After a perfect self-justification, Umbridge thought she gave Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall a discreet glare.
She still had some sense of rationality, understanding that she was no match for the greatest white wizard of the day and the current Transfiguration master.
So she could only smile cloyingly, drawing her wand to try and wipe away the projection of the Ministry of Magic that Amanda had manifested in the air.
"Oh, I'm truly happy and relieved that you love the Ministry of Magic so much and have such a great understanding of it."
"However, obtaining information about the Ministry of Magic illegally is also a violation of the laws of the British Wizarding World."
She waved her wand in the air for a long time, yet the projection Amanda created with magic didn't budge an inch.
"How come I didn't know the laws of the British Wizarding World had such a clause?"
Professor McGonagall spoke up bluntly, watching Umbridge wave her wand in vain, unable to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up.
In her hand, the wand was like a useless little wooden stick; and yet she dared to bully her student right in front of her. This pink toad really had quite the nerve.
If she were younger, she might have turned her into a pink toad on the spot, granting her wish.
Umbridge's fat face stiffened for a moment, "Of course there is such a law, the confidential information of the Ministry of Magic..."
"So the location of the Ministry of Magic and the location of the Minister's office are considered confidential information."
Amanda's voice was flat as she spoke, looking up at Umbridge with an expressionless face.
"Based on a logical analysis, this means that the Ministry of Magic does not welcome the citizens of the British Wizarding World, and the Minister for Magic does not welcome the citizens of the British Wizarding World, right?"
"How could that be? Mr. Minister is the person who cares most about the citizens of the Wizarding World."
The smile on Umbridge's face was about to break completely. How could this child be so difficult to deal with? She was clearly just a little girl who knew nothing.
"Sorry, based on the information you revealed, this is the conclusion I reached. If Minister Fudge does not have this idea, then you are slandering him."
"If Minister Fudge does have this idea, then he really hates the citizens of the British Wizarding World enough that he'd rather secretly modify the laws of the Wizarding World to define the address of the Ministry of Magic and the Minister's office as secrets of the Wizarding World."
After finishing her deduction in a flat tone, Amanda slowly closed her mouth and waved her hand to dissipate the projection of the Ministry of Magic in the air.
Her words were plain, and her volume was perfectly normal, showing no hint of anger.
However, her words sounded as if someone had shouted them loudly, feeling almost deafening to Umbridge's ears.
There was no way to answer, no way she could answer; all the things she could say had been blocked by this little girl named Amanda.
No matter what she said, it would be wrong. Realizing she couldn't outtalk her and didn't dare to fight, Umbridge reluctantly closed her mouth.
She only left Amanda and the two Professors with a forced, nauseating smile.
Professor McGonagall looked away as if avoiding a plague, while Headmaster Dumbledore's smile was hidden beneath his long white beard.
It really is good when one's own student is capable.
Amanda looked away indifferently, a thought calmly surfacing in her mind.
She wondered which of the two situations this actually fell into. Why did Umbridge stop answering? How strange.
The thought flashed by as the elevator reached the floor where Fudge was. Umbridge couldn't wait to step out, leading Amanda and the two Professors toward the Minister's office.
Merlin knew how much she wanted to get rid of these three big troubles right now.
It was truly strange; hadn't Dumbledore and the Professors at Hogwarts always been respectful toward the Ministry of Magic in the past?
Dumbledore could even be described as forbearing. What happened today?
Thinking about her embarrassing situation today, Umbridge clenched her hands tightly. She had taken the initiative to pick them up to find a sense of superiority, not to be lectured!
But it was fine; next, she would let Minister Fudge himself deal with them.
Facing the Minister for Magic, as long as Dumbledore and Hogwarts didn't want to be seen by others in the Wizarding World as trying to replace the Ministry of Magic...
Then they would have to obediently listen to the Minister. Thinking of this, the disgusting smile reappeared on Umbridge's face. She raised her hand with relief and knocked on the door of the Minister's office.
"Mr. Minister, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall have arrived. They also brought a... lovely little girl."
Umbridge said as she winked at Amanda. Amanda looked at her with indifferent eyes. For some reason, she felt a churning in her stomach, as if she were a bit uncomfortable.
Shifting her gaze to the Minister's office in front of her, Amanda instinctively checked off the conclusion she had reached earlier in her mind.
Yes, her estimation of the Minister's office's location was not wrong, not at all.
"Please come in."
Fudge's voice came from inside the room. Umbridge opened the door with a smile and made a gesture of invitation to Amanda and the two Professors.
Headmaster Dumbledore led the way, and Professor McGonagall gently put her hand on Amanda's shoulder, leading her into the Minister's office.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, it's an honor to have you at the Ministry of Magic!"
Fudge walked forward with a polite smile, taking Headmaster Dumbledore's right hand with both of his and shaking it gently.
"Don't mention it, Cornelius. Didn't we just see each other at the end of this summer break?"
That was when Fudge went to discuss the deployment of Dementors around Hogwarts to ensure the safety of Hogwarts.
Although he and the other Professors were against it, thinking that for the stability of the British Wizarding World, Hogwarts could not have a falling out with the Ministry of Magic, he had agreed.
But plans change. Now that the situation had shifted, there was no need for them to maintain this so-called stability.
"Yes, yes," Fudge smiled politely and turned to Professor McGonagall, "Professor McGonagall, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Cornelius."
Professor McGonagall nodded noncommittally, which could be considered a bit of courtesy.
Umbridge watched the Minister and the two Professors greeting each other, nodded pretentiously, and then closed the door to the Minister's office.
"This must be Miss Amanda. You certainly look clever. You'll surely become an outstanding Witch in the future. The doors of the Ministry of Magic are always open to you."
Fudge looked down at Amanda and said cheerfully, elevating himself to the status of an elder with one sentence, while also expressing his control over the Ministry of Magic.
Amanda nodded woodenly, her voice not changing in the slightest. "Hello, Mr. Minister. Please allow me to greet you politely first."
Courtesy before force; the rules of etiquette were still necessary.
"Oh, of course, of course," Fudge nodded with a smile, "You really are a very polite child..."
Before Fudge could finish, Amanda blurted out the next sentence, "And then let me settle the scores with you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Amanda tilted her head slightly. Fudge's eyes widened instantly; he felt as if his neck was being strangled by someone, unable to make even a sound.
"Heh... heh... heh..."
Fudge struggled, clutching at his neck with both hands, but it was useless. Only constant wheezing sounds came from his throat.
As Amanda slowly raised her head, Fudge himself was lifted up by an invisible force clutching his neck.
This was a variation of the Levitation Charm. For this charm she was most familiar with, Amanda was clearly able to use it freely to achieve any result she wanted.
"Heh... heh..."
Fudge groaned weakly, his legs kicking in the air to no avail; his body couldn't move an inch.
He looked at Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall as if for help, panic and fear even starting to show in his eyes.
Between life and death, tears welled up in his eyes. Fudge felt he might be about to die.
No, no, no... he couldn't die. He was the Minister for Magic, the most powerful person in the entire British Wizarding World. He couldn't die! He wouldn't die!
"Heh! Heh!"
Fudge struggled even harder. Amanda looked at him with dull, angry eyes, and the invisible force clutching his neck instantly tightened a bit more.
Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, whom he looked to for help, looked away in unison.
"When one has done something wrong, one must correct it, Cornelius. I believe you understand this principle as well, don't you?"
Headmaster Dumbledore stroked his white beard, his face full of kindness as if everything were peaceful and quiet right now.
"Young Wizards always have moments of magic riots. The Minister who loves his people like his own children surely won't mind, right?"
Professor McGonagall added faintly from the side, her words defining Amanda's current behavior.
She was just having a magic riot, a situation that could happen to any Young Wizard. No one could blame her, let alone hold her accountable.
"Heh!"
Fudge's eyes widened, unable to believe what Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were saying.
In his view, what he had done before wasn't wrong at all. Maintaining his dignity was maintaining the dignity of the Ministry of Magic. What was wrong with that?!
As for Professor McGonagall's words, a magic riot? Could she really not tell if this was because of a magic riot or not?
Amanda's tone was flat and without any fluctuation as she looked at Fudge in mid-air and spoke slowly.
"Mr. Minister, you slandered me before, slandered everyone in Ravenclaw, slandered Headmaster Dumbledore, and slandered Hermione."
At this point, the magic Amanda controlled tightened a bit more, and Fudge's neck even made a few slight sounds.
"Heh!" Fudge's face had turned bright red, with a faint tendency toward purple. His eyes were wide open, and his tongue was starting to protrude from his mouth.
"No one can slander Hermione, slander my friends, or slander my Professor."
"The reports you authorized Rita Skeeter to write completely disregarded the facts, were completely irresponsible, and violated several laws of the British Wizarding World."
"Given that you have no intention or action to take responsibility, apologize voluntarily, or eliminate the influence,"
"I can only come and issue a warning to you myself. Before this, I have left you enough, one could even say a generous amount of, time."
"But you have failed to seize the opportunity."
"This is just a warning, Mr. Minister. Holding power should not make one lose their head; instead, one should be more alert and more self-restrained."
"These are the most basic requirements and rules. Please abide by them."
After saying these words politely and fluently, Amanda instantly revoked her wandless and silent magic. Fudge slammed onto the ground with a dull "thud."
"Cough, cough, cough... ha... ha..."
Fudge lay on the ground coughing heart-wrenchingly, taking large gulps of fresh air.
He really felt like he had almost died just now. That girl's eyes... was there no warmth in that girl's eyes? No emotion at all?
It made him feel that in her eyes, he wasn't even a person—no, not even a life.
Just an unimportant existence she could erase at any time.
Lying on the ground, Fudge now deeply regretted it. He regretted why he had allowed someone to use a powerful Silencing Charm on his office.
Now he was coughing so heart-wrenchingly, and not a single person, not a single Auror, came in to check.
"magic riots always happen to children. Cornelius, you surely won't mind."
Headmaster Dumbledore reached out with a smile and lifted Fudge up from a distance. "Next, it's time for me to have a chat with you."
"O-Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore, I won't mind. What do you want to talk about?"
Fudge's voice was hoarse. Every word he spoke felt like a knife cutting his throat. He felt like his throat must be ruined.
"About the issue of the Dementors," Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall sat down on the sofa opposite Fudge's desk with Amanda, his fingers lightly tapping the sofa's armrest. "They suddenly appeared in the Quidditch match at Hogwarts today and tried to kiss Harry, an innocent boy."
His blue eyes looked toward Fudge, Headmaster Dumbledore's gaze carrying a heavy sense of authority.
"The Ministry of Magic stationed those Dementors at Hogwarts to protect the safety of the students, right, Cornelius?"
"O-Of course they were."
Hearing that the Dementors had tried to kiss Harry Potter, Fudge's voice trembled. He raised his hand and kept wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"But they clearly didn't do that; they even threatened the safety of the students!" Professor McGonagall said decisively.
"The Ministry of Magic should immediately move all the Dementors out of Hogwarts, otherwise it will be too late when something happens."
"This... this is a necessary means to protect the students."
Fudge was breaking out in a cold sweat, yet he still didn't quite want to give in.
Headmaster Dumbledore reached out to stop Professor McGonagall, who wanted to say more, and stood up directly.
"The reports in The Daily Prophet, the Dementors stationed at Hogwarts... I hope you know what you are doing, Cornelius."
"Don't drift further and further away from the rest of the Wizarding World, and from us, for the sake of that small group of people."
After saying that, he didn't wait for a response and directly turned to lead the way out of the Minister's office.
Amanda and Professor McGonagall followed behind Headmaster Dumbledore. At the moment she walked out of the Minister's office...
She looked back at Fudge. Her eyes were solemn and flat, with no emotion showing, yet they made Fudge shudder violently once more as he reached out to rub his neck.
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