Chapter 1084: Hold Your Tongue
Chapter 1084: Hold Your Tongue
Being harassed every three days and stirred into a frenzy every five, with the whole of Hogwarts School in an uproar, even if Umbridge had the patience of a saint, she would never be able to tolerate it, let alone someone with as foul a temper as she.
The mischief caused by Fred and George, and the changes they brought to Hogwarts, were unbearable for Umbridge, who had a strong desire for control.
However, as time passed and the novelty wore off, outwitting Umbridge became somewhat dull, especially for the Weasley brothers, whose minds were now solely focused on opening their joke shop in Diagon Alley. They had already established a solid market at Hogwarts and were eager to pursue their dream.
As for Umbridge, that toad would no longer be their concern once they left school.
After concluding another round of resistance, Fred and George were escorted back to the common room by Lee Jordan, where they discussed approaching Albert about leaving school to open their shop in Diagon Alley.
"You'll probably have to wait a while longer," Albert said, stifling a yawn.
"But is there any point in continuing like this?" George asked, voicing the doubt in his heart. If Albert truly wanted Umbridge out of Hogwarts, he could surely come up with a dozen effective strategies instead of toying with her like a cat playing with a mouse. No, perhaps it was more akin to poking a toad with a stick.
In fact, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were all a bit perplexed as to why Albert had them resisting Umbridge. Having spent so many years with Albert, their way of thinking had matured far beyond that of their peers, and they naturally didn't believe that their current actions would cause Umbridge much trouble. At most, it would only serve to disgust her.
But was there any point to it?
It would be much more satisfying to just take her down once and for all! "At the very least, we need to instill in everyone the courage to resist Umbridge," Albert said, understanding their doubts. "It's a gradual process."
"I don't think that's the real reason," Fred mumbled.
"Maybe it's just part of it," George added, raising an eyebrow.
"You should be more forthcoming," Lee Jordan agreed.
"Do you really want to know?" Albert asked solemnly. "The truth may be far crueler than you imagine. Are you sure you're ready to hear it?"
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan exchanged glances, each realizing that the matter might not be as simple as they had thought.
"Go on, we're ready," they said.
"We're already of age."
"We... well, we won't back down, at the very least."
"Life at Hogwarts is too comfortable," Albert said, picking up his wand from the bedside and giving a slight flick to lock the dormitory door, ensuring their privacy. Though he didn't think anyone would be eavesdropping at this hour.
The three remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
Albert waved his wand again, and four cups of steaming tea appeared. He took a sip from one before resuming, "And Umbridge's presence provides a timely reminder. But it's still not enough."
"So, you keep harassing Umbridge, using her as a tool to wake everyone up?"
Anyone who thought carefully about the string of unfortunate events Umbridge had encountered at Hogwarts...
This person was truly despicable.
"It's not really harassment," Albert clarified.
He took another sip of tea to clear his mind. "I just think it's beneficial for everyone to personally experience Umbridge's cruelty. It will at least jolt some people into awareness."
"If Umbridge finds out, she'll come after you for sure," Fred blurted out.
"She brought this upon herself..."
"...because of her personality. It has nothing to do with me. That's just who Umbridge is," Albert denied, shaking his head. After finishing his tea, he poured himself another cup and continued, "What you're doing now is something that Harry Potter should have done for the most part. But he's not in a suitable position right now, and he'll have other matters to attend to soon. So, I have to leave the task of 'recruiting' to you."
"I think you're quite suitable for it yourself," George said, though they were all tempted to tease Albert about his so-called 'recruiting'.
If there was anyone at Hogwarts with more influence, it was undoubtedly Albert.
"I'm not suitable," Albert explained, shaking his head. "At least, not right now. Harry is the 'Chosen One', and this reputation is important to him and to those who believe in him. I don't need that kind of fame. I daresay I'm already quite well-known."
"You actually believe in that?" The three of them wore astonished expressions, thinking that with Albert's personality, he would never buy into the notion of a 'Chosen One'.
"A prophecy was made a long time ago... probably over a decade ago, predicting that the Dark Lord would be defeated," Albert suddenly revealed.
"There was such a thing?" The three of them were taken aback.
"Otherwise, how do you think Harry Potter earned the title of 'Chosen One'? Because he defeated the Dark Lord? No, it was because of that prophecy. After Harry 'defeated' the Dark Lord, he was bestowed that title," Albert countered.
"Do you know the content of the prophecy?" George asked, sensing where Albert was going with this.
"Almost no one knows the true content of the prophecy. Perhaps Dumbledore does, but I can guess who made it," Albert said, noting their confused looks. "After all, there aren't many famous seers in the world, and this circle is extremely small."
"Is it related to the prophecy?" George asked suddenly.
"What?" The other two didn't quite follow.
"Yes, the prophecy orb that recorded the prophecy is currently kept in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. This must be what the Dark Lord is after. He probably wants to find out if Harry Potter is indeed the 'Chosen One' as foretold," Albert said, his face twisting into a strange expression. "Because the Dark Lord keeps failing in his attempts to get to Harry Potter, and with his skill, squashing Harry would be as easy as crushing a bug. His repeated failures have made him doubt himself, and he wants to clarify the contents of the prophecy."
"As for the evidence, your father was bitten by a snake in one of the corridors of the Department of Mysteries, wasn't he? And Harry often talks about having nightmares. That confirms it for me."
"So, is Harry really the 'Chosen One'?"
"Even if he isn't, he has to be," Albert said, setting down his teacup and speaking earnestly. "This has nothing to do with whether or not he is the 'Chosen One'. That title is mostly just hype."
"What do you mean?"
The three of them were bewildered. Weren't you just saying he was the 'Chosen One'?
"The hatred between them is too deep-rooted. Whether it's the murder of his parents or other grievances, it can't be erased. So, Harry Potter and the Dark Lord are destined to fight it out, deciding each other's fate," Albert said to the three of them. "If Harry Potter wins, he will be the true 'Chosen One'. But if he loses, he will become a sacrifice in the Dark Lord's conquest of the British wizarding world."
The trio fell silent, all too aware of the slim chances Harry had of defeating Voldemort. It was almost an impossible task.
"Actually, you don't need to worry too much. Although Harry's abilities are not as strong as Voldemort's, he always seems to have that protagonist luck in novels, escaping death and overcoming challenges to defeat his enemies. I have a good feeling that Harry Potter will ultimately triumph over Voldemort," Albert said with a reassuring smile. "At the very least, you should trust my judgment."
"I think you're more like the protagonist of a story yourself," Fred blurted out.
"I wish I had the protagonist's invincible luck," Albert shook his head. "It would make facing the upcoming difficulties a lot easier."
"How bad is the situation?"
"It might be worse than the last time," Albert whispered. "Now, Voldemort has gathered most of the dark forces. Werewolves like Lupin, who can maintain their sanity, are few and far between. Creatures of the dark that the Ministry dislikes, such as giants and vampires, will willingly join him."
"The wizarding world has never lacked dark wizards, and there's a bunch of them in Knockturn Alley. Believe me, most of them would be more than happy to side with Voldemort and reap the benefits."
"As for the Ministry, to be frank, I'm not optimistic. Fudge has made a mess of things, causing the majority of British wizards to lose faith in the Ministry. He's also left a mess for his successor, which is an old British tradition, whether in the wizarding or Muggle world." Albert's tone turned disdainful as he spoke of the Ministry. "On top of that, Umbridge's actions at Hogwarts have directly caused most students to instinctively reject the Ministry. How many people do you think will still want to believe in and support the Ministry?"
"I dare say that Voldemort and his Death Eaters have already infiltrated the Ministry like a sieve. When the time is right, Voldemort will surely find a way to make the Minister of Magic disappear and install a puppet controlled by the Imperius Curse. That puppet will be more powerful than the Minister himself." Albert continued, seeing the horrified looks on their faces. "So, when the time comes, the Ministry will also be on Harry's opposing side. Even wizards who understand the situation may choose to remain neutral and wait for the final outcome before siding with the victor."
"As for the Dementors of Azkaban, they've probably already made a deal with Voldemort to betray the Ministry."
"But...if it really turns out that way, what should we do?" The three of them were anxious, as Albert's depiction of the future was grim, with almost everyone against them.
"Dumbledore will surely stop him..."
"You'll have to ask him yourself, but to be honest, I'm not optimistic. The members of the Order of the Phoenix will likely become Voldemort and the Death Eaters' priority targets." Albert spoke softly. "If the situation worsens, after Voldemort takes control of the Ministry, his minions will seize control of Hogwarts. Snape or Umbridge will become the new Headmaster, and Harry and Dumbledore will become fugitives. Oh, Dumbledore is already a fugitive. And it could get even worse than that."
"Stop, you're scaring us!" George interrupted, but he couldn't stop Albert from continuing.
"Harry won't have many allies. From Dumbledore's situation last year, you should be able to guess the challenges we'll face." Albert's voice was barely audible. "Everyone is already terrified. They're too scared to stand up and fight."
"This was evident during the last Wizarding War. Hardly anyone dared to stand up against Voldemort. Those who had the courage were mostly in the Order. Many chose to hide or change their identities. Even if a war breaks out, most wizards will remain neutral to ensure their own safety and pray for the 'Chosen One' to defeat Voldemort and save them."
"The worst part is that Harry Potter doesn't have Dumbledore's influence or power."
"Especially when the situation is so one-sided. His circumstances will only get worse."
"That's why I said DA is important. At least half of the DA members will fight for Harry Potter and themselves when the crucial moment comes."
"So, we need to at least give them the courage to stand up and resist. If they lack strength, we can teach them, but if they don't have the courage, then we're basically doomed."
"War has never belonged to any one person. Even if Harry Potter is the 'Chosen One,' he can't possibly defeat Voldemort and his followers alone. What we need to do is make sure Harry doesn't fight alone."
"What about you?" George asked curiously. "Why are you doing all this?"
"Because I'm also on Voldemort's blacklist," Albert said helplessly. "If I don't want my friends and family to get hurt, I have to find a way to kill Voldemort. I don't want to live a life of hiding and running."
"Perhaps, considering you his enemy is Voldemort's biggest mistake," Lee Jordan blurted out.
"What I want to tell you now is that your situation is also unfavorable." Albert ignored Lee Jordan's comment and turned to Fred and George. "Almost all of your family members have joined the Order of the Phoenix, right?"
Fred and George fell silent, as Albert was right.
"Have you ever thought about what would happen to your family if Voldemort wins?" Albert didn't wait for them to respond and turned to Lee Jordan. "What about you? Do you plan to join the Order in the future?"
"I..."
"Wormtail used to be Lupin's friend. They joined the Order together, but Voldemort threatened him with his mother's life, and he became a traitor."
"And you are my friends. I'm on Voldemort's blacklist. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Albert raised his hand to interrupt them. "This war is far more complex than you imagine, especially for us unlucky souls who are already entangled in it. If we don't want to fight alone, it's best to prepare in advance, gather more people to our cause, and unite them. Now do you understand why I want you to continue causing trouble at school?"
"You want to turn those who hate Umbridge to our side?" The three of them understood Albert's intention.
"Yes, that's about right." Albert nodded.
"As for your joke shop, you don't need to worry about making money just yet."
"In times of chaos, the field of Dark Arts defense is the most profitable. That's the real money-maker. I remember mentioning this to you a long time ago." Albert whispered, "And I'm already prepared, so you don't need to rush. The joke shop will happen, and so will the Galleons."
"Winning the upcoming Wizarding War is more important first. I don't think anyone wants to live in a world ruled by Voldemort, constantly worrying and afraid."
"Don't share what I've said tonight with anyone. The members of the Order of the Phoenix are not as reliable as you think. Sometimes, keeping things secret is necessary to ensure everyone's safety and avoid being specifically targeted. Let the Order attract the attention of our enemies for now."
(End of Chapter)
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