Madam Bones, Minister for Magic?

Silence, utter silence.

The portraits on the Headmaster's Office wall remained silent.

Dumbledore stared at the Ravenclaw's Diadem, lost in thought for a long time, while Riddle, standing beside him, occasionally took a sip of pine nut wine, as if waiting for something.

"Alas—" A long sigh escaped Dumbledore's lips.

At that moment, the Ravenclaw's Diadem that had been floating in mid-air disappeared.

"Oh, it's back on Lady Grey's head?"

An ordinary wizard might mistakenly believe that the Ghostification Ravenclaw's Diadem had an expiration date and would disappear.

Riddle realized that it had returned to the top of its master's head.

"That's amazing. If I were wearing the Sorting Hat now—" Riddle suddenly stopped talking.

It's Remus Lupin!

He pushed the door open as if something urgent had happened.

"What's wrong, Lupin?" Dumbledore's eyes sharpened.

He knew that Lupin had always been a polite and steady wizard.

For him to act like this, something big must have happened.

Lupin glanced at Riddle, surprised to see him there.

"Just say it like this: you can trust Tom as much as you trust me." Dumbledore understood what Lupin meant as soon as he saw Lupin's eyes.

"Madam Bones has become a minister!"

"But we haven't received any information about why Fudge stepped down or what happened at the Ministry of Magic!" Lupin said excitedly after a moment's hesitation.

As a marginalized figure who has always been rejected by magical society, he recognizes the authority of the Ministry of Magic and the importance of the Minister for Magic more than Sirius and even other wizards.

Therefore, he didn't understand why Riddle just smiled and Dumbledore was only surprised for a moment.

"This day has finally come. Ever since that Rita Skeeter report came out, I knew something was going to happen—especially since Fudge saw you as my weakness."

"It's you, Tom."

"Perhaps you'll think I'm being hypocritical— Fudge and Umbridge are still alive, aren't they?" Dumbledore, looking at Riddle.

"Truly worthy of the great Dumbledore, you even know the name of that nobody," Riddle sneered.

"She is, after all, the Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic and a member of the Wizengamot." Hearing Dumbledore say this, Riddle laughed even more exaggeratedly, as if he had heard a joke about Dumbledore being a Pure-blood.

Lupin, standing by the dining table, frowned, revealing his dissatisfaction.

"Isn't the Minister for Magic something we don't want?"

"Furthermore, I've always thought that judging someone's eligibility for the Wizengamot Judgment based on whether they can summon Patronus with a physical body is a joke," Riddle sarcastically remarked.

But when he saw Dumbledore's brow furrow slightly, he suppressed the urge to continue criticizing. "Well, I only did a little work."

"They're all still alive." Hearing this, Dumbledore's brow relaxed again.

"Fudge and that little guy, well, actually they are both."

"The two of them were extremely sloppy in their work. They accepted bribes, abused public resources, and embezzled funds from other departments to line their own pockets. In short, there were far too many of these underhanded acts that they could have concealed within their power."

"Dumbledore, I really can't understand why you would let such a thing take the stage?"

"In getting this formidable woman, Bones, to become minister, I simply handed her a letter and some evidence."

"I haven't done anything else."

"Moreover, they probably have more disgusting things that I haven't discovered yet."

"Because the contents of my letter alone shouldn't have led the Ministry of Magic to suppress the news." Riddle looked incredulous.

He never imagined that these two insignificant people in his eyes could cause such a big incident.

"I just feel that I should stay away from power—" Even Dumbledore was momentarily speechless, "He, I mean Fudge, he's always been a good boy, power, cough—"

"In short, I don't regret not joining the Ministry of Magic."

"How terrible it would be if I were the one who turned out to be corrupted," Dumbledore lamented.

"Do you really think that such a ridiculous position Minister for Magic can change you?"

"The person I fear most?"

"If that's the case, to defeat you, I only need to do one thing: kill all the wizards who are qualified for this position."

"You'll have no choice but to take on this mess."

"If you're really that fragile."

"The very sources that sustain your strength, such as love and justice, will crumble—and all I need to do is come out and kill you."

"Kill you, now that you've become weak!" Riddle said angrily.

He was furious that Dumbledore.

The wizard he feared most, and even considered his only enemy, should not, and could not, be such a ridiculous existence!

"Then I should congratulate you on finding a good solution."

"I think if you really do that, I might really fail," Dumbledore said in a light tone.

Riddle and Lupin, standing nearby, were speechless.

Lupin, in particular, had intended to condemn Riddle.

Although he was the Dark Lord, Dumbledore was right beside him.

As a member of the Order of the Phoenix, he already disliked Voldemort.

"This is good news."

"Why do you all look so long-faced?"

"If there's anyone who won't change, I think it's Madam Bones."

"Crouch is too cold-blooded, Scrimgeour is too concerned about the Ministry of Magic's reputation."

"Oh dear, I've been so confused. Barty Crouch is already in Azkaban with his son." Dumbledore tapped his head with his wand, and streams of silvery thoughts flowed into the Pensieve, which was churning nearby.

Dumbledore then looked at the curious Lupin. "It's called the Pensieve. Sometimes I feel like my head is stuffed with too many thoughts and memories. I'm sure you understand that feeling."

"Then I use the Pensieve," Dumbledore said, pointing to the stone basin, "To draw out the excess thoughts from my mind and pour them into this basin, and look at them carefully when I have time. You know, it's easier to see their form and the connections between them in this state."

"Is this an idea?" Lupin exclaimed in surprise.

Although he is Werewolf, in terms of magical skill, he, who has always been working at the bottom of the Ministry of Magic, is far more powerful than the average Auror.

He even dared to mess with Mad-Eye Moody.

That's why he understood how advanced the level of magic and Alchemy was to be able to shape and store intangible thoughts.

"Is that why I find it strange?"

"You are the one least likely to change."

"How could a wizard who frequently examines his own thoughts and reflects on them be swayed by power?" Riddle couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Thanks to H. FL[Swordsman] and 20190331160529695 for their monthly tickets, and to all the other students for their recommendations and subscriptions.