Chapter 724 (1/2)

There was silence. Mrs. Pomfrey was standing motionless at the foot of Harry's bed, her hand over her mouth.

Mrs. Weasley stood facing Harry with her hand on his shoulder to keep him from rising. Bill, Ron and Hermione are staring at fudge. There is a big disagreement between them The posture.

”If you're determined to cover your eyes, Connelly,” Dumbledore said gravely, ”we'll have to go our separate ways. You walk on your log bridge, and I'll take my path. ”

There was no threat in Dumbledore's voice, but it made fudge angry, as if Dumbledore was coming to him with his wand.

”Look here, Dumbledore,” fudge threatened, waving his finger. ”I always give you autonomy. I respect you very much. Maybe I didn't agree with some of your decisions, but I kept quiet. There won't be many people who will let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid or decide what to teach your students without consulting the minister. But if you insist on doing something -- ”

” that's the only person I want to object to, ”Dumbledore said.” that's Voldemort. If you're against him, Connelly, we're on the side. ”

Fudge seemed speechless.

His little feet swayed back and forth for a while. His black bowler hat was spinning in his hand. At last he spoke, with some entreaties in his voice.

”He couldn't have come back. It can't be... ”

Snape crossed Dumbledore, stepped forward and rolled up the sleeve of his left hand. He held out his forearm to fudge, who recoiled.

”Here,” snape said harshly, ”look here, this black mark. It's not as clear as it was when it was blackened about an hour ago, but it can still be seen. Every fur rabbit has this mark made by the Dark Lord. It's the way he calls us, and it's the way he distinguishes us. When he touches any Death Eater's mark, we're going to disappear and show up next to him. The mark is becoming clearer and clearer over the course of the year. So is kakarov. Do you know why kakarov is running away tonight? We all feel the imprint burning. We all know he's back. What kakarov feared was that the Dark Lord would retaliate for his betrayal, so that he was not sure he would be welcomed back into the group

Fudge stepped back slightly. He was shaking his head as if he had not heard Snape at all.

Fudge looked at the ugly mark on Snape's hand, the dark mark, and then looked up at Dumbledore.

”I don't know what more tricks you and your men are playing with dumbley, but I've heard enough. I don't want to say anything more. Dumbledore, I'll contact you tomorrow to discuss school management. I have to go back to the Ministry. ”

With these words, Fudge walked quickly.

As he approached the door, he stopped, turned around, strode into the dormitory and stopped by Harry's bed.

”That's the money you won,” he said briefly. He took a large bag of gold from his pocket and put it on the counter beside Harry's bed. ”A thousand gold garonnes, there should have been an award ceremony, but in this case...”

Fudge put his black top hat on top of his head, went out and slammed the door. As soon as he left, Dumbledore turned to look at the crowd by Harry's bed.

”Something to do.” He said, ”Molly Can I rely on you and Arthur? ”

”Of course,” said Mrs. Weasley. Her lips were white, but her face was firm. ”He knows what fudge really is. It was Arthur's love of the mags that prevented him from returning to the Ministry over the years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizard pride. ”

”Then I have to take a message for him.” Dumbledore said, ”we have to inform immediately, all the people we can convince, Arthur is in touch with those in the Department who are not as short-sighted as Cornell.”

”I'll go to Dad,” Bill said, standing up. ”I'll go now!”