## Chapter 322: Umbridge's Dark Side
[How did the sweet Miss Dolores Umbridge become a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Magic? What secrets lie behind her success?
Reported by our special correspondent, Rita Skeeter.
Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic and a member of the Wizengamot, has achieved immense success at a young age. But her colleague, Ms. G, says, "Oh, come on, she's a vicious lunatic!"
Why would Ms. G make such a comment? Driven by curiosity and her journalistic duty, Rita Skeeter interviewed dozens of Ms. Umbridge's acquaintances, and is finally able to reveal the dark side of this woman to our readers…]
Rita Skeeter, with seemingly objective prose, completely exposed Umbridge's secrets.
Ms. Umbridge, who had always claimed to be Pure-blood, even from the Pure-blood Selwyn family, actually had a weak and incompetent cleaner for a father, a frivolous and slovenly Muggle mother, and a Squib brother who wasn't even worth mentioning by name—the latter two having been kicked out of the house.
Then, several "neighbors" using pseudonyms came forward, recounting how Umbridge had been overbearing and selfish since childhood, bullying her brother, and despising and criticizing her mother, ultimately forcing the family to split apart.
["I still remember that boy; he was a gentle and quiet child, often covered in bruises, head down, afraid to speak, like a frightened hamster."
Mr. Nogla, whose teeth were almost gone, said, "Although Aga was in great pain when she left them with her son, I think it was actually a very fortunate thing for them both."]
Subsequently, Umbridge enrolled and entered Slytherin House, associating closely with some classmates who later became Death Eaters.
During their time at school, they committed extremely excessive acts against students from Muggle-born families, only reining themselves in after being warned by the school.
Accompanying interview content—
["She was an absolute nightmare; even looking her in the eye made me tremble with fear."
Mel said, trembling.
Even today, recalling her time at school, she still felt both hatred and fear, her beautiful eyes filled with tears.
But Miss Umbridge's misdeeds received only a trivial punishment. Under the protection of some of her wicked friends, Umbridge graduated with excellent grades and smoothly entered the Ministry of Magic for an internship.
There, she found a field better suited for her talents…]
Next, Skeeter reported at length on what she considered the truly important parts, such as how Umbridge went to great lengths to curry favor with superiors, flattered those above her while oppressing those below, and rapidly ascended in the Ministry of Magic, yet all her commendable achievements were actually taken from others' credit.
The accompanying pictures showed Umbridge in close, seemingly intimate proximity with a foreign Minister for Magic, and Umbridge in a pink cardigan smiling obsequiously at Minister Fudge.
Wade looked at the woman with the brilliantly fake smile in the black-and-white photo, feeling a pang of sympathy.
He wondered how Umbridge had offended Rita Skeeter on the ship; this journalist was retaliating with full force.
Wade was even certain that, besides the descriptive, inflammatory words, at least eighty percent of the events mentioned in Rita's article were credible.
After reading the newspaper, Ferdinand was silent for a long while before saying to his son:
"Wade, I know you've gained some renown now; I often see your name in the newspaper…"
"Mhm, mhm—" Fiona nodded repeatedly, proudly saying, "Alchemist's rising star!"
—The media sometimes referred to Wade this way.
Ferdinand smiled, then said seriously, "But Wade, you must remember, no matter how flattering those journalists' compliments are, don't believe them, and don't tell them everything."
Fiona immediately retorted, "Wade wouldn't do that!"
Then she blinked, asking curiously, "But isn't this different? This Ms. Umbridge is full of scandals. If our Wade were written about in the newspaper, the readers' biggest question would surely be—why is such a perfect child someone else's?"
"Fiona, words are easily misunderstood or twisted. And, would you want Wade to be judged by people he doesn't know? He might be subjected to jealousy and slander, and it could attract unnecessary trouble."
Fiona shook her head vigorously.
Ferdinand looked at Wade and said, "I know you've never been ostentatious, but from now on, you need to focus even more on yourself and not be disturbed by outside noise."
"Got it, Dad." Wade nodded.
He looked down at Skeeter's name on the newspaper. A moment later, he folded it and put it away.
…
Skeeter, transformed into a beetle, was perched on the rooftop, watching Umbridge furiously storm into the Daily Prophet headquarters with a group of people.
Soon, her fellow journalists rushed out of the building, clutching their heads, their faces showing expressions of barely suppressed anger.
Umbridge naturally couldn't find Skeeter, and instead vented her anger on the Daily Prophet, announcing that she would strengthen newspaper regulations with stricter laws.
The newspaper manager, bowing and scraping with forced smiles, vaguely brushed off Umbridge—
"Well… reporters can decide what they want to report…"
"If you, madam, feel that Skeeter is talking nonsense, please point it out, and we will correct it… Which specific part is false, then…"
"Ah, this… reporting facts shouldn't count as libel, should it… unless you think… hahaha…"
The editor-in-chief laughed dryly, humbly wiping sweat, while Umbridge's face turned pale with rage.
As he spoke, the staff inside the newspaper office were frantically working overtime, because there were simply too many people wanting to buy this newspaper on short notice; they were printing day and night.
The editor-in-chief motioned for everyone to work faster while continuing to offer placating smiles.
Two owls suddenly flew in through the window, dropping red Howlers onto Umbridge's head. A massive roar immediately exploded—
"You ugly, despicable woman! Your actions are outrageous! I feel sick just breathing the same air as you…"
Umbridge shrieked. A Spell hit the Howler, causing it to suddenly burst open and spray a large amount of foul-smelling liquid onto Umbridge.
Umbridge shrieked and jumped up.
Skeeter crouched on the rooftop, cackling with glee, her front paws batting uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over her as a huge flock of owls descended, carrying all sorts of letters that looked ready to explode.
"Bang bang bang—"
Several Howlers roared in succession, their booming voices making the newspaper office's windows tremble and whine.
Rita Skeeter leaped to the ground, transforming back into her human self. She grabbed her camera and quickly snapped a precious photo.
In the picture, Umbridge was looking up at the countless Howlers swooping down on her, an expression of utter terror on her face.
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