A Devil Takes Care of His Own

Chapter 25: The Fall of Hogwarts

The evening sky was dark and heavy with clouds, casting shadows over the grand halls of Pendragon Palace. Sol sat in his study, a collection of documents spread out before him on the desk. The fire in the hearth crackled quietly, casting an orange glow across the room as Sol meticulously prepared the next wave of damning revelations. Hogwarts was already teetering on the brink of collapse after the last batch of documents had gone public, but this—this would be the final blow.

The papers in front of him detailed even more shocking incidents within the walls of Hogwarts—instances of near-fatal injuries, mishandling of dangerous creatures, and unsanctioned experiments that had gone unnoticed by the staff. Dumbledore's negligence ran deeper than anyone had realized, and this time, the files revealed just how far the headmaster had gone to keep the truth from parents and the wider magical community.

As Sol finished compiling the final report, he leaned back in his chair, satisfied. "This will be the last nail in Hogwarts' coffin," he murmured to himself, tapping the stack of documents lightly. The wizarding world wouldn't be able to ignore what had happened to their children for much longer.

With a swift flick of his wand, Sol sent the papers off to his chosen media contacts—outlets known for their honesty and integrity. No sensationalism, no gossip. Just the cold, hard truth.

POV: The Wizarding World Reacts

Inside the Ministry of Magic

The atrium of the Ministry of Magic was usually bustling with activity, but now it was eerily quiet. The latest batch of reports detailing Dumbledore's failures had hit the desks of the highest-ranking officials that morning, and the fallout was swift and brutal.

Cornelius Fudge sat in his office, his hands trembling as he read through the damning headlines. Hogwarts in Chaos: Dumbledore's Reign of Neglect—the front page screamed at him. His heart raced as he flipped through the articles, each one more damning than the last. The reports outlined everything: dangerous magical creatures unleashed in the Forbidden Forest without proper precautions, unsanctioned duels that had gone unnoticed, and students who had narrowly escaped death while Dumbledore had turned a blind eye.

Fudge slammed the papers down on his desk, running his hands through his hair. His grip on the Ministry had been slipping ever since Sol and the Mikaelsons began unraveling Dumbledore's web of lies, but now, it felt like the entire wizarding world was crashing down around him.

Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, entered his office with a grim expression. "We have to act, Cornelius. The parents are pulling their children out of Hogwarts faster than we can keep up. Hogwarts is almost empty. If we don't step in now, we'll be seen as complicit in this disaster."

Fudge stared at her, his mind racing. "What do you suggest we do?"

Bones dropped a thick file on his desk. "Dumbledore needs to be removed from power. The Board of Governors is already convening to discuss the situation. If we don't get ahead of this, we'll be dragged down with him."

Fudge swallowed hard. He had always trusted Dumbledore, relied on the headmaster to maintain order, but now it was clear that trusting Dumbledore had been his greatest mistake. "Fine," he muttered. "Remove him. But it won't be easy. He still has his loyalists."

Bones gave him a curt nod. "Leave that to me. We have enough evidence now to make sure Dumbledore doesn't walk away from this unscathed."

Hogwarts: Nearly Empty

Hogwarts, once a vibrant school filled with the laughter and chaos of children learning magic, was now a hollow shell of its former self. The great halls, which had been bustling with students only weeks ago, were now eerily quiet. Almost all of the students had been pulled from the school by their outraged parents, and those who remained did so out of loyalty to Dumbledore—or because they had nowhere else to go.