Chapter 340: The Rise and Fall of the Student Movement

Zhang Qiu quietly led Harry and Ron away; they didn't visit Hagrid's cottage until the next day, and Hagrid never mentioned his brother, instead showing concern for Harry's studies, which made Harry feel a little ashamed.

After the Easter holiday began, Hagrid quietly left. Harry once again declined Arnold's invitation to intern at the Minister's office, and settled down to draft a six-week study plan for himself and Ron. But both knew the plan might not be carried out, for Hermione was likely about to fall into the trap set by the Ministry of Magic.

To give Ron the "chance to shine," Cui Ge left on a trip with his mother at the very start of the holiday.

Three days before Easter, the event unfolded as expected: while helping escort Grawp, Hermione and Elina used several spells—and were "accidentally" seen by a group of Muggle explorers.

Due to historical legacy issues, Hagrid was not permitted to carry a wand. At first, he considered blaming himself for illegally possessing one, but the Muggle explorers' testimony was clear: the caster they saw was a girl with brown hair.

The Ministry of Magic immediately sprang into action, detaining Hagrid, Hermione, and Elina, and delaying their trial indefinitely, while repeatedly sending letters to Hogwarts demanding Hermione's expulsion.

"This is the Ministry giving Professor Snape face—if he's willing to abandon Hermione, they'll do whatever they want!" Harry heard a student grumble—or rather, smugly speculate.

"Oh, I hope Headmaster Snape stands up for her," another student said pessimistically. "If she were in Slytherin, maybe he'd risk angering the Ministry—but will he really defend a Muggle-born?"

"But the problem is, they were clearly walking through remote wilderness," said a student, waving his newspaper. "It's all because of that bizarre Muggle expedition team!"

"It's not their fault—it's the Ministry overreacting. I fear this is a test of the Headmaster's resolve. Do you remember Trelawney?" another student whispered mysteriously. "Hermione has become a casualty of political struggle."

Uninformed students continued arguing, but Ron glanced at Harry—he was ready to act.

Since he couldn't rely on Torchwood, Ron chose the Dumbledore's Army as his platform. He quickly rallied a group of Gryffindor students willing to join him in a strike and protest; soon, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw responded enthusiastically, while Slytherin remained aloof and indifferent.

In the end, thanks to Hermione's modest popularity among female student groups, they barely gathered a few kind-hearted Slytherin girls, assembling a protest march that politically included all student houses.

While Ron was busy, Harry had his own tasks. He couldn't join the protest—his reputation at the Daily Prophet was too high; his presence would steal all of Ron's spotlight.

The entire plan benefited Hermione: after brief detention, she would gain public support—a guaranteed win. But for Harry, his conscience hoped she wouldn't suffer any abuse during detention.

The Ministry wouldn't deliberately torture Hermione, but they inadvertently did something terrible: they imprisoned all suspects together—in one large cell, alongside Hermione, Elina, Hagrid, and… Grawp.

Harry found Sirius and Lupin; the three of them went to the Ministry under the banner of the Order of the Phoenix. Jonny English, the case officer, opened every door for them; Harry's trio easily reached the detention area.

Hermione and Elina, who had been sitting on the right side of the cell, immediately stood up. Hermione's eyes lit up, but Elina looked panicked.

Harry easily understood their emotions: for Elina, if Harry and the Order directly persuaded the Ministry to release them, the entire plan would collapse; but for Hermione, who knew nothing, she desperately hoped the Order would deliver justice.

"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked.

Jonny pointed to the left side of the cell, where a massive figure was bound tightly with countless iron chains—clearly Grawp. Hagrid sat beside him, whispering softly.

"Ahem." Sirius cleared his throat. "I'm here to bail them out."

"Ah yes," Jonny cooperatively shouted into the cell. "Hagrid, you can take your brother and go."

"What?" Hagrid rushed to the cell door. "Me? But what about Hermione and Elina?"

"Precisely—you're with the Order of the Phoenix. We have to show the Order some face," Jonny feigned reluctance. "But they're Hogwarts students—the Order can't reasonably interfere this deeply."

"They're prospective members of the Order!" Hagrid snapped. "They joined Dumbledore's Army!"

"Calm down, Hagrid," Sirius said. "We've pulled many strings just to get you out first. This involves a complex web of political struggles—it's not easy."

"Exactly," Jonny suddenly chimed in. "It all traces back to Professor Snape becoming Senior Deputy Minister. To some, it's just a ceremonial title—but to another Senior Deputy, Dolores Umbridge, it's a serious threat."

Everyone in the room stared in shock as the Head of the Auror Office spoke without restraint about the Ministry's senior corruption.

"We all know the Minister hasn't yet named a true Deputy—or successor. Umbridge originally aimed for that position, but Snape's appointment alarmed her. She wanted a way to push Snape out, so she seized on your unauthorized magic outside school and blew it out of proportion. One of the Ministry's few red lines is the Statute of Secrecy. She wanted to force Snape into opposing the Statute, so even if she couldn't remove him immediately, she could at least lower his standing in the Minister's eyes." He spoke with an unnervingly honest tone.

"Wait—you just… told us all that?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Of course. She doesn't respect me, so I won't respect her. Umbridge wants to use the Auror Office as a weapon, but everyone knows I'm loyal to the Order." Jonny casually invented an excuse.

"So can we leave now?" Hermione blinked.

"Not yet," Jonny shook his head. "I don't mind telling you this—but I still have to follow the rules."

"Then I'm not leaving either," Hagrid grumbled, sitting back down.

"Well, what I meant was—I'm happy to improve your living conditions," Jonny gestured. "So when the Order offered to bail you out, I immediately agreed."

"What do you mean?" Hagrid stared at him, confused.

"Get Grawp out first—I think it's better for the two girls," Jonny said bluntly, lacking all tact.

Finally, Hagrid grumbled and left with Grawp; Lupin promised to find him a patch of forest near Gilneas.

Before leaving, Harry leaned against the bars and whispered to Hermione: "Don't worry, Hermione—the school is organizing a rescue too."

"What are you planning?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"A strike and protest—pressuring the Ministry," Harry revealed a little. "We're doing our part. Just hold on a little longer."

"Honestly, if it weren't for Grawp, enduring a few more days wouldn't be hard," Hermione whispered.

On April 5, Hogwarts students launched a strike and protest, gathering en masse in Diagon Alley, demanding the release of Hermione and her companions arrested for unauthorized magic outside school. Though the Aurors offered token resistance before deliberately clearing a path, the Ministry remained firm, releasing only the accomplice Elina Kaslana, while keeping the main offender, Hermione Granger, detained. Rumors spread that Umbridge intended to hold Hermione until she confessed—then she could send her to Azkaban without controversy.

On April 6, an even more furious student movement erupted; nearly every student still at school joined the protest, chanting the very slogan the Ministry had long hoped to hear: Amend the Statute of Secrecy.

At this critical moment, Minister Jim Hack "coincidentally" completed his visit to Kuran and returned home to restore order. He first praised the students' courage in voicing political demands, then immediately convened a meeting to revise the Statute of Secrecy.

To prevent the Ministry from stalling with endless paperwork and meetings, students maintained a large, daily protest force to pressure the Ministry. As a result, the Ministry revised the Statute at its fastest pace ever: deleting all penalties for underage wizards practicing magic outside school, and explicitly mandating the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to eliminate any negative effects caused by such magic.

On the fourth day of the protest, after the new law was enacted, Hermione Granger was declared innocent and released. At the Ministry's entrance, weary but radiant under the sunlight, she immediately embraced Ron, who stood at the front of the student crowd. The Daily Prophet called this photo "a victory for student civil rights."

Without Hermione saying a word, Daily Prophet reporters effortlessly began fabricating interviews, blaming all her mistreatment on magical society's discrimination against Muggle-borns, and inventing tales of "psychological torture during detention."

Rumors of "Umbridge's factional struggle" had already spread widely; the more the Ministry did this, the more the public suspected they were covering up.

Yet since the public understood this was public relations damage control, they grew numb to the flood of reports and praise. And their resentment naturally bypassed Hermione and landed squarely on Umbridge.