The Ministry of Magic was as efficient as ever, but this time they even thoughtfully provided breakfast.
This is not a good sign.
Sure enough, Scrimgeour and Fudge's conversation with Sirius Black didn't end until noon, and it seemed they would be spending the whole day there.
In the meeting room opposite them, Umbridge was glaring at Snape with a ferocious expression.
Even if McGonagall and Lupin were unhappy, they wouldn't openly show it on their faces.
But this Potions Professor, who had no sense of propriety, had a dark expression on his face ever since he came in, and even refused to answer the questions posed by this Senior Deputy Minister.
"I'll ask you one more time, Professor Snape, do you really believe Sirius Black is innocent? Was he framed by Peter Pettigrew Black?"
Snape remained utterly gloomy. "I refuse to answer your question."
Umbridge was so angry that the thick foundation on her face looked like it was about to crack. "Fine, very well."
She was obviously unaware of Snape's feud with those two, and even if she had, it probably wouldn't have changed anything.
"Professor, you can leave now."
Judging from her murderous expression, things are probably not over yet.
If given the chance, she would probably make Snape, who had just left, sincerely repent.
"Knock knock—"
Umbridge calmed herself down slightly. "Come in."
This time it's Vincent.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Wayne."
The way she was holding her breath and panting really looked just like a toad.
Vincent was feeling extremely unwell both physically and mentally, sat opposite her, never daring to look directly at her, seemingly terrified of being disgusted.
Seeing his restless appearance, Umbridge immediately realized that he had a problem with his facial expression control.
She gave what she thought was a sweet smile. "Mr. Wayne, this is just a routine inquiry. We can relax a bit."
Vincent was about to throw up, but he forced a smile and said, "I will."
Even Hogwarts' top shrew is about to break down with someone who thinks so highly of himself.
Umbridge thought he was afraid of being held accountable by the Ministry of Magic, so her tone softened considerably.
"Mr. Wayne, please rest assured that we will not pursue the damages you caused during the capture of Peter Pettigrew."
She already spoke with a husky voice, and with this sickeningly sweet and disgusting tone, it had reached a whole new level.
Vincent pinched his thigh. "This... this is really great."
Merlin above, come quickly and save this weak, pitiful, and helpless little wizard!
"Then let's begin, Mr. Wayne."
"Okay... okay."
Half an hour later, Vincent walked out of the meeting room in a daze.
The three young wizards sitting and waiting in the corridor outside were dumbfounded.
Hermione approached him nervously. "How is it?"
"Right now, all I want is to cast a Memory Charm on myself."
Her long eyelashes fluttered wildly.
Anyone who reaches the pinnacle in any field can be called a master.
And that pink toad inside is undoubtedly the master of disgust.
Harry and Ron watched with pity as Hermione walked into the meeting room.
Another half hour passed, and she came out with the same blank expression as Vincent.
Harry swallowed hard. "Are you alright?"
"Right now, all I want is to cast a Memory Charm on myself."
Ron slumped into his chair. "I'm doomed, she's going to be my nightmare..."
Harry watched Hermione's dazed figure walk toward the hall, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door to the meeting room.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Potter." Umbridge's emotional damage had arrived.
As he endured his torment, a conversation in the opposite meeting room was interrupted by an Auror.
"He's awake?" Scrimgeour looked at Fudge.
The latter understood and paused the conversation, then walked out of the meeting room with him.
Sirius Black's face suddenly turned cold.
With irrefutable evidence, that shameful traitor cannot escape justice.
Do they want him, the victim, to say something good about the Ministry of Magic?
He can't do something that goes against his conscience.
The wait was rather long, Sirius Black simply closed his eyes and took a nap.
Perhaps he was having a nightmare, because he woke up quickly.
I glanced at the clock on the wall; it was 3 p. m. I wondered how much longer it would take to interrogate Peter Pettigrew.
Just as he was about to close his eyes and take another nap, Fudge and Scrimgeour returned.
Their attitude was even better than before, it seems they had confirmed the truth with Peter Pettigrew, who knew he couldn't escape.
Fudge still wore a fake smile. "Mr. Black, we have figured out what happened back then and will soon officially announce the truth to the outside world, completely clearing your name of all those years of injustice."
Sirius Black frowned slightly.
Just as he thought, Fudge wanted to use him to regain public trust in the Ministry of Magic, and if he wasn't mistaken, there should be generous compensation as well.
Twelve years of wrongful imprisonment, the most precious time wasted, who can easily let it go?
"I don't care about my own reputation at all; I just want that shameful traitor to receive the punishment he deserves."
Fudge showed an expression that said, "I knew it."
It seems we'll have to take some drastic measures to get Sirius Black to cooperate.
"Mr. Black, you are Harry's godfather, right?"
Scrimgeour's expression instantly turned sour.
To put it nicely, it's persuasion; to put it bluntly, it's a threat.
Seeing Sirius Black's eyes begin to waver, Fudge quickly pressed his advantage.
"Please think about this carefully. You may not care about your own reputation, but what about Harry? How will people view your relationship with him?"
The truth will be officially announced to the public soon, but how long exactly is "soon"?
The injustice of many years has been completely cleared, but just how completely?
This was a deal Sirius Black couldn't refuse; he had been meticulously planned from the moment he stepped into the meeting room.
Scrimgeour kept his head down, seemingly trying to pretend he couldn't see.
Fudge finally revealed his ugly side in order to retain his power, while he remained silent throughout.
The more conflicted Sirius Black becomes, the more guilty he may feel inside.
But no matter what, the decisive and efficient Head of the Auror Office of the past is no longer here.
For the sake of the Ministry of Magic's dignity and authority, Scrimgeour ultimately chose to compromise.
Sirius Black, for Harry's sake, also chose to compromise, asking, "What do you want me to do?"
Fudge was overjoyed. "Mr. Black, the Ministry of Magic needs your clear stance."
The victim, who has been wrongfully imprisoned for 12 years, has come forward to state his position. What else can the public, whose attention has been diverted, think?
People make mistakes, especially the vast and complex Ministry of Magic.
But under Minister Fudge's wise leadership, Sirius Black's wrongful conviction was overturned, Peter Pettigrew, the real culprit, received his due punishment.
By reversing its negative image, the public support it lost in the recent period will rebound.