The Minister Who Doesn't Rotate

When Kyle spoke, Fudge seemed somewhat distracted and simply replied casually, "Yes, I can tell."

Then he looked around.

Kyle deliberately chose a corner spot, away from the window, with a large decorative plant next to it. From the outside, you couldn't see anything here at all, and even if you went inside, the plant would block most of the view. This made Fudge nod in satisfaction.

The two chatted about trivial things until Madam Rosmerta brought over their food, at which point Fudge's smile gradually faded.

After Madam Rosmerta returned to her position at the bar, he suddenly said, "I heard from Dolores that you were looking for me?"

Now, let's get to the main topic.

Kyle put down the Pumpkin Juice he was holding.

"Yes, Minister, I think you should be informed of this."

"Oh? What is it?" Fudge feigned curiosity, as if their meeting had truly been a chance encounter.

"It's about Professor Dumbledore; it's about a meeting he once hosted in his personal capacity."

Fudge sat up straight instinctively, but his face remained calm and composed.

"I've heard about it," he said. "Albus renowned in the Wizarding World and is the headmaster of Hogwarts, so it's perfectly normal for him to invite a few old friends to get together."

"That's true." Kyle nodded. "But the topics they discussed weren't the kind of things you'd usually talk about at a friends' gathering."

"Oh? What's that?" Fudge asked casually. "It's alright, just say it. You always have to talk about something when you're drinking at Three Broomsticks, don't you?"

"And I promise I'll keep it a secret and won't tell Albus."

Kyle had no doubt about Fudge's assurances.

"They were talking about the You-Know-Who's resurrection."

In an instant, Fudge's warm and friendly expression vanished, replaced by a flushed red face from anger, making him look like an enraged hippopotamus.

Umbridge, standing nearby, also stood up angrily, as if she were about to deliver a Cruciatus Curse to Kyle at any moment.

"Nonsense, ridiculous madness!" he growled. "The Ministry of Magic has said it countless times: that person cannot be resurrected, nor will he be. I've had enough of this nonsense. I thought I was going to hear something different."

"Dolores, is this the surprise you were talking about?" He glanced coldly at Umbridge, then looked at Kyle again.

"I don't think I should have come to Three Broomsticks for drinks today. I have to go back to the Ministry of Magic. And one last thing, that person isn't coming back."

"But some people believe he can come back."

Ignoring Umbridge's murderous glare, Kyle calmly said, "This news will bring them plenty of benefits."

Fudge paused in his motion to stand up, looking at Kyle with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Because everyone knows that only Dumbledore can deal with the You-Know-Who. This allows him to establish enough prestige in the shortest amount of time."

Fudge's eyes flickered, but he calmly sat back down.

"It seems we did the right thing," Fudge said. "Exposing his lies in the Daily Prophet has prevented more people from being deceived by him."

"That's because the minister exposed his lie long ago." Umbridge's voice became even more affected, with undisguised flattery, which made Kyle feel uncomfortable, but Fudge seemed to enjoy it.

"So Kyle, good boy, are you willing to come forward and testify?" Fudge resumed his previous amiable demeanor, as if he hadn't been the one who had just been angry.

"I would be happy to, Minister."

Fudge seemed even happier after hearing Kyle's answer.

He had always been bothered by Dumbledore having Harry Potter as a supporter. Although he was reluctant to admit it, the title of the Chosen One was quite influential at times.

This is also why he has always been so friendly to Harry...

But things are different now; Kyle is on the side of the Ministry of Magic.

As the youngest member of the Order of Merlin and the champion of the Triwizard Tournament, Kyle's fame was already comparable to that of the renowned the Chosen One Harry Potter.

If you add the Ministry of Ministry of Magic's influence, it would be easy for Kyle to surpass Harry Potter in fame.

He remembered someone who would have been perfect for the job... Rita Skeeter.

Fudge picked up the red currant rum on the table and drank half of it in one gulp. He could already imagine Dumbledore's image collapsing and being blamed by everyone.

This is a fantastic opportunity for him.

"The Ministry of Magic will remember your contribution."

Despite his excitement, Fudge didn't forget to offer Kyle some promises. "And I've always had high hopes for you, Chris can attest to that."

I've mentioned to him many times that you should come work for the Ministry of Magic, and I believe you can break his record and become the youngest Director in history."

Kyle quickly noticed Fudge's last word, "Director."

But isn't Chris the deputy director now? Kyle doesn't think Fudge would be mistaken... Perhaps he's not just making empty promises.

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Minister," Kyle said, somewhat excitedly.

Fudge smiled. "I trust my judgment; I'm sure I won't be wrong."

"But I'm curious about the full content of that meeting... I mean, did they have any other plans?"

"Of course," Kyle said after a moment's thought. "The most discussed topic is how to gain more supporters."

Fudge's expression changed slightly.

He subconsciously recalled that a few days ago, someone had said that Dumbledore had specifically sought out Amelia Bones, and Barty Crouch had now been placed in the Department of Magical Transportation.

He had suspected back then that Dumbledore was after his ministerial position, and now it seems that he was almost certain.

To become the new Minister for Magic, one must have the support of most of the department heads; their votes are crucial.

Fudge was starting to panic, because he wasn't sure how many people Dumbledore had met, or whether those people had already defected.

However, on the surface, Fudge still managed to maintain his composure and said, "Every director has a smart mind that can recognize the situation. They won't believe the lie of the You-Know-Who's resurrection. This plan is doomed to fail."

"That's great," Kyle said with a smile. "If that's the case, then their follow-up plans are ruined."

"Follow-up plans?" Fudge asked, puzzled. "What are they?"

"It's nothing, just Dumbledore's wishful thinking," Kyle shrugged. "He said he would spread the word about the resurrection of the You-Know-Who as soon as he became minister."

"Why?" Fudge, somewhat confused.

Wasn't Dumbledore trying to exploit people's fear of the You-Know-Who to gain power? Why would he do this after getting what he wanted?

What's the benefit of that? Isn't he afraid of being overwhelmed by the Howler?

"Only in this way can he legitimately declare a state of war in the Wizarding World," Kyle said casually.

"In wartime, there are no elections for ministers, and as long as they don't make any serious mistakes... they can stay in that position indefinitely."

"But that's impossible, isn't it...?"

Clang!

Before Kyle could finish speaking, Fudge's hand trembled violently, and the half-glass of red currant rum he had just picked up fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Madam Rosmerta, who was at the bar, turned her head curiously after hearing the noise.

"Do you need any help, Minister Fudge?"

"It's okay, I can handle it." Fudge tried his best to make his voice sound less agitated.

He took out his wand, the constantly swaying tip revealing that his mood was not as calm as it appeared.

Fudge casually waved his hand, and the glass immediately returned to its original position, while the rum on the floor disappeared.

"Kyle, I'm glad you're saying this." He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before saying, "You've made a great contribution to the stability of the Wizarding World."

"It's what I should do," Kyle said modestly.

"Very good, very good." Fudge seemed a little absent-minded.

Just then, a group of students walked in from outside.

"Oh, is it already so late?" Fudge immediately stood up and said, "I was hoping to chat with you a little longer. Talking with young people always makes me feel younger... but I can't, I have something very important to take care of right away."

"I'll see you off, Minister," Umbridge said quickly.

Fudge nodded, and without saying anything more to Kyle, quickly walked towards the door.