Grawp

"Why don't we lie down too?" Harry scratched his head as he looked at the people lying on the floor.

Professor McGonagall patted his arm. "Of course not. We only need to alter their memories."

Then Professor McGonagall raised her wand at Fudge. Silver light shimmered from its tip, and she did the same to the others.

Once Professor McGonagall had finished, Eli waved his wand. The people on the ground blinked groggily and looked around in confusion.

"What is this..." Fudge struggled to get up, but no matter how he kicked his legs, he could not manage it.

McGonagall, Eli, and Harry silently watched from the side without offering any help.

"Pull me up, quickly!" Fudge shouted.

McGonagall turned away as if she had not heard him. Eli rolled his eyes at him. "Idiot."

"You!" Fudge pointed at them, his face flushing red, but he could not speak for a long while.

In the end, Percy Weasley and Umbridge helped him up, though it took a great deal of effort.

"Where is Dumbledore? Where did he go?!" Fudge shouted.

McGonagall shrugged. "Perhaps he Apparated away."

"No one can Apparate inside the school!" Fudge said, enunciating every word.

"The headmaster might be an exception." Eli folded his arms, too lazy to even look at him properly.

Fudge took several breaths but said nothing.

As he surveyed the devastated surroundings, Fudge still managed to force a smug expression onto his face. "Dumbledore has fled in fear of punishment. To safeguard the Wizarding World and protect the students' lives, the Ministry of Magic must take control of Hogwarts."

After saying that, Fudge shot them a venomous look and prepared to leave with his entourage.

The moment he finished speaking, the portraits of former headmasters on the walls erupted in contemptuous booing.

Phineas