"I beg your pardon, Professor Umbridge, but I feel compelled to correct something..."

Before even Aileen could respond, Professor Sprout interjected, the usually gentle and friendly witch's tone turning cold.

"According to Hogwarts' current regulations, professors, aside from issuing detentions and deducting points, do not have the authority to expel students or deduct more than twenty points at once. As for a Ministry trial? Frankly, I've never heard of a Hogwarts student facing trial for casting a spell in the classroom. Furthermore, what you mentioned about attacking a senior Ministry official..."

Professor Sprout glanced at Umbridge, a carefully crafted expression of confusion appearing on her usually kind and honest round face.

"If I'm not mistaken, weren't you suspended from the Ministry? Has your position been reinstated?"

"Oh, so you consider students attacking professors to be a common occurrence at Hogwarts?"

Umbridge's expression darkened as she turned to face the Hufflepuff Head, who was clearly taking sides, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"As Senior Undersecretary, I have the right to assist the school in managing students. If you believe such behavior shouldn't be punished, then perhaps Hogwarts' faculty responsibilities and school regulations require considerable re-evaluation and revision."

"Of course, it must be punished! Even if Aileen didn't actually harm you, she at least startled you."

Professor Sprout said earnestly, pausing thoughtfully for a couple of seconds, struggling to keep a smile from breaking out on her face.

"Twenty points from Hufflepuff, and starting this week, Aileen Kasslana will have detention in my office every evening for two weeks. Let me think... what other punishment... Oh, that's right—you'll also be helping the house elves harvest vegetables in the garden on weekends. That'll do for now."

"Just that?" Umbridge's toad-like eyes stared at Professor Sprout.

"According to Hogwarts' current regulations, yes, Senior Undersecretary," Professor Sprout shrugged in response.

"I see. Then it seems Hogwarts' regulations need some changes."

Umbridge looked around, suddenly reverting to her cloying, sickening tone.

In the Ministry's previous analyses and discussions, Hogwarts was different from other places, Dumbledore had "operated" here for decades.

If Umbridge acted alone, the Ministry would have almost no way to weaken Dumbledore's influence.

The previous unsuccessful arrest attempt had already clearly proven this point; the professors here simply didn't understand the authority of the Ministry of Magic. However, the Ministry had found the right path—if a Senior Undersecretary was somewhat weak, then join forces with other powers.

"I'm sorry, Professor Umbridge. How Hogwarts' regulations should be revised is not within your purview."

Sirius Black, who was watching the spectacle from the teachers' office, crossed his arms and said with a mocking tone, "If you have the opportunity to run for Headmistress in the future, then you can write a new regulation every day, after all, that used to be what you were most familiar with at the Ministry—prohibition."

"Oh? I don't think so, Professor Black."

Umbridge raised an eyebrow, looking at Sirius with ill intent, speaking slowly.

"It seems these years in Azkaban haven't taught you the importance of rules. Of course, that's not surprising. Compared to the tragic deaths of the Potter couple and the imprisonment of Peter Pettigrew, Professor Black actually benefited from violating the rules out of arrogance."

Clang!

"Sirius! Don't be impulsive!"

Sirius Black's smile vanished instantly, and he stood up abruptly, drawing his wand.

However, before his arm could be fully raised, Lupin, who was standing next to him, hugged him tightly, roughly pressing Sirius' arm back down and holding him firmly, preventing Sirius Black from lunging at the abominable Ministry official.

"Remus, let go of me, I want to wash Ms. Umbridge's mouth out—"

Sirius Black glared at Umbridge, panting, wishing he had another hand to cast spells.

At the same time, the faces of the other professors in the teachers' office changed slightly.

Clearly, the Senior Undersecretary had come prepared, her goal was to provoke the Hogwarts professors—a wand duel between adult wizards wasn't within the scope of student regulations, and the Ministry's laws would likely cause the person who cast the first spell to lose their job.

What the review of past experiences was for was likely just a smokescreen, her goal was to create new scandals.

"Well, let's leave it at that..."

Grindelwald cleared his throat, seamlessly taking over the topic.

However, before he could smooth things over, the door to the teachers' office was suddenly pushed open.

"Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting your discussion—good evening, professors."

Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge strode in, followed by several serious-looking witches and wizards.

With Hogwarts' initiation of the "New Curriculum" education reform, many professors weren't unfamiliar with visitors from the Ministry.

Apart from Cornelius Fudge walking in the front, whether it was Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, or Aurors Kingsley and Dawlish, they would visit Hogwarts Castle every month or two to check on the progress of the "College Garden Project".

Of course, in the professors' private discussions, these Ministry officials seemed to be just finding an excuse to freeload on meals.

What was different from before was that there were several uncommon figures in today's visitor list...

"What are you doing at Hogwarts?" Sirius' brow twitched. "Malfoy, when did you join the Ministry?"

"Oh, you might have to address me as Mr. Malfoy, Professor Black—as a matter of basic courtesy."

Lucius Malfoy, wearing a cold, self-satisfied smile, walked into the teacher's office behind the Ministry group, and behind him, old Greengrass and others followed in, making the already small room suddenly crowded.

He looked around the room, his eyes falling on the old wizard sitting at the back, and nodded lazily.

"We happened to be at the Ministry discussing the future of the school with the Minister, and after receiving Deputy Undersecretary Umbridge's owl, we unanimously agreed that taking this opportunity to explain and resolve some troublesome matters would be a very efficient and correct decision... after all, judging from the current situation, Hogwarts has quite a few problems that need to be dealt with, and a three-way meeting is clearly necessary."

As the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts school board members entered the room, a delicate atmosphere of confrontation immediately formed.

Umbridge's smile instantly became brighter, the "reinforcements" she had been waiting for had finally arrived.

Now, it was her turn to fight back—

And her first target was naturally that arrogant little girl.

"Ahem, ahem."

Umbridge cleared her throat, speaking in a girlish voice.

"I'm sorry, dear Minister, we still have an unresolved student misconduct issue."

Umbridge said, with a wicked, cruel, and ruthless excitement in her tone.

"As I mentioned in my letter, Miss Aileen Kasslana inexplicably drew her wand and attacked me from behind while I was conducting a background check on Hogwarts teachers, but for some reason, this 'simple' serious violation has not been properly dealt with."

"Hmm, not resolved yet? What's going on?"

Cornelius Fudge was stunned, following Umbridge's gaze.

He then noticed the little white-haired dwarf standing in the corner of the room, and her classmates.

Fudge looked at Aileen with confusion, then glanced at Dumbledore in the distance, obviously not understanding what was happening.

Umbridge's letter didn't describe the situation in the Transfiguration classroom in detail, he only knew that when Umbridge was conducting a teacher background check on Minerva McGonagall, a conflict broke out—a magical duel.

Of course, the details of the matter weren't important to Fudge and others.

They just needed a reason to go to Hogwarts without prior notice.

At the same time, Lucius Malfoy glanced at Aileen casually, and said arrogantly and lazily.

"I don't think this should be a difficult matter, right? Hmm? Attacking a proper professor—Professor Dumbledore, is there any controversy in Hogwarts regulations regarding this situation, shouldn't she just be expelled? What's the point of keeping such a student?"

"Oh, things might not be that simple—"

Umbridge put on a completely different face from before, saying softly.

"Thinking about it carefully, as an ordinary second-year student, Miss Kasslana obviously doesn't have enough motivation or reason to attack me. Considering that the incident happened during my conversation with Professor McGonagall, I can't help but wonder... if some people hinted or threatened her, deliberately interfering with the Ministry of Magic's safety review of Hogwarts. And the subsequent perfunctory handling makes me hesitate..."

Umbridge looked up at Fudge and added, looking around, and continued meaningfully.

"Professor Sprout's decision was to deduct twenty points, and simply issue some detentions—obviously, I don't think such punishment is enough to make the students realize their mistakes, but the relationship may be too complicated, and I don't dare to ask too deeply on my own."

"Perhaps, Professor McGonagall can help me explain some of my confusion?"

Umbridge grinned, looking at Professor McGonagall, a malicious light flashing in her eyes.

"In my opinion, the conflicts and unpleasantness of adults can be discussed well sitting down, there's no need to involve children who don't understand anything. Miss Kasslana has only just started her second year, she has a long way to go, I hope you can consider it carefully..."

As a politician who was promoted to a middle-level Ministry official before the age of thirty, Umbridge was well aware of her position in different periods and occasions, which was also the secret of her success in politics—she was the favorite blade of all senior Ministry officials.

And now, her position was the main force in the Ministry's confrontation against Hogwarts.

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Good!