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Chapter 1562: A War Without Victors (XII)
Chapter 1562: A War Without Victors (XII)
"Minister!"
As the two figures walking side by side ahead of them separated once more, the assistant and bodyguard who had been maintaining a respectful distance hurried towards Kingsley, who stood stunned, watching Albert's retreating back.
"Let's go," Kingsley said softly, his voice like a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.
Watching Kingsley's somewhat dejected figure, Percy hesitated briefly before speaking up. "Is Albert still unwilling?"
Having staked much on Kingsley, Percy was more invested in the outcome of this matter than most. Only if Kingsley became the new Minister of Magic could he, as a senior assistant who had served under three ministers, seize the opportunity to advance his own career.
"He... I suppose he agreed," Kingsley replied, his mind still heavy with thoughts.
"Then why are you still..." Percy wasn't usually one to be outspoken, but at this moment, he felt an urge to give Kingsley a piece of his mind.
The Auror by his side, who had been silent until now, wore an expression that mirrored Percy's sentiments.
Albert Anderson had agreed to help, so why was Kingsley still moping?
"The situation is rather grim," Kingsley admitted after much hesitation, deciding to explain the current predicament to his senior assistant and bodyguard. "Mr. Anderson pointed out a very serious issue. If we fail to provide a satisfactory explanation, a civil war is likely to erupt in the near future."
"Civil war!"
"How is that possible!"
The two men were stunned, but neither doubted Albert's prediction.
Satisfactory to whom? What kind of explanation?
Percy seemed to grasp something, and even standing there in the sunlight, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Kingsley paid no heed to the shocked expressions of his companions. He strode towards the mass grave, issuing new orders to the employees who had remained there: to burn the bodies of the Dark Wizards and bury their ashes in the pit.
Then, to the bewilderment of onlookers, Kingsley returned to the Ministry of Magic with the weighty issues of Hogwarts on his mind.
This trip to Hogwarts held great significance for Kingsley. Not only had he gauged Albert's stance, but he had also gained insight into the grave challenges that lay ahead and avoided potential pitfalls.
"Perhaps you should consider Albert's suggestion," Percy said once they were back in the Minister's office. "He predicted the current situation long ago. Even if his advice isn't the best option right now, it certainly won't make things worse." He couldn't help but sing praises of Albert, whom he saw as a prophet of sorts.
Kingsley glanced at Percy beside him and nodded slightly, murmuring, "Mr. Anderson does indeed see further than we do. It is thanks to his insight that we avoided a disastrous outcome."
In this world, it was rare to find a solution that pleased everyone.
Normally, Kingsley would have drawn upon the experience of the first wizarding war to resolve the current mess.
After all, in the small, exclusive world of wizarding Britain, every pure-blood wizard was valuable. Placing all blame on the deceased Voldemort and letting the rest move on with their lives seemed like a reasonable choice.
But, To do so would mean sacrificing those who had suffered under Voldemort and his Death Eaters, turning a blind eye to their past anguish.
Undeniably, to some, this was a necessary sacrifice.
The majority of Muggle-born wizards held little influence in the wizarding world. For the sake of peace and greater good, sacrifices had to be made, and no one would bother with their tears or their discontent.
However, the problem was:
The second wizarding war had ended in such a brutal manner that those who had endured the trials of war were no longer a marginalized group. They were not to be treated as sacrificial lambs by politicians anymore.
This directly led to the greatest dilemma Kingsley had ever faced, something he vaguely sensed but had been bluntly pointed out by Albert, forcing him to confront it head-on.
"I must provide a satisfactory explanation to everyone.
"Kingsley was all too aware of how much people hated traitors. He had a vague premonition that if he couldn't give a satisfactory explanation, he might end up having to give an account of his own actions.
'What are you going to do?' Percy had a bad feeling about this.
'Veritaserum,' Kingsley said calmly.
He wouldn't gamble, for he had witnessed Albert's uncanny prophetic abilities back during the Scrimgeour era.
'Ah, that...' Percy's cheeks twitched and his scalp tingled.
What was he trying to do?
'If we really do that, then we'll probably have another wave of deaths on our hands!' In the current Ministry of Magic, who among them was truly innocent? More importantly, Percy didn't think Kingsley had the means to thoroughly purge the intricate web of interests within the wizarding world.
'It's mostly a matter of time,' Kingsley said helplessly.
As Albert had pointed out, no one had truly tallied the number of Muggle-born wizarding families that had been broken and lives ruined during Voldemort's control of the Ministry, nor the amount of hatred that had been sown within the wizarding community because of it.
This matter could not be easily swept under the rug just because Voldemort was now dead. Even if he was gone, those who had survived must still bear and repay this bloody debt.
What made it even worse was that the Ministry of Magic had already been thoroughly twisted by Voldemort's influence.
The laws that had once commanded respect from most were now trampled underfoot, completely losing their authority and holding little sway over the populace.
The Aurors, who had maintained the Ministry's authority, had suffered heavy casualties in the war, and there was no one left to stop the worst from happening.
Not to mention that the surviving Aurors might not be willing to face their former comrades-in-arms.
After all, the Aurors themselves were also victims! Once the Ministry failed to provide them with the justice they sought, this group of unrestrained avengers would take matters into their own hands and exact revenge on those they deemed responsible.
People driven by hatred would likely detonate a powder keg within the British wizarding community.
Countless others seeking vengeance would undoubtedly join their cause.
The entire British wizarding world would then be split into factions: the avengers, the neutrals, a small opposition, and the remaining Death Eaters on the run.
Under the judgment of Veritaserum, the Death Eaters would face merciless slaughter.
Indeed.
A group of mad yet rational avengers.
Anyone who tried to stop their quest for revenge would also be branded as a traitor.
Once the situation fully escalated, not even Albert would be able to prevent them from seeking vengeance against their enemies.
Albert was clearly aware of this, which was why he had dropped this mess into Kingsley's lap and walked away.
The best solution was for Kingsley, as the Minister of Magic, to lead them, to give them the justice they craved, and to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
This was also Albert's intention, but it was a difficult path to tread, as the British wizarding world was still largely dominated by pure-bloods.
While this statement was somewhat exaggerated, the reality wasn't far from it.
This was the reason for Kingsley's initial hesitation.
With his power alone, he couldn't handle these people.
But now, with Albert's support, he knew he had to make a choice.
By releasing this information to the public, he was signaling to everyone that the status quo had changed.
Kingsley believed that most pure-bloods, when faced with the harsh reality, would choose to set aside their arrogance.
As for those who remained unwilling to compromise or tried to hinder his efforts to thoroughly purge the remnants of Voldemort's followers, they would likely become sacrifices, paving the way for a smoother path for Kingsley in the future.
Perhaps this couldn't be called a reform, but in order to eradicate the vestiges of 'pure-blood supremacy,' bloodshed was necessary.
Now was undoubtedly the best opportunity.
The more Kingsley thought about it, the more he felt Albert was a frightening individual.
That young man was clearly aware of this, and he had effortlessly achieved his goals without lifting a finger.
No! Perhaps this was never Albert's goal, which only made him all the more terrifying.
(End of Chapter)
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