Milk_Is_My_Drug
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Chapter 106: Public Apology
🕑 Added 2025-05-10 14:38:06 +0000 UTCOne week after Harry Potter’s hearing, an unexpected visit shook Malfoy Manor. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, led a small but formidable delegation, including Amelia Bones and several seasoned Aurors. Their faces bore the weight of sleepless nights and relentless stress. Fudge’s eyes were sunken, dark circles visible beneath them, while Amelia, though composed, carried the exhaustion of someone burdened with a crisis beyond her control. The Aurors flanking them stood stiffly, their expressions grim.
Lucius Malfoy, ever the dignified host, received them in the grand entrance hall. He raised a single questioning brow at their presence before Fudge stepped forward, his voice sharp with impatience.
“Where is your son?” Fudge demanded without preamble.
Lucius studied him for a moment before replying coolly, “He is helping Draco with his practice. Why?”
Fudge’s lips thinned. “I must speak to him. Now.”
Lucius let out a soft sigh, already suspecting the reason for their arrival. He had, of course, heard about the dementors’ sudden occupation of the Ministry, but he had long since ceased trying to make sense of his son's actions. Nothing Dante did followed any logical pattern that Lucius could anticipate, and trying to unravel it was a pointless exercise. At this stage, he had resigned himself to accept and ignore all of Dante's actions.
“Very well, Wait here.” Lucius said.
He turned and exited the hall, walking at a leisurely pace toward the garden. There, he found Dante standing opposite Draco, giving him tips during a duel. Without much preamble, Lucius said, “You have visitors. The Minister and Amelia Bones.”
Dante smirked knowingly before nodding. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”
Draco, intrigued, followed without invitation. When they entered the hall, Fudge’s gaze immediately locked onto Dante, his narrowed eyes brimming with anger and tension.
“The dementors,” Fudge said sharply, “is this your doing?”
Dante met his glare with an easy, amused expression. “If you want them to stop,” he said simply, “you know what to do.”
Fudge’s face darkened with fury. “I am the Minister of Magic!” he snapped. “Your words alone are enough to send you to Azkaban! let alone this!”
Dante chuckled, a low and dangerous sound. “There is no Azkaban anymore, Minister. Only a Ministry.”
Fudge’s expression twisted with fury, but before he could retort, Amelia Bones stepped in.
“Dante, your actions qualify as a criminal offense,” she stated firmly. “This could warrant serious intervention. But we came here to speak first, before taking drastic measures.”
Dante sat down and leaned back against the chair, completely at ease. “No, you’re here because you’re afraid. Afraid that the dementors will continue their little haunting session until you’re completely undone. You’re here to negotiate, not to threaten.” He tilted his head. “I’ll make this simple: Fudge will publicly apologize in The Daily Prophet for calling Harry Potter a liar and for wasting everyone’s time. He will also announce that Azkaban is no more.”
Fudge shot to his feet. “I’ve had enough of this nonsense!”
Amelia frowned and placed a warning hand on his arm. “Minister, I strongly advise you to—”
Fudge shrugged her off and turned to the Aurors. “Seize him!” he barked.
The Aurors hesitated for a fraction of a second before drawing their wands—but before they could act, the room darkened. A sudden crackle of energy burst through the air, and in an instant, black lightning struck them down. The Aurors collapsed unconscious before they could even comprehend what had happened.
Amelia’s eyes widened in shock. Fudge paled, his fury morphing into disbelief and fear.
Dante slowly rose to his feet. “The conversation,” he said, his voice low and edged with finality, “is over.” He took a step closer, his presence suffocating. “If, by tomorrow morning, I don’t see a sincere apology on the front page of The Daily Prophet, you will be the first Minister of Magic to receive the Dementor’s Kiss.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Scram.”
In the blink of an eye, Fudge, Amelia, and the unconscious Aurors found themselves outside Malfoy Manor, expelled by forces they couldn’t even comprehend.
Fudge stood frozen, his breath coming in short gasps. His skin had gone ghostly white, and his fists clenched at his sides in a mix of helpless rage and terror. Amelia, still regaining her composure, turned to him and spoke with quiet urgency.
“You should apologize, Cornelius. Publicly. If Dante truly controls the Dementors, they may linger around you even if you try to retaliate. Even if you succeed in taking him down, their threat won’t disappear.”
Fudge’s hands trembled slightly. He clenched his jaw, his pride warring with his survival instincts. Dante had left him with no choice.
Back in the Malfoy Manor, Lucius gazed at his son with some curiosity then sighed before speaking.
"Was this truly a wise move? You have made yourself the Minister's number one enemy, Dante."
Dante smirked "Fudge is a coward, father. He won't dare to act against me, not when the threat of the Dementors still lingers. He also fears that I might be on the same side as Dumbledore. That uncertainty will keep him in check."
Lucius nodded. In truth, he had never feared Fudge. The man was weak, spineless, and easily swayed. The real challenge lay in dealing with the nuisance he created rather than the man himself.
__________
The next morning, the Daily Prophet published its latest edition, and as expected, the Dementors slowly withdrew from the Ministry.
The front page bore the bold headline: MINISTER FUDGE ISSUES OFFICIAL APOLOGY.
In his statement, Fudge admitted that Harry Potter had been right all along. He acknowledged that the Dementors were no longer under the Ministry’s full control and formally apologized to all who attended the hearing, regretting his earlier dismissal of the case. Lastly, he confirmed that Azkaban was no longer a functioning prison, and the Ministry would seek a more reliable replacement for the Dementors.
At Grimmauld Place, Hermione stormed into the living room, waving the newspaper excitedly. "Harry! Ron! Come look at this!"
The trio gathered around, scanning the pages with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. Before long, Molly Weasley, Fred, George, and the others joined them. The twins burst into laughter, nudging Harry playfully.
"Blimey, Harry, you're the 'Boy Who Spoke the Truth' now!" Fred chortled.
Arthur Weasley, who had taken the day off due to the Ministry's recent chaos, sighed as he set down his tea. "Hopefully, the Ministry will return to normal now. It’s been unbearable with all those Dementors hovering around."
Ron shook his head in amazement. "Merlin’s beard, he actually did it."
Hermione smiled knowingly. "I told you—Professor Malfoy always keeps his word."
Molly pursed her lips in thought. "I still don’t understand if Dante Malfoy is a good person or just as bad as his father. He hurt Arthur, threatened my children, and has no respect for authority—not even Dumbledore. Yet, he saved Ginny, helped Hermione, defended Harry, and doesn’t even discriminate against Ron of all people."
Hearing his name mentioned like that, Ron rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Professor Malfoy is a good person," Hermione insisted. "He’s just... extreme. His expectations for people are incredibly high."
Ginny nodded in agreement. "He’s nice and respectful as long as you meet those expectations. But the moment you slack off, he makes sure you know he’s not impressed."
Arthur frowned slightly. "Even so, I still don’t like him."
Ron and the twins muttered their agreement, each of them having had their own grudges against Dante at one point or another.
By the time the first day of Hogwarts arrived, the entire magical community had heard the news: Dante Malfoy had complete control over the Dementors, and the attack on the Ministry was his doing, all because he was annoyed with Fudge’s incompetence.
The revelation only added to Dante’s already fearsome reputation. Despite his young age, he had accomplished more than most living wizards. Not only was he the youngest professor in Hogwarts history, but he had also publicly challenged the Ministry, insulted the Minister himself, and forced him into a humiliating public apology.
To the students, he was a source of pride. They were honored to call Dante their professor, knowing he would go to any lengths to protect them.
To the parents, he was more than just a professor—he was a guardian, a powerful force ensuring their children's safety in a dangerous world. And in their eyes, that assurance, that unwavering determination, made Dante Malfoy more of a protector than even Albus Dumbledore himself.
