Ever since Voldemort's Death Eaters had completely taken control of England's Ministry of Magic, there had been no shortage of things people could criticize. The Ministry's employees had complained about them plenty in private as well. If not for the need to put food on the table for themselves and their families, many wizards would not even have wanted to keep working at the Ministry.
No one liked living in constant fear all day.
When Dolores Umbridge arrived at the Ministry's entrance hall in the dead of night, the few wizards assigned to remain on duty were badly startled. They quickly shut their mouths, not daring to continue criticizing the Ministry in front of Umbridge for fear that she would hear them and make trouble for them.
"Deputy Minister, you're still here this late? Haven't you gone home yet?"
The wizards sprang from their seats and hurried forward to greet Umbridge.
"I'll be leaving shortly."
Umbridge frowned tensely, clearly dissatisfied with the lax attitude of the staff on duty.
The change in her expression made the middle-aged male wizards before her—whose combined ages added up to several centuries—extremely nervous, like kindergarten children facing a strict teacher.
"Everything's been quiet. Surely no one would be bold enough to invade the Ministry of Magic!" another wizard hurriedly said.
"That Mudblood has done exactly that more than once. We believe he'll come to the Ministry to rescue people." Umbridge's eyes swept back and forth over them. "So don't let down your guard!"
"Yes!"
The middle-aged wizards immediately straightened like soldiers. They seemed terrified of Umbridge, but inwardly they grumbled: If anyone was suspicious, it was Umbridge, showing up here at this hour.
Naturally, they would not say anything so stupid. They only hoped Umbridge would hurry up and get lost.
As they watched