https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1597-A-War-Without-Victors-Forty-Seven-/12529336/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1599-A-War-with-No-Victors-Forty-Nine-/12529338/
Chapter 1598: A War Without Victors (Forty-Eight)
Chapter 1598: A War Without Victors (Forty-Eight)
"It's about what I expected."
Kingsley remained calm, having suspected that this attack by the Inferi was likely related to the internal conflicts within the Ministry of Magic.
During Voldemort's control of the British Ministry of Magic, the "pure-bloods" who supported him had reaped numerous benefits, angering many others.
Now that Voldemort was dead and the forces gathered around him had disintegrated, the "pure-bloods", as failing survivors, refused to give up all the advantages they had previously gained, leading to the current irreconcilable dispute.
Perhaps ordinary wizards didn't sense it, but the higher-ups in the Ministry were well aware that many of their high positions were not due to their superior abilities but because they were proxies or insiders of certain factions.
The so-called fair competition never existed, and to become a part of the higher echelons, one only needed their abilities to meet the bare minimum, and they would be gradually promoted from there.
This was also the main reason why wizards from Muggle families rarely climbed to high positions in the Ministry: their spots had already been taken.
It just wasn't made obvious, and there weren't many internal conflicts, at most, people would attribute their promotions solely to their pure-blood status.
Of course, truly exceptional wizards of Muggle birth could also rise to the top, but such cases were extremely rare and usually didn't end well.
The best example was Nobby Leach, the first Muggle-born to become the Minister of Magic, who died in office from a mysterious illness after only a few years.
But Kingsley didn't have to worry about that. Even if the silhouettes in the crystal ball included some of the most influential and wealthy pure-bloods in the Ministry, he was still the victor of the Wizarding War.
The losers should know their place and back down.
Kingsley's emotions remained steady as he said expressionlessly, "As expected, they've been too indulged, to the point where they're still causing trouble for the Ministry at a time like this."
"It seems you already know who's behind this," Albert said meaningfully.
"Do you have any suggestions?" Kingsley asked, expecting a response.
"No," Albert replied as he waved his wand and put away the crystal ball. "Even if you successfully catch those three, there will still be other disposable lackeys who will step up. However, I must remind you not to try to drag me into this. I'm not interested in your internal mess."
With a casual wave, he bid farewell and left.
"Perhaps we should consider implementing Millicent Bagnold's policy after the end of the First Wizarding War," suggested Gawain Robards in a lowered voice as he watched Albert's disappearing figure.
"Appeasing them won't solve anything," Kingsley said, even though he himself wanted to do just that. But the current situation was like a powder keg.
"If we dare to compromise, we will inevitably provoke dissatisfaction among the victims."
The dissatisfaction of the victims?
The victims' opinions weren't really that important.
Gawain Robards was well aware that wizards from Muggle families had little say in the British wizarding world, and it was quite normal for them to be sacrificed as cannon fodder.
Without a voice or power, and facing suppression from the entire British wizarding community, people would demand that they consider the greater good and accept their fate as sacrifices for the greater good.
And so, the matter would be laid to rest, and peace would return to the Ministry.
But things were different now.
This Wizarding War had affected too many people, and those who had survived the struggle, regardless of their reasons for joining, had been through the crucible of war.
Why should they continue to endure in silence now that they had power?
For the sake of the greater good?
"A large-scale conflict will be unavoidable at that point," Kingsley said meaningfully. "Don't forget, that man was also of Muggle descent."
"Isn't he from the Smith family?" Gawain Robards had, of course, heard the rumors about Albert.
Kingsley shook his head, knowing that even if he didn't involve Albert in this mess, the situation wouldn't improve.
"Just when we've ended the Wizarding War, are we going to plunge the wizarding world into another war, where we stand against the families of the victims? Do you think that's really appropriate, all for the sake of those despicable people?"
In fact, if he could, Kingsley would have liked to appease them and then spend the next few years or even decades slowly resolving the current issues.
But Albert's existence had completely upset the balance, giving others a third option, one that they had no counter for.
Worst of all, Albert was different from Dumbledore. While he appeared polite and wise on the surface and was undoubtedly loyal to his friends, his true nature was that of a vengeful and ruthless person.
Kingsley had never forgotten the Death Eaters and dark wizards who had suffered brutal retribution, nor the mountains of enemy corpses that piled up after the war.
Although Albert hadn't directly caused them, he had been directly linked to them, and Voldemort's followers had nearly been wiped out in one fell swoop.
Sometimes Kingsley even wished that those scoundrels would provoke Albert so that one day, they would all meet their demise.
"So, what do you suggest we do?" Gawain asked, his voice filled with worry. "Should we give them a warning and try to make them behave?"
"We have no evidence," Kingsley stated.
"But we can pretend that we have evidence against them." Gawain looked at the three people lying on the ground and said, "You already have a plan, don't you? These three scumbags will suffer the backlash of a curse due to revealing some secret."
"To be honest, I don't think this method will work," Kingsley said, not believing that the other side would easily give up. "However, you're right. We still need to talk to them."
"I don't think it will work either," Gawain Robards agreed. "They'll definitely find other scumbags to cause trouble, and I'm sure many dark wizards would be willing to take on such a task."
"What if we drag Anderson into this as well?"
"And then we all go down together?"
Kingsley replied in a slightly annoyed tone, "I'll think of something else. As for dragging Albert into this, forget it. That guy has a short temper."
However, the communication between the two sides stalled from the start. Even when Kingsley mentioned the current dire situation and warned them that they were in danger, no one was willing to back down.
In various places, there were even frequent incidents of Inferi hurting people.
Perhaps it wasn't as severe as the first time, but it still had a terrible impact on the entire wizarding world.
With some people deliberately stirring the pot, Kingsley's capabilities were questioned, and his reputation began to slide.
Fortunately, the existence of the Wizarding Wireless Network and the newspapers helped people realize that this was the last desperate struggle of the remaining Death Eaters.
(End of Chapter)
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