Chapter 1555: A War Without Victors (Part Five)
Chapter 1555: A War Without Victors (Part Five)
At this moment, Albert had already quietly left the putrid area, never intending to stay and help. Naturally, he wouldn't linger and get in the way.
On his way to the Forbidden Forest, he also noticed witches and wizards gathering at Hogwarts in a sporadic manner.
Perhaps the latest newspaper headlines had spread.
But what were these people doing at Hogwarts?
To identify bodies?
Or... were they searching for their children?
The latter seemed more likely.
After all, the final battle had taken place at Hogwarts, and now that the war was over, it was only natural for parents to want to ensure the safety of their children as soon as possible.
It was only human.
Unfortunately, they had come too early, as the students had not yet been transferred back.
With corpses littering the grounds of Hogwarts, it would be traumatizing for young children to witness such a scene.
Especially the pile of bodies at the oak front doors, which would surely give those "unruly" relatives a stark reminder of the horrors of war.
In his brief contemplation, Albert had reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Just as he was about to look around for Hagrid, he heard a voice, and Fang came bounding over, wildly wagging his tail and circling Albert excitedly.
Albert squatted down to pat Fang's head, and following the direction from which the dog had come, he easily found Hagrid sitting with a group of centaurs. Professor Trelawney was also there, seemingly having been accepted once again by the centaur community.
"Albert!"
Hagrid, noticing Fang's behavior, turned and was surprised to see Albert approaching at this time. He probably hadn't expected Albert to come looking for him.
"Albert Anderson."
Compared to Hagrid's surprise, the centaurs' actions left Albert astonished. They actually stood up one by one to pay their respects to him, an extraordinary level of respect that was far beyond Albert's expectations. But after thinking about it, it was likely due to his role in defeating Voldemort.
"We are grateful for your willingness to fight alongside us," Albert smiled in response, expressing his thanks for the centaurs' assistance.
Thanks to the centaurs' help, the team fighting against the Acromantulas had not collapsed.
Yes.
That team, cobbled together from the remnants of the group, was even more fragile than Albert had anticipated. Fortunately, he had made thorough preparations, successfully preventing the collapse of this front line, and the centaurs had undoubtedly been of great help in this regard.
"It is our honor to fight alongside you,"
The centaurs' leader, Magori, showed the same level of respect to Albert as she did to Hagrid, which surprised him greatly. In Hagrid's limited memory, only Dumbledore had ever received such treatment.
"Mr. Anderson, thank you for your prophecy."
As Albert was accepted by the resting centaurs and sat down next to Hagrid, Professor Trelawney suddenly brought up her intention to resign from her teaching position and return to the Forbidden Forest.
"This matter will have to be discussed with Professor McGonagall in person," Albert reminded her kindly. "But I suggest you wait a few more days. Give Professor McGonagall some time to deal with the immediate aftermath. She's already overwhelmed."
"I will,"
Professor Trelawney readily accepted Albert's suggestion, as she had not planned to bring up her resignation with Professor McGonagall at this time anyway.
"I heard you had a falling out with Professor Slughorn,"
Albert reached out to ruffle Fang's head as he rested it on his knee, casually bringing up the reason for his visit. He didn't look at Hagrid's expression or give him a chance to speak, instead bluntly stating, "Actually, I asked Professor Slughorn to do that."
Hagrid turned sharply at Albert's words, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
"In the battle of Hogwarts, many who fought alongside us fell, and we need a substantial amount of galleons to address their possible concerns," Albert gestured for Hagrid to remain quiet and listen, "They were our partners in the fight against the Dark Lord, regardless of whether they joined us willingly or not. But they have died fighting against him, and we cannot turn a blind eye to their sacrifice."
"I plan to raise a sum of galleons to help those who joined us in the fight against Voldemort, as well as the families of those who perished. Although there is a hefty bounty on Voldemort's head, I'm not sure if we'll be able to claim it. Ten thousand galleons is no small sum, and the Ministry of Magic is currently strapped for cash, so they're unlikely to be able to pay it."
"If we don't get that bounty, you can't expect me to foot the bill myself. But the venom and materials from the Acromantulas are quite valuable. They're already dead, so instead of burying them in the ground, we might as well put them to use and at least get some emergency funds."
"Moreover, it's a way to give closure to those who were killed by the Acromantulas." Albert looked up at Hagrid and said seriously, "Remember, the hatred people feel towards the Acromantulas will not disappear just because we won this war."
Hagrid humphed in displeasure, even though he could understand Albert's reasoning after hearing his explanation. However, understanding didn't mean agreement, and Hagrid still expressed his dissatisfaction in his own way.
In Hagrid's opinion, Professor Slughorn's actions were intolerable, akin to the cruel executioners who killed magical creatures for money.
"Hagrid, I've reminded you about the Acromantulas more than once," Albert easily saw through Hagrid's thoughts, furrowing his brows and warning him in an unusually stern tone, "They are not the pet Aragogs you once raised."
"But they are Aragog's descendants," Hagrid argued.
"They are Voldemort's accomplices," Albert's tone turned even colder, causing the surrounding centaurs to turn and look at them.
"Those Acromantulas are not only the murderers of countless Hogwarts students, but they also threatened the safety of everyone here. As the Key Keeper, Gamekeeper, and Professor of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts, it is your responsibility to protect the students from the dangers of the Forbidden Forest, and I hope you haven't forgotten that."
Hagrid clearly wasn't receptive to such a lecture, turning his head away.
"Have you thought about the consequences if people find out about your sheltering of these eight-eyed spiders, who have harmed their own kind?" Albert asked, fixing his gaze on Hagrid as he prepared to leave.
Hagrid shuddered and paused, choosing not to leave immediately.
"Even though you were one of the participants in this war, there is a kind of anger called irrational displacement. You should be well aware of the brutality of that battle. Afterwards, those who were harmed by the spiders will only redirect their uncontrollable anger and hatred towards you, and you will bear all the blame. Your situation will be even worse than when your giant heritage was exposed years ago, and you may no longer have a place at Hogwarts," Albert continued.
Hagrid opened his mouth, clearly understanding why Albert had come to see him. These words were not merely idle threats but also served as a friend's advice, urging him to avoid making foolish mistakes.
Similar incidents had occurred more than once, each leaving a deep and unpleasant memory.
"I'll go and apologize to Professor Slughorn," Hagrid said painfully.
"You know this is not just about an apology," Albert replied, patting his buttocks and standing up. "Now that we've finally won, everyone is excited, but the wounds of war are never easily healed, and hatred lingers. So, don't be foolish, because after the war comes the reckoning."
Many times, Albert struggled to comprehend the stubbornness and thoughts of certain individuals, perhaps due to the difficulty humans face in empathizing with one another.
However, he himself didn't really mind this aspect.
To be honest, if it weren't for his own 'cheat-like' abilities, giving him extra energy and capabilities, he wouldn't have bothered meddling in other people's affairs. He wouldn't have entertained the thought of lending a hand whenever he could, and if he couldn't, he'd simply let it go.
The norm in this world was to only choose what was most advantageous to oneself, because no matter how well one disguised it, the majority were ultimately sophisticated egoists.
After bidding farewell to the centaurs, Albert returned directly to the castle, as Sana had just sent a message that Professor McGonagall had reached a decision.
The efficiency of this decision far exceeded Albert's expectations, but the reason was understandable. Problems needed to be solved, and prolonging them benefited no one. It was better to devise a solution quickly and free up ample time for everyone to rest in batches.
However, what concerned Albert was Sana's mention of having something to discuss with him.
What could it be?
Upon his return to the castle, Albert learned of the matter Sana had alluded to.
A group of families who hadn't found their children at the school were waiting for him in the entrance hall.
Albert suspected that if he hadn't defeated Voldemort, this group of families would have surrounded him by now, and the atmosphere certainly wouldn't be as strange as it was now.
Although he could tell that these families were waiting for him to inquire about their children, Albert had no intention of speaking first.
Just as he was about to leave, one of the family members finally called out to stop him.
"Mr. Anderson…"
Albert stopped in his tracks and turned to glance at the surrounding families. Seeing that no one stepped forward, he prepared to leave again.
Then, someone boldly stepped forward and blocked his path.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Albert asked calmly, looking at the person before him.
Perhaps due to eye contact with Albert, the person softened their tone, making their voice more polite. "Professor McGonagall said that before the war started, you evacuated the students from the school. Where can we find them?"
"Oh," Albert took out his pocket watch and glanced at the time. "You're a bit early. After the war ended, I sent someone to notify them, and they're probably resting now. After all, what happened yesterday must have been quite a shock for them."
"Why aren't they brought back to the school?" A short-tempered family member interrupted.
"Bringing them back would only cause more chaos, and..." Albert turned his head towards the oak front doors, "Considering the current situation at Hogwarts, I believe it's best not to leave them with any psychological scars."
"Of course, I understand your urgency to see your children, but we'll have them brought back soon," Albert assured them.
"Just tell us the location, and we'll go get them ourselves," someone suggested.
"That's out of the question," Albert replied firmly.
"Why?"
The surrounding area buzzed with voices.
"How do we know if there are any Death Eaters among you?" Albert scrutinized the group with a piercing gaze, causing the families to involuntarily step back.
"If those fanatics were to seek revenge after their defeat, what would we do then? The war is over, and there's no need to take unnecessary risks over an hour or two," Albert explained, leaving the families speechless as they realized they were being unreasonable.
This wasn't Albert being insensitive; it was simply the reality of the situation.
Of course, Albert's firm tone in dealing with these anxious parents was also due to the understanding that humans were inherently bullies—weak towards the strong and harsh towards the weak. This was especially true for those who hadn't participated in the final battle. If it weren't for the pile of bodies outside, which gave them a sense of shock, and Albert's unwavering stance, which subdued them, who knew what else might have happened?
Having received confirmation from Albert, the families could only wait silently.
What else could they do?
He was the one who had killed Voldemort, after all. Even though he appeared young, he was not someone they could afford to offend casually.
After all, if they weren't foolish, they would understand the origin of the pile of bodies outside. The number of those who resisted Voldemort was far smaller than the Death Eaters, yet they had emerged victorious, and their enemies lay dead.
(End of Chapter)
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