Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow
of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside,
then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down
opposite Harry.
"I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic."
Harry already knew this, of course; he had seen Fudge once before, but
as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time,
Fudge wasn't to know that.
Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and
bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table
between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor, closing the door behind
him.
"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a
right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and
uncle's house like that! I'd started to think... but you're safe, and
that's what matters."
Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry.
"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then... You will be pleased
to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss
Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal
Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley
has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no
recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."
Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle
surveying a favorite nephew. Harry, who couldn't believe his ears,
opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed
it again.
"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said
Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but
they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at
Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."
Harry unstuck his throat.
"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he
said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."
"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down,"
said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm
sure you are fond of each other -- er -- very deep down."
It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right. He was still waiting to
