Upon hearing Fudge's words, Umbridge could barely contain her excitement.
"Thank you for the Minister's recognition. I'm truly moved," she gushed, lifting her chin and fixing Douglas Holmes with a look of smug superiority.
Douglas turned to Dumbledore and gave him a quick wink—wasn't it time for the headmaster to step in and offer some support? But Dumbledore simply raised his teacup in a silent toast, and a fresh cup of tea floated over to settle beside Douglas. The display made the two Ministry officials grind their teeth in frustration.
Truth be told, Douglas detested conversing with Umbridge. Knowing what she'd do in the future, he was keenly aware that if he didn't leave his post, she'd probably barge into Hogwarts one day as some self-important High Inquisitor.
He took a slow sip of tea, then spoke at last, voice unhurried: "Let's set other matters aside for now. Just now, this Minister—"
The moment Douglas called her "Minister," a fleeting glimmer of delight flashed across Umbridge's face, but she quickly smothered it and interrupted, "Ahem, it's Senior Undersecretary. The Ministry of Magic has only one Minister."
Douglas nodded with exaggerated seriousness, a sly smile on his lips. "An Undersecretary is still a Minister—after all, that 'Under' can be dropped at any time. But that's beside the point. What I want to ask is: since Madam Minister just claimed that Dementors have always been under Ministry control, does that mean this recent invasion of Hogwarts by over a hundred Dementors was officially authorized?"
Though Douglas smiled as he spoke, a chill crept into the room. Umbridge instinctively sensed the threat, but quickly composed herself, ignoring his obvious provocation.
"I think you've misunderstood," she replied, tone stiff. "The Dementors entered Hogwarts to search for the fugitive Black, whose trail they detected—but their search was interrupted…"
Douglas let out a derisive snort. "Do you honestly believe that excuse? Do you think the students' parents will buy it?"
Umbridge took a deep breath, forcing an awkward smile. "That's not why we're here today. We're here to discuss the missing Dementors!"
With exaggerated disbelief, Douglas said, "But aren't the Dementors under your control? Are you sure they're really missing? Everyone knows that both times the Dementors appeared, neither the headmaster nor the professors intervened—it was the students themselves who drove them away. Are Dementors really so feeble that a handful of students who haven't even graduated can handle them? Or is it possible they were deliberately holding back? Maybe they needed an excuse for some of their kind to vanish from public view, so they could seek new partners and break free from Ministry control?"
His words were riddled with holes, but for those in the know at the Ministry, they struck a nerve. The idea had never occurred to them—but for nearly three centuries, Dementors had guarded Azkaban under Ministry orders. Had releasing them from Azkaban this time sparked their ambition?
Douglas pressed on, fanning the flames: "Minister, I really think your top priority should be tracking down those missing Dementors. If they're breeding in some dark corner, well… the Ministry could have a very serious problem on its hands. Trust me, Hogwarts has no reason to hunt Dementors—we're responsible for our students, after all. Wouldn't you agree? I'll be sure to explain everything to the parents."
A cold sweat broke out on Fudge's brow. If the public ever learned that Dementors were loose, the panic would be enough to topple his government.
He turned hastily to Dumbledore. "Albus, I promise I'll have a stern word with them about entering the school. I'm sure nothing like this will ever happen again. You know how many documents I have waiting for my signature at the Ministry—so I'll be off. And let me be clear: the disappearance of the Dementors has nothing to do with Hogwarts."
As the Ministry officials hurried away, Dumbledore turned to Douglas, curiosity twinkling in his eyes. "Douglas, do you have some history with Dolores?"
Douglas took a casual sip of tea. "Not really. She just found an excuse to ban my new book, that's all."
Dumbledore gave a soft "Ah," and extended a hand toward Douglas.
With a grin, Douglas produced a prepared plaque and handed it over. "Best to keep this with you at all times, Professor!"
Dumbledore examined the wooden plaque thoughtfully, then slipped it away.
"So, what's your plan now?"
Douglas shrugged. "There's not much left for me to do. The rest depends on how soon Harry and the others uncover the truth."
—
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of yet another defeat, the Gryffindor Quidditch team sat slumped in the changing room, spirits crushed.
Wood looked devastated, but still managed to rally his team. "It's alright, Harry, don't blame yourself. You're still the best Seeker we've ever had. To come so close to catching the Golden Snitch despite the speed disadvantage—that was incredible. The weather was just too much this time. We'll get another chance, I promise…"
But Harry remained downcast. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd let the team down. If only he'd been just a little faster—just a little—he could have beaten Cedric to the Snitch.
After Wood's impassioned speech, the team slowly drifted out.
On the way back to the castle, Fred and Angelina were laughing and joking nearby.
George sidled up to Harry, curiosity in his eyes. "Hey, during the match, I saw Professor Holmes brought a dog to the pitch. I thought his pet was a Niffler?"
Harry, still looking glum, replied, "Oh, that's a dog my uncle took in over the summer. Name's Padfoot—super friendly. He usually stays in the professor's office; he's never brought him out before."
As Harry spoke, he noticed George had stopped walking, staring at him in shock.
"You said the dog's name is Padfoot?" George blurted.
Fred, overhearing, turned to listen.
Harry nodded, confused. "Do you know him?"
George and Fred exchanged a loaded glance, then asked, "You said the professor never brought him out before—so why did he bring him to the match this time?"
Harry couldn't understand why they were so interested in a dog, but he really didn't know the answer.
Angelina piped up, curiosity piqued, "Is there something special about this dog?"
George and Fred quickly shook their heads.
Then, without another word, they grabbed Harry and bolted for the castle, leaving Angelina staring after them in utter confusion.
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