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Chapter 1565: A War Without Victors (XV)
Chapter 1565: A War Without Victors (XV)
Countless unscrupulous newspapers featured Mr. Malfoy's arrest photo in drag on their front pages, immediately causing an uproar in the entire British wizarding community and greatly shocking the conservative British wizards. Just as Kingsley had predicted, it effectively distracted from the post-war somber atmosphere and became a topic of discussion among the people.
Kingsley's strategy was undoubtedly successful. While capturing Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater, he also put the Parkinson family over the coals and warned other pure-blood families against any foolish actions.
After all, the subsequent investigation into the Parkinson family was entirely up to Kingsley.
The outcome could be that the Parkinsons were completely unaware of Mr. Malfoy's disguise, or that they had been secretly helping Voldemort's remnants evade capture by the Ministry.
This strong move immediately silenced the restless pure-blood families, and no one dared to openly oppose the radical plans anymore. Everything went so smoothly that it surprised even Kingsley.
Of course, Kingsley never forgot Albert's advice, nor did he dare to forget about the bomb that hadn't been completely defused yet. Fortunately, Draco Malfoy's capture earned the Acting Minister the recognition of countless people, and Kingsley, who attended the memorial service at Hogwarts, became the object of support and admiration for the victims.
Amid the frenzy of photographers, the moment Kingsley placed a memorial pillar by the Black Lake at Hogwarts was immortalized in photographs.
The bravery of those who stood against Voldemort would be forever remembered, along with the inscription on that pillar.
"I think this is a good idea," Cedric said to Albert as they stood by the Black Lake, watching the girls lay flowers at the monument. "We're all heroes who fought for peace, and this history shouldn't be forgotten by future generations."
"It shouldn't be forgotten, at least not immediately," Albert agreed, knowing that such things were inevitable. It would only take a few years for people to forget.
Cedric fell silent, though he was reluctant to admit it, he knew Albert was right.
It wouldn't take years for British wizards to forget this history; it was a sad and helpless reality.
"At least 'Hogwarts: A School History' will definitely record this war and remember that there was a group of brave and fearless heroes who stood up against Voldemort for the peace of the wizarding world," Albert said.
"So, that's why you wanted to build that village, isn't it?" Cedric said, suddenly understanding Albert's intention.
If they built a village on the ruins of the former Defense Association headquarters and erected a memorial statue in the square garden, the people who settled there long-term would not easily forget this heavy history and the colleagues who sacrificed themselves in the war.
Seeing Cedric, who seemed to have misunderstood something, Albert hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to break his illusion.
"I heard you're going to marry Autumn?" Fred suddenly appeared, intimately slinging an arm around Cedric's neck and waving to the girls approaching them.
George, who had come along with Fred, was unexpectedly fed a mouthful of dog food because Fred would be engaged to Angelina soon, and their families had met not long ago.
"We plan to hold the wedding there after the village is built. It shouldn't take too long, as I've heard Albert convinced Kingsley, and the Ministry will provide assistance in building the village," Cedric smiled and waved to the girls.
"How did you manage that?" Fred and George were astonished, turning to Albert in unison, surprised that he could get Kingsley to bend the rules.
"It was just a private deal, a fair exchange," Albert briefly explained the transaction between them.
"And you don't feel any heartache about letting go of those ten thousand galleons?" Kenneth asked, his face twitching slightly as he was shocked at Albert's nonchalance in giving away such a large sum.
Those galleons were something countless people couldn't earn in a lifetime, and now someone was throwing them away so casually.
Despite being a beneficiary himself, Kenneth couldn't accept it.
"No regrets," Albert shook his head. "I never considered that money mine, nor did I think I alone defeated Voldemort. That reward money rightfully belongs to those brave fighters, and I won't keep it for myself."
Albert's noble character earned everyone's respect. Although Kenneth still thought it was incredibly foolish, he admired Albert's choice because he knew he couldn't do it himself.
Of course, they didn't know that Albert had other reasons for doing so.
If Albert hadn't agreed to that deal, he probably wouldn't have been able to get that amount from the Ministry in the first place. Holding onto a sum of money that he couldn't get made no sense, and it would only make him appear greedy.
"That's right, it sounds ironic, but that's how it is.
So, instead of getting nothing, it's better to directly exchange it for something tangible. With the help of the Ministry, any obstacles to building the new wizarding village will be swept away."
Moreover, Albert wasn't one to take a loss.
Kingsley had also promised to help negotiate for the retrieval of Voldemort's foreign bounty, which, while not as high as the ten thousand galleons, was still a substantial sum. It would have been difficult for Albert to claim that reward on his own, but with Kingsley's assistance, it would save him a lot of trouble.
Hearing Albert explain the other two reasons for donating the large sum of galleons, the group couldn't help but be impressed, and they better understood why Albert had done it without hesitation.
"With the Ministry's finances, they probably can't even afford to pay that amount," Cedric marveled at the cleverness of Albert's move. "By donating the ten thousand galleons, you not only boosted Kingsley's reputation, but you also ensured that he has to cooperate with you to slowly release that money."
"This is probably the best solution," Albert agreed.
"I think they should award you another Order of Merlin for this," Lee Jordan chimed in. "I believe you'll become the wizard with the most Order of Merlin awards in history."
"I've always thought the Ministry's bounty system was a joke," Lee continued. "They just use it to intimidate criminals and gather information, with no intention of actually paying out such an expensive reward."
"Even if they wanted to pay the bounty, the Ministry would need to have the funds. Usually, the Ministry is quite reluctant to part with that kind of money. A bounty of this magnitude is extremely rare," Percy interjected, appearing from nowhere. "But those scoundrels who were in league with Voldemort during his rule at the Ministry have emptied the coffers. There's no way Kingsley can come up with such a large sum of galleons for Albert in a short time."
"Speaking of which, isn't that Percy?"
Fred and George exchanged a glance and smiled as they approached their older brother.
"Heard from Sirius that Kingsley gave you a promotion?" Fred asked, slapping Percy on the shoulder.
"Yeah, heard you're now a senior assistant to the Minister," George added.
"I believe he was already appointed as a senior assistant during Pius Thicknesse's time," Fred corrected.
"Shut up, you two. Stop bothering me while I'm working," Percy grumbled, shaking off the hands of the twins from his shoulders and glaring at them.
"What important work could you possibly be doing?"
Despite their words, Fred and George didn't continue to irritate Percy and instead grew curious about what he was up to.
After getting rid of the annoying twins, Percy turned to Cedric and stated the purpose of his visit. "Mr. Diggory, would you be interested in working at Hogwarts for a while?"
"Is that the Minister's intention?"
Cedric looked taken aback, clearly not expecting Percy to approach him about this matter.
"Yes, the Minister believes that after the great war, there might be instability at Hogwarts, and the Ministry needs to show its support to reassure the families and students," Percy said, his demeanor that of an official from the Ministry. "Of course, another reason is to have someone at Hogwarts as a liaison, so any issues can be communicated and resolved promptly."
"Doesn't Hogwarts already have enough staff?" Cedric asked, puzzled.
"They're offering the position of assistant teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts," Percy replied.
"But I thought Albert was going to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts?" Cedric looked at Albert, confused.
"I'm actually not that interested in becoming a professor at Hogwarts, at least not right now," Albert shrugged. "So, for the next year, I'll only be teaching advanced classes for sixth and seventh years a few times a week. My appointment at the school is mostly to use my reputation to help stabilize things at Hogwarts."
"You two..."
"The Minister said your position will be temporarily listed under the Auror Office, and your salary will be that of an Auror. It's as if the Ministry has temporarily stationed an Auror at Hogwarts. Once your term is over, you can return to the Ministry and continue your work there," Percy explained to Cedric, winking at him. "Even if you don't want to continue working in the Auror Office, the Minister can arrange for you to transfer to another position that suits you."
"I guess I don't have much of a choice, then," Cedric said, looking at Albert, probably guessing Kingsley's intention behind offering him the assistant teacher position.
"Don't spread this around just yet. A lot of people would be envious," Percy patted Cedric's shoulder and turned back to Albert. "Don't forget about the celebration banquet tonight, and they'll probably seat you with the teachers."
"Shouldn't we be calling you Professor Anderson from now on, then?" Fred and George were extremely curious about how many under-the-table deals Albert and Kingsley had made.
(End of Chapter)
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