Chapter 123: Minister Fudge 1

A polite knock on the massive wooden door of the modest but comfy room in the Leaky Cauldron woke Harry up from his slumber. In contrast to the usual dark and shabby downstairs of the pub, the rooms were actually really nice, clean, and warm. The room had everything he needed: a nice big bed, a desk, a fireplace, and a nice big window. It was kept clean by the day maid. And the food in the cauldron was also actually quite good; Tom was a skilled cook.

Lord Gremory had offered to let him stay in the new branch of the Gremory Hotel Chain in Diagon Alley, but Harry had declined. He felt like it wasn't unreasonable to expect Serafall to locate him there, as that would be the first place where he would look for him. Instead, he chose a more traditional wizarding experience and decided to stay in the Leaky Cauldron, like Sirzech had recommended.

Well, it turns out he has a fiancée for now, and this won't change soon. Unlike with Rias, there wasn't a loophole to break the contract, and he would need to find a magical way to do it. That's why magical contracts were so dangerous. Usually, to initiate the contract, one would need the consent of all involved parties.

But consent could take many forms, as long as it wasn't harmful to the party; they didn't even have to be aware that there was a contract in place, like agreeing to play a game of chess without being aware that there was a magical contract bound to it. Some powerful artifacts could even enforce a binding contract without them agreeing to it, but they were quite rare.

In the end, Sona and Harry had agreed to look for a way out but also agreed to learn each other to know better. By communicating almost daily over their Devil Phones, which were also working in Hogwarts, and even going on a date together in the future.

Taking his glasses from the nightstand, which lay beside an issue of the Daily Prophet, on its front page in large letters written, 'MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE'. Next, he transfigured his pajamas into usable streetwear. As soon as Harry was presentable, he asked, "Yes? Come in."

It was Tom, the old and deformed owner of the Leaky Cauldron, who was bald and resembled a toothless walnut. Harry had a hunch that this state wasn't quite natural but rather the result of some curse or curses.

From the memories he ripped out of the Horcrux's mind in the Chamber of Secrets, he knew that Tom Riddle had a major distaste for his name, Tom. In his eyes, it was such a common name, unworthy of him. A feeling that already came up in the boy during his first entrance into the wizarding world, where he met the old owner of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom, Although the memories didn't contain the deed itself, his intentions were quite clear: if he had the chance, Tom Riddle, or rather Lord Voldemort, would punish Tom for his insult of carrying the same name as him and only being a lowly pub owner. So it was quite possible that the deformation of Tom happened during the First Wizarding War.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter!" Tom greeted him with his warm voice.

"Tom! Morning, how can I help you?" Harry replied in a polite voice. He quite liked the owner of the cauldron; the man was always so nice to him.

"There is a guest for you! The Minister of Magic wants to meet with you." Tom replied from the doorframe.

"Minister Fudge? Did he say what he needs?" The black-haired boy asked in confusion. He hadn't expected the Minister of Magic to suddenly come to meet him during the remains of his summer holidays in the Leaky Cauldron.

Tom shook his head. "He didn't mention. The minister is already waiting in a room I prepared. If you are ready, I can lead you to him. Do you want your breakfast there?"

"Sure, why not bring me an English breakfast? And lead the way, Tom. Better not let the Minister wait."Harry replied, still not sure what was happening. But it didn't hurt to know the Minister of Magic, even if he was incompetent.

To be honest, an incompetent minister was better to control than a competent one, especially from what he heard—one that was that corrupt. The Gremory's and Harry himself had enough money to use this to their benefit.

Lord Gremory got his hotel built so fast because he could speed up the whole bureaucratic process by bribing the man. Shitty for normal or morally good people, but quite an advantage for the rich and cunning.

He was led by Tom into a small parlor, with a warm fire in the fireplace illuminating the room. Behind a desk sat a man wearing a bottle-green suit. A portly little man, with rumpled gray hair and a lime green bowler hat in front of him, was on the table.

"Ah, Harry, there you are!" The man greeted him as Harry entered the room; Tom had already left to get his breakfast. "I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry, the Minister of Magic. Please sit down." Minister Fudge pointed at the chair in front of him.

"It's nice to meet you, Minister." Harry nodded as he sat down in the cushioned chair, while Tom appeared with his breakfast on a tray, placing it in front of him on the table, before leaving the parlor and closing the door behind him. "I hope you have nothing against it, Minister; I just woke up."

"Oh, no, my boy. I understand. My visit is a bit abrupt." The minister chuckled as he took a sip of the cup of tea that was already in front of him before Harry entered the room. "How are Lord Gremory and his wife? I have already met them a few times. I must say they are far more qualified to raise you than some Muggles."

"They are fine, Minister. Lord Gremory is always busy with his business endeavors all over the world, while Lady Gremory takes care of the household." Harry replied with polite small talk.

"Yes, his hotel is quite enriching for Diagon Alley. The Ministry always books rooms there for visiting foreign dignitaries, especially with the discount he is giving us for official business. I also enjoy staying there often." The minister nodded sagely, reminiscing about the experience.

They chatted for a bit while Harry enjoyed his ample breakfast before he finally decided to get to the core matter here: "So Minister, why have you decided to actually visit me today?" After all, it was unlikely that the Minister just visited him to talk about Lord and Lady Gremory, whom he met a few times during official business in the Ministry or during high society gatherings all over the wizarding world. After all, if you wanted to make business in a place like the wizarding world, you would have to integrate yourself with the local high society, especially the Purebloods. If you weren't the right kind for them, they could make things very difficult for you.

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