https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1582-A-War-with-No-Victors-XXXII-/12529300/
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Chapter 1583: A War Without Victors (Thirty-Three)
Chapter 1583: A War Without Victors (Thirty-Three)
As night fell, lights flickered to life once more in the abandoned shelter, illuminating the room where Nelson Tobin, laden with takeout snacks from a Muggle shop, was climbing the stairs. Muffled noises of revelry could be heard emanating from within.
The moment Nelson entered the room, he set down his snacks and greeted two girls playing Wizard's Chess by the door before poking his head in further to call out, "Who wants some night snacks?"
The next moment, the raucous room fell silent, and a large group of people rushed over, devouring the still-steaming fried chicken and fries he had just bought.
"Here!"
Susan Bones placed a cup of butterbeer in front of Nelson.
Nelson took a big gulp from the cup and then asked curiously, "Where did you get this?"
"There's still quite a bit of stuff left over, all directly sent to the shelter. It's a bargain for us," Susan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to bring up an unpleasant topic from a few days ago before things got even worse.
"Oh, looks like our luck isn't bad. Pour me another cup, will you?" Nelson handed over his cup and asked with a smile, "Go ahead and speak your mind."
Susan took a deep breath and said, "You shouldn't have taken that risk last time!"
Those who had been enjoying their snacks froze, their mouths full, and turned to look at the pair.
The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the voice of Lee Jordan emanating from the radio on the table.
"As if you could just let go of your hatred," Nelson replied, taking another swig of butterbeer, unfazed by the discussion of the two significant incidents that had occurred a few days ago.
Indeed, whether it was burning down Kingsley's house or taking revenge on the hapless Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, they had done it all.
And why?
Because Kingsley had let them down, of course.
Ever since the news of Dolores Umbridge's life sentence had spread, many of her former victims had found their resolve wavering.
Especially those who had been through Azkaban, their families torn apart by Umbridge's policies—they were out for blood.
And so, they decided to take matters into their own hands, resorting to extreme measures.
With a simple string of contacts, a secret alliance was formed.
To be honest, many had not intended for things to escalate to such extremes. Despite their simmering resentment, they had hoped that Kingsley would exact revenge on their behalf. However, the Wizengamot trial of Umbridge had shattered any such fantasies.
If they couldn't rely on Kingsley, they would have to take matters into their own hands.
Conveniently, the old shelter had been long abandoned but still served as a perfect meeting spot that wouldn't raise any eyebrows.
After all, they had been temporarily residing there and simply hadn't gotten around to moving out yet, making it easy to resolve many issues.
Moreover, since the end of the Wizarding War, the only ones left here were those still consumed by hatred—no outsiders remained.
"No, they probably have an idea of who's responsible, and you're the prime suspect," Susan Bones offered a word of caution.
"When Kingsley's house was burned down, I was at Hogwarts for training. During the time of the attack, we were right here in this room discussing who could've done it," Nelson Tobin had already prepared an alibi for himself. Ever since the Battle of Hogwarts, people had become less timid, just as Albert had predicted.
After all, they had all walked the tightrope between life and death.
"Do you think anyone will buy that excuse? Suspicion doesn't require evidence."
"Worst-case scenario, they use me as a scapegoat to draw their fire."
Nelson Tobin was prepared for this, unconcerned about his comrades-in-arms turning their backs on him, especially those who had sworn an Unbreakable Vow.
"What are your plans for Umbridge?"
"If that bastard somehow survives, we'll find a way to break into Azkaban and wipe out everyone inside. They all deserve to die anyway," Nelson Tobin uttered these ruthless words with a calmness that sent shivers down their spines.
To them, massacring Azkaban was not an impossible task.
After all, they had infiltrated the Aurors, and with access to various intelligence and inside help, breaking into Azkaban, which lacked the protection of Dementors, could be quietly accomplished with a few clever tricks.
One of the girls playing Wizard's Chess by the door suddenly spoke up, "I suggest you lie low for a while. Those two incidents have already caused quite a stir, and if you keep this up, you'll definitely attract unwanted attention. Don't treat others like fools."
"I agree with Hannah," Susan chimed in. "We should remain quiet for a while. I doubt Kingsley is foolish enough to go against everyone." She added with a touch of self-deprecating humor, "Maybe he's planning to use us to get rid of those despicable folks."
"Ahem, so I'll just report the situation here then," Thomas said, glancing at his colleague playing Exploding Snap. "Do you think they'll believe it?"
"They probably won't believe it entirely, but they also don't have any evidence that Nelson Tobin did it," replied Neville Longbottom, who was also present. Although he didn't participate in any of the actions, he was more than happy to provide useful intelligence.
Indeed, many in the room refrained from engaging in acts of vengeance, but that didn't mean they couldn't lend a helping hand.
After all, everyone here had bitter grudges against the Death Eaters, and even if they could let go of their hatred, they certainly didn't want to see those despicable Death Eaters clinging to life under the protection of the Ministry of Magic.
With the opportunity for revenge right before their eyes and no personal risk involved, no one would pass up such a chance.
"What's the Defense Association's take on this?"
"It would be great if Mr. Anderson supported us."
"Don't get your hopes up. While Mr. Anderson does support getting rid of Umbridge, he won't endorse us. The most we can expect is his indifference and non-interference."
"But Harry and Ron told me that Mr. Anderson's title of Senior Advisor is just a nominal position. He's not interested in offering strategies to Kingsley," someone argued.
"That's to be expected, isn't it?"
"Indeed, the outcome is hardly surprising."
"What if someone asks him to divine our actions?"
"He won't get involved as long as we don't involve unrelated parties. He made that clear."
Noticing the puzzled looks around the room, Nelson Tobin calmly explained, "I discussed this with him a long time ago."
"Mr. Anderson agreed to this?" Neville was astonished.
"He said he didn't hear anything," Nelson Tobin replied with a wry smile. "After all, everyone here today harbors a desire for revenge against Umbridge and the Death Eaters."
"He won't stop us, and he might even be glad that we're doing it. He has his own family, and I'm sure he wants those bastards gone too."
Everyone in the room exchanged glances, suspecting that Nelson Tobin was implying they had received funding or assistance from Anderson. Despite their lack of evidence, the fact that Nelson had gathered everyone together the day after Umbridge's trial and issued that warning to Kingsley seemed too calculated to be a mere impulse.
(End of Chapter)
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