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Wishful thinking?
Kyle frowned, not understanding what Dumbledore was talking about.
But he seemed to suddenly change his mind and no longer wanted to talk about this topic.
"In short," said Dumbledore, "it was my mistake to lock you in the Room of Requirement, and I sincerely hope you will accept my apology."
"Ah, never mind." Kyle waved his hand.
Although Dumbledore's actions were a bit unkind, if you think about it carefully, he didn't seem to lose anything. He even took a few more classes before the end of Ravenclaw's memory because he couldn't get out.
"What is Fudge's purpose here?" Kyle took the initiative to change the subject: "He seems to be too worried about Hogwarts."
It was just a sneak attack by Death Eaters. Although the location was Hogwarts, it was not a war that Voldemort personally participated in. There were only a dozen people who came, including cannon fodder. Did this kind of thing really need to be discussed all night?
"He wants me to close Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, with undisguised disappointment in his voice.
"Close Hogwarts?" Kyle was also stunned. "What should we do with the lower-grade students? Let them go out and face the Death Eaters alone?"
"Fudge didn't think about it at all," Dumbledore said. "He insisted that the school was no longer safe and that bringing so many people together was a mistake.
"But we all know that he actually just wants to protect himself. I think you should have read the recent Daily Prophet."
Kyle nodded.
He had indeed seen it and knew that Death Eaters had recently begun to frequently target the Ministry of Magic, seemingly to establish their authority and spread fear. So far, more than a dozen Ministry of Magic employees had been killed by them, including two deputy deputies. Director.
Amelia Bones of the Department of Legal Enforcement also encountered an attack. Although she successfully defeated the attacker, she also paid a heavy price. She lay in St. Mungo's for two months before being reluctantly discharged.
As the Minister of Magic, Fudge naturally became the focus of attention. There were three reported attacks alone. Fortunately, the Aurors arrived in time every time and resolved the crisis.
"Does Fudge want you to protect him?" Kyle asked.
"Connelly did have this intention. He invited me to be the Ministry of Magic's special adviser to fight the Death Eaters." Dumbledore said, "But when he talked to me, he always said intentionally or unintentionally that he was the leader of the wizarding world. The hope of defeating Voldemort has also become who can get more support."
"He was scared," Kyle said.
"It's understandable," Dumbledore said calmly. "Before this, Fudge seemed to have always believed that Voldemort did not dare to attack employees of the Ministry of Magic."
"Ha, how is this possible?" Kyle curled his lips and laughed at Fudge's naive idea.
Afraid to attack the Ministry of Magic? Don't be kidding, if there was a fight, Voldemort's first target would be the Ministry of Magic, and Cornelius Fudge Fudge, the Minister of Magic.
The decision to stop the change of ministers during wartime, in addition to making it easier to direct operations, also has the function of preventing a certain minister from escaping during the battle... Although this situation has basically never happened in history, but what if.
Once the minister escapes from the battlefield, the impact will be huge, so it is right to be cautious.
Fudge was probably scared. So many Ministry of Magic employees were killed and he was attacked many times. He must have wanted to find someone more reliable than an Auror to protect him.
And Dumbledore is the best candidate. As long as he is by Dumbledore's side, he is absolutely safe.
But the problem now is that Dumbledore must stay in the school, and it is impossible to leave the students alone and become a combat consultant.
But Kyle never expected that Fudge would actually have the idea of shutting down the school... This kind of idea is not impossible. After all, everyone wants Dumbledore to protect him, and Kyle himself is no exception.
But no matter how much he thinks about it, he must never say it out loud, especially from his mouth as the Minister of Magic.
"How did you respond to him?" Kyle asked.
"Of course it's impossible." Dumbledore said without hesitation, "The school will only be on holiday and will never be closed."
"Fudge agreed?"
"I think he still wants to fight for it again," Dumbledore said. "Fudge is not a person who changes his mind easily, but the school is my bottom line. No matter what, this place will not be closed."
"He won't hold us back." Kyle was a little worried.
To be honest, Fudge's biggest role was to get the wizards in the wizarding world to accept the news in the early days of Voldemort's comeback. Fudge, who was well-spoken, was always good at this kind of thing.
And when Voldemort came from the darkness to the stage, his role was limited.
In contrast, Amelia Bones, who despite being injured in the attack, unswervingly stated in the newspaper that she would fight the Death Eaters to the end and declare war on them at St. Mungo's, was obviously more suitable for the position of minister.
"Don't worry about that." Dumbledore waved his hand and said calmly: "The Ministry of Magic is no longer under his control, and even for his own safety, he will not make any irrational decisions."
"I hope so," Kyle said.
Dumbledore looked up at the time and said, "Do you have any more questions? If not, I may have to go to Grimmauld Place. There is a very important meeting at eleven o'clock, which we agreed on yesterday. "
Kyle also looked up and saw that it was already ten fifty.
"One more, Professor."
"Then ask quickly." Dumbledore said, "But I'm not sure how detailed I can answer. You know, this meeting is very important and I can't be late."
"Did Malfoy be rescued early this morning?" Kyle said directly.
Dumbledore was slightly startled, as if he didn't expect Kyle to ask this.
"Where did you hear that?"
"There are no secrets at Hogwarts." Kyle shrugged, briefly recounting the news and speculations he had heard before.
Dumbledore fell silent again, and finally spoke after about a minute:
"I'm not going to lie to you, yes, Mr. Malfoy was rescued and he has now left the school.
"But Kyle, I must say that he was actually helpless. Voldemort forced him to do this, otherwise he would kill Lucius and Narcissa.
"As far as I know, he also cried uncontrollably in the school bathroom because of guilt and uneasiness. He had no choice."
Kyle felt more and more strange as he listened to his words.
"Wait, Professor." He interrupted Dumbledore and asked with a strange expression: "Don't you think I don't want to let him go?"
"Ahem..." Dumbledore coughed dryly. Although he didn't say anything, Kyle could see that this was what he meant. Those words he just said were all good things for Malfoy.
"I'm really just curious." Kyle explained: "I never thought about doing anything to him, and there is no need."
"Really?"
"Of course, Malfoy didn't point the wand at me, why should I hold on to him?" Kyle said.
Hearing this, Dumbledore seemed to be slightly relieved.
"Ah, yes, he was rescued," Dumbledore said. "It's all because I was so absorbed in talking to Fudge that I didn't expect the Death Eaters to return to Hogwarts."
"Are you sure it's a Death Eater?" Kyle looked at his calm expression, "Not Professor Snape?"
Dumbledore seemed to have been burned by the black tea. His hand shook and a lot of it spilled out.
"Of course not. Severus is the one responsible for guarding Malfoy, and he is injured."
"Really? I might be overthinking it." Kyle said, "But he is quite popular. There are Death Eaters who are willing to return to Hogwarts, which is fraught with danger, to save him.
"He is also very lucky. If he stays in school, he will definitely be taken back to the Ministry of Magic. If it is confirmed that he is related to the Death Eaters who attacked Hogwarts this time, he may not be able to come back. "
"But it's more dangerous to go back to Voldemort, isn't it?"
"It depends on the situation. Antonin Dolohov should be leading the team this time. Even he ran away in a hurry, so what reason does Voldemort have to embarrass Malfoy, who is not yet an adult.
"He'll just blame me."
When he said this, Kyle stared at Dumbledore without blinking.
"Yeah, who says it's not?" Dumbledore seemed a little guilty and turned his head slightly away from looking into Kyle's eyes.
After that, he quickly put down the black tea in his hand, stood up and said, "Okay, that's all for today. I really need to go to the meeting. You should go back to class as soon as possible."
After that, without waiting for Kyle to speak again, he disappeared into the office.
Kyle glanced at the time. It was still three minutes to eleven o'clock, and it might take Dumbledore less than three seconds to Apparate to number twelve Grimmauld Place.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 764 Voldemort’s preferential treatment
"Idiots, all idiots!"
It was still the splendid hall. Both sides of the long table were filled with wizards wearing black hoods. But they all lowered their heads in silence at this time, for fear that when they looked up they would see those indifferent eyes. Fearful red eyes.
"Why don't you speak." Voldemort came to a person and asked condescendingly: "Antoning, how did you promise me that this is your answer to me?
"You lost a leg and ran away like a bed bug, and you still want to ask for my forgiveness?"
"Master, I swear I have tried my best, master!" Antonin Dolohov fell to the ground with a plop and tried to kiss Voldemort's robe that was dragging on the ground, but Voldemort avoided him in disgust.
This action made Antonin Dolohov even more frightened. As an old Death Eater who had followed Voldemort more than ten years ago, he knew very well what it meant when the Dark Lord no longer accepted compliments from his servants.
This means that this servant has completely no use value in his eyes... It's like no one would take a second look at a broken shoe.
"It's Malfoy, it's Draco Malfoy." Antonin Dolohov said sharply: "If he could kill Dumbledore earlier, we would have completed the mission long ago!"
At the end of the long table, Draco Malfoy felt a gaze coming towards him, which instantly made him feel cold all over, and his face became extremely pale, with no trace of blood at all.
"Nonsense, you despicable coward!" Lucius Malfoy suddenly raised his head and glared at Antonin Dolohov with bloodshot eyes. He used to have a good relationship with him... or at least a colleague.
"Draco did what none of you could do!"
At this moment, Lucius couldn't care less about being afraid, and roared: "Draco found a secret passage to Hogwarts for his master. His contribution is obvious to all, who of you can do it?" No, no one!"
Everyone else present raised their heads and looked at Lucius Malfoy.
To be honest, his indiscriminate attack could be said to have scolded everyone present, and it was useless to scold them in front of Voldemort.
At this moment, the Death Eaters wanted to kill him more than ever, but they did not dare to do anything, not even to refute.
Because what Lucius said is true.
Before this, they really couldn't find a way to enter Hogwarts smoothly. No, it should be said that it was difficult for them to even go to Hogsmeade. The school was almost surrounded by spies from the Order of the Phoenix.
So in a sense, Draco Malfoy's contribution to finding the Vanishing Cabinet is indeed beyond everyone's imagination.
After Lucius said this, Voldemort also withdrew his gaze and looked at Antonin Dolohov on the ground again, as if waiting for his explanation.
At the same time, there was a rustling sound coming from the shadows beyond the light, as if something was sliding over from the ground, and the sound became clearer and clearer.
Dolokhov was really scared, and beads of sweat on his forehead were trapped on the ground.
He really wanted to say that he had not done it because he had obeyed Voldemort's order and had to let Draco Malfoy kill Dumbledore himself.
But Dolokhov did not dare. He was sure that if he said so, he would die immediately.
So now he can only hope that someone can help and say a few words, but unfortunately, there is no tradition of helping colleagues among Death Eaters.
Voldemort slowly raised his wand.