Chapter 1373: Erupting in Silence
Chapter 1373: Erupting in Silence
"They were all cruelly killed by Death Eaters right in front of the shelter. Why didn't anyone do anything at that time..."
"It's not surprising, is it? The wizards in Britain haven't erupted yet because, ultimately, not enough people have died in this wizarding war. Otherwise, how could people tolerate the Death Eaters running rampant? They would have picked up their wands and fought back by now."
Listening to the latest news from the Wizarding Watch broadcast, Kenneth couldn't help but speak up in response to the doubt coming from his colleague beside him.
"Not enough people have died?"
These words were indeed a bit nerve-wracking.
Several people around him looked at Kenneth in surprise, their eyes narrowing in annoyance as if to say, 'How dare you say something like that?' "It's normal for people to die in a war. If no one died, could you even call it a war? That would just be a scuffle or a brawl, and even those can result in deaths." Kenneth felt that the immaturity of this group was entirely Albert's fault. "It's just that Albert has protected you all too well. If we regularly suffered losses like the Order of the Phoenix, I doubt you'd be wearing those disgusted expressions right now."
"Does the Order of the Phoenix often suffer casualties?" someone asked curiously.
"More than half of the current members of the Order of the Phoenix are Weasleys. What do you think?" Kenneth's implication was clear.
"The Defense Association is not the Order of the Phoenix."
"Exactly, which is why we have so many cute little things like you here."
Kenneth surveyed the people around him and continued, "I remember a quote from Albert: 'Either erupt in despair or perish in it.'"
"The British wizarding world right now is perishing in despair."
"You should all be able to sense that most wizards, for the sake of self-preservation, dare not stand up in rebellion. They can only kneel and silently endure the terrifying rule of the Mysterious Man and the unabashed exploitation by the Death Eaters. A small number of wizards pin their hopes on Harry, but how can a lone warrior like him hope to stand against the Mysterious Man?"
"So, you just gave up on those 28 people? You abandoned them."
"We didn't abandon them; they abandoned themselves. We did try to remind them," Kenneth said, scrutinizing the girl. He felt that she didn't belong in the Defense Association; this place was truly not suitable for her.
"But we could have lent them a hand. The Death Eaters ambushed them right outside the shelter. If only we had..."
"We will not risk sacrificing members of the Defense Association to save a group of people who are asking for death," Kenneth interrupted bluntly. "Even a one-for-twenty-eight exchange is a loss, not to mention a group of people who are bringing death upon themselves. They are not worth saving."
"You..."
"To be honest, I'm curious that you don't seem to realize this."
"Realize what?"
"The enemy far outnumbers us, so we must awaken the courage of the people to resist. We must encourage other wizards to bravely stand up and fight against the Death Eaters."
"But that doesn't mean..."
"The best way to awaken them is with blood." A cold smile played on Kenneth's face. "We will not tolerate members of the Defense Association engaging in a life-and-death struggle with the Death Eaters while others stand by and watch, waiting to enjoy the sweet fruits of victory."
"Remember, this war requires sacrifices. As long as it's not our people dying, there's no problem. This is the consensus among the members of the Defense Association, and it's surprising that you don't know that."
"So, even though you knew they were likely to die after leaving the shelter, you let them go to their deaths?"
"We did try to remind them, but they chose their path..."
"Alright, Kenneth, that's enough!" Cedric tried to stop the argument, as he knew that not everyone was as steadfast in their beliefs as they were.
"I think you should help her see the reality of the situation," Kenneth reminded him in a strange tone. "And remember to tell Albert to assign your girlfriend to handle logistical work. It would be good for her."
"I will!"
"Wait!"
Autumn tried to stop Kenneth, but he was already too lazy to pay her any mind and left.
"We couldn't save them, and we couldn't stop them from leaving. Adults must take responsibility for their actions!" Cedric looked at his girlfriend, who had been cared for too well and still retained some naivety. He sighed softly and explained, "I know what you mean, but their deaths are not our fault."
"But if we let them die like that, without any meaning, then what's the point of rescuing them from Azkaban?" Autumn still couldn't understand. Those people's deaths were even within Albert's expectations.
"You think that way only because Albert is so capable that he makes you feel the same. I know you believe they left the shelter because the conditions there were terrible, but you need to understand how many people we've rescued and how much it costs to provide them with a relatively comfortable life here at headquarters. Have you ever thought about where that money comes from?" Cedric countered.
Autumn fell silent. As a Ravenclaw, she wasn't foolish.
"Kenneth contributed some money, though not a large amount... But you didn't, nor did many other members. In fact, you've all ignored this issue, thinking it's only natural," Cedric continued.
"So, I'm not qualified?"
"Yes, you're not." Cedric was blunt. "But it's not about galleons. From the beginning, the Defense Association has only protected its own, and that's Albert's intention and our consensus.
"Consensus?"
"Yes, consensus."
"What about the others?"
"We would be willing to lend a hand, but not everyone is willing to accept it, so you saw that 28 people died." Cedric shrugged.
"But we could have stopped all this."
"We will only remind them, but we will not risk the lives of our comrades. Those who are asking for death are not worth saving, and we will just stand by and watch them die. Even members of the Defense Association who refuse to heed warnings and bring death upon themselves will be abandoned," Cedric stated.
The people around them fell into a brief silence, suddenly feeling estranged from the Defense Association.
"The purpose of the Defense Association is to fight against the Mysterious Man and teach people how to protect themselves."
As if reading their minds, Cedric continued, "In the near future, we will all participate in Harry's final battle against the Mysterious Man. No one knows how many will die in that war.
So, do you understand now why Albert prioritizes protecting our own?
Moreover, our limited resources only allow us to do so. As for those cowards who hide in the background, waiting to reap the rewards of victory, we can give them a meal to keep them from starving. That's already more than enough. Unless you think we should rob Muggles to support a bunch of freeloaders?"
The people around him stared wide-eyed at Cedric, hardly believing that such words could come out of his mouth.
"Remember to apologize to Kenneth." Cedric said seriously, "And I need to remind you all that things will only get crueler from here on out."
"What do you mean?"
"The Death Eaters will take revenge. If they can't find us, they will retaliate against the weak and vulnerable wizards in the magical community, venting their anger and fear." Cedric said disdainfully, "Perhaps some members' families will be affected as well. But if the Death Eaters use your family as a threat, will you betray us?"
"I don't know."
"We allow you to do that, but if you do, you will be abandoned!" Cedric warned.
"Abandoned?"
"Albert will modify your memory and implant false memories of fleeing, ensuring that the secrets of the Defense Association remain hidden. Of course, this may not be entirely reliable, as the Mysterious Man has ways to dig out those hidden memories, even if it means destroying the person's mind. But he probably wouldn't care about that."
Everyone stared at Cedric, shocked.
"That's right, I'm admitting it. Potter's parents were killed because of betrayal, and we must prevent such incidents from happening again. Think about what would happen if a group of Death Eaters launched a sneak attack on this village one night.
So don't think that it's cruel. You need to get used to all of this. If you can't adapt, the consequences could be dire—even fatal for you and those around you. Of course, we offer another option: leaving Britain and escaping this damned war. But those who join the Defense Association choose to stay."
Cedric paused, looking at the people before him, and asked, "Is there anyone who wants to withdraw from the association and leave Britain immediately?"
...
"So, you convinced her?"
Kenneth appeared out of nowhere, walking alongside Cedric towards the conference room, "If I were you, I'd temporarily alter her memory and send her away from Britain to hide. Then, after the war is over, we can bring her back."
"Autumn is a smart girl," Cedric indirectly refused Kenneth's suggestion.
"This time, Hagrid won't be there to stop them from chopping off heads, and I'm curious what other despicable acts those Death Eaters will commit." Kenneth spoke casually, as if those incidents had nothing to do with him.
"How long do you think it will take for the others to gather their courage?" Cedric didn't continue that train of thought.
"It's difficult, very difficult." Kenneth wasn't optimistic, "Even if Albert tries again and again, only a handful will join us, and among them, only half will have the courage to actually face the Mysterious Man. I wonder how many will die in the final battle."
"If those adults refuse to take responsibility..." Cedric didn't want to think about the terrible consequences.
"At least half of the students will probably die in the final battle." Kenneth smirked, "Then we'll see them cry."
"It's not as bad as you think. Our strength is growing, while the Death Eaters are weakening." Cedric murmured.
"For now, we should focus on the Death Eaters' next move. Albert suspects they might try to kidnap your family members to force your surrender."
"I'm actually envious of Fred and George." Cedric felt he probably couldn't convince his parents to go into hiding.
Although the Weasley family had joined the Order of the Phoenix and was resisting the Mysterious Man, they were actually safer because of it, just like the members of the Defense Association, who were always well-protected.
"There aren't many smart people in this world." Kenneth said meaningfully, "By the way, after the war is over, do you plan to move over here?"
Cedric was taken aback, not expecting Kenneth to bring up such a topic.
"Maybe... yes!" Cedric wasn't sure, as he hadn't thought that far ahead.
(End of Chapter)
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