Chapter 212. Rumours
After leaving the Magical Menagerie, Adrian Wesson checked his pocket watch.
There was still an hour and a half before his agreed time with Lupin.
He headed straight for the Leaky Cauldron; it was about time anyway.
He had arranged to meet Lupin at the Leaky Cauldron, then go to Hogwarts together — Dumbledore had asked them to arrive at school a day early.
When he reached the door of the Leaky Cauldron, Adrian saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming out together.
The boy's face was still flushed with excitement.
Plainly, he already knew he'd received a Firebolt.
Adrian didn't spoil their good mood; he pushed open the door and went into the Leaky Cauldron.
The bar was crowded; with Hogwarts starting tomorrow, most inside were students and parents making last-minute preparations.
Lupin hadn't arrived yet, but Adrian easily spotted some familiar faces.
A cluster of redheads were gathered around a couple of tables pushed together — the Weasley family.
Apart from Ron, who had just gone out, every Weasley was there.
Adrian greeted Arthur, who was sitting on the outside reading a newspaper. "Good morning, Mr Weasley."
Arthur looked up, set the paper down, and smiled. "Hello, Adrian."
At that moment, Adrian noticed the photograph of Sirius Black on the front of Arthur's paper.
Clearly he was reading a related report.
"Has the Ministry caught Black?" Adrian sat down and asked casually.
Arthur blinked, then shook his head. "I don't think so, but I do have a bit of news. As a Hogwarts professor, you ought to know…" He glanced around, then lowered his voice. "There's a strong chance Black will be at Hogwarts, and the Ministry has taken some rather extreme measures."
"That's bad," Adrian said.
He knew well enough what the Ministry was likely to do — send Dementors to sweep Hogwarts.
In the past, Adrian might have found that rather troublesome.
But now he had a powerful Patronus; he was confident he could keep the students safe from those Dementors.
"By the way," Arthur suddenly thought of something and asked anxiously, "was Harry with you this summer?"
"Yes," Adrian nodded. "Most of the time."
Arthur let out a breath.
"Seems I was worrying for nothing," he said. "If Black broke out with Harry as his target, there's nothing to fear with you there. Black won't manage it."
"Harry is safe," Adrian said briefly. "Safe and sound."
Arthur nodded, relieved.
Then, as if remembering something else, he leaned in conspiratorially. "Did you know? You're quite the name at the Ministry. We've all heard about it!"
"I'm well known?" Adrian was puzzled. "What have I done?"
"Oh, I'm not entirely sure, but there's a rumour going round the Ministry," Arthur said with a grin, lowering his voice. "They say you're the one Dumbledore values most — that he treats you like an heir…"
"Hold on, hold on!" Adrian cut him off at once, frowning. "Where did that rumour come from?"
Arthur shrugged. "Who knows? If we knew, it wouldn't be a rumour."
Adrian could only feel helpless.
Why were there such ridiculous rumours floating around the Ministry?
He had hardly any dealings with them!
Oh — the only contact might have been last term, when he'd chatted a few times with the current Minister, Fudge.
And that had only been a few words.
It was nothing but a rumour, through and through!
Besides, he had no desire to be entangled with Dumbledore.
That could only mean trouble.
By now, the other Weasleys had noticed Adrian whispering with Arthur.
One of the twins leaned over to Adrian, holding up a little box filled with brightly coloured Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. "Have one, Professor."
"Oh, cheers, but no," Adrian said. "I'm guessing they're all bogey-flavoured."
"No fun at all, Professor," George muttered, snapping the box shut.
Better to save them for their dear little brother Ron.
Ron loved that bogey flavour.
"Don't play tricks on your professor! George — and you too, Fred," Molly scolded loudly, then gave Adrian an apologetic look.
"Hey, Mum, I didn't do anything," Fred protested.
Molly ignored him.
Adrian didn't mind. For the twins, pranks were probably their way of showing affection.
Well — or just plain mischief.
After saying goodbye to the Weasleys, Adrian went to the bar and asked Tom for a regular pint of beer.
He then heard footsteps behind him, heading straight his way.
He turned and saw someone he hadn't expected — Cornelius Fudge.
"Good morning."
Fudge came up to Adrian with a standard smile. "We meet again, Professor Wesson."
Adrian nodded politely. "What brings you here, Minister?"
"Oh! A few things." Fudge glanced around, then leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. "The Ministry has business here — you know, about that escaped criminal. And I'm here to look around, see if I can find a familiar face for a chat. Er… I also need a little time to relax…"
"Then I wish you the best of luck," Adrian said.
He had no idea why Fudge had come to chat with him, and with such easy familiarity.
They'd met only a handful of times.
Still, from what Fudge said, it seemed to be about Black.
After that, Fudge and Adrian spoke of a few inconsequential topics.
Fudge did most of the talking; Adrian chimed in now and again.
A few minutes later, Fudge checked his watch. "Ah, I suppose I must be off — work to do. Goodbye, Professor Wesson."
With that, he left.
Adrian was a little puzzled — why was Fudge so eager to get close to him?
As a rule, when a politician approaches someone, there's always a motive.
Fudge was certainly no exception.
Then he suddenly remembered the rumour Arthur had just mentioned.
Adrian's expression grew odd at once.
"Professor Wesson?"
A voice pulled him back to himself.
"What is it — oh, it's you, Percy. What's going on with your hair?"
At that, Percy stiffly patted the back of his head.
Something felt wrong at once.
At some point, his hair seemed to have developed a mind of its own, each strand sticking bolt upright.
"Fred! George!"
Percy glared furiously at the twins in the distance; they were laughing and waggling their eyebrows at him.
Adrian understood immediately.
The Weasley twins had a particular fondness for teasing their elder brother.
Seeing this, Adrian reached out and gave a small wave over Percy's head, and his hair instantly returned to its usual, perfectly neat style.
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