168: Furious Temporary Minister

"We have thirty minutes before Dumbledore seals it off; we need to hurry!"

Hermione and Harry quickened their pace, but time was running too short.

At the castle gates, they spotted the executioner heading off to notify the Dementors. It seemed they wouldn't make it in time.

Buckbeak descended with a ferret clamped in his beak—who knows where he caught it—and was enthusiastically devouring his prize.

Seeing this, Harry's eyes lit up. Quickly, he signaled Hermione to climb aboard.

Riding Buckbeak, they soared towards the eighth floor, where they spotted Sirius Black at the window.

Harry was overjoyed at first but immediately noticed something off. There was someone else present.

Both he and Hermione's expressions shifted.

Hermione exclaimed in shock, "It's the Acting Minister of Magic!"

Rufus Scrimgeour stood at Sirius's door, a smug smile plastered on his face as he declared, "We've been searching for you for quite some time. You should know that."

Sirius stared at him in silence.

Scrimgeour didn't seem to care—after all, capturing Sirius meant his victory.

Soon, he would be officially promoted to the Minister of Magic.

At that point, even Johnny Silverhand would have to tone down his arrogance.

People were fickle like that.

Back when he was just the Head of the Auror Office, Scrimgeour thought Johnny Silverhand was a great ally.

As soon as Scrimgeour envisioned himself in the Minister's chair, he suddenly found Johnny Silverhand an eyesore.

Especially since Silverhand had pulled the strings to bring Fudge down, which posed an even greater threat to Scrimgeour's ambitions.

"If you're willing to name the person who helped you escape Azkaban, I can promise you a better outcome," Scrimgeour said, giving Sirius a penetrating look.

His meaning was clear: if Sirius was willing to implicate Johnny Silverhand, Scrimgeour would ensure the Dementors didn't suck out his soul.

But Sirius Black was no ordinary man. He sneered, unmoved by the offer.

Harry and Hermione, hidden nearby, were growing increasingly anxious. With Scrimgeour lingering, there was no chance of getting Sirius out.

Just as time was about to run out, the executioner who had left earlier rushed back, whispering something urgently into Scrimgeour's ear.

Scrimgeour's face shifted drastically, and he quickly left the scene.

Harry and Hermione wasted no time. They swooped down on Buckbeak, landing at the cell.

In her haste, Hermione didn't even bother with an unlocking spell. Instead, she blasted the lock off with an Explosion Charm.

Even Sirius was momentarily stunned by her ferocity. Without wasting any more time, they freed him.

There was barely enough time for goodbyes. Harry and Hermione hastily told Sirius to escape on Buckbeak.

Once Sirius was airborne, the two sprinted through the castle at breakneck speed.

With less than five minutes left, they raced up the spiral staircase, only to hear Scrimgeour's voice echoing down the corridor.

"Johnny Silverhand is at Hogwarts?"

"Without any warning."

Scrimgeour's footsteps echoed as he moved away, leaving Harry and Hermione to quicken their pace.

They narrowly avoided running into Peeves, sparing themselves unnecessary trouble.

Just as Dumbledore was closing the hospital wing's door, the two of them came skidding in at the last second.

Dumbledore, unsurprised, turned around. A wide smile spread beneath his silver beard as he softly asked, "How did it go?"

"We did it!" Harry and Hermione leaned heavily against the wall, one clutching their shoulder, both panting and pale.

Harry felt his stomach churn as if his insides were tying themselves into knots.

"You both look a bit tired," Dumbledore remarked, his ears keenly listening for any sounds from the hospital wing. "Oh, and since you've also managed to 'escape,' go inside. I'll have to lock you in."

Clever as ever, Dumbledore was ensuring an alibi for the trio's absence.

As they were about to enter, Hermione tugged on Dumbledore's sleeve and whispered, "Professor, something happened to John."

Dumbledore paused for a moment before replying with a kind expression, "I know. You go in first."

Once the door was locked, Dumbledore turned and walked away, his steps noticeably more hurried than before.

A few minutes later, distant roars echoed through the corridors.

The iron-fisted Auror turned acting Minister of Magic was uncharacteristically furious. Harry and Hermione exchanged puzzled glances.

"Is it because of Sirius?" Harry asked.

They strained their ears and realized the shouting wasn't just about Sirius; they distinctly caught the name "Silverhand" amidst the chaos.

...

"Pleasure to meet you, Sir Johnny Silverhand."

Dumbledore greeted the legendary figure, his wise eyes glinting behind half-moon glasses.

Standing before him was a man in a silver mask and emerald robes.

"Likewise, Headmaster." Johnny Silverhand's voice was low and raspy as he shook hands with the headmaster.

Before Dumbledore entered the room, someone else had already arrived.

Rufus Scrimgeour's expression was stormy, as if Johnny Silverhand had just told him something particularly unpleasant.

"Apologies, but I must take my leave. That damned Sirius Black must face justice."

Scrimgeour shot a dark glance at Johnny Silverhand before striding away with the executioner and Snape in tow.

Left alone in the room with Dumbledore, Johnny let out a soft chuckle.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," he began, "I've heard rumors that Hogwarts intends to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament. I'd like to offer a sum as sponsorship for the prize."

"Oh?" 

Dumbledore grew even more curious about how Johnny Silverhand had learned of this. The Triwizard Tournament revival was still in the planning stages, and fewer than four people were aware of it.

"Sponsorship? May I ask how Sir Johnny Silverhand plans to sponsor this?" Dumbledore asked calmly, his expression unreadable.

Johnny tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "I've always been committed to nurturing young witches and wizards. This event presents an excellent opportunity for outreach. If Headmaster Dumbledore agrees, I'm willing to provide 5,000 Galleons as the prize."

The amount, several times higher than the 1,000 Galleons they were going to give, seemed to give Dumbledore pause.

Noticing Dumbledore's deliberation, Johnny added, "Additionally, the Johnny Silverhand Exclusive Shop will offer a complete set of the 'Zenith' series products and will also cover maintenance and upkeep."

The "Zenith" series.

Dumbledore's interest visibly piqued. The Zenith series from the Johnny Silverhand Exclusive Shop was highly coveted—even Aurors found it difficult to obtain.

The value of this equipment was nearly equivalent to the Galleon prize itself.

The most significant offer, however, was the ongoing maintenance. Some components of the Zenith series required periodic magical recharging, and this included maintenance, which could save substantial effort.

For the student fortunate enough to win this prize, it would undoubtedly be a fast track to excellence.

After a moment of contemplation, Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

Just then, Scrimgeour stormed back into the room, his face thunderous.

"You! It has to be you!" he roared at Johnny Silverhand.

"What happened?"

Dumbledore feigned ignorance, while Scrimgeour, like an enraged lion, roared and fixed his bloodshot eyes on Johnny Silverhand.

Johnny responded indifferently, "I'm not sure what the temporary Minister is accusing me of."

The word temporary hit a nerve, causing Scrimgeour's face to turn even redder as he glared at Johnny. "You helped Sirius Black escape, Johnny Silverhand. I know it was you."

Johnny let out a cold laugh. "Since setting foot in Hogwarts, I haven't left this room. That's a very serious accusation, temporary~~ Minister."

Scrimgeour's face darkened with rage. Just then, Snape returned, his expression as grim as ever, and said, "Perhaps it was Potter? His antics have caused similar troubles before."

Scrimgeour immediately led a group to storm into the hospital wing.

Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore, the ever-prepared "old bee," had already set everything up perfectly.

Harry, with award-worthy acting skills, convincingly insisted he knew nothing. Left with nowhere to vent his anger, Scrimgeour could only leave in frustration, ordering his Aurors to search the area.

Both Johnny Silverhand and Dumbledore remained completely unbothered.

Adding insult to injury, a reporter from The Daily Prophet arrived, demanding an interview. Scrimgeour, humiliated, stormed off in a fury.

Johnny also prepared to leave, but before departing, he glanced at Harry and asked, "So this is the famous savior, Harry Potter?"

Harry, nervous and about to respond, was cut off as Johnny shook his head and muttered, "Doesn't look like much."

...

Johnny Silverhand had arrived at Hogwarts in a carriage drawn by three flying horses.

Once inside the carriage again, he removed his silver mask, revealing the face of a mature man.

"Haah~ I should win an award for this performance."

Facing the boy across from him, he complained, "Sir, could you please not make me handle these situations in the future?"

John, with a cheerful smile, asked, "So, how did it feel to face Dumbledore?"

Tonny grimaced. "Terrible. My instincts as a former Auror tell me that man is extremely dangerous. In front of him, it feels like I have no secrets at all."

"I feel the same way," John laughed heartily.

Once the carriage left the boundaries of Hogwarts, he stepped out.

"Barty Crouch is someone worth building a relationship with. He's extended goodwill, and we should reciprocate."

"The sponsorship spot for the Triwizard Tournament is secured. Let Rita do a good job with the publicity. As for our temporary Minister…"

John paused mid-sentence, his gaze falling on the seemingly lifeless rat inside a cage. With a meaningful smile, he added, "Let's hope he appreciates this gift."

Tommy nodded knowingly, closed the carriage door, and drove the flying horses away.

John made his way from the Shrieking Shack back to the castle.

__________

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