With extraordinary comprehension, I built a floating city at Hogwarts.

Page 428

He tapped the table lightly, a cold glint in his eyes:

"The next step is to deal with that kid—Harry Potter. We need to find a way to shut him up and completely ruin his reputation...to make everyone think he's a delusional madman."

Fudge knew that as long as they continued to control the narrative, things would soon turn around.

They would believe Voldemort's resurrection because they themselves didn't want to believe this terrible fact.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the minister's office.

“Come in,” Fudge said to the wooden door.

The door was pushed open, and Percy Weasley walked in, panting.

His face was somewhat pale, and fine beads of sweat were on his forehead, clearly indicating that he had rushed here.

"Minister, something terrible has happened!" Percy rushed into the minister's office, panting.

"What's wrong, Weasley?" Fudge frowned as he looked at Percy; he disliked Weasley's impulsive manner.

Percy took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and then quickly said, "Minister, something bad has happened! It's about the giants again. They published it in the free gossip tabloid, 'Rumors!'"

As he spoke, Percy placed the magazine in front of Fudge and quickly turned to a certain page.

Fudge took the magazine and glanced at it, his face immediately changing drastically. His eyes widened, and he slammed his fists heavily on the table with a loud "bang."

"Damn it, how dare they!"

He suddenly stood up and glared at the magazine in front of him, as if he wanted to tear it to shreds.

Chapter 477 Dumbledore's Wit

The headline of this issue is an exclusive interview with Mrs. Maxim.

In the interview, Mrs. Maxim recounted her recent expedition to the Ural Mountains with Hagrid. However, they unexpectedly encountered traces of Death Eaters. Through covert investigation and tracking, they were shocked to discover that these Death Eaters were in league with a tribe of giants deep within the Ural Mountains.

This news was like a bombshell, causing a huge uproar in the magical world.

People have been linking this incident to Minister Fudge's recent rejection of Professor Dumbledore's decision to appease the giants, as well as the sudden placement of a group of giants in the Isle of Man reserve.

This is practically like putting Fudge on a grill.

"How is this possible?" Minister Fudge's hand holding the magazine trembled slightly. "How dare they publish something like this in 'Rumors!'"

“Minister, according to my investigation, Remus Lupin recently purchased a stake in Rumors!” Percy Weasley reported respectfully from the side.

"Lupin?" Minister Fudge frowned. "How could he have money to invest in a magazine?"

He immediately sensed something was amiss. "Sirius Black must be behind this!"

Minister Fudge paced back and forth in his office in a fit of rage, then suddenly stopped and roared at Percy, "Issue arrest warrants immediately for Sirius Black and Remus Lupin! For disturbing the peace!"

His spittle flew out with his angry words, nearly hitting Percy's face.

However, Percy looked distressed and cautiously reminded him, "Minister, I'm afraid this is not appropriate."

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Although Lupin is one of the shareholders of Rumors!", he is not the editor-in-chief. We currently have no direct evidence that they have influenced the magazine's content. Even if we did catch Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, they would most likely deny any involvement in this matter."

“Percy, do you have any good ideas?” Fudge’s eyes were fixed on the young wizard standing in front of him. “I need a solution to this problem.”

Percy hesitated for a moment, then cautiously offered his suggestion:

“Minister, I think we might be able to handle this in a more subtle way. We could try to make the magazine less credible and turn it into a joke.”

Fudge frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the suggestion:

"Why can't we just ban them outright?"

His tone revealed a hint of impatience.

Percy gently shook his head and patiently explained, "Minister, the more you forbid it, the more likely it is to arouse public curiosity and rebellious sentiment. People will want to know what truth the magazine has revealed and why the Ministry of Magic is trying so hard to suppress it. This will only make things worse."

"Enough! I don't want to hear this!" Fudge waved his hand impatiently. "I just want you to use every means possible to minimize the impact of this. Understand?"

“Understood, Minister. I will do my best to handle this,” Percy replied, straightening his back.

Fudge's gaze swept across Percy's face, then he casually offered him a rosy promise: "If you can demonstrate your abilities and talents, I will consider promoting you."

Percy's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm: "Thank you for your trust, Minister."

At this moment, Fudge's heart was filled with mixed feelings.

To everyone else, Dumbledore's suggestion was absurd and delusional, and it was only natural that he would reject it.

However, who would have thought that those damned Death Eaters would actually try to win over the giant tribe, and this secret was exposed, which was like a slap in the face.

What annoyed him even more was that Mrs. Maxim not only told the story in a very convincing way, but also provided some photos from the scene as evidence.

In the photo, the giants are mixed together with some people in black robes. Their ferocious and terrifying faces and menacing aura make it clear at a glance that they are no benevolent people.

Another photo, taken in a protected area on the Isle of Man, shows a group of towering giants who look exactly like their compatriots in the first photo.

This is practically telling everyone that Dumbledore isn't senile; in fact, he's incredibly shrewd.

In the public eye, the Ministry of Magic's image has plummeted. They used to scoff at Dumbledore's advice, but now they have no choice but to clean up the mess according to his plan.

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The 'hundred' books, free to find books; new ones are released from time to time: the books made Fudge feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.

That photo from the Isle of Man protected area was like irrefutable evidence, leaving Fudge no room for rebuttal.

The sudden appearance of those giants undoubtedly provided official endorsement for Madame Maxim's statements.

Otherwise, where did these giants come from?

Fudge took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger.

He suddenly turned to Percy, and said with some helplessness, "Inform Bornes to file a formal protest with the Gallic Ministry of Magic on our behalf. We demand that they stop Orim Maxim's unfounded slander."

Percy nodded, but he didn't leave immediately.

He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Minister, should we launch an inquiry into the Isle of Man Magical Creatures Reserve and the Magical Creatures Management and Control Division?"

“Not for now!” Fudge frowned. “We don’t have conclusive evidence that Ms. Presto was involved. And…”

He paused, then said, "This matter requires further consideration."

Fudge knew perfectly well that in his efforts to undermine Dumbledore, he had already offended many of his colleagues in the wizarding world. His political enemies were watching him closely, waiting to see him make a fool of himself. Meanwhile, the Jaina faction had been very cooperative with him since absorbing Crouch's forces, and it would be a bad idea to rashly push them to the opposite side.

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“Okay, I understand,” Percy replied and turned to leave.

“Wait, Percy.” Just as Percy pushed open the door, Fudge’s voice suddenly rang out, “I remember Remus Lupin was a werewolf, wasn’t he?”

Percy stopped, turned to face Fudge, and answered respectfully:

“Yes, Minister. Remus Lupin is indeed a werewolf, and he also served as a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts.”

“Send a message to the Daily Prophet and have them direct this at the werewolves.”

A glint of light flashed in Fudge's eyes. "Remind them of Remus Lupin's past with Hogwarts. Also... have Dolores Umbridge come to me."

"I'll do it right now."

Percy quickly jotted down Fudge's instructions and then hurriedly left the minister's office.

.... ... 0

A moment later, Umbridge's high-pitched voice rang out from outside the office:

"Minister, did you call for me?"

Fudge looked up at Umbridge as she walked in and asked:

Have you read the magazine "Rumors!"?

Umbridge forced a smile and shook his head, saying, "Not yet, Minister. But I've heard some rumors about this magazine."

She paused, then continued, following Fudge's train of thought, "It's said that this magazine is connected to a werewolf named Remus Lupin. Perhaps we should consider issuing a warrant for his arrest; after all, who knows if those werewolves are involved in some illegal underground activities?"

"Remus Lupin was not only a werewolf, but he also served as a professor at Hogwarts."

Fudge nodded slightly, hinting.

“Oh my god! This is absolutely terrible!” Umbridge’s eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed dramatically. “If the parents knew about this, they would be furious. After all, nobody wants their child studying with a dangerous werewolf. We must take measures to protect the children’s safety!”

“I really can’t understand Dumbledore’s actions.” Fudge frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. “His appointment of someone with giant blood as the Professor of Magical Creatures Protection is completely irresponsible towards the students. I really don’t know what he’s thinking.”

Especially since this half-giant is in cahoots with Mrs. Maxim.

Umbridge seemed to sense something was amiss, and a smug smile appeared on her lips: "The current state of Hogwarts is indeed worrying. Headmaster Dumbledore is getting senile, and his decisions are sometimes truly baffling."

"Speaking of which, Dumbledore seems to have never found a suitable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I think perhaps you could take a position at Hogwarts and, while you're at it, try to salvage the declining educational standards there."

Fudge finally revealed his true purpose in seeking out Umbridge.

Chapter 478 Harry: Emptiness, Loneliness, Coldness

Fudge certainly knew what kind of person Umbridge was, and he knew her reputation wasn't good, but so what?

As long as you can complete your tasks well, you are an excellent subordinate.

Recently, Fudge has discovered that there are not many people he can trust in the Ministry of Magic.

Umbridge was secretly pleased, but maintained a reserved demeanor: "Oh, Minister, you flatter me greatly. However, I'm afraid Headmaster Dumbledore might not agree."

“I will talk to him about this, and I believe he will give me face,” Fudge said confidently. “After all, Hogwarts also needs to keep up with the times and accept some new educational concepts and methods.”

In fact, Fudge knew very well that the Ministry of Magic had long wanted to place its own people in Hogwarts.

However, Dumbledore had previously firmly rejected the Ministry of Magic's attempts to infiltrate the country.

But this time was different. Fudge felt he had finally found a breakthrough, a reason to get Dumbledore to compromise.

"Rest assured, Minister," Umbridge hurriedly promised, "I will never let you down."

Fudge nodded slightly, then turned to her again: "Dolores, I have another important task for you."

He paused, then emphasized, "I need you to keep a close eye on Harry Potter's movements. If he dares to use magic in violation of the law, you must report to me immediately."

A knowing glint flashed in Umbridge's eyes, and she quickly replied:

“I understand, Minister. I will remain vigilant and make sure I don’t miss any intelligence about Harry Potter.”