Chapter 632: A Favorable Deal
Chapter 632: A Favorable Deal
Come Monday, a particular incident began spreading throughout Hogwarts Castle.
Rumor had it that during the previous day's Quidditch scrimmage, Kyle and the Weasley brothers had come to blows in the locker room due to some disagreement.
Initially, everyone was skeptical. After all, it was common knowledge that they were the best of friends, and even if they had their differences, it was highly unlikely they would resort to physical violence.
But soon enough, people noticed that Fred and George did seem to be sporting injuries...
Each of the twins had a distinct bruise around their eyes, as if they had been struck by something.
With this, the castle was abuzz with gossip.
The rumors were suddenly substantiated, sparking the curiosity of many who wanted to know what could have caused such a rift between former friends.
However, neither the Weasley brothers nor Kyle offered any explanation or comment on the matter.
At that moment, Kyle was in Umbridge's office.
"Professor..." He said, watching as she fiddled with a bottle of dried flowers, "I've found out the reason for their visit to the Hog's Head Inn."
"What is it!" Umbridge interrupted him, her curiosity piqued.
"It was for canvassing votes," Kyle revealed. "They plan to rally their family to support Dumbledore's bid for Minister of Magic."
"Damn it!" Umbridge exclaimed angrily, not doubting Kyle's words for a moment.
Given the gossip circulating within the school, she was already aware of the altercation between Kyle and the Weasley brothers.
Additionally, she knew that the Weasley brothers had also frequented the Hog's Head Inn.
The fact that a years-long friendship could be undone to the point of physical violence was proof enough that Kyle was siding with the Ministry, and thus, the information he brought would be reliable.
However, the idea of mobilizing parental support for Dumbledore... If Minister Fudge were to find out, he would undoubtedly be furious.
Umbridge, resembling a spinning potato, continued muttering to herself, "This won't do. We must put a stop to this immediately and ensure it never happens again."
"What do you plan to do, Professor?" Kyle asked.
"Dissolve all student organizations, associations, teams, and clubs. We won't give them another opportunity to congregate," Umbridge declared.
"But Professor," Kyle countered, "if we do that, it will cause a lot of dissatisfaction among the students. Almost every student at Hogwarts is part of some club or team. Such a drastic measure might be a bit extreme."
"It doesn't matter," Umbridge said dismissively. "The old student groups will be disbanded, and they can always reform. However, they must seek my approval first."
As she spoke, she retrieved a piece of parchment, preparing to issue an Educational Decree—a stricter set of school rules—in her capacity as the Ministry-appointed High Inquisitor.
"Professor, I still think it's a bit inappropriate," Kyle continued. "There are too many organizations, associations, and clubs in the school. If we investigate and reorganize them all, it will take at least a week, and the students who are left out will still complain."
"It's an order from the Ministry," Umbridge said haughtily. "They have to accept it."
"Of course, they will..." Kyle said, "but I have a better idea."
Umbridge paused, her quill hovering over the parchment, and looked up at him.
Kyle cleared his throat and said, "Actually, even if they want to support Dumbledore, it doesn't matter. As long as more people choose to support Minister Fudge, it won't be a problem, right?"
"What do you mean?" Umbridge asked.
"I've inquired, and there were only about fifty people at the gathering last time," Kyle explained. "Compared to the entire population of Hogwarts, that's not a large number at all. It's even quite small. We can easily rally the rest to support Minister Fudge."
There was no doubt that Fudge would be furious if he found out that students were openly supporting Dumbledore.
But if she could garner more support for the Ministry, the nature of the incident would change.
Kyle was right; fifty people were indeed insignificant compared to the entire student body of Hogwarts.
And even if they couldn't get all the remaining students to support the Ministry, even half of them would be a great achievement for her.
"What should we do?" she asked. "Should we also hold a gathering in the school hall and invite everyone to attend?"
Kyle shook his head. "That's too much trouble, Professor. It will make us seem like we have an ulterior motive.
"We just need to let them know who truly cares about the students."
"Then what do you suggest?" Umbridge asked, intrigued.
Kyle remained silent, a hesitant expression on his face.
"What is it?" Umbridge raised an eyebrow. "Rest assured, if you succeed, I will inform Minister Fudge of your accomplishment."
"You misunderstand, Professor," Kyle stammered. "It's just... you know, our Hufflepuff House points were surpassed by Slytherin today..."
"Kyle, there's something I must say..." Umbridge looked at him with feigned seriousness. "Even if I am a professor, I cannot give students extra points arbitrarily. Cheating is shameful."
"Yes, Professor, I know," Kyle said softly. "But if we could win the House Cup again this year, it would be our sixth consecutive victory..."
"Regardless, such cheating is unacceptable," Umbridge said. "However, since you timely uncovered the wrongdoings of others, I can make an exception and award Hufflepuff twenty points this time."
"Thank you, Professor," Kyle said with a smile.
"Now, can you share your idea with me?"
"Of course," Kyle said. "We just need to let the students feel the Ministry's goodwill, and we can start with Quidditch."
"Quidditch?" Umbridge frowned, not quite understanding.
"Yes, it's the most popular sport at Hogwarts and the one with the most participants," Kyle explained.
"Dumbledore is too stingy, or perhaps he simply doesn't value Quidditch enough. As a result, the school brooms are old-fashioned Comets and Sweepers, which are not only slow but also provide a poor flying experience. The team members have complained about this many times.
"If the Ministry is willing to spend money on new brooms for the school, I'm sure the students will be thrilled."
"New brooms?" Umbridge hesitated and then shook her head. "No, that would cost a lot of money."
"They don't have to be expensive; they just need to be new, like the new Sweeper model," Kyle said with a smile. "And if the Ministry makes the purchase, we might even get a discount. You could handle this personally, Professor."
Umbridge seemed to be considering something, her eyes sparkling with an idea. She didn't respond but also didn't object further.
"I'll say it again, Professor..." Kyle seized the opportunity. "Many people love Quidditch, and each team member has a certain amount of influence within their Houses.
"With a small investment, we can effortlessly gain numerous supporters and, at the same time, highlight Dumbledore's stinginess. It's a very profitable deal."
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
