Chapter 1047: Christmas Broadcast
Chapter 1047: Christmas Broadcast
"According to reliable information received recently, the notorious Fenrir Greyback has been secretly active in the past six months and has now privately recruited a large number of werewolves. Incredibly, the Ministry of Magic seems to be turning a blind eye to this matter..."
It was Christmas Eve, and Sirius Black's voice rang out over the Wizarding Wireless Network, a special broadcast planned long in advance by Sirius as a Christmas gift to the loyal listeners of Wizarding Watch. He intended to use this opportunity to make both Wizarding Watch and the Defense Courier famous.
In Albert's words, the most crucial moment had arrived.
Those who were listening to Wizarding Watch were stunned by the news being broadcast.
This was especially true for the families of Hogwarts students, who never expected to hear such alarming "insider information."
"...It is best to take extra precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones, especially during the full moon. Don't roam around and give them a chance to harm you. It is also advisable to use protective charms to safeguard your homes and families, as mere walls will not be enough. The notorious Fenrir Greyback has a history of forcibly entering residences and attacking the occupants..."
"In our next issue, we will be providing tips on how to protect yourself and your family from the threat of werewolves and how to cast defensive spells around your homes. If you're interested, look out for the January issue of Defense Courier."
Sirius, in the broadcasting room, glanced at Remus Lupin beside him before continuing into the microphone, "Perhaps there are a handful of good werewolves out there; I personally know one. But don't expect too much from the majority, especially those recruited by Fenrir Greyback. That man was a vicious criminal comparable to a Death Eater, siding with Voldemort... I mean, the mysterious figure during the First Wizarding War."
Sirius picked up another piece of parchment and continued, "Now, for an update on the suspected curse cast on Dolores Umbridge, the Senior Undersecretary and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts."
"Currently, Umbridge is suffering from a severe skin condition. To describe it, she resembles a humanoid toad. I received an anonymous photo recently, and it indeed looks like a toad-like human. She is currently undergoing treatment at the Hogwarts Hospital Wing and is temporarily unable to continue teaching at Hogwarts."
At that moment, the Hogwarts Hospital Wing was playing the Wizarding Watch broadcast. Dolores Umbridge, who should have been resting in bed, was frantically searching for the source of the voice.
Umbridge still couldn't find the radio, and just as she was about to storm out of the hospital wing in a fit of rage, she collided with Madam Pomfrey, who had just finished her dinner.
Finally, under the watchful eye of the matron, Umbridge reluctantly returned to her bed. As for the pink toad ornament on the Christmas tree next to her bed, it had been forcibly removed and blasted to pieces with her wand.
"...We sincerely hope for her speedy recovery. Let us send our heartfelt wishes to Professor Umbridge from all the students of Hogwarts..."
"May you forever remain in your toad-like form, for Hogwarts is better off without you—cough, cough. I must say, this letter from the Anti-Toad Union is outrageous. Now, let's move on to the next card." Sirius said earnestly.
"Thank you for providing us with a year's worth of laughter. Your transformation into a pink toad is truly memorable, and we plan to erect a statue in your honor, ensuring your immortality at Hogwarts—Oh my, let me see. I refuse to believe that out of all these Christmas cards, not a single one is normal!"
"Sirius Black." Umbridge hissed through gritted teeth.
"Calm yourself, Professor. Losing your temper will not aid your recovery. I suggest you turn off the broadcast." Madam Pomfrey advised expressionlessly as she brought Umbridge her evening potion.
If it were up to her, she would have done so long ago.
Umbridge glared at Madam Pomfrey, suspecting that she was behind this scheme.
In truth, she had misjudged the situation; it was the house-elves who were responsible.
The radio had been enchanted with a strong Disillusionment Charm and an Obscuring Charm, and then hidden, which was why Umbridge couldn't find it.
The broadcast continued, and the content became increasingly disturbing and anger-inducing for Umbridge.
"The following is a reliable piece of information provided by a prophecy master who wishes to remain anonymous: the Death Eaters are plotting a breakout from Azkaban..."
Umbridge had never believed in prophecies, but after Sibyl Trelawney's antics, she was now highly vigilant about those damned prophecies.
"...Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Lestrange, and eight other Death Eaters currently imprisoned in Azkaban will escape. A friendly reminder to those who have grudges against them: be extra vigilant to avoid retaliation from the Death Eaters. Do not rely on their sense of mercy, unless you are willing to gamble with your life and the lives of your loved ones."
"Although the Dementors still guard Azkaban, they are natural allies of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He can offer them far more than the Ministry of Magic. Thus, their betrayal is only a matter of time. Dumbledore has warned us time and again about the unreliability of the Dementors, and we shall soon see if his words ring true. By the way, according to the prophecy master who wishes to remain anonymous, the Dementors will side with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by the end of next summer. I sincerely hope his prophecy is incorrect. Good luck to us all, and may the wizarding world prevail."
Rufus Scrimgeour, the Director of the Auror Office, stared at the Christmas gift he had just received and fell into a brief silence.
He had initially thought that someone had sent him a cursed object, but it turned out to be a radio. As Scrimgeour examined it, it suddenly started playing Sirius Black's voice, and his training as the Director of the Auror Office immediately made him realize that someone wanted him to hear the contents of this broadcast.
Indeed, Sirius Black's Christmas broadcast was a little chilling, and broadcasting it would cause panic throughout the wizarding world.
If the Ministry of Magic could pinpoint his exact location, they would have imprisoned him in Azkaban for disturbing social order a long time ago.
Initially, Rufus Scrimgeour believed that the news broadcast was fake, a mere prank by Dumbledore. However, his instincts as an Auror told him that this broadcast was likely not orchestrated by the elderly wizard, who would not engage in such frivolous acts.
The content of the broadcast was probably authentic as well. The sender of the radio clearly intended for him to hear this information, raising his alertness and preparing him for potential undesirable events, such as the breakout from Azkaban.
As the Director of the Auror Office, he was indeed in a position to prevent the impending prison break.
That must be it; otherwise, why would they send him a radio? But was the upcoming breakout from Azkaban for real? Rufus Scrimgeour furrowed his brows deeply.
This was certainly not good news.
He had never truly concerned himself with this matter before. Although Fudge had received a reminder from Dumbledore, there was no concrete evidence to prove that a prison break would occur at Azkaban. What's more, Fudge's suppression of Dumbledore had caused internal turmoil within the Ministry of Magic, and his own position was becoming increasingly unstable. Some of the actions he had taken were also quite extreme.
Scrimgeour could somewhat understand Fudge's predicament. After all, as the Minister of Magic, he had to consider a multitude of factors and meet the expectations of the wizarding community, instead of acting "arbitrarily" like Dumbledore, which involved certain political factors.
Nonetheless, Fudge had handled the situation abysmally.
He was not a competent politician, and he was gradually being pushed into a corner.
Scrimgeour could even envision that if the breakout from Azkaban were to occur, Fudge might indeed be ousted just as the prophecy had foretold.
This would actually be welcome news.
As he listened to Black's unrestrained discussion about Fudge's successor on the broadcast, Scrimgeour's heart couldn't help but stir, especially when he was mentioned as one of the two designated candidates. Scrimgeour's heartbeat quickened involuntarily.
However, Scrimgeour soon regained his composure, as he knew that Amelia Bones had a much higher probability of becoming the new Minister, being the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the core of power. Amelia Bones, with her illustrious family background, seriousness, and fairness, was also impeccable in her efforts to combat the dark forces.
Yet, Scrimgeour couldn't fathom why Black would say that he had a higher chance of becoming the Minister.
Minister of Magic!
What if he truly became the Minister?
Scrimgeour quickly dismissed these unrealistic thoughts. For now, he merely wished for Fudge to step down.
He couldn't help but feel this way, as Fudge's performance lately had been abysmal, stirring up chaos within the Ministry.
Despite Scrimgeour's dissatisfaction with Dumbledore's methods, it was currently a better choice to maintain a united front with him as much as possible. This would foster unity in the wizarding world, and in certain matters, they could cooperate without making things overly rigid.
Scrimgeour stopped paying attention to what Black was saying afterward, as he was deep in thought, considering what he would do if he became the Minister of Magic and stood in Fudge's position. After an unknown amount of time had passed, Scrimgeour suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing that the broadcast was coming to an end.
"...We are trying to arrange an interview with Harry Potter. If he agrees, everyone will soon be able to get the truth. At that time, I will also reveal the details of the night when the mysterious figure resurrected, as well as the Death Eaters hiding among us."
"Of course, you can take my words as a malicious joke, and the prophecies as a grand hoax. I don't intend to convince you, because you will soon be able to see the truth with your own eyes and judge how much my words differ from reality."
Finally, Merry Christmas to everyone! The radio fell into static, and Scrimgeour sank into silence. According to Black's prophecy, after a long time, they would be able to glimpse a fragment of the truth.
"A breakout from Azkaban?"
"Is it true?"
"Can we stop it?"
"What if the mysterious figure has truly returned? What then?"
If he were to become the Minister, if it were him in that position, could he truly do a better job?
Scrimgeour fell into an even deeper silence.
The case of Barty Crouch might be a viable option.
...
"Will Scrimgeour become the new Minister?" Katrina asked.
"Yes," Albert paused the radio and calmly replied, "An unfortunate fellow with bad luck."
"Bad luck?"
"It involves some secrets that I can't disclose yet." Albert said mysteriously.
"You always like to be so cryptic." Katrina knew that Albert wouldn't elaborate, so she didn't press further.
"Are you the one making these prophecies?" Mrs. McDougal understood, "Are you the anonymous Prophecy Master?"
"Yes." Albert nodded, "Unfortunately, most people won't accept the truth until the crisis is upon them."
"That's true, wizards are like that." Mrs. McDougal sighed.
"So I can only do my best, but I'm not too concerned about the final outcome." Albert said calmly, "Because trying to prevent everything from happening is arrogant."
"I believe in you." Isabelle rested her head on Albert's shoulder.
"How long will this chaos last?" Mrs. McDougal asked.
"Hard to say, it might end in a few years, or it could take longer." Albert shook his head, "I'm leaning towards the former."
"I still think it's best if you two leave the country and go abroad after graduation. Stay away from this troubled place, and come back when everything has calmed down." Mrs. McDougal looked at the two of them and suggested.
"I know what I'm doing, and I will protect their safety." Albert said calmly, "I've kept a backdoor option for myself. If things truly take a turn for the worst, I will immediately take them away from here."
Mrs. McDougal dropped the topic and turned to Katrina, warning her, "After graduation, don't go wandering around and causing trouble."
"I'm not the one causing trouble, it's Mom that we're worried about." Katrina retorted stubbornly.
(End of Chapter)
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