After the words spoken in low voice were uttered, Lupin, with his keen hearing, widened his eyes in astonishment.
Fudge, on the other hand, reacted as though he'd been burned—snatching his hand away from Sirius in a flash.
His face turned deathly pale, and he stared at Sirius in terror and his beady little eyes flickered with panic, as if he could see some horrifying shadow lurking behind him.
Beside him, the bald wizard wore a grim expression. He scrutinized Sirius with a probing gaze, as though trying to see past his flesh and into his soul.
Sirius remained calm and composed, he even smiled faintly. He extended his hand again. "Minister, you can take me now."
Fudge stumbled backward a couple of steps, as though Sirius's hand was a pair of venomous snakes. Stammering, he said:
"Ah… you… this… arrest… I think… I think this matter isn't entirely clear yet. We mustn't blindly arrest an innocent man…"
Lupin, who had been staring at Sirius in shock, immediately shifted his attention to Fudge upon hearing this. He almost laughed out of sheer exasperation at the minister's cowardly excuse.
Because earlier, when Fudge was arguing with him, he was saying something completely different!
Back then, Fudge was full of righteous conviction, practically accusing Sirius of orchestrating everything, painting him as a deeply hidden dark wizard. He claimed that failing to arrest him would be a disservice to the wizarding community and a betrayal of James and Lily's memory.
Lupin had nearly fallen victim to his moral manipulation.
But now? Fudge muttered a few stammered words before hurriedly turning and leading the Aurors away at top speed.
Only then did Lupin have the time to process what he had just heard.
Frowning, he looked at his friend and asked, puzzled, "Sirius, what you just said..…"
"You'd have to ask Harry about that."
The commanding aura Sirius had projected a moment ago instantly disappeared. He jerked his head toward the boy peeking out from behind the door.
"It was Wade who taught me!"
Harry blinked innocently. "I didn't know it would work so well."
"Exactly! Fudge practically fled with his tail between his legs! So weak! I have no idea how he became Minister!"
Sirius, clearly delighted, quickly grew somber again. He said darkly, "If I really knew where that rat was, I wouldn't need them to say anything. I'd grind him into dust myself!"
Lupin had grown used to Sirius's unpredictable moods lately. Ever since the news of Peter Pettigrew's escape broke, Sirius had been leaving early and returning late every day, obsessively searching for the traitor.
As time passed with no news of the three escapees—especially Pettigrew—everyone suspected that he had learned from his past mistakes and was now hiding as a rat in the Muggle world.
The world was vast, and finding a single rat was nearly impossible.
Sirius had grown increasingly irritable with each passing day of his relentless efforts.
The last time he had taken a break was at Harry's request, when he reluctantly agreed to accompany the two children on a brief trip to Diagon Alley.
Officially, the trip was to buy supplies for the kids, but in reality, everyone simply wanted Sirius to unwind a little.
Now, after listening to Harry's explanation, Lupin was anything but reassured. In fact, his frown deepened further.
"Wade? How did he come up with this idea? Forget it, I'll ask him myself."
"But..." Harry added, "If Fudge has been scared off, Sirius should immediately Disapparate and leave—that's what Wade suggested too."
"Leave?" Lupin asked, puzzled, before realization dawned on him. "A lie is still a lie—it won't fool them for long. Sirius, you should head to Hogwarts first..."
"No, I'm not going to Hogwarts," Sirius replied, shaking his head. "There's somewhere else I need to go."
"Where?" Harry pressed.
Sirius ruffled Harry's hair and said, "I've recently uncovered some information. One of the other escapees, Gale, has a relative in Glasgow, Scotland. I want to go there and investigate."
Lupin nodded. "Be careful on the road."
He didn't offer to go along, knowing that someone had to stay and watch over Harry.
Even if the chance was slim, they still had to guard against Peter showing up to harm Harry.
…
Fudge's mind replayed Black's words over and over as he walked swiftly, his fingers trembled uncontrollably.
His brain was in such disarray that he couldn't summon the calm required for Apparition. He could only walk faster and faster, as if by increasing his pace, he could leave his troubles and fears behind.
And that chilling phrase lingered in his thoughts.
"We do not fear being misunderstood. For the greater good, sacrifice is honor. My honor is called loyalty."
At first glance, it seemed as though Black was spouting nonsensical justifications, but every single word struck at the deepest fears buried in Fudge's heart.
It was as if he had been transported back decades, to a time when the world was shrouded in darkness. Black-robed wizards, driven by fervor and terrifying efficiency, marched under banners, merciless yet restrained.
Back then, Fudge had been nothing more than an insignificant young wizard. In the face of Gellert Grindelwald's oppressive regime, he had felt as fragile as a sheet of paper ready to be torn apart.
In his youthful idealism, he had left Britain to venture into countries ravaged by Grindelwald's forces, hoping to help those who had been hurt.
But in less than three months, Fudge had fled back to Britain like a terrified bird, scarred by his experiences. That time left an indelible shadow on his heart.
After Grindelwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard, Fudge thought the Alliance was completely finished. But today, the haunting memories of death were reawakened.
"What's going on? Could the Alliance be making a comeback? Did Grindelwald escape from Nurmengard? Why haven't I received any news about this? Is the Austrian Ministry of Magic hiding the truth?"
Fudge muttered to himself, images of the Alliance wreaking havoc on his land flashed through his mind and made his scalp tingle.
The Death Eaters under Voldemort are already terrifying enough. If the far more fearsome Alliance were to rise again...
Perhaps being Minister of Magic isn't worth it after all. Maybe Dumbledore should take the position instead—he's the only one who could stop those people from acting recklessly.
"Minister."
"Minister Fudge!"
Lost in his imagination, Fudge had already started planning which country would be safest to flee to after stepping down when a voice from behind snapped him back to reality.
Fudge was initially annoyed but softened when he saw it was one of his most reliable subordinates. He asked patiently,
"What is it, Kingsley?"
Kingsley Shacklebolt, the tall, dark-skinned, bald wizard, said calmly, "Minister, I don't believe Sirius Black is the kind of person you think he is."
Fudge frowned. "Did you hear what he said? Do you even understand what those words mean?"
"I heard part of it."
Kingsley replied coolly:
"But, Minister, all of Grindelwald's followers from back then have grown old. If they had secretly cultivated a new generation to continue the Alliance and regain power, would they really allow Black to expose himself over something so trivial?"
Fudge was stunned, and a confused and almost guileless expression appeared on his sturdy face..
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⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +235 Chapters
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