บท 299: 0298 Whispers of time
"Who is this person? A villager from Hogsmeade?" Ms. Bones inquired, her glasses catching the moonlight as she peered intently at Bryan, seeking answers.
"Remus Lupin," Bryan revealed, his voice steady. "I'm sure you all know him. He is currently serving as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Alas, he has endured much at the hands of werewolves—a tragic plight that may well end his tenure as the professor."
The mention of Remus Lupin, the werewolf, stirred a collective murmur among the Ministry's top brass. Dumbledore's had strongly recommended Lupin as a professor the previous August which was not a secret to them, as it was a decision that had sparked considerable debate.
Fudge, visibly reluctant, hesitated under Bryan's penetrating gaze. A sudden, inexplicable fear spurred him into action. "Very well, but you owe us an explanation, Bryan," he conceded, mopping the sweat from his forehead.
He turned to Rufus, seeking support from the Head of the Auror Office, which was equally resistant to engage with a dark wizard capable of wielding the formidable Fiendfyre skillfully. Yet, with all eyes upon them, Rufus could not feign ignorance to the Minister's gestures. He returned Fudge's gaze with a frown, his reluctance clear.
Remus, still lying motionless, bore the signs of lycanthropic transformation, a sight that repelled the Aurors and dissuaded them from approaching this dangerous werewolf.
"Alright, then I'll make the trip myself--" Bryan shrugged helplessly.
"Allow me," At this moment, a young voice appeared in the crowd. Before Kingsley could stop her, Tonks had already leaped past him and stood in front of Bryan.
"I think you can handle this situation, right--" Tonks looked at Bryan with concern and asked softly.
Bryan responded with a smile.
"Alright--" Tonks muttered under her breath, "You've taken down Greyback and so many werewolves, all by yourself, Bryan, you're going to be famous now..... Oh! This poor guy has suffered a lot--"
With a sound akin to a thunderclap, Tonks and Remus vanished, spirited away to safety.
"Now, Bryan, we must address the matter at hand," Fudge insisted, his breath coming in labored gasps as he maintained what he thought was a safe distance from Bryan.
"For Dumbledore's sake, can you... hand over your wand first?"
"Regrettably, Minister, I find myself unable to comply with your request," Bryan replied, his refusal polite yet firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Bryan's lips curled into a smile, a subtle gesture that belied the gravity of the situation and said, "And I think we'd better not stand here foolishly. There are many things to discuss tonight, so it's best to talk while walking—"
Fudge, his face etched with lines of concern and suspicion, immediately tensed at Bryan's suggestion. "Where are you going?"
"Heh, to Hogwarts, of course—" Bryan's laughter rang out, light and carefree, as he gestured to the Ministry officials to follow him up the hill.
"Hurry up, everyone. There is currently a heinous criminal awaiting your judgment at Hogwarts," Bryan announced, his voice carrying an undercurrent of urgency that spurred the officials into motion.
"If you're referring to Sirius Black—" Ms. Bones, her spectacles perched precariously on the bridge of her nose, interjected with a note of authority, "We have received notification from the--"
But before she could finish, Bryan cut in, his voice as light as the breeze that carried it, "It's Peter Pettigrew."
The revelation sent a ripple of disbelief through the officials, their exchanged glances a silent conversation of shock and confusion.
"You're crazy!" Fudge's outburst sliced through the tension, his incredulity palpable. "He's been dead for twelve years, I saw it with my own eyes!!"
"I believe we should arrest him immediately, Minister."
The suggestion of immediate arrest hung in the air, a heavy proposition that Bryan met with a casual shrug, as if discussing the weather rather than the fate of a man long thought dead.
Bryan's casual attitude made Umbridge's eyes turn cold, but her face showed a nauseating, sycophantic smile. She leaned over to Fudge's ear and said coquettishly, "This Director of the Hogwarts Student Safety Office seems to have adopted some rather unsavory habits. Oh, he clearly believes he's entitled to certain privileges, much like someone else we know. Minister, I'm sure you agree that we can't allow this to stand—"
But Kingsley, standing like a statue by the smoldering pit, his face a mask of solemnity, interjected with a firmness that brooked no argument.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Umbridge, but we can't do that."
Standing by the charred black pit emitting smoke, Kingsley took a deep breath, the scent of char and magic heavy in the air, and faced Umbridge with a gaze that was both steely and weary.
"I'm afraid the only wizard with that ability is the 'someone' you just mentioned."
*Scene-break*
In the shadowy twilight of the Forbidden Forest, Harry and Hermione, with their hearts pounding against their chests, had finally accomplished the near-impossible task assigned by Dumbledore. They emerged, carrying the figure of dwarf Peter, who was now encapsulated within a silken white chrysalis, a stark contrast to the dark, dense woods they had left behind. The invisibility cloak draped over them now bore the weight of their mission's success and the burden of their precious cargo.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant fragrance of magical herbs from Professor Sprout's greenhouse, which they passed in their hurried escape. Harry's breaths came in ragged gasps, his voice barely above a whisper, laden with urgency and fear, "Hermione—what would happen if we didn't make it back before—Dumbledore locks the door?"
Hermione's response was tinged with panic, her voice a tremulous echo of Harry's dread, "I…I don't want to think about it!" She cast a frantic glance at her watch, the hands ticking away their fate. "We only have ten minutes left!"
It's in these moments of desperation that fate often has a cruel sense of humor, springing upon them the unexpected when least desired.
As they traversed the dew-kissed lawn, the castle's towering silhouette loomed ahead, a beacon of safety and a reminder of the ticking clock. But between them and their sanctuary, a group of figures marched with purpose. Harry's eyes, wide with alarm, recognizing the entourage even from a distance.
"Professor Watson and the Minister of Magic, and and the person next to..."
"That woman in black is Amelia Bones, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the person on the left of Minister Fudge is Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Office. The people behind them are probably the Ministry's hit wizards. They are all important figures in the Ministry of Magic, often reported in the Daily Prophet. They probably received the news of Sirius's arrest."
Hermione said in a frightened tone, her teeth chattering.
"They are ahead of us, Harry, we're done for."
Except for Professor Watson, the people from the Ministry of Magic didn't look too good, especially Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.
Although this was the case, Harry and Hermione still did their best to run towards the castle gate. However, they were slowed down by taking care of Peter, and they couldn't expose their whereabouts so, their speed couldn't compare to the Ministry officials.
As the distance between them and the castle gate dwindled to a mere hundred feet, Professor Watson, who was at the front, and had already reached the marble steps at the entrance paused.
"Wait–"
Bryan's voice cut through the night, a moment of hesitation before he firmly turned around to Cornelius Fudge, halting the Minister's progress.
"There is something very important that needs to be confirmed, as I said earlier, Sirius Black is innocent, the one who committed the crimes over a decade ago was Peter Pettigrew. In this case, um… the Ministry's promised bounty-money."
Just hearing Bryan say that there was something important, Fudge's heart skipped a beat. He had already been frightened enough tonight, and he was afraid that Bryan had another "surprise" in store for him. But the mention of the bounty-money, a topic he had not anticipated, left him momentarily flustered.
"The bounty–" Fudge stammered, his complexion a vivid shade of crimson, "Oh… well, yes, there is indeed such a thing, the Ministry of Magic will certainly…..Wait a minute."
Regaining his composure, Fudge drew a deep breath, his voice regaining its official timbre.
"All of these are just your one-sided statements, Bryan, I haven't confirmed it yet!"
Bryan shrugged nonchalantly.
"Well, even without mentioning that, I remember that Greyback and his pack were also on the Ministry's wanted list. They all died at my hands, as you witnessed–"
"You used the Fiendfyre–" Rufus Scrimgeour interjected coldly. "Bryan Watson, you should know that this violates many laws, enough to send you to Azkaban."
Facing Scrimgeour's empty threat, Bryan's retort was swift, his smile lazy and confident.
"Huh, Greyback and his dogs attacked the young wizards in the castle. As the Director of the Office of Student Safety at Hogwarts, I have the right to use any means to protect their lives from such vile creatures."
Meanwhile, Umbridge and some Aurors were ordered by Fudge to stay at Hogsmeade to calm the emotions of the people and deal with the reporters from the Daily Prophet who were expected to arrive soon. Now, only Scrimgeour and Bones were with Fudge.
Amelia Bones stood transfixed on the marble steps of Hogwarts, her gaze locked onto the figure of Bryan Watson, who was illuminated by the flickering red torchlight that danced across the ancient stones. The night air was charged with tension, and the shadows cast by the flames seemed to play tricks on the eyes, giving the scene an almost ethereal quality.
When Amelia had first laid eyes on the raging Fiendfyre in Hogsmeade, her heart had plummeted into her stomach with fear. The destructive power of the magical fire was well known to her, and its untamed fury was a sight to behold. Yet, here stood Bryan, the very wizard who had conjured such chaos, now calmly negotiating with the highest echelons of the Ministry of Magic.
Her previous encounters with Bryan had been brief; she knew of his remarkable feat in capturing the Basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets and 'gave' it to Ministry of Magic last year, which allowed Fudge to gain fame among the public and the Ministers of Magic from various countries.
Dumbledore's decision to appoint Bryan as the Head of the Office of Student Safety had been a topic of much discussion, but now, witnessing Bryan's formidable magical prowess firsthand, Amelia couldn't help but reassess her initial impressions of the young wizard.
For a fleeting moment, as she watched him stand defiantly in the path of the Ministry, a chilling thought crossed her mind: could she be witnessing the rise of a new Dark Lord? But that notion was quickly dispelled by the absurdity of the situation before her. A Dark Lord would not haggle over bounties; a rising Dark Lord would not gain Dumbledore's approval…
And These events both confused and comforted Amelia Bones.
"We'll talk about the bounty later, Bryan!" Fudge, glancing at Filch, who was half-visible behind the castle door, wanting to approach but not daring to interrupt their conversation, and said irritably, "At least let us figure out everything!"
"Alright then–" Bryan's voice trailed off, his expression one of feigned disappointment. He turned away from Fudge, casting a glance at a nearby marble pillar, where the faintest twitch of his mouth suggested a hidden amusement at the unfolding drama.
Meanwhile, Harry and Hermione were making their own silent ascent up the stairs adjacent to the entrance hall. Harry's breaths were heavy with exertion as he whispered, "Do you think Professor Watson noticed us?"
"Of course, Harry." Hermione's reply was weary, her body and spirit drained from the night's ordeals. She collapsed onto the stairs, her voice barely above a whisper, "Did you forget what happened last time at the Three Broomsticks Pub? We don't have time to worry about that now, we need to hurry back to the hospital wing. We only have two minutes left!"
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