https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1664-A-War-with-No-Victors-Part-CXI-/12529443/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1666-A-War-with-No-Victors-One-Hundred-and-Sixteen-/12529445/
Chapter 1665: A War Without Victors (Part CXV)
Chapter 1665: A War Without Victors (Part CXV)
"The full moon is approaching this month as well."
Cedric looked up at Albert and asked tentatively, "What are your plans going forward?"
"Oh, Kingsley wants me to lend him a hand?" Albert replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"He feels he has to be cautious," Cedric continued, his voice hesitant. "After all, those Death Eaters are becoming more and... well, crazed. They might drag more people into their mess and create a bigger chaos to threaten the Ministry of Magic."
"I think it's purely the Ministry's own problem," Albert said, taking a sip of his tea. "I've divined for them, and if they use methods that are a little... unique, I believe they should be able to find relevant clues before the full moon."
"You call that a unique method?" Cedric forced a bitter laugh.
"Hence, I say they lack the resolve." Albert didn't mince his words, "Back then, when it came to completely defeating Voldemort, everyone was prepared for death, and Harry Potter even made arrangements for after his demise."
"Or perhaps," Albert continued, "they believe that some things are more important than letting the whole of Britain fall into the threat of werewolves?" Albert had no intention of getting involved in this matter.
Cedric opened his mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing.
As Albert had implied, was it possible that the Ministry didn't know what those Death Eaters were up to?
No, they most certainly knew, or at the very least, could guess.
However... they were all pure-blood families.
Even though they had been ostracized for secretly supporting Voldemort in the past, it was still unthinkable to use Veritaserum for interrogation without any solid evidence.
Alright then! Sometimes, those in power didn't need evidence at all—mere suspicion was enough for them to take action.
And compared to so-called evidence, Albert believed the Ministry was simply unwilling to act.
After all, the ancient wizarding families still held a significant influence within the Ministry, and they would never allow such a thing to happen.
Thus, no one dared to touch this taboo, not even Kingsley.
This was why the Ministry was so desperate for Albert's help, hoping he would clean up the mess that was about to unfold.
Ideally, they wanted to capture the entire group of Death Eaters after they made their move.
Cedric understood this, and he believed Albert understood it even better.
That was why, after receiving Kingsley's request, Cedric had reluctantly brought up the matter with Albert.
Sometimes he contemplated quitting his job at the Ministry and just staying at Hogwarts as a teacher. It was also a respectable position.
As for salary, Cedric wasn't too concerned. He could always take on a part-time job with Albert to earn some extra allowance.
"Do you think those Death Eaters will go that far?"
Hermione poked her head out from the pile of books, watching as Albert saw Cedric out of his office.
"I don't know," Albert replied as he closed the office door and turned back to Hermione. "But... I think it's likely."
"Likely?" Hermione emerged from behind the desk, stretched, and sat on the sofa, looking as if she had finally been released from a seal. "That's not like you."
"Their previous trump card, the Inferi, has been eliminated by the Aurors."
"So, the werewolves are their new trump card?" Hermione understood now, which was why Albert had said 'likely.' If the werewolves didn't make an appearance, it would be difficult for the Death Eaters to maintain their standoff with the Ministry.
Thus, the emergence of werewolves was highly probable; it was just a matter of when they would strike.
"I can't fathom what those lunatics are thinking," Hermione muttered.
"If they're lunatics, isn't it normal that we can't understand them?" Albert asked.
"Is it normal?" Hermione didn't see anything normal about the situation, but sometimes, the abnormal was the new normal.
However, she did understand one thing—Albert didn't think highly of the Ministry's current situation, and he didn't seem inclined to lend a helping hand. This confused her.
So, Hermione asked directly; after all, they were alone.
"Of course, I'm willing to offer Kingsley some assistance," Albert said meaningfully. "But that assistance is negligible. Some things are bound to happen, and they won't change just because of my will."
But, you might ask, was Kingsley not putting in any effort? Was he just going through the motions?
Not exactly.
The new Minister of Magic was indeed trying to curb the potential disaster that loomed, but to say that he had already given it his all would be inaccurate. Kingsley could prevent this terrible catastrophe, but he wasn't doing so at all costs.
As for the reason, Albert knew it well, but he didn't intend to share it with Hermione. Sometimes, it was easier for her to experience and understand things on her own rather than having Albert explain them to her.
...
As the full moon drew near, the wizarding community in Britain felt a sense of impending doom.
Kingsley even made it to the front page of the Daily Prophet, where he was criticized for being overly anxious and wasting Auror resources.
To prove that there weren't many werewolves left, the Daily Prophet published photos of the mountain of corpses from the Battle of Hogwarts, pointing out that most of Britain's werewolves had been killed in the previous war. They urged the Minister of Magic to stop bothering the hardworking Aurors who were pulling overtime shifts.
Additionally, the journalists didn't forget to mention Albert's prophecy, which resulted in Albert being frequently questioned about it by students. Even Professor McGonagall found time to chat with him about the safety of Hogwarts and the threat of werewolves, seemingly worried that some lunatic might throw a werewolf into their midst.
After much deliberation, Professor McGonagall decided to increase patrols around Hogwarts during the full moon to ensure that all students remained in their common rooms.
In fact, it wasn't just Hogwarts that was on high alert. Even the Wizarding Watch mentioned the issue and began educating the public on how to deal with the threat of werewolves and what to do if they encountered one.
Albert's prophecies were always worth heeding, and even if they didn't come true, it was just one night of caution in exchange for the safety of oneself and one's family—a worthwhile trade-off.
Some believed this to be fear-mongering and claimed that the Defense Association was just trying to sell their products, but slandering Albert no longer had much effect after the previous incident.
At least, most people were willing to think for themselves. As the Wizarding Watch broadcast had rightly pointed out, it was just one night, and even if one was tricked, what was the harm? Besides, the Ministry seemed to share this sentiment.
(End of Chapter)
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