168: Furious Temporary Minister

168: Furious Temporary Minister

"We have thirty minutes before Dumbledore seals it off; we need to hurry!"

Hermione and Harry quickened their pace, but time was running too short.

At the castle gates, they spotted the executioner heading off to notify the Dementors. It seemed they wouldn't make it in time.

Buckbeak descended with a ferret clamped in his beak—who knows where he caught it—and was enthusiastically devouring his prize.

Seeing this, Harry's eyes lit up. Quickly, he signaled Hermione to climb aboard.

Riding Buckbeak, they soared towards the eighth floor, where they spotted Sirius Black at the window.

Harry was overjoyed at first but immediately noticed something off. There was someone else present.

Both he and Hermione's expressions shifted.

Hermione exclaimed in shock, "It's the Acting Minister of Magic!"

Rufus Scrimgeour stood at Sirius's door, a smug smile plastered on his face as he declared, "We've been searching for you for quite some time. You should know that."

Sirius stared at him in silence.

Scrimgeour didn't seem to care—after all, capturing Sirius meant his victory.

Soon, he would be officially promoted to the Minister of Magic.

At that point, even Johnny Silverhand would have to tone down his arrogance.

People were fickle like that.

Back when he was just the Head of the Auror Office, Scrimgeour thought Johnny Silverhand was a great ally.

As soon as Scrimgeour envisioned himself in the Minister's chair, he suddenly found Johnny Silverhand an eyesore.

Especially since Silverhand had pulled the strings to bring Fudge down, which posed an even greater threat to Scrimgeour's ambitions.

"If you're willing to name the person who helped you escape Azkaban, I can promise you a better outcome," Scrimgeour said, giving Sirius a penetrating look.

His meaning was clear: if Sirius was willing to implicate Johnny Silverhand, Scrimgeour would ensure the Dementors didn't suck out his soul.

But Sirius Black was no ordinary man. He sneered, unmoved by the offer.

Harry and Hermione, hidden nearby, were growing increasingly anxious. With Scrimgeour lingering, there was no chance of getting Sirius out.

Just as time was about to run out, the executioner who had left earlier rushed back, whispering something urgently into Scrimgeour's ear.

Scrimgeour's face shifted drastically, and he quickly left the scene.

Harry and Hermione wasted no time. They swooped down on Buckbeak, landing at the cell.

In her haste, Hermione didn't even bother with an unlocking spell. Instead, she blasted the lock off with an Explosion Charm.

Even Sirius was momentarily stunned by her ferocity. Without wasting any more time, they freed him.

There was barely enough time for goodbyes. Harry and Hermione hastily told Sirius to escape on Buckbeak.

Once Sirius was airborne, the two sprinted through the castle at breakneck speed.

With less than five minutes left, they raced up the spiral staircase, only to hear Scrimgeour's voice echoing down the corridor.

"Johnny Silverhand is at Hogwarts?"

"Without any warning."

Scrimgeour's footsteps echoed as he moved away, leaving Harry and Hermione to quicken their pace.

The most significant offer, however, was the ongoing maintenance. Some components of the Zenith series required periodic magical recharging, and this included maintenance, which could save substantial effort.

For the student fortunate enough to win this prize, it would undoubtedly be a fast track to excellence.

After a moment of contemplation, Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

Just then, Scrimgeour stormed back into the room, his face thunderous.

"You! It has to be you!" he roared at Johnny Silverhand.

"What happened?"

Dumbledore feigned ignorance, while Scrimgeour, like an enraged lion, roared and fixed his bloodshot eyes on Johnny Silverhand.

Johnny responded indifferently, "I'm not sure what the temporary Minister is accusing me of."

The word temporary hit a nerve, causing Scrimgeour's face to turn even redder as he glared at Johnny. "You helped Sirius Black escape, Johnny Silverhand. I know it was you."

Johnny let out a cold laugh. "Since setting foot in Hogwarts, I haven't left this room. That's a very serious accusation, temporary~~ Minister."

Scrimgeour's face darkened with rage. Just then, Snape returned, his expression as grim as ever, and said, "Perhaps it was Potter? His antics have caused similar troubles before."

Scrimgeour immediately led a group to storm into the hospital wing.

Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore, the ever-prepared "old bee," had already set everything up perfectly.

Harry, with award-worthy acting skills, convincingly insisted he knew nothing. Left with nowhere to vent his anger, Scrimgeour could only leave in frustration, ordering his Aurors to search the area.

Both Johnny Silverhand and Dumbledore remained completely unbothered.

Adding insult to injury, a reporter from The Daily Prophet arrived, demanding an interview. Scrimgeour, humiliated, stormed off in a fury.

Johnny also prepared to leave, but before departing, he glanced at Harry and asked, "So this is the famous savior, Harry Potter?"

Harry, nervous and about to respond, was cut off as Johnny shook his head and muttered, "Doesn't look like much."

...

Johnny Silverhand had arrived at Hogwarts in a carriage drawn by three flying horses.

Once inside the carriage again, he removed his silver mask, revealing the face of a mature man.

"Haah~ I should win an award for this performance."

Facing the boy across from him, he complained, "Sir, could you please not make me handle these situations in the future?"

John, with a cheerful smile, asked, "So, how did it feel to face Dumbledore?"

Tonny grimaced. "Terrible. My instincts as a former Auror tell me that man is extremely dangerous. In front of him, it feels like I have no secrets at all."

"I feel the same way," John laughed heartily.

Once the carriage left the boundaries of Hogwarts, he stepped out.

"Barty Crouch is someone worth building a relationship with. He's extended goodwill, and we should reciprocate."

"The sponsorship spot for the Triwizard Tournament is secured. Let Rita do a good job with the publicity. As for our temporary Minister..."

John paused mid-sentence, his gaze falling on the seemingly lifeless rat inside a cage. With a meaningful smile, he added, "Let's hope he appreciates this gift."

Tommy nodded knowingly, closed the carriage door, and drove the flying horses away.

John made his way from the Shrieking Shack back to the castle.

__________

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