Chapter 1231: Guidance
Chapter 1231: Guidance
Both parties were satisfied with the eventual outcome.
After leaving the cafe, Albert headed straight to the headquarters of the Defense Association. He had just received a message from George: they had found Angelina.
Ever since escaping the Death Eaters' attack, Angelina had been hiding in a safe house. It was only recently that Dobby had brought her to the Defense Association's headquarters.
"You should stay here for now and listen to Albert's advice before making any decisions," Fred said gently, handing Angelina a cup of hot cocoa as he soothed her frayed nerves.
"What are you doing here?" George appeared behind Albert, patting him on the shoulder before following his gaze towards the hall.
"I didn't want to be a killjoy, so I hesitated to interrupt their little heart-to-heart," Albert joked.
Hearing the commotion, Fred stepped out of the hall, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Albert and George standing in the corridor. "When did you get here?"
"Just now. I heard you say she should stay here for the time being," Albert replied as he and George entered the hall, their attention drawn to Angelina, who sat on the sofa, her face pale and her demeanor strained.
After all, it would be a miracle for anyone to remain in good spirits after being cooped up alone in a dimly lit place for a day or two.
Noticing Fred's pleading glance, Albert spoke calmly. "My advice is for you to stay here temporarily. It's safe. As for your family, I can send them a letter assuring them that you're safe and just lying low for a while, so they don't have to worry."
"But what about my Quidditch training? I'm still on trial with the team, and if I..." Angelina's voice shook with emotion.
"That's just something we have to accept," Albert said kindly, sensing her distress. "I believe your life is more important than becoming an excellent Quidditch player."
"But I've worked so hard..." Angelina's emotions were still raw, and the prospect of her dream of becoming a professional Quidditch player shattering after just six months was devastating.
She had initially suspected that her involvement with the Defense Association had drawn the Death Eaters' attention, but Claire's disappearance made her realize that wasn't the case at all.
"I think you might not have seen the newspaper," Albert said abruptly.
"What?" Angelina looked at him, confused.
Just then, a flurry of footsteps approached, and Cedric, along with several others, burst into the hall.
"Are you staying for lunch?" Shan Na asked, setting a plate of fruit on the table and looking at Albert expectantly.
"Yes, I'll eat here," Albert replied, taking a bite of an apple he had picked up. He then handed the newspaper on the table to Angelina. "Damocles, the potioneer who's still hospitalized from the Cruciatus Curse, is my friend. A long time ago, I suggested that he leave Britain to lie low, but he chose to stay, thinking the Death Eaters wouldn't target pure-blood wizards. So, he's suffering the consequences of that decision."
"Hospitalized from the Cruciatus Curse?"
Many in the room understood the underlying message in Albert's words: one must live with the consequences of their choices.
It was a subtle reminder to Angelina that if she chose to leave and was targeted by the Death Eaters again, she would have to bear the consequences alone, as they might not be able to rescue her in time.
It was a cold, hard truth, but it was realistic.
It would be a gamble to assume that Angelina would have the same luck if she returned to the team and the Death Eaters set their sights on her again.
"So, were the Death Eaters after Mr. Damocles in an attempt to get to you?" Fred quickly changed the subject, not wanting Albert's bluntness to upset Angelina further.
"I don't know," Albert replied.
"You don't know?" The group was surprised by his response.
Peeling a tangerine, Albert continued nonchalantly, "I think those Death Eaters are crazy. Both the mysterious person and the Death Eaters should be well aware that we're hiding in houses protected by the Unbreakable Vow. Even if they wanted to use someone as bait, the likelihood is low, considering how many times the Death Eaters have been outsmarted. They should've learned their lesson by now."
"It seems the situation is not what we thought," Cedric mused. He had assumed Angelina's situation was similar to his own, but Albert's words suggested something more peculiar was at play.
The question now was: Why had the Death Eaters captured Claire, attacked Angelina, and tortured Damocles?
"I think those Death Eaters are after me," Angelina complained bitterly. "If I hadn't disapparated immediately, I would've been caught for sure."
"This whole thing is strange," George said, giving Fred a subtle signal to comfort Angelina. "I just received a message from the Order of the Phoenix. Several well-known potioneers' homes have been visited by the Death Eaters."
"These people have one thing in common..." Lee Jordan raised an eyebrow.
"...They're all connected to you, Albert?" he finished.
"Yes, and they're all renowned potioneers," George emphasized, pulling out a piece of parchment and reciting the names listed: Eldrida, Damocles, and Hector Dagworth-Granger..."
"I remember seeing them at your wedding," George said, handing Albert a piece of parchment. "Cedric thinks their target might not be you, otherwise, they wouldn't be targeting only potioneers."
"I agree that they're after something from the potioneers," Cedric nodded. "But aside from Damocles, none of the others were at home."
"That is odd, considering they already have Snape," Albert acknowledged.
"George said.
"We have to admit that Snape is highly skilled in potion-making," Fred chimed in. "And the fact that they used the Cruciatus Curse on Damocles, only to follow it up with a strong Obliviate spell, shows that they don't want their true intentions revealed."
"I know who attacked you," Albert suddenly said.
"Who?"
The group turned to him, curious.
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Albert replied without hesitation. "You know, it's hard to predict that kind of crazy woman with divination."
"How do you know?" Angelina asked, her eyes widening.
"It's the result of my divination."
Albert glanced at Angelina and explained, "That insane woman wants to capture and kill me. Perhaps she wanted to capture you for the same reason or to get information about me from you."
"Of course, it's hard to fathom the thoughts of a madwoman. If I were you, I wouldn't take the risk of venturing out again, especially since you just barely escaped from them. Luck may not be on your side next time," Albert offered his final piece of advice. "You can train your dark magic defense skills here and, in the meantime, work on your relationship with your boyfriend..."
As he finished speaking, a round of whistling filled the hall.
"...Sometimes, simply staying alive is more important than anything else. With life, you have the opportunity to pursue what you want. We're all young, and the future is long," Albert added contemplatively.
He then turned to George and said, "You go contact Mundungus Fletcher. Tell him you want to buy useful information with Galleons, and ask him to prepare the information. Also..."
"Buy information?"
Everyone was taken aback, not expecting Albert to suggest such a thing.
"That's right," Albert continued, gesturing for everyone to quiet down. "Someone like Mundungus will need a little incentive to boost his motivation. A few Galleons can get us the latest and most useful intelligence, and it will encourage him to actively gather information for us. Why not?"
"Fred, go contact Kingsley. We need more information from the Ministry as well," Albert instructed.
"I thought you would just use divination to find out Bellatrix's intentions," Lee Jordan said with a quirky expression.
"Divination isn't all-powerful. Sometimes, even with divination, we may not get the answers we need," Albert replied.
Having played the role of a fortune teller for so long, Albert was well aware of the limitations of crystal ball divination. That was why he had always been cautious, especially since a bright future lay ahead of him. Why put himself in danger? After the Smith incident, there were few who could truly threaten his life.
Albert stayed for lunch and, during the post-meal chit-chat, took the opportunity to explain dark magic defenses to the group and share his dueling experiences.
In just half an hour, he gave them a completely new perspective on wizard combat.
"Is that really true?" Angelina asked, her face filled with confusion. "But why didn't you ever..."
"...mention it to us?" Albert finished her sentence with a smile. "Because what I've been teaching you so far is foundational. And a solid foundation is crucial; it's useless to learn more advanced techniques without mastering the basics."
"Is this the difference between an amateur and a professional?" Fred couldn't help but exclaim.
"Can the Aurors also achieve the level of skill you described?" George asked.
"A small minority can, but most Aurors are only average," Albert assessed. "Their strength lies in their teamwork, which can enhance their combat effectiveness."
"But you took them all down."
They hadn't forgotten Albert's impressive display against the Ministry Aurors.
"They underestimated me and paid the price," Albert stated humbly.
"You're always so modest."
"Sometimes, I think it's a waste that you didn't become a teacher," Lee Jordan remarked.
"You should write all this down in a book," suggested Shana.
"The Ministry of Magic would probably not allow this content to be published," Truman interjected, having spent some time within the Ministry. Similar books at Hogwarts would likely end up in the Restricted Section, never seeing the light of day in the British wizarding world.
In fact, the Ministry's progress in teaching dark magic defenses to wizards was slow, not only because many wizards lacked the capacity to learn but also because the Ministry itself didn't want too many wizards to become proficient in combat. It would only create more problems for them.
The Ministry's efforts to teach dark magic defenses were more about appeasement and buying the favor of the people.
If it weren't for the Death Eaters causing chaos and striking fear into the hearts of the wizarding community, many high-ranking Ministry officials wouldn't even allow someone like Scrimgeour to do what he was doing.
"It's better to guide and lead than to block and suppress. Proper guidance is what's most important," Albert explained.
"Those people in the Ministry know this, but they just don't want to do it," Truman finished Albert's thought.
"Why?" Angelina asked, perplexed.
"Because it's troublesome," Cedric answered, having gained insight during his time working at the Ministry.
"Many people don't want to take on the responsibility, whether it's the Ministry, the adults, or the wizarding community as a whole," Albert said calmly. "So, when the mysterious figure rose to power and the Death Eaters became active, the entire wizarding world fell into disarray."
"But the Ministry isn't..."
"The Ministry can continue to exist because of Dumbledore," Albert interrupted, signaling for everyone to quiet down. "They were able to capture so many dark wizards because I provided them with intelligence." He continued, making everyone's jaws drop, "Scrimgeour is willing to risk his life fighting the mysterious figure and the Death Eaters because he realizes he might be killed in action due to his position."
(End of Chapter)
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