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Chapter 1309: An Act of Justice
Chapter 1309: An Act of Justice
As Albert perused the events that had transpired during his absence from Britain, he couldn't help but sigh at the mysterious man's newfound cunning and increased deceitfulness.
It seemed that his metaphorical fluttering of butterfly wings had set these changes in motion.
Indeed, anyone who had been repeatedly beaten down, yet managed to survive, would surely develop a more cautious and strategic mindset.
It was understandable that Voldemort, after being on the receiving end of numerous beatings, would adapt and become more "intelligent."
After all, Voldemort had previously relied mostly on his power to intimidate his enemies and followers, rather than engaging his intellect.
While Voldemort lacked wisdom in certain aspects, it didn't mean he was unintelligent.
"The challenge of defeating the Dark Lord seems to have increased tenfold." Albert murmured, "However, the current situation isn't too dire. From Harry, Hermione, and Ron's reactions, it's clear that they've matured and are no longer the same as before."
As for Harry, Hermione, and Ron's headstrong decision to go to Godric's Hollow, Albert wasn't surprised.
It was the place of Harry's birth and the place where his family had perished. It was natural for Harry to want to visit and pay his respects to his family, especially since Bathilda Bagshot lived there and knew many secrets about Dumbledore.
"Have they gone missing?"
Albert put down Sirius' letter, got up, and opened the window. He took out his wand and summoned his Patronus to send a message to Sirius.
Harry and his friends were safe and not missing as Sirius had feared.
Of course, Albert could understand the worry of the Order of the Phoenix. After Harry and his friends left for Godric's Hollow, a large number of Death Eaters appeared near the Order's headquarters. Anyone with half a brain could guess what had happened, and it would be strange not to worry about their safety.
Voldemort, who had come so close to killing Harry, was probably furious.
Not ordering his Death Eaters to use the Avada Kedavra curse to finish off Harry immediately was undoubtedly the biggest mistake of his life.
A knock on the door interrupted Albert's train of thought, and he turned to see a figure standing at the doorway, slightly surprised that the person was still there.
"You didn't go out for training with the others?"
"Bathilda Bagshot is dead!"
Shana said as she placed a new book and a piece of parchment on the desk in front of Albert.
"I know, but I wasn't very close to Bathilda."
Albert's gaze shifted from "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore" and he looked up at Shana, asking, "Are you... angry?"
"A little," Shana said, pointing to the parchment, "They say the Order members found this when they went to take care of Bathilda's affairs."
Albert picked up the parchment and read it quietly:
Dear Bertie, Thank you for your help. Here's a new book for you to enjoy. You told all, even though you don't remember it now.
-Rita "Did you guess this already?"
Shana noticed Albert's reaction and suddenly realized something.
"Yes, I read 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore' a long time ago, so I could guess what Rita did." Albert tucked the parchment into the book, "Obviously, Bathilda Bagshot wouldn't have revealed Dumbledore's secrets to someone like Rita Skeeter."
"Don't look at me like that. Anyone with a functioning brain should be able to guess that she used some underhanded method."
"Are you calling me stupid?" Shana glared at Albert.
"Not stupid, but indifferent or unwilling to think deeply about it." Albert corrected, "Many people are like that. They only care about the secrets Rita uncovers to satisfy their curiosity."
"I recall that the misuse of Veritaserum is enough to send her to Azkaban." Shana said suddenly.
"Without evidence, even if we were to step forward and accuse Rita Skeeter, it would be meaningless." Albert reminded her.
"Isn't that parchment evidence?"
Shana felt that Rita deserved a lesson and the consequences of her actions. That woman was as disgusting as Gilderoy Lockhart.
"I'm afraid not. Bathilda Bagshot is dead, killed by the mysterious man." Albert tapped the book, "However, you can ask Lee Jordan to mention this on the radio and bring up the note Rita left. If we ever defeat the mysterious man, there will be an opportunity to expose her actions to the public. But whether or not we can send Rita Skeeter to prison is another matter. After all, the era of Scrimgeour is over, and in these chaotic times, there are too many evil-doers running rampant."
"No wonder everyone is turning to the dark side." Shana sighed softly, feeling that relying on the Ministry of Magic to punish Rita Skeeter was futile. She thought it would be better to teach Rita a lesson herself.
"The law upholds order, not justice." Albert seemed to see through Shana's thoughts.
"You sound like a philosopher, and stop peeking into people's thoughts." Shana averted her gaze and smiled bitterly, "I'm just a little annoyed, I didn't think..."
"Just follow your heart." Albert said calmly, "If you're truly angry and want to teach Rita Skeeter a lesson, you can sneak out at night and give her a good beating. Knocking her into St. Mungo's for a few days wouldn't be a problem, and no one would pursue the matter. I'd even wager that countless people in the British wizarding world would cheer for you."
"That doesn't sound like something you'd say." Shana said with an exaggerated tone, "Are you trying to incite me to commit a crime?"
"If that's what you believe, then know this: we never take the initiative to do evil, but we don't mind performing acts of justice.
Albert shrugged, implying, "This is also why I formed the Defense Association. We have a group of companions around us who are still relatively like-minded and moral."
"I feel like you're not telling the whole truth." Shana felt that Albert didn't really care much about these issues. Just as he wasn't very concerned about the situation of the students in the shelters, she also sensed a hidden meaning in his words.
"Oh dear, you've seen through my secret. Should I silence you now?" Albert said jokingly.
"Thank you, I feel much better now." Shana suddenly said, "What would you like to drink?"
"Some tea would be nice." Albert replied.
"By the way, take some time to go through the pile of issues that have accumulated while you were away." Shana pointed to the folder on the table and turned to leave.
Albert picked up the folder and began perusing the contents on the parchment. They were all issues that the Defense Association would likely encounter, and some were quite tricky. Shana would leave the more difficult ones for Albert to handle himself, but they were usually not too numerous, just very troublesome or required his personal input.
Albert picked up a quill and thought about writing down the solutions in the blank space below.
"What's the plan now?" Shana asked after reading through Albert's proposed solutions.
"Let's take a look around and reinforce the defensive magic surrounding the village." After putting down his teacup, Albert started walking around the village with Shana.
"The number of people in the association is growing." Albert remarked as he noticed several newly built, yet not-so-aesthetically-pleasing houses nearby.
"Who knows, maybe we'll eventually form a wizarding village similar to Hogsmeade."
"I think it's not sustainable to rely solely on the association to support them," Shana reminded him with good intentions. "After all, we don't know when this war will end."
"Most of them are fresh graduates. You can't expect them to earn enough to support themselves right away, can you?" Albert didn't seem to see any issues. Meeting Shana's gaze, he said calmly, "Moreover, if we want everyone to fight against those cruel Dark Wizards, we need to make sure they're well-fed and energized for battle."
"While that makes sense, could you phrase it differently next time?"
Shana was at a loss for words. That statement sounded like they were recruiting cannon fodder.
Perhaps this was the real reason Albert formed the Defense Association. But for those who willingly joined the association, it was also a way to contribute their strength to the resistance against the mysterious man.
"How else should I phrase it?"
A voice interrupted from the side as the village entrance was opened. Fred, along with a group of people, quickly entered, followed by the house-elf Dobby.
"How did it go?" Shana asked, changing the subject. "Did you find any Dementors?"
"Not just Dementors, we also got into a fight with a search party and rescued two Muggle-born wizards who had just been captured."
The group seemed exceptionally excited when talking about their encounter with the search party, evidently relishing the feeling of empowerment that came with possessing magical strength.
"That search party was pathetic. They surrendered as soon as we scared them a bit."
Lee Jordan smiled as he pulled out their spoils of war from his pocket.
They hadn't killed the search party but had taken away their wands.
Of course, one unfortunate soul among them had his teeth kicked out by the very person they had rescued.
"They surrendered after you took their wands. What else could they do?" Angelina rolled her eyes. "Those search party members were unlucky to run into you. Not only did they get robbed, but they also got a good beating."
"I saw one of you aiming for his groin. That must have been when he screamed so pitifully."
In their eyes, the search party members were nothing but the mysterious man's lackeys, trading others' lives for Galleons. They were despicable and didn't deserve sympathy. In fact, not killing them was already an act of mercy.
Most importantly, the people they rescued were peripheral members of the Defense Association, which made the group feel a great sense of accomplishment. To them, it was a glorious victory.
As for ganging up on the evildoers?
No, no, no. It was a righteous mob beating.
"By the way, we also visited another shelter prepared for Muggle-born wizards, and the conditions there were terrible. It's hard to imagine that those Muggle-born wizards are living more like refugees than the students."
George casually mentioned this to Albert as they walked. They found it difficult to understand what those adult wizards were thinking. How could they let their living conditions deteriorate to such a state?
"They're probably scared and don't dare to leave the shelter easily, and our ability to help them is limited." Albert paused and explained to the Weasley twins, "If they want to leave Britain, I can help them. Perhaps they'll have a better life in other European countries. At least, there won't be a Muggle-Born Registration Commission or search parties there."
"However, this won't be without a cost. We'll charge fifty Galleons, but they only need to pay it back within the next ten years."
"Within ten years?"
Not just George, but everyone around was puzzled by Albert's intention.
"We're not after their Galleons. We just don't support freeloading." Albert explained, "It would instill a bad habit."
"But you're providing food for those students?"
"That's because those students haven't graduated yet. They can't use Disapparition, nor can they shake off the Trace. They can't use magic unnoticed in other places, so we have to provide them with help. But the people in the other shelter are adults. They're not helpless children, and as adults, they need to take responsibility for themselves instead of relying on others' charity; that would be laughable."
(End of Chapter)
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