Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 354 Rita Skeeter's Exclusive News
The headmaster's office is located in a separate small tower, just like the common rooms of the four houses of Hogwarts.

When Professor Lupin led Sherlock, Harry, and Sirius to the tower entrance, they were blocked by a huge stone beast.

Sirius looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar gargoyle stone beast and couldn't help but say, "I remember needing to give the correct password to enter."

"Yes."

Lupin nodded and then immediately gave the command: "Toffee finger cookies."

The dripping stone beast immediately jumped to the side.

The wall behind it then split in two, revealing a spiral staircase that slowly moves upwards.

"How nostalgic..."

Sirius, witnessing this scene, sighed once again.

"Don't worry, old buddy, you'll get used to it soon enough."

As the four of them ascended the spiral staircase, Sirius asked again:
"Dumbledore still seems to prefer using sweets as passwords. Is his tooth alright?"

"Professor Snape specially concocted a tooth-strengthening potion for him."

Lupin laughed and said, "Speaking of which, it's really lucky to be able to work with such a potions master. I've benefited quite a bit from it too."

"you?"

"Yes, Professor Snape helps me prepare the wolfsbane potion every month."

"He would actually be so kind as to help you?" Sirius looked incredulous. "And what is this wolfsbane potion?"

"Wolfsbane Potion is a recently invented and very difficult-to-constitute potion."

Professor Lu Ping, knowing that Sirius Black, who had been imprisoned for twelve years, was not well-informed, proactively explained:

"Its raw materials are very expensive, and only a handful of wizards are able to successfully concoct it, and Professor Snape happens to be one of them."

If I take it a week before the full moon, I can maintain my sanity even when I transform into a wolf.

In that situation, I could simply stay quietly in my office and wait for the full moon to pass.

"No wonder I didn't see you in the screaming shed after I came to school..."

Sirius looked enlightened. "Alright, considering he helped you, I'll try not to cause him any trouble later."

At this moment, he understood why Lupin was dressed in rags; he probably spent all his money on medicine.
He himself is not short of money, but the problem is that, as Lu Ping also made it very clear, it's not just a matter of money.

The key is to find someone who can concoct this potion.

Even though Sirius looked down on Snape, he had to admit that Snape's talent in potions was truly terrifying.

Perhaps only Horace Slughorn, their Slytherin headmaster and Potions teacher from their school days, could be compared to him.

Then the four of them rode the spiral staircase to the top.

Lupin stepped forward and knocked on the brass door knocker with a lion and eagle heads on the oak door.

"Principal, we've arrived."

"Please come in."

When Dumbledore's gentle voice came from inside the room, Lupin immediately opened the door and gestured for him to enter.

Sirius was still hesitant, but Sherlock had already pulled Harry and gone inside first.

Why does this kid act like he's at home when he walks into the principal's office?

Sirius Black's eyes widened at the sight.

Seeing this, Lupin couldn't help but smile, and pulled Sirius along, following him into the room.

Just like when Peter's identity was exposed last time, there were still four people waiting for them in the spacious and bright office.

Even the lineup is almost the same as last time: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape.

The only missing person was Remus Lupin—he went from being the one waiting to the one arriving.

He was replaced by Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic who was just mentioned.

Fudge held a newspaper in his hand, his face flushed, indicating that he had just finished talking with Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked at Fudge, seemingly listening attentively.

McGonagall and Snape watched coldly, without saying a word.

Sherlock's gaze swept quickly across the room, taking in the reactions of everyone present and deducing what had just happened.

Fudge, enraged by something published in the newspaper, sought Dumbledore's help but did not receive the desired answer.

Dumbledore appeared to be listening attentively, but in reality, he was distracted, his attention already focused on Sirius Black, who had just entered the room.

[Feeling pleased and gloating, with their attention also on Sirius, McGonagall is agitated, and Snape harbors hidden hatred.]

"Great, you've finally arrived!"

At the same time, Fudge saw Sirius as if he had seen a savior.

He casually tossed the newspaper onto the table and strode toward Sirius.

Under everyone's gaze, Fudge held Sirius's hand tightly and shook it vigorously.

Judging from his appearance, he was even more excited than when Sirius and Lupin met earlier.

If you didn't know the inside story, you would probably think he was Sirius's best friend.

"Sirius Black, our hero, you're finally back!"

Fudge's enthusiasm made Sirius feel uncomfortable.

"Thank you for your concern, Minister."

He frowned, withdrew his hand, and said somewhat stiffly:
"If only you had been this enthusiastic when you saw me in Azkaban before."

Upon hearing this, Fudge's face stiffened.

While everyone in the principal's office focused their attention on Sirius and Fudge, Sherlock had already quietly walked to the desk and picked up the newspaper that Fudge had put down.

As expected, it was still the Daily Prophet.

The front page features a moving color photograph.

It was repeating the same action that Fudge had taken earlier when he fell on the steps.

It must be said that the angle and timing of this photo are superb.

Even the expression on Fudge's face when he fell was captured clearly, making the embarrassment palpable even through the photo. Below the photo was a short article with a rather eye-catching title.

[Cornelly Fudge's ignominious exit]

Why did the brilliant and powerful Minister of Magic fall down in public?
Was Sirius Black's departure from Azkaban a pre-authorized covert operation?
Has the Ministry of Magic, in order to maintain its own authority, disregarded fairness and justice, freedom and the rule of law?

Is this a loss of humanity or a guilty conscience? Let's follow the camera and step into the inner world of Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge.

This report was filed by our special correspondent, Rita Skeeter.

Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge recently visited the Great Hall of Hogwarts and delivered an inspiring speech (see our previous article, "Ministry of Magic's Final Announcement on the 1981 Murders of the Potters and the Sirius Black Case").

As he was leaving in high spirits, his expensive dragon-skin boots unexpectedly slipped, causing Cornelius Fudge to fall on the marble steps.

After Minister Fudge fell, Weasley, the head of the Hogwarts Student Council, was the first to help him up.

As is widely known, his father, Mr. Arthur Weasley, also works at the Ministry of Magic, currently serving as the Director of the Office for the Prevention of the Abuse of Muggle Items.

Director Weasley won the annual Daily Prophet Gold Galleon Award this summer.

According to sources, this is not a coincidence, but rather something else entirely. Stay tuned for Rita Skeeter's exclusive follow-up report for more details.

Weasley was indeed quick-witted and agile—perhaps he believed that his approach would be advantageous to his father in the workplace.

However, according to a student who was present but wished to remain anonymous, when Minister Fudge was helped up, he was quite unhappy about it. He not only looked pained but also pushed Weasley away somewhat roughly, refusing his further concern.

When the Minister learned that Weasley was the son of a Ministry of Magic employee, his pale, forced smile was quite intriguing.

Minister Fudge then had a private conversation with Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world, the boy who defeated the mysterious man.

When Minister Fudge warmly invited Potter to tell Black to come to the Ministry of Magic and turn himself in as soon as possible, Potter pointed out a linguistic error in his words.

The Ministry of Magic claims that the case twelve years ago was actually Minister Fudge's "active discovery of a historical misjudgment" and that he "secretly authorized Black to act," which contradicts Minister Fudge's claim that Black should surrender.

The Daily Prophet exclusively revealed that the authenticity of the Ministry of Magic's "Final Investigation Report on the 1981 Murders of the Potters and the Sirius Black Case" is questionable.

In fact, the Ministry of Magic was initially unwilling to admit the truth because it would damage official authority and cause the public to lose trust in the Ministry of Magic.

“The minister initially tried to cover up the truth, only to be forced to compromise when the Muggle prime minister used the necessary means to pressure him,” said a Ministry of Magic staff member who dared to speak the truth. “There was no cooperation or authorization at all. Black simply escaped from Azkaban, but we just couldn’t admit it—that would mean Azkaban was no longer safe.”

But the Daily Prophet also uncovered some disturbing developments: Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore has been carefully concealing what appears to be a good relationship with the Ministry of Magic.

As is widely known, Dumbledore had confirmed to the Ministry of Magic years ago that Sirius Black was the secret keeper for the Potters, and later supported Cornelius Fudge to become Minister for Magic.

"The fact that this matter was exposed has absolutely nothing to do with the Ministry of Magic."

According to a Hogwarts professor, "Peter Pettigrew was completely singled out by Hogwarts people; the Ministry of Magic insisted on letting Dementors into the school."

While I personally disagree with Potter's behavior at school, it was precisely because of those Dementors that he nearly lost his life in a Quidditch match, and the Ministry of Magic should be held responsible for this.

When Minister Fouché triumphantly ascended the steps of his achievements, the dragon-skin boots that suddenly slipped were actually the last uneasy struggle of his conscience.

Albus Dumbledore should consider whether it is appropriate to support such a gentleman. Some worry that the Ministry of Magic might fabricate facts to take credit for itself in order to maintain its own authority. Sirius Black has not yet appeared.

Sherlock smiled.

No wonder Fudge was anxious.

This journalist named Skeeter is interesting.

He is indeed a master at stirring up emotions.

However, Sherlock was absolutely certain that he did not see any reporters in the auditorium that day.

So how did she manage to take the photos and find out what Harry and Fudge were talking about?
Percy wasn't just a figurehead; he faithfully carried out the Minister of Magic's orders—keeping no one near Harry and Fudge.

If Harry hadn't returned and told his friends about his conversation with Fudge, none of them would have known the details.

Thinking of this, Sherlock looked at Fudge.

At this moment, Fudge's face was full of embarrassment.

Sirius Black was clearly referring to him when he mentioned their meeting in Azkaban.

It's important to know that when the two met in Azkaban, the situation was completely different from what it is now.

At that time, one was the high-ranking Minister of Magic, who had maintained a stable and prosperous situation in the entire magical world since taking office.

One was a notorious Death Eater, a traitor who abandoned his camp and friends, a murderer with more than a dozen lives on his hands, and was even thrown into Azkaban without trial.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that their social statuses were worlds apart.

Who would have thought that when they met again, it would be him asking for a favor?

At this moment, Fudge couldn't help but feel a little fortunate.

Fortunately, when I saw that Sirius was still conscious, I was only surprised and did not ridicule him.

The conversation between the two parties was also very pleasant.

I'd say it was a pleasant experience.
After all, he had asked me for a newspaper, saying he wanted to play a crossword puzzle!

Otherwise, it would be extremely difficult for him to persuade Sirius now.

Thinking of this, Fudge ignored Sirius's expression, shamelessly grabbed his hand again, and said firmly:
"Actually, I had already told Harry about this before, but today I have brought more accurate information."

He paused, then said in a tone that was both happy and boastful:
"I must say, Blake, you've come at just the right time!"
The Order of Merlin, Second Class, I guarantee it.

Level 1, if I can get it!

Upon hearing Fudge's words, Professor Snape, standing next to Dumbledore, couldn't help but show a look of disgust.

The Order of Merlin, founded in the mid-11th century by the famous medieval wizard Merlin, is the oldest and most prestigious magical organization in the wizarding world.

Merlin wanted wizards to help non-wizards, so he founded the Merlin Order.

The Order of Merlin was created to help non-wizards. It stipulates that wizards are prohibited from using magic on non-wizards, and that each wizard in the Order is responsible for protecting non-wizards.

Only wizards who have made contributions to the magical world can join the Order of Merlin.

Although the Order of Merlin was later disbanded, the tradition of awarding the Order of Merlin medal to those who have made outstanding contributions to the wizarding world has been preserved.

The medals are divided into three levels based on the magnitude of the achievement and the degree of contribution to the magical world, with level one being the highest and level three the lowest.

Of all the professors at Hogwarts, only Professor Dumbledore has received a First Class Order of the Order of the Rising Sun in recognition of his defeat of the infamous dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in 1945—one of Dumbledore's major personal achievements.

Even Professor Flitwick once expressed his resentment to Sherlock about Lockhart possessing a Third Class Order of Merlin—because he himself did not have one.

Therefore, the highest honor in the magical world is to receive the Order of Merlin.

But seeing Fudge so enthusiastically about giving the medal to Sirius, who still looked disdainful, Snape's disgust reached its peak.

(End of this chapter)