"A pity the Minister is not Madam Bagnold," Richard sighed theatrically. "Such a delightful lady, and perfectly acquainted with proper etiquette. When she stayed at our estate, my godfather, Prince Charles, spoke very highly of Madam Bagnold's professional abilities and her impeccable manners."
McGonagall's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. In astonishment, her mouth fell slightly open.
Dumbledore seemed thoroughly amused. Behind his half-moon spectacles, his eyes sparkled with mischief, and merry little wrinkles gathered at their corners. Richard stole a glance at the headmaster, who responded with the faintest nod towards the tabletop and the barest hint of a wink. Grosvenor did not care for it in the slightest; it felt to him as though the man were trying to manipulate him through such painfully transparent tricks.
The Minister's face became blotched with angry red patches, and his right eye twitched.
"Acquaintance with members of the Royal Family," Fudge snarled, practically hoarse with rage, "does not exempt one from punishment for violating wizarding law!"
"I am innocent before the law," Richard replied calmly, though maintaining that outward composure cost him dearly.
Had it not been for years spent under strict tutors and business negotiations with sharks of the financial world, the young wizard would hardly have been capable of carrying himself with such poise and dignity.
"I have been informed otherwise," Fudge said with malicious anticipation. "You, Lord Grosvenor, have violated the law concerning the illegal use of enchanted Muggle artefacts!"
Richard merely shrugged calmly and answered:
"I am a schoolboy, Minister. I do not know how to enchant anything. Professor McGonagall can confirm that we have not yet been taught anything of the sort."
"That is indeed true," McGonagall replied dryly. "What utter nonsense is this?" she demanded, fixing the Minister with a furious glare. "How can you accuse a first-year student of something like that?!"
"Have you completely lost your mind, Minister?!" Professor Sprout burst out indignantly.
"Oh, no!" Fudge exclaimed, once again rocking upon the balls of his feet. "You did not enchant anything yourself. But you, Lord Grosvenor, own a business that employs experienced wizards. And they enchant Muggle technology for you!"
"And?" A crooked mocking smile twisted Richard's face. He regarded the Minister with lofty disdain. "Mister Fudge, since when have the laws of magical Britain forbidden the enchanting of Muggle objects?"
"Yes, Cornelius," Dumbledore said gravely, "I too should like to know when these nonexistent laws came into being."
"I misspoke slightly," the Minister muttered with an irritated grimace. "Yes, the law does not forbid enchanting Muggle objects, but…" His entire manner radiated self-righteousness and a desperate wish to have the unpleasant matter concluded. "I know for a fact that enchanted items from Lord Grosvenor's workshop are ending up in the hands of Muggles! And that is a serious offence — a violation of the International Statute of Secrecy."
"If I am not mistaken," Richard replied evenly, "your Ministry possesses an entire department dedicated to preventing magical artefacts from falling into Muggle hands. I fail to see what any of this has to do with me. I spend most of my time at Hogwarts and have neither knowledge nor awareness of what occurs in the workshop."
"I have been informed otherwise!" Fudge declared triumphantly. "One of your company's employees confessed everything, so there is no point in denying it. You will only make matters worse for yourself."
"And what exactly could some employee possibly have confessed?" Richard asked with irony. "That I personally hand enchanted artefacts over to Muggles? Perhaps I do so directly from Hogwarts?"
"Minister, this has gone beyond all acceptable limits!" McGonagall hissed furiously. "This is outrageous! How dare you accuse a boy of such things? He has not left Hogwarts even once and could not possibly have committed any of the acts you describe!"
"I will not allow slander to be cast upon my students!" Professor Sprout declared, stepping in to defend Richard. She planted her hands angrily upon her hips and glared at the Minister with fury.
Under such pressure, Fudge involuntarily took a step backwards and glanced nervously at the Aurors. Feeling the support of law enforcement behind him, he regained some courage.
"Lord Grosvenor did not personally pass enchanted objects to Muggles," the Minister amended hastily, "but Muggles collected enchanted items at his instruction."
Richard asked with open sarcasm:
"What, the Muggles simply walked up to wizards and said, 'Earl Grosvenor sent us,' and were then handed enchanted artefacts?"
"Oh, no!" Fudge grinned triumphantly. "You, young man, devised a far more sophisticated scheme. The enchanted items are stored in a hangar, and at night, when not a single wizard remains in the workshop, Muggles arrive and collect the artefacts!"
"So, Minister," Richard said, his voice drenched in sarcasm, "you are openly informing me that you possess evidence of large-scale thefts of artefacts from my workshop, yet instead of investigating those thefts, you come here to accuse a Lord of some absurd crime? Remarkable. Truly remarkable! To place the wizards of Britain on the brink of life and death merely to conceal your own incompetence… Bold. Bold, but foolish."
"Is that a threat?!" the Minister gasped in outrage.
"A statement of fact." Richie nodded towards the black Auror. "That gentleman, I believe, immediately realised just how monumentally foolish it would be to accuse a member of the Royal Family of some ridiculous offence. Sir, perhaps you would care to explain to the Minister the consequences of such a decision?"
(End of Chapter)
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