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*****
"Take this traitor, who has deceived everyone for so many years, away! Lock him directly in Azkaban with the Death Eaters — let him rot there until he dies!"
Cornelius Fudge, having served as Minister for Magic for many years, wasted no time after confirming that Peter Pettigrew was a traitor. His expression shifted instantly as he waved for the Aurors to take Pettigrew into custody.
Since the outcome could no longer be changed, the only thing left to do was to minimize the damage to the Ministry of Magic — and to himself as Minister.
After delivering his indignant speech, he turned his gaze toward George.
"You must be George, right? I've heard your name. You assisted Deputy Director Amy in apprehending a dark wizard in France and even earned the Medal of Bravery. Truly an outstanding wizard."
"George is the most talented student I've ever seen," Dumbledore chimed in, his voice calm yet pointed. "He's only a second-year student, but he already took the N.E.W.T.s this year and has applied for early graduation."
Dumbledore, who had been silent until now, saw right through Fudge's intentions. A flicker of understanding passed between him and George as he gave a subtle wink and spoke up.
George quickly caught on and played his part.
"I've always looked up to the Ministry of Magic and have heard that Minister Fudge is one of the finest Ministers in history. If I could join the Ministry after graduation, that would be a dream come true.
It's just a shame that I'm still so young — I'm afraid I might not meet the Ministry's age requirements."
"Fudge has never been one to stick rigidly to the rules," Dumbledore added at the perfect moment. "I had great expectations for him back in the day. I believe he won't let age be the reason to miss out on such a promising graduate."
Fudge's face lit up with a grin so wide it looked like a blooming chrysanthemum.
"You flatter me, Headmaster Dumbledore. And thank you for your trust. With such a brilliant talent as George, if he's willing to join the Ministry after graduation, we would welcome him with open arms.
Furthermore, in light of George uncovering the truth of that year and capturing Peter Pettigrew, I will be proposing that he be awarded the Second-Class Order of Merlin as a commendation.
And about the 10,000 Galleon bounty — we'll notify you in a few days. You can collect it at the Ministry then."
Originally, Fudge's plan was to persuade George to credit the Ministry with part of the achievement, thereby salvaging some merit.
After all, nearly all the credit for this incident went to George, the young wizard. If not for his newly developed tracking spell that led to Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, the truth from years ago would never have come to light.
The Ministry, on the other hand, had only shown up at the very end — they had done practically nothing of value.
If the facts were reported truthfully, it would be a huge embarrassment for the Ministry. They had already made a major blunder twelve years ago, and now they had contributed nothing once again.
But if George, during future interviews, were to credit the Ministry more and emphasize its role, things would look a lot better for them.
That was the real reason why Fudge had looked at George just now.
But now it seemed that wouldn't be necessary. George was not only graduating early — he also wanted to join the Ministry. That was fantastic news.
As long as Fudge acted quickly and recruited George before the interviews, then all the recognition George received would also reflect positively on the Ministry — because George would already be one of them.
In this way, neither the Ministry nor Fudge himself would lose face. On the contrary, they might even gain some acclaim.
"I think that should do it," George thought to himself as he looked at Fudge, who was beaming like a flower in full bloom.
With his top-tier exam scores, Dumbledore's recommendation, Fudge's endorsement, and the considerable resources Amy had spent pulling strings for him, George was confident his entry into the Ministry was practically guaranteed.
Now it was just a matter of which department he would be placed in, and what position he would be given.
In truth, what he most desired was a place in the Ministry's most mysterious branch — the Department of Mysteries.
According to what he knew, the Department of Mysteries had been established even before the Ministry of Magic itself. In fact, it could be said that the Ministry was built around the foundation of this department.
Most of what happens in this department is highly classified—only a very small number of wizards within the Ministry are even aware of what truly goes on there.
From what he understood, the Department of Mysteries focused its research on six major areas.
The first is "Love." Love is a mysterious and powerful force, tied to a very ancient form of magic in this world.
Harry's mother used this magic to protect him, causing Voldemort's Killing Curse to rebound and destroy himself instead. The protective magic lingered within Harry, shielding him from Voldemort's harm.
To be honest, George didn't understand this power very well. The school library held no relevant books, and even Dumbledore's knowledge of it was limited.
The second is "Time." Spells like the Hour-Reversal Charm and magical items like Time-Turners seem to originate from this department. It also happens to be the type of magic George is currently researching.
The third is "Space." This field primarily involves the study of celestial bodies beyond Earth, attempting to create magic by exploring the connections between stars, planets, and astronomical phenomena.
The fourth is "Prophecy." Some wizards are born with the ability to foresee the future, and there has been a continuous effort to develop this into a universally accessible form of magic.
The great battle in the Department of Mysteries, as described in the original story, took place in the Hall of Prophecy.
The fifth is "Thought." Wizards believe that the human mind holds immense secrets and potential. If fully understood, it could lead to the creation of countless new spells.
The final focus is "Death." Where does the soul go after death? Does the Grim Reaper truly exist? What secrets lie behind a wizard becoming a ghost after death?
George was fascinated by all of these areas. He believed that working alongside the department's top wizards would result in tremendous discoveries and growth.
Unfortunately, entry into the Department of Mysteries was extremely selective. All its members were carefully chosen and had to pass rigorous assessments.
It was impossible for a newcomer—no matter how talented—to walk straight into such a department.
So for now, entry was out of reach.
But that was all right. He would take it step by step. There were still plenty of other divisions within the Ministry that could help him grow. Eventually, when the time was right, he would make his way into the Department of Mysteries.
One step at a time—solid, steady progress. There was no need to rush.
Peter Pettigrew had been captured. Sirius Black's name had been cleared. And George had fulfilled his goal, ready to step back in triumph.
Next would be waiting for the results of the Ultimate Wizarding Examination. After that, he would graduate alongside the seventh-years and officially begin his career at the Ministry.
That said, he felt a slight twinge of reluctance at the thought of leaving Hogwarts. After all, he had spent two years here and had witnessed his own transformation—from a powerless young wizard to someone of great strength.
"Tonight, I'll destroy that Horcrux Voldemort hid in the Room of Requirement while I'm at it."
(End of Chapter)