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https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1581-A-War-Without-Victors-Thirty-One-/12529299/
Chapter 1580: A War with No Victors (Part 30)
Chapter 1580: A War with No Victors (Part 30)
"It seems Albert really doesn't like politicians!"
After hearing Percy's detailed report, Kingsley didn't get angry because of Albert's refusal. Instead, he sighed, feeling that he was starting to resemble the very thing he used to detest.
This wasn't the first time he had dealt with Albert, and he was well aware of the other's disdain for the Ministry of Magic and most of its employees. The fact that Albert had reluctantly agreed to be his nominal senior advisor spoke volumes.
"What now?" Percy asked cautiously, observing Kingsley's expression to ensure that the Minister wasn't upset about the matter.
"Don't push those guys too hard," Kingsley replied. "Find an opportunity to quietly create an opening for those foreign dark wizards to leave the country. There's no need to waste time and energy on them."
Kingsley was well aware of the current state of the Ministry of Magic, and he had little interest in pursuing Voldemort's remaining followers. After all, those who became dark wizards were not to be trifled with, and the fact that they had been suppressed before was largely due to Albert's efforts. Even Kingsley had to admit that this was a major reason why he was so eager to bring Albert on board.
It would have been a great help to have Albert share the burden, allowing him to clean up the mess more quickly and easily.
Unfortunately, he had been bluntly refused.
Although this was within Kingsley's expectations, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
"The problem is that those dark wizards may not be so willing to leave," Percy whispered. "And we have to be very discreet about this. Otherwise, we could easily stir up trouble."
Indeed, while the members of the International Wizarding Federation had left after boosting his reputation, there were countless victims of dark wizards in the British wizarding community who hated them. If they found out that the interim Minister they had chosen intended to compromise with the dark wizards who had once harmed them, who knew what terrible things might happen?
Being ousted from his position would be the inevitable outcome.
However, no one would care about his good intentions. They would only see it as a betrayal, and such betrayals were sometimes unforgivable.
If it had been Kingsley before he took on the heavy burden of "Minister of Magic," he might have thought similarly.
But now, as the interim Minister of Magic, tasked with finding a way to turn the tide, his perspective had subtly changed.
Being the Minister of Magic was no easy task, and many things were not as straightforward as he had imagined. To accomplish certain things, compromises and concessions had to be made in many areas.
And Albert had seen this clearly from the start, which was why he had unconditionally presented his demands to avoid becoming the one who had to compromise.
As for the so-called favor, Kingsley wasn't foolish enough to think that Albert was giving him a way out.
It was simply a transaction, a straightforward exchange, just like Albert's agreement to be his senior advisor in name.
So, Kingsley didn't dwell on it. He would rather have the Ministry of Magic offer Albert a substantial reward for his help in solving their problems than owe a hard-to-repay debt.
It wasn't worth it, because debts had to be repaid, and it was best to stay far away from those that were difficult to repay.
"There's no need to rush," Kingsley said. "For now, we should focus on stability."
"As for the demands of others, we can temporarily ignore them. After all, we've just taken on this hot potato, and we need time to sort out the Ministry. No one can complain about that." With that, Kingsley made his decision, but he was well aware that putting it into action would still require a lot of effort.
"Remember to have the Prophet reveal some information to divert everyone's attention," he instructed, knowing that this was currently the best solution.
As for the countless remaining problems, they would have to be tackled slowly over time.
Kingsley believed that even if Dumbledore had been resurrected, there probably wouldn't be an easy solution. Unless they resorted to the drastic measure Albert had once used at Hogwarts, but Kingsley didn't want to go down that path. He knew it would land him with countless troubles and make the situation even more chaotic, and he wasn't that noble.
So, they would have to take it slow.
"What about Umbridge?" Percy asked. "She's despicable. I suggest we make her a target and have the journalists do an expose on her. That will definitely divert attention." Percy, having served as an assistant to several ministers, was quite competent and quick to propose a solution.
"Let's do that," Kingsley agreed. "And if it's still not enough, we'll put Umbridge on trial." Kingsley had refrained from dealing with the imprisoned dark wizards, intending to keep them as scapegoats. Before becoming the interim minister, he never would have considered such a thing.
It was true that when one's position and perspective changed, so too did one's thoughts and actions.
He suddenly understood why Dumbledore had repeatedly refused to become the Minister of Magic, and he also understood Albert's disdain for politicians.
Many politicians' actions were indeed unlikable, and the Kingsley of the past would have found it hard to imagine himself in his current state.
Unfortunately, he no longer had a choice.
Not that Kingsley was proud or arrogant, but at the moment, he was the most suitable person for the position. Only he could ensure that the hard-won victory they had all fought for wouldn't be stolen by others.
He had had enough, and he wanted to take this rare opportunity to bring about some new changes to the stagnant Ministry of Magic.
Otherwise, once the situation stabilized, there might never be another chance.
Yes, even though Kingsley made excuses for himself, he couldn't deny his reluctance to let go.
And Albert had acknowledged this, even going so far as to push him into this position.
Kingsley's feelings about this were complicated, similar to how Fudge had felt about Dumbledore in the past.
Dumbledore was so powerful that with just a little help from him, many problems would be easily solved. With just one person, he could be as effective as the entire Auror department of the Ministry of Magic. At the very least, Albert possessed such strength, especially when it came to dealing with the Inferi.
This would have been the simplest and most efficient solution, without any worries about subsequent issues. But Albert had refused, and he had no way to change that, which left him feeling helpless. This helplessness could eventually turn into annoyance, just as it had for Fudge.
Unlike Fudge, however, Kingsley maintained his rationality and didn't let power and desire cloud his judgment to the point of making Albert uncomfortable.
(End of Chapter)
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