Chapter 199. Cornelius Fudge and Lucius
"Minister," Professor McGonagall couldn't help asking from the side, "do you have any other business?"
"Oh, yes," Fudge glanced around and finally fixed his gaze on Dumbledore. "It's like this: I need to take Gilderoy Lockhart into custody. The Ministry has received a long list of criminal accusations and evidence against Lockhart, and we're going to conduct a thorough investigation."
"Of course," Dumbledore said. "But as I mentioned, you won't get any information from Lockhart now—he doesn't know anything."
"That's all right," Fudge waved dismissively. "Leave it to me; the Ministry will handle it properly. I can tell you, even if Lockhart really has lost all his memory, Ministry experts can still dig something up… and there's a process to secure a conviction."
Dumbledore inclined his head slightly and turned to Professor McGonagall. "Minerva, would you show the way to the Hospital Wing?"
"This way, Minister," Professor McGonagall indicated. "Lockhart is currently receiving treatment with Madam Pomfrey."
"One moment."
Fudge raised a hand, his expression grave as he looked at Dumbledore. "Albus, has that man… truly… come back?"
His voice trembled slightly; clearly he was not calm inside.
Dumbledore regarded him evenly. "Cornelius, what kind of answer do you want to hear?"
Fudge's Adam's apple bobbed. He forced a laugh. "Ha! You know, I just… needed a tiny confirmation. After all, if word gets out, too many people will be affected, there will be panic, and the International Confederation of Wizards—"
"He has returned, Fudge."
Dumbledore spoke suddenly, cutting off Fudge's pointless chatter.
Fudge's face turned chalk-white, but he immediately squeezed out a stiff smile. "But there's no conclusive evidence, is there? Everyone knows You-Know-Who was vanquished by Harry Potter—that's why Harry is the saviour."
"You must learn to accept the truth," Dumbledore sighed. "Lockhart was controlled by You-Know-Who. That is the reality."
"Impossible. It could be something else…" Fudge still denied it.
But Adrian Wesson noticed the Minister's eyes had already wavered.
He simply couldn't accept it.
If Lord Voldemort truly had returned, his post as Minister for Magic would be in jeopardy.
After all, he had publicly aligned himself with Dumbledore.
"Gentlemen and ladies, I shall take my leave," Fudge hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, I think I saw Lucius Malfoy at the school gates just now."
Lucius Malfoy, was it?
Adrian remembered his brawl with Arthur.
It looked like the evening was going to be lively.
Professor McGonagall soon left with Fudge, though he looked somewhat discomfited.
As Fudge had said, Lucius was indeed inside the castle.
About three minutes later, the Malfoy patriarch stormed into Professor McGonagall's office.
Lucius was livid; Dobby trailed behind him, cringing, still bearing a few injuries.
When Dobby noticed Adrian among the crowd, his eyes suddenly lit up. He seemed to want to say something, but after a glance at Lucius's back, he lowered his head again.
"This is a staff meeting, Mr Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said with a frown. "Please leave. If you have anything to say, wait until we've finished here."
Lucius seemed not to hear her, his eyes fixed unwaveringly in Dumbledore's direction.
"Dumbledore," he said coldly, "I believe you were dismissed by the Board of Governors. Why are you here? Do you intend to ignore the Board's order? Answer me."
Seeing this, Adrian shook his head inwardly. It seemed Lucius still hadn't grasped the situation.
Given what Adrian knew of Dumbledore, Dumbledore would certainly have prepared in advance.
"Ah, about that," Dumbledore smiled at him mildly. "Perhaps I forgot to inform you—age makes one liable to forget things. The other eleven governors have withdrawn their order dismissing me, as they feel I'm the only one presently able to manage the school's affairs properly."
"And," his eyes suddenly sharpened, "I also learned something rather unpleasant from them."
Lucius's expression turned ugly at once—Dumbledore hadn't forgotten to notify him; he simply hadn't wanted Lucius to know.
Old age?
That old fox could certainly prattle on.
Hands clasped behind his back, Dumbledore walked slowly up to Lucius. "The other governors told me you threatened them—that if they did not agree to dismiss me, you would curse their families."
Lucius's face went ashen; his grip tightened unconsciously on his cane.
Behind him, Dobby trembled, eyes full of terror.
"I've no idea what you're talking about," Lucius forced a cold smile. "Since the dismissal has been rescinded, have you found the culprit behind the Petrifications?"
"Naturally." Dumbledore's expression was serene.
Lucius was taken aback.
"It was You-Know-Who," Dumbledore went on with composure. "He entered Hogwarts through an object, causing the incidents you're aware of. Thanks to Professor Adrian Wesson, he has been driven out of the school."
Lucius instinctively took half a step back; his cane struck the floor with a crisp tap.
"I suspect you've gone senile, Dumbledore. Just listen to the nonsense you're spouting—truly unbefitting." He shook his head, though his tone trembled.
At that moment, Lucius felt something tap his shoulder.
He turned and saw Adrian smiling, a book in his hand.
"Have a look at something, Mr Malfoy," Adrian said.
A second later, the book appeared in Lucius's hand.
Seeing the familiar diary, Lucius shuddered, and it slipped from his grasp to the floor.
Adrian couldn't help finding it amusing.
In fact, this was not the original diary, but a replica Adrian had forged.
However, outwardly it was identical.
He was confident Lucius wouldn't spot the difference.
"Oh—hold it properly, Mr Malfoy."
Smiling, Adrian picked up the diary and pressed it back into Lucius's hand. "The fragment of You-Know-Who's soul within has already departed. No need to be so nervous."
Lucius stood rigidly with the diary in hand.
His expression shifted through a brilliant array of changes.
"Fortunately, all the victims survived," Dumbledore said evenly. "Otherwise, the party who disseminated this Dark artefact would certainly face consequences—wouldn't you agree, Mr Malfoy?"
"Yes… yes, indeed," Lucius said dryly, at a loss.
"And I must give you a piece of advice," Dumbledore stepped forward, took the diary from Lucius for a brief look, then set it back in his hand. "According to our investigation, this item first passed through your hands—of course, that can no longer be proven. But what I want to say is: stop circulating You-Know-Who's artefacts. I know you still have quite a few—you followed him for a long time."
"If such objects fall again into innocent hands… you surely wouldn't want these events to repeat themselves, would you, Mr Malfoy?"
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