Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil.

There are quite a few wizards who harbor ill will toward Barty Crouch and have made it clear that they will not vote for him.

However, closer observation reveals that most of these people were not initially firm in their stance, but were deliberately swayed by others. There were always a few individuals with ulterior motives who took the lead in publicly expressing their dissatisfaction with Barty Crouch and spreading negative rumors, which led those wizards who already had some reservations about him or whose stance was wavering to gather together and form a force against him.

Batty Crouch knew that when people are extremely angry, the worst thing they can do is have someone incite them.

Once someone ignites the fuse of emotions, the previously scattered discontent will converge into a raging tide. Driven by emotions, people will do all sorts of irrational things, and the situation will only become more difficult to control.

While Batty Crouch was certainly angry at those who harbored ill intentions and incited public sentiment, he was more concerned about the enemies lurking within his own ranks.

Those people, cloaked in support of him, secretly do things that harm his interests and damage his reputation, making them more terrifying and troublesome than external opponents.

Even the usually calm and composed Barty Crouch could not contain his anger at this moment. He became impatient and ordered his confidants to speed up the investigation and find those who were lurking in the camp and causing trouble in secret.

After the investigation, he found himself in a dilemma. Most of these people were writers who wrote reports and spoke out for him. He could not deal with them with overly harsh measures. He could only grit his teeth and order them to be expelled from his campaign team to completely cut off their possibility of continuing to cause trouble.

He couldn't help but curse inwardly, wanting only to get rid of these outwardly righteous but inwardly wicked guys as soon as possible.

These people appear to be loyal to him and do their best to promote him, but they harbor malice in their hearts and specialize in stabbing him in the back. They are like those white dumplings that are rotten and black inside, seemingly harmless but actually causing endless trouble!

Chapter 80 Batty Crouch: Why isn't there a plot twist?! (Bonus Chapter)

The ongoing election turmoil, the investigation of internal problems, and negative feedback from the public have left Batty Crouch in a state of utter disarray.

He was restless all day long, having to deal with competition from Connelly, purging internal corruption, and salvaging his declining reputation. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but could not find an effective solution.

What caught him even off guard was that among those writers who were exposed, some were not deliberately sabotaging him. They were indeed his loyal supporters, but were deliberately guided and instigated to write those seemingly supportive but actually harmful reports.

When these people were indiscriminately kicked out of the campaign team, their pent-up grievances and anger erupted instantly.

They served Batty Crouch with all their heart, only to be expelled in the end. This disparity left them utterly disheartened.

Some of these expelled supporters completely abandoned their support for Batty Crouch and turned to the neutral camp.

Even worse, some, driven by anger, have let their past loyalty outweigh their anger and have begun to publicly accuse Batty Crouch of indiscriminately betraying him and discarding him after he has served his purpose. They have even actively spread more negative comments about him and used the sharpest words to slander him.

This shift from full support to full opposition has severely damaged Barty Crouch's reputation and made the election even more chaotic.

Just as the entire wizarding world was in chaos because of this ministerial election, with wizards discussing and disagreeing, and even Barty Crouch and Cornelius Fudge at a stalemate, a voice that could quell all the noise quietly appeared.

Dumbledore publicly stated his support for Cornelius Fudge's candidacy for Minister of Magic!

Everyone knew that this was Dumbledore's first statement on the election campaign since he publicly announced that he would not participate in the ministerial election.

As the most prestigious and respected person in the entire wizarding world, his words alone are enough to make a final decision and directly determine the final outcome of the election.

Even without the previous chaos and the collapse of Barty Crouch's reputation, Cornelius Fudge already had an absolute advantage based solely on Dumbledore's public support, and his probability of winning was far greater than Barty Crouch's.

Moreover, after the previous series of farces, Barty Crouch had very few supporters left, and his reputation had plummeted. Now, with Dumbledore's support, Cornelius Fudge's victory was already a foregone conclusion.

This long-running ministerial election was full of twists and turns, including attacks, flattery, and internal turmoil. It left the wizards of the entire magical world bewildered and uneasy, with everyone speculating about the final outcome.

When the news broke that Dumbledore publicly supported Cornelius Fudge, all the uproar instantly subsided.

The newspapers that had previously covered the campaign extensively fell silent after their final, widespread news push, with no further debate or hype surrounding the election.

The storm has passed, and the outcome is clear.

With Dumbledore's support and his previously accumulated popularity, Cornelius Fudge became the ultimate winner of the election. He was all smiles and busy preparing for his inauguration, his heart filled with joy and anticipation.

As for Batty Crouch, he was a complete loser. He stayed at home, his face expressionless, his eyes empty, and his heart ashen.

His lifelong ambitions were thus completely shattered in a carefully laid trap and chaos!

In the dining halls of Hogwarts, the hustle and bustle had long since subsided. Although the young wizards were still discussing the outcome of the ministerial election, the heated debates of the past were gone.

Marcos, holding a copy of the latest "Daily Prophet" in his hand, walked quickly to Puni's side with a hint of emotion on his face: "Puni, you were right!"

He spread out the newspaper and pointed to the blank campaign page: "Look, ever since Professor Dumbledore publicly endorsed Cornelius Fudge, there hasn't been any related controversial news in the newspaper. Now, the entire wizarding world, whether students or adult wizards, has accepted that Cornelius Fudge's election is a foregone conclusion, and no one is questioning it anymore."

Hearing this, Puni put down his cutlery and said with a faint smile, "Of course, don't you know who I am?"

To be honest, the final outcome of this election, which seemed to be decided by Dumbledore's public statement, was not actually the case.

For him, it didn't really matter who Connelly Fudge or Batty Crouch was elected minister. Regardless of who came to power, he only needed to go with the flow and protect his family's interests.

However, Dumbledore's support undoubtedly made this unresolved election a foregone conclusion.

But what truly changed the course of the election was not Dumbledore's statement, but the covert intervention of the pure-blood families.

Earlier, the Purebloods, following Pony's instructions, had unilaterally contacted Cornelius Fudge, informing him that the Purebloods would secretly support him and prevent Batty Crouch from being elected.

After that, the writers hired by the pure-blood family launched wave after wave of propaganda offensives.

Those writers precisely controlled the direction of public opinion, continuing to undermine Batty Crouch's reputation through excessive praise while simultaneously promoting Connelly Fudge's strengths to compensate for his previous weaknesses.

It was this continuous wave of public opinion that allowed Cornelius Fudge, who was initially at a disadvantage, to gradually turn the tide, surpassing Barty Crouch step by step and taking the initiative in the election. Even before Dumbledore made his statement, he already had the victory in his grasp, with a slight advantage over Barty Crouch.

Puni understood that for Cornelius Fudge, who was about to take office, Dumbledore's support might not be considered a true lifeline.

After all, before Dumbledore spoke up, he had already stabilized the situation with the covert help of the pure-blood family, and was even close to winning the election.

Dumbledore's support was more like icing on the cake, making his victory even more secure and completely dispelling any potential doubts.

Thinking about it this way, the secret help provided by the pure-blood family was actually more beneficial to Cornelius Fudge than Dumbledore's public statements.

This was just a fleeting thought in Puni's mind, but it made him realize that Connelly Fudge would most likely also realize this.

Puni knew very well that once this idea took root and sprouted in Connelly Fudge's mind, it would have a profound impact.

Chapter 81 Cornell Fudge Takes Office! (Bonus Chapter)

After all, Cornelius Fudge is about to take charge of the Ministry of Magic, and to secure his position as Minister, he needs the support of various forces. The strength and influence of pure-blood families are undoubtedly a force he cannot ignore.

If he can remember the help the pure-blood families provided during the election, he might be more inclined to favor them when formulating relevant policies in the future, which is exactly the result that Puni and the pure-blood families want to see.

Thinking of this, a smile flashed in Puni's eyes.

He had been suppressed by Minister Millison Barnold and unable to advance the branch plan of the Golden Dragon Battle. Now that Millison Barnold is about to step down and Connelly Fudge is about to take office, and with the secret assistance of the pure-blood family, the situation has become very favorable to him.

It seems that my long-planned branch store project can finally be officially launched.

He plans to open a Golden Dragon Shop and card sales point in every wizarding settlement to further expand his influence and accumulate more wealth!

Especially Hogsmeade, an important place for wizards to relax and gather, and a place frequently visited by Hogwarts students. Opening a branch there would not only attract a large number of customers, but also provide a perfect excuse.

He could leave Hogwarts early under the pretext of inspecting a branch store to do his own thing.

Looking at Puni's thoughtful expression, Marcos had to admit that Puni's prediction was indeed incredibly accurate.

Meanwhile, Puni had already focused his attention on his branch store plan, and was already thinking about the location selection and preparation for each branch. His smile grew even wider.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Cornelius Fudge emerged victorious in the vote of all wizards, officially taking over the position of Minister of Magic and beginning his reign.

Upon assuming office, he was full of vigor and momentum, and the first spark he ignited won the favor and support of countless wizards, causing ripples throughout the entire magical world.

The contents of this fire were very simple, yet they touched the hearts of all the wizards.

Fudge publicly announced that due to the special astronomical phenomenon of the conjunction of Venus and Mercury with the Moon this year, the originally scheduled Christmas holiday will be extended by two days!

Whether they are wizards who are immersed in the magical world year-round or wizards who have countless connections with the Muggle world, they all have an instinctive anticipation and importance for holidays.

Even just two extra days of free time were enough to make everyone happy and give the newly appointed minister more recognition.

Fouché was well aware that public opinion was key to securing his position as minister, and this seemingly insignificant extension of the holiday was actually his first step in winning over the public.

As he expected, once the news was announced, the wizards praised him for his compassion for the people, and the voices that had previously questioned his abilities gradually subsided, making his position as minister even more secure.

It was because of this news that Puni suddenly realized how fast time had passed. Before he knew it, the Hogwarts term was coming to an end, and the much-anticipated Christmas holiday was just around the corner.

Once the idea popped into his mind, he immediately began to plan.

Since it's Christmas, it's natural to prepare a suitable gift for your friends to express your feelings, which has been his habit for many years.

Looking back on the past few months at Hogwarts, Penny's life has been far richer than that of the other students.

Unlike other students who stayed in their dormitories to rest at night, he would sneak out of the dormitory almost every night to wander and explore the castle of Hogwarts.

With the keen senses granted by the Ravenclaw crown, coupled with his own meticulousness and patience, he explored almost every secret room he could find in Hogwarts.

These secret rooms are similar to the Room of Requirement in their location and concealment, making them extremely well-hidden. Even with a Marauder's Map, they cannot be found.

Marauder's Map can show everyone in the castle and the regular passageways, but it cannot capture these secret spaces hidden by layers of magic.

Puni knew very well that Hogwarts, this ancient castle, was far more mysterious than anyone imagined.

The fog surrounding the map of his diary in his mind was gradually thinning out.

In addition, the Weasley twins have become more active than ever in their search for the legendary Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin in recent months.

They used almost all their free time to search the castle, sneaking into abandoned classrooms and exploring dark corridors. They were extremely bold, and could easily be discovered by the teachers on night patrol if they weren't careful.

If Puni hadn't given each of them an invisibility cloak beforehand, the twins would probably have been caught red-handed by Filch or other professors on night patrol for causing trouble and wandering around, and would have received a severe punishment.

However, the Weasley twins weren't just mischievous and pranksters; in addition to their playful antics, they also had their own little research.

After months of repeated trials and adjustments, their prank gummy candy was finally completed. This gummy candy has a unique taste and a slight magical effect, making it very interesting.

According to their plan, this gummy will soon be officially sold at Puni's Golden Dragon Shop, and it is believed that it will be loved by many wizards.

In truth, Penny had a very high opinion of the Weasley twins. He knew that the brothers were quick-witted and extremely creative, and that as long as they worked hard, they would surely be able to establish themselves on their own and become self-reliant, and might even be able to make a name for themselves and accumulate a great fortune.

Of course, all of this is on the premise that they can stay safe and sound, and not die accidentally while playing pranks or exploring secrets.

It was precisely because of their promising potential that Puni began planning ahead of time.

He planned to use Galleons to buy out all the novel ideas in the twins' minds.

......

As the Christmas holidays draw ever closer, the atmosphere at Hogwarts is gradually becoming more restless.

Whether they were younger students or older students, their minds had already drifted away from the classroom, filled with holiday plans. In the last few days of class, everyone seemed a little distracted.

During Potions class that day, Puni and Marcos were grouped together and tasked with preparing a swelling potion to treat swelling, as instructed by Professor Snape.

The crucible was placed on the experimental table between the two of them. It contained ingredients such as narcissus root powder and mugwort juice, according to the recipe. Puni gently stirred the liquid in the crucible with his wand while chatting casually with Marcos beside him. The conversation mostly revolved around Christmas holiday plans.

Chapter 82 The Sharp-Tongued but Upright Sikh (Bonus Chapter)

Marcos was clearly not focusing all his attention on potion preparation. While dealing with Puni's conversation, he casually picked up materials from the lab table and added them to the crucible from time to time.

As they were chatting, Puni inadvertently caught a glimpse of Marcos's actions and was immediately taken aback.