Hogwarts: I'm Harry's older cousin

Chapter 453, Section 448: The Soul-Summoning Potion

At the Ministry of Magic, figures moved constantly across the wide plaza, with officials bustling about everywhere.

Almost everyone's face was tense, without a trace of a smile, and a tense atmosphere permeated every corner.

Any wizard who pays even a little attention to the recent situation knows that, given the current state of the European magical world, war could break out at any moment.

Inside a spacious playground within the Ministry of Magic, Fudge was giving a speech on a stage.

Standing to his left were Scrimgeour and Mr. Weasley, while to his right stood Professor Lupin and Sirius Black. Behind him stood two wizards who were somewhat unfamiliar to the other Aurors: Alice Longbottom and Frank Longbottom.

Below them stood Aurors, and of course, strikers.

"I imagine many of you have heard rumors about 'that person' returning, haven't you?"

"Even during the previous battles against the Death Eaters, you had some vague suspicions."

"I'm telling you, these are all facts. The dark wizard I fought in the previous operation was 'that person,' and he was the one who caused chaos at the Ministry of Magic. Moreover, I regret to inform you that the unrest in Bulgaria and Romania is his doing."

Fudge's opening remarks immediately caused an uproar among the audience.

This was the first time Fudge had publicly acknowledged Voldemort's return. Actually, it wasn't too bad; although the Daily Prophet and the Daily Poison and Antidote had published the news, no one was stupid. Besides, Scrimgeour had previously referred to Voldemort as the Dark Lord.

What truly shocked everyone was the explosive news of the overthrow of the Ministries of Magic in two countries.

Those are the magic ministries of two countries. Even if their overall strength is not as good as the English magic ministries, they are certainly not weak.

The Aurors' expressions varied: some were surprised, some were calm, some suddenly realized, and some seemed thoughtful, but none showed fear.

In fact, the Aurors were not as bad as they were portrayed in the original work. Most of the time, they could only be used as supporting characters, either being knocked unconscious or on their way to being knocked unconscious, and they didn't even have as many highlights as the Death Eaters.

They are the strongest force in the Ministry of Magic, on the front line against dark wizards. Each of them knew the dangers they would face when they became Aurors and was prepared to sacrifice their lives at any time. Yet, they still joined this team without hesitation.

In reality, many times it wasn't the Aurors who lost battles, but rather the commanders' foolish decisions that led to the defeats.

It could be said that the Aurors never lack courage, but what they lack is a leader who can be reliable, resilient, capable, and stable in critical moments.

The saying "A bad general can ruin an entire army" perfectly describes this situation.

"Let's have some quiet time."

Fudge cleared his throat, and the audience quickly quieted down.

Fudge's reputation among the Aurors at this time was vastly different from what it used to be.

His abilities are undeniable, and more than one person witnessed them. If the bald wizard in the woods was "that person," then how formidable must Fudge be, who held his own against him in a direct confrontation?

"The facts have also proven that although 'that person' is powerful, he is not invincible."

"Don't forget, our Professor Dumbledore drove him away and didn't even dare to stay in England."

If "that person" is truly invincible, then why did they run away when facing Dumbledore?

"The wizarding world needs stability, England needs stability, and we must maintain the hard-won peace we have now, instead of a chaotic society where everyone is proclaiming 'He's back,' and where we can only live in 'his' shadow."

"The chaos and disorder will only give him an opportunity to make the Death Eaters' ranks grow stronger."

"People are so terrified of that man that they panic at the mere mention of his name, all because of the Ministry of Magic's inaction over the years. Now that I'm here, I will absolutely not allow that to happen again."

Fudge spoke seriously, as if the Ministry of Magic's actions over the years had nothing to do with him.

Although it is indeed unrelated

"So, I want to tell everyone here, please remember one thing: we absolutely do not acknowledge 'that person's' return. 'That person' has been dead for over a decade, not even leaving behind ashes. The one leading the Death Eaters now is definitely not 'that person,' but a newly risen dark wizard."

We can call him...

"The Dark Wizard Tom".

Thus, Voldemort gained another identity among the English Aurors: Tom the Dark Wizard, the new leader of the Death Eaters.

"Furthermore, I have an announcement to make. From this moment forward, in order to prevent a repeat of what happened more than a decade ago when the Ministry of Magic was collectively controlled by the Imperius Curse, all of you Aurors, including the Strikers, will be under my direct command."

"Anyone who tries to overstep this boundary to command you, without a doubt, has been afflicted by the Soul-Stealing Curse."

Fudge continued, "I've already had the world's best alchemists make us an instrument that can measure whether someone has been afflicted by the Imperius Curse."

He told a little lie here; there was no instrument at all, just a magic potion.

"I will cast a spell on you in a moment to help you identify me and prevent you from being deceived by compound decoctions or other methods."

"This also makes it easier for me to verify your identities."

Just as Dudley said to Dumbledore, it would be absurd if the same method succeeded twice. Normally, one should start looking for a solution after the first time.

The Death Eaters are consolidating their power, and the Aurors also need to consolidate their power.

He needed to provide these Aurors with some targeted training, which is why he directly took over the direct jurisdiction of the Aurors.

Many in the Ministry of Magic were waiting to see Fudge make a fool of himself, as this was the exclusive right of the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. However, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, expressed her full approval of Fudge's actions.

On the last day of the holiday, Dudley, looking slightly tired, pushed open the door to the Potions classroom. Not long after, two Potions professors, one with oily skin and the other with a chubby appearance, followed him out, one after the other, leaning against the wall.

Professor Snape (who had returned to Hogwarts) and Professor Slughorn looked extremely weak, as if a gust of wind could blow them over.

However, when they saw the bottle of dark blue potion in Dudley's hand, both professors straightened their backs.

The creation of this potion signifies that the Imperius Curse, one of the three unforgivable curses, is no longer immeasurable and can only be broken by personal will.

The three named it the Soul-Summoning Potion.

It symbolizes bringing back a soul that has lost its senses.

(End of this chapter)