The Corruption of Power

Logically, the Ministry of Magic should have sent people to investigate the Chamber of Secrets incident during the Christmas holidays.

Letting the young wizards see their investigation results directly after school starts will minimize the impact of the situation, instead of them being watched and gossiped about like they are now.

In short, the Ministry of Magic delayed its large-scale investigation until the start of the school year.

Loren guessed that perhaps the Ministry of Magic's approval process for fieldwork was too complicated.

After Defense Against the Dark Arts ended, Loren and Hermione followed the flow of people into Myrtle's Bathroom, watching as one student after another jumped into the not-so-clean sewer pipes.

The water pipe was only wide enough for one person to pass at a time, so the small washroom was crowded with little wizards waiting to jump down.

"I only remember seeing a pair of terrifyingly large yellow eyes. Oh my, how horrible!" Moaning Myrtle's excited voice came from the innermost cubicle.

Loren and Hermione followed the sound and walked into the innermost part of the washroom, where they pushed open the door to a cubicle.

A young Aurors stood in the center of the cubicle, while Moaning Myrtle sat on the toilet tank, seemingly asking some questions.

The young Aurors nodded to the two, neither chasing them away nor saying anything more. The aura he exuded reminded Loren of a certain kind of salted fish.

"Hey, you're here!" Moaning Myrtle greeted them immediately, circling around them several times before stopping. She then cupped her hands to her chest and cheered in her sweet, girlish voice, "I'm so happy! This washroom hasn't been this lively since I died!"

Loren reminded her, "This place was never lively when you were alive."

"Ignore him, Moaning Myrtle," Hermione nudged Loren and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"This Aurors is asking about the circumstances of my death!" Moaning Myrtle looked honored and continued with great interest, "As you know, it happened right here, I died in this very cell..."

It seemed the Ministry of Magic would be asking relevant personnel for details. Loren thought about it; on the surface, he and Hermione hadn't been directly involved in the Basilisk Incident, nor had they confronted Voldemort directly, so they probably wouldn't be questioned.

After saying goodbye to Moaning Myrtle, they went down into the Chamber of Secrets to check on the investigation below.

At the end of the stone tunnel, the Ministry of Magic staff formed a circle, while the young wizards squeezed outside them, forming another circle, bustling about.

In the middle of the crowd was a huge snakeskin, more than twenty feet long and as thick as an oak tree trunk. The light shone on the snakeskin, reflecting a bright green light.

Although it was just an empty shell, its enormous shape lying there gave people the creeps.

Most of the young wizards stared wide-eyed, trying to see every part of the snakeskin clearly. Some timid students hid behind the crowd, glancing quickly before shrinking back, looking both eager and afraid to look.

"This is just the skin the Basilisk shed. You know what that means? The real Basilisk was much bigger than this skin. I think it was at least forty feet long." Ron gestured wildly to show how thick the Basilisk was.

The young wizards, imagining Basilisk even larger than this, were filled with excitement. Seamus asked incredulously, "Then how did you defeat it?"

"Good question..." Ron gave him an approving look and began to recount in detail how they dealt with Voldemort and defeated the Basilisk, his expression animated and vivid.

Seamus couldn't help but question, "It all sounds like Harry did all this, what does it have to do with you?"

Ron glared at him like an enraged lion, his neck stiff. "What are you saying? If I hadn't been there to support you, how would Harry have found the opportunity to kill the Basilisk?"

Loren and Hermione listened from the side, unable to suppress their laughter.

Realizing that the people examining the snakeskin were just ordinary employees, the two continued deeper into the area.

Once inside, Loren realized why most of the young wizards were huddled around the snakeskin covering the outside. Near the Slytherin statue, only some black bloodstains remained; nothing else was there.

Numerous Ministry of Magic staff were scattered throughout the Chamber of Secrets, searching for the slightest clues. They moved about quietly and spoke in hushed tones, except for those at the foot of the Slytherin Statue.

"Albus, you really saw him... I mean, you really saw the Dark Lord?"

The person speaking to Dumbledore was a short, stout middle-aged man with messy gray hair.

Hermione lowered her voice and whispered in Loren's ear, "It's the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge."

Fudge was dressed just like he had been at Hagrid's Hut, wearing a pinstripe suit, a bright red tie, and striking purple pointed boots.

Standing next to him, holding his dark green hat, was a woman who was also somewhat short and plump. She wore a pink beanie, a pink fluffy Chanel-style top, a pink A-line midi skirt, and pink high heels.

Her entire body was in pink tones, and her slightly aged face wore a sweet smile like a young girl, which gave people goosebumps.

With his distinctive personal characteristics, Loren recognized him at a glance: Umbridge, a classic villain who was not Death Eater but was even more like Death Eater.

"She looks just like a Pink Toad," Loren nudged Hermione beside him and whispered, "Would girls think this outfit is girly?"

"No way, it looks awful," Hermione said, her tone equally disdainful.

The two were not speaking loudly, but Percy, who was watching the spectacle alongside them, heard them. He turned around and solemnly instructed, "Don't say that. That is Dolores Madam Umbridge, who is about to be promoted to Senior Deputy Minister of Magic."

"To be able to hold such a high position at such a young age, she must be a very capable woman." As he spoke, his eyes held a strange sense of longing.

"What?!" Hermione suddenly became angry. "She's Umbridge, the one who proposed the Anti-Werewolf Law?"

"Ha, this is exactly how I imagined her!" Hermione's attention was completely drawn to Umbridge, her eyes fixed on her.

At the foot of the giant stone sculpture of Slytherin, Dumbledore and his companions continued their conversation.

"I hope you understand, Cornelius, Voldemort is gone, and we need not fear him. You may call him by his full name: Voldemort," Dumbledore said calmly.

"Fu—" Fudge took out a handkerchief and wiped away non-existent beads of sweat from his forehead, saying awkwardly, "Just like you said, that person has already fallen from power, so how could he come back?"

His speech became smoother and faster. "Albus I don't believe you. But as Minister for Magic, I'm responsible for the wizards. If I spread false information, it will cause them panic."

Fudge said with concern, "You know, a lot of people are watching us. Think about it, what we say will make those poor wives worry about their husbands going out every morning and evening, and will make all the shop owners in Diagon Alley live in fear that someone will smash up their shops at any moment..."

Fudge launched into a long speech, all about his responsibility to the people, in an attempt to subdue Dumbledore.

Dumbledore blue eyes were filled with pressure as he stared directly at Fudge, forcing Fudge to look away and wipe his sweat with his handkerchief even more frequently.

After a long pause, Dumbledore spoke, "Cornelius, you already have the answer in your heart, don't you? But I have to say, think about what happened fifty years ago, who else but Voldemort could open the Chamber of Secrets?"

He was determined to take my place... This was the only thought in Fudge's mind, and a thin layer of sweat genuinely appeared on his forehead.

Dumbledore's prestige far surpasses his own, both within the Ministry of Magic and among the general public. He also has the support of Wizengamot. If Dumbledore is determined to spread the news of Voldemort's return, he might very well be nominated for Minister for Magic the following week.

As Fudge's eyes darted around, he met Umbridge's gaze. With Umbridge's subtle hints, Fudge slowly calmed down.

"Could it be that he wrote down the method to open the Chamber of Secrets, left it in a classroom, tucked in an old book, and it was only discovered by the students this semester?"

Fudge went on and on, listing his arguments. "After all, he hasn't shown up for over a decade. If he still has that ability, why wait so long?"

After listening for a while, Loren felt that he understood Minister Fudge's mindset somewhat.

If Fudge were just an ordinary wizard or an ordinary official, he might have faced Voldemort's threat squarely and taken proactive measures. However, he was Minister for Magic, and his fear of Dumbledore's usurpation of power, coupled with his own obsession with power, led him to believe that everything was a means for Dumbledore to seize control.

He is short-sighted, judges others by his own standards, and is nothing more than a petty person who happens to gain power.

Dumbledore looked at the Minister for Magic before him with disappointment... somewhat weak, fond of money, power and status, lacking confidence, and a bit of an exaggerator, but not inherently bad—this was Dumbledore's previous impression of Cornelius Fudge.

Because of this impression, he did not object to Fudge serving as Minister for Magic, and even thought it was quite suitable. But he overlooked the alienation that power can bring to a person.

"Perhaps." Dumbledore sighed. "Excuse me, I must leave now. I have a whole stack of letters to reply to from students' parents."

"Of course, I understand this kind of busyness that comes with one's own choice!" Fudge was overjoyed. He hurriedly said goodbye to Dumbledore and watched him walk away.

Their conversation was not kept secret from the young wizards; besides Loren and his group, some other young wizards in the Chamber of Secrets also witnessed it.

As Dumbledore walked out, a seventh-year Gryffindor wizard couldn't help but step forward and call out to him.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," he hesitated, "Mystery—I mean Voldemort, was he really involved in these things, I mean the Chamber of Secrets, the Basilisk?"

Dumbledore smiled gently. He was pleased that the young wizard had called Voldemort by his name. He said kindly, "Mr. Xavier, you will have to decide for yourself."

He glanced at the young wizards around him who shared the same doubts, a warm smile on his face. "The scene of what happened is right in front of you, and your classmates are the ones who experienced it firsthand. You have the ability and the right to make your own judgment. I just want to say, make the choice you believe is right."

After saying this, Dumbledore nodded and walked away.

Percy stood there, stunned, his eyes glazed over, too shocked to recover for a while.

At this time, although Percy's desire for power had already sprouted in his heart, he had not yet graduated and had not yet been influenced by messy ideas and things.

On one side was his beloved Headmaster Dumbledore, and on the other was his revered Minister for Magic. One of the witnesses was his own younger brother. Ron was a bit mischievous, but he would never lie about such a thing. His reason told him the truth of the matter.

The clearer he became about the truth, the greater the shock he experienced.

The students were discussing it animatedly:

"Which one should we believe?"

"We should trust Headmaster Dumbledore; he has no reason to harm us."

"The Ministry of Magic has no reason to lie to us."

Fudge watched this scene from afar, his face darkening. But when the young wizards looked at him, he put on a friendly, approachable smile.

Loren stood right next to Hermione, and he could even feel Hermione trembling with anger. Surprisingly, although Hermione was furious, she didn't say anything, but instead stared intently at Fudge and Umbridge, trying to get more information from them.

Loren silently stood in front of Hermione and pushed her a few steps into the shadow of a pillar next to them, so that she could get a better look at the other side without being noticed.

Looking at Percy beside him, Loren silently mourned for him. Poor Percy, he hadn't even graduated yet when he was given a mental shock by the corrupt officialdom. He wondered if he could pull through.

A neatly dressed Aurors strode up to Umbridge and whispered something to her, making Umbridge's smile even brighter.

She coughed lightly a few times, cleared her throat, and deliberately said loudly, "Minister Fudge, apart from the marks of the Basilisk's collision and biting, the signs at the scene indicate that only a low-level duel took place, and the spells were all fairly common. It is certain that there is no sign of Killing Curse."

Fudge breathed a sigh of relief and replied in a serious tone, his voice barely audible. "I think this should prove that it wasn't the Dark Lord. After all, his specialty is the Killing Curse."

Their acting was extremely clumsy; their back-and-forth banter was so obvious that anyone could tell they were putting on a show for the young wizards. However, they did achieve some of their goals: some of the young wizards' opinions had shifted, and their hearts were beginning to lean towards the Ministry of Magic.

Fudge led Umbridge toward the young wizards, looked at them, and said in a kind tone, "Seeing you all reminds me of my time at Hogwarts. Cherish these days, and believe me, these will be the most carefree and memorable days of your lives for a long time to come—maybe a decade or two, maybe even decades."

The young wizards, charmed by his demeanor, lowered their guard. One of the Slytherin wizards asked, "Minister Fudge, what is the truth about the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk? Has that man really returned?"

Fudge chuckled twice, "We can't tell you the specifics yet. We'll publish them in the Daily Prophet after the investigation is over."

The minister was meticulous, but his assistant would fill in the gaps. Umbridge chuckled twice and said, "Based on the current evidence, the answer is no."

"But Harry saw it with his own eyes."

"That's normal," Fudge, speaking of his experience in a friendly manner, like a friend to a young wizard. "When I was your age, I would also exaggerate to get attention..."

Loren and Hermione could no longer hear what was said after that, as they were already fading into the distance.

Inside the Chamber of Secrets, the Minister for Magic was still talking eloquently, seemingly unintentionally but maliciously slandering Harry and Dumbledore.