(AN: Leave a comment and a review, your feedback helps me a lot.)
If you want to support me and read ahead!
Patrë-on.com/Se7enX
Yeah! Here's the new chapter!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
While the matron of the Hospital Wing worked her magic on the remains — sorry for the pun —, I looked over her shoulder.
There, in the middle of the crowd, I saw her — Fleur, the cheerful and fearless French witch I had befriended this school year.
She was standing close to my family, her fist pressed firmly against her chest as she looked at me — a tense gaze, yet filled with happiness and relief lit up her delicate face.
The beautiful Veela had been inside the medical tent with Madam Pomfrey and her parents this whole time, recovering from her anguished and shaken state.
But a few minutes ago, she and everyone inside had heard the commotion erupting outside. And the moment she recognized my voice, Fleur immediately wanted to come see me and make sure I was alright.
Unfortunately for her, neither her parents nor the fierce and protective matron allowed her to leave until she had fully calmed down.
It was only after much insistence — and even a few threats against herself — that they gave in.
So, she finally left the tent, and without hesitation she ran straight toward the sound of my voice, with hope, joy, and relief overflowing in her chest.
Now, seeing me completely fine at the entrance of the maze, smiling at her with my characteristic grin, she felt all her worries and fears melt away.
'Thank Merlin you're safe and well!' she thought, with a tearful smile full of affection and happiness.
Sensing the emotions of the Beauxbatons student, my gaze softened toward her.
'Sorry for making you worry, Fleur, but now I'm here, and I'm fine,' I thought.
And in that moment, I promised myself I would make it up to Fleur for all the stress I had caused her. Not only her, but my family and my other friends as well.
Speaking of my friends, they were standing in a group a few meters away from Fleur.
All of them had their attention entirely on me, on Fudge, and on Madam Pomfrey, not wanting to miss a single moment of the spectacle I was putting on.
However, there was one person among them who wasn't as interested in this whole mess involving the Death Eaters.
And that person was Luna, who also had her attention on me — but for a different reason.
She was staring at Fleur and me with her brow slightly furrowed — an expression rarely seen on her normally cheerful and serene face.
The blonde Ravenclaw had noticed the exchange of looks and smiles between Fleur and me, and it brought a suffocating discomfort to her chest, as if something were squeezing her heart.
She knew exactly what that bitter, unpleasant feeling was, but there was nothing she could do except try to justify what she was seeing.
'They're just friends who are happy to see each other after going through a traumatic event… There's nothing more to it. There's no reason for me to worry,' Luna told herself silently, almost like a mantra.
The dreamy little witch then suppressed her discomfort, returning to her usual serene and cheerful expression — even if now it looked a bit forced.
'Hm,' I frowned, casting a sidelong glance at Luna.
She didn't know it, but every emotion and feeling she had just felt — and was still feeling — had been noticed by me.
I was fully aware of the emotions of everyone around me, and part of my focus was especially directed toward those closest to me.
Because of that, I immediately sensed the emotional turbulence Luna was going through, which worried me… until I understood what was happening.
'Sigh… I never expected Luna, of all people, would be jealous,' I thought, with affectionate exasperation, though also somewhat amused.
"Finished," Madam Pomfrey said, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Turning my attention back to the present moment, I looked at the dragon-mother of the Hospital Wing, who was still holding Nott's arm while analyzing a sphere that pulsed with red light in front of her.
One glance was enough for me to recognize the diagnostic spell she had cast. And the crimson glow made it clear: the blood of the two remains was not compatible. If it were, the sphere would have shone green.
"So?" I raised an eyebrow, gesturing toward the Minister and our audience.
My gesture was clear: I wanted her to announce the test results so everyone could hear.
Quickly understanding my signal, Madam Pomfrey turned to Fudge, pointing at the glowing red sphere.
"Well, Mr. Night is telling the truth. The tests I performed show that this arm does not belong to either Pettigrew or Macnair, but rather to an unknown third person," she declared firmly.
With that response, everyone in the Quidditch pitch immediately turned their eyes to Fudge.
Expressions of judgment, distrust, and irritation spread across people's faces. They were whispering and muttering to one another while pointing their fingers at the Minister.
The journalists, with their faces flushed with excitement, wasted no time before furiously scribbling on their parchments again.
Fudge, seeing this, felt his stomach sink. In that moment, he wished his generous friend Lucius or his loyal and helpful secretary were at his side.
Both of them, compared to him, were far better at handling situations like this.
But unfortunately, the Minister had come to this tournament alone — and now he had to endure all the whispers and accusing stares directed at him.
'Damn… Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn!' he cursed repeatedly in his mind, 'This shouldn't be happening… Things weren't supposed to end like this!'
'And it's all their fault,' he glared furiously at those in my group.
'No… Actually, the fault is his alone!' his gaze then fixed on me. His face was red as he gnashed his teeth, 'If he had just kept quiet, we wouldn't be in this mess, and no one would be criticizing me right now!'
'I knew it… I felt that boy was trouble from the very first moment I saw him.'
'But I made a mistake… I was far too indulgent with him,' he clenched his fists, 'I should have had the Aurors arrest him right after the end of the first task!'
With that thought, a vindictive, daring, and somewhat risky idea began to take shape in his mind.
As Fudge glared at me like I was his newest mortal enemy, I caught some of his surface thoughts with my Legilimency.
Normally, I wouldn't use that kind of mind magic on someone who wasn't a dark wizard, but this time I had used the ability almost instinctively.
My Legilimency had triggered unconsciously and blended with my empathy the instant I felt Fudge's malice toward me.
And it turned out to be a good thing, because I was able to spy on his mind and see the 'great' plan he was hatching for me.
'Well, it looks like I'll be replacing Harry in the Dementor attack this summer,' I thought dryly.
And at some point, I started to wonder if I would end up facing all the challenges and problems meant for the original protagonist — even those I hadn't meddled in or sought out on purpose
'Sigh... this is the curse of being the new protagonist of this world' I thought with a dignified look.
My gaze then fell again on Fugde, noticing that his angry expression as he stared at me had not lessened — on the contrary, it seemed to have intensified.
'Hmph... Idiot' I rolled my eyes.
Even knowing that Fudge was scheming against me, I felt no worry or fear: only disdain for his despicable and treacherous methods.
Unfortunately for him, that plan — and any plan he might try to create — was already doomed to fail.
I was strong enough to deal with Dementors or any other magical creature he might throw at me. And as for the matter of using magic outside of school… Well, that wouldn't affect me either.
'Hmm, I wonder what his reaction — and the others' — will be at the trial when they find out I'm emancipated and a legal adult in the wizarding world?' I asked myself.
And as I imagined the frustrated and bewildered looks they would have, I had to restrain a malicious smile that threatened to appear on my face.
Shaking my head, I set those thoughts aside, before my gaze swept over everyone on the field, observing their reactions and listening to their conversations and whispers.
Seeing the turmoil caused by my shocking revelations, I couldn't have been more satisfied.
So, knowing that my goal had been accomplished — and realizing that my argument with the Minister had already dragged on for far too long — I decided it was time to bring this whole mess to an end.
End.
----------------------------------------------------------------------