Chapter 180: Sudden Rat Infestation
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The spirited Fudge sat back at his desk and instructed the intern, Lila, to bring him the backlog of official documents accumulated over the past few days. He tackled them with great interest.
Before long, there was a knock on Fudge's office door. The door was pushed open without a response, and Barty Crouch walked in.
"Cornelius, I didn't expect you to return to work," Barty Crouch said arrogantly.
Based on experience, Crouch expected Fudge to react angrily to such provocation. However, this time, Fudge remained calm, still smiling at Crouch.
"I'm still the Minister of Magic, Crouch. I'm dedicated to my duties and should work diligently," Fudge replied calmly.
Crouch frowned; Fudge's composed attitude felt like punching cotton. However, Crouch quickly regained his composure. Knowing Fudge's downfall was inevitable; all Crouch could do now was make a final stand.
"Then I wish you a happy workday," Crouch said sarcastically and snorted before leaving.
Fudge continued to smile and watched Crouch's retreating figure. When Crouch disappeared, Fudge's eyes briefly turned gloomy and terrifying, only to quickly return to his usual amiable expression.
News of Fudge's return to the Ministry of Magic circulated briefly before the buzz faded, and employees returned to their routines. Fudge's return was seen as an attempt by the outgoing minister to maintain his last shred of dignity and decency.
Despite the turmoil caused by the Dementor issue, everyone tacitly agreed to give the minister the last respect. Even those who had been vehemently impeaching Fudge at Wizengamot had quieted down.
Fudge continued to come to work punctually and managed his official duties in an orderly manner as if nothing had happened. The Ministry of Magic also settled into a period of calm, with no new developments on the Sirius Black escape.
Many now believed that Sirius Black had probably drowned in the sea while fleeing, and most preferred to think so.
In this quiet period, a new topic of conversation emerged: a sudden rat infestation in homes.
The rat infestation appeared abruptly and without reason. When it was first noticed, hordes of giant rats had already settled in people's homes.
Initially, no one took it seriously, and magic was used to clean up the mice. But the infestation grew more severe, with rats invading homes more frequently.
The rats gnawed on furniture, shoes, and clothes, and some wizards' wands were chewed through.
The infestation spread rapidly, affecting more homes and even shops in Diagon Alley.
Even the homes of many senior officials of the Ministry of Magic were attacked by rats.
The sudden rat infestation became the biggest problem facing the Ministry of Magic.
Just when everyone was devastated by the rat infestation, Fudge stepped up. He arranged for an experienced team to carry out the extermination work, funded entirely by the Ministry of Magic. Afterward, the houses they treated showed no traces of rats.
Fudge's unexpectedly reliable actions earned him a good reputation. Though it wouldn't reverse his inevitable defeat, extreme calls for his dismissal and expulsion from the Ministry of Magic lessened significantly. People were now more inclined to afford the old minister some respect.
Meanwhile, the rat removal proceeded in an orderly manner. Inspections were mandated for all houses on affected streets to prevent remaining rat nests. Given the severity of the infestation, no one protested this somewhat intrusive measure. After all, the prospect of a rat falling from the ceiling onto a person's face while they slept was far more unacceptable than a check-up.
However, when the rat removal team reached the home of Barty Crouch, the Director of the International Magical Cooperation Department, on one of the most infested streets, they faced severe resistance. Director Crouch was adamant about his right to privacy and barred anyone from entering his home.
Initially, the rat extermination team respected his request and cleared other homes. But the infestation on that street struck again soon after.
The trouble was worse than last time, but unfortunately, Director Barty Crouch insisted on refusing the rat extermination team entry to his house.
This time, Crouch's behavior caused widespread dissatisfaction, mainly when a rat emerged from his chimney, and he refused the team. His neighbors protested vehemently, blaming his stubbornness for prolonging the terrifying infestation on their street.
The situation escalated after an old witch had her toe nearly bitten off by one of the crazed rats. The entire street's residents gathered at Crouch's doorstep, protesting loudly. The commotion even attracted reporters from the Daily Prophet, who began taking pictures, adding to Crouch's distress.
At a critical moment in his bid for re-election as Minister of Magic, Crouch couldn't afford to make a wrong impression. He knew how vicious the Daily Prophet could be and was torn between maintaining his privacy and quelling the neighbors' anger. The hidden contents of his home were too sensitive to be discovered.
However, the growing unrest outside and the relentless reporters forced Crouch's hand. Reluctantly, he agreed to let the rat extermination team in, under the condition that they avoid certain rooms containing important Ministry of Magic secrets. The team agreed and commenced their work.
At first, everything went smoothly. Crouch meticulously guarded the room where his son hid, ensuring no one entered it. The rat extermination team respected their agreement and avoided the locked room, showing no curiosity.
The extermination proceeded efficiently, and soon, the team finished their work and began packing up to leave. The protests outside started to die down.
Just as the situation seemed under control, an accident occurred.
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