Clown and Dark Lord

"Oh... no, of course not..."

Dumbledore wore a faintly sarcastic smile. "What Grindelwald said at the time was that he was going to visit Fudge, not the British Minister for Magic..."

Wade vaguely understood something. His eyes widened as he asked, "And then?"

"And then?" Dumbledore's expression turned somewhat subtle. "This afternoon, he did indeed visit Fudge himself..."

Wade said speechlessly, "Is that man still alive?"

Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Of course. Our former Minister for Magic has not lost a single hair, only..."

He paused, then said teasingly, "His courage will probably need some time to grow back."

Wade snorted. "So the threat to the next Minister's survival has automatically been removed, and the position of Minister for Magic has become a coveted prize again?"

"Precisely."

Dumbledore shrugged. He looked pleased, his tone light, though there was a faint hint of self-mockery beneath it.

Once the sword hanging over their heads had been removed, everyone began competing for the position of Minister. Dumbledore, who had previously been the "obvious choice," immediately became an eyesore, and everyone wanted him gone as quickly as possible.

Thus, Dumbledore was finally able to extricate himself and return to Hogwarts. This time, apart from a select few, the Ministry of Magic's upper ranks no longer unanimously and firmly urged him to stay.

The British Ministry of Magic had not been reborn simply because Fudge had left. In truth, it was still steeped in decay and shrouded by bureaucratic gloom. Those officials who had once flattered Fudge were still hyenas and jackals chasing fame and profit.

It was rather nauseating.

Wade wanted to mock those people viciously, to tear off their sanctimonious masks. But seeing Dumbledore's expression, as though he had cast off some heavy burden, he swallowed his words.

Instead, he asked, "Grindelwald visited Fudge...