Chapter 178: Conversation
"You know," Phineas said, "the news about Peter Pettigrew is going to be reported tomorrow. There are so many reporters involved, and the Ministry of Magic has no way to stop it. If any of them chooses not to report it, it would be a direct challenge to the Black family."
Under such pressure and incentives, how could any serious journalist afford to ignore the story?
Mr. Lovegood, editor-in-chief of The Quibbler, who happened to have a decent friendship with Phineas, was particularly thrilled. His magazine frequently published pieces critical of the Ministry of Magic, and he had been wondering what angle to take next. Now, Phineas had handed him a golden opportunity.
While other newspapers focused on the event itself, Lovegood preferred to explore its deeper implications and wasn't shy about blaming Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. His take—that the Minister attempted to imprison the Black heir in Azkaban to win the support of other pure-blood families—was bound to attract readers.
Of course, The Quibbler was still dismissed as a joke by many. After all, eleven years ago, Fudge was just a low-level Ministry clerk barely capable of forming a complete sentence.
The revelation about Peter Pettigrew overshadowed even the news of Harry Potter's return. In truth, the wizarding public was far more captivated by conspiracies and hidden power struggles than the story of a young boy.
Seeing that Phineas had managed the situation well, Dumbledore motioned for Professor McGonagall to lead the students of each House back to their common rooms. He turned to Fudge and Phineas and said with a gentle smile,
"Now that things have settled, shall we head to my office for a cup of tea? I've just received a fresh batch of cockroach clusters. You might enjoy them…"
To Fudge, it sounded like Dumbledore intended to pressure him on Phineas's behalf. He snorted and replied coolly,
"The Ministry has pressing matters to attend to. I won't remain at Hogwarts any longer. Good evening."
He turned and strode off. Though he didn't want to deal with Pettigrew or Sirius Black right now, he knew he would have to soon.
Phineas had deliberately pushed the Ministry into a corner to force Sirius's release—and as quickly as possible.
That was why Fudge was in such a hurry to return to the Ministry.
Lovegood's suspicions weren't entirely unfounded. Fudge had made certain arrangements with other pure-blood families, including ensuring that Sirius Black remained in Azkaban indefinitely—or even orchestrating his death there—in exchange for their political backing.
Had Phineas known that, he would have shouted that their enemies were still plotting their downfall.
The motives of those pure-blood families were easy enough to deduce. Since they couldn't yet move against Phineas and his allies, they had hoped to eliminate Sirius first—clearing the way for their next target, the youngest Black heir.
But Phineas's actions had completely foiled their plans. Now, Fudge was returning to urgently discuss a new course of action with them.
Sirius's release had become unavoidable. If the Ministry didn't act by tomorrow, especially after so many promises and guarantees, they would become the target of the entire wizarding world's scrutiny.
Watching Fudge retreat in a hurry, Dumbledore turned to Phineas and asked with a smile,
"Shall we have a word?"
Phineas nodded. "Actually, I've been meaning to speak with you, Professor."
The two of them left the Great Hall and made their way to the Headmaster's office. Meanwhile, the reporters, having gotten their scoop, rushed off to write their articles.
After escorting the Gryffindors back to their common room, Professor McGonagall let out a long sigh and wiped the cold sweat from her brow. She was privately grateful to Phineas. If not for his actions, Dumbledore might have insisted they sing the school song again—as he had in previous years.
That tuneless cacophony, where everyone sang to their own melody, wasn't merely unpleasant. It was a true auditory disaster.
All the professors shared that opinion—except Dumbledore, who enjoyed it immensely.
Fortunately, Phineas's timely intervention had caused the Headmaster to forget about the tradition. Otherwise, she might have started losing hair from stress. With that thought, Professor McGonagall returned to her office, intent on enjoying a can of tinned fish.
Meanwhile, Phineas and Dumbledore were seated across from one another in the Headmaster's office, each holding a cup of black tea and a slice of cake, clearly enjoying themselves.
When it came to sweets, Phineas and Dumbledore had similar tastes. After all, Phineas had even purchased the company that produced Dumbledore's favourite candy.
"All right," Dumbledore said, after a large bite of cake and a sip of tea. "Tell me—where did you find Peter Pettigrew?"
Phineas smiled. "Actually, he's been at Hogwarts the entire time."
Dumbledore was visibly startled. The school's control center was located above his office. How had he failed to notice Pettigrew?
Seeing his confusion, Phineas explained with a smile,
"It's not that you didn't notice him, Professor—it's that you forgot one thing. The instrument above your office is powerful, yes, but it only shows our current forms in the castle, not our names. The map I created with its help works in the opposite way: it doesn't show appearances or locations, but it does show names."
Dumbledore's eyes widened as he understood. The control center relied on visual identification, which meant it wouldn't detect Animagi or those under the effects of Polyjuice Potion unless someone deliberately investigated.
"So he's an Animagus?"
Phineas nodded. "Yes. Sirius left behind a notebook at home—it detailed how they all studied the transformation, along with notes on their experiences and even some secret techniques from the Potter family. With those, they learned how to master the spell quickly."
Dumbledore nodded slowly. He'd heard that the Potters had passed down more than just wealth.
"And you gave Peter Pettigrew to me, instead of the Ministry. Is it just because the Ministry trusts you?"
Phineas shook his head. "No. It's because I don't trust Fudge. There are many ways someone could be broken out of Azkaban. I know at least a few of them."