Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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If there was anything Umbridge couldn't stand, it was probably being ignored.
She loved the feeling of being the center of attention and the awe in others' eyes; that's how she climbed to her current position.
Now, with just one more step forward, she could sit in the position of Deputy Minister, becoming the second-in-command of the Ministry of Magic.
And these people actually called her "a nobody in the Ministry of Magic"—didn't they know their place?
Umbridge couldn't accept this insult; her whole body trembled with anger.
"I am Dolores Umbridge!" Umbridge said in a shrill voice, "Head of the Department of Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic, and a member of the Wizengamot!"
"So you're a head of the department," Kyle said, looking somewhat uneasy, shifting his feet slightly in place. "So, you can take responsibility for what you just said, right?"
Umbridge raised his head. "When…"
"Ahem, I don't think Dolores meant that."
Fudge interrupted Umbridge with a dry cough, interjecting, "She was just too worried about the child. After all, a young wizard shouldn't try to defeat werewolves; running away is the wisest choice."
"Of course, I completely agree with you, Cornelius."
Dumbledore nodded seriously. "And what she said about expulsion…"
"Of course, it was a joke. The Ministry of Magic wouldn't expel a little hero who just saved so many people."
Fudge chuckled. "Dolores just wanted to remind the child this way so he wouldn't be so reckless next time, right…"
Fudge glanced subtly to the side.
Umbridge immediately understood. She forced a smile and continued in her cloying voice, "Yes, Minister, I'm honored you understand what I mean.
These young wizards are too arrogant. They just got lucky with a good grade and think they can handle werewolves?
He needs to learn a lesson, to know what he should and shouldn't do, so he can live longer."
"I will remember, madam," Kyle replied with a similar forced smile. "And by the way, you look really young for your age in those clothes."
Umbridge glanced down at her pink cardigan, not thinking much of it, assuming Kyle was just flattering her, and walked away with her head held high.
Dean Sassia, however, smiled slightly, glancing at Kyle with interest.
She could tell that the boy was mocking the Ministry of Magic official for trying to look young.
But it was true.
Soon, the Aurors returned.
"Rufus, how was it?" Fudge asked.
"It's a werewolf," Scrimgeour whispered. "And he only moved into St. Mungo's yesterday."
"It really is a werewolf…" Fudge frowned, nervously adjusting his hat.
He couldn't imagine the panic that would ensue if word got out that werewolves could transform during the day.
He, as Minister for Magic, would certainly face criticism.
No, this absolutely cannot get out.
Fudge's eyes hardened, as if he had made up his mind.
"Minister, I'll take this child to rest."
At that moment, Dean Sassia approached, pointing to a young healer beside her. "Aurors, if you have any questions, you can ask Hippocrates. He'll cooperate fully."
Fudge glanced at her, then at Dumbledore, and nodded. "Oh, no problem, you can go now."
"Excuse me."
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On the sixth floor of St. Mungo's, there was a tea room and shops.
Dean Sassia led Kyle and Dumbledore to a private room and ordered them each a cup of black tea.
Dumbledore took a sip and said with some surprise, "It's my favorite flavor. I thought you'd forgotten."
"Five sugar cubes. I always remember,"
Dean Sassia said casually. "If nothing unexpected happens, our Minister will probably take that werewolf away."
Dumbledore put down his cup. "Cornelius is sometimes like that; he gets too nervous when things happen."
"Alright, let me tell you what I know first,"
Dean Sassia continued. "That person came to St. Mungo's yesterday afternoon, claiming to have been scratched by a werewolf. But out of caution, the healers placed him in a special ward under special care.
Last night happened to be a full moon, and he didn't turn into a werewolf, so he was moved to a regular ward."
St. Mungo's has a well-established procedure. In special cases like werewolves, they certainly wouldn't be housed with other people unless it could be confirmed that they weren't infected.
This is why the werewolf ran out from next door.
Kyle nodded, indicating understanding.
A werewolf that transformed during the day when nothing happened on a full moon night… that was indeed quite bizarre; even the healers probably hadn't expected this.
"Is this a mutation?" Kyle asked.
"Probably not."
Dean Sassia's expression was somewhat serious. "When I came in, I smelled a very peculiar potion scent in that werewolf's blood."
"Potion?"
"Yes, and it smelled very much like wolfsbane." Dean Sassia frowned, thinking for a moment before saying, "But unlike normal wolfsbane, it contained howling grass… and some other things."
Howling grass…
Kyle knew about it.
Just like there's a branch of black magic in spells, there's also one in herbalism… howling grass is one of them.
Aside from illegal potions, normal potions don't use it at all.
In other words, if an Auror detected howling grass in a potion, the wizard possessing that potion would have to spend at least a year in Azkaban.
Kyle looked at Headmaster Sassia across from him and exclaimed in amazement, "Just by smelling him, you can tell what potion he drank?"
"Wolfsbane and Howling Herb are special," Sassia explained. "They can permeate the soul, so they stay for longer."
"Kyle, you probably don't know, but Peggy is one of the greatest potions masters of the last two hundred years."
At this moment, Dumbledore leaned closer to Kyle and whispered, "I've always wanted her to teach Potions at Hogwarts, but she felt St. Mungo's needed her more."
Although Dumbledore deliberately lowered his voice, in this cramped room, even the softest whisper was useless.
"Albus… why are you saying all this?"
Dean Sassia said somewhat helplessly, "Slughorn is also one of the greatest potions masters… and that young man named Snape, his talent isn't much less than mine."
"It's different, Peggy," Dumbledore took a sip of his tea and said quietly, "You can never have too many good professors."
[End of the chapter]