As the door to the Minister's office closed behind Weasley, the concern and anxiety on Fudge's face quickly faded, replaced once again by an amiable smile.
"Now then, we can have a proper talk, Mr. Black."
After saying this, his gaze shifted from Sirius to Sherlock standing nearby.
Fudge's smile disappeared again, replaced by a stern expression.
"Mr. Holmes."
Fudge's tone struggled to maintain politeness, but the implication was all too obvious.
"We need to discuss some highly sensitive operational details and coordinate certain internal departmental procedures. As a third-year student, these matters are not suitable for you to know. So, I trust you understand my meaning?"
Though his words trailed off, his gaze looked pointedly toward the door.
Upon hearing Fudge's hint for Sherlock to leave, Harry immediately frowned.
Did this Minister of Magic have a short memory, or what?
Had the lesson he received in the headmaster's office last time not been enough?
He had already told Fudge that Sherlock was the key figure who uncovered the truth from twelve years ago!
He'd thought Fudge had taken his words to heart, but it seemed he was still stubbornly obstinate!
With this thought, Harry was about to step forward to defend Sherlock.
This was one of the few opportunities he had to help Sherlock—he absolutely couldn't let it pass.
However, someone was faster than him this time.
Dumbledore, who had been sitting quietly in the high-backed armchair observing the situation, stirred slightly.
His bright blue eyes behind the half-moon spectacles rippled like a calm lake, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Sherlock before settling on Fudge.
"Cornelius."
His voice was steady and gentle, yet it decisively cut off Fudge's brewing dismissal.
"I've already told you that although Mr. Holmes is participating in this meeting as an observer, he is essentially the leader of this case. Of course, you may not believe it, but since I have vouched for both him and Harry to jointly attend this trial, then neither of them should be absent from any discussion."
As soon as Dumbledore said this, Fudge's expression changed.
"If you want Sherlock to leave, then I'll leave with him," Sirius also said after Dumbledore.
"Same here," Harry promptly added.
Professor Snape let out an obvious snort of disdain.
Fudge's facial muscles twitched again. The polite smile he'd been struggling to maintain completely froze, a flash of shock mixed with anger flickering in his eyes.
He quickly glanced at Dumbledore, then at Sirius and Harry, immediately sensing their determination. If it were any other time, he actually wouldn't mind letting someone stay.
But what he was about to say would damage the dignity of the Ministry of Magic and himself as Minister, so naturally, the fewer people who knew, the better.
He'd originally hoped to catch them off guard, using the momentum from expelling Arthur Weasley to simultaneously dismiss Sherlock as well.
He hadn't expected this student to have such strong guarantors.
Fudge still wasn't willing to give up. He turned to Sherlock once more, speaking in a tone laden with obvious hints.
"How about this, if Holmes himself is willing—" In his view, Sherlock was merely a student after all. Even outstanding student representatives like Percy would be trembling when meeting him. A mere third-year student should be easy to handle!
To his complete surprise, Sherlock directly ignored Fudge's gaze and said with a smile.
"Of course I'm willing to stay, esteemed Minister."
Sherlock naturally understood Fudge's intentions perfectly well.
The man's childishness even struck him as somewhat amusing.
He could only say that for someone like this to become Minister of Magic, his luck was truly exceptional.
"Very—very well, but you must promise that everything that happens in this office today, once you leave this office, you cannot tell anyone!"
Seeing his plan to get rid of Sherlock instantly fall through, Fudge's voice was somewhat hoarse as he could only force himself to save face with one statement.
Then, seeing the situation was hopeless, he immediately adjusted his approach.
On one hand, he avoided Dumbledore's direct gaze, as if that awkward hint had never occurred.
On the other hand, he quickly refocused on Sirius, saying decisively.
"Black! I was just discussing with the professors that Peter Pettigrew's crimes are too numerous to record! The evidence is conclusive, and only one fate awaits him—the Dementor's Kiss!"
Seeing that Sirius didn't respond as expected, Fudge coughed awkwardly and continued.
"It's just that in the current situation, the public needs a strong signal! The Ministry of Magic also needs a solid image! You know, regarding you cooperating with the Ministry to leave Azkaban—"
He took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, and decided to get straight to the point.
"Black, I actually need a small bit of cooperation from you. When testifying at the trial later, I hope you can appropriately mention how you bravely and fearlessly evacuated from Azkaban and subsequently found Peter Pettigrew.
The key point is to indicate that all your actions were to cooperate with secret instructions from the Ministry's upper echelons—investigating Peter's whereabouts. This way, we can perfectly explain that report!"
Fudge stared intently at Sirius with fervent eyes, speaking rapidly.
"This would not only showcase your heroic courage and prove your innocence, but also prove that Azkaban's defenses are under our precise strategic control.
The previously mistaken escape was actually a cooperative operation authorized by officials! This way, it would also greatly enhance the Ministry of Magic's prestige! For all of us, this is a good thing!"
After Fudge finished speaking, the office immediately fell silent.
Harry now understood why Fudge had wanted Sherlock to leave earlier.
Obviously, in his eyes, the fewer people who knew about this, the better.
However, Fudge never could have imagined that the person who had pressured the Ministry and created today's situation was none other than Sherlock's brother, Mycroft.
If he knew this, his attitude probably wouldn't be what it was now.
Harry looked toward the Hogwarts professors. Dumbledore's expression was calm, revealing no emotional fluctuation behind the half-moon lenses.
Professor McGonagall's face was tense, Lupin's eyes were full of worry, and Snape let out another extremely low, disdainful snort.
As for Sherlock, at this moment he stood in place, seemingly casually examining Fudge's office, as if he hadn't heard Fudge's speech at all.
However, Fudge now couldn't spare attention for this third-year student he'd just wanted to throw out.
He stared unblinkingly at Sirius, waiting for his response.
Looking at Sirius now, he had been listening quietly while Fudge spoke.
This was precisely why Fudge had mustered the courage to dare say all of this.
He felt this had potential!
However, when Fudge finished speaking and looked at him with hopeful eyes, Sirius suddenly exploded.
"You mean you want me to swear to everyone to maintain your pathetic face and your pack of lies in that report? You want me to tell everyone that the twelve years I spent in that damned Azkaban were all part of your and the Ministry's elaborate plan? If that's the case, then I have to tell you, Minister, you're simply—"
This is bad!
Hearing this, Fudge's face immediately changed dramatically.
Just then, Dumbledore spoke up in time, interrupting Sirius's about-to-burst fierce rebuke.
"Sirius, we must consider not just the present, but also the future. At such a critical moment, a stable Ministry of Magic with authority is crucial for combating the dark forces."
When Sirius looked toward him, Dumbledore smiled slightly.
"Sometimes, the form of cooperation can be—flexible."
'Flexible...'
Hearing this, Sirius took a deep breath.
He recalled the letter he'd received last night.
Dumbledore had already mentioned this matter in the letter.
Fighting Voldemort required strength and uniting everyone who could be united.
This included reaching compromises with detestable power structures.
If they didn't do this, it would be equivalent to pushing this portion of power to the other side.
Though impulsive, Sirius was no fool.
So, when he received the letter last night, although he didn't reply, he had already decided to agree with Dumbledore.
Today, when discussing this matter with Sherlock and hearing his response, he became even more determined in this decision.
However, upon seeing Fudge's face, his temper flared up instantly, and he'd completely forgotten about this matter.
Fortunately, Dumbledore spoke up in time, preventing him from speaking too absolutely and avoiding an irreconcilable situation for both parties.
Thinking of this, he suddenly turned his head back to look at Fudge again.
He saw his face was tense, looking as if he was waiting for him to speak.
His contempt deepened in his heart, but he still slowly opened his mouth and said.
"When I testify, I will mention that the escape operation was conducted with the Ministry of Magic's knowledge."
Sirius's reply was simple, and regarding the instructions, authorization, cooperation, and other terms Fudge had mentioned earlier that made him sick, he only said that the Ministry knew about this matter.
Upon hearing this, Fudge's face instantly changed from pale to flushed, his eyes flashing with tremendous relief and triumph at his plan's success.
He selectively ignored the reservations in Sirius's words. Because this statement was already sufficient for the Ministry to use to fool public opinion and explain that investigation report.
"Oh! Black! I knew you were a reasonable man! A reasonable man!"
Fudge almost cheered. He vigorously patted Sirius on the shoulder, as if they were truly intimate comrades-in-arms fighting side by side.
"The Ministry of Magic will never forget your contribution! To commend you for the extraordinary courage you demonstrated in exposing Peter Pettigrew, this major threat to the wizarding world's security, and for providing crucial assistance to the Ministry of Magic.
I, Cornelius Fudge, will, in my capacity as Minister of Magic, award you the Order of Merlin after this public trial concludes!"
Fudge's face was full of false gratitude.
He was still deliberately emphasizing selfless cooperation, trying hard to package this transaction as a perfect combination of a hero's return and official recognition.
This performance left the office in silence once again.
Professor McGonagall pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes complex.
Remus looked at Sirius, his gaze full of sympathy and a trace of helplessness.
Snape's mouth curved into an extremely corrosive and cold arc in the shadows, as if witnessing the most absurd comedy.
Harry felt a strong discomfort, finding Fudge's smile as glaring as mockery.
Dumbledore calmly watched this scene, his face expressionless.
Maintaining the same calm as him was Sherlock.
Fudge's various gestures once again confirmed something for Sherlock.
Even after serving as Minister of Magic for several years, Cornelius Fudge's competence was still nothing to praise.
Having stayed in this position for too long and heard too much flattery, he really believed his abilities were outstanding.
He mistakenly attributed everything the platform and position gave him as his own capabilities.
Take the Order of Merlin matter, for instance.
He had to wait until Sirius agreed to cooperate before bringing it up.
It reeked of pettiness.
"Virtue not matching position" was the best interpretation of this man.
Fudge didn't notice the attitudes of those present toward him. He let out a huge sigh of relief, his face once again full of smooth smiles, as if he'd completed a major diplomatic mission.
"This is truly a wise choice, Sirius! This is the best arrangement for all of us! Now then—"
Fudge turned to everyone, his tone regaining a controller's urgency. "There's no time to lose, we can't delay any longer at the courtroom! Everyone, this way, please!"
He walked to the door first, personally opening the gleaming door and making an inviting gesture, his gaze warmly looking toward Dumbledore.
The situation was settled. At this moment, Fudge was already confidently looking forward to tomorrow.
He believed that after this trial, news of Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge's brilliant wisdom and revelation of the truth would spread throughout the entire wizarding world.
Dumbledore also rose at this moment, slowly saying, "Indeed, it's nearly time."
He walked toward the door first, with the others following closely behind.
Just as they exited the office, a young wizard immediately ran over.
"This is my assistant, Rufus," Fudge said, then looked at him and asked, "Where's the location?"
The latter immediately replied.
"Courtroom Ten. Those courtrooms haven't been used in many years, except when the Death Eaters who followed the Dark Lord were tried—"
"Just tell me where, no need to mention irrelevant details."
Fudge interrupted Rufus's words, suddenly remembering that Sirius was sentenced there without trial to life imprisonment in Azkaban.
"Minister Fudge, I'm not that petty," Sirius said coolly. "Since I've already agreed to cooperate, I won't mind these past matters."
"Right, right, that's best!"
Seeing Fudge being so polite to Sirius, Rufus couldn't help but take a closer look at him.
He didn't notice that Sherlock also took a closer look at him.
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