Chapter 261: The Missing Crookshanks

Since Allen went to the Ministry of Magic, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have tried to act together, although Hermione often disappears and reappears for no apparent reason.

They all carry magic scrolls made by Allen with them.

"Why hasn't Allen returned yet? Does registering as an Animagus take so long? He's been gone for five days." Harry swallowed a mouthful of food and said; they were having lunch.

"Yes! Allen's Animagus registration should be in the Daily Prophet, but there's no news about it in the papers for the past few days." Ron put down today's Daily Prophet and said, puzzled.

"Could something have happened?" Harry asked, also a bit worried.

"What could happen at the Ministry? My father wrote to me a few days ago saying he met Allen at the Ministry, so don't worry." Ron stuffed his mouth with food.

"Alright." Harry adjusted his glasses, then he noticed Hermione had been silent all along, looking restless.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked, concerned.

"Nothing—" Hermione suddenly came to her senses; she hesitated for a moment, then said, "Have you seen Crookshanks?"

"Crookshanks? No? What's wrong with Crookshanks?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised.

"I haven't seen Crookshanks since yesterday morning." Hermione said quietly, her expression a bit panicked.

"Then Scabbers is safe; that stupid cat made Scabbers sick." Ron said indifferently.

"How can you talk like that!" Hermione immediately flew into a rage.

"How did I talk? Isn't what I said correct?" Ron's stubbornness kicked in, and he said with his neck stiffened.

"Enough, stop arguing; the most important thing now is to find Crookshanks." Harry firmly stopped the quarrel between Ron and Hermione. "Let's go around and ask people; maybe that portrait or ghost noticed Crookshanks. Crookshanks is a smart child; nothing will happen to it." Harry comforted Hermione.

"I remember that before Allen left, we seemed to see a cat's shadow outside the castle on the Quidditch pitch; it looked very much like Crookshanks." Ron suddenly spoke up.

"That happened almost half a month ago; Crookshanks only went missing yesterday." Harry said.

"What I mean is, Crookshanks probably slipped out of the castle and ran into the Forbidden Forest to play..." Ron shrugged, "The Forbidden Forest is very dangerous..."

Then he couldn't go on; he saw Hermione's tears suddenly well up in her eyes, wetting her robes...

"I didn't mean that... I mean..." Ron panicked, explaining incoherently.

Hermione leaned on the table, burying her head in her arms; her shoulders kept shaking, and her sobs came from within her arms...

"It's all my fault; I've been too busy lately and haven't taken care of Crookshanks much. By the time I realized it was missing, I had lost the last chance to make things right." Hermione's voice became very dull.

Harry glared reproachfully at Ron; Ron wore an embarrassed expression.

"It's alright; maybe what Ron and I saw that day wasn't Crookshanks. There are quite a few stray cats around the castle." Harry continued to comfort Hermione. "We'll help you find Crookshanks together."

Harry secretly poked Ron under the table; Ron hurriedly echoed Harry.

Hermione finally stopped crying...

They used their free time in the afternoon to ask the portraits and ghosts in the castle about Crookshanks, but found nothing.

Hermione's complexion grew worse and worse.

But they had no other way.

They searched for several days in a row but still couldn't find out Crookshanks' whereabouts...

Meanwhile, in the Ministry of Magic, Allen finally met Minister Fudge.

Minister Fudge still looked the same fat figure; the public opinion and official duties that had him at his wits' end seemed to have no effect on his mood or appetite.

However, Allen saw Fudge return to the Ministry of Magic in the crowd.

Fudge also saw Allen; Fudge's gaze lingered on him for a moment before shifting away, then he was directly surrounded by the crowd and taken to the Minister's office on the first basement floor.

Allen knew he was now completely a tool; Fudge no longer bothered to hide his attitude toward him.

But Allen had no choice; when you're under someone's eaves, you must bow your head.

However, the day after Fudge returned, he received Allen; although Fudge wore a beaming smile and kindly asked about his recent life.

Allen pulled himself together to deal with Fudge's empty talk.

Fortunately, the conversation ended quickly; his Animagus registration was scheduled for that afternoon.

The Wizengamot and the Auror Office jointly formed a temporary body to handle Allen's Animagus registration matters.

The registration process was very simple: transform into the Animagus form so that the Ministry wizards could record various characteristics.

Presiding over Allen's registration was an old wizard wearing a magenta robe with an exquisite silver "W" embroidered on the left chest, and a middle-aged wizard who looked like an Auror at first glance.

They carefully recorded various characteristics of Allen's panda form.

Allen always felt that middle-aged Auror kept looking at him with a wary gaze, as if looking at a potential criminal.

This left Allen somewhat puzzled.

The entire process was completed quickly; just when Allen thought he would be set free, he was required to go to the main hall on the eighth basement floor.

When Allen arrived at the main hall, he found many wizards there; he even saw several wizards who were obviously reporters, and Rita Skeeter was among them.

A small platform had been erected in front of the Fountain of Magical Brethren; Minister Fudge was standing on it, smilingly accepting interviews from the reporters.

Camera flashes kept flashing, producing clouds of thick smoke.

After seeing Allen, Fudge immediately waved to him, asking him to come up to the platform; Allen went up very reluctantly.

Fudge affectionately put his arm around his shoulder and showed a brilliant smile to the crowd.

He also asked Allen to transform into his Animagus form; Allen helplessly complied; in such an occasion, one must give the Minister of Magic some face.

The appearance of the panda made the camera flashes even more frequent; everyone was very interested in the panda; the panda's appearance satisfied them.

This made Allen feel like a clown.

Then Fudge gave a passionate speech; in his words, he treated Allen's current achievements as his own political accomplishments, the result of his strict enforcement of young wizard education.

Listening made Allen very awkward; after all that talk, not a single meaningful word was said.

But the wizards below were very supportive, giving Fudge enthusiastic applause.

Finally, Fudge announced that because of Allen's achievements in magical research, he was considering applying to the Wizengamot for a Third Class Merit of the Order of Merlin for Allen, which drew even more enthusiastic applause from the crowd...

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