bacchusnovels Chapter 174 I am willing to serve wizards wholeheartedly!
Chapter 174 I am willing to serve wizards wholeheartedly!
Chapter 174 I am willing to serve wizards wholeheartedly!
Gryffindor Common Room.
"All students must strictly abide by the rules and return to their college's common room by 6 p.m. without exception. Once this time has passed, no student may leave their dormitory, even for a moment, to ensure everyone's safety."
"To ensure the safety of every student on campus, a teacher will personally escort them to class or back to their dormitory each time. No student may use the restrooms without a teacher's supervision to prevent any unnecessary accidents."
"At the same time, all Quidditch practice and matches will be temporarily postponed until the school deems it safe to resume. In addition, no activities will be held in the evenings, and all students must remain in their own house's common room and are not allowed to go out unnecessarily."
The Gryffindor students filled the common room, all listening silently to Professor McGonagall's speech in a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.
She slowly rolled up the parchment document that she had just read aloud, which Sean had personally drafted in Dumbledore's office.
His eyes revealed deep worry and exhaustion.
In an almost breathless voice, she continued, "Actually, you can all sense without me saying more that I've rarely felt this pain and helplessness before. Hogwarts may very well face closure."
Unless we can apprehend the criminals who planned these attacks as soon as possible.
"Here, I urge everyone who thinks they may know something, whether it is a direct or indirect lead, to bravely step forward, for the safety of all of us, and for the future of Hogwarts."
After saying this, Professor McGonagall awkwardly climbed over the portrait hole, leaving behind a room full of silent and anxious Gryffindor students.
They immediately began to chatter and discuss, each speculating about the school's future and when this sudden crisis would be over.
"Three Gryffindor students have already fallen, not counting the Gryffindor ghost, and two Hufflepuff students have also been attacked." Lee Jordan, a friend of the Weasley brothers, counted on his fingers.
One by one.
"Hasn't any teacher noticed that all the Slytherin students are safe and sound? Isn't it obvious that these terrible things must have come from Slytherin! The heirs of Slytherin, the monsters of Slytherin—why don't they just kick all the Slytherin students out?"
He spoke loudly, and the audience nodded in agreement, punctuated by scattered applause, clearly moved by his words.
Sitting in the chair next to Lee Jordan, Percy Weasley appeared unusually silent, seemingly for the first time in his life not in a hurry to express his opinion.
Harry, sitting to the side, wasn't really listening to what George was saying.
His thoughts were still lingering on the image of Hermione lying in the hospital bed, her body stiff and lifeless like a stone sculpture.
A strong sense of worry and fear welled up inside him; if the criminal was not caught soon, he would be forced to return to the Dursleys' home to spend the rest of his life.
"What should we do?" Ron whispered anxiously in Harry's ear. "Do you think they might already suspect Hagrid?"
Harry pondered for a moment, then said firmly, "We have to talk to him. I can't believe he did this, but since he released the monster last time, he must know how to get into the Chamber of Secrets. That's a key breakthrough."
Ron seemed hesitant: "But Professor McGonagall said we have to stay in the tower unless we're going to class—"
Harry lowered his voice further and said, "I think it's time to take out my father's old cloak again."
That cloak was the only thing Harry inherited from his father: a long, shimmering silver invisibility cloak.
This cloak had helped Harry through many difficult times, and now they would rely on it to sneak out of school to visit Hagrid without being noticed.
At this time, Hogwarts was under complete martial law, and a tense and solemn atmosphere permeated the air. All the professors were assigned corresponding tasks, and their busy figures shuttled through every corner of the castle. Some were constantly patrolling, while others were responsible for calming the students and ensuring that they could remain calm in such a turbulent time.
However, a small incident occurred amidst this busy yet orderly scene.
Professor McGonagall, the witch known for her rigor and efficiency, appeared anxious and confused. She stood in front of Sean's office door and knocked for a long time, but no one answered.
This made her somewhat worried, since at this crucial moment, the whereabouts of every professor should be clearly traceable.
"That's strange, why isn't Phillips here?" Professor McGonagall muttered to herself, her brow furrowed.
Left with no other choice, Professor McGonagall turned to Tonks, hoping to get some clues from her.
"Tonks, do you know where Phillips is? His office is empty, and I'm worried he might be in trouble." Professor McGonagall's tone carried an indescribable anxiety.
"He just received a letter from...:" Tonks replied hesitantly.
"You've arrived, Phillips," Lucius said with a smile as he looked at Sean who had knocked on the door and entered.
"Um, I'm sorry I'm late," Sean replied apologetically, gently closing the door as he walked into Fudge's office.
This was indeed not his fault; due to the strict martial law measures implemented by Hogwarts, he was unable to teleport directly to the Ministry of Magic via the regular Floo Powder network.
This meant he had to take a more complicated and time-consuming route, which undoubtedly added a lot of trouble to his original plan.
In addition, this was his first time visiting the Ministry of Magic, and he was completely unfamiliar with the environment and layout.
The Ministry of Magic, a large and complex institution, was bustling with people, and the constant traffic and endless stream of wizards between its departments made him feel dizzy.
In such an environment, even someone with a clear destination can easily lose their way, let alone a newcomer like him.
It was only when he was wandering around aimlessly that he ran into Arthur, who was out slacking off, and Arthur took him to the minister's office. Otherwise, who knows how long he would have had to search.
"It's alright, Sean, the timing is perfect." Fudge smiled reassuringly and gestured for him to sit down.
Sean pulled up a chair and sat down next to Lucius.
He glanced casually at the office out of the corner of his eye. The walls were adorned with portraits of past Ministers of Magic (ordinary portraits), and the shelves held some ancient-looking magical artifacts.
On Fudge's desk, there was a neat stack of parchment. These seemingly ordinary papers carried the decrees of the entire Ministry of Magic, and even the entire British Isles.
Simply write your wish on it, and countless people will follow suit to fulfill it.
To go through fire and water.
This supreme power makes this desk, and this office, extraordinary.
These shared elements—portraits, artifacts, parchment, and the history, mystery, and power they represent—immerse the entire office in a unique atmosphere.
This scent isn't the aroma of wooden furniture and old books mixed together, but rather an indescribable fragrance.
It is profound, complex, and irresistible.
If he could, Sean would prefer to call this flavor "power".
It seems to possess an invisible magic that can penetrate people's hearts, making them unconsciously intoxicated and unable to extricate themselves.
Just as Sean was somewhat stunned, Fudge slowly spoke.
"Well then, Phillips," Fudge said in a serious tone, "we've asked you here because there are some very important and urgent matters we need to discuss."
Sean put aside his distracting thoughts and sat up straight.
For the three people present, this conversation was like a carefully crafted script, with every plot point and every line having been repeatedly considered and finalized.
They both knew exactly what was going on and how to cooperate to achieve their predetermined goals.
However, even though the ending was already predetermined, all they had to do was to fully immerse themselves in the play.
Every detail was handled perfectly, giving the whole thing a veneer of formality and legitimacy.
"Of course, Minister, I am ready to follow your instructions at any time," Sean replied solemnly.
Fudge nodded, his gaze darting between Sean and Lucius, as if weighing how to begin. "Recently, our Ministry of Magic has received some disturbing reports. We have heard of several horrific student murders that have occurred within the Hogwarts School of Magic. These incidents are not only shocking, but also pose a serious threat to the peace and security of our wizarding world."
At this point, Fudge paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over Sean and Lucius again, observing their reactions.
After the two men showed worried expressions, Fudge continued, "As the Minister of Magic,
"It is my responsibility to ensure the safety of every member of the magical world, especially those innocent students."
"Therefore, we must take decisive and effective measures in response to the recent series of events that have occurred at Hogwarts."
"After careful consideration, and based on the joint proposal and vote of the twelve Hogwarts Board of Governors, we have decided to take Rubeus Hagrid, the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets last time, into custody and place him under strict supervision. We have also temporarily suspended Professor Albus Dumbledore from his duties so that we can conduct a fair and unbiased investigation."
"This decision was not made lightly, but was made to ensure the impartiality of the investigation, to ensure that every piece of evidence is examined fairly and objectively, and also to be responsible to all teachers and students of Hogwarts."
Lucius, sitting to the side, nodded in agreement, a barely perceptible smile on his face, as if all of this was exactly what he had expected.
"In order for Hogwarts' teaching to proceed normally, and to ensure the smooth progress of the investigation, we need a capable and responsible wizard to serve as the acting headmaster of Hogwarts and take over some of its affairs." Fudge's tone became more serious at this point. "The twelve board members, represented by Lucius, recommended you to me, Phillips. They believe you have the ability and wisdom to handle this complex situation."
As he spoke, Fudge placed two documents in front of Sean.
One document was a suspension order for Dumbledore, signed by twelve board members, and the other was a pre-drafted appointment letter bearing Sean's name.
Fudge stared intently at Sean, awaiting his answer.
Sean took a deep breath, formally accepted the letter of appointment, pressed his right fist against his left chest, and firmly stated, "I am willing to serve wizards and the Ministry of Magic wholeheartedly!"