Chapter 212: Fudge: Leonardo Is Practically Glowing! Order of Merlin, First Class?
A few minutes earlier.
Leonardo and Aurelius materialised on the ruined lawn, the basilisk's enormous body sprawled beside them.
What remained of the creature was broken and still. The cut at its neck was clean and smooth. The head had already been stored in Leonardo's pocket.
Its chest had been opened as well, a wide cavity where the heart had been. That, too, was already in Leonardo's pocket.
The basilisk's eyes would be used to improve his Peeking Fiend's Eye. The heart was the key material for completing Norbert's draconic magical circuitry.
Leonardo glanced at the circular barrier of qilin purification fire.
Time inside Salazar's legacy space had flowed very differently from the outside. The confrontation with Tom had ended quickly, too. From the killing strike to this moment, only a short while had passed in reality.
He was, if anything, too efficient.
"Aurelius, drop the fire barrier."
The little qilin answered with a soft cry. Its form vanished, and the golden flames around them sank gently into the earth.
"Leonardo!"
As the fire faded, the professors finally saw him.
They also saw the basilisk's mangled remains, and shock crossed every face.
They had only just arrived, and it was already over?
A basilisk. XXXXX-classified magical creature. Venom, a killing gaze, scales like armour.
Every part of its body was a weapon. Not one of the professors present would have chosen to face it alone.
And this was no ordinary specimen, but one that had lived for a thousand years. Its power had long since surpassed what records described. Its danger was beyond question.
Yet from the look of things, a student had dealt with it in an impossibly short span of time.
Dealt with it badly, too. The head was missing entirely.
"Leonardo, are you hurt? Perhaps you should go to the hospital wing…"
Professor Flitwick, the smallest among them, was the first to reach Leonardo's side. He circled him twice, checking for injuries.
"I'm fine, Professor. Really."
Leonardo even raised his arms cooperatively so Flitwick could get a better look. Apart from slightly dirty robes, he was completely unharmed, as though he hadn't just fought through two battles in succession.
"Leonardo, next time something like this happens, you tell a professor first."
Professor McGonagall's expression was deeply conflicted. She was angry at herself. As Deputy Headmistress, she had failed to detect the basilisk's appearance, and the entire crisis had been resolved by a single student. It was mortifying.
Sensing the old lioness's thoughts, Leonardo smiled and offered reassurance.
"Of course. This time was just an accident. I got too excited seeing a basilisk for the first time."
It was the truth. The moment the basilisk appeared, it triggered the Advanced Elemental Lightning Rune loan. How could he not be thrilled?
Add to that the need for the basilisk's heart, and the decision had been simple. Wand up and go.
Snape, unlike the others, did not crowd around Leonardo with concern. He slipped a healing potion back into his pocket and turned his attention to the carcass on the ground.
A basilisk was classified as a magical creature, but it could not reproduce naturally. It had to be artificially cultivated, a process that was both difficult and poorly understood by most wizards.
On this island, at least, no basilisk had been seen in four or five hundred years.
To say its body was valuable would be an understatement. From blood and scales to heart and fangs, every part had its uses.
The eyes, above all, were treasures beyond price.
Snape walked the length of the corpse and noticed that not only the head, but the heart as well, was missing.
He recalled the brief glimpse he had caught as they arrived—Leonardo holding a silver sword. Snape's gaze slid back to the boy. The boy knew his ingredients. He had almost certainly already secured both.
As a Potions Master, Snape coveted what remained of the basilisk. He was already considering what he might offer Leonardo in exchange.
Had it been any other student, Snape would have deployed a battery of arguments: A mere student cannot be trusted with such a windfall. Or, the basilisk belongs to Slytherin's legacy.
But this was Leonardo. Genuinely talented. Genuinely diligent.
And, more importantly, he had killed the basilisk single-handedly. That fact alone had, for the first time, revealed the true extent of the boy's power.
The rate of his growth defied all reason.
Suddenly, Snape saw a small, orange-red bird drop from the sky and settle on Leonardo's shoulder.
"Cheep!"
Young Fawkes chirped several times into Leonardo's ear. Leonardo nodded, said hasty goodbyes to the professors, and with a sweep of his hand, stored the basilisk's body as well.
Scarlet flame engulfed Leonardo. Boy and phoenix vanished.
The scene before Leonardo's eyes shifted to the familiar interior of Hagrid's hut.
Tom's diary had appeared in his hand. Leonardo swept a quick look around the room and found he recognised quite a few faces.
"Headmaster, there's something I'd like you to see."
Leonardo's sudden arrival cut through whatever conversation had been underway.
The instant Lucius Malfoy saw the diary, his triumphant smile froze.
In the blink of an eye, the rolled parchment he had just produced vanished back into his robes.
He decided, quite suddenly, that announcing Dumbledore's suspension order now was not a good idea—twelve governors' signatures or not.
With everyone's attention on Leonardo, Lucius edged quietly towards the door.
"Ah, Leonardo. Good evening." Fudge greeted him with a warm smile. The two had met once before, and the Minister had been left with a strong impression of this remarkable young man.
Leonardo returned the greeting politely, then stepped forward and placed the diary in Dumbledore's hands.
Just looking at it, Dumbledore could tell something was wrong. The moment his fingers closed around it, he felt a faint but unmistakably cold, twisted current of magic, one he knew very well.
Voldemort.
Tom Riddle.
Dumbledore's grip on the diary tightened. In that single instant, a cascade of thoughts flooded through him.
"Headmaster, the crisis in the Chamber has been resolved. What happened was…"
Leonardo laid out everything he could share.
Hagrid and Fudge listened in stunned silence. Dumbledore's mind was already working on the implications of the diary. And Lucius, pressed against the doorframe, grew paler with every word.
"…The basilisk and Gilderoy Lockhart are both dead."
When Leonardo's account ended with Lockhart's death, Lucius let out an almost imperceptible breath of relief. At least nothing had been traced back to him.
The thought had barely formed before Leonardo glanced at him, seemingly casual—yet the look in his eyes carried layers of meaning.
Lucius's heartbeat, which had only just steadied, spiked again. He leaned harder against the door, trying to decipher that glance.
Fudge, who had been listening intently, dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. He had never imagined Hogwarts could harbour a crisis like this. If it had truly spiralled out of control, his position as Minister might not have survived it.
True, Hogwarts fell under the Headmaster's authority, and Dumbledore would have taken the brunt of it. But angry parents would have dragged the Ministry into it all the same—dragged him into it.
That was the price of holding office.
Fudge was well aware that luck had played a part in his rise. Staying in power required constant manoeuvring, relationship-building, and careful appeasement.
With that thought, Fudge looked at Leonardo, and the boy seemed to be radiating light.
Leonardo had not only saved the students of Hogwarts. He had not only protected the future of the wizarding world. He had not only resolved a magical crisis.
Fudge was fairly certain Leonardo had just saved his political career.
Inside Hagrid's hut, no one spoke. Only the crackle of the hearth filled the silence.
Fudge was the first to break the silence. He turned to Leonardo with a smile so warm it bordered on uncomfortable.
"Leonardo—truly, a hero for the ages! We owe you a great debt for slaying that basilisk and protecting everyone."
He leaned forward, his tone friendly, but edged with purpose. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, might you show me the basilisk's remains? Not that I doubt you for a moment, of course—it's simply that we'll need something to reassure the public. I'm sure someone as perceptive as you understands."
By now, Fudge had decided he could no longer treat Leonardo as a child. And it wasn't only because of the basilisk. Once his initial shock began to settle, another thought surfaced.
Recently, a group of Aurors had requested approval to purchase a batch of magical devices, mostly defensive items that could automatically trigger protective magic in response to incoming attacks. They would significantly improve Auror safety during field operations.
These were relatively peaceful times, yes. Fewer wizards meant fewer Dark wizards and fewer dangers. But no one would turn down an extra layer of protection.
Aurors were skilled combat wizards, but ambushes and traps could still catch them off guard. Self-activating protective devices were invaluable.
As the official body, the Ministry naturally wanted a stable supply chain. And that was how Fudge had learned that every single one of those devices had been made by Leonardo.
A twelve-year-old. Where on earth had he learned alchemy like that?
Fudge knew Hogwarts did not offer Alchemy until the upper years, and Leonardo was Muggle-born with no family tradition to draw on. After thinking it over, Fudge concluded Dumbledore must have taught him personally. He had already noticed how much attention the Headmaster paid to the boy. It made sense.
The more Fudge understood, the more certain he became that Leonardo's future was extraordinary. No, his present was already worth investing in.
"No need for all that trouble," Leonardo said. "I've already brought it."
He gave a light flick of his wand, and the somewhat cramped room expanded to a more workable size.
Then came the heavy thud of something large hitting the floor.
The basilisk's severed head was enormous and grotesque. Its jaws hung slightly open, fangs bared like blades. Both eyes had been removed. Partially dried blood stained the empty sockets, and those hollow, dark pits faced directly towards Lucius at the door.
Lucius flinched.
Even in death, the head radiated an oppressive menace. The moment it appeared, Fudge let out a startled yelp. A career politician who spent his days behind a desk had never seen anything like it. He stumbled backward, nearly collapsing into a chair.
"A basilisk," Fudge breathed, voice shaking faintly. "So this is a basilisk…"
He wanted to step closer for a better look, but could not quite bring himself to.
Dumbledore, who had been deep in thought over the diary, was also drawn by the basilisk's head. Fudge's late-night visit to arrest Hagrid had caught him off guard, and Lucius's appearance even more so.
Dumbledore's gaze shifted to Lucius at the door. His blue eyes flashed with a sharp, knowing light.
That rolled parchment Lucius had produced moments ago. Dumbledore knew the man had come prepared. Perhaps this entire affair…
Feeling the weight of Dumbledore's stare, Lucius pulled his eyes away from the basilisk's head and tried to keep his expression neutral.
"Leonardo, would you mind if I take a photograph?" Fudge asked. "It would help make the case more convincing. The parents are deeply concerned about their children, after all."
Leonardo saw no reason to refuse. It was a chance for publicity as well.
Seeing Leonardo's agreement, Fudge called one of the Aurors inside.
Bang.
The door slammed straight into Lucius's back. The Auror outside clearly had not expected anyone to be standing quite so close.
Lucius accepted the Auror's apology with as much dignity as he could muster, insisting it was nothing.
All he wanted was for this evening to end so he could go home.
The Auror, following Fudge's instructions, raised a camera and began clicking away at the basilisk's head.
Fudge seized the opening to make conversation with Leonardo.
"Leonardo, what a harrowing night. You've resolved such a monumental crisis. It would be wrong not to give you some kind of honour…"
Those words reminded Dumbledore of something.
Of course. They had already arranged to award Leonardo an Order of Merlin, Second Class.
The Wizengamot had reached that conclusion after extensive discussion, based on Leonardo's innovation and contribution to Transfiguration.
Leonardo's age had been a sticking point. A recipient this young would be unprecedented, and some members had argued for waiting a few years.
But the achievement of magical creature Transfiguration was simply too brilliant to deny.
The Wizengamot included dozens of accomplished witches and wizards, and among them were serious scholars of Transfiguration. They had been so awestruck by Leonardo's work that they had immediately and loudly challenged anyone who suggested delaying the award.
Dumbledore had naturally voted in favour, and as Chief Warlock, his vote carried decisive weight.
In the end, it was settled. Leonardo would become the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin in history.
But at the time, no one had proposed a First Class.
Aside from the tradition of retiring Ministers awarding themselves one on their way out, the honour was reserved for those who had resolved a major crisis in the wizarding world—or saved a great many lives.
Dumbledore's gaze settled on Leonardo. Behind his half-moon spectacles, a light kindled.
Had he not just done exactly that?
Saving Hogwarts's students. Protecting the future of the wizarding world.
In that instant, Dumbledore's thoughts ran far and wide.
He was glad to see Leonardo receive every honour he deserved. It was not only what the boy had earned.
Dumbledore also believed that the more positive recognition Leonardo received from the wizarding world, the less likely he was to stray down a darker path. People who felt loved tended to love the world in return.
How many times had Dumbledore wondered whether Tom Riddle, had he not grown up in suffering, might never have become Lord Voldemort?
With that thought, Dumbledore began to speak, measured and deliberate.
"Cornelius, I believe…"
But before he could finish, a voice cut in, sharp with sudden intensity.
"I believe Leonardo Grafton should be nominated for the Order of Merlin. First Class!"
Dumbledore turned, startled, to see who had stolen his line.
Lucius Malfoy.
Lucius's grey eyes were alight, as if he had just seized upon an inspiration.