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Chapter 1551: A War Without Victors (I)
Chapter 1551: A War Without Victors (I)
As Albert bid farewell to his wife with a kiss and returned to Hogwarts, the morning sun had already risen above the horizon. Yet, the dawn's light failed to dispel the looming clouds of war that hung over the school.
In front of the oak doors of the castle, traces of the wizarding battle remained, and a weary Professor Flitwick was directing the cleanup of the ravaged battlefield.
"Mr. Anderson!"
The Creevey brothers, who had been using a Levitation Charm to move the bodies of Dark Wizards, immediately dropped their task upon seeing Albert and eagerly ran up to shake his hand, like enthusiastic fans unexpectedly encountering their idol.
Indeed, after defeating Voldemort, Albert had become an object of admiration for countless witches and wizards.
"I heard Professor McGonagall is looking for you," Colin Creevey suddenly said.
"Where are you taking the bodies?" Albert, a little exasperated by the brothers' enthusiasm, tried to divert the conversation.
"We're supposed to dig a mass grave outside the Forbidden Forest to bury these Dark Wizards," Dennis Creevey replied eagerly.
"There are just too many bodies. If we don't deal with them quickly, it could cause big trouble. Professor Flitwick asked us to move the bodies to the pile outside first," the Creevey brothers explained as they led Albert out of the castle, casually tossing the Dark Wizard corpses they had been carrying onto the huge pile of casualties in the square.
The mountain of corpses was indeed frightening, and it was worth mentioning that most of these unfortunate souls had met their end due to Albert's strategies.
For example, the werewolves who attempted to cross the viaduct or the Dark Wizards who attacked the castle only to fall into an ambush—their bodies were piled up here haphazardly, a grim reminder of the battle's toll.
It wasn't that they didn't want to give the dead some dignity, but they had many wounded companions to tend to, leaving little time to deal with the enemies' remains, much less provide them with a proper farewell.
As for piling the Dark Wizards' bodies here, it was also the intention of the International Wizarding Federation, who believed that such a large number of corpses would serve as a strong deterrent to any would-be evildoers.
Indeed, as Albert had initially predicted, the Aurors of the International Wizarding Federation tried to claim a share of the victory soon after the war ended.
This act of swooping in to take credit after the final triumph naturally angered countless British witches and wizards. Fortunately, the Federation officials in charge of this matter hadn't completely lost their minds; they chose to capture fugitive Dark Wizards and provide post-war relief supplies and assistance to try and salvage their reputation.
Being late was unavoidable given the unfamiliar foreign battleground and the sudden outbreak of the decisive battle, which had caught many off guard.
This well-intentioned but blatant show of heroism naturally failed to garner the appreciation of British witches and wizards. Fortunately, the Federation officials had never really cared about the sentiments of their British counterparts; their actions were merely an attempt to wash away the shame Voldemort had brought upon the Federation and boost their reputation. As for the mastermind behind this plan, Babajide Agboola, he had successfully reclaimed his title as the President of the International Wizarding Federation.
"I know what you're angry about, but Kingsley's decision is for the best. Right now, the most important thing is to help those injured in the war," Hermione explained as she met Albert on his way to the Great Hall, ranting about the Federation's actions after he inquired about it.
"You probably saw this coming," Hermione said, her eyes fixed on Albert as she tried to decipher his thoughts.
"This is Britain's war. You can't expect witches and wizards from other countries to risk their lives to join this battle," Albert said, glancing at Harry, who was surrounded by his friends. He then turned to Hermione and asked, "Has Harry gone back?"
"What?" Hermione was taken aback.
"It seems he hasn't. He's a qualified savior, but not a qualified husband," Albert sighed and said to Hermione, "You go back to Ginny and tell her that Harry is still alive. After all, the wait must be agonizing for her."
"So, when you disappeared earlier, you actually went home?"
Hermione seemed to realize something and abruptly turned to face Albert, her expression complex as he nodded in confirmation.
"Harry has been in the Great Hall comforting everyone since the war ended," Hermione said, her voice softening as she averted her gaze from the hall. "You would have been more suitable for this, but since you weren't here, someone had to step up. We lost nearly a hundred companions in this damned war."
Indeed, a much smaller number than Albert had initially estimated, likely due to the miraculous effects of Felix Felicis.
In the "Harry Potter" novel series, only about fifty companions perished in the final battle against Voldemort, but this upgraded wizarding war had undoubtedly been more intense, especially for the Aurors who hadn't had the chance to consume the good luck potion—their losses were significant.
However, it was comforting to know that several key figures who had good relationships with Albert did not meet the same tragic ends as they did in the original story.
As for the dead?
There were always casualties in war.
It wasn't that Albert was cold-blooded and indifferent, but unless he knew them personally, the deaths were just sad numbers on a parchment to him.
"By the way, remind me to give Harry the Vitality Tonic before I leave."
Albert took out a bottle of potion from his pocket and handed it to Hermione before summoning Dobby with a flick of his wand. He instructed the house-elf to escort Hermione back to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
"Why don't you go yourself?" Hermione asked, puzzled.
"I don't want to be trapped there." Albert shook his head. "But someone has to be there for everyone, to hold their hands, witness their tears, accept their gratitude, and listen to their hearts. No one is more suited for that than Harry. He is their savior, their leader, their symbol, their beacon of hope, and an indispensable part of the Great Hall."
"You always have countless excuses."
Hermione took the Vitality Tonic from him and, as she prepared to go find Harry, turned back and asked, "You haven't forgotten about your promise to help me find my family, have you?"
"Of course not," Albert replied, a bit surprised that Hermione would bring this up now, but he nodded to assure her that he would keep his word.
"I'll be leaving in a few days," she said.
Hermione planned to depart for Australia to search for her family once the situation in the British wizarding world had stabilized.
"No problem. Just give me a day or two of notice before you leave," Albert said.
Harry, for his part, could understand Hermione's feelings, as he had also shared the good news with his family as soon as possible.
"Thank you!"
Hermione gave Albert a grateful hug and then headed toward the Great Hall with the Vitality Tonic in hand to find Harry.
As soon as Hermione left, Susan Bones appeared out of thin air, a hint of teasing in her voice as she said, "You're still quite popular with the ladies, even though you've been married for a long time."
Ignoring Susan's teasing, Albert steered the conversation in a different direction. "How's the situation here?"
"Thanks to the crisis plan you left behind, we're not in complete chaos," Susan said, motioning for Albert to follow her as she walked. "But your plan was too brief. Professor McGonagall is looking all over for you so she can discuss it with you."
Susan, aware of what Albert wanted to know, continued to share the latest news. "After Voldemort's death, the people who were under the Imperius Curse nationwide are gradually regaining their senses, but..."
"Nationwide?" Albert couldn't help but scoff. "How many people could Voldemort control with his Imperius Curse? Ten, twenty? And you call that nationwide?"
Unfazed by Albert's sarcasm, Susan continued, "But most of those Death Eaters got away, and there were too few of us to pursue and capture them."
Albert wasn't surprised; it would have been a miracle if they had made any significant captures.
After all, he was responsible for ninety percent of the bodies outside—if it hadn't been for his exploitation of Hogwarts' geographical advantages, they wouldn't have died so easily.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt has become the interim Minister of Magic, just as you predicted," Susan said, glancing at Albert, who maintained an unreadable expression. "I've heard that there are still some in the Ministry who don't approve of him, and the International Wizarding Federation is supporting Kingsley as well."
"That's only natural, isn't it?" Albert said with a light laugh.
"Natural?"
Probably no one would think it was natural.
"Unless they plan to secretly kill Kingsley, no amount of dirty political tricks will prevent him from becoming the new Minister," Albert said disdainfully. "Anyone with a brain will know to make the right choice, because they don't really have a say in the matter."
"If you're willing, you could definitely become the youngest Minister of Magic in history after Kingsley Shacklebolt steps down." Susan, of course, knew that Albert had no interest in politics, but she couldn't resist teasing him.
To be honest, Hogwarts Castle was indeed a depressing place at the moment.
The thick air of sadness that hung over everyone's faces served as a somber reminder of the sacrifices made in the war.
"I don't have a habit of making things difficult for myself," Albert said, showing no interest in becoming the Minister. "Why would I torture myself and be miserable over something so pointless?"
(End of Chapter)
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