Bryan had long been a household na in British wizarding circles, his reputation was legendary among the magical folks. To this day, unless he deliberately concealed himself, his whereabouts could always be discovered by those with the right connections, the right informants, the right access to international Floo Networks.
Before he and Remus had even boarded their Muggle airplane in New York, before they'd passed through the terminal, the upper echelons of the British Ministry of Magic had already learned through their intelligence network that he would be returning to London today.
After a restful weekend, Monday morning was traditionally the busiest, most demanding ti of the week, when many serious matters accumulated over two days required the Minister of Magic's personal attention and action.
Yet during such a crucial ti, Cornelius Fudge's ministerial office had remained firmly, stubbornly closed for several hours. All who rashly attempted to visit, bearing urgent reports or seeking guidance, received only stern rebukes.
Dawlish pulled a red paper airplane bearing an official Auror Office stamp from the fireplace in the Minister's office, erging from the green flas.
"Black has requested leave from Madam Bones, Minister Fudge, Madam Umbridge—"
After hastily unfolding the chard ssage and reading its contents with growing apprehension, his already sweaty face changed color slightly, paling noticeably. He blurted out the news without his usual careful flattery.
When he turned around to face the room, two gloomy stares assaulted him head-on, making Dawlish's brow twitch sharply with nervous tension. Nevertheless, he persevered under the heavy pressure emanating from both powerful figures and said in a strained, careful voice,
"News from the informant we have watching Black's movents... just twenty minutes ago, Black submitted an official leave request to Madam Bones, saying he needed to go to the Muggle airport to personally et Watson and that werewolf Lupin."
The atmosphere in the office was oppressively heavy. The paper airplanes circling lazily over their heads seed to sense this uncomfortable weight pressing down, and like Dawlish himself, kept their distance, not daring to approach the two Ministry officials seated on both side of the ministerial desk.
"Just as I told you, Minister! Exactly as I predicted!"
Umbridge stared urgently at Fudge's round face, which was so gloomy and dark it seed ready to drip water like a rain cloud. In the irritating, relentless tick-tock of the clock's pendulum marking each passing second, she called out in her distinctive shrill voice:
"We can't harbor any more illusions about Watson's intentions. We must face reality!"
"I'm not harboring unrealistic illusions, Dolores," Fudge protested defensively.
He said it while clenching his fists tightly enough that his knuckles turned white. "I'm just carefully considering whether this is the right mont for action. You know very well that Watson has made quite a splash in New York again, captured international attention once more...
You can hear the public's voice clearly, they're practically singing his praises! If at this precise mont we throw out... that matter and create trouble for Hogwarts, would it—would it provoke dangerous public resentnt? Would it make us look petty and vindictive?"
"Oh, how could I not know that, Minister!"
Umbridge's toad-like face was full of disgust and rising frustration.
"In the Ministry hallways, in the cafeteria, in every departnt, I now hear employees discussing Bryan Watson at least twenty tis a day, probably more! Many are calling out Bryan Watson's na with reverence, as if he were a living saint, as if he were rlin himself reborn!
But we all know, anyone with eyes can see, that he's barely disguising his political ambitions anymore. Look at the suspicious agreent he reached with the President of the Magical Congress—Minister, having foreign Aurors co to Hogwarts to exchange knowledge on 'safety' issues?"
She let out a sarcastic snort.
"Oh, how ridiculous! As if we can't see through the charade that he's trying to assemble a private army, gathering loyal forces to secretly overthrow the Ministry when the ti is right!"
BANG!
Umbridge successfully ignited Fudge's simring fury with her provocative words. His fist pounded heavily on the desk with trendous force, rattling everything on its surface. The toppled inkwell spilled its contents, black ink spreading like a stain across many important docunts. But Fudge didn't even glance at the ss, didn't care about the ruined paperwork.
He was like an aging lion who could only vent his fear and insecurity through roars and aggressive displays when faced with a young male's challenge to his territory.
"I've told you repeatedly, Dolores, this will absolutely not happen, not while I'm Minister!"
Fudge's round face flushed red with rage and effort as he panted heavily and shouted with spittle flying,
"It's against all regulations! Without the Ministry's explicit written permission, not a single Auror from any foreign Magical Congress can legally set foot on British magical soil! I'll see to that personally!"
Fudge's rage not only failed to intimidate Umbridge but instead brought a flash of triumph and delight to her slightly protruding, toad-like eyes. She leaned forward eagerly.
"But he's already done it, hasn't he, Minister? He's already committed to the action! He agreed to the MACUSA's request without seeking permission from you or anyone else in governnt.
Forgive my bluntness, but if we're the ones who end up turning away the Arican Aurors at the border when they actually arrive, then we'll be the ones who look foolish and obstructionist in the international community, Minister. Britain will seem petty and isolated.
And you need to seriously consider what happens if Watson secretly allows those Aurors to enter anyway, through unofficial channels—"
BANG!
Fudge pounded the desk again with even more force, causing the already toppled inkwell to roll off the edge and shatter on the floor.
"If he really dares to do that, Dolores! If he has that audacity!"
The furious Fudge blurted out, his voice rising to near hysterical tones.
"I swear on my position, I'll send out all the Dentors in Azkaban to arrest Watson imdiately and let him rot in that miserable prison for the rest of his life!"
How effective Dentors, considered nightmarish and unstoppable by ordinary wizards would actually be against Bryan Watson was truly uncertain, perhaps laughable.
After all, Watson already had a well-known track record of effortlessly capturing many Dentors in front of the entire wizarding world.
"If Bryan really does that, Minister, then we'll be too passive, always reacting to his moves," Umbridge pressed, sensing advantage. "We must beco proactive and take the initiative. We can't allow Bryan Watson to continue gaining such a sterling reputation unopposed...
Release that information about the young wizard who likes to grandstand and draw attention. Make it public through the Daily Prophet.
To save him, to protect Harry Potter's freedom, Dumbledore and Watson will have to make significant concessions to the Ministry—they'll have no choice at all, unless they want to watch that little fellow be locked up in Azkaban with the Dentors forever!"
At the ntion of this particular matter, the furious Fudge hesitated again. His certainty wavered. He left his seat and paced anxiously around his office in agitated circles with hands clasped behind his back.
"I'm well aware of your thinking, Dolores. I understand the logic. It's indeed a clever idea with strategic rit. To save Harry Potter, to prevent his imprisonnt, they'll have to bow to the Ministry's authority, but that's still—"
Fudge suddenly beca strangely evasive, speaking unclearly, his words were trailing off into uncomfortable silence.
"Still what, Minister?" Umbridge asked with growing anxiety and confusion. "What's the problem?"
"Still—"
Fudge took a deep, shaky breath, his clenched fists were digging his nails painfully into his palms until he felt the sting.
"It's Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived."
'It's Harry Potter?'
Umbridge was montarily stunned, her mouth hanging open slightly. Then she understood what Fudge was hesitating about, what was giving him pause.
She too rose from her chair with surprising speed and approached Fudge, getting uncomfortably close. Her shrill voice was full of genuine disbelief,
"So what if it is, Minister? Oh, unless... surely you don't actually believe what that senile old fool Dumbledore keeps saying everywhere: that You-Know-Who has really returned from the dead? You can't possibly give credibility to such obvious fear-mongering!"
"Of course not, Dolores! Dumbledore's words are complete nonsense, dangerous nonsense!"
Fudge jumped up as if soone had violently stepped on his foot, stung by the inference. He glared at Umbridge, both feeling annoyed at the suggestion and sowhat guilty about his own doubts.
"I just think, well, that Harry Potter is one of our valuable trump cards, isn't he? A powerful piece on the board. We must make better use of his political value, maximize what we can gain, and before that... Ah, of course, I agree completely that strengthening our control over Dumbledore and Watson is sothing we absolutely must do. That's our priority."
"But with all due respect, Minister—"
Umbridge's sagging facial skin trembled with agitation.
"How exactly should we strengthen our control over them? I'm sure you'd agree they won't easily follow the Ministry's orders or directives. They've proven that repeatedly.
Otherwise, Dumbledore wouldn't be spreading his absurd theories about You-Know-Who's return everywhere he can find an audience, and Watson wouldn't have unilaterally agreed to allow large numbers of Arican Magical Congress Aurors to enter the country!"
"I have an idea, Dolores. In fact, when Watson first agreed to Quahog's request, the solution ca to imdiately!"
Fudge stared at Umbridge with burning, intense eyes that showed he thought himself to be quite clever.
"As I said, to strengthen control over Dumbledore and Watson, we must know what they're doing at all tis, understand what they're planning in detail... If they truly intend to seize control of the Ministry through so coup, what detailed plans do they have? What is their tiline? We need that intelligence desperately. So—"
"So?" Umbridge leaned forward eagerly.
"So, we need to penetrate deep into their stronghold, don't we? We need soone on the inside."
Fudge said in an excited voice that grew louder with each word, sounding pleased with his own cunningness,
"Soone needs to stay by Dumbledore and Watson's side constantly, day and night, observing their movents closely, understanding what they're up to, what they're teaching. Hogwarts is their stronghold, their power base, isn't it?
There must be soone from the Ministry there, soone loyal enough to gather intelligence for the Ministry and prevent them from spreading dangerous ideas to gullible students...
Watson's Physical Education class must be stopped first, imdiately. The Ministry has been far too lenient with him, actually allowing him to train what amounts to a private army at school under the guise of education!"
'Sending personnel to Hogwarts to constantly monitor Albus Dumbledore and Bryan Watson...'
Umbridge frowned in deep, calculating thought, her mind was racing through possibilities and obstacles.
This plan seed to have considerable rit, it wasn't so outlandish or impossible to implent. It was actually rare for Fudge to show such wisdom, such forward thinking.
"Then, on what specific grounds do you intend to send Ministry personnel to Hogwarts?" Umbridge asked practically, already seeing potential problems. "I must remind you, Minister, that without entirely legitimate reasons, backed by law or example, Dumbledore will surely prevent it!"
"I've already thought of the reason, a perfect, ironclad reason that Dumbledore will have absolutely no grounds to oppose. But the key question now is—"
Fudge lifted his nose smugly, clearly pleased with himself. He cast an expectant, aningful look at Umbridge.
"Who exactly to send to carry out this delicate task? I need soone absolutely loyal to the Ministry above all else, soone who can withstand trendous pressure and targeting from Dumbledore's faction, and who definitely won't be swayed or collude with Albus Dumbledore and Bryan Watson through charm or intimidation...
In the current Ministry, such devoted, incorruptible people are unfortunately not common... Of course, if this person successfully completes the mission, if she manages to gather useful intelligence, she will certainly receive unexpected rewards and rapid advancent..."
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