Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 153: Chapter 46: Cornelius Fudge

Professor McGonagall probably used Apparition to find the Weasleys, and they arrived quickly.

Vid stood by the window, watching them braving the heavy rain, crossing the muddy grounds to enter the castle.

— Filch will probably go berserk again.

Vid suddenly thought.

In recent days, students only needed to take a turn outside to bring mud into the school, making everywhere dirty.

Filch detested this deeply, because it always required him to clean up (the house-elves only cleaned the castle at night).

Under Filch’s shouting and threats of detention, there were finally fewer students running out to get soaked in the rain.

Soon after, another group led by Hagrid came across the field. They held their magic wands, as if holding an invisible umbrella, repelling the rain.

”Vid...” Ron asked hesitantly, ”Do you know they’re saying Scabbers... Peter is the Secret Keeper, what’s going on?”

”Peter faked his death eleven years ago, Sirius Black went to prison,” Vid said, ”During that time, another event that the entire magic world knew about happened...”

”The Mysterious Man failed... Harry’s parents died...” Ron mumbled, ”So... the betrayal they’re talking about is...”

”You two come in, please.” Lupin pushed the door open, saying, ”The interrogation is over, and people from the Ministry of Magic will arrive soon.”

Vid and Ron entered, seeing Peter Pettigrew securely bound to a chair, looking somewhat dazed.

Obviously, he had taken another dose of Veritaserum.

Snape stared coldly at Peter Pettigrew, his gaze as icy as a venomous snake, filled with indelible hatred.

Ron glanced briefly, then quickly looked away.

As they entered, Snape turned his disdainful gaze toward Lupin.

Vid sighed inwardly.

In the original plot, decades of past grievances couldn’t be fully captured in a few strokes. Vid was not a firsthand observer of the rights and wrongs of those days, and could only speculate, unable to make judgments.

When capturing Peter Pettigrew, Vid had considered using Snape’s strength but ultimately rejected the idea.

The reason was simple.

With Snape’s intense loathing for the Marauders, if he caught the real traitor Peter Pettigrew, he would simply give him an Avada Kedavra, killing him outright, without any chance to clear Sirius in Azkaban.

Clearing the name of an enemy? Ridiculous!

In his view, Sirius was deservedly guilty. He wished he could send Lupin there too, so they could reunite in Azkaban, loving Dementors till they died.

Under Professor McGonagall’s guidance, the Weasleys and several Ministry of Magic staff entered the Headmaster’s Office sequentially.

Leading was a short, stout middle-aged man with messy gray hair. He wore a dark green coat, purple pointed boots, and his expression mixed anxiety with seriousness.

”That’s the Minister of Ministry of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.” Ron whispered to Vid, ”I’ve met him.”

Ron and Vid were not in the same house, and previously were merely acquaintances.

But at this moment, with many adults present, Ron instinctively felt the two young wizards formed a group, appearing closer to Vid than usual.

”His taste is a bit quirky.”

Vid didn’t keep his distance, also speaking softly.

The shared criticism of his father’s boss made Ron feel they were on the same side. When an Auror glanced over at them, he instinctively shut his mouth, moving closer to Vid.

”Ronnie!” Mrs. Weasley suddenly rushed in, tightly hugging her son, then started inspecting him.

”I never thought... I never thought the random rat we adopted turned out to be an Animagus... Did he do anything to hurt you?”

Her enthusiasm embarrassed Ron, and he struggled free from his mother’s embrace, loudly saying, ”No, Mom, I’m fine!”

”Good evening, Cornelius, Arthur, Moli.” Dumbledore said, ”I think Minerva has already told you what’s happened.”

”Yes... I’ve heard it...”

Fudge didn’t approach Peter; he stood from afar, looked on, and frowned at the greyish man.

”Unbelievable... truly unbelievable...” Fudge shook his head, ”Peter is really alive! I lamented his death deeply... He’s alive! But when his mother died, he didn’t show up...”

”He’s really Scabbers?” Arthur Weasley seemed unable to accept it, his face pale, ”Did he say anything? Why was he hiding in our house?”

”Rest assured, Arthur.” Dumbledore said, ”Peter merely wanted to gain some information about the magic world from your family; he hasn’t done anything to harm the children.”

Only then did the Weasleys relax a little.

An Auror stepped up, checked Peter Pettigrew, confirming he wasn’t disguised by someone else through any magic, and nodded to Fudge.

”Then I’ll take this person away, Dumbledore,” Fudge said. ”And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, hmm, and young Mr. Weasley, I think you need to provide some information about Peter Pettigrew.”

”Okay, Minister.” Arthur Weasley naturally agreed, waving his hand to signal Ron to come to his side.

Fudge noticed Vid standing nearby and asked, ”Who is this child...?”

”This is Vid Gray, a student from Ravenclaw. He caught Peter Pettigrew, who had turned into a rat,” Professor McGonagall introduced.

”Oh?” Fudge’s gaze appeared somewhat sharp. ”Why did you go to catch a rat?”

”I asked him to do it,” Lupin said. ”I used to be friends with Peter, very familiar with his Animagus form.”

”If you need to know the capture process, I’d be happy to provide detailed information,” Vid said politely.

That was why he stayed behind.

”Oh, oh, let’s talk about this later.” Fudge seemed not very interested in this. He stared at Lupin and asked, ”You wouldn’t happen to be an illegal Animagus too, would you?”

Snape suddenly let out a cold laugh.

Lupin’s face twitched, and he muttered, ”No... I’m not.”

Dumbledore nodded, ”I can guarantee that.”

Snape’s face suddenly looked grim, and he glared fiercely at Lupin.

”Alright, since you say so...” Fudge twirled his wand, asking, ”Why does Peter look like this? It seems like he’s been through some... hmm... not entirely legal interrogation...”

”Given the severity of this incident, we had no choice but to use Veritaserum to make him speak the truth.”

Dumbledore took on the blame for Lupin as well, saying, ”Peter confessed that he was the real Secret Keeper for the Potter family and that he leaked James and Lily’s address to Voldemort...”

Fudge suddenly shivered.

Dumbledore, as if not seeing his fear, continued calmly, ”After Voldemort disappeared, Peter became a true rat on the streets. He framed Sirius, killed a dozen Muggles with a spell in broad daylight, and faked his death to escape...”

”Well, we will investigate this matter thoroughly,” Fudge said smoothly. ”The Ministry of Magic also has to fulfill its responsibilities; we can’t just... believe whatever you say, right?”

”After all, you yourself once assured the Ministry of Magic that Sirius was the Secret Keeper for the Potters...” he added. ”It’s quite a leap to overturn it now; the public might not readily accept it. We need... um, more substantial evidence.”

Vid could tell that he wasn’t doubting Dumbledore’s words but simply didn’t want to appear like a puppet for the old headmaster.

But it was only right for the Ministry to reinvestigate, and Dumbledore naturally wouldn’t oppose.

”Minister, just ask Peter, and you’ll know that Sirius is innocent...” Lupin couldn’t help but say.

”Hmph!” Snape suddenly let out a cold laugh:

”I can also assure you, Sirius Black showed murderous tendencies at sixteen! He once tried to kill me! This man probably joined the Mysterious Man with Peter Pettigrew, and the subsequent conflicts were just infighting among accomplices...”

He gave Lupin a vicious glare, refraining from revealing Lupin’s werewolf nature just because Dumbledore was present.

”Severus!” Lupin said angrily. ”Imprisoning an innocent person in Azkaban is not a just act!”

”Innocent?” Snape’s lips curled into a mocking smile. ”Sirius Black is not innocent...”

”Alright, alright, gentlemen.” Fudge interjected, ”No need to argue. I can assure you the Ministry of Magic will conduct a thorough and serious investigation. We will neither wrong any good person nor let any villain go unpunished...”

His attitude made both of them quiet down.

”Thank you, Minister.” Snape’s voice sounded like a snake hissing, ”I will be waiting for the trial results...”

It seemed as if he was saying that if the Ministry couldn’t punish Peter and Sirius adequately, he would send them both to hell himself.

”Severus...”

Dumbledore sighed.

Snape didn’t respond. He opened the door and strode out of the headmaster’s office.

Fudge soon also bid farewell, taking Peter Pettigrew, the Weasleys, and Lupin with him. Only two Aurors were left to take statements from Vid and Ron.

After Lupin became the nominal leader, Vid’s role as a ”tool person” was very limited, and his participation seemed minimal.

He briefly explained how he caught the rat and his relationship with Lupin, and the female Auror gestured that he could leave.

To them, a second-year student probably knew nothing.

Ron was questioned for a much longer time.

Standing in the hallway, Vid, using the light from outside the window, opened his palm to look.

In his hand was a very small rectangular piece of parchment, with a tiny dot slowly moving on it.