The Ministry of Magic's representative at Platform 9¾ was faced with a furious crowd of parents, a predicament of "having nothing to say" and "being singled out." His face, head, and clothes were soaked in sweat, a clear sign that he was the scapegoat sent by his superiors. However, this didn't solve the problem, only intensified the conflict.
He waved his wand at the pillar of the platform several times, but nothing happened. The way to the Hogwarts Express was still blocked. Even Mr. Weasley, a Ministry official himself, had hidden away to avoid becoming the one in charge. The poor young man, who looked fresh out of Hogwarts, had no solution.
"It's a small problem, a minor incident," he kept saying, but the more anxious he got, the less he could do.
"Is it really a small problem, Mr. from the Ministry of Magic?" Dudley's voice cut through the chaos. The parents arguing with the representative all stopped and waited for him to speak, as if he were their leader. "First, we don't even know the situation inside. Can you be sure there aren't any students stuck in there? The kind that can't get in or out?"
His words stunned the representative and the crowd. Everyone had been so focused on themselves that they hadn't considered the possibility of an accident. The thought of a student being trapped was terrifying.
"This is not a matter for you alone... I think you should report to your superiors and ask for more people to deal with this, starting with checking if anyone is trapped." Dudley added, "Before it leads to a bigger accident."
The young Ministry official finally realized the gravity of the situation and hurried off to contact his superiors. They weren't going to get rid of this issue with just a scapegoat.
This time, the Ministry of Magic was much more efficient. A man who called himself a director came, accompanied by several other wizards, including two Aurors and a Healer from St. Mungo's. They were prepared for the worst. The director was much more experienced and had more authority than the young representative. He immediately promised that the Ministry would take responsibility for everyone present. He also promised to arrange a special Hogwarts Express train to ensure that the students who missed the first one would not be late for the Sorting Ceremony.
The well-equipped team quickly solved the problem, and the passage to the Hogwarts Express was unblocked. No one was trapped. Hearing this, the director wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. If a tragedy had occurred, Minister Fudge's office would have been filled with Howlers, and he would have been transferred or even sent to Azkaban. He quickly pulled out his business card and handed it to Dudley, promising to help him with anything he needed in the future. Dudley simply took the card and put it in his pocket, not taking the promise seriously. In the world of politics, a promise is just a promise.
However, Dudley's quick thinking and ability to take charge caught the attention of many parents, especially the Slytherins. By now, the sky was growing dark. The other students who had made it onto the first train were probably at the castle. Soon, the new train arrived, and the students who had missed the first one cheered as they boarded.
The journey was uneventful. Hogwarts had already been notified and had prepared to receive them. They were late, but they made it just in time for the end of the Sorting Ceremony. The students were a bit miffed, but someone had sent word to Hogwarts that they were coming, so they were waited for.
Something felt different that night. When Dudley arrived at the Slytherin table, every student, from first to seventh year, stood up and gave him a seat. They didn't sit back down until he did. Dudley didn't say a word, and the Slytherins acted as if they had practiced it. The professors at the head table noticed, but Dumbledore and Snape, the Head of Slytherin, were strangely silent. Lockhart, dressed like a preening peacock, was about to say something, but the professors all ignored him. No one knew what he'd done to be shunned by everyone.
At the end of the feast, Dumbledore gave his usual short speech. At the end, he mentioned the Disciplinary Committee. "One more thing, I'd like to add. From today, first to fourth-year students will be under the jurisdiction of the Disciplinary Committee." The Committee hadn't been in charge of those years yet, since there weren't any prefects for them. "Of course, the Committee's points will be calculated separately by its members."
Next to the hourglasses for the four houses, the new hourglass that Dudley had created with his transmutation circle was still there. "Any student who's interested in challenging them is welcome to try. You might be surprised." Dumbledore winked playfully. He was clearly stirring the pot.
As Dumbledore spoke, Dudley could feel the excitement from students in the other three houses, especially Gryffindor. Competing against all four houses? It wasn't impossible. They might be at a numerical disadvantage, but numbers don't always matter. Pressure creates motivation.
"And of course, if anyone wants to join them, all you have to do is pass Committee Chairman Dursley's test."
Dumbledore's last words caused even the calm Slytherins to stir, as well as a few students from the other houses. Even in Gryffindor, someone was interested. Dudley saw Percy, Ron's older brother, looking thoughtful.
Dumbledore… is this a slap and a carrot? It was an interesting tactic.
The welcome feast ended, and the students began to head back to their common rooms.
"Mr. Dursley, the password for the Slytherin Common Room should be set by you," said a sixth-year prefect, who had nearly died at the hands of the troll last year.
Dudley nodded, accepting the honor. He then announced, "Then... the first password is 'Fairness'."