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Chapter 1260: The Leader
Chapter 1260: The Leader
As Fred and George had said, everyone truly wanted Lupin and Tonks to find their happiness.
The feelings of the Tonks family, however, were directly ignored.
After all, they were outsiders and could only stand by Lupin and Tonks, offering their blessings from the sidelines.
As for the issue of werewolves, everyone was indeed helpless. Lupinism was currently incurable, but helping Lupin find a decent job was not a problem for the thriving Weasley brothers.
Everyone could guess that this matter must have had Albert's consent.
It must be said that Albert was indeed very similar to Dumbledore in many ways.
Most of the members of the Order of the Phoenix acknowledged this.
After losing Dumbledore, the Order found themselves in an awkward situation, and the risk and pressure they faced had increased exponentially without his protection.
Most members wanted a powerful leader to guide them forward, especially during these trying times. A strong leader was what they needed to feel secure.
Harry Potter, however, was not an ideal choice. Even though Dumbledore had told them, "Harry is our most precious hope, trust in him," Harry was still too young at the moment to lead them out of their predicament.
But Albert Anderson could.
He had proven himself time and again. Whether it was his clever mind, formidable power, or impeccable character, he was flawless, just like the Order's former leader, Dumbledore.
On more than one occasion, they had wanted to strengthen the bond between them.
After all, they were both fighting against Voldemort, and it would be mutually beneficial to support each other through these difficult times.
However, things did not go as hoped.
Albert seemed rather indifferent to the Order's invitations and kept making excuses to put them off.
Even though Fred and George said that Albert had important matters to attend to, what could be more crucial than fighting Voldemort during these turbulent times? This confusion among the members led them to wonder why Albert seemed to hold a bias against the Order.
Yes, a bias.
At least, that was what some members of the Order thought.
This led to a small minority within the Order expressing their dissatisfaction with Albert, believing that he should consider the bigger picture.
Uniting against Voldemort was the most important thing at the moment, and they must avoid being picked off one by one.
Fred and George were exasperated. They didn't want either side to develop biases, let alone a rift between the Order and Albert, though the likelihood was extremely low. Nonetheless, the twins provided a simple explanation to prevent the members from becoming too restless.
"So, Albert isn't in Britain at the moment?"
"We're not sure," Fred quickly added. "Albert has always been secretive and never told anyone where he lives. He's just worried that doing so might bring trouble to others. After all, Albert has always been a thorn in the side of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. If they were to find out his whereabouts, they would undoubtedly target those close to him immediately."
Before everyone could react to Fred's words, George suddenly said, "However, Albert's child is about to be born, so I think he's been busy preparing for that recently."
"His child?"
Hermione froze, a look of surprise on her face, as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
After all, Albert was only in his teens. How could he possibly...
"Is it strange that Albert has a child?"
Fred looked at Hermione in confusion, not understanding her astonishment. "You attended his wedding last year, didn't you?"
"I... I just think they're too young," Hermione stammered, trying to cover up her gaffe.
"Anderson obviously considers Britain unsafe," Ron said, sneaking a glance at Hermione. "That's why he stayed away, to ensure that the birth of his child wouldn't be disturbed by Voldemort or the Death Eaters."
"Keep this matter confidential," Fred said, making a shushing gesture.
"We won't spread rumors," Mundungus assured them, almost pounding his chest.
"Voldemort has always been searching for Albert's weaknesses," George explained. "So, Albert doesn't like others knowing about these matters because it could not only put them in Voldemort's crosshairs but also bring him unnecessary trouble."
"Perhaps we should talk about Lupin's wedding," Fred said, steering the conversation back on track at George's subtle prompt. "I think we can hold a small wedding for Lupin here. He and Tonks deserve our blessings as they start their married life together."
"Sirius, you don't need to worry so much," George consoled. "As long as they're happy in the future, that's all that matters, right?"
"You're right!" Sirius sighed helplessly. "Albert said that their child won't be a werewolf because werewolves reproduce by attacking non-werewolves."
This was also the reason Lupin had finally accepted Tonks' feelings.
A decent job, avoiding a life of poverty after marriage, and the possibility of having healthy offspring—these were the factors that had swayed him.
However, it was still not enough.
Their love would still have to withstand the tests of reality, and the opposition from Tonks' family cast a shadow over their relationship.
"Where's Lupin, by the way?" Harry suddenly asked. "I haven't seen him in a few days."
"Not sure. He seems to have something on his mind lately."
It was only after a few days that Harry saw Lupin again.
Lupin and Tonks walked hand in hand into the headquarters of the Order, their faces radiant with happiness, proudly displaying the rings on their left hands.
"You're married?"
Harry was dumbfounded, his head snapping towards Lupin.
"Sorry, Harry. We didn't want to make a fuss," Lupin managed a slight smile.
"You should have told us in advance," Harry pretended to be angry. "We were just discussing how to organize a wedding for you."
Harry felt someone tugging at his arm. When he turned, he saw Hermione shaking her head at him, signaling for him to stop.
Hermione had guessed the reason for Lupin's actions, and she didn't want Harry to bring up the topic now, as it would only reopen Lupin's wounds.
"Harry, don't blame Remus," Tonks said, glancing at her husband. "We're happy with how things turned out."
"Harry's right. You should have told us," Sirius said, giving his friend's chest a couple of hearty thumps. "We were already planning your wedding."
"Sorry," Lupin said, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But we're content with the way things are."
"Alright, even though I'm still angry, congratulations to both of you," Harry said, stepping forward to give Lupin a hug.
"All right, you two can catch up later. It's time for the meeting.
Moody barked angrily at the group.
The crowd poured into the hall, and soon they were discussing the content of today's meeting.
"Since Harry will no longer be returning to his Muggle relatives, the blood protection charm left by Lily will soon completely wear off. We need to act before that happens and protect the Dursleys, ensuring that Voldemort cannot find them and extract any information about Harry from them, nor use them as bait."
Everyone was all too aware of Voldemort and the Death Eaters' modus operandi. Should the Dursleys fall into their grasp, they would be as good as dead, and they would undoubtedly be tortured and interrogated first.
"We also need to relocate Mrs. Figg," Kingsley said, rapping his fingers lightly on the table to draw everyone's attention. "However, she seems reluctant to take refuge here at headquarters."
The protection of the Dursleys and Mrs. Figg had been a topic of discussion for the Order ever since Harry decided not to return to his aunt and uncle's home. Thus, this wasn't a major issue. They believed that Voldemort and the Death Eaters wouldn't waste their time on Muggles.
"Next is the fall of the Ministry," Moody said, flipping through the parchment in his hand and bringing up another issue for discussion at the meeting. "According to Albert's prophecy, this will inevitably happen, and we must prepare in advance to avoid being caught off guard."
"Voldemort is indeed plotting to kill Scrimgeour," Kingsley said worriedly. "Even Scrimgeour himself has realized this, and we are powerless to stop it."
"The atmosphere in the Ministry isn't looking good either," Arthur added, not optimistic about the current situation. "I suspect some of the higher-ups in the Ministry have already been swayed by the Death Eaters."
"Aren't they being controlled by the Imperius Curse?" Hermione asked, confused. She recalled Kingsley mentioning that the Ministry was on guard against employees being controlled by the curse.
"That's not much different," Kingsley said grimly. "Right now, Voldemort is constantly recruiting more Death Eaters, and if you think about it, the number of pure-blood wizarding families in Britain is limited. So, where are these new Death Eaters coming from?"
"Are you saying that some of the pure-bloods in the Ministry have been forced to become the Dark Lord's pawns?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening in shock. "But surely the Ministry wouldn't allow that..."
"Hermione, the Death Eaters are like a stronghold for pure-bloods," Kingsley explained. "Perhaps some pure-bloods don't agree with Voldemort's methods, but they always find excuses for themselves. After all, they would never willingly give up the benefits that come with being part of the pure-blood elite, nor do they want to become Voldemort's next target."
Kingsley was exasperated when it came to this topic, as those people were taking advantage of a legal loophole that protected those who were under the Imperius Curse from being held accountable for their actions.
"If we had used Veritaserum during the trials, at least two-thirds of them would be in Azkaban now," he added bitterly.
"So, you think they will betray Scrimgeour?" Hermione asked, her mouth slightly agape.
"It's inevitable," Kingsley replied. "When given another option, they will take it. No one wants to directly oppose the Death Eaters, even if it means being controlled by the Imperius Curse."
After the meeting, Hermione's worldview was slightly shaken. She suddenly understood why Albert hadn't been keen on the idea of her joining the Ministry.
"Are you okay?" Ron asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," Hermione shook her head. "Albert is truly remarkable."
"Yes, that's why both the Death Eaters and the Death Eaters want him dead," Kingsley said, not hiding his disdain for the latter group. "They're afraid of this young wizard from the Muggle world. At least, many pure-bloods are both angry and fearful, but they have no way of dealing with Albert."
"Then they tried, right?" Ron asked curiously.
"Not exactly," Kingsley replied. "He probably told Scrimgeour about the prophecy, leading the Minister to realize that killing him was more reliable than imprisoning him in Azkaban. And that's exactly what happened."
Kingsley saw this as a reason to cooperate with Albert. Together, they might be able to prevent the situation from completely collapsing.
He dared not imagine what horrors would unfold if Voldemort gained complete control of the Ministry.
"Harry, have you seen today's newspaper?"
As the meeting drew to a close, Ginny approached Harry with the latest issue of the Daily Prophet in hand.
"What?"
Harry snatched the newspaper, quickly scanned its contents, and then popped several Calming Draughts into his mouth to steady himself.
"That awful woman," Harry muttered, turning to Bill, who was talking to Fleur. "Could you get me a copy of 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore'?"
"Harry, you should know what Rita Skeeter is like," Hermione said sharply, putting down her own copy of the newspaper. "That woman loves to stir up trouble."
"I know, but I still want to read that book," Harry insisted.
"Harry, Hermione's right," Bill said, frowning slightly. "If I were you, I wouldn't believe a word that woman writes."
"Thanks, Bill, but I know what I'm doing," Harry said, pulling a handful of Galleons from his pocket and placing them in Bill's hand, who was frowning at him.
"Alright, I'll get it for you next time," Bill sighed, eventually agreeing to Harry's request.
Noticing Hermione's expression, Harry explained, "I know Rita Skeeter is a piece of work, but there's usually some truth in what she writes."
"So, you're hoping to find some truth among a bunch of lies?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide. "Harry, it's only been three weeks since Dumbledore's death. Do you really think a book written in such a short time could contain any truth?"
"I know, but I want to know more about Dumbledore," Harry said, yearning to learn about Dumbledore's past. He knew that 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore' was mostly rubbish, but he believed that Skeeter's autobiography couldn't be entirely false. After all, lies wouldn't fool anyone—that was something he had learned from Albert.
Perhaps directly asking Albert would have been a better option, but Albert probably wouldn't tell him, and even if he was willing, Harry doubted he would be able to find him.
(End of Chapter)
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