closed, Harry knew that from today on, Hogwarts might be very different.
As Dumbledore left, Liam immediately sensed a change. The System in his mind alerted him that Dumbledore's departure had deviated from the expected scenario, earning him seven Deviation Points.
"How much of a deviation could this be?" Liam wondered. Fortunately, a few minutes later, Harry climbed in through the entrance. Ginny, who had been standing nearby with her hands tightly clasped, immediately rushed over to greet him. Ron, a step behind, could only watch awkwardly as his sister clung to Harry's arm.
"How did it go?" Liam asked first, realizing they were the only five left in the Common Room.
"Dumbledore left", Harry said, burying his face in his hands. It took several minutes for his hoarse voice to come through the gaps in his fingers.
Before Liam could ask more, Harry briefly recounted everything that had happened in the office.
"We were lucky", Ginny sighed after Harry's account. "If things had gone worse today, Dumbledore wouldn't have just been forced to resign. Fudge and his cronies might have concocted a whole list of charges against him."
"That's true", Harry nodded. "I heard Fudge and the others talking about trying to accuse Professor Dumbledore of attempting to organize an army to overthrow the Ministry of Magic."
"Is it because of the name—Dumbledore's Army?" Ron, still puzzled, guessed the reason as soon as Ginny figured it out.
"Exactly. I thought it was simpler than it was. It's all my fault", Harry said, pulling at his hair. Ron quickly moved to comfort his friend.
"It's not your fault", Liam reassured him. "After all, it's been so long since the last war that it's normal to be less vigilant. Remember the lesson and don't make the same mistake again. No one in the world is perfect, and fortunately, the situation isn't too bad this time. You still have a chance to make things right. By the way, here's this."
Liam pulled out the list and placed it on the table. Ginny gasped softly. Harry and Ron, hearing the commotion, looked at the parchment on the table and shared the same shocked expression.
"Yes", Liam said, knowing this wasn't the time to be anonymous. "Hermione and I were coming out of the Library, planning to retrieve something from the Room of Requirement, when we saw two Slytherin students lurking there. So we—"
Liam took a moment to explain what he and Hermione had done, omitting only the part about Hermione's disguise.
"In a situation like this, even if we were a legal group, we would burn all our notes after meetings to avoid giving Umbridge any leverage. You guys, being an illegal organization, leaving the list there was—"
Liam found Harry's actions hard to understand. He always thought that Harry, despite preparing a secret resistance group, had overlooked so many details that even characters in war dramas would have been more meticulous.
"You don't have to tell me how much of a failure it was", Harry said, looking dejected. "I think most people will have a hard time from now on."
Harry threw the list into the fireplace and watched as the flames turned it into a pile of ash. Only then did they all head to bed, each lost in their own thoughts.
(End of Chapter)
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