Ordinarily, Alex would've been interviewed immediately as a battle hero. But it was still early in the day, and most Ministry employees hadn't even clocked in yet. Besides, Moody could see how drained Alex was from the recent skirmish. Arranging for him to rest in the VIP lounge seemed like the best option for now.
Meanwhile, Moody had his hands full with the captured Death Eaters. He couldn't afford to let them out of his sight—not even for a moment. "Alright, if I need anything, I'll let you know. Don't worry," Alex said with a faint smile.
As soon as Moody left, Alex stretched with a sigh of relief, letting the tension seep out of his body. The night's intense experiments had left him utterly exhausted. "But it's not time to rest yet," Alex muttered, pulling out his pocket watch. Checking the time, a cold smile crept onto his face. "Distinguished guests should be arriving soon, and there's not much time left to prepare."
He quickly cast a spell to tidy up his appearance, then walked over to the cabinet to pour himself a drink. Adding a few ice cubes, he sank into the plush sofa, sipping silently as if waiting for someone.
A sharp knock on the door interrupted the quiet "Knock, knock, knock." Alex glanced at his watch. "Pretty quick," he murmured, smirking. "Barely half an hour." Louder, he called, "Come in."
The door creaked open to reveal a woman in garish pink attire. Her overly sweet smile struck Alex as insincere—a thin mask hiding something far less pleasant. "You must be Mr. Alex Wilson," she began, her voice high-pitched and overly cheerful. "I'm Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic. A pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure's all mine," Alex replied casually, not bothering to stand. He took another sip of his drink, his tone polite but detached.
"Oh, Alex," Dolores cooed, her sugary smile faltering slightly, "you don't mind if I call you Alex, do you?"
Alex raised an eyebrow but didn't answer. Undeterred, Dolores's expression shifted. "Alex, I'm afraid you've gotten yourself into a bit of trouble."
Her tone grew serious, her demeanor sharpening as she stared at Alex, clearly hoping to see some flicker of fear or unease in his expression. But Alex remained utterly composed, setting his glass down with deliberate calmness. "Oh?" he replied flatly.
"That's right!" Dolores perched stiffly on the sofa opposite him, lifting her chin as if asserting her authority. "Earlier this morning, about two hours ago, you were involved in a duel at Regent's Park, just two miles from Diagon Alley. Am I correct?"
Alex leaned back slightly, his expression unchanging. "So?"
"So?" Dolores repeated incredulously, her voice rising. "Don't you realize the gravity of the situation? You've blatantly violated the Statute of Secrecy! The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery strictly prohibits wizards under the age of seventeen from performing magic outside of school grounds."
Alex's lips twitched in amusement. Was she seriously trying to intimidate him with that? Did she mistake him for a clueless child or assume he didn't know the law? He didn't bother to hide his disdain as she continued her spiel.
"And that's not all!" Dolores pressed on, her tone becoming more shrill. "Your actions took place in a Muggle-populated area—deliberately and knowingly! This constitutes a serious offense under Ministry law. You're facing accusations of recklessness and the use of dangerous spells, which are felonies!"
Alex fought the urge to laugh outright. Her performance was laughable. Did she really think she could scare him with this act?
"I'm here to help," Dolores said, her voice softening, adopting a falsely sympathetic tone. "With my assistance, you can avoid the worst of the consequences. Just deny that you were involved in the duel. Say you weren't one of the casters. I'll intercede on your behalf and make sure you walk away unscathed. You only have to cooperate."
Alex couldn't hold it in any longer. A chuckle slipped out, quickly growing into a full-throated laugh. He didn't bother to hide his amusement, which only seemed to infuriate Dolores further. "What's so funny?" she snapped, standing abruptly. Her saccharine facade dissolved into something far more venomous. "I came here to help you, but it seems you're too arrogant to appreciate it!"
Alex leaned forward slightly, unbuttoning his coat to reveal the Silver Medal pinned to his chest. The sight of the award made Dolores pause, her indignation faltering.
"I think you're the one who doesn't know what's good for her," Alex said coldly. "You came here to intimidate someone who's not only assisted the Ministry in capturing dangerous criminals but also been formally recognized for his bravery. Cast spells outside of school?" He scoffed. "If I cast a spell right now and knocked you flat on your back, Minister Bagnold would probably thank me—and give me another medal for it."
Dolores's face twisted into a mask of rage, but she had no rebuttal. Alex stood up with a bang, his chair scraping against the floor as he glared at Dolores with a chilling intensity. Magic surged visibly around him, causing the air to thrum with energy. The furniture in the room groaned and creaked under the invisible pressure, as if the sheer force of his power might crush them all into splinters.
Dolores froze, her face pale as she felt an overwhelming force wrapping around her, squeezing the air out of her lungs. She struggled to breathe, a wave of panic washing over her. 'Why was this boy so unpredictable? Why couldn't he act like a normal student? Why did he always escalate things?' She opened her mouth, desperate to assert some authority, even as her voice trembled.
"You… you're outrageous! How dare you—how dare you attack an official of the Ministry of Magic!" she screamed, the shrillness of her tone doing little to mask her fear.
Alex didn't so much as flinch. He ignored her completely, his sharp gaze locked on her like a predator sizing up its prey. With a subtle wave of his hand, Dolores was lifted off the ground as if she weighed nothing. Her arms flailed helplessly, and her attempts to resist were as futile as struggling against a hurricane. Alex brought her closer, his expression calm, yet laced with cold amusement.
"Ms. Dolores," he said, his voice dripping with mock politeness, "I'm not interested in wasting my time playing games. Here's the deal—tell Yulia that want 100,000 Galleons. If she pays, I'll stop pursuing the Travers family's… rude behavior. More than that, I'll even help clean up the mess."
Dolores's expression shifted wildly—shock, anger, and disbelief battling for dominance. 'How did he know this was connected to the Travers family? And why was he so sure Yulia had sent her? And then, the sheer audacity of his demand—100,000 Galleons!' Her mind raced to process his words, but Alex, unbothered, continued.
"Or," Alex added with a sly grin, "she can keep trying other methods. Maybe she's already attempted to deal with Torquil in secret. But I'm guessing she's realized that Moody's guards are no joke—hence your delightful visit to me."