Chapter 814: Umbridge, Suspected of Colluding with the Dark Lord
Chapter 814: Umbridge, Suspected of Colluding with the Dark Lord
The news of the Dark Lord's return sent shockwaves through Hogwarts.
Although Ivan had already prepared the majority of the students to accept the reality of the Dark Lord's resurrection, this time it was officially confirmed.
To make matters worse, the Dark Lord had just attacked the Ministry of Magic, killing dozens of wizards, including the Minister of Magic.
In no time, the castle was filled with tense students, no longer carefree as they had been before. Everywhere they went, they could hear discussions about the attack, and some even feared that the Dark Lord would lead the Death Eaters to invade Hogwarts.
Harry and Ron were in a state of shock when they read the Daily Prophet the next morning.
"Merlin's beard, how is this possible? Malfoy's father was actually an undercover agent sent by Minister Pierce to Voldemort?" Ron couldn't believe it, but the Daily Prophet's front page indeed featured photos of Lucius, Goyle, and others.
Due to the intelligence these individuals provided and their timely defection before the final battle, they played a significant role in defeating the Dark Lord. As a result, the Daily Prophet lavished them with the title of Anti-Dark Heroes.
This made Harry and Ron, who had strong grievances against Lucius and his ilk, feel uneasy.
"Why not? Maybe he had a change of heart." Ivan shrugged, yawning and responding casually.
Of course, this honor came at a price. Lucius and his associates had become a thorn in the Dark Lord's side. If any of them were caught alone, they would face a fate worse than death.
However, Lucius clearly understood this. After his interview with the Daily Prophet, he tearfully begged Ivan to allow him and Narcissa to move into a safe house in Knockturn Alley...
Considering the million Galleons, Ivan agreed without hesitation...
"Ivan, you must know something, right?" Hermione, noticing that Ivan wasn't surprised by the newspaper, curiously asked.
Harry and Ron also looked over.
They all remembered that Ivan had mysteriously disappeared for a day during Halloween, and no one could find him in the castle. When he missed the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Umbridge was furious, threatening to tie Ivan up and hang him from the ceiling, whipping him mercilessly once she found him...
They were worried all day long.
"I told you, there was an emergency at home, so I had to go back and didn't have time to inform you." Ivan explained, his eyes filled with a hint of regret as he looked at Harry and the others.
The battle two days ago had been too important, and they had prepared for it for half a year. To avoid any leaks, Ivan hadn't dared to tell anyone.
After all, Harry's Occlumency was barely adequate, and if Voldemort searched his memories, it would have been disastrous.
Hearing Ivan's explanation, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still skeptical. If they were correct, Ivan's disappearance coincided with the Dark Lord's attack on the Ministry of Magic, so they believed there must be a connection; otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?
Seeing that Harry and the others were determined to get to the bottom of it, Ivan sighed and said, "Alright, I won't hide it from you. This was supposed to be a secret. Minister Pierce invited many wizards from Knockturn Alley to help thwart the Dark Lord's plan to take over the Ministry of Magic, including my mother, Asia... and me, of course!"
"So you were with Minister Pierce to rescue the Ministry of Magic that day?" Harry was astonished.
Hermione and Ron were also excited, bombarding Ivan with questions.
Ivan had to improvise, claiming that he had taken down several Death Eaters and even exchanged a few spells with Voldemort. However, the Ministry of Magic was so focused on promoting the new Acting Minister, Pierce, and the defectors like Lucius and Macnair that they completely overlooked his contributions.
Harry and the others were thrilled. They knew Ivan had the ability to face Voldemort, so they had no doubts. They only wished they could have joined the battle and fought the Death Eaters themselves.
The raucous shouting in the Common Room quickly drew the attention of the surrounding students. Harry and Ron, in their excitement, hadn't even thought to lower their voices, so it didn't take long for the news of Ivan's heroic participation in the great battle to spread far and wide.
Ivan rolled his eyes in exasperation. He had originally planned to keep a low profile after such a significant event, to avoid raising suspicion. However, it seemed that no matter what, he had become the center of attention.
But being known as a war hero wasn't a major issue. As long as the testimonies in Knockturn Alley were consistent, no one could expose him, and it would also explain his sudden disappearance that day.
The morning in the Common Room passed in a cacophony of chatter. Just as Ivan and his friends were about to head to the Great Hall for lunch, another shocking piece of news came through!
Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor of the Ministry of Magic and the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, had been arrested on charges of collaborating with dark wizards. The Aurors had already entered Hogwarts.
Hundreds of young wizards, excited by the news, gathered in the Great Hall to watch the drama unfold.
Umbridge, who had once strutted around with an air of superiority, now looked quite different. Her round, toad-like face was filled with fear, and her bright red robes were torn and disheveled.
Even in her current state of disarray, Umbridge refused to accept her fate. Her hair was a mess, and she shouted loudly, "Let me go! I am the High Inquisitor appointed by the Minister of Magic himself! You have no right to arrest me!"
"Ms. Umbridge, the fact is that you are no longer the High Inquisitor, and the order to arrest you was personally signed by the Minister of Magic", Delius said, maintaining a professional demeanor, though a hint of mockery played at the corners of his mouth. "Oh, and by the way, the current Acting Minister is Pierce Master."
Umbridge's face froze. She had read the morning edition of the Daily Prophet and knew that Minister Fudge had been hit by the Dark Lord's Killing Curse during the battle to protect the Ministry of Magic and had died on the spot.
However, she found it impossible to accept that she had lost her power overnight, and that she was now being accused of being a Dark Lord sympathizer.
Instead, Umbridge preferred to believe that it was all fabricated news from the Daily Prophet, that Minister Fudge was still safe and sound, waiting for her at the Ministry of Magic, and that these two Aurors had been bought off by Dumbledore to forcibly take her away...
(End of Chapter)
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