Chapter 764: Cornelius Fudge: ??? (Edited)

In the following period of time, Hogwarts, including the entire English magical world, seemed to have regained its calmness.

As peaceful as ever, to be exact.

After all, not many people knew what Fish had done that day, and the deliberate agitation of the Death Eaters had long subsided.

Only a few students noticed that Dumbledore's presence at the school had further diminished, and most of the matters that should have been handled by the headmaster had been taken over by Professor McGonagall, with a few delegated to the other three Heads of Houses.

Apart from that...

"Harry, what's been going on with you lately?" Ron looked at his friend with curiosity. He had noticed that Harry had changed a lot since he had gone with Dumbledore and Fish to search for the Horcrux...

Not only had he started studying a lot with an attitude that made everyone else in Gryffindor stare at him, but he also became calmer, not as irritable as before.

This was most evident during Quidditch practices, where Harry spoke only in a gentle and encouraging manner, no matter how poorly the team performed, and he never lost his temper.

Moreover, Harry no longer joined Ron in whispering about Malfoy and the other Slytherins behind their backs. Although it was clear that he still disliked Slytherin, he wasn't as hostile as before.

In short, Harry had matured. It was just that Ron hadn't quite grasped the change yet; he simply felt that Harry now gave him a similar feeling to Bill and Charlie.

"That day was a bit exciting," Harry chuckled lightly. "I couldn't have been of any help, let alone try to confront Voldemort and the Death Eaters in the future."

Neither Fish nor Harry had told Ron about that day. It's not that they didn't believe him, but Dumbledore had explained it to him beforehand, and Harry himself didn't really want to talk about it... especially since Fish had brought the real locket with Kreacher's story, and he felt that what he had done was nothing compared to what Regulus had done.

So Ron only knew that the locket had been found and destroyed by Harry and the others, but he didn't know exactly what had happened that day.

Although Ron was a bit bothered by being left out, it was a request from Dumbledore, and he couldn't blame Fish or his friends for it. And he probably wouldn't have seen those memories if it weren't for Fish... Ron had some idea.

As Harry had become more mature and dependable, his reputation among girls, which had significantly declined due to Fish, had greatly increased, especially among the younger girls who were unaware of his "glorious history" and looked at Harry with longing eyes.

This had made Ginny very sensitive lately, and she followed Harry whenever she could.

Entering March, Snape's Felix Felicis potion was ready, but Fish didn't need it now, and... he couldn't use it.

"You've taken two doses of the potion during this time, and the second one was a large dose, so you won't be able to use it for the next three months," Snape reminded Fish as he handed him a large vial of Felix Felicis potion.

Then, with a scoff, he said, "Of course, Potter doesn't care anyway. He's already an egotist without the side effects of Felix Felicis."

Fish pretended not to hear it; he didn't care about the complicated animosity between Snape and Harry.

"I've got it, nya! Anyway, Albus has recovered, and Fish won't be using the potion for a while."

(ΦωΦ)

Fish avoided the subject of Harry and responded decisively. That slightly unsettled Snape...

He had worked so hard to achieve it for half a year, but in the end, it had been useless...

Couldn't Dumbledore have waited a few more days?

Snape grumbled discontentedly.

"By the way, Severus," Fish asked curiously, tilting his head after picking up the large flask of Felix Felicis potion, "How is your plan with Albus going? Has Voldemort believed it, nya?"

(?ω?)

"I don't know," Snape said, shaking his head. "I have conveyed to the Death Eaters the news that Dumbledore is 'dying' and that there's 'nothing you can do' about it, but he hasn't responded yet, nor has Draco."

"He's not afraid of Fish, right?" Fish shook his head. "Voldemort is too timid, nya."

The next day after Fish mocked Voldemort's courage, something significant happened in the magical world of England.

The Dementors were out of control, and criminals escaped from prison.

On the front page of the Daily Prophet, the headline read:

"The Dementors have expressed their refusal to continue serving the Ministry of Magic and have left Azkaban without a trace." Hermione quickly read the report, not even bothering to have breakfast.

The other students, and even the professors, were discussing the incident, and no one thought about having breakfast...

Except Fish.

"It's strange... Fish didn't drink the Felix Felicis potion yesterday..."

(??~??)

Muttered Fish in a dragged voice while chewing his food.

Hermione didn't realize he was talking to himself but continued reading the newspaper: "The Ministry of Magic has confirmed that the mastermind behind the Dementor riot is most likely Dolores Umbridge, the former Minister of Magic and senior investigator at Hogwarts, who sent two Dementors to attack the 'Boy Who Lived' Harry Potter... The Ministry of Magic suspects that it was most likely ordered by the former minister, Cornelius Fudge."

Even after all the Dementors escaped from Azkaban, the Ministry continued to deny Voldemort's return and blamed Umbridge and even retired Cornelius Fudge for it.

Naturally, this was not accepted by the students of Hogwarts, who knew what Umbridge was like.

If she had sent two Dementors to attack Harry by virtue of her position in the Ministry of Magic, they wouldn't believe she could get a bunch of Dementors to listen to her now that she was imprisoned.

Of course, Harry and Hermione didn't find it as strange as the others because they knew from Dumbledore that the current Minister of Magic and some of the officials had been controlled by the Death Eaters with the Imperius Curse, so of course, they wouldn't admit Voldemort's resurrection and didn't even mention the possibility.

"It seems that even with a new Minister, the Ministry of Magic is still acting foolish as ever." The uninformed Seamus mocked, "I say we should have let Dumbledore run for Minister, anyway, he's not really at school now, the Headship could have been for Professor McGonagall."

Many echoed Seamus's words, all disappointed by the Ministry's response and concerned about the possibility of the escaped Dementors harming their families.

Especially young wizards born to Muggles, whose parents didn't have the means to fight against the Dementors.

It was a bit out of place, but Hermione couldn't help but be glad that she had convinced her parents to quit their jobs and stay with the Scamanders.

"Fish's house can also accommodate your parents," Fish, who had already finished breakfast, wiped his mouth and approached to say, "Anyway, Minerva is usually at the school, and the house can accommodate many people."

(ΦωΦ)

Instantly, there was a great commotion.

The mention of a gathering of the entire Order of the Cat caught everyone's attention. The Order of the Cat, formed by Hermione and her friends, was a secret organization they had created to fight against Voldemort and his followers. It was named after Fish, who was their trusted feline companion.

The idea of bringing together all the members of the Order to strategize and ensure the safety of their loved ones resonated with everyone. They knew that unity and cooperation were crucial in these uncertain times.

Excitement filled the air as the students began discussing the logistics of the meeting. They made arrangements to communicate the details to each member, ensuring that everyone would be aware of the gathering and its purpose.

Hermione, with her natural leadership abilities, took charge of organizing the meeting and assigning tasks to different members. She distributed the false golden Galleons, enchanted with a communication spell, to ensure efficient coordination among the Order members.

The prospect of gathering together and pooling their strengths against the rising threats brought a sense of determination and unity among the students. They were ready to face the challenges ahead, knowing that they were not alone in their fight.

As the news of the meeting spread throughout Hogwarts, students from different houses expressed their willingness to participate. The common goal of protecting their families and defending the wizarding world from Voldemort's influence transcended house rivalries, fostering a spirit of solidarity.

The Great Hall buzzed with anticipation and whispered conversations, as plans were made and strategies discussed. It was a crucial moment, a turning point where the young wizards and witches stood united against the encroaching darkness.

And at the center of it all, Fish the cat observed the commotion, his eyes filled with a mix of seriousness and determination. The fate of the wizarding world rested on their shoulders, and together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.