"HP: Too Late, System!"Chapter 339: Dumbledore's Letter
[Dear Cornelius,
I hope this letter brings you an unexpected "surprise" amidst your busy schedule.
Perhaps you'll soon hear from the Daily Prophet—today at Hogwarts, Mr. Remus Lupin (yes, the werewolf we discussed who teaches at Hogwarts) publicly revealed his identity to a group of students and a Daily Prophet reporter.
I imagine you may be shocked, perhaps even angry, but I ask you not to be—at least not yet.
Remus has long been a respected member of the Hogwarts community. His kindness, wisdom, and courage are qualities I believe you know well.
His decision was not made on a whim, but after much thought. He hopes that by taking this step, he might begin to break the longstanding prejudice and fear surrounding werewolves, showing the world that a werewolf can be an outstanding wizard and contribute to our magical society.
You and I both know the Werewolf Support Services Department has been… less than effective in this regard...]
(PS: The Werewolf Support Services was once a sub-department of the Being Division within the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the British Ministry of Magic. Though werewolves are classified as Beasts, when not transformed they are indistinguishable from ordinary wizards. The department was created to support those who became werewolves by accident, but due to widespread prejudice, no werewolf ever came forward for help, and the department was eventually disbanded.)
Reading this, Fudge lost control of his temper, crumpling the parchment in his fist and hurling it at the office door.
He slammed his desk with a heavy thud.
"How could this happen! I'm the Minister for Magic—the Ministry doesn't need you to run it, Dumbledore… What exactly are you up to?"
"And telling me not to be angry… ha… a 'surprise' indeed…"
"What is going on? What's Dumbledore playing at?"
Fudge felt thoroughly outmaneuvered. They'd agreed, for the sake of stability at Hogwarts and in the wizarding world, to keep Lupin's identity strictly confidential, with Dumbledore guaranteeing no one would be harmed.
He'd been reluctant to agree—he'd even thought about using it to undermine Dumbledore's prestige. But then Sirius Black, heir to the Black family, had stepped in. Out of respect for the Black family (and certainly not because of the sponsorship money), he'd relented.
And now, Dumbledore had gone public, seizing the initiative...
Fudge growled under his breath, pacing the office.
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became this was Dumbledore's plot—perhaps to force him into a crisis and push him out of office.
He gulped down a mouthful of tea, forcing himself to calm down.
He retrieved the crumpled parchment, smoothed it out on his desk, and continued reading.
"Let's see what else you have to say, you old fox…"
[What is truly exciting is that Professor Douglas Holmes has successfully improved the Wolfsbane Potion. After long-term use, the improved potion can eliminate the toxins in a werewolf's body. This is an unprecedented breakthrough.
He has not only changed Remus's fate, but may bring new hope to the entire wizarding world.]
At this, Fudge's hand trembled slightly.
[I know you bear a great responsibility for the stability and safety of the wizarding world, so I sincerely hope you will come to Hogwarts tonight, during the full moon, to witness this historic moment for yourself. Your presence would not only support Remus, but also represent an investment in the future of our world.
I assure you, we are fully prepared and everything is under control. The Hogwarts professors will be vigilant—no student will come to harm.
I look forward to your arrival, so that we may witness together a moment that could change the fate of wizardkind.
I hope I haven't interrupted your delightful lunch.
Your friend, Albus]
"Douglas Holmes. That banana-loving honey badger. A novelist who can't even finish his own books—how long has he been on hiatus now? And now he's off researching Wolfsbane?"
As for the effectiveness of this improved Wolfsbane Potion—especially one devised by a writer—Fudge remained deeply skeptical. He was in his prime, after all, not some senile old man like Dumbledore.
He was certain there was some scheme at work here.
"Are they hoping a werewolf will bite me, so they can force me out?"
But this time, Fudge had no choice. If so many students already knew, their parents would soon know as well. Even if he banned the Daily Prophet from reporting, he'd still have to deal with the fallout himself.
Soon, several paper airplanes zipped from the Minister's office.
Before long, Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Rufus Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Office; and the leader of the Werewolf Capture Unit from the Beast Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, all arrived.
Fudge sat behind his desk, face thunderous, glaring at the three.
Seeing his expression, the three immediately realized something serious was afoot.
Fudge handed Dumbledore's letter to Director Amelia Bones.
Then he turned to Rufus Scrimgeour:
"Take a look at this. Remus Lupin—the werewolf—has violated our agreement and publicly revealed his condition to students and a Daily Prophet reporter at Hogwarts.
And Dumbledore claims that Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor Holmes has improved the Wolfsbane Potion, says it can remove the werewolf's toxins, and wants me to witness it tonight. It's a complete mess!"
Director Amelia Bones—broad-shouldered, square-jawed, her gray hair cropped short—was famous for her fairness and efficiency.
She was reading the letter when she suddenly heard Fudge and Scrimgeour bluntly declare Lupin was a werewolf.
She looked up, adjusting her monocle, her face steely as she asked, "You knew Remus Lupin was a werewolf? Why did you let him continue teaching at Hogwarts?"
Fudge replied smoothly, without missing a beat:
"Oh, Amelia, I forgot to mention. We only learned Lupin was a werewolf during the capture of the fugitive Peter Pettigrew.
But given his testimony and assistance in capturing Pettigrew, and Dumbledore's earnest pleas for secrecy—he promised Lupin would never harm a student at Hogwarts—I agreed to keep his identity confidential for the time being. In fact, he's been under surveillance the entire time."
Scrimgeour frowned slightly. Was that really the story? Bloody politicians—wasn't it actually a negotiation with the Black family heir, that Black who broke out of Azkaban, over compensation? When had Dumbledore ever pleaded?
Amelia Bones raised an eyebrow. She had no idea how much of Fudge's story was true, but now wasn't the time to press the issue.
What puzzled her was why Dumbledore would suddenly announce the existence of a werewolf who'd been working quietly for so long—especially since he'd only recently invited her to Hogwarts to deliver a talk on wizarding law to the students the following morning.
Could there be a connection between the two?
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