~ Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter! Your votes keep this climbing. Thanks!
That's right. The "Ethan Hunt" standing before them was none other than Tom Cruise himself.
To keep Lockhart under covert surveillance, Hermione had used the magic book to perform a direct soul reshaping on him , scrubbing away the old face, rebuilding him from scratch into a brand-new identity.
Under Lockhart's arrangement, Tom Cruise had officially joined the Ministry of Magic as an "outstanding new recruit," becoming a full-fledged Auror with an immaculate background.
Hermione looked at this "Ethan Hunt" , righteous expression, open smile, practically radiating earnest heroism , and felt something quietly delighted stir in her chest.
Voldemort was really coming up in the world. An Auror now. Government salary, job security, the works.
She'd love to see the look on someone's face if she told them.
Umbridge's smile didn't reach her eyes. She fixed her gaze on Hermione and said, "Miss Granger, a sharp tongue is a fine thing. Run your mouth all you like now — once we reach the Ministry, you won't have the luxury."
She let the pause sit there a moment, deliberate and loaded. "We have plenty of ways to make an unruly little witch... behave herself."
Lockhart, Tom Cruise, and Snape all went silent at once.
Umbridge, that idiot woman. Honestly had no idea how close to the edge she was standing.
She should be grateful Hermione still felt like trading words with her. The moment Hermione stopped wanting to bother , that was when things would get genuinely bad.
Lockhart cleared his throat.
"Madam Umbridge," he said, cutting her off smoothly, "I think your phrasing may have been a touch... inappropriate."
"The Ministry of Magic, as an official institution, handles everything according to procedure and law."
"We don't break protocol arbitrarily. Do we?"
Umbridge went quiet.
She could dismiss Hermione. She could dismiss Snape. She could dismiss half the Ministry officials if she felt like it.
But she could not dismiss Lockhart.
The reason was simple: his momentum was extraordinary.
He had joined the Ministry recently, and his starting position already sat well above where Umbridge had begun years ago. His popularity in the wizarding world was enormous , the public genuinely adored him. And on top of all that, he was ferociously capable. From the moment he took office, he had taken down one notorious dark wizard after another, racking up a combat record that turned heads.
Don't let that easy smile fool anyone. The ruthlessness underneath it wasn't a step below Alastor Moody's.
With achievements like his, another promotion was almost certainly coming.
He hadn't caught up to her rank yet. But before Minister Fudge's tenure ended, Lockhart might very well overtake her and become her direct superior.
And what unnerved Umbridge most was something else entirely: he was gifted at moving public opinion. Brilliantly gifted. Which meant she didn't dare try anything subtle. If Lockhart ever turned the wizarding public against her, it wouldn't just be her head on the block , even Fudge would have a problem on his hands.
Watching Lockhart plant himself visibly in Hermione's corner, Umbridge had no choice but to let it go. For now.
She kept the anger tamped down inside her and made a silent promise. Once they were at the Ministry, she would make sure Hermione regretted this.
With the argument dead and no one feeling like talking, all five of them fell into an odd silence.
"Ahem."
Tom Cruise cleared his throat and stepped in before it got any stranger. "Since everyone's ready, why don't we head out?"
No objections. Everyone nodded.
"Let's go."
Hermione moved first.
After the train rescue incident last year, Dumbledore had pulled some strings and gotten her an Apparition License without requiring the exam. She was officially licensed now , free to Apparate as openly as she pleased.
Hogwarts' anti-Apparition wards were powerful, so the group had to clear the school grounds before they could go anywhere.
Once outside, Hermione, Snape, and Umbridge each Disapparated in turn, vanishing from the spot in quick succession.
Destination: the Magical Underground Station.
That left only Lockhart and Tom Cruise.
Lockhart scratched the back of his head with mild embarrassment. "Ethan, you know... Apparition and I have never quite gotten along..."
He gave a dry laugh, looking almost sheepish about it.
Tom Cruise's expression was easy and untroubled. "No trouble at all, Director. I'll Side-Along you."
"I'd appreciate that."
Lockhart exhaled , relief , and said it with genuine gratitude.
Tom Cruise stepped over, extended his arm, and nodded for Lockhart to take hold.
Lockhart grabbed on.
The next second, they were gone too.
...
The Ministry of Magic.
They passed through the gleaming, gold-drenched atrium and filed into a wide elevator. On the way up, wizards got on and off at every floor.
Each time someone stepped in and spotted Umbridge, they offered a polite greeting.
Umbridge acknowledged none of them. She wore her usual expression , chin lifted, eyes distant, perfectly superior.
Hermione noticed something, though. The courtesy on those faces was surface-level. Underneath it, barely hidden, was something closer to contempt.
But when they noticed Lockhart, the whole atmosphere changed.
"Good morning, Director Lockhart!"
"Director Lockhart, looking as handsome as ever!"
"Director Lockhart, could I trouble you for a signature?"
"Director Lockhart, my daughter's your biggest fan!"
Lockhart met all of it with the same perfect smile , warm, steady, without a crack in it. He waved graciously, paused here and there for signatures, and kept moving like a man entirely at ease with being beloved.
"Thank you. Thank you all."
His voice was low and pleasant, something about the cadence of it effortlessly calming. People visibly relaxed the moment he spoke to them.
Hermione watched him and privately acknowledged that his performance had improved considerably.
The old Lockhart had been insufferable , all preening vanity and hollow self-promotion. That was gone. In its place: warmth, humility, the kind of easy approachability that drew people in without a hint of effort.
He'd clearly figured out that likability was the real power.
Out of the elevator, Hermione was led to an elegantly appointed office.
The moment she stepped through the door, a short, round figure bustled forward, face arranged into an enthusiastic smile.
"Miss Hermione Granger! I've heard so much about you , what a pleasure to finally meet you in person!"
Fudge's round cheeks practically glowed.
"I'm Cornelius Fudge — as you can see, I run the Ministry."
"Miss Granger, please, sit." He ushered her personally toward a comfortable sofa, all warmth and hospitality. "I've long heard that Miss Granger is a magical talent seen perhaps once in a century. Now that I see you for myself , well, the reputation holds up entirely."
He praised her without a trace of restraint.
Hermione smiled faintly. She didn't agree or disagree.
"Someone bring Miss Granger a pumpkin juice," Fudge called out.
A house-elf appeared promptly, carrying a glass of orange-yellow pumpkin juice.
"I don't like pumpkin juice," Hermione said, cutting in before anyone could set it down. "Apple juice."
Fudge blinked. Then he waved his hand quickly. "Apple juice — go on, hurry!"
The house-elf nodded and vanished. A moment later it was back with a glass of clear, pale apple juice.
Hermione gave a small nod and took a sip.
Fudge had begun filling the silence with pleasantries again when Hermione said, quite suddenly and pleasantly, "Minister Fudge, why don't you just tell me what this is about? I don't imagine you called me all the way here to have me evaluate the Ministry's fruit selection."
➤ Next: Interrogation — Words Unspoken
— .—— .—— .—— .—— .——
Enjoying the story?
Read 130+ chapters ahead on Patreon.
Join the free community tier for early access to the latest updates:
patreon(.)com/DarkGolds