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"Ahem," I cleared my throat, drawing the attention of the audience back to me once more.
"Well, now that I've proven to everyone that I wasn't lying, I expect our most esteemed Ministry to actually do something about these Death Eaters and that red-eyed wizard."
"After all, I know the Ministry — and you in particular, Minister — wouldn't want this so-called Dark Lord, whoever he may be, spreading chaos across Britain and terrorizing your people."
"That's why I'm sure you'll do your very best to uncover exactly what happened tonight. Not only to reassure the public, but also to seek justice for me and Harry, who were both victims of this terrible incident."
"And of course, our helpful and considerate Minister will obviously make every possible resource available to the Aurors, so that they can do their job properly — and as quickly as possible."
"Right, Minister?" I looked at him with a small smile.
Seeing the crowd's eyes fixed on him, waiting for an answer, and feeling the weight of my question, Fudge could only nod with a forced smile, while cursing me inwardly.
Satisfied with the response of that cowardly politician, I gave a small approving nod.
My gaze then subtly shifted to a red-haired woman with a professional, serious air standing at the front of the crowd, watching everything with deep attention and concern.
That woman was Amelia, the head of our ever-so-diligent magical police. And upon hearing the promise of support I had just forced out of Fudge, she felt part of the burden on her shoulders ease slightly.
She also felt my eyes on her, and when she turned to meet my gaze, she gave a small nod, her look both grateful — and even somewhat respectful.
And that was one of my goals for tonight.
I didn't just want to humiliate Fudge and force him to acknowledge Voldemort's possible return. I also wanted to make him publicly commit to supporting Amelia and the Aurors, giving them more freedom to act against dark wizards.
'Now, without Fudge's suppression, the Aurors will finally be able to prove useful next year,' I thought.
Then I nodded to myself, realizing I had already accomplished everything I needed tonight. Deciding to wrap things up, I spoke again.
"Well, I've said everything I had to say about what Harry and I witnessed in that graveyard."
"So, if you have no further questions for either of us, we'll..." I gestured toward my family and the rest of the group, "...be heading back to the castle to rest and recover from tonight's incident."
Saying that, I didn't even give Fudge a chance to reply or react. I ignored him completely the moment I finished speaking, leaving him momentarily stunned.
Knowing that as soon as he snapped out of it he'd probably try to stop us, I immediately turned and began walking quickly and purposefully toward the Quidditch Pitch exit.
My family and Harry's family, seeing me leave the scene so abruptly and hastily, blinked in surprise for a moment.
But not even a second later, they understood my actions. And noticing Fudge's confused and irritated expression, they couldn't help but smile in amusement.
They exchanged looks, shrugged, and without sparing the Minister a second glance, followed right after me.
Fudge, shaking his head to clear his daze, looked at our retreating backs as we grew more and more distant.
It took a few seconds for his mind to process what was happening, but when it finally did, his face turned crimson with rage.
'This... This is outrageous!' he screamed silently inside his head.
Realizing that he — the man who practically held command over the entire British wizarding community — was being so easily and shamelessly ignored by us, filled him with fury.
But above all, he felt utterly humiliated. And unfortunately for him, there was nothing he could do about it.
He couldn't scold or accuse us of disrespect — even though that's exactly what we were doing — because among those who had treated him so dismissively stood Lord Black and the immortal Flamels.
He knew he had already taken quite a risk tonight by arguing with me and questioning my honesty in front of them, and he didn't want to push his luck further.
He feared that if he tried to pressure us any more, it might finally provoke the wrath of those influential and powerful wizards.
Swallowing his frustration, Fudge could only glare at us through gritted teeth, watching our strategic retreat.
Even from afar, I could feel his fury, which only made me delightfully satisfied.
And though I couldn't prove it, I was almost certain I was developing some sort of sadistic pleasure in irritating and humiliating incompetent, pathetic, and despicable wizards and witches.
'Hmm, I'm starting to understand Professor Snape a little better,' I thought, just before my train of thought was interrupted.
"Come along, this way," Madam Pomfrey — who had been beside us since she finished examining the remains — suddenly said, gesturing for us to follow her.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking.
'Huh?' I blinked, confused. 'Why would she stop us just to say that, when we were already heading that way?' I wondered.
But after paying closer attention, I realized she wasn't heading toward the exit, but toward the medical tent nearby.
"Uh..." I stopped, looking at her with a strange expression. "Actually, Madam Pomfrey, we were heading to the castle..."
Hearing that, the matron of the Hospital Wing also stopped and turned back to me, "I said: Come along!" she repeated, fixing me with such a sharp look that, honestly, sent chills down my spine.
...
...
...
"...O-okay..." I nodded slowly.
And if anyone said that the look on my face was one of fear, that person would clearly be lying!
Not daring to defy or argue with the terrifying healer, I followed her toward the medical tent — under the amused and ironic gazes of my family and friends.
'Heh, this is the same guy who beat a dragon into submission and mocked the Dark Lord?' Harry thought, letting out a barely contained laugh.
But in the very next second, the golden boy froze completely.
The smile on his face vanished the instant he realized Madam Pomfrey was now glaring at him with that same sharp, severe expression.
'Gulp!' he swallowed hard.
And without waiting — or perhaps not wanting to risk — for the old lady to say or do anything, he immediately quickened his pace to catch up with me.
Thus, the two of us made our way obediently toward the medical tent, ready to be thoroughly — and, unfortunately, mercilessly — examined by the dragon-mother matron.
Our families still followed closely behind, with no intention of leaving us alone. They didn't plan to let either of us out of their sight... Not after everything that had happened tonight.
Even some of our closest friends joined the group, which was growing larger by the minute.
They had started following us as soon as we left the crowd, worried about our health and safety — and also curious about what had really happened in the graveyard.
Of course, a few journalists, Ministry officials, and curious bystanders also tried to follow, hoping to ask Harry and me more questions.
However, one cold, irritated glare from Sirius was enough to make them immediately abandon that idea. Those nosy, gossip-hungry busybodies quickly realized they wouldn't be getting close to us anytime soon.
What they didn't know was that their fear of Sirius had actually spared them from quite an unpleasant — and painful — fate.
If they hadn't been stopped by the canine Animagus and had truly insisted on bothering us, they would've found themselves facing the deadly tip of Penny's wand.
After all the disastrous and stressful events of the night, she was already irritated enough with the meddling crowd that wanted to disturb her grandson's rest.
So she wouldn't have wasted words on them. She would've simply taught them — in the most practical and physical way possible — a few good manners.
End.
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