Chapter 1285: The Guide
Chapter 1285: The Guide
"Alas! If only Dumbledore had heeded your prophecies more!"
Moody sighed imperceptibly, sensing the pervasive gloom that hung over the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
Everything had changed since Dumbledore's death.
Especially the wedding between Bill and Fleur that had just taken place, which was a stark reminder of the harsh reality they now faced.
It was only after losing Dumbledore that it truly sank in—the world was no longer as friendly as it once was, and the Order could no longer continue their resistance against the Death Eaters as they had in the past. In the face of Voldemort, they could only flee in disarray.
Even with the might of the Ministry of Magic combined, they would not stand a chance.
Scrimgeour's death was a testament to that.
Now, the Order could only retreat and focus on keeping Harry safe while secretly vying for power with the Death Eaters.
From Dumbledore's last words, it was clear that Harry was the key to defeating the Dark Lord.
Moody was willing to believe in both Dumbledore and Harry, but he was also keenly aware that the current Harry was far from capable of shouldering the burden of confronting Voldemort. In this regard, Mr. Anderson was the ideal candidate.
Most members of the Order of the Phoenix were not seeking any personal gain from their resistance against the Dark Lord and his followers. They simply wanted to eradicate them and restore peace to the British wizarding world, and nothing more.
Now that Dumbledore was gone, there was no one within the Order who could take up that mantle. If they wanted to avoid persecution by the Death Eaters, they needed a leader who could replace Dumbledore, and the man before them was a perfect choice.
Albert had already established the Defense Association to counter the Dark Lord, and he had a sharp mind, considerable power, and the ability to predict the future. He was the most suitable person for the role.
In the past, Moody might not have entertained such thoughts, not only because of Albert's youth and the fact that they were not well-acquainted, but also because Albert had politely declined to join the Order, indicating a difference in their ideologies.
However, the recent events had made it clear to Moody that only a strong and charismatic leader could lead them forward.
After all, they shared the same goal of resisting the Dark Lord and his followers. Everything else was irrelevant—a pile of useless garbage that could be discarded without a second thought.
Sensing Moody's gaze upon him, Albert shook his head. "I can only provide them with some advice and guidance. Ultimately, we're all adults with our own minds and ideas. No one wants to be forced to accept something, even if it's for their own good. Everyone has a rebellious streak, but they also need to take responsibility for their choices and actions."
Therefore, he didn't feel much sympathy for the Weasley and Drakul families, even though they had largely been victims of Scrimgeour's misguided actions.
[Scrimgeour had slain the attacking Death Eaters.]
If it weren't for the new task he had received, Albert wouldn't have been so proactive in coming to their aid.
At this late hour, wouldn't it be better to be at home, cuddled up in bed with his wife?
After all, he had already done what he could.
Only a fool would risk their life for others' mistakes, and he didn't have the selflessness to make such sacrifices.
Especially now that Alice had been born, Albert cherished his life even more. It wasn't just about him anymore—he had a wife and a daughter to think about.
Most importantly, the current Voldemort couldn't be killed, and exposing himself to the Dark Lord's attention was extremely unwise.
Albert's greatest advantage over Voldemort had never been the Elder Wand, but the difference in information they possessed. Sometimes, the information gap could be fatal.
"What do you plan to do next?"
Moody suddenly asked for Albert's opinion. "I mean, in a few days, the Dark Lord and his followers will have complete control over the Ministry.
"What about Hogwarts?" Albert added.
"I'm afraid we won't be able to rely much on the Ministry of Magic anymore, and the Aurors' attitudes make that clear." Moody frowned as he spoke, "They will likely side with Voldemort, or at the very least, take orders from the puppet minister. And the safe houses Scrimgeour set up won't be of much use either, unless those living in them are willing to give up their jobs at the Ministry and bravely stand up in resistance. But that's almost impossible; they don't have that kind of courage."
"You should have faith in Harry," Albert said calmly.
"Of course, I believe in Harry," Moody knew the topic had to end there.
He agreed with Albert's rescue plan for a simple reason: Albert was powerful. As long as he didn't rush headlong into Voldemort, he could rescue the Weasley couple at top speed. Even if they encountered a trap, he would be able to get them out of harm's way. That was the confidence that came with strength. Most importantly, Voldemort and the Death Eaters probably wouldn't anticipate their move to rescue the captives at this time, allowing them to catch their enemies off-guard.
"Where are you off to?"
Hermione couldn't help but ask as she watched the two men walking outside.
Her question immediately drew the curious gazes of the other members of the Order of the Phoenix.
"We're going to scope out the place in advance and make some preparations," Albert explained.
"I'll come with you," Fred immediately piped up, "I'll follow your orders and won't act on my own."
"I want to come, too," Sirius added, "I know Azkaban pretty well, and I'm sure I can be of help."
"Fred, you stay here," Albert shook his head, refusing his good friend.
"Why?" Fred pouted, "I'm an adult now."
"I know, but you're not calm enough right now. It's easy to mess things up with a momentary lapse in judgment." Albert patted Fred on the shoulder, "Wait for our good news, and your family needs you here."
"Anderson is right," Moody agreed with Albert's view.
If Bill and Fleur had held a small wedding here, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out so badly.
But both sides had refused that suggestion for various reasons, and at the time, no one had anticipated such an outcome, except for Albert.
"They can't live under your protection forever. Without weathering the storms themselves, they will only become as fragile as the Order of the Phoenix."
As they left the headquarters of the Order, Moody suddenly said something cryptic.
"The Order isn't fragile," Sirius muttered, "Why are you spouting such nonsense, too?"
"I know, but it's always been the destiny of seers to be misunderstood and to witness disasters," Albert looked around and, seeing no one else was around, put away his wand and took Dobby's hand, "So I'll do my best to remind them and try to prevent certain unfortunate events. As for the final outcome...that's beyond my control."
The three, now hand-in-hand, followed Moody to a certain stretch of cliffs along the British coastline.
"They usually don't heed your advice?"
"Not necessarily. Look at Black, he's still alive. And my family and Isabelle's family are also alive, their futures have changed." Albert raised his wand, "If Scrimgeour hadn't killed those Death Eaters, and you had surrendered to Voldemort, perhaps they wouldn't have died. But would you have done that?"
"Definitely not," Moody replied with a twist of his lips, "I'd rather die than bow down to those scum."
"Exactly," Albert shrugged, changing the subject, "Now, tell us about this place. I don't see any signs of an entrance nearby."
"There's still quite a distance, we'll have to walk, and if we Apparate directly, we're likely to trigger an Intruder Alert Jinx." Moody explained, "Perhaps you have a way to shield the alert, but it's best we don't take that risk."
Under the cover of Apparition and advanced Disguise Charms, they made their way towards the concealed port of the Ministry of Magic.
"Before I retired, they would disguise themselves as fishermen from the nearby area when going out to sea." Moody said to Albert, facing the sea breeze.
"What do you plan to do when the time comes? Will you use the Imperius Curse to control them, or wait here for the Death Eaters to show up?" Sirius thought that either way, they should be able to rescue the Weasley couple and the other unlucky souls imprisoned in Azkaban as soon as possible.
"We'll act when the ship changes shifts; it will be safer to make our move out at sea. Even if there are traps, being on the open ocean can buy us time and keep us from worrying about the mysterious person who received the message rushing over immediately." Albert explained, "For now, let's just figure out the specific situation first."
"I'm afraid not!" Moody suddenly said.
"What?" Sirius asked, puzzled.
"There's no one there anymore." Moody looked through the wall at the small port hidden within, "Ever since the last time the mysterious person broke someone out of Azkaban, the place has been left vacant. After all, even if they captured more Dark Wizards and sent them there, they might just be broken out by the mysterious person again."
"Looks like we won't need to use any illegal curses after all!" Albert took out a pair of glasses from his pocket and put them on, then walked towards the nearby cliffs with his wand raised.
The entrance was located on a section of the beach that indented inward at the base of the cliffs. Albert tapped his wand twice on the cliff face, then turned to Moody and said, "Your turn."
"So there's something you can't do after all!" Sirius exclaimed in surprise.
"I need the password." Albert tapped his wand on a particular stone, but there was still no reaction. Forcing their way in might create a lot of noise, so he turned to Moody, the veteran Auror, for help.
"The password is: Damocles Rowle." Moody stepped forward and tapped his wand on the spot Albert had indicated. An entrance large enough for one person appeared in the cliff face.
"Damocles Rowle was the Minister who suggested using Azkaban as a wizarding prison." Moody turned to explain to his colleagues, "He also ordered the construction of this place and even used his own name as the password. However, Damocles Rowle became infamous because of the Azkaban incident."
"Usually, the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic wouldn't use this entrance. They would use the Ministry's dedicated fireplaces to Apparate directly here."
Moody led the way, walking through a small path to the side of a house. There was a small pier next to the house, and a Muggle sea vessel was docked there.
Although they could also fly directly to Azkaban on broomsticks, Azkaban couldn't be marked on maps. Only the Ministry of Magic had the specialized items needed to locate the island. Flying there directly on broomsticks might result in getting lost along the way or even being surrounded by Dementors.
"What now?" Sirius asked, looking around.
"It's simple; I just need to place a Tracking Charm on this ship!" Albert waved his wand, causing the sea vessel in front of them to levitate. He then used his wand to place a tracking mark on the bottom of the ship.
Most people wouldn't notice the bottom of the ship, and without a certain level of skill, it would be impossible to discover the hidden secret.
"Now, all we need to do is wait patiently for news." Albert began to erase any traces of their presence, although the probability of being discovered was likely low. He still felt it was better to be cautious.
(End of Chapter)
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