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Chapter 1374: What is His Plan?
Chapter 1374: What is His Plan?
"What is Albert Andersen up to?"
If any students had been present, they would have been astonished. The new headmaster of Hogwarts, the infamous Severus Snape, known for his dour demeanor, was actually...listening to the daily broadcast of the Wizarding Wireless Network and discussing its contents with the portrait of Albus Dumbledore hanging on the wall of his office. This was completely unlike the stern image they associated with him.
Dumbledore's portrait remained silent, eyes closed, as if it were truly just a painting.
"The situation is dire. The Death Eaters suffered heavy losses in Hogsmeade, and on the same day, Azkaban was raided by Harry Potter and his allies, who freed all the prisoners. This series of events has thoroughly enraged the Dark Lord, as you know. Now, whenever something happens, they immediately suspect Albert Andersen."
Snape turned off the radio and rambled on to the portrait, sharing his thoughts on the situation. He had his own views on the developments, but the turn of events was becoming increasingly perplexing, forcing him to seek Dumbledore's counsel to understand what that young man was planning. Otherwise, he might inadvertently fall into a trap.
"Andersen is in hiding, and the Death Eaters have no idea where he is. They are helpless against him."
Seeing that Dumbledore's portrait remained silent, Snape continued, "The Death Eaters are going crazy, desperately searching for Andersen and dreaming of killing him. Many of them have started capturing anyone associated with him in the British wizarding community, resorting to despicable means to draw him out."
"Have they all lost their minds?"
The portrait of the red-nosed old wizard next to Dumbledore muttered.
"How can they be so stupid? Don't they realize the consequences of their actions? Or have the wizards of modern Britain become a bunch of cowards, too afraid to resist?"
Snape didn't agree with the Death Eaters' methods, nor did he think that such tactics would effectively dismantle the Defense Association. However, he couldn't find any valid arguments against them. Kidnapping family members and using them as leverage had always been effective, and now the situation was simply reversed.
The Dark Lord had even assigned him the task of killing Albert, and if he didn't actively carry it out, he would appear suspicious to the Death Eaters.
Snape's intuition told him that if he showed too much enthusiasm for this task, he might end up dead.
He didn't believe for a second that there weren't any spies among the Death Eaters reporting to Andersen.
Anyone who dared to lay a finger on Andersen met a terrible end.
Both Bella and Malfoy had paid a horrific price for their attempts.
Without waiting for a response from Dumbledore, Snape continued to describe the despicable methods the Death Eaters planned to employ next. For example, they would capture the family members of suspected Defense Association members to threaten them or capture the Dumbledore's Army members hiding in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts and interrogate them using Veritaserum.
In fact, the Death Eaters had used similar tactics before, but this time, it would be more brutal, as Yaxley had even offered a Galleon reward. Soon, the entire British wizarding community would be in chaos.
The former headmasters, listening to Snape, were furious with Voldemort's reckless actions.
"Andersen probably intends to use this opportunity to get rid of most of the Death Eaters!" Dumbledore, who had been feigning sleep, finally opened his eyes.
Get rid of most of the Death Eaters? Snape carefully recalled the recent casualties among the Death Eaters and fell silent.
If Andersen truly wanted to eliminate the Death Eaters, he could do it alone. Apart from the mysterious man, no one was his match. Once he started killing without restraint, all the Death Eaters would likely cower in their hideouts like frightened rats.
"Albert actually hates killing."
Dumbledore didn't answer Snape's question directly but murmured to himself.
Indeed, Andersen disliked taking lives, but that didn't stop him from doing so when necessary.
In the past year, the number of slain Death Eaters far exceeded the casualties of the previous decades, and most of the second-generation Death Eaters from Snape's time had been decimated by him.
"Just as he believes that the peace of the British wizarding world should be achieved by British wizards themselves, rather than relying on a group of teenagers." Dumbledore's words plunged the Headmaster's office into silence.
"So, he intends to drag all the wizards of Britain into this."
As soon as these words left Snape's mouth, he realized the truth.
If the Death Eaters continued their reckless actions, such an outcome might indeed occur. The wizards of Britain were not cowards, and when they reached their limit, they would take up their wands.
"Yes, he once had similar thoughts. If I hadn't died, Scrimgeour would have mobilized the wizarding community of Britain, and all the Death Eaters would have ended up dangling from the gallows."
"He has already done so, and hundreds of Dark Wizards have perished as a result."
"That's just the beginning. All the wizards of Britain will be drawn into this war, and they will fight for the peace they desire with their own wands.
"Dumbledore looked uneasy, murmuring, 'But I vetoed his proposal because it would have killed a lot of people, an unimaginable number of people.'"
"But war is never a game, people will die." Snape said abruptly.
"Yes, so he scoffs at the idea of people pinning their hopes on a savior, and he inherently dislikes it," Dumbledore said, looking at Snape. "Are you curious about what Albert Andersen is trying to do? He just wants to end the war, in his own way."
"Arrogant indeed," Snape muttered.
"No, it is we who are arrogant," Dumbledore murmured. "If I hadn't backed down back then, perhaps things would be better than they are now. Those evil wizards would have faced certain death, the lured werewolves would have been hunted down, and the giants who came to Britain would have been wiped out..."
Snape shuddered at Dumbledore's low murmurings.
Just how many people would have to die?
"Is that really possible?" Snape asked softly.
"I don't know, but I backed down," Dumbledore shook his head. "I didn't want our decision to bring about that kind of... I knew I couldn't bear the weight of so many lives, and I didn't want..."
"You were afraid he would become a terrifying existence like the Dark Lord," Snape said, as if seeing through Dumbledore's thoughts, "In fact, he already has. Anderson has basically taken control of all the forces resisting the Dark Lord, easily manipulating us like fools."
"I think 'unity' is a more appropriate term."
"He's doing better than the Dark Lord. If people start calling him the White Lord one day, I wouldn't be surprised," Snape said sarcastically.
"Are you blaming me for backing down? That accusation is too heavy for an old man like me," Dumbledore sighed. "Not everyone deserves to die, that's too horrible."
"So, what does he plan to do now?"
Snape suspected that the young man was plotting another grand scheme.
"He just wants the adults to take responsibility and not let the children, who should be protected, take over this war."
"The adults take responsibility?" Snape repeated.
"The situation is probably as you imagine," Dumbledore said, "It actually has something to do with a prophecy."
"What prophecy?" Snape asked warily, alert to any mention of prophecies after being misled by one in the past.
"The final battle will take place at Hogwarts, and a large number of students will die in this great war. To avoid the deaths of those children, the best solution is to enlist more helpers."
"Is that really true?"
Snape felt that Dumbledore wasn't telling the whole truth, or was only revealing a small part of it.
"Isn't it?" Dumbledore countered. "He's using those foreign dark wizards as tools and making the weakness of the Death Eaters clear to the British wizards.
"Those 28 wizards killed by the Death Eaters should also serve as a warning to everyone about the consequences of not resisting."
"I thought you would be more averse to him directly sacrificing those people," Snape said, surprised by Dumbledore's attitude.
"He's just respecting their fate," Dumbledore replied.
"Respecting their fate?" Snape found this utterly absurd.
"Given Albert's style of doing things, he probably warned them about the risks they would face if they left the protection of Azkaban. But being prisoners, how could they allow themselves to be transferred from one cage to another? So they ignored the advice and left of their own accord," Dumbledore recalled. "Albert once said that he would never save those who actively seek death."
"He really respects their fate," Snape said, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth as he mocked, "I suppose the other wizards will listen to him more obediently after this incident, and a large number of them will probably join the forces against the Dark Lord."
Dumbledore remained silent, but the other portraits, after exchanging glances, suddenly felt that the title of White Lord might not be far from the truth.
"When will this war end?"
Snape asked the question he most wanted an answer to. It was important and would affect many of his future plans.
"I don't know. I'm already dead, Severus. The subsequent plans are all made by Albert, and only he knows the specifics," Dumbledore answered.
"The Death Eaters will move into Hogwarts in two days' time. They plan to target the members of the Dumbledore's Army," Snape said suddenly.
"Protect the children of the school, Severus. You promised me," Dumbledore said, his expression turning grave.
"I'll try my best to convince Yaxley to send the Aurors over, but you should talk to Albert. I think if he's willing to cooperate, the situation might be much better," Snape said, knowing full well that Dumbledore was aware of this. The old headmaster was just calculating, even in death, and his refusal to divulge information frustrated Snape.
Ever since the Dark Lord had assigned him the task of killing Albert Andersen, Snape had a feeling that things would not end well for him, and he might not live much longer.
(End of Chapter)
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