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Chapter 1681: A War with No Victors (One Hundred and Thirty-One)
Chapter 1681: A War with No Victors (One Hundred and Thirty-One)
Such a situation was, in fact, not unusual.
It was just that most people were adept at concealing their true natures.
Cedric now had a prime example right in front of him, and no matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't fathom that the two people before him were actually...lovers.
In fact, not just Cedric, but even Albert's other friends wouldn't have imagined that Albert had a secret lover.
In most people's minds, Albert had always been a devoted man. He had been dating Isabelle for several years, and after graduation, he had eagerly married and started a family. Their marriage was harmonious and their love was stable and deep-rooted; no one would have ever made such a connection.
Of course, Cedric didn't have the time to pay attention to such things. He was more concerned about his own income issues.
Although he had anticipated that his income for the latter half of the year would take a significant dip, the reality of facing it still left him feeling dejected.
His initial acceptance of the teaching position at Hogwarts had been half-hearted at best, and he had only agreed to it with the intention of completing the task and returning to the Ministry of Magic, where he hoped to find a better position for himself.
However, upon learning of Kingsley's subsequent arrangements for the Aurors, Cedric couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.
Those Aurors, who had fought on the front lines for the peace of the wizarding world, had ended up in such a dire state.
What about him, then?
"I guess not many people will be willing to help him from now on," Cedric said maliciously. "A lot of people sympathize with Nelson's group."
It was true that people sympathized, and in the name of peace, they had subconsciously sacrificed Nelson's group's right to revenge, choosing to ignore their anger. But now, Cedric felt that many would be able to empathize with their plight.
"No wonder there are more and more people privately supporting Nelson's quest for revenge," Cedric muttered as he walked away.
Hermione and Albert exchanged a glance before she lowered her voice and asked, "Does Cedric know about Nelson's private cooperation with Kingsley?"
"No," Albert replied, his eyes fixed on the now-closed office door. "But only a very small number of people are meant to know about this. However, Kingsley is essentially planting a bomb for himself. A group of people filled with hatred could do anything."
"Have you made a prophecy about Kingsley?" Hermione inferred from Albert's tone.
"Yes, and it eventually blew up and affected Kingsley as well. Overall, the outcome wasn't very pleasant."
"But, isn't this a bit..." Hermione trailed off, "I mean, Kingsley has done a good job, even though he may have made some mistakes in certain matters."
"You and I are not involved in this," Albert reminded her.
"Sorry..."
"Kingsley is probably releasing this information to test the waters and gauge people's reactions. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but he's chosen the wrong target for this test."
Kingsley's actions left them speechless.
"The wrong target?" Hermione repeated.
"If it were just a Ministry employee, there'd be no issue with leaking some information to see how people react. But this time, he's testing his own supporters, especially the Aurors who have been working tirelessly for months. It's impossible for them not to feel resentful," Albert explained, drawing from his past life experiences where he had witnessed similar situations.
If one were to make a comparison, Kingsley still had a shred of integrity, but not many would be willing to see it that way.
"The best course of action would be to first offer those Aurors a reward and then find an opportunity to explain the current situation to them clearly, making proper arrangements for their future," Albert suggested, leaving some of his thoughts unspoken.
Everyone was quite displeased with Kingsley, and it all boiled down to the stinginess of the British Ministry of Magic. Not only had they not provided enough galleons, but they had also pulled the rug out from under them midway. If it weren't for this, even if others were informed and had their grievances, they would still be able to understand Kingsley's predicament.
"Didn't you give Kingsley any suggestions?" Hermione asked, perplexed.
"The Ministry is strapped for cash. Kingsley is discussing the matter of confiscating properties, intending to use the galleons from the Death Eaters to pay the Aurors. But I suspect it will be difficult unless Kingsley has the guts to make that decision on his own," Albert replied.
Albert wasn't very optimistic about Kingsley. While the new Minister was doing a better job than his predecessors, he was still constrained by the British Ministry of Magic and dared not venture to try certain things. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been that fiasco with the werewolves.
As Albert had anticipated, the news quickly spread discreetly within the Ministry, with everyone whispering about it.
The Aurors were giving Kingsley odd looks.
They had been working tirelessly for several months, only to be met with neither promotion nor raise, and now they even faced the risk of being transferred.
While they didn't harbor hatred, disappointment was inevitable.
It was a bitter pill to swallow being stabbed in the back by their own, and it was hard not to associate this with some of Kingsley's previous actions.
...
"Did I do something wrong?"
Kingsley took the opportunity to discuss this matter with Albert, his face filled with dismay. He felt that he had already considered his comrades in his decision.
"That depends on how you look at it," Albert replied, guessing Kingsley's train of thought. "If you're looking at it from the perspective of the Minister of Magic, then you didn't do anything wrong. But if you're looking at it from the perspective of comrades who fought alongside you against Voldemort..."
Albert left the sentence hanging, but the implication was clear.
Kingsley's actions had chilled the hearts of many, and he shouldn't expect anyone to go out of their way to help him from now on.
It was worth noting that many members of Dumbledore's Army had joined the Ministry alongside Harry to become Aurors and fight against dark wizards, largely because they wanted to help stabilize the current situation for Kingsley and bring peace to the British wizarding world.
As Albert watched Kingsley sip his coffee, he gently reminded him, "Actually, if you're sincere and show some goodwill, and if you bring others from the Ministry to share the blame, people will be able to understand your dilemma."
However, Kingsley hadn't done that. Whether he had become arrogant or there were other reasons, he had instead chosen to send someone to leak the information to test the waters, which felt like treating others as fools.
Perhaps most people wouldn't have seen through this, but there were definitely a few who could see the situation clearly.
"I'm really envious of you!" Kingsley bitterly laughed. "No wonder Dumbledore refused to become the Minister of Magic in the past."
"There are other ways to handle this," Albert suggested.
Kingsley seemed to have thought of something, but he fell silent again.
Albert's suggestion was something Kingsley had naturally considered, but...
"No wonder you have your own way of doing things," Kingsley remarked.
If everyone was considered an insider, then naturally, there would be an expectation of sincerity. Albert, without a doubt, had achieved this. Of course, it was also because of his generosity that he had attracted a considerable number of witches and wizards to his side.
Take, for example, the group from the Defense Association; very few of them had been willing to become Aurors.
"Do you really think that would be effective?"
"That's the art of politics, isn't it?"
(End of Chapter)
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