"I'm sorry, Albus. I didn't expect them to act so rudely."
In the Hogwarts headmaster's office, Fudge fidgeted with his hat.
"I had warned them beforehand, but due to the Swooping Evil incident, the Hit Wizards have been overwhelmed these past months. They've grown rather impulsive."
"I understand your position, Cornelius." Dumbledore said calmly, "But I trust Hagrid — he certainly wouldn't possess a Swooping Evil."
"Yes, I personally trust Hagrid too." Fudge turned his head away, avoiding Dumbledore's eyes, "But you must understand, given his record and the report we received, the Ministry had to investigate—for the students' safety."
"That's precisely why I allowed the investigation, and Minerva only intervened when you attempted to forcibly remove Hagrid." Dumbledore crossed his hands, fingers against his chin, speaking deliberately, "I assure you that both now and in the future, you may bring witnesses to Hogwarts to identify Hagrid at any time. Our Potions professor can readily determine if he's being truthful. Should you be too occupied, a letter would suffice — I'll escort Hagrid to the Ministry myself to face your witness."
"That won't be necessary, Albus." Fudge said awkwardly, "I trust you completely, and Hagrid's investigation is concluded. We found no evidence of a Swooping Evil in his quarters."
"Thank you for your trust, Cornelius." Dumbledore said kindly, "I'm surprised you came to Hogwarts personally for this matter."
"Oh, it's nothing, Albus." Fudge said, sipping his tea, "This was our error, so my presence was warranted. I only hope Minerva won't be too cross. Speaking of Swooping Evils, something just occurred to me."
"Oh?" Dumbledore raised his eyebrows slightly, showing interest.
"Well, you see..." Fudge unconsciously adjusted his collar, "Lately, people at the Ministry have been using the Swooping Evil situation to undermine me, calling me inefficient. They're criticizing my decision to return those magical creatures, saying I shouldn't have reassigned Newt and Chris for such duration.
Even magical ministries from other countries have written to protest my sending Newt to their territories. But Albus, I merely wanted to demonstrate how seriously I was addressing this matter. My intentions were good."
"I completely understand how you feel." Dumbledore nodded, "Sometimes, not being understood can be quite troubling."
"I knew you would understand." Fudge took another sip of tea, "These days, all I hear are accusations. It's making it impossible for me to work normally. If it weren't for this situation, I would have certainly sent you a letter before sending the Hit Wizards to Hogwarts."
Dumbledore's eyes flickered as he silently watched him.
"If it were you." Fudge asked casually, "How would you handle this kind of trouble..."
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No one knows what Fudge and Dumbledore discussed in the headmaster's office, but many witnessed him leaving Hogwarts with a stern face.
Clearly, the conversation hadn't gone as he'd hoped.
After Fudge's departure, Hagrid brought a large barrel of pure malt whiskey to Professor Oren, shared a drink with him, and gave him a full bag of rock cakes as thanks for speaking in his defense.
The next day in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Kyle noticed Professor Oren had developed a peculiar whistle when speaking.
"I was trying out a new spell." He explained, "The process went slightly wrong, causing some minor injuries. Nothing to worry about."
Kyle wondered what sort of spell could knock out teeth.
The Expecto Lunchum spell?
In Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall's behavior was equally puzzling.
While checking homework, she mysteriously tapped Kyle with her wand and asked him a simple question. After his correct answer, she surprisingly awarded Hufflepuff twenty points.
This excited his fellow students, who briefly wondered if she had been inspired to support a house that could challenge Slytherin for the House Cup.
But they soon realized they were overthinking it.
Professor McGonagall remained true to her nature — strict and fair, showing no favoritism toward any house.
The generous point award was a one-time occurrence. In fact, during a third-year Transfiguration class, she deducted ten points from Hufflepuff over homework issues.
The reason behind her earlier generosity was likely known only to Kyle.
During the commotion with the young wizards, he had noticed Minerva glancing at him several times.
Though he had deliberately disguised his voice, while it fooled the Ministry officials and his fellow students, Professor McGonagall wasn't so easily deceived.
Yet judging by her actions, she seemed content to let the matter rest.
Meanwhile, Kyle had planted the Devil's Snare roots in the Room of Requirement, beside the Mooncalf's den where no sunlight could reach.
Two weeks of careful nurturing had transformed the small root section into a flourishing Devil's Snare, its tendrils now as thick as fingers.
When Kyle gently prodded these tendrils, they instantly coiled around his wrist. Being young and tender, their grip felt more like a soothing massage than a threat.
After amusing himself with the Devil's Snare for a while, he left it to grow in peace.
The nearby Mooncalves had settled nicely into their habitat, sleeping contentedly in their dens.
The Dittany and Rue thrived as well — these basic feeds would sustain the Mooncalves for months to come.
Yet Kyle had plans to enhance their diet with Bubotubers.
A whole Bubotuber mixed with Dittany, Rue, and other plant leaves — mashed and rolled into small balls — made the Mooncalves' preferred treat.
Since Hogsmeade shops didn't stock Bubotubers, and the school greenhouses were off-limits, Kyle would either have to wait for the holidays to visit Diagon Alley... or simply help himself to some from Newt.
The Chomping Cabbage was also entering maturity, its razor-sharp row of teeth glinting menacingly.
Kyle threw a stone at it, and the hard rock became nothing more than a chickpea in its mouth, crushed with thunderous chomping sounds.
He could hardly wait for the Devil's Snare to grow larger. When it would team up with the Chomping Cabbage — one to ensnare, one to destroy — that scene...
Hehe.
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