Ch277- Clown Show

Ch277- Clown Show

Join my Discord!



The Slytherin common room was as dimly lit and cold as ever, the green and silver tones casting a shadowy atmosphere around the place. Harry slipped inside, ignoring the few students still up, and headed straight for his room. He sat on the edge of his bed, pulling off his shoes and staring out of the small window into the murky lake beyond. Tomorrow promised to be another headache.

The aftershocks of last year’s chaos were starting to ripple through the wizarding world, and Harry could already feel the tension building. The rich, influential families—especially the Most Ancient and Most Noble houses—were getting restless. And why wouldn’t they? Fudge was fumbling things left and right, and no one trusted him to keep things under control.

Last year had been a circus. Harry exposing Sirius Black’s innocence and proving that the man had been convicted without a trial had turned everything on its head. Instead of a notorious killer, Black had been nothing but a victim—thrown into Azkaban because the Ministry was too eager to close the case. And then there was Barty Crouch Sr. The old man had been head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time of Sirius’ conviction, and the press had torn him apart after Harry revealed the truth.

The Daily Prophet had a field day with that one. Headlines screamed about the injustice, calling out the Ministry’s failure to even use Veritaserum for a case as high-profile as Sirius Black’s. Crouch had been so eager to lock up anyone connected to the Dark Lord, so determined to maintain his reputation, that he hadn’t bothered to follow proper procedure. His obsession had cost Sirius a decade of his life—and it made people wonder just how many more innocent wizards were rotting away in Azkaban because of Crouch’s recklessness.

Naturally, the fact that Sirius was part of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black only made things worse. His wrongful imprisonment was a black mark not only on the Ministry but on the entire system that allowed it to happen. And if a pureblood from a powerful family could be locked up without so much as a proper trial, what did that say about everyone else?

Then there was the issue with Veritaserum—or, rather, the lack of it. The Ministry had conveniently "forgotten" to use it during the trials of the Most Ancient and Most Noble houses, leading to people like Sirius Black rotting away in Azkaban for over a decade. Of course, when it came to people like Lucius Malfoy and other suspected Death Eaters, they all seemed to have the perfect excuse—the Imperius Curse. Who could really know how many of Voldemort's true followers had slipped through the cracks, claiming they had been forced into their actions?

Fudge was desperate, that much was clear. With the scandal of Sirius’s wrongful imprisonment blowing up in his face, the Minister needed to put on a show, and Harry was the key to salvaging his reputation. It was sickening, really. The Ministry had made a mess of things, and now they wanted to parade Harry around like some prize for their "good deeds" in righting the wrongs of the past. He could already imagine the ridiculous speeches, the faux gratitude, and the empty promises.

Reaching the entrance to the Headmaster’s office, Harry paused, considering what Dumbledore might say during their trip. The old man wasn’t one to miss an opportunity for conversation, and knowing him, this wouldn’t just be a routine escort to the Ministry.

Harry knocked on the door of Dumbledore’s office, the familiar sound of Fawkes’ soft trilling reaching his ears even through the thick wood. Dumbledore’s voice called out warmly from within. “Come in, my boy.”

Opening the door, Harry stepped into the office, the scent of old parchment and a hint of lemon drops filling the air. Fawkes, perched on his usual spot, tilted his head at Harry as he entered. Without missing a beat, Harry walked over to the phoenix, giving the bird a gentle stroke on its fiery feathers. Fawkes leaned into the touch for a moment, then let out a soft, melodic chirp. Harry gave the bird a final pat before turning to face Dumbledore, who sat behind his desk, that ever-present twinkle in his eye.

--

Please rate and review! Much appreciated! Leave a comment, tell me what you think!



To Read up to 50 advance Chapters (25 for each novel) and support me...

Please drop a comment and like the chapter!