Fred and George and the Toilers of Trouble (Year 1) ✔

Chapter 27:5

"That was rather sweet, wasn't it?" said Millicent, as she looked down at the tattered shoes.

"Dandy is quite a remarkable house-elf, I must say," Dumbledore replied, as they moved down the corridor and past a few giggling students playing a game of Gobstones. "You would be hard pressed to find a more sincere being than a house-elf who honors his station."

Millicent Bagnold tilted her head in an expression of limited agreement. "I have never been an admirer of the house-elf system. It seems very wrong to me."

"There are many who agree with you, and yet the practice has been recognized for a thousand years. It will evolve, like many of our more medieval traditions...and opinions."

"I do have to ask, Albus," said Bagnold, coming to a stop. "Why did you not tell them the truth about Merry Andrews?"

"There is not a need," he replied. "I think that particular prejudice has run its course, don't you?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Not with everyone, it seems."

"Your undersecretary is part of a very vocal, yet insignificant, minority."

"Well...if they are ever concerned, tell Fred and George that, based upon my experiences, Dolores Umbridge is nothing more than a bag of harmless wind."

"Hmm. I trust that Lexington Parsimonae is retaining his employment at the Ministry in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

"He is, though I have no personal contact with him. Is he here at the castle?"

"No, he has joined up with some old friends," said Dumbledore as they moved on toward his office corridor. "Much will change, now that Vindictus Viridian has returned."

"It had better," said Bagnold worriedly. "This debacle can never happen again. If you cannot find someone to teach the class, the Ministry will fill the post before start of term."

"And what of Lexington's theory? The position is clearly jinxed."

"I don't care if signing on for the job leaves you stricken with boils. The students need to be properly educated. It is the responsibility of the Ministry to uphold these laws if the headmaster of the school cannot...for whatever reason."

"I can see this is very important to you," said Dumbledore, as he noticed Hagrid standing in front of the gargoyle statue that shielded the portal to his chamber stairs.

"You are correct in your thinking. I'm making it an Educational Decree," she paused, her voice growing softer as a group of first years sprinted past them. "My last, I'm afraid. I've decided to step down as Minister, due to the endless stream of owls I received from angered parents about the lack of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, as well as the second barrage of letters over the results of the chosen appointee. I do hope you consider becoming our next Minister, Albus. Many of my opponents think you should have accepted their offer back when I took the job."

"It was their second offer, and I think I shall ignore the third," he said. "As I recall, there was a time when Bartemius Crouch had almost fanatical support in taking over your position."

"Yes, well...that was decades ago...and I was never in favor of how he instructed the Aurors to kill suspected Death Eaters on sight, or when he sent members of the wizarding community to Azkaban without a trial. What that man did to his own son? An absolute tragedy! Everyone agreed that he'd gone mad, especially when he levied spontaneous restrictions on every department for no explainable reason. Crouch's blind lust for collecting Death Eaters was precisely why he was demoted from heading up Law Enforcement to a lonely office at the Department of International Magical Cooperation. At least this Triwizard Tournament idea of yours is giving Crouch something to do, so he stops pestering the Magical Investigators to conduct a probe into the alleged mishandling of a pen he'd lent a colleague, winter before last. He volunteered to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year! Can you believe it? Batty Barty?! He would've stripped this castle to the bones in search of the perpetrators, had he been here, the downright fool. Imagine if Crouch had been Minister all this time, my word!"

"Perhaps I should encourage someone who can be —"

"Controlled?"

"Reasoned with," Dumbledore specified. "Who is the next likely candidate?"

"Cornelius Fudge is angling for the position."

"He is the Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes, if I'm not mistaken."

"A solid man, when it benefits him. He does have backing."

"Then he shall be our next Minister," said Dumbledore, as they approached the gargoyle where Hagrid was waiting. The gamekeeper lowered his eyes, his face going pink. "What can I do for you, Rubeus?"

"Got the picture yeh asked for, sir."

From one of his many pockets, Hagrid brought out the fifty-year-old photograph of the Slug Club that Fred and George had discovered in the Restricted Section of the library. Dumbledore took the photo from him carefully.

"How did I not see it before?" asked Dumbledore pointedly.

"You were unaware that you possessed a photograph of the Dark Lord? Why else would it be in the Restricted Section?"

"Oh, I placed it there myself. A trophy case had been smashed and this name plaque was defiled by a student whose parents had been destroyed during the first round of killings. No, I am baffled by my own negligence. I never noticed the way he looked at her."

As the stone gargoyle swiveled aside, Dumbledore gestured respectfully for Hagrid and the Minister to climb the stairs so he could examine the frame. Again, the animated photo of Slug Club revealed, in a fleeting glance, a connection between Aruzula Darc and the boy who would, one day, threaten the destruction of their world.

Hagrid came to a stop outside the door to the headmaster's office. Much like Dandy, his guilt kept him from meeting their eyes. "I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, sir," he said with a sniffle. "It were all my fault. I shoulda never let her outa tha' paintin'...or done tha' ruddy Bloodcraft."

Millicent gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. It was clear at that moment that Professor Dumbledore had planned to keep the true nature of Darc's existence and Viridian's incarceration a secret from the Ministry of Magic.

"While I do not condone your behavior, I understand it," said Dumbledore.

"She was awful nice ter me, Professor. A close friend. Helped me through it all when me Pappy died. But she was never real, was she? What we had was jus' a lie."

"Hagrid, I see how troubled you are. Your experiences with her were real, I saw them myself. Aruzula's need to exist was only the beginning. She was corrupted by Riddle. He corrupted many after her, believe me. And, as I'm sure you know, I do not accept the notion of accidents. She was always meant to be a part of this story, which means that you were always meant to release her. I am certain that the reason will reveal itself to us when we need it most."

"Thank yeh, Professor Dumbledore, sir," Hagrid grumbled sheepishly. "Yeh always got the right thing ter say. And thank yeh again fer what yeh done, convincin' old Ogg ter keep me on as gamekeeper's assistant. Gave me summat ter be proud of, it did. Woulda been alone, otherwise...nothin' ter my name. No place ter call home."

"Hogwarts is your home. It is now, and so it shall always be."