Chapter 298: Crouch and Bagman

Chapter 298: Crouch and Bagman

The Ministry of Magic.

Felix pushed open the door of the telephone booth and watched it rise to the surface, joining the crowd as they made their way to the atrium.

"Mr. Harp, greetings."

"Mr. Harp, congratulations."

Felix nodded in response one by one. After giving a speech at the Ministry of Magic, he had gained several acquaintances. He walked confidently to Room Three in the Visitor's Area, where an elderly wizard sat alone. With shaky movements, the old wizard raised his head. "Felix Harp?"

"Are you... Augustus Gray? I remember you from the Order of Merlin ceremony in Bellby."

The old wizard grinned, his mouth devoid of teeth. "Rare indeed, to see an outstanding young man before I retire."

"You're too kind, Mr. Gray," Felix said with a smile.

The two chatted, with Augustus Gray having worked in the Wizengamot Office of Magical Law Enforcement for seventy years. He handled routine paperwork and had risen from a reckless young man to the head of the office. He was well-versed in the workings of the Ministry of Magic, knowing many anecdotes and gossip.

"...That young girl, Berta, so innocent and helpful. She asked me if I needed a walking stick..."

Felix blinked. "Berta Jorkins? I think I've heard that name."

A cheerful voice came from behind them. "Ha~ What are you discussing?"

Felix turned around to see a large wizard. It was evident that he had once been tall and strong, but he was now on the decline, his figure more round, making it hard to associate him with the word 'burly.'

His gestures were grand, with his arms swinging as he talked. His voice was full of emotion, incredibly engaging.

"Hello, I'm Ludovic Bagman. You must be Felix Harp? I've heard about you from people in the departmentArthur, Arthur Weasley. I don't know if you're acquainted, but he was quite impressed by your last speech." Bagman shook his golden hair and leaned in close, whispering, "Well done, I mean, I also can't stand McNair, really can't stand him..."

Felix spoke mildly, "Mr. Bagman, I just gave a regular speech"

"Yes, yes," Bagman eagerly interrupted, his face lighting up, "Who's to say otherwise? I wasn't at the department then, I had a fan gathering, these people are so enthusiastic... Merlin, I love them, but, well, I knew what it was all about from the first time I heard, you know, I'm quite familiar with some pure-blood families, through my father's connections... they told me quite a bit."

Felix smiled, "I'm curious to know what they said."

"Cough cough, I can't say, I promised them, but," Bagman paused for a moment, unable to restrain himself, and then said mysteriously, "You have quite a reputation in the pure-blood circles, they hold you in great awe, I think even more than they do Barty Crouch, speaking of which"

"Admirable, he was a hero," Bagman said, his tone less respectful. "But Mr. Harp is no slouch either, and he's only" he glanced at Felix, who succinctly stated, "23 years old."

"Exactly, 23 years old, and accomplished through genuine skill. Memory injuries, I'm not very familiar with that area. It's about treating memory deficiencies, right? I think Berta Jorkins could use a visit; her actions are truly headache-inducing. She couldn't even find a venue, spent a week wandering around."

Barty Crouch didn't speak, maintaining his stern expression.

"What do you think, Barty? She should be at the department today. It's best to have her drop by..."

"She's not here," Crouch said stiffly.

"What?"

"She's not here; I approved her vacation. I told her to take a break."

"Well, um, but she's under my purview, Barty..."

Barty Crouch suddenly became irate. "Then you take responsibility. Use the time you spend meeting fans to take care of venue matters instead of leaving everything to me."

Bagman's momentum immediately waned, like a deflated balloon. "I didn't mean that. Okay, you're right. Let her have a break, one more person won't make much of a difference..."

Crouch left in haste, and Bagman looked somewhat uneasy. He chatted awkwardly for a few more moments and then excused himself. "I better talk to the Americans again. Honestly, their ideas aren't... aren't that outlandish."

More and more people flooded into the reception room, and Felix had to greet each one, exchanging empty words. It took him quite a while to finally dismiss Cornelius Fudge. Fudge, whether due to some peculiar medication or not, was persistently introducing him to high-ranking officials in the Ministry who were part of the pure-blood faction. Fortunately, he recognized some familiar faces.

"Phileas, Mirabel, Zephyrus, and Damocles, are you all together?"

"You'll be quite busy today," Damocles Belby said understandingly. "We'll pass the time on our own. It's been a while since we've all been together; there's much to catch up on."

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