The air in the Headmaster's Office was almost solidified, with Fudge and Dumbledore standing at opposite ends of the table, neither willing to yield an inch.
Fudge was still wearing his slightly oversized green robes, but the expression on his face now was completely different from his usual smoothness.
Dumbledore was no longer the gentle and kind old man; his gaze was stern, and his blue eyes shimmered like ice.
"Cornelius, I believe I made it clear in my letter that Hogwarts does not welcome Dementors, and I will not allow any Dementors to enter Hogwarts."
Dumbledore's voice was low, filled with an unquestionable firmness.
Upon hearing Fudge's intention, his face turned deathly pale, and the usual kind facade was completely torn away by anger, replaced by a formidable authority.
Fudge tugged at his collar uncomfortably, a forced smile on his face, yet stubbornly insisting on his point.
"Dumbledore, I understand your concerns, but Black is out there, and we cannot let our guard down!"
"Black is too cunning; the only thing we can be sure of is that he will come to Hogwarts, as only here will he have a chance to harm Harry Potter."
"Dementors are the most effective protective measure; they... they must be present!"
"Dumbledore, you must understand my difficulties. Black's escape has already caused panic throughout the Wizarding World. If he harms the Savior, I simply cannot bear that responsibility."
"Dementors do not distinguish between good and evil; they will indiscriminately devour the joy and hope of the students!" Dumbledore's voice was no longer gentle, but filled with thunderous rage.
"I will absolutely not let them enter Hogwarts, no matter what you say!"
"Dumbledore, the safety of Hogwarts is my responsibility!" Fudge raised his voice, his hands on the table, leaning slightly forward, with a hint of impatience in his tone.
"The Ministry of Magic has decided that Dementors will be stationed at Hogwarts!"
Dumbledore stared intently into Fudge's eyes, suppressing his anger as he said:
"Cornelius, you are risking the lives of students. Do you truly understand how terrifying Dementors are? Do you want to turn Hogwarts into another Azkaban?"
"Dumbledore, I will emphasize it again, Dementors are employees of the Ministry of Magic; they will obey the Ministry of Magic's commands and do nothing superfluous."
The atmosphere between the two was tense. Although Fudge felt uneasy, he still straightened his back, looking stubbornly at Dumbledore.
Sebastian had been sitting silently observing, and it was at this moment that he finally felt it necessary to intervene.
Fudge insisted on bringing him along.
If it had just been him and Dumbledore, Fudge's attitude might not have been so firm.
However, now that he was present, Fudge did not want to and was unwilling to show a weak side.
After all, as Minister of Magic, his authority could not be trampled upon.
So, he would step in and play the peacemaker.
Sebastian sighed softly, stood up, and walked over to the two of them.
"Minister, Headmaster Dumbledore," Sebastian interjected, trying to mediate, "Both of your concerns are valid."
"How about this: we choose a compromise."
"Dementors can come, but they can only guard outside the walls of Hogwarts or at the various entrances, so they can effectively prevent Black from entering the campus without greatly affecting the students' daily lives."
"What do you two think?"
Fudge seemed to have found a way out and quickly agreed to the suggestion, nodding repeatedly.
"Yes, yes. Dementors outside the school, not entering the campus, students will not be disturbed."
He quietly breathed a sigh of relief, looking gratefully at Sebastian.
Fortunately, he had brought Sebastian along; otherwise, it would have been difficult to resolve today.
Being stared at by Dumbledore was simply too much pressure.
Fortunately, he held his ground and did not lose face in front of Sebastian.
He forced a smile, "Isn't this the best solution?"
Dumbledore frowned slightly. Although still reluctant, he knew this was the best compromise for now.
After all, Fudge was the Minister of Magic, and he did not want to make Fudge lose face.
"Alright, let's go with this plan. As long as Dementors do not enter the campus, I can temporarily accept it."
After reaching a consensus, the atmosphere in the Headmaster's Office relaxed, and everyone chatted and laughed, showing no signs of the previous tension.
After a while, Fudge stood up to leave, and to ease their relationship, Dumbledore decided to personally see him off.
"Sebastian, wait here for me for a moment; I'll see Cornelius out."
As soon as the door to the Headmaster's Office closed, Sebastian heard someone call him.
"Hey, Swan boy!"
Sebastian turned his head and looked at the Headmaster's portrait that had spoken.
The person in the portrait was the most unpopular Headmaster in Hogwarts history—Phineas Nigellus Black.
"Headmaster Black, what do you need me for?"
"Come closer; let's have a little private chat." Headmaster Black's goatee twitched, looking quite amusing.
Private chat?
What private chat could there be between us?
Sebastian walked to the portrait in confusion, ready to hear what he would say.
Seeing the gazes from the other Headmasters' portraits, Headmaster Black pouted and whispered.
"You are Slytherin's most outstanding graduate, and I am a Headmaster from Slytherin. Given this connection, I hope you can do me a favor."
A favor?
This was a bit new; he wondered what this former Headmaster wanted him to help with.
Sebastian smiled and said, "I'm listening."
"Do you remember Sirius Black? You two were classmates who started in the same year."
"Of course, I remember. He just escaped from Azkaban, and now the Ministry of Magic is hunting him worldwide."
"Alas... this good-for-nothing," a look of sorrow appeared on Headmaster Black's face, "I've been dead for so long, and I still have to worry about these descendants."
"Sebastian, we are both from Slytherin; we are practically family. So, as family, I want to ask you to help him."
"Help Sirius?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow, "Headmaster, I don't know if you remember, but my relationship with that fellow isn't good."
"Consider it a favor I owe you," Headmaster Black muttered softly, "The House of Black is suffering; there are only two male heirs left."
"The proper heir has been missing for so many years; he's probably dead out there."
"Now there's only Sirius left. Although he was disowned by the family, he carries the blood of the House of Black; he is the last remaining male heir of our family."
"Please help out, find him, and confine him to Grimmauld Place No. 12."
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