Chapter 313: Shadows and Messages
The moment the very softly spoken words ended, Lupin, with his acute hearing, widened his eyes in astonishment. Fudge, as if burned, snatched his hand away from Sirius.
His face instantly turned pale, and he stared at Sirius in horror, his small eyes flickering with suspicion and uncertainty, as if he were seeing some terrifying shadow through him.
Beside him, the dark-skinned, bald Wizard had a grave expression, looking at Sirius with an inquiring gaze, as if trying to see the soul within him through his flesh and blood.
Sirius smiled calmly and extended his hand again. "Minister, you can take me now."
Fudge shuffled back two steps, as if those hands were a pair of venomous snakes. He stammered:
"Ah... you... this... arrest... I think... I think there are still some unclear points about this matter, and we can't blindly arrest innocent people..."
Lupin, who had been staring at Sirius in shock, immediately shifted his attention and almost laughed in anger at Fudge's evasion.
He certainly wasn't saying that when I was arguing with him earlier!
Fudge had sworn up and down, practically saying that Sirius had planned everything, that he was a deeply hidden Dark Wizard, and that not arresting him would be a disservice to the people of the Wizarding World, a disservice to the deceased James and Lily.
Lupin had nearly been morally blackmailed by him.
But now, Fudge merely mumbled a few stammering words, then turned and quickly left with a group of Aurors.
It was only then that Lupin had time to process what he had just heard.
He frowned and looked at his friend, asking in confusion, "Sirius, what you just said..."
"You'll have to ask Harry about that."
Sirius's feigned bravado vanished. He gestured with his head towards the boy peering out from behind the door.
"Wade taught me!"
Harry blinked, looking very innocent. "I didn't know it would be so effective."
"Yeah, yeah, Fudge practically fled in terror! So cowardly! I don't know how he became Minister!"
Sirius sounded pleased, then said gloomily, "If I really knew where that rat was, I wouldn't need them to tell me; I'd grind that guy to dust!"
Lupin had grown accustomed to Sirius's recent erratic temperaments. Ever since the news of Peter Pettigrew's escape from prison, Sirius had been leaving early and returning late every day, determined to catch that traitor.
As time went on, there was no news of the three of them, especially Peter Pettigrew. Everyone suspected that he had learned his lesson and was hiding in Muggle society after turning into a rat.
The world was so vast that finding a mere rat was almost impossible.
Because of this, Sirius's temper had grown more volatile with each passing day of fruitless searching.
It was only at Harry's insistence that he had been willing to take time out to accompany the two children for a stroll through Diagon Alley.
Ostensibly, it was to buy things for the children; in reality, everyone wanted Sirius to get some fresh air and clear his head.
Now, after hearing Harry's explanation, Lupin was not relieved; instead, his brow furrowed even deeper.
"Wade? How did he come up with that idea? Never mind, I'll ask him myself."
"But..." Harry said, "If Fudge was scared away, Sirius should Apparate away immediately—Wade said that too."
"Leave?" Lupin was puzzled, then understood. "A fake is still a fake; it won't fool them for long. Sirius, you go to Hogwarts first..."
"No, I'm not going to Hogwarts." Sirius shook his head. "I have somewhere else to go."
"Where?" Harry pressed.
Sirius ruffled his hair and said, "I recently found out that Garr, who escaped with me, has a relative in Glasgow, Scotland. I want to go look for them."
Lupin nodded. "Be careful on the way."
He didn't offer to go with him, because someone had to keep an eye on Harry.
Even if the possibility was small, they had to guard against Peter coming after Harry.
...
Fudge's mind echoed with Black's voice. His steps were rapid, and his fingers trembled unconsciously.
His mind was in chaos; he couldn't achieve the "calmness" required for Apparition. He could only walk as fast as possible, as if that would allow him to leave all his worries and fears behind.
And... that chilling statement.
"We do not fear being misunderstood. For the greater good, sacrifice is glory, and my glory is called loyalty."
At first listen, Black seemed to be making an awkward defense, but every single word he uttered stirred Fudge's deepest fears.
It was as if he was transported back decades, to a time when the whole world was shrouded in dark shadows, and the black-clad Wizard army, chanting slogans, was fanatical and efficient, cruel yet restrained.
Back then, Fudge was just an insignificant young man. Before the Alliance, led by Grindelwald, he was like a piece of paper that could be easily torn.
He had once left Britain with enthusiasm, traveling to countries where the Alliance ran rampant, hoping to help those who had been harmed.
But in less than three months, Fudge had fled back to Britain like a startled bird, and the experiences of that period left a deep shadow in his heart.
After Grindelwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard, Fudge had thought the Alliance was completely finished. He never expected that today, the memory of that death would be reawakened.
"What's going on? Is the Alliance making a comeback? Did Grindelwald escape from Nurmengard? Why haven't I received any information? Is the Austrian Ministry of Magic concealing the truth?"
Fudge muttered to himself, his scalp tingling at the thought of the Alliance rampaging through his own land.
Voldemort's Death Eaters were already terrifying enough. If the even more terrifying Alliance were to revive...
"Perhaps Dumbledore should be the Minister of Magic after all... only he can stop those guys from acting so recklessly..."
"Minister."
"Minister Fudge!"
Fudge, lost in his fantasy, was already pondering which country would be safest to flee to after his retirement when he was suddenly roused by a voice behind him.
Fudge was initially annoyed, but seeing it was his capable subordinate, he patiently asked,
"What is it, Kingsley?"
Kingsley Shacklebolt, the bald, dark-skinned Auror, said, "Minister, I don't believe Sirius Black could be the kind of person you think he is."
Fudge frowned. "Did you hear what he said? Do you know what those words imply?"
"I heard some of it."
Kingsley calmly stated, "But Minister, the followers of that person from back then are all old now. If they secretly trained a new generation, allowing the Alliance to persist and regain power, would they let Black expose himself over such a trivial matter?"
Fudge froze, a bewildered and naive expression appearing on his stout face.
One more chapter added.
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