"Nott family, Mulciber family, Goyle family, Crabbe family, Parkinson family..."
Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, held his hands out to either side and read the names of the families slowly, one by one, never tiring of it.
His secretary bustled around him, smoothing the wrinkles from his pinstripe suit, straightening his bright red tie, and cleaning the dust from his pointed boots and the lint from his dark green hat.
At last, she picked up the cloak, which had been ironed who knew how many times.
"Tell me."
Fudge took the cloak from her and asked his secretary with a smug air, "Why are all those people inviting me to their banquets?"
"It must be because you've done such a good job, sir."
The female secretary gave him a flirtatious wink and swayed her modest charms as she said, "Everyone's saying you've done far better than all the Ministers who came before you."
"That's an exaggeration."
Fudge put on his cloak, then took off his dark green hat and dusted away the nonexistent dirt.
"No matter how outstanding a Minister is, he wouldn't let you say such things. Pride could bring everything crashing down. I have to be more humble."
"You're humble enough already, Minister." As she spoke, the secretary straightened his cloak, which had no wrinkles.
Fudge went over to the mirror and gave himself a satisfied look.
"You'll get a raise sometime this month."
As he spoke, Fudge held out his right hand, and the secretary hurriedly passed him his cane. "Keep it up. We'll make the Wizarding World a better place."
The secretary immediately nodded and raised her right hand, making a fist and pumping it downward. "Keep it up. Let's make the Wizarding World a better place."
Fudge nodded in satisfaction, then prepared to leave his