The crowd in the Chamber of Deliberation gradually dispersed. Crouch wiped the sweat from his forehead. Giving a speech was hard work.
After taking only a quick sip of water, he called out to Dumbledore, who was about to leave:
"Mr. Dumbledore, could we have a chat in my office?"
Dumbledore stopped, his gaze resting on Barty Crouch's somewhat weary face and the sincerity in his eyes.
"Of course," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Good..." Crouch let out a quiet breath and extended a hand, inviting him to lead the way.
Dumbledore surveyed the Minister for Magic's office, which he had visited many times over the past year or two.
Compared with Fudge's time, Crouch's office had changed, yet also remained the same.
What remained unchanged were the expensive furnishings, which Crouch had not had removed. He came from a wealthy pure-blood family.
To Crouch, these things were hardly luxuries. Perhaps he simply considered them ordinary office supplies.
What had changed was the amount of clutter on the desk: towering stacks of documents, ink bottles and pens scattered about.
Half-written sheets of parchment, a stamp lying askew to one side...
This was a busy minister.
Crouch tidied up a little:
"Sorry, I've been too busy lately. There's been so much to deal with since I took office. Fudge, he... ah..."
Crouch wanted to complain about the mess his predecessor had left behind, but ultimately held back, letting that sigh express it all.
"This was all to be expected. Your work has been highly effective, Barty, and public approval of you is very high now.
"I'm also delighted that the Ministry of Magic is finally back on the right track."
Dumbledore smiled faintly. As Wizengamot Chief, he certainly had the standing to assess the Minister for Magic. He had refrained