Chapter 1120: Walking into a Trap
Chapter 1120: Walking into a Trap
"Minister, the reporters have arrived."
Percy Weasley stood at the door, looking at the listless Fudge with his fingers crossed behind his desk. He knocked lightly on the wooden door and reminded him.
"I know."
Cornelius Fudge wearily stood up and walked out of the office.
To be honest, Fudge didn't want to face those annoying reporters like flies at all, but as the current Minister of Magic, he had to give everyone a reasonable explanation for Amelia Bones' death.
"Explanation?"
"Damn it!"
Fudge himself didn't know what was going on.
A few hours ago, he was awakened from his sleep and informed of Amelia Bones' murder.
What does it mean that the Dark Lord himself might have taken action?
The Aurors didn't give him a reasonable explanation. How could he explain it to the reporters?
Would he tell the reporters that Amelia Bones was killed by the Dark Lord himself?
Even using his knees to think, he knew what the consequences would be if he did that.
What the British magical community really cares about is not Bones' death, but the fact that she was murdered by Death Eaters under the heavy protection of the Aurors.
The authority of the Ministry of Magic will once again be called into question, and this is not the worst part. After this incident, people will wonder that if Bones can be murdered even under the protection of the Aurors, how can the safety of the rest of the community be guaranteed?
Wizards living in fear and anxiety will only vent their anger at the Ministry of Magic, and Fudge, as the Minister of Magic, will undoubtedly bear the brunt of it, not to mention that this incident occurred during his term.
Fudge seemed to hear people calling for his resignation again.
He was well aware that everyone wanted a more reliable Minister of Magic to lead them through the current difficulties.
"I have an unfortunate announcement to make. Amelia Bones was murdered not long ago." Fudge's voice was low and sad, and those who didn't know better would think that Fudge had a good relationship with Bones.
In fact, the relationship between Fudge and Bones was not very good, mainly due to conflicts of interest, and also because he didn't gain any benefits after she took office.
However, after serving as Minister for Magic for several years, Fudge had honed his acting skills to a passable level.
"I heard that Ms. Bones was murdered by Death Eaters despite being under the protection of Aurors. Is this true?" A male reporter asked sharply.
Fudge's expression was ugly, but he was not unprepared, so he said: "Yes, unfortunately, we believe that the Dark Lord, whose name cannot be mentioned, killed her with his own hands."
As the reporters whispered among themselves, Fudge raised his hand to quiet them down, indicating that he would continue, "Amelia was a talented witch whose bravery and fairness were recognized by all. She was also the most promising candidate for Minister of Magic. Perhaps the Dark Lord, whose name cannot be mentioned, was afraid that she would become the Minister, so he took it upon himself to kill her with the help of Death Eaters. All signs indicate that she put up a fierce struggle."
"Amelia's death is a great loss for us."
"But I heard that the Aurors protecting Ms. Bones were not killed by the Death Eaters. Instead, a witch named Emmeline Vance was murdered." The male reporter sharply pointed out, "It is said that Ms. Vance was a member of the Order of the Phoenix and was responsible for Ms. Bones' safety."
Fudge glared at the reporter who had spoken, trying to get a clear look at his face, but unfortunately, the man hid in the crowd.
The room immediately erupted in an uproar. If only the Aurors protecting Bones had been knocked out by the Death Eaters, that would have been one thing, but the fact that another witch responsible for her protection had been killed was highly suspicious no matter how one looked at it.
If one were to think darker, it wouldn't be surprising to suspect that someone in the Ministry of Magic had deliberately plotted Amelia Bones' death.
"I cannot answer your questions because I, too, want to know the reason. But I'm afraid we'll have to wait until those two Aurors wake up." Fudge used a stalling tactic, naturally refusing to admit whether there was a problem with the Aurors, and he didn't think it was their fault either.
As Fudge expected, the reporters were more concerned about who the next Minister of Magic would be after Bones' murder, and whether they would be able to lead the community through the current crisis.
Fudge wearily answered the reporters' questions, and he didn't even know what he had said at the end. Undoubtedly, Bones' death had greatly shaken the community's confidence in the Ministry of Magic, leading many wizards to believe that the Ministry was no longer reliable.
Fudge now just wanted to pass this mess on to someone else as soon as possible, but after Bones' death, he was horrified to realize that there was no suitable candidate.
This was mainly because Bones was very capable and talented, and she had not only gained the recognition of the community but also the support of Dumbledore. He shouldn't have waited for the vote, but should have simplified the process and let Bones become the new Minister directly, so she could deal with the mess left by her predecessor, and perhaps then, Voldemort wouldn't dare to challenge the entire Ministry of Magic so brazenly.
The morning paper, with its report on Amelia Bones' death and Fudge's interview, quickly spread throughout Britain via the newspapers.
Isabelle placed the newspaper on the table and looked up at Albert, "You seemed to have foreseen her death quite early on."
"Yes, I remember warning her." Albert swallowed his food and said calmly, "But Bones didn't want to hide, perhaps overestimating her own abilities and the protection of the Aurors, while underestimating the Dark Lord's determination to kill her. So she died."
Mrs. McDougal and Katrina turned to look at Albert.
"It should be the work of the Dark Lord himself." Albert took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth, "If it had been those useless Death Eaters, they probably would have messed things up. Vance was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Even if she couldn't beat the Death Eaters, she would have alerted Bones and given her time to escape using a Disillusionment Charm. The two Aurors were probably there for a similar reason."
"If she had been willing to hide temporarily, could she have escaped this fate?" Isabelle looked at her mother and asked.
"I think it would have been difficult. I know Amelia well." Mrs. McDougal sighed softly, "She's not a coward, and she wouldn't hide just because she was afraid of being killed."
"So, she died." Albert said calmly, "Bones' character and way of doing things led to her death."
"You warned her?" Katrina asked curiously.
"Yes, I warned her, I warned Dumbledore, and I warned Scrimgeour. They were all on alert, but Bones was still killed by the Dark Lord because they underestimated his determination." Albert said softly, "So, changing a prophecy is not always an easy thing to do."
Katrina looked at her mother, suddenly understanding why Albert and Isabelle had gone to such lengths to bring her here, even using the Killing Curse if necessary.
"If Mrs. McDougal didn't want to give up her job and hide, perhaps she would have ended up like Bones."
"If Amelia had chosen to hide, could she have survived?" Mrs. McDougal looked at her daughter, thinking of her own situation.
"Perhaps, but it would have been difficult for her to escape unscathed." Albert explained, "Prophecies are hard to change, but that doesn't mean it's impossible."
"So, you told Bones, Dumbledore, and Scrimgeour about this matter?" Katrina asked.
"Yes, I did." Albert admitted straightforwardly.
"But Bones still died." Katrina reminded him.
"If Bones had hidden herself, she might have survived." Albert gave an example, "Remember the prophecy about Umbridge? According to my prediction, she would have ventured into the Forbidden Forest and received a lifelong lesson from the centaurs. But after hearing the prophecy, she never dared to set foot in the forest, and thus her fate changed."
"It seems like you know everything." Katrina looked at Albert with a peculiar expression.
"I can guess some things." Albert replied nonchalantly.
"If you wanted to, you could have saved her, couldn't you?"
Although it was a question, Katrina seemed convinced that Albert had the ability to save Bones if he truly wanted to.
"I'm not Potter, nor am I some savior who can rescue everyone. I won't risk my neck for strangers." Albert glanced at Katrina and said calmly, "Many times, even when a true prophecy foretells disaster, it's difficult to stop it because no one believes it."
"And, I tried, but I failed." Albert added in a flat tone, "Emmeline Vance died, and yet it didn't change Bones' fate."
"You mean..."
"That woman didn't die protecting Bones."
"Fate is always unpredictable. Even if I can foresee the future, I must respect its whims and not assume that seeing the future means I can do as I please."
"Sorry." Katrina lowered her head.
"Bones' death was largely due to her unwillingness to give up." Albert said softly, "If she had been willing to let go of some things, she would have at least had a chance for revenge. Now, she doesn't even have that opportunity."
"Revenge?"
Katrina felt that the matter was becoming increasingly complicated.
"The Bones family has a deep grudge against the Death Eaters and the mysterious wizards. Most of her direct relatives died at their hands. Don't you think she would want revenge?" Albert explained.
"So, Bones wanted to use the Ministry's power to take revenge on them, and becoming the Minister of Magic would be the best way to do that. If she wanted to become the Minister, she couldn't hide." Isabelle added.
"Or perhaps it was her desire for power. Who knows? After all, many high-ranking officials in the Ministry have a strong desire for power." Albert shrugged, "The Death Eaters beat them to it. So, Bones died, and with her, died her chance for revenge."
An eerie silence filled the living room.
"By the way, Isabelle and I have something to take care of in France today. We should be back in a few days." Albert suddenly changed the subject.
"What are you going to do in France?" Katrina asked.
"We're going to meet Mr. Le Mey. He will be our witness." Albert continued, "We'll also take a look at the wedding venue, and I need to bring my family over. It's best if they don't return to Britain."
"Be careful on your trip." Mrs. McDougal said.
"We'll stay in touch through the two-way mirror. If anything comes up, talk to the house-elf. It's best not to leave this place lightly." Albert thought for a moment and added, "We'll come back for you soon and take you to France as well. The wedding will be held there. It's not safe to stay in Britain right now."
"What about my dress?" Katrina suddenly asked, as she didn't have a suitable dress for the occasion and had borrowed one from Isabelle for the Christmas banquet.
"Uncle Mog has already taken care of it for you. It should be ready in a few days." Isabelle said softly, "The style will be similar to the one you wore last time."
"Oh."
Katrina disliked this feeling of having everything arranged for her.
After breakfast, Albert and Isabelle disguised themselves as a couple and apparated to a remote beach in southern Britain. From there, they used an illegal Portkey to leave for France.
Normally, Albert would have chosen to fly to France by plane.
Of course, there were other options, such as using the Wilde-Smith family's international Floo Network, but those Floo Networks hadn't been used in a long time, and the safety couldn't be guaranteed. Using a Portkey was simpler and quicker, and with the chaotic situation in Britain, the Ministry of Magic didn't have the time to chase after Portkey users, so they didn't have to worry about getting into trouble.
Upon arriving in France, Albert and Isabelle apparated three more times and finally changed their appearances as they appeared in the village of Nicolas.
"Albert?"
A surprised voice suddenly rang out nearby.
"Professor Dumbledore?"
Before Albert could recognize who the voice belonged to, he had already raised his wand and pointed it in the direction of the voice.
"I almost didn't recognize you." Dumbledore eyed the dark-haired, yellow-skinned couple in front of him with curiosity, "Excellent Transfiguration spell."
In fact, the passersby on the street didn't even notice these three individuals who had cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves.
"Professor, I didn't notice you either." Albert said curiously as he looked at Dumbledore.
"That's understandable, as your attention was focused on your companion." Dumbledore smiled and said, "Your reaction was quick and timely. I just came out from Nicolas' place. He mentioned that you would arrive before noon."
The elderly man had come to take care of his old friend's funeral arrangements.
"No, Professor, you must have used something that made me overlook you." Albert asked curiously.
"Just a little trick, something you're capable of as well, but you overlooked it." Dumbledore winked, "I have to go back to Britain. It seems something has happened there."
"Amelia Bones is dead."
"A heavy loss. She was an extraordinary witch." Dumbledore sighed, "It's a pity."
"It was her choice." Albert said quietly.
"You're right, it was her choice." Dumbledore paused for a moment and then said, "Well, you should go now. Don't keep Nicolas waiting. He's looking forward to seeing you, and Pereunal has prepared your favorite sweets."
"Goodbye, Professor."
After parting ways with Dumbledore, Albert and Isabelle made their way to Nicolas' house.
(End of Chapter)
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