Fudge and Argus understood each other's meaning with just a simple glance.
I have some words to remind you: be mindful of the people around you!
Therefore, when questioned, Fudge only brought Allen Mitchell, whom he considered his confidant.
The other Aurors stood guard outside the door to prevent anyone else from breaking in.
Filch was the first to be questioned.
He tearfully accused Harry of petrifying his Mrs. Norris and, in front of him, petrifying Justin.
They demanded that Fudge severely punish him.
The second one was Ron.
Compared to Filch, he certainly didn't have much to say.
Moreover, he stammered when he spoke, showing unusual nervousness.
Fudge and Allen had intended to leave Argus until last, so that they could have more time to talk.
But Argus worried that if it took too long, Dumbledore would become even more suspicious of the relationship between the acolytes and the Ministry of Magic.
So he gestured to Fudge to question him next.
Argus followed Fudge into the room.
This was an old office, with some dust and cobwebs around it.
Allen was very perceptive; he brought stools for Argus and Fudge, while he himself stood respectfully to the side.
"Minister Fudge, I know what you're thinking, but this matter can only be handled by Dumbledore."
"Harry can't be arrested!"
Argus, not wanting to waste time, spoke directly.
"Can't we arrest him?" Fudge asked, puzzled. "Why? All the evidence points to Harry Potter."
"Dumbledore had already protected him once, and this time neither the Wizengamot nor the International Confederation of Wizards would allow him to act recklessly again."
Argus shook his head: "The point is, similar cases had occurred decades ago."
"The Ministry of Magic at the time chose to find a scapegoat, who was now Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper."
"Harry wasn't even born yet back then, so he couldn't have done that, could he?"
"Arresting Harry rashly would only give Dumbledore an opportunity to retaliate."
Fudge fell into deep thought, and after a long while, he nodded.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he looked sharply at Argus.
"You just said that a similar case happened decades ago, and the scapegoat back then was..."
"Hagrid, the gamekeeper."
"Yes, yes, yes! The Ministry of Magic had already announced that the matter was resolved, but now the petrification incident has occurred. If Dumbledore keeps pressing this point, we…"
"Don't be nervous, Minister Fudge."
Compared to the anxious Fudge, Argus's calm demeanor was more like that of the Minister of Magic.
If they ignored the fact that he was only twelve years old.
"Let me ask you a question. Were you the minister when this matter was handled?"
"No."
"Were you in charge of or involved in handling the incident?"
"No..." At this point, Fudge seemed to realize something.
Yes, it wasn't something I handled, nor was it my watch.
Why should I panic?
"If I were you, I would wait for Dumbledore to make a move, or I would take the initiative to clear Hagrid's name and admit the mistakes from back then."
At this point, Fudge finally understood.
He took the initiative to admit his mistake, even though it was something that could have been easily overlooked or that he had made the same choice as previous ministers, finding a scapegoat.
Let the British wizards know the truth!
This approach actually demonstrated a more rigorous and impartial attitude!
To protect the young wizards at Hogwarts, they bravely admitted their mistakes and took the initiative to make amends even when it was not their fault.
This would win the favor and support of British wizards!
Once he understood these things, everything became clear.
A smile gradually appeared on Fudge's face.
"Mr. Grindelwald, thank you for your guidance."
"You're welcome, Minister Fudge. Don't forget, we are your most loyal partners."
"Aside from that, our next move..."
Argus stood up and worked with Fudge to develop some follow-up plans.
Fudge's eyes gleamed even brighter, as if he could already foresee Dumbledore's impending humiliation.
After all the discussions were completed, Argus walked out the door.
A slight smile subtly appeared at the corner of his lips.
After Fudge lost interest in causing trouble for Harry, his attitude towards him improved significantly.
After asking him a few questions as usual, they let him go.
This attitude puzzled Dumbledore greatly.
He had thought Fudge would relentlessly pursue Harry, or at least demand that he be taken back to the Ministry of Magic for questioning.
After all, Harry was the prime suspect now, and not taking action against him would be very unlike Fudge's usual style.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Fudge said, feigning guilt.
"There's something I think I need to discuss with you."
"Cornelius, just say what's on your mind."
In front of a group of Aurors and Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore couldn't ask any questions and could only respond to them as they came.
"That's right. Before I came here, I discovered that a similar incident had occurred at Hogwarts decades ago."
"A half-giant was once considered the murderer, and even his wand was broken."
But now... sigh!
"If possible, I would like to apologize to him in public, clear his name, and restore his status as a wizard."
Fudge's words left Dumbledore somewhat bewildered.
He considered himself to know Fudge fairly well; although the other man didn't show it on the surface, he actually held Hagrid, a half-giant, in utter contempt.
Apologize to him? Or in public?
How... was this possible?
His doubts deepened, but he couldn't show them in front of Harry and Professor McGonagall.
He absolutely could not refuse!
After all, there was nothing wrong with what Fudge did.
"Of course!" Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"When this case was settled back then, there were many doubts. Today, we can finally give Hagrid a fair judgment."
"He should still be at Hogwarts. I'll go with you."
Dumbledore thought Fudge would pull some trick he couldn't figure out.
Unexpectedly, the other party actually apologized to Hagrid in person, and this scene was even recorded by an Auror using a camera.
Nothing unnecessary was done from beginning to end.
This brought his doubts to an extreme.
Could it be that Fudge had really changed his ways?
Or did he have a change of heart?
That couldn't be right. The Ministry of Magic had a lot of similar cases. If he really had that intention, why would he focus on Hagrid's case?
Filled with doubt, the next day arrived.
Dumbledore received the Daily Prophet in his office.
The headline on the front page caught his attention.
The Ministry of Magic issues a public apology for wrongly convicting Mr. Rubeus Hagrid and breaking his wand.
"At the same time, it announces to the public that the deaths of Hogwarts students back then remain unresolved, and that recent events are exactly the same as those from that time."
"In order to protect the safety of Hogwarts students, the Ministry of Magic is preparing to send Aurors to be stationed at Hogwarts."
"Until the mysterious monster that exists in Hogwarts is truly dealt with."
Upon seeing this, Dumbledore's expression finally changed.
A calculated scheme! A thoroughly calculated scheme!
Only now did he understand the meaning behind all of Fudge's actions.
Send Aurors to guard Hogwarts!
…
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