Chapter 1411: Hypocrites
Chapter 1411: Hypocrites
"My bounty has surpassed Harry Potter's once again."
As Albert perused the latest issue of the Prophet, he fixated on the bounty board on the front page and quipped, "Fifteen thousand galleons. I had no idea I was worth that much; it's tempting to turn myself in and collect the reward."
Turning to his companions, he added, "Do you think they'd pay up if I just showed up at their doorstep?"
This wasn't the first time Albert had made such a remark.
He brought it up again today because the Association was facing a severe shortage of funds.
"If we could claim the bounty on ourselves, we would've done it already," Fred and George chimed in, as they, too, had bounties on their heads, though not as extravagant as Albert's.
"With a low enough bounty, you might have a chance of collecting it," Cedric commented. "But in Albert's case, it's purely for show. Even if you did turn him in, the Ministry would find excuses and drag out the process for years."
Having worked at the Ministry before, Cedric was all too aware of their unsavory practices, especially now that it was under the control of Death Eaters.
It was more likely that they would pocket the bounty themselves than hand it over to you.
"I believe we have a more professional consultant we can turn to," Lee Jordan suddenly piped up.
Everyone knew he was referring to Percy.
"That guy isn't necessarily reliable," Fred and George scoffed. Their opinion of Percy hadn't improved, knowing full well what kind of person he was.
"I think it's unlikely, but we can give it a shot," Albert surprisingly agreed.
"Are you serious about doing this?"
The group stared at Albert in astonishment, incredulous at his decision.
"Blame it on our poverty," Albert shrugged. "Let the Death Eaters fund the Defense Association for us. At least it'll make life a little easier for everyone."
Albert never expected to squeeze much gold out of the Ministry; he just wanted to keep his companions busy so they wouldn't have the time or inclination to stir up trouble.
Speaking of trouble, not only were they highly motivated, but their efficiency had also noticeably improved.
Fred and George even held their noses and sought out Percy to inquire about the possibility of claiming their own bounties.
"It's highly unlikely," Percy replied. "The Ministry isn't filled with idiots. They'll find a way to identify who's been captured, and with the current state of the Ministry… I suspect they'd be more than happy to take credit for someone else's work."
Percy's expression soured as he spoke of the Ministry's dirty laundry; he was all too familiar with its inner workings.
However, Fred and George didn't see this as an issue. If they wanted to claim the bounty by impersonating someone else, they were confident they could find a way around these problems.
For instance, they could use the Imperius Curse.
By controlling a group of people with the curse, they could easily resolve many issues without any pangs of conscience. They could even use it to send dark wizards to Azkaban, and if those vile criminals ended up dead at the hands of their own kind, it would be a service to the public, done by the Death Eaters themselves.
Upon returning with the information they'd obtained from Percy, Fred and George discussed the matter with the group, and with Albert's input, they realized their idea had merit.
As for the deaths that would inevitably result… Well, who was really keeping count anymore? Ever since the Second Wizarding War, countless lives had been lost. Moreover, the deaths resulting from their plan would be those of dark wizards who deserved their fate, and the perpetrators would be other dark wizards under the influence of the Imperius Curse. It was a dog-eat-dog situation that had little to do with them, and they need not feel guilty about it. After all, they were merely profiting from their efforts to combat dark wizards.
The twins' discussion with Percy didn't go unnoticed by the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, or perhaps it was Percy himself who leaked the information to his family.
"It's just a bold idea!"
Fred and George denied any concrete plans when confronted by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's stern gazes. "We haven't acted on it yet."
"We can't keep funding the Association out of our own pockets," Fred argued. "And I believe that sending those wolf-like werewolves and murderous dark wizards to Azkaban is the right thing to do. Even if they perish along the way due to the Ministry's doing, they deserve it. It benefits both the wizarding and Muggle worlds, or else what's the point of Azkaban?"
Fred and George had a good idea of what their parents were thinking, so they bypassed them and went straight to Sirius. Soon enough, the entire Order knew about their scheme, and a special meeting was convened.
The twins' far-fetched idea was quickly brought up during the meeting.
Everyone exchanged glances, conflicted. While they felt some revulsion at the thought of such an act, they also recognized that most dark wizards took pleasure in killing, and their deaths would not be mourned. Fred and George's plan amounted to making use of waste, and with the Ministry already filled with unsavory characters, there was little harm in bending their moral standards a bit. It might even help them defeat the mysterious enemy.
Of course, the primary reason this matter was brought up in the meeting was that the Order was also strapped for cash, perhaps even more so than the Defense Association. At least Albert could attract funding for the Association, but the Order had no such luxury. They had to fund their own operations, and there weren't many wealthy members in their ranks.
They couldn't keep relying on Sirius to bankroll the Order; the Black family fortune wasn't infinite! Initially, Mundungus hadn't stayed with them at the Order's headquarters not just because the members didn't particularly like him, but also because he didn't want to spend his own money to support the Order.
After Dumbledore's death, his sense of belonging to the Order had faded significantly.
The plan didn't receive official approval from the Order, mainly because they wanted to maintain a semblance of propriety. Even if they wanted to go through with it, they wouldn't discuss it openly. They would only deliberate in private, as evidenced by Sirius's offer to help and be the first one to be 'taken out' after the meeting.
Sirius had a bounty of a thousand galleons on his head, not a small sum. If they could claim the reward, it would provide them with a comfortable life for the next few months.
"I thought Percy was bad enough, but it seems there are plenty of hypocrites in the Order as well!" Lee Jordan couldn't help but snipe after hearing about Fred and George's discussion with the Order.
Those people were clearly also interested in pursuing their idea, and they had agreed to use the twins' suggested method, yet they pretended otherwise, earning Lee's disdain.
"Some things are best kept under wraps, away from public scrutiny," Albert remarked nonchalantly, unsurprised by their behavior.
"I'll leave this matter in your three's hands for now, Cedric. As for the others, their training is up to you."
"I'd rather you do it yourself," Cedric protested. Being a coach was a thankless task.
"The basics are simple, and they haven't mastered them yet, so it doesn't matter who teaches them at this point," Albert clarified, not out of laziness but because it was the truth.
(End of Chapter)
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