Cornelius Fudge felt as though he were about to explode.
He sat in the high-backed chair that symbolised the Minister's authority in the Ministry of Magic courtroom, doing his utmost to preside over the "historic" trial of Peter Pettigrew.
This was his last chance to salvage his reputation and prove that the Ministry of Magic had the courage to correct its mistakes.
The public gallery was packed with reporters and furious representatives, flashbulbs popping like fireflies on a summer night.
Fudge cleared his throat, preparing to deliver an impassioned opening statement and carefully place all the blame on Pettigrew, this "vile deceiver"…
An Auror rushed in, flustered, even forgetting to knock.
His face pale, he hurried to Fudge's side and reported in a low, urgent voice, "Mi-Minister! Something's wrong! Peter… Peter Pettigrew… he's been abducted!"
"What?!"
Fudge's voice shot up, cutting through the courtroom's clamour.
He sprang to his feet so abruptly that his wide robes knocked over the inkwell on the table. Black ink quickly spread across the parchment documents, much like his rapidly collapsing composure.
"In the Ministry of Magic? On the eve of the trial? Are you joking with me? Huh? What are you people even good for?!"
He roared, spittle nearly spraying onto the Auror's face.
The courtroom instantly exploded into chaos.
Reporters, like sharks scenting blood, surged forward in a frenzy, questions pelting down like hail.
"Minister Fudge! What happened?"
"Did Peter Pettigrew escape?"
"Is there more to the Pettigrew case?"
Fudge felt his vision darken and his ears ring.
It's over. Completely over.
The uproar over Sirius Black's "fake death" had barely settled. The fallout from the Order of Merlin scandal was still smouldering.
And now this key prisoner, the very man he had intended to pin to the pillar of shame and use to divert public anger, had been abducted from the Ministry of Magic's most secure holding area.
Disgrace. A monumental disgrace.
It was like a resounding slap across his face. No, across the face of the entire Ministry of Magic.
Rage surged through his veins like molten lava, nearly burning him alive.
He wanted nothing more than to order the Ministry sealed immediately, to tear the place apart and drag out Peter and the audacious kidnapper.
But the last remnants of his reason, or rather the instinct honed through countless crises, held him firmly in check.
If this spiralled any further out of control, his career as Minister would truly be finished.
Once the news of Peter's abduction was confirmed and spread, the shock would far exceed the impact of all previous scandals combined.
Public trust in the Ministry of Magic, especially the Ministry under his leadership, would collapse completely.
The tidal wave of anger would drown him outright. He would be nailed to the pillar of shame in the Ministry's history, forever branded as the most incompetent Minister ever.
No. Absolutely not.
Fudge's corpulent body trembled violently with anger and fear. He drew several deep breaths, trying to steady the heart that felt ready to leap from his chest.
A strange, almost numb coldness began to replace the towering rage.
The sensation was not unfamiliar. He had felt it when covering up the truth of Sirius's escape and again when handling the Pettigrew scandal. It was the "professionalism" of forcibly shutting down one's conscience to preserve one's position.
The fury on his face peeled away like a mask, replaced by solemn gravity.
He raised a hand, signalling for silence in the courtroom.
Powerful amplification magic carried his voice above the din.
"Silence."
Fudge's tone held a carefully cultivated weight. "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm. I have just received… extremely distressing and regrettable news."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, as if gathering strength and giving everyone a moment to brace themselves.
"Due to the heinous crimes committed by Peter Pettigrew, especially his betrayal of the Potters and the twelve years of injustice inflicted upon Mr. Sirius Black, his soul had long since been utterly corrupted by evil, emitting a 'stench' that even dark creatures could not resist."
Fudge's phrasing was steeped in official implication. "Just moments ago, while awaiting final judgment, two extremely hungry Dementors, strongly drawn to Peter's wicked soul, violated strict operating procedures, breached the Ministry of Magic's protective barriers, and infiltrated the holding area…"
The courtroom fell silent, everyone holding their breath.
Fudge's voice took on a tone of feigned sorrow. "…They carried out the Dementor's Kiss on Peter Pettigrew."
Buzz—! The crowd instantly erupted into gasps and murmurs.
"The Dementor's Kiss? Inside the Ministry of Magic?!"
"Oh my goodness, that's horrifying!"
"But… a traitor like Peter deserved it, didn't he?"
"But the trial was only halfway through. This procedure…"
Fudge raised his voice, suppressing the rising questions. "Although Peter was extremely wicked and should have faced a public trial to expose his crimes to the light, the rampage of these uncontrollable dark creatures, the Dementors, has resulted in an irreversible tragedy. This is undoubtedly a major oversight in the Ministry of Magic's security system. I bear an undeniable leadership responsibility for this."
He presented, at just the right moment, an image of "deep remorse" and a "willingness to take responsibility."
"Peter is dead. His soul has been completely sucked away, leaving only an empty shell. We have lost the opportunity to publicly expose all his crimes and bring solace to the families of his victims. This is a regret for justice, and a major loss for the Ministry of Magic."
Fudge's words were steeped in feigned regret. "I have ordered the immediate formation of a special investigative team to thoroughly examine this malicious incident. All personnel involved, whether negligent guards or department heads who failed to effectively restrain the Dementors, will face the most severe punishment."
He successfully shifted the focus from the shocking scandal of a key prisoner being abducted and the Ministry's security failures to a security incident in which Dementors lost control and caused the accidental death of a prisoner, while conveniently reinforcing the idea that Peter had met his just deserts.
Reporters scribbled furiously. Tomorrow's headlines were already taking shape: "Dementors Run Amok! Traitor Peter Executed in Custody!" "Minister Fudge Condemns Security Failures, Vows Reform!"
Fudge looked at the bewildered expressions below, the cold numbness in his heart growing heavier.
He manipulated the truth with practised ease, moulding it like clay into whatever shape he required.
Again and again.
Anger had long since been replaced by deep exhaustion and an almost mechanical familiarity.
He only wanted this farce to end quickly.
"Given the prisoner's death, this trial… is cancelled."
Fudge's voice returned to calm, even carrying a hint of formal indifference. "This session is adjourned."
He waved his hand as if shooing away a swarm of flies, then left the clamorous courtroom without looking back, surrounded by Aurors.
He needed to return and continue "handling" the aftermath. For instance, he would have someone from the Obliviation Department ensure that Peter's "body," wherever it supposedly was, vanished completely from the Aurors' memories, or fabricate a more convincing "discovery" narrative.
As for where Peter had actually gone, who had abducted him, and what conspiracy lay behind it…
In Fudge's numbed mind at this moment, there was only one thought:
I don't care where he is. Just don't let this come back to trouble me again.
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