Chapter 351 Angry from Humiliation
Umbridge's words made Mike frown.
As the oldest magic school in Europe, Hogwarts is supported by the Ministry of Magic and twelve school directors with astonishing net worth. The total amount of funds allocated to Hogwarts by thirteen parties every year can be described as astronomical figures.
Of course, the money these people give to Hogwarts is not free. As investors of Hogwarts, the school directors and the Ministry of Magic are actually the bosses of Hogwarts. According to convention, all people from Hogwarts Students who graduate from this school should remember the names of the Ministry of Magic and these families, because it is because of the existence of these people that they can learn magical knowledge at such a low price.
The most fundamental reason for these people to invest in Hogwarts is exactly this. On the one hand, they can promote their own reputation and ensure that their family's heirs gain a certain degree of success in Hogwarts. Privileges, such as the Hogwarts Express, there is a section of the Governor's Car specifically for the children of the Governor.
On the other hand, they want to bribe those students who have walked out of Hogwarts so that they can become the helpers of their own families and forces.
But all this changed after Dumbledore became the principal. Dumbledore's power was so powerful that he could almost crush everything, allowing him to do whatever he wanted in Hogwarts. Even if the school directors theoretically have the ability to fire at any time Dumbledore had the power but dared not do so.
At the same time, Dumbledore also upheld the concept of equality for all and treated all students equally. This behavior made him the most beloved principal among students, and also caused the children of school directors to lose their so-called privileges, and most importantly Unfortunately, the students who graduated from Hogwarts only recognized Dumbledore and not the school directors who contributed money and efforts.
It is also for this reason that although Mike is currently qualified to become the principal of Hogwarts, he has no idea of joining in.
He doesn't want to be taken advantage of!
Mike originally thought that problems such as the lack of materials for Hogwarts' advanced courses were because the school directors were dissatisfied with Hogwarts and had reduced funding.
Or maybe this is a restriction imposed by the Ministry of Magic in order to stabilize the hierarchy.
But now that Umbridge is talking about it, it seems that this is not the case.
"Are you saying that the Ministry of Magic and the school governors inject sufficient funds into Hogwarts every year, enough for Hogwarts to meet the curriculum needs of all senior students?"
"Yes, there is no doubt about this!" Umbridge said excitedly, "The Ministry of Magic and the other twelve school directors all have receipts and account books of the funds injected into Hogwarts every year, so if you If what he said is true, then the problem can only be within Hogwarts."
Mike was silent, thinking of the Order of the Phoenix.
Maintaining an elite anti-Voldemort organization requires a lot of money, so could Dumbledore have embezzled Hogwarts' public funds to fight against Voldemort?
Shaking his head, Mike was unwilling to continue thinking about it, because this idea was constantly subverting the great and upright image of Dumbledore in his mind.
Umbridge, who was opposite her, gradually calmed down at this moment. She stopped smiling and said with a rare serious face:
"I will investigate the corruption issue at Hogwarts. Let's get down to business. Mike, you must have noticed that my attitude towards you is completely different from that towards others."
Mike nodded.
"What I want you to understand is that I am not doing this because I am afraid of your power or revenge, but because I am very good-looking and respect you. You are a very good child. Not only did you win the championship in the Triwizard Tournament He won glory for the Ministry of Magic of the Republic of China. He also founded the Los Santos Group and grew it into a behemoth in just a few years.
Compared with the former, it is even more rare to have. You must know that this is not the time when the mysterious man just disappeared. Today's society is already in a fairly stable state, but you still fought out!
Your Los Santos Group has provided jobs for thousands of people and made outstanding contributions to the stability of society. Although you are a little wizard of Muggle origin, you have made outstanding contributions to the wizarding world. Contribution, that's why I respect you.
But although I respect you, you can't do whatever you want. I know that you are a kind-hearted child, and that you implemented the "Los Santos Student Aid Plan" just to help those students in need, but now the situation is gradually out of your control. In order to get this thing back on track, I want you to stop this plan! But you don’t have to worry about those students. As the Deputy Minister of Magic, I can assure you that the Ministry of Magic will definitely shoulder its responsibilities and provide a good learning environment for these students! "
The Umbridge in front of her spoke so impassionedly, spitting, and so sincere that even Mike couldn't help but believe that what she said was the truth.
If it had been anyone else, they might have been knocked unconscious by her rainbow fart.
But Mike was different. He was familiar with the original work and understood from the beginning what kind of person Umbridge was and what purpose she came to this school with.
So when Umbridge finished her speech and looked at her expectantly, Mike did not agree immediately as she expected, but showed a sarcastic smile and said:
"Sorry, I refuse."
"Mike, I must remind you that what I just said was not a joke." Umbridge continued, "What you have done has made the Ministry of Magic very dissatisfied. If you continue to be so stubborn, I will definitely To impose sanctions on you in a tougher manner, don’t forget, I am a professor, but now I am just a student!”
"No, you won't."
Mike changed his sitting position to make himself more comfortable, and then took out a photo from the bag of invisible stretching spells he carried with him and threw it in front of Umbridge.
This photo is not the kind of magical photo with moving characters commonly used in the wizarding world, but an ordinary Muggle photo. Even because it is too old, many places on this photo have begun to fade. Yellow.
But despite this, the pattern in the photo is still clearly visible.
Umbridge lowered her head and looked at the photo, and saw that it was a family portrait of a family of four.
This should be a very happy family, with the wife clinging to her husband and their faces full of smiles. In front of them were two siblings, a boy and a girl. The elder sister was putting her hands on her younger brother's shoulders and smiling happily, even showing eight white teeth with braces.
And that little girl with braces was actually Umbridge when she was a child!
The look of surprise flashed across Umbridge's face, replaced by an expression of shock and anger, as she reached out hysterically to snatch the photo.
His movements were so big that he even knocked over the three-tiered trays on the small round table.
Mike didn't panic when he saw this. He snapped his fingers with a playful expression, and a transparent shield appeared in front of him, blocking him from the flying food and tableware.
With the sound of breaking porcelain, the room was immediately in a mess. Cat patterns were still vaguely visible on the ceramic shards on the ground, but those incomplete patterns looked extremely ferocious at the moment, just like their owners at the moment. That expression.
Looking at Umbridge, whose face turned red and became more like a toad, the playful look on Mike's face became more intense. He stood up and said in a sinister tone:
"Wow! You don't have to be so anxious. This photo was originally given to you. After all, I have many more photos like this, enough to cover the entire Diagon Alley."
"You...you think you can threaten me with this?"
Umbridge gasped and said viciously, still holding the crumpled photo tightly in her hand.
Umbridge is a true politician. For such people, nothing is indispensable. They only have exchange of interests in their eyes. If Mike's request is too excessive, I believe Umbridge will definitely not give up. He refused without hesitation, even if Mike did tell the whole world that Umbridge was a mixed-race as he said at the beginning.
Mike naturally knew this truth, so he did not choose to push the opponent too hard, and just said lightly:
"Relax, Professor Umbridge. I didn't mean that. In fact, I just wanted to make a small deal with you, and this (McCanton threw out a family photo) is my sincerity."
"Ha! Then you are so sincere!" Umbridge grabbed the photo before it landed, and then said through gritted teeth, "Tell me what you want!"
"It's very simple." Mike put away his smile and stepped forward to Umbridge. He looked at her condescendingly and said coldly, "Don't mess with my people!"
Umbridge didn't panic at all, raised her head and said sarcastically:
"Your people? So you admit that the people in the mutual aid association are completely your subordinates?"
"You can understand it this way." Mike's mouth curled up slightly, "You just need to ignore these people. This is not too difficult for you, right? And I will assure you that these people will never Come and actively provoke you. This way you can spend this year successfully and return to the Ministry of Magic with an excellent transcript."
"Sounds good." A smile appeared on Umbridge's face, "But there is another problem, and that is Harry Potter. Is he considered one of your own?"
"No, he doesn't count."
Mike's answer made Umbridge stunned for a moment, but Mike on the opposite side turned around and said while pacing:
"He and his friends are not part of our transaction. You can deal with them how you want. I even hope you can increase your efforts!"
"This is really..."
Umbridge muttered, Mike's words already made her don't know what to say.
According to the intelligence she had collected before, Mike and Harry should be quite good friends, but now it seems that this is not the case.
At least Mike didn't regard Harry Potter as his friend.
"Your relationship is really good!"
Umbridge, who had been mumbling for a long time, finally sarcastically said.
"And what's your answer?"
"I promise you, but you also have to promise me that those photos will never appear in other people's hands." Umbridge said, "If I see those photos in someone else's place, whether they were given by you or not, I will come to settle accounts with you!"
"It's a deal. So, happy working together."
Mike smiled and extended his hand to Umbridge, but Umbridge reluctantly took Mike's big hand with a cold face.
…
Outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office, Harry and Ron were hiding in the shadows and watching the office door.
As time passed, Ron began to become more and more impatient. He asked Harry again and again to take out his pocket watch to check the time (he did not have a pocket watch himself).
It wasn't until Ron asked Harry to check the time for the fourth time that Harry finally couldn't help it anymore and said in a low voice:
"Ron, can you be quiet?"
"Aren't I anxious?" Ron also whispered, "Hey, you think Mike has been in there for so long, has something happened? Let me tell you, let's break in!"
As he spoke, Ron walked out and tried to knock on the door, but Harry hurriedly stepped forward to stop him.
However, while the two of them were chatting, the door to the office suddenly opened.
"Um, Mike, Professor Umbridge?"
Harry hurriedly put the hand holding Ron's neck behind his back and said timidly, "We were just passing by."
"They're here to pick me up."
Mike smiled and said to Umbridge, and Harry and Ron had shocked looks on their faces after hearing this. They didn't expect that Mike would sell them out like this.
However, something even more exciting is yet to come.
I saw Umbridge saying with that disgusting fake smile:
"Really? Your relationship is really good!"
Umbridge's tone was quite artificial. How could Mike not know that she was deliberately sarcastic?
But he didn't have a seizure, he just smiled and nodded.
"Then I won't keep you any longer. Please be safe on the road."
"Don't worry, Professor."
Mike said goodbye to Umbridge and then left the office with Harry and Ron.
Just after turning a corner, Ron couldn't help it any longer. He lowered his voice and said in surprise:
"When did your relationship become so good?"
Harry was obviously more concerned with other things and asked immediately:
"How was your chat? Did Umbridge agree to change the teaching goals?"
"I'm sorry, Harry." Mike ignored Ron's apology and said to Harry, "Umbridge's attitude is very tough, maybe we have to find another way."
"Really?" Harry was a little disappointed, "But it looks like Umbridge isn't too bad from just now, is it? At least she is willing to come and see you off, and it doesn't look like she's going to torture you. Maybe we can take over It won’t be too bad coming down.”
Mike smiled and looked at Harry without speaking.
Harry was still too optimistic. It was absolutely impossible for him to have a better life in the coming days!
