Let the Bullets Fly
There's a reason why William, who was neither appointed nor had ever spoken amiably with Wallace, was so rude.
There must have been quite a few reporters who knew the two had returned; but very few were actually able to get into the Ministry of Magic and crowd the hall.
It's even fair to say it's completely impossible!
Minister Fudge will not allow this to happen.
William's questionable actions abroad, especially after rescuing Vienna, while drawing much ridicule from international media, also illustrate a point:
His fame has reached an unprecedented level; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it surpasses Dumbledore's.
William and Hermione are blatant internet celebrities... The headlines of magic newspapers around the world are repeatedly filled with them.
To say that "one who has never known Stark is a mere demon king" is not an exaggeration at all.
How was William able to persuade the International Confederation of Wizards to Dumbledore, the "useless chairman," as interim chairman?
Aside from the fact that such a wizard was indeed needed to oversee things, William's opinion was something even the International Confederation of Wizards had to seriously consider.
Everyone was counting on him to fight the North Sea Kraken!
This is the ballast that will stabilize the Wizarding World for the next hundred years!
Because of this fame, William said that Voldemort had been resurrected... and most wizards abroad would believe it!
He said the North Sea Kraken was released by Voldemort... and everyone believed him!
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That's influence!
For Fudge, this influence translates into pressure from international public opinion.
It was an invisible, yet very real, pressure.
The most intuitive manifestation:
Multiple foreign Ministry of Magic imposed a no-fly zone on the United Kingdom, calling it an international outcast and marking Europe's darkest hour.
Even the International Confederation of Wizards is waiting for investigators to find out if Voldemort has been resurrected so that the British Isles can be designated as a "Level One Danger Zone".
It means... travel is risky, so be careful when going to the UK.
Fudge is resisting this international pressure while simultaneously imposing censorship on his domestic population.
The pressure is really immense!
At a time like this, how could he allow reporters to come to the ministry and interview William without permission?
Unless these reporters are all planted by Fudge.
No matter what William answers, they'll make a big deal out of it and criticize him.
Fudge, na? ve!
If that's the case, why should William be polite to these people?
So, to everyone's astonishment, William grabbed Hermione and strode away... utterly arrogant.
Halfway there, the expected obstacle appeared— Fudge.
He had clearly been waiting for the two of them, maintaining a fake smile as he strode over, beaming with enthusiasm:
"William, Hermione, you two are back from Switzerland?"
"Hello, Minister." William smiled and said.
"It's been a long time since we last met in the Triwizard Tournament."
Fudge was somewhat embarrassed; the conversation on the night of the finals hadn't been pleasant—he had refused to believe Voldemort's return.
But a minister is a minister; a little awkwardness is nothing to him. He took the initiative to invite him:
"Come on, let's go to my office and have a chat. You two can come to my house for lunch."
Let's have a good talk about recent events, especially the International Confederation of Wizards.
You saved Vienna... Ah, I'm so happy!
William couldn't see why Fudge was happy, but he knew perfectly well that the minister was making a final push to win him over.
William shook his head directly and said:
"No, my sister is waiting for us at the door. We haven't seen her for a month."
"William..." Fudge hesitated, "There's no need to be so wary of me."
I think... you might have some misunderstandings about me due to Dumbledore's influence.
I can explain it clearly!
Fudge adopted a humble stance, a stark contrast to his assertive approach in June.
"No, Minister, I have no misunderstanding about you whatsoever..." William smiled and said frankly:
"I know you as well as I know that ' Voldemort has been resurrected.'"
Fudge shuddered at the mention of Voldemort's name.
He shrank back and sighed.
"William, why resort to such methods and reasons?"
As you and I both know, the You-Know-Who did not come back to life.
"Are you trying to seize power and turn me into a puppet minister?"
Fudge also got straight to the point, no longer trying to hide anything.
He never believed the You-Know-Who could be resurrected.
The You-Know-Who has been missing for fourteen years. If he could be resurrected, he would have been resurrected long ago. Why wait until today?!
You're kidding me!
William's current actions are nothing more than a political maneuver... He wants to use the You-Know-Who to turn him, the minister, into a puppet.
Fudge continued:
There's really no need for this; it's making everyone anxious.
You still have two years until graduation. Even if you want to become a minister, you still have to go through the procedures, right?
Fudge, with a gentle demeanor like the old gatekeeper next door, said softly:
"After you graduate, you can work for me. In your first year, you'll be the assistant to the minister, and within three years, you'll be promoted to senior secretary. After the fifth year, I'll hand over the ministerial position to you!"
you,
He's also the youngest Minister for Magic in history!
Moreover, with my help, he walked very steadily with each step.
I am your political resource!
how?"
Fudge patted William on the shoulder and made the promise he had thought about for a long time before making the decision.
He had gotten carried away after taking down Dumbledore, and things were going smoothly for him, so he got a little cocky.
Unexpectedly, William reinstated Dumbledore to the position of Chairman... which was a blow to Fudge's hopes.
He's now thinking about making concessions and reaching a compromise... to avoid a lose-lose situation.
William looked Fudge straight in the eye and sneered, "Minister, you still don't understand the situation."
It's not just stupid, it's downright stupid.
Seeing William's mocking expression, Fudge was instantly furious... He was really furious!
You know, he previously wanted to break the record for the longest term... but now he's willing to serve another seven years before retiring.
Isn't this concession big enough?
I, a minister, am trying to negotiate with you in a polite manner, and you're still pressuring me?
Fudge loosened his collar and threatened:
"William, I'm still a minister! I haven't retired yet!"
Don't keep pushing me like this and make me feel awkward.
If you push me too far, it won't do anyone any good!
"Do you feel embarrassed, Minister?" William asked calmly.
"But many wizards have already been killed in the fight against Voldemort."
They didn't even have a chance to be embarrassed!
William's eyes were sharp, and his voice was cold:
And what about you?
Because of your obstruction, many Death Eaters escaped successfully on the night Voldemort was resurrected;
Because of your stupidity, the Ministry of Magic is currently unable to organize an effective force to fight Voldemort;
Because of your delay, even more people may lose their lives in the future!
"You're still coming to me to compromise and negotiate?"
William shouted:
"A fool like you, so ignorant, arrogant, and power-hungry, actually wants to be a minister for another seven years?!"
Fudge blushed and took two steps back.
"Pah!" William moved closer to him.
Do you think I've done all this to become a minister, or to get back at you?
No, neither the ministerial position nor you are important to me!
"You're not important to me!"
William turned and left, Hermione took his hand and they went together.
Fudge stood there, his face ashen, his fists clenched so tightly that the veins stood out.
He kept repeating, "You forced me to do this! You forced me to do this!"
As they were about to leave the Ministry of Magic, William whispered, "Tell Rita it's time to fight back."
Throughout July, William and Hermione were abroad, preventing Rita from publishing any articles.
The fear is that a combination of punches might overwhelm Fudge.
After all, at that time, Fudge had not yet controlled public opinion, nor had he announced that Voldemort had not been resurrected.
Even if evidence is presented, it cannot prove that Fudge has done anything wrong.
Now that Fudge has been promoting the idea for a month that Voldemort hasn't come back to life, William can finally throw out the evidence and give him a good slap in the face.
The tighter the pressure, the stronger the backlash from public opinion.
"The bullet took too long to fly..." William walked out the door and saw Anne's smiling face.
William shielded his eyes from the sunlight and murmured:
"Minister Fudge is a respectable man. Since he wants to maintain his dignity, I'll help him do so."
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