Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 72 Medal Awarding Day

Lupin didn't know how he got out of the Three Broomsticks.

In fact, he never thought that when he was facing a 12-year-old wizard, he thought he had the situation under control, but in fact the other party was just willing to chat with him more and ignored his threats.

He had never seen anyone use the Fly Away Spell like that before.

Also, that huge magical power is not inferior to that of an adult wizard!
He found the Shrieking Shack in a daze, washed his face with snow water, and finally woke up a little. Cooperating with James Brown, two wizard werewolves took two Muggle werewolves and Apparated several times, and finally returned to London.

It was already noon when we arrived. A fire had been lit in the camp and dozens of women were squatting by the lake in the park washing clothes.

They didn't dare go too far, lest they step out of the range of the spells that kept them safe and repelled Muggles.

When the four figures appeared at the edge of the woods, a woman was already shouting, "Banner and William are back! They're back!"

Soon, more than a dozen thin but extremely tall werewolves emerged from the largest tent in the center of the camp.

Little Bannell smiled happily and held up the purse Vaughn handed him: "We met the gentleman, and he gave us tens of thousands of pounds again..."

Everyone who heard it cheered.

The werewolves who came out to greet them asked repeatedly, "Mr. Weasley, do you have any other instructions?"

"When do we start?"

"Don't worry, let's go back and talk!"

The crowd then surrounded Bannell, William and James and went back into the tent. Lupin did not follow them because he felt that his mind was still not clear.

He walked to the lake and scooped up a handful of cold water and splashed it on his face.

The biting cold finally quieted his buzzing head. Just as he was about to go back, the voice of a little girl next to him stopped him:
"Mum, what's a pound?"

The little girl looked to be about ten years old. She was wearing clothes made from a blanket and shoes crudely sewn from rabbit skin.

Her mother is a wrinkled woman in her thirties: "Pounds are money. Money can be exchanged for food and clothes."

"Like we traded potatoes for hides from Uncle Abad?"

"Well, it's more useful than potatoes. It can be exchanged for many things. Little Aya can eat her fill today." Mom said with a smile.

The little girl then showed a longing expression, and her big eyes seemed to have seen a bowl of food.

You can eat until her belly swells up!
"Mother, Mr. Weasley is such a nice man."

"Yes, he can even cure our illnesses. From now on, little Aya can go out and play and make lots of friends. We won't have to stay locked up in the cave every month because of the full moon, scratching ourselves all over..."

As the little girl listened to her mother's words, her eyes gradually became absent-minded and a light flashed in them.

Lupin, who was secretly listening nearby, suddenly felt his eyes tingle.

He covered his face, hardly daring to look directly at it, fearing that he would burst into tears if he wasn't careful.

He recognized the light in the little girl's eyes.

That is hope...

He hurried away, but the girl's eyes could not be shaken off his mind.

He couldn't help but think back to what Vaughn had said earlier.

Put aside your prejudices and go to the camp and observe!
For some reason, he couldn't help but do it. He paced slowly in the camp, watching someone run away and soon come back in a rented rickety pickup truck filled with food.

Some men and some women dragged and carried the food to unload it. They were tired and sweating, but their faces were filled with smiles.

Some people brought out their own pickled meat, while others dragged out their own dried fruits.

A fat witch with hideous bite marks on her neck was waving her worn wand with a happy smile, and kitchen knives were flying around her. It could be seen that she was enjoying the joy of doing housework that she had been estranged from for a long time.

The tent opened and the children stumbled past his feet.

Holding toys made of straw or wood, they ran to the "kitchen" where more than a dozen bonfires were set up, staring at it with their fingers between their teeth. Every time a pot was set up, they would sniff and drool.

Lupin didn't know when this change had occurred.

It seemed that as these wanderers walked out of the mountains and forests, they were getting rid of their numbness day by day.

Silently, they "came back to life".

A mother and her son passed by him.

"What a wonderful day..."

"Mom, is tomorrow also a good day?"

"Yes, it must be!"

"What about the day after tomorrow?"

"That's right! It must be!"

Lupin didn't want to turn around to confirm the expression of the mother who said this. He could already hear her determination from her tone!
He had always thought that these people responded to Vaughn's call out of ignorance, so he joined in with the idea of ​​saving them, even at the cost of exposing his identity - he originally hated his werewolf identity the most.

Now he knew that they were not ignorant, but...

No one has ever given them hope like they do now!
……

It was still snowing when Vaughan returned from Hogsmeade.

The strong winds in the Scottish Highlands seem to blow non-stop every time the snowflakes fall.

With his cloak fluttering, Vaughan waded through the snow, walked along the winding path, and saw the towering figure of Hogwarts Castle in the wind and snow.

There is also a vast expanse of white that echoes the deep blue of the forbidden forest and mountains in the distance, extending all the way to the distant horizon.

When he reached the gate of Hogwarts, he saw Dumbledore standing at the door, his long beard blown by the wind, and the young Fawkes squatting quietly on his shoulder.

When Vaughan approached, Dumbledore opened the door for him:
"After Fudge returned to the Ministry of Magic, he immediately convened a meeting to discuss inviting journalists from other European countries to attend your investiture ceremony. He called it a press conference... You really saw through him."

Vaughn didn't care what kind of person Fudge was: "What's the result?"

Dumbledore smiled and winked at him. "Barty Crouch tried to stop it. He thought the Order of Merlin, Second Class, didn't need to be so grand. But this only solidified Fudge's idea. A female senior inquisitor named Dolores Umbridge took the opportunity to attack Barty Crouch for obstructing the principles of international exchange..."

"Oh, politics..."

"Yes, politics makes ambitious people greedy, and greedy people crazy. Fudge summoned the Wizengamot. Of course, he deliberately notified me a few minutes late. In short, he eventually forcibly bypassed the Department of International Magical Exchange and Cooperation and sent invitations to media in more than ten countries."

As he said this, he looked down at Vaughn and said, "Everything is as you wish."

Vaughn spread his hands. "It wasn't me who pushed for this. I was just suggesting it. Do you understand?"

"Hum..."

Dumbledore said no more as the two of them walked into the castle. He waved his hand, and the heavy castle door closed, blocking the wind and snow behind them.

Fudge worked hard.

He announced that the ownership of the Wolfsbane Potion had been discussed and that its inventor, Vaughan Weasley, would announce the transfer of ownership at the awarding ceremony, at which time everyone could discuss the export of the Wolfsbane Potion.

Over the next two days, under his lobbying, countries such as France, Germany, Greece, Denmark, and Bulgaria successively confirmed that they would send liaison officers and reporters to the scene.

Even the closed Magical Congress of North America said it would not be absent.

After all, other countries also need wolfsbane potion, and the spread of lycanthropy knows no borders or races.

After the international developments were reported back to England, they sparked wider discussion, and the Daily Prophet has recently been reporting on such matters in a series of articles.

"A spokesperson for the French Ministry of Magic stated that the emergence of the wolfsbane potion has given France hope for alleviating the threat of lycanthropy. We sincerely congratulate Mr. Vaughan Weasley on receiving the Order of Merlin, Second Class."

"The German Ministry of Magic liaison and reporters have set off..."

"The Ministry of Magic is constructing a new building in Diagon Alley to serve as a hall and a place for guests to stay. It is said that Gringotts has been temporarily moved 10 feet away, which has caused great dissatisfaction among the goblins. However, Madam Malkin next door is very happy. She claims that after running her shop for many years, she finally saw the sky this morning..."

"Yesterday, rumors spread in magazines like The Quibbler that Cornelius Fudge was attempting to master the wolfsbane potion and create his own werewolf army. The Quibbler's editor-in-chief, Lovegood, accused Fudge of abusing his power, which Fudge vehemently denied!"

"A wizard named Damocles Belby claimed that he was also developing the wolfsbane potion and was close to success. He told reporters that he was feeling very frustrated because he had been working on it for five years, experimenting with a large amount of materials, but was still one step behind in progress... But when reporters asked if his research could be leaked, Belby denied the claim. He believed that Vaughn Weasley's research and development progress far exceeded his, possibly due to the superiority of his magic extraction method..."

In the Hogwarts cafeteria, Ron put down the newspaper, looking incredulous. "Did you hear that? That woman Rita Skeeter didn't even fan the flames in her report. If it were before, she would definitely have been mean and accused Vaughn of plagiarizing this Belby."

Harry munched on his bread and asked vaguely, "Rita Skeeter? Who's that?"

"A woman full of lies." Ron said with disgust and a little frustration: "But the adults believe her words very much. My mother especially likes to read her reports."

Harry glanced at the newspaper. "I didn't realize she wasn't reporting it fairly."

"Hehe, she was the one who came to interview Vaughn last time. Maybe she provoked Vaughn and was cursed by him!"

Ron habitually made fun of his brother.

Then he rolled his eyes at Hermione, who had returned to school the previous night. "If you have time to be jealous of Vaughn, why don't you do your homework properly? I can't believe that you two didn't write a single word during the Christmas break—"

Ron muttered: "Who would be jealous of him..."

But considering that he still had to copy Hermione's homework, he only dared to hum twice. Harry opposite him buried his head in his plate, pretending that he was so engrossed in eating that he didn't hear anything.

Ron said he wasn't jealous, but when he saw Vaughn appear in the restaurant in formal attire, following Dumbledore, he was drooling with envy.

The moment Vaughn appeared, people were discussing everywhere.

"Is today the day of the medal ceremony?" "Yes, it seems Dumbledore is taking him. That's great. The Order of Merlin, Second Class. I bet he's the youngest of all the Order of Merlin recipients!"

"Hey, Ron, aren't you going to your brother's award ceremony?"

Ron hesitated. Of course he wanted to go, but Vaughn hadn't invited him at all.

This fact suddenly made him lose his appetite. He was depressed for a while, and couldn't help but say to Harry, "Harry, you should also get an Order of Merlin. You killed You-Know-Who when you were only one year old. If you get a medal, I bet there won't be anyone younger than you!"

This time it was Harry's turn to hesitate. Sometimes he really wanted to open Ron's head and see what was inside.

Vaughan turned a deaf ear to the discussions around him.

He finished his breakfast slowly, and when he saw Dumbledore raise his hand, he grabbed it.

Fawkes, who was still a little chick just two days ago, has grown hair again, which means that he has regained his magic power and can Apparate again.

After a period of space distortion, the two had arrived at Diagon Alley. Gradually adapting to the appearance of their followers and no longer feeling nauseous, Vaughn glanced at Fawkes.

The phoenix was so frightened that its feathers stood up and it suddenly disappeared.

Dumbledore blinked and said, "Who told you to use it to block the Killing Curse? You better be careful. Fawkes holds a grudge very well!"

Vaughn didn't care that he didn't get any phoenix feathers. He smiled and retorted, "Like owner, like pet. Looks like he's as petty as that old man!"

Dumbledore didn't take it as an offense at all, and laughed heartily while stroking his beard.

The award ceremony and press conference were held in Diagon Alley, so of course it couldn't be held outdoors. Fudge was hoping that today would be the highlight of his tenure.

Two days ago, after the specifications for the press conference were confirmed, Fudge gave the order to temporarily build a building next to Gringotts in Diagon Alley.

This request, which seems extremely absurd to Muggles, is not uncommon in the wizarding world.

The wizards from the Ministry of Magic only needed to stretch the corridor between Gringotts and the next door to create a 10-foot-wide open space, and then use magic to move the soil to lay the foundation. The problem after that would be simple.

They placed a miniature, model-like building on the foundation, and after a few magnification spells, a magnificent auditorium rose from the ground!

As for the fact that Gringotts was shifted 10 feet and made the goblins unhappy, Mr. Fudge didn't care.

He is now standing in front of the auditorium with a smile on his face, welcoming every guest, shaking hands with them and posing for photos.

"Ah, Mr. Quickley, welcome. How is your grandfather? Yes, he is a great man..."

"Ms. Jenkins, please come in. It's so cold, but you're really taking the trouble to come here... Yes, it's busy, but don't we all enjoy it?"

"Mr. Ollivander, you're here too. It's a happy day, isn't it? Oh, and the wand? Of course I..."

Fudge finally met his opponent. He was held tightly by the arm by the old Ollivander, who spoke crazy words about wand personalities in a hazy voice.

So when Fudge saw Vaughan and Dumbledore coming, it was like he saw an angel, and he quickly pushed away Ollivander's skinny claws.

He warmly hugged Dumbledore, then put his arm around Vaughan's shoulders and faced the media: "Look, gentlemen, today's protagonist has arrived!"

The spotlights flashed one after another.

Spotlight, spotlight!
Vaughan was pulled by Fudge, and no matter where he went, there were flashes in front of his eyes.

Dumbledore had disappeared, and Fudge and the media he had recruited deliberately ignored Dumbledore. The minister, who was now deeply immersed in the power, was eager to reduce the influence of the person who once supported him the most.

He just wanted to bring Vaughan to every guest, introduce them to the English potion genius, and be happy to show off their "friendship".

"Vaughn, this is Mr. Francis, the French liaison. Dear Francis, this is Vaughn Weasley... Hey, Ael, is it you who came this time..."

"...Haha, don't be so surprised, gentlemen. I can guarantee that the newspapers are not exaggerating. 12 years old, Potions Master!"

"Actually, it's just as hard for me as it is for you. I only met him once before, when he was very young... Oh, you might not know this, but his father and I are colleagues and good friends who can talk about anything. I bet Arthur must be ecstatic. He's such a lucky bastard to have such a promising son!"

Vaughan felt like his face was about to freeze from smiling. He was surrounded by well-dressed officials, who looked at him kindly, listened attentively to Fudge's praise and boasting of him, and applauded in agreement.

Among them were liaison officers from various countries, as well as some powerful figures in the English wizarding community, such as members of a pure-blood family who had once produced a Minister of Magic.

Fudge regarded this press conference as a stage to expand his network and demonstrate his value - he hoped that those pure-bloods in power would see that he would soon possess a huge force, and the cornerstone of this huge force, the wolfsbane potion, would be handed to him by its inventor personally today.

Vaughn cooperated with him, but actually watched coldly from the sidelines.

Those foreign liaisons were also part of Fudge's value proposition. The newspapers weren't exaggerating; the spread of lycanthropy was a thorny issue in every country.

The reason why it has never been discussed openly is that many attempts have been made in the past, but all have ended in failure.

Before a decisive solution is found, other countries, like England before, retain several dispensable departments in their ministries (such as the Werewolf Registry, the Werewolf Capture Program Group, etc.) to show that they have tried, but the werewolves are not cooperating.

It has to be said that Fudge is actually a very smart person. He keenly grasped the needs of various countries. After listening to Vaughn talk about the concept of a press conference, he immediately jumped to an international perspective.

They used the wolfsbane potion as an excuse to attract international attention, and then used the international attention to promote the diversity of their own values ​​to pure-bloods.

Although in fact, his stage was a wedding dress for Vaughan.

But that was also because Vaughn was too young. In Fudge's eyes, he was a naive and somewhat foolish child, so he believed Vaughn's promise. Otherwise, with the ability he showed, he would most likely be able to complete a gorgeous turnaround with the opportunity today.

“I feel a little embarrassed when I think about it…”

Vaughn's conscience twitched for 0.1 second.

The auditorium is an alchemical wonder, and it is unknown how many years it has existed. Judging from its gorgeous Baroque style, it may have been born in the 16th century.

Today, this building, which has complex geometric shapes, crystal chandeliers, and is so magnificent that every wall tile exudes luxury, and is probably an antique, is already full of people.

The oval-shaped hall was divided into two floors. Members of the Wizengamot and Merlin's Order sat on the second floor, overlooking the main podium. Sitting at the head of the table was a solemn witch.

Amelia Burns, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic and Chief Justice of the Wizengamot, led the Wizengamot in witnessing the birth of the new Order of Merlin.

And notarize the ownership of the wolfsbane potion.

The Order of Merlin is mainly responsible for awarding medals and recognizing Vaughn as a member of the Order of Merlin. Since many members of the Order of Merlin have joined the Wizengamot, the distinction between the two is not obvious.

When everyone was seated and the awarding ceremony was about to begin, Vaughn looked up and could only see patches of purple robes over there.

Then he saw Amelia Burns.

The solemn witch nodded to him, and Vaughn returned the greeting.

On the side stage, Mr. Fudge had already walked up to the main podium. He put his wand to his throat and delivered a bunch of nonsense in a passionate and high-pitched voice.

The content was nothing more than the significance of the wolfsbane potion to the wizarding world and what kind of problems it could solve. The speech was very lengthy, and only in the middle did he play a British humor and say that with the wolfsbane potion, countries no longer had to worry about which department to assign the werewolf problem to, because it could set up a separate department, which caused a burst of laughter.

After speaking for more than 20 minutes, he finally reached out to Vaughn in the audience, his face flushed under the flashing spotlights.

"Let us welcome the inventor of Wolfsbane Potion, the new Potions Master, Mr. Vaughan Weasley!"

Thunderous applause!

The flashes of the cameras turned into a white blur in front of Vaughan's eyes. Fudge shook hands with him warmly, hugged him, and then stood on the stage with a smile. A fat woman in a pink woolen skirt came up to him and whispered compliments to him, which made Fudge very proud.

Vaughn looked away, his eyes calm and indifferent.

On the second floor, Amelia Burns stood up and unfolded the scroll in her hand. Magic made her voice loud and majestic:
"The Wizengamot bears witness: Werewolves and lycanthropy have plagued the world. Many gifted wizards have attempted to resolve this problem, but their magic and wisdom were ultimately succumbed to this disease. For millennia, it has accompanied wizards through their growth, becoming an indelible pain. Some, in despair, have declared that lycanthropy is the world's curse upon wizards."

"December 1991, 12, is a moment worth remembering in history. The wolfsbane potion invented by Mr. Vaughan Weasley solved the pain that had lasted for a thousand years, making the chaos and savagery of werewolves a thing of the past. Therefore, the Order of Merlin has decided to award Mr. Vaughan Weasley the Order of Merlin, Second Class, and invite him to become a member of the Order and the Wizengamot!"

She closed the scroll, looked down at Vaughn, and asked in a majestic voice:

"Mr. Vaughan Weasley, do you have any objections?"

"no disagreement!"

Hearing this, in a solemn silence, Amelia Burns threw out the scroll.

The scroll was an alchemical item. It transformed in mid-air into a golden medal with a purple ribbon and landed on Vaughn's chest.

Amelia Burns smiled. "Welcome, Mr. Vaughan Weasley!"

As she spoke, applause suddenly broke out like thunder.

The applause lasted for a while, but not too long, because it was time for the medal recipients to give their speeches as usual.

And more people know that the inventor of the wolfsbane potion is preparing to announce the transfer of his ownership of the wolfsbane potion on this occasion.

Fudge's chubby face was radiant, and some people were looking at his back and talking quietly to each other.

Vaughan glanced at all this and nodded to Fudge, who responded with a friendly and cheerful smile, which made the discussion below even louder.

Vaughn smiled slightly: "It seems that everyone already knows what my speech is."

The people in the audience chuckled.

"but……"

I am afraid of everything. However, Fudge, who was whispering to Umbridge beside him, suddenly felt a pang in his heart when he heard this word.

He raised his head and looked at the child on the main podium who had to stand on a footstool to be higher than the podium.

The child who always showed an innocent smile in front of him, had become indifferent at some point.

"But before I make that announcement, I have something else to say."

(End of this chapter)