Chapter 1256: Shuffling the Deck
Chapter 1256: Shuffling the Deck
In the Defense Association headquarters' conference room, Albert was presiding over an emergency meeting. The heavy atmosphere was palpable, and the association members present could sense the impending sense of foreboding.
"I'm sure you've all noticed the unchecked expansion of the Death Eaters and their mysterious allies," Albert began, wasting no time in addressing the elephant in the room. "Countless Muggles have already fallen victim to their ruthless schemes."
Albert, seated at the head of the round table, continued with a sense of grim determination, "The current situation is one that I anticipated, but it is also a source of great frustration. With Dumbledore's sudden demise, there is no longer anyone who poses a significant threat to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. As a result, he will act with even less restraint and caution than before."
"Are you saying that not even you can pose a threat to him?" Lee Jordan interjected, aware of Albert's extraordinary capabilities.
"I would never be so arrogant as to assume that," Albert replied with a shake of his head. "What we are facing now is an inevitable process. The collapse of the Ministry of Magic is only a matter of time, and you must all prepare for the coming upheaval."
"But how can the Ministry just collapse like that?" Angelina interjected, her voice laced with shock and confusion. She struggled to comprehend how such a formidable institution could falter.
With a light tap of his fingers on the table, Albert drew everyone's attention back to him. "It's quite normal for this to happen. The Ministry has become an obstacle to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's plans. If Scrimgeour possessed the same capabilities as Dumbledore, then perhaps the Ministry could have remained intact."
"Unfortunately, Scrimgeour is merely a competent Auror, and he is no match for the might of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Albert continued, his tone laced with regret. "It is only a matter of time before the Ministry falls under their control."
This harsh reality was a bitter pill to swallow. When the rules no longer held sway, the Ministry's once-dominant position became meaningless, especially with their lack of muscle to back it up. The complete takeover by Voldemort and his followers was an inevitable consequence.
Of course, Scrimgeour was not blind to this reality, which was why he had sought Albert's assistance. But what incentive did Albert have to lend his aid? A few more mission panels?
Or perhaps he'd like to paint a target on his back and incur the wrath of Voldemort? That would be the height of stupidity.
Even someone with a head injury wouldn't make such a foolish decision.
Albert considered himself perfectly sane and had no desire to play the hero. Nor did he wish to become a pawn of the Ministry.
Confronting the Death Eaters head-on was not on his agenda. He was all too aware of the true nature of the Ministry's politicians—their willingness to exploit others for their so-called greater good and their eagerness to stab their allies in the back.
The fate of Scrimgeour was a stark reminder of their treachery. And how many of the so-called controlled high-ranking officials within the Ministry had simply gone along with the Death Eaters out of convenience?
Initially, they may have been genuinely controlled by the Imperius Curse, but time weakened its effects, especially on those with sufficient magical prowess to climb the ranks.
Without the skill of Voldemort himself, it was impossible to control them indefinitely, let alone an entire group.
In Albert's opinion, the collapse and reshuffling of the Ministry was a necessary step.
For the wizarding world to change, bloodshed and sacrifice were inevitable. It would not bow to the will of a single individual.
Not even Dumbledore could achieve such a feat, let alone Albert himself. He was not foolish enough to believe he could bring about change single-handedly.
The last person to challenge the wizarding world's authority, Grindelwald, was currently locked away in Nurmengard.
With Voldemort doing the dirty work, there was no need for Albert to rush headlong into danger.
One would have to be brainless to even consider such a move.
Admittedly, Voldemort was not a reformer, but he would undoubtedly plunge the wizarding world into chaos, and chaos bred opportunity—a crucial factor.
As for Voldemort's eventual demise, that was none of Albert's concern.
In fact, the entire affair had nothing to do with him. At most, he would ride the wave and extract the greatest benefit for himself, and all the while, everyone would thank him for his contributions in the fight against Voldemort.
While Albert himself did not seek personal gain, his followers had their own ambitions, and the ties of mutual interest were stronger than anything else.
And those positions of power? Someone had to vacate them for the newcomers.
Otherwise, how could Hermione have ended up as the Minister for Magic?
Was it simply because she was the savior's friend?
Only the hopelessly naive would believe that.
The wizarding world had a limited tolerance for Muggle-born wizards, and Albert knew this all too well from personal experience.
His own breakthrough had only been possible because he had cheated the system.
If the wizarding world did not experience enough suffering and loss, the entrenched Ministry officials would continue to occupy their positions, refusing to yield.
And so, Albert had made his choice—to let Scrimgeour fend for himself and to observe from a distance.
It was the best decision given the circumstances.
"Once the Death Eaters and their mysterious allies have firmly established their control over the Ministry," Albert continued, his tone indifferent as he described the grim future, "they will manipulate the British press and declare Muggle-born wizards illegal, subjecting them to persecution. Azkaban will likely resume its operations, becoming the prison for these unfortunate souls."
"Are you saying...?"
Albert's prediction left the room in stunned silence.
"As for excuses," Albert continued, his gaze sweeping the room, "they can be concocted on a whim, and there will be no shortage of them. Do not, under any circumstances, entertain thoughts of luck or leniency. And do not attempt to understand their motives through the lens of your own logic; it will not serve you well."
"But what is their endgame?"
"Perhaps," Albert replied, "they seek to establish a nation where pure-blood wizards reign supreme, with the Death Eaters at the pinnacle of power, and all others subjected to their oppression."
"That sounds utterly ridiculous."
"Indeed," Albert agreed, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but can you truly expect anything better from the Death Eaters? They are driven solely by their desire for power and the benefits that come with it. They care not for the consequences of their actions."
"I must say, their short-sightedness is astounding," interjected Shana with a shake of her head. "They remain trapped in the outdated mindset of a bygone era. While they may attempt to coerce and oppress others through threats and intimidation, I do not believe it will last. We are not the powerless serfs of the past, unable to fight back."
"The wizarding world may be rife with resistance," Albert acknowledged, "but we must also accept that most wizards are weak-willed.
Albert shook his head. "Otherwise, what they need is not a savior, but an Auror army capable of utterly crushing the Death Eaters and their mysterious allies."
In fact, Albert had tried, but Dumbledore obviously thought that the wizarding world needed a savior more.
Neither of them could convince the other, so in the end, Albert conceded because he knew that standing his ground would be futile.
After all, Dumbledore was dead.
"We will all stand up against the Death Eaters," someone asserted.
"Yes, we will all fight, and that is undoubtedly a comforting thought," Albert agreed with a satisfied smile. "But before that, we need to patiently lie low and wait, recruit more members in secret, and continuously strengthen our forces instead of rushing to our deaths."
"Of course, I'm referring to peripheral members." Albert reminded them solemnly. "The Death Eaters and their allies have never stopped searching for us. They may eventually figure out what the Defense Association is all about, but we must buy as much time as possible to ensure you have sufficient time to grow stronger."
"You must have a plan," someone said expectantly.
Everyone looked at Albert with hopeful eyes.
"There's a saying that goes, 'what rises must fall,' and the influence of the Death Eaters and their mysterious allies will soon reach its peak. Their decline is not far off," Albert said, surveying the room. "This means that the Second Wizarding War will not last long."
"Will Harry Potter defeat the Death Eaters?" someone asked impatiently, eager for answers that would ease their worries.
"Perhaps. We all hope that Harry will defeat them, and I believe he can. But we shouldn't pin all our hopes on him," Albert said, raising his hand to quiet the room. "My suggestion is for you to continue practicing and improving your Dark magic defense capabilities so that you can contribute to the fight against the Death Eaters in the near future."
"To be honest, I really don't want to say these things to you because most people won't change their minds just because of a few words from me. But someone has to tell you about the current situation and what to do next. Even though I don't think I'm necessarily right, someone has to do it."
"As for what to pay special attention to, you'll know when you read the parchment yourselves."
Albert waved his wand, conjuring a stack of parchment that he then distributed to each member with a flick of his wand.
"Lastly, I must remind you that everyone is responsible for their own actions."
"And I may be leaving Britain for a while."
"Has the situation really become that bad?" Cedric raised his hand and asked, "With your power, you're not any weaker than the Death Eaters, right? If..."
"I've tried before, but Dumbledore's death ruined my original plan. As for Voldemort, I'm not afraid of him, but now is not the time. We need to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to strike. Exposing ourselves now will only make them more cautious. Only a fool would be in a hurry to reveal their trump card to their enemies," Albert explained.
"When will the opportunity come?"
Although they didn't know what Albert was waiting for, as a master of divination, he had apparently foreseen a chance to defeat the Death Eaters. All they needed to do was believe in him.
After the meeting, everyone carefully read the parchment Albert had distributed and discussed its contents in hushed tones.
Noticing the Weasley brothers' gaze, Albert left the conference room with them.
"Lupin is getting married," George suddenly said. "To Tonks. They want to invite you to the wedding."
"Never mind, I'm leaving Britain tomorrow," Albert refused with a shake of his head. He knew that Lupin's invitation was not just about the wedding.
Albert never thought he could solve every problem, so he hadn't planned to go from the start, nor was he interested in entertaining others' inquiries.
He believed that the Order of the Phoenix could handle Harry Potter's issues. If they couldn't even do that, what was the point of keeping them around?
"If the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is completed, I suggest they move there. Holding a small wedding there would be safer, and I don't think Lupin intends to have a grand ceremony anyway!" Albert finally offered a small piece of advice.
He had always felt that the wizards in the magical world were too fond of courting death. Despite their deep-seated hatred, they still liked to play dangerous games.
If it were up to him, he would have sent them to meet their maker long ago.
In fact, that was precisely what Albert had done, and it was the main reason why his cooperation with the Ministry had been relatively smooth thus far.
"Well, I hope you don't mind being the godfather of my child. I'm definitely a better choice than Fred," George said, knowing the real reason for Albert's departure. His child was about to be born, and staying in Britain would only bring uncertain danger.
Leaving Britain and staying away from all of this would be safer.
"You..."
"At most, I'll ask you to be the godfather of my child when he's born."
"You don't even have a girlfriend," Fred retorted, rolling his eyes.
"Congratulations, then."
Cedric patted Albert on the shoulder. "Still, I hope you'll come back soon. I feel like the situation in the British wizarding world will only get worse, and who knows what will happen."
"You all have to grow up eventually. You can't rely on me for everything, or I'll be worked to death," Albert said with a laugh.
"He just wants to be lazy," Fred bluntly cut in.
"Alright, I have to go now. I'll be leaving soon. As long as you don't do anything reckless, everything will be fine," Albert said with a wave.
"I really admire his composure."
Watching Albert's departing figure, Cedric murmured, "What should we do next? Continue training?"
"Yes, of course. Improving our abilities is more important. At least we can ensure our safety when facing danger," George replied, turning his gaze away. "Actually, you don't have to worry too much. We're still following Albert's arrangements, so there probably won't be any major issues."
"No, I feel like what Albert said might happen soon," Cedric worried, thinking of the chain of events that would follow the collapse of the Ministry. He knew all too well how terrible things could get.
(End of Chapter)
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