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Ministry of Magic, Minister's Office.

Cornelius Fudge waved his hand forcefully, actively breaking the suffocating atmosphere in the office.

"It's just a casual guess, don't be too nervous. If Dumbledore was the mastermind, we would probably have all been hit with the Imperius Curse a long time ago. There wouldn't be so many complicated twists and turns."

"That's right, Professor Dumbledore doesn't have any dealings or conflicts with goblins..."

"Mr. Fudge, you scared us just now."

"If Hogwarts had money, students wouldn't have to grow their own vegetables to supply three meals a day."

"If the Gringotts goblins were really that stupid, they would be losing money hand over fist..."

After a moment, the people from the Ministry of Magic shook their heads, quickly dismissing these far-fetched speculations.

Even Fudge, who had initiated the discussion, later found his previous thoughts absurd and somewhat ridiculous, probably because he had indulged in a few extra drinks during casual conversation, making him a little more confused than usual.

However, with a little something on his mind, a few days later, when Cornelius Fudge received the Ministry's approval for the "Hogwarts Educational Reform" application, he couldn't resist personally delivering the documents to Hogwarts via Floo Network.

And when he arrived, Albus Dumbledore, sitting behind his desk, was earnestly waving his wand like a beginner wizard, constantly transforming a pocket watch from wood to iron, and then from iron back to wood.

If it weren't for the powerful magical protection surrounding the old wizard, almost visible to the naked eye, Cornelius Fudge might have even suspected that Dumbledore was intermittently entering a stage of senility.

"Oh, Cornelius, you've arrived! Hiss... it's indeed a bit difficult."

Noticing the middle-aged wizard emerging from the fireplace, Dumbledore subconsciously looked up. Before he could finish speaking, Fudge saw the pocket watch in the old wizard's hand suddenly turn into a pile of black slag.

"Apologies, I was researching a new direction in Transfiguration... of course, it failed again."

The old wizard's expression was as amiable and kind as ever. He snapped his fingers, dispelling the magical protection.

However, perhaps because he had just finished a failed magical attempt, Dumbledore was not as smooth and affable as usual, but had instead returned to the calm and slightly profound expression that Fudge had known long ago—just like what Cornelius Fudge had seen when he was still in school.

*This* was Professor Albus Dumbledore: powerful, unfathomable, and with a touch of madness...

Compared to such an old wizard who had seen too many years, there was no need for any disguise or conspiracy. Perhaps, besides knowledge and uncertain young people, he could get anything else he wanted with a wave of his wand.

"This is the educational reform application you submitted earlier. The Ministry has studied it and believes there are no major problems. However, those Muggle scholars from the non-magical world cannot leave the Hogwarts area with their memories. You understand my meaning, right?"

Cornelius Fudge lowered his head slightly, placing the magical document, stamped and signed by the relevant department heads, on Dumbledore's desk. After hesitating for a few seconds, he couldn't help but offer a reminder.

"So... Professor Dumbledore, about the joint statement with the Ministry..."

"No problem, I will arrive at the Ministry of Magic on time tomorrow morning. As for the subsequent interviews and exclusive news, I've thought about it, and if the Minister feels it's necessary, we can actually add a little bit, it doesn't matter."

Professor Dumbledore had indeed changed a lot in the past six months. It wouldn't have been so easy to get him to speak out in the past.

The middle-aged man thought to himself, without considering the reasons for Dumbledore's change. After all, everyone hopes to encounter a helpful and non-threatening tool person big shot to help them.

Cornelius Fudge did not miss the difficult communication mode of having to send more than a dozen owls every day to wait for a brief message reply from Dumbledore.

"Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore, you've worked hard. Then I'll go back first."

Having received a definite answer again, Fudge nodded happily, took off his top hat, gave a greeting, and then walked to the fireplace again, leaving the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts via Floo Network—of course, after he disappeared, the Floo Network connection temporarily open to the outside world was closed again.

Immediately afterwards, a wizard wearing a robe of the same style as Dumbledore's, holding a book, slowly flipped through it, stepped down step by step from the rotating wooden stairs above, complaining unhappily to the floor below.

"Hey, Albus, I didn't agree to any interviews or exclusive news!"

"It doesn't matter, you heard it just now, I agreed for you."

In the main hall of the Headmaster's office downstairs, Dumbledore replied casually, waving his wand gently to sweep away the pile of black slag, and took out another pocket watch from the drawer, pondering.

"However... Gellert, do you think it is really possible to unleash terrible destructive power with Transfiguration alone?"

"How would I know? If you're really curious, just ask that little girl. I also accidentally heard her giving a lesson to that little witch named Hermione Granger, describing it in a serious manner, and it didn't seem like she was lying."

As the countdown to the introduction of non-magical courses into Hogwarts began, Dumbledore also began to study those headache-inducing Muggle knowledge more seriously. However, facing the vast and chaotic non-magical reference books, Dumbledore, lacking systematic guidance, mostly just dabbled in them.

Perhaps, he could only wait until the end of this semester, when those Muggles arrived at Hogwarts, to slowly learn more?

…………

At the same time, London, Knockturn Alley.

This is another magical shopping district besides Diagon Alley.

Compared to the well-known Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, which wanders on the grey edge of the magical world, can be said to be a paradise for outlaws. It operates many shops related to dark magic, as well as strange shops opened by various unidentified dark wizards.

And on this day, a new shop decorated extremely luxuriously suddenly appeared at the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

Perhaps, it is not appropriate to describe it as a shop, because from the appearance alone, it is simply a replica of a small Gringotts Wizarding Bank—except that its name is the United States Magical Federal Council Reserve System.

The shop's logo is a black cross resembling a tombstone, with a pile of golden currency mountains in the background.

Several well-dressed and meticulous young wizards were walking back and forth in the crowd with flyers, handing one to any wizard they saw, with a clinking copper Knut attached to the flyer.

As for the content on the flyer, it was quite simple and direct, making it easy to understand at a glance.

"The Most Amazing Money Magic Ever!"

"Give me one Knut today, and I'll give you back two tomorrow!"

"Professional goblin guidance, permanently valid, on-the-spot redemption!"

An invisible butcher's knife was swung fiercely at the Gringotts Wizarding Bank next door on this ordinary afternoon, without any warning. However, this pain would gradually be transmitted to the goblins' bones after a while.

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Chapter 4! (OMG!!!!)

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