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Chapter 437: What? Dumbledore is to be the Minister of Magic!
Chapter 437: What? Dumbledore is to be the Minister of Magic!
Rita Skeeter picked up the Parchment with a puzzled look on her face, her expression quickly turning to shock as she scanned it.
"Is what's written here true?" Rita Skeeter's tone was strange, a mix of excitement and fear, or perhaps both.
"I can assure you, it is absolutely true! We have captured Peter Pettigrew, and found the Dark Mark on his left arm."
Ivan nodded and then chuckled. "I think this will make for excellent news material, don't you think? The Daily Prophet will probably need to print a few extra copies tomorrow."
Rita Skeeter's hand trembled as she clutched the Parchment, her journalistic instincts telling her that this news would cause a massive stir if it were to be released.
However, her excited expression suddenly cooled as if she had realized something.
"What's wrong?" Ivan, noticing the change in Rita Skeeter's expression, asked curiously.
"You should know, I'm just a small-time reporter for the Daily Prophet. While I can write articles, they need to be approved by the Editor-in-Chief. They won't let me publish anything that goes against the Ministry of Magic", Rita Skeeter said, adjusting her glasses with a disappointed tone.
As a journalist, Rita Skeeter was very interested in this kind of major news, but with years of experience, she knew what she could and couldn't write.
Gossip about famous wizards or the chaotic private lives of high-ranking officials were all fair game.
But reporting on Sirius Black and criticizing the entire Ministry of Magic would easily get her into unnecessary trouble. She didn't want to lose her current job at the newspaper.
Rita Skeeter's attitude took Ivan somewhat by surprise. He thought for a moment and quickly understood her concerns.
Ivan folded his hands on the table and, mimicking Dumbledore, stared at Rita Skeeter with his piercing blue eyes through his half-moon glasses.
Rita Skeeter immediately felt immense pressure.
She had been worried about the Ministry of Magic possibly retaliating against her, but now she realized that the person in front of her was not just anyone. He was the most powerful and respected wizard in the current magical world.
To him, crushing her would be like squashing a bug.
As Rita Skeeter was caught in this dilemma, Ivan suddenly spoke. "Do you think Fudge will be able to stay in his position after this?"
"What?" Rita Skeeter was momentarily at a loss.
"I have already informed some old friends in the Wizengamot to handle this case. Even without your reporting, I can have the students of Hogwarts spread this news to many wizarding families. The information is already out there", Ivan continued calmly.
Ivan's steady tone sent a shockwave through Rita Skeeter. Her pupils dilated, and she looked at the seemingly kind old man in front of her with disbelief, a chill running up her spine.
She keenly sensed that she was in the middle of a massive whirlpool and was already regretting coming here today.
She understood the implications of Ivan's words.
That was a clear message to himself, indicating that the other party intended to use this incident to force Minister Fudge to step down from his position, and they had a very comprehensive plan in place.
Whether or not the Daily Prophet was willing to lend a hand would not affect the overall situation, but if they failed to satisfy this most powerful white wizard, they would likely face retribution in the future.
It took Rita Skeeter several minutes to fully digest this information. She swallowed hard and couldn't help but ask,
"Are you really planning to take the position of Minister of Magic?"
Ivan did not give a direct answer but instead calmly expressed his dissatisfaction with the recent performance of the Ministry of Magic.
In fact, Ivan was not lying; this was exactly his attitude toward the Ministry of Magic.
Whether in the original timeline or the current one, the Ministry of Magic was equally corrupt and incompetent. The incident of the Dementors losing control and entering the Quidditch pitch was a clear indication of this.
The officials sent by the Ministry of Magic did not even consider how to handle the situation. Instead, they used various bizarre reasons to evade responsibility and tried to deny that the Dementors had attacked the students.
Such repeated self-deception was extremely frustrating for Ivan.
A Ministry of Magic that only caused trouble had no reason to exist. Therefore, he wanted to try and see if he could use this opportunity to oust Fudge and have Dumbledore take over as the new Minister of Magic.
This was not impossible!
In the original timeline, Dumbledore was so passive in the face of the Ministry of Magic's pressure partly because, upon confirming that Voldemort had returned, the old headmaster did not want to engage in internal strife with the Ministry of Magic.
Moreover, he was a rule-abiding person and was naturally at a disadvantage when dealing with the Ministry of Magic, which led to his forced temporary departure from the school.
Now, he had no such constraints.
Although Ivan didn't say much, Rita Skeeter understood his meaning. After a period of hesitation, she gritted her teeth and spoke.
"Alright! I will write the report on this matter!"
Rita Skeeter quickly made her decision. A wrongly imprisoned Sirius Black alone was not enough to affect Minister Fudge's position, but if Dumbledore were to push the matter, the outcome could be different.
Moreover, Rita Skeeter did not forget that the other party had a hold over her, so she had no choice from the beginning!
Thinking about this, Rita Skeeter felt a deep resentment toward that annoying little brat who had promised not to reveal her illegal Animagus status to anyone.
"An excellent choice!" Ivan said approvingly.
With their agreement, the atmosphere in the room became less tense and more harmonious. Rita Skeeter even took the initiative to fetch the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Prophet to persuade him to agree to publish articles critical of the Ministry of Magic.
An hour later, as Ivan watched the two leave the room, he slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
Gaining the support of the Daily Prophet was a crucial part of Ivan's plan, not as insignificant as he had made it sound.
His declaration of his intention to become the Minister of Magic was not out of personal whim but to reassure Rita Skeeter and the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Prophet, ensuring they would stand by him.
And the surprise he had in store for Dumbledore was precisely this: if the old Professor returned too late, he should be prepared to take on the role of the new Minister of Magic.
(End of Chapter)
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