Chapter 11: Stirring Up Trouble
Chapter 11: Stirring Up Trouble
"Sir?" Truman took a deep breath and spoke up, "Are you just going to leave like this?"
Nately looked at Truman, confusion written on his face. "Is there something the matter?"
"So, I'm just supposed to be fine with this?" Truman's displeasure with the Ministry's attitude was evident.
"Yes, this was a simple mistake," Nately replied in a formulaic tone.
Truman glanced at Albert by his side and said coldly, "I demand an apology, sir. You have no idea the impact this letter has had on me. Can you comprehend the fury I felt when I suddenly found myself facing the risk of expulsion and a trial for no apparent reason? And now you just want to brush me off like it's nothing? Do you think a child is easy to bully, sir?"
Truman's voice grew firmer, his anger evident as the Ministry officials prepared to leave without further ado. "I demand an apology from the Ministry. This whole situation is entirely your fault and has nothing to do with me. Furthermore, the Ministry must compensate me for my mental anguish." In truth, Truman wouldn't have asked for compensation if the Ministry had simply apologized, but their actions had incensed him.
"Pardon?" Nately's expression froze, and even Dumbledore's face became a picture of interest.
"Apologies, and compensation, sir," Truman said, clenching his fists. "One hundred galleons."
"I apologize, child. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but there's no precedent for mental anguish compensation," Nately replied, raising an eyebrow.
"I do not accept your apology, sir. It lacks sincerity," Truman said angrily. "Do you think you can bully me just because I'm a child?"
Nately and Dumbledore exchanged glances.
"I think it's very reasonable, sirs," Albert interjected calmly, his gaze unwavering as he looked at the two men before him. "I was there when it happened. After Truman read the letter, he lunged at me, and I thought he had gone mad. It took me a long time to calm him down and suggest he write to Professor Dumbledore." Albert's fearlessness was evident as he continued, "I was there, and I know what happened."
Honestly, he disliked the Ministry, especially after seeing how they handled this situation. Such a massive blunder deserved, at the very least, a sincere apology! How dare they just waltz in here, mess up, and then try to leave without resolving the issue?
It was clear they were just a bunch of people abusing their authority, and it was no wonder Voldemort had been able to wreak such havoc.
"Furthermore, I also believe your apology lacks sincerity," Albert said, narrowing his eyes. "I've seen adults like you before; one of my teachers was the same way."
Nately's face darkened at Albert's words.
"Of course, you can continue to treat us like children if you want," Albert said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he patted Truman on the shoulder. "Some people are like that, but don't let it bother you. Go on, I'm feeling a bit hungry. We can discuss academic matters another day via owl post."
Nately left, his face like thunder, with no idea what was coming his way.
"Well then, goodbye, Headmaster," Albert said, nodding slightly to Dumbledore. "Thank you for helping Truman with this issue. I would have felt guilty if he had been expelled because of me."
"Goodbye, Mr. Anderson, and goodbye, Mr. Truman," Professor Dumbledore said, taking his leave.
"Those guys are so annoying," Truman said, balling his hands into fists. "Their attitude is terrible. I just want to punch them."
"So, do you want to write to the Daily Prophet about this?" Albert asked, turning to Truman with a smile after Dumbledore had left.
Just then, Albert had triggered a task called "Truman's Discontent," which was one of the reasons he had decided to help.
"Yes, we must expose this!" Truman insisted.
"Remember to give me half of the reward you receive." Albert was fearless when it came to stirring up trouble, especially with a task offering such a generous reward: 3000 experience points and an additional 25 Galleons.
"Alright, I'll write it. By the way, are your family members really lawyers?" Truman asked curiously.
"Of course, they're all lawyers, so I'm quite adept at handling these matters. Besides, we're in the right, and people love to see the underdog take on a powerful institution like the Ministry of Magic. The public will eat up any scandal involving the Ministry." Albert explained, "When the time comes, we'll negotiate with the reporter to keep our names and photos out of the newspaper, and make sure to keep that letter from the Ministry safe."
Albert knew just the person to handle this task.
...
In London, England, at the headquarters of The Prophet, Rita Skeeter was pondering the day's special feature. Lately, there had been a lack of major news stories, which was giving her a headache.
People loved to read sensational headlines, whether they were true or slightly exaggerated. In Rita Skeeter's opinion, a successful newspaper was one that grabbed the readers' attention.
She was in the process of questioning her assistant, trying to dig up some juicy stories that would spark interest.
Before long, several letters were placed on Rita Skeeter's desk. She opened the envelopes, finding some that criticized her, while others offered her juicy gossip. However, one particular letter caught her attention, and upon reading it, she knew she had found the story she was looking for. Attached to the letter was a photograph.
A few days later, the Ministry of Magic's Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office became infamous. In the Prophet, Rita Skeeter portrayed the department as incompetent and prone to blunders, refusing to take responsibility for their mistakes and displaying an appalling attitude when dealing with issues.
Nately was specifically named and shamed, becoming the unfortunate target of public outrage.
In the concluding paragraph of her article, Rita Skeeter wrote about the victim's doubts regarding the Ministry's trustworthiness. He had approached The Prophet to expose the incident and demanded 50 Galleons in spiritual compensation, which should have been paid by the Ministry. They also owed the child a sincere apology."
Upon seeing this newspaper, Nately regretted his initial decision and recalled the boy's words: "Do you think a child is easy to bully, sir?"
However, the boy had proven that he was not someone to be trifled with.
The newspaper caused an immediate sensation.
Nately was forced to take a temporary leave of absence without pay as the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was inundated with letters from the public.
Rita Skeeter demonstrated the power of the pen, skillfully crafting a narrative based on the accounts and descriptions provided by the two boys, fabricating the story she desired while simultaneously causing chaos within the Ministry.
She was unconcerned about the credibility of the content because attached to the article was the original letter from the Ministry's department, leaving them no room to deny their involvement.
Truman was delighted, having received 25 Galleons in spiritual compensation, an unimaginable fortune for him.
Moreover, the female reporter had kept her word and not revealed his or Albert's names. Everything had played out as Albert had predicted: The Prophet had made the incident their headline, harshly criticizing the Ministry while also causing trouble for Nately.
Albert was also pleased as he had completed his task and gained Truman's friendship. They kept in touch during the summer holidays via owl post, and Truman provided him with assistance in magic.
As for the Galleons he received, Albert used them to subscribe to The Prophet.
(End of Chapter)
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