Harry Potter and the Candy Factory

The morning after receiving Fudge's letter, Charlie set off once again for the British Ministry of Magic.

However, compared to his previous visits, this trip was undoubtedly much more pleasant.

Perhaps knowing that Charlie didn't like Umbridge, Fudge had arranged for a dedicated greeter to wait at the elevator exit as soon as he passed through the Ministry of Magic's transportation elevator.

As Charlie stepped out of the elevator, she approached him from the side. Without the fawning obsequiousness of someone like Umbridge, she simply gave a slight bow with a smile, saying in a gentle voice,

"Good morning, Mr. Charlie Black. Minister Fudge specifically asked me to wait for you here..."

As she spoke, she turned slightly, gesturing for Charlie to follow her towards the hall.

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"Please, follow me."

In response, although Charlie maintained his usual smile on the surface, his mood inevitably brightened considerably.

After all, anyone would know which to choose between a young, beautiful, and pleasant greeter and a toad.

The greeter led the way, and he followed behind. Soon, they passed through the hall and boarded an elevator, smoothly arriving at the Minister's office door on the top floor.

After the greeter respectfully withdrew, Charlie raised his hand and knocked on the door of Fudge's office.

"Is that Charlie? Come in quickly!"

Fudge's voice quickly came from inside the office, carrying an unprecedented sense of joy and vitality—at least, Charlie had never seen Fudge like this before... He raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Almost without thinking, Charlie guessed the reason for his enthusiasm: it seemed that the previous plan not only provided him with ample labor but also brought Fudge a lot of support from Muggle-born wizards.

You should know that Fudge's previous humble attitude and preferential policies towards pure-blood wizards had made his reputation stink among the lower-level wizards.

Just to mention one example, if you went to the Leaky Cauldron and asked any customer who was drinking what they thought of Fudge, nine out of ten would look disgusted and spit hard on the floor.

But with the issuance of this unprecedented decision, it was like throwing a bomb into the calm wizarding society, causing a stir among the masses and destroying the original wizards' views of him.

Although it wasn't a complete reversal, at least he had gone from a "stupid lackey who only knows how to lick the boots of pure-blood families" to a "mediocre minister who still has a bit of conscience..."

Although it still didn't sound very good, it was already a big improvement for Fudge.

Charlie quickly put on his signature reserved smile, slowly pushed open the office door, and strode in.

Sure enough, as soon as he entered, he saw Fudge, radiant and full of energy as if he had entered the second spring of his career, sitting upright behind his desk.

Seeing his arrival, the enthusiasm on his face grew even stronger. He stood up with a smile, quickly walked to Charlie's side, warmly shook his hand, and patted Charlie's shoulder.

"Charlie! My good friend, you've finally arrived! We've all been waiting for you!"

After speaking, without waiting for Charlie's response, Fudge took the other's hand and led him to the side, introducing him to another person who was sitting on the sofa in the office.

"Come! Let me introduce you. This is Barnabas Cuffe, the editor-in-chief of The Daily Prophet. He personally prepares the special editions in which the Minister of Magic extends greetings to the public every year before Christmas..."

Having said that, he turned his head and looked at Barnabas Cuffe.

"Editor Cuffe, I guess even if I don't introduce him, you should recognize the gentleman in front of you—after all, who in the British magical world, or even the world, doesn't know the Candy King?"

Having been introduced by Fudge, Cuffe quickly stood up, a cordial smile on his face, and bowed first, extending his right hand to Charlie.

"Indeed, just as Minister Fudge said, Mr. Charlie Black's name is known throughout the world! It's an honor to meet you here, Mr. Black. I once had contact with Mr. Russell, one of your subordinates, during the candy factory's recruitment."

Charlie nodded, calmly shook the hand that the other party extended, and replied politely,

"I'm also very happy to meet you, Editor Cuffe. The last time, you and The Daily Prophet helped me a lot. I'd like to express my gratitude for that."

"You're too kind, you're too kind..." Cuffe gave a hesitant smile, symbolically shaking Charlie's slightly cool right hand before letting go in a timely manner, lest he give this eccentric wealthy businessman a bad impression.

After the most basic pleasantries were over, Fudge returned to his desk, and Charlie and Cuffe also sat back down on the sofa.

"Editor Cuffe should already be aware of my and Minister Fudge's request, right?"

Finally, Charlie began to ask about the main purpose of his visit this time.

"Understood! I've already been instructed by Minister Fudge."

Cuffe nodded hastily, then struck a confident pose, somewhat obsequiously assuring Charlie,

"Although I've never encountered this kind of situation before, The Daily Prophet still has a lot of experience in other sections. Please rest assured, since it was personally instructed by Mr. Black, I will definitely give you a perfect presentation."

"Mm."

Hearing this, he nodded, expressing his approval. Then, he stopped talking, leaving the rest of the work to the professionals.

"Then, Minister Fudge, shall we begin?"

Seeing that everything was ready, Cuffe didn't delay any further. He picked up his camera, which was placed to the side, adjusted it for a moment, looked up, and said to Fudge.

"Of course!" Fudge naturally had no objections, nodded slightly, and his expression immediately took on a sense of both kindness and majesty, as he sat up straight.

Even Charlie, as an observer, couldn't help but feel a bit surprised. After all, he was a professional politician, and his face changed so quickly!

.................

Cuffe stood up, choosing a suitable angle so that the morning light could fall on Fudge's round face, adding a bit of radiance to his entire temperament.

"It's another new year, and Christmas is coming soon... As the Minister of Magic of Great Britain, I am very honored to be sitting here, sharing with all the wizards living in Great Britain the results of our joint efforts this year.

First of all, I must praise the Director of our Department of Magical Transportation, George Parkin! Thanks to his active cooperation and leadership, in just under three months, he has added hundreds of new fireplaces to the Floo Network, providing great convenience for the circulation and convenience of the British magical world!

In addition, our Auror Office is also..."