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"When I woke this morning, I heard a songbird calling by the window. I was still wondering what pleasant thing might happen. It turns out honored guests have arrived."
Dudley slowly swallowed a bite of fried bread, then took a long drink of warm tea, smiling as he spoke to Fudge.
Fried bread was still best with something warm to drink.
"What does that mean?"
Fudge completely failed to understand Dudley's somewhat meaningful compliment.
He had not even fully understood the culture of British wizards, nor could he recognize all magical plants. One could hardly expect him to understand a more roundabout expression.
'Ignorance really is frightening.'
Dudley silently recited this in his heart as well, but what he said aloud was, "I mean, Mr. Fudge, I am very happy to see you."
Fudge could understand such simple and direct words.
"As am I, Mr. Dursley."
Fudge smiled. The wrinkled skin on his face immediately piled up, trembling slightly.
"Have breakfast with us. I imagine you have not eaten yet."
"That would be terribly embarrassing," Fudge said, then picked up a piece of fried bread.
Although he had eaten some cereal that morning, that thing did not really fill the stomach. Seeing Dudley and the others eating so fragrantly, he happened to be hungry again.
The main reason was that after seeing Harry Potter, his nerves finally settled, and his appetite returned.
Food was broad, personal, and full of arguments. Some people could argue over whether pancakes needed syrup, whether porridge should be sweet or savory, whether scones needed jam first or cream first, and that was only within the same country, let alone elsewhere.
Do not look at Hermione and the others eating happily. That was because they had followed Dudley since childhood, and their eating habits were close to his.
Fudge only took two bites of fried bread before putting it down. After looking around, he did not seem especially interested in the other foods either, though he was quite interested in the thin breakfast crepes.
He sprinkled a great deal of white sugar over the crepes, then added a large amount of jam and honey.
Dudley's eyelids twitched as he watched.
Was that not cloyingly sweet?
The few Aurors and Ministry employees only stood silently behind Fudge and watched, constantly swallowing. After all, Dudley had not invited them.
There was only so much food. If they ate together as well, there truly would not be enough.
Mm. The main issue was that there would not be enough for Dudley.
Before long, everyone finished breakfast. The Cornish pixies removed the plates, then brought everyone a cup of plain tea to cut through the grease.
This time, the Aurors also received some.
They had not eaten to begin with, and after watching Dudley and the others eat for so long, drinking a cup of plain tea only made their stomachs even hungrier.
"I wonder what urgent matter brought Mr. Fudge to my home so early in the morning?" Dudley took the initiative to speak.
His question made Fudge's face look somewhat unnatural. Fudge had originally thought Dudley had taken Harry to stay at a friend's house for a while. He had not expected Dursley to quietly buy such a large house.
Was Dursley this rich?
"Mr. Dursley, I came to find Harry."
Fudge answered honestly, then looked at Harry. "We went to the elder Mr. Dursley's home, only to find that you... that all of you were not there. Do you know, you gave us quite a panic. But thank goodness, I am relieved to see you are safe."
His tone carried thick concern. Fudge smiled at Harry from beside his teacup, his smile kind and benevolent, like an uncle looking at a beloved nephew.
"Me?" Harry pointed at himself, confirming Fudge had not found the wrong person.
He had thought Fudge had come to find Dudley. He had not expected the man to be looking for him.
But why was a Minister for Magic so concerned about him?
Dudley had said that unsolicited kindness usually meant either treachery or theft.
And so Harry looked at Dudley.
If he did not know, ask Big D. There was nothing Big D did not know. It had always been that way.
"It is because of Sirius's escape, isn't it?"
Dudley was both speaking to Fudge and telling Harry.
Hearing the name Sirius, the expression on Fudge's face clearly changed, and the wrinkles trembled a few more times.
"Sirius? Who?" Harry did not understand.
"A dangerous prisoner from Azkaban," Hermione answered Harry's question.
Unlike Harry, she did not completely ignore news from the wizarding world. Like Dudley, she spent a set amount of time each day reading about recent major events.
"So this prisoner called Sirius has something to do with Harry? He will come take revenge on Harry?"
Hermione easily analyzed that Sirius would be coming for Harry.
"He is a very dangerous criminal."
Fudge did not want to answer these questions and stiffly interrupted Hermione's analysis. He did not want Harry to know the relationship between Sirius and his family at all.
"Evil, brutal, bloodthirsty, mad... and a mass murderer."
Fudge kept speaking ill of Sirius, describing him as a neurotic killer.
If possible, he even wanted to lock Harry up. That way, he could guarantee the boy's safety. At least while he was Minister for Magic, absolutely nothing could happen to Harry Potter.
"There are still two weeks before Hogwarts starts. I think I should take Harry away and have Ministry personnel arrange protection for him in a safe place."
Fudge stated his purpose.
He wanted to take Harry away.
"Mr. Fudge, I believe Harry is very safe now."
How could Dudley possibly let him have his way?
Without thinking, Fudge said, "But that is Sirius Black, an extremely vicious criminal. Mr. Dursley, I believe Harry would be safer staying at the Leaky Cauldron."
When it involved Harry, and when it involved Fudge's own position, forget Dudley, even if it were Dumbledore, Fudge would dare argue.
Even though Fudge believed Dudley had great prospects in the future, that was still the future. He could befriend him, but Fudge would not yield on something that concerned the hat on his own head.
After tasting power, Fudge had already become deeply infatuated with that feeling.
Anything that might cause him to lose the position of Minister for Magic would be treated by him as an enemy.
Otherwise, why did you think he had brought several Aurors?
For a party?
They were there to act if necessary.
Dudley became somewhat impatient. "I said, this place is very safe, Mr. Fudge."
The Leaky Cauldron? You are telling me the Leaky Cauldron is safe? Dudley did not even feel Hogwarts was safe.
"The Ministry must know Harry Potter's whereabouts!" Fudge's attitude became exceptionally forceful, completely changing from his previous kindness.
Failing to understand himself, lacking self-awareness, and being quick to anger were all Fudge's traits.
To put it nicely, the Ministry had to know Harry Potter's whereabouts. To put it bluntly, it was surveillance, or disguised house arrest.
Only this way would Fudge feel at ease.
"The Ministry has no need to know Harry Potter's whereabouts."
Dudley looked at Fudge coldly, his attitude just as firm.
Negotiations broke down. For a moment, the atmosphere became tense.
The Aurors hesitantly drew their wands, their gazes shifting back and forth between Dudley and Fudge. In their eyes, Dudley and the others were still children. Even in the worst situation, they could not cast spells on young wizards.
What? Dudley could push open three gates in one breath?
That was still only a child with a bit more strength.
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