Chapter 1552: A War Without Victors (II)
Chapter 1552: A War Without Victors (II)
"Many aspire to be the Minister of Magic, yet you make it sound so undesirable." Snape raised an eyebrow, a hint of jest in her tone as she asked, "Or do you plan to follow in Dumbledore's footsteps and become the Headmaster of Hogwarts instead?"
"Not particularly," Albert replied. "My aspiration is to live a life as carefree as my mentor."
With his newfound abilities, Albert now had the means to pursue the life he desired, free from the constraints of societal expectations.
"Your mentor?" Snape inquired, curious as to who this mentor was that Albert had never mentioned before. She could think of only a handful of individuals in the wizarding world worthy of being his teacher.
Dumbledore was likely one of them, but from Albert's tone, it didn't seem to be the case. If Albert had chosen to stay on as a teacher, he would undoubtedly have been the top candidate to succeed Professor McGonagall as Headmaster of Hogwarts upon her retirement.
"Let's return to the previous topic," Albert steered the conversation back to its original path. "I'm more interested in finding out what transpired during my absence."
"Oh, alright." Snape obliged, continuing from where they had left off. "It is said that the former Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse, who was under Voldemort's control, has perished, leaving the Ministry in disarray."
"The news of Voldemort's demise at your hands spread like wildfire throughout the British wizarding community. Most British wizards are inclined to support Kingsley, not only because he has been organizing resistance against Voldemort, but also because we endorse him, and the broadcasts from the Wizarding Wireless Network have been influential."
"So, the Ministry, left with no other choice, hastily appointed Kingsley Shacklebolt as the interim Minister of Magic?" Albert asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"You don't think highly of Kingsley's appointment as the Minister of Magic?" Snape questioned, confused by Albert's tone. "Is there something I'm missing?"
"Kingsley is indeed the best choice at the moment, but it depends on how he navigates the situation." Albert explained his doubts about Kingsley's ability to lead, especially given the current fragile state of the Ministry. With Voldemort's death, they had failed to eradicate his followers, allowing many Death Eaters and dark wizards to escape.
"I heard he intends to purge the Ministry of Voldemort's remaining supporters," Snape recalled. "Kennilworthy Whisp convinced him, and I happened to be there as well."
"Kennilworthy argued that after losing so many comrades in the fight against Voldemort, we cannot let his followers off easily. We owe it to those who perished and to our surviving companions to bring justice," Albert explained.
"That alone shouldn't have been enough to sway him," Snape remarked.
Albert believed he understood Kingsley's character well. The fact that the Malfoy family had escaped unscathed after the war was indicative of Kingsley's approach to justice.
"That guy said you would also support the idea of taking action against Voldemort's remaining followers." Snape eyed Albert with suspicion. "Does Kennilworthy know you well?"
"As if I'm some kind of power-hungry tyrant," Albert scoffed.
"Do you think Kingsley will back down?" Snape was surprised by this revelation. "Surely he understands the significance of your stance on this matter. If he loses the support of the people, even if he becomes the Minister of Magic, his tenure will be fraught with challenges."
"Kingsley is a smart man, and I'm merely offering him a word of caution to prevent any rash decisions," Albert admitted.
"It's hard to imagine and even harder to comprehend," Snape murmured.
"Kingsley is well aware that with the Aurors having suffered heavy losses, the Ministry lacks the strength to maintain stability in the British wizarding community," Albert explained. "The largest force at their disposal currently isn't the Order of the Phoenix, but the members of the Defense Association. These individuals, tempered by the trials of war, can be quickly trained to become competent Aurors. However, to assert control, they need to wield power. Without it, their rule is as fragile as a house of cards."
"Many have personal vendettas against Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and dark wizards. They fought tooth and nail to achieve victory over Voldemort, and now they seek retribution," Albert continued in a soft voice. "If Kingsley refuses to oblige, he will be branded a traitor. And as we've witnessed, those with power will take matters into their own hands, disregarding the law. When the Ministry loses its grip on the legal system, the foundation of their rule crumbles."
"What reason does Kingsley have to hesitate?" Snape asked, perplexed. "Isn't he already taking action against them?"
"After the first wizarding war, a significant number of Death Eaters managed to evade capture," Albert countered with a smile. "Do you really think that was a coincidence?"
Realization dawned on Snape.
"If he wants to sit on that seat of power, he needs to accept the realities that come with it," Albert stated.
"Your reminder served its purpose," Snape acknowledged. "Kingsley's first order as the interim Minister was to apprehend Death Eaters who had infiltrated the Ministry. Dolores Umbridge was among the first to be arrested, and I suspect Azkaban will soon be overflowing with prisoners again." While Snape was pleased that Umbridge would be incarcerated, she also felt that such a punishment was too lenient for the old witch.
"Dolores Umbridge's fate is sealed, and a lifetime in prison is not in her future." Albert was well aware of the deep-seated hatred that the persecuted Muggle-born wizards felt towards Umbridge, the instigator of their suffering.
Due to Umbridge's policies, countless Muggle-born wizards had perished, and while they may not have held a high status in the wizarding world, it did not mean they did not harbor grudges. Their anger could not be easily appeased by simply taking Umbridge's life, especially since she was still alive.
"The position of Minister of Magic is no easy task. If Kingsley can't handle these issues well, the aftermath of this wizarding war will surely give him more than enough trouble. It's a mess," Albert said, his eyes seeming to peer into the future. "Hatred doesn't disappear with a single victory. If even Kingsley can't ensure that those responsible are punished, it's hard to predict what those who have just emerged from war will do. And ignoring this is often what those self-righteous folks like to do."
"It seems that the British wizarding world is indeed facing numerous troubles. Fortunately, they have nothing to do with us anymore." Shana turned to Albert with a smile. "Anyway, I don't plan to work for the Ministry."
Despite Kingsley's invitations to the Muggle-born wizards who had displayed exceptional abilities during the war, his offers were ultimately refused.
Shana had always been self-aware and realistic about her capabilities.
As they spoke, the two arrived at Professor McGonagall's office, which, according to Shana, had been temporarily converted into a conference room.
The door was ajar, and they walked in without knocking.
Professor McGonagall looked up from the parchment she was working on, her eyes falling on the young wizard who had entered alongside Shana.
"Everyone has been looking for you," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing to the sofa in front of the fireplace.
"I went home first," Albert replied.
"Would you like something to drink?" she offered.
"Regarding the crisis plan, I presume?" Albert cut straight to the point.
"Yes, thanks to that, we didn't end up in complete chaos," Professor McGonagall said, taking a seat on the sofa across from Albert, her expression complex. "However, that plan was rather rudimentary, and we were hoping you could help us refine it to address the current issues."
"That was just a temporary measure; I didn't prepare a detailed plan. After all, that's the new headmaster's job," Albert refused outright.
"Well then, I suppose you wouldn't mind discussing that crisis plan with me, would you?"
Professor McGonagall hadn't expected to be turned down so directly. She had hoped to rely on Albert's insights to tackle the pressing problems at hand.
Unfortunately, after the previous grand battle, everyone was exhausted, their minds clouded with fatigue. They desperately needed a quick solution but lacked the energy to devise one, hence their desire to rely on Albert's pre-prepared crisis plan.
Having him personally oversee its implementation would have been ideal, as it would reduce the likelihood of mistakes and ease their burden.
However, Albert had flatly refused without a second thought.
If he had agreed, he would have been the one to shoulder the blame for any problems that arose. As he wasn't the headmaster, he saw no benefit in taking on such a risky endeavor.
Perhaps Professor McGonagall didn't intend to put him in a difficult position, simply wanting to distribute the workload based on ability. Nonetheless, a clear-headed Albert rejected the offer without hesitation.
Professor McGonagall had no choice but to tackle it herself, despite her own exhaustion.
This meant she would need to spend a significant amount of time discussing the crisis plan in detail with Albert and seeking clarification on certain puzzling aspects, such as the treatment of Aragog and his descendants in the backup plan—tasking Professor Slughorn to collect the giant spider's venom and process it into a sellable commodity.
"That's not a problem," Albert agreed.
"By the way, there's one more thing. Kingsley wants you to be his senior advisor," Professor McGonagall continued.
"Isn't Harry enough?" Albert wasn't surprised that Kingsley would extend such an invitation.
"After all, you were the one who killed Voldemort," Professor McGonagall added, understanding Kingsley's reasoning. With both Harry and Albert supporting him, he could quickly stabilize the British wizarding community.
"I'll make time to chat with Kingsley," Albert agreed.
"And one last thing. I'd like you to consider staying on as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Professor McGonagall unexpectedly proposed, surprising both Albert and herself.
"Is the school having trouble finding someone?" Albert asked, curious. "Why not approach Sirius or Lupin? And with Voldemort's death, shouldn't his curse on the position have been lifted?"
"We want to stabilize the community as quickly as possible, even if it's just for a year," Professor McGonagall explained, somewhat helplessly. The war had taken a toll not only on Hogwarts but had also claimed countless lives. People were anxious, and having Albert on staff would reassure British wizarding families, encouraging them to continue sending their children to Hogwarts. This would help the school weather the current crisis.
"I'll consider it," Albert said.
(End of Chapter)
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