Chapter 1124: Scrimgeour's Realization
Chapter 1124: Scrimgeour's Realization
"Rufus, I just don't understand..."
Gaden Robaz looked down at the teacup in his hands, appearing conflicted, but he voiced his doubts anyway. "Why didn't you immediately take over from Connelly Fudge and become the new Minister of Magic?"
"Now is not the time," Scrimgeour said, glancing at Gaden and sighing inwardly. He felt a bit disappointed in his old friend's lack of insight.
If Gaden weren't his trusted companion, Scrimgeour wouldn't have entrusted him with his position. Well, while his past self might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, his encounter with the clever Anderson had definitely sharpened his wits.
Gaden looked at his old friend but didn't press further. Instead, he fell into a brief silence.
"Gaden, do you have any solutions to the mess the Ministry is in right now?" Scrimgeour set down his cup and suddenly asked.
"How is that possible?" Gaden shook his head vigorously. "The entire British magical community is in complete disarray at the moment."
"Yes, it's a mess, especially after Amelia Bones' death." Scrimgeour sighed in frustration. "I had hoped that Amelia Bones would be able to bring some order to the current chaotic situation."
"So, that's why you had me send Aurors to protect her?"
"Something like that. It's unfortunate that after Bones' death, there's no one left to clean up the mess Fudge has made." Scrimgeour did feel a bit of regret. If Amelia Bones had survived, he would have had more options, instead of being backed into a corner like he was now.
"I have no idea how to deal with the mess Fudge has left. If I take over his position now and fail to provide a satisfactory solution, all the pressure will fall on me."
"So, that's why you're deliberately stalling and not immediately taking up the position of Minister?" Gaden suddenly realized, but his brow furrowed soon after. "But what if the 'mysterious person'..."
"Rest assured." Scrimgeour shook his head. "That kind of incident won't happen again anytime soon."
"But..."
"If I were to suffer the same fate as Amelia Bones, I doubt anyone would dare to take up the position of Minister." Scrimgeour spoke calmly, "In that case, the mess would probably have to be handed over to Dumbledore. I believe neither the 'mysterious person' nor the Death Eaters would want Dumbledore as the new Minister of Magic."
Everyone hoped that Dumbledore would become the new Minister and lead them through these difficult times, but even he seemed unable to resolve the current issues.
"The key, in the end, is to defeat this 'mysterious person'," Scrimgeour said self-deprecatingly. "But we have no leads and no means to do so, so we can only place our hopes on that person."
Gaden opened his mouth but ultimately chose to remain silent.
"Actually, if we could capture this 'mysterious person', we could try throwing him through that stone door in the Department of Mysteries," Scrimgeour suddenly suggested. "We might be able to get rid of him for good."
This was actually Albert's proposal—the Ministry's best chance of killing the 'mysterious person'.
As for whether that broken stone door existed, Scrimgeour had confirmed it himself. It was a bizarre location right beneath the courtroom.
"Would that really work?"
"I threw a rat through it, and it disappeared. I assume the rat is dead," Scrimgeour recalled.
"Capturing the 'mysterious person' won't be easy," Gaden said with a bitter smile.
"At least it gives us some hope," Scrimgeour reminded him. "Don't forget that even the Avada Kedavra curse couldn't kill this 'mysterious person'."
However, this idea did feel like a pipe dream.
"What are your plans from here on out?"
"Naturally, I'll be preparing to take over as the Minister of Magic." Scrimgeour looked at his old friend. "You should also get ready."
Gaden understood what his friend meant. Even if Rufus became the Minister and appointed him as the new Director of the Auror Office, he might not be able to hold on to the position. The Aurors would play a crucial role in the Ministry's battle against the 'mysterious person' and the Death Eaters, so it was essential to have a firm grip on that department.
"Are you planning something big soon?" Gaden asked suddenly.
In fact, anyone with half a brain could guess that the Auror Office was gearing up for something significant. While they claimed it was to prepare for Voldemort's potential massacre of Muggles, Gaden felt that it might just be an excuse.
His old friend obviously had something bigger in mind, some grand scheme in the works.
"I've already proposed to Fudge that we take a hardline approach against the 'mysterious person' and the Death Eaters.
Scrimgeour's voice turned cold as he said, "Allow the Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses against our enemies. When we encounter Death Eaters who refuse to surrender, kill them on the spot."
"You..."
"You think it's too much? My dear Gawain, I'm already backed into a corner," Scrimgeour said, finishing his tea and smiling bitterly. "Unless I admit that I'm a coward and give up my current position, a confrontation with the 'mysterious person' and the Death Eaters is inevitable. If they are our enemies, we should show no mercy, and I certainly can't expect them to spare me. The example of Amelia Bones is enough to prove that."
Gawain remained silent for a moment before reminding him, "They are not as reliable as you imagine."
"I know, but I have no other choice, and neither do they, unless they give up being Aurors," Scrimgeour said coldly. "I'll be sending my family away soon. Either I die in office, or I resolve the issue of the 'mysterious person' and the Death Eaters once and for all."
Gawain stared at his old friend, astonished. He had never expected Scrimgeour to say such things. His friend's transformation made him seem like a stranger, and it was clear that he was prepared to go all out against Voldemort and the Death Eaters! Perhaps Scrimgeour had come to this realization some time ago.
And what about himself? Gawain felt ashamed. He had only been thinking about getting promoted to the Director of the Auror Office and hadn't considered the bigger picture.
"After I become the Minister of Magic, I will announce a treaty for the protection of Aurors' families to prevent those despicable Death Eaters from threatening us through our loved ones," Scrimgeour continued, explaining his plans. "The Auror Office is crucial; if we lose control of it, we're finished. So, you must maintain your grip on it."
If it weren't for his encounter with Albert, Scrimgeour wouldn't have considered such extreme measures. However, Albert had told him that he was likely to die in office.
No one wanted to die.
Scrimgeour was no exception, and he believed Albert was not lying.
Before meeting Albert, Scrimgeour would have dismissed such predictions, even from a famous Seer, as nonsense.
However, having witnessed and personally experienced Albert's abilities, his perspective had changed.
Scrimgeour was well aware of Anderson's true capabilities, and he no longer doubted the accuracy of his prophecies. He had seen his own death.
Scrimgeour had given up all his delusions and faced the harsh reality.
He didn't want to end up like Bones.
His options were limited: either give up all his positions and hide, bearing the stigma of being a coward, or confront Voldemort and the Death Eaters head-on. Even if he died, he wouldn't go down without a fight. He believed that if Bones had become the Minister of Magic, she would have made a similar choice.
After all, the enmity between them ran deep.
As for Fudge, his initial suppression of Dumbledore was probably due to his concern for his own safety. Given their lack of scruples, it was entirely possible that they would have targeted him.
Despite the heavy criticism Fudge was facing, he had managed to extricate himself from the situation and pass the buck to his successor.
And his successor, Bones, had been brutally murdered in her own home as soon as she showed signs of taking office.
This led to Scrimgeour's first task as the Minister of Magic being not to crack down on the Death Eaters but to clean up Fudge's mess and restore the credibility of the Ministry of Magic. He needed to convince everyone that he could lead them to victory over the darkness.
However, Scrimgeour felt helpless in this regard.
He used to be confident, but after Albert's warning, he realized the true extent of the challenge he was facing.
Scrimgeour even regretted not strengthening the protection for Bones. If she had survived, he might not have been pushed into such a desperate situation.
However, Bones' death seemed inevitable.
"Once she chose not to hide, her fate was sealed," Albert had said.
Soon after, Bones was dead.
"When you become the Minister, you will inevitably become an obstacle to the 'mysterious person's' control over the Ministry, and thus a target for him to assert his power," Albert had predicted.
Later, when Scrimgeour used the Prophecy Orb and saw himself dying from the Avada Kedavra curse, he knew he had no choice but to be firm and resolute.
So, he accepted Albert's suggestion, as it was the best way to break the stalemate. Using the Death Eaters to establish his authority was his best option.
If he could capture or eliminate a large number of Death Eaters during the wedding and then use that achievement to ascend to power, he believed he could quickly gain recognition and solidify his position within the Ministry.
As for the consequences, it seemed that even if he didn't take such drastic measures, his fate wouldn't be much better.
Unwilling to become a puppet or meet the same end as Bones, Scrimgeour chose to fight for his life and create an opportunity to turn the situation around.
As for Fudge's suggestion, he could go to hell with it! (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
