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Chapter 1694: A War with No Victors (One Hundred and Forty-Four)
Chapter 1694: A War with No Victors (One Hundred and Forty-Four)
Perhaps it was because Albert had consistently avoided making public appearances and declined interviews with the press that the major newspapers and magazines, unable to profit from this wave of immense attention, took it upon themselves to dig up juicy gossip and scandals related to Albert.
All journalists knew that publishing salacious stories about Albert's romantic entanglements would be far more popular than any interview he might give.
However, this was no easy task. To their dismay, the reporters scouring for information found that Albert simply didn't have any scandalous romantic affairs to speak of. Everyone who knew him agreed that he was a faithful and devoted partner.
The only thing worth mentioning was his marriage right after graduation, and that was it.
Even though Albert did have a few close female friends, they were just friends, and there was nothing scandalous about it.
This left the journalists scratching their heads. How could they sell newspapers and magazines without a juicy story? They were already being ridiculed for their incompetence.
Finally, unable to resist the temptation any longer, the reporters consulted each other and decided to fabricate various sensational stories about Albert to satisfy the public's appetite for gossip.
As for Albert himself, they didn't give him a second thought.
The fabricated stories were instantly well-received, but they also enraged quite a few people.
Interestingly, the McDougal family reacted rather indifferently to the latest reports, completely dismissing the alleged love affairs between Albert and the McDougal sisters.
In the words of Mrs. McDougal, chatting with her colleagues about the matter: "Do you think there's anything I don't know? I visit my granddaughter Alice every week."
Undoubtedly, the story was false, but many who enjoyed a good gossip were willing to believe that Albert had secretly won over the beautiful McDougal sisters.
Similar sensational stories took on various bizarre forms and grew more exaggerated as they spread. Even Hermione, Albert's friend, was affected, but having experienced similar situations in the past, she paid no heed to the idle chatter and continued living her life as she pleased.
When approached by a reporter, Hermione bluntly asked, "Are you not afraid of repercussions for recklessly fabricating stories that disrupt people's families?" In her opinion, Albert wasn't one to take such slander lying down, and these reporters would likely face consequences.
Upon learning of this, Professor McGonagall angrily declared that Hogwarts would no longer welcome any journalists on its premises.
Despite being rebuffed at Hogwarts, the reporters' enthusiasm remained undeterred.
Albert's fabricated gossip evolved from him having close friendships with several attractive women to having multiple lovers. In the public's imagination, he had become a heartless playboy, and many believed that he was secretly dating other women, which explained his secretive behavior.
Albert himself, however, remained unfazed. During a lesson on Dark Arts Defense, he even joked about it, saying, "Waking up and reading the newspaper has become my daily highlight because each time, I discover that I've gained another lover or two."
"You can't control what comes out of other people's mouths, but anyone with half a brain will realize that these stories are concocted by unscrupulous journalists to boost their sales."
"While you're engrossed in these sensational stories, little do you know that you're being played for a fool once again. This isn't the first time, and I've grown accustomed to it."
Albert may have been unbothered, but someone finally had enough.
"Those are nothing but rumors concocted by certain newspapers to boost their sales. Anyone who knows Albert is aware that he and his wife share a deep bond, and he is a faithful partner." Lee Jordan spoke up in defense of Albert during the Wizarding Wireless Network broadcast, his voice filled with righteous indignation.
"I'm not surprised by this situation," George commented calmly in an interview with the Prophet, "because it's happened too many times before. Both Harry and Dumbledore have had similar experiences. Many people would rather believe what they want to believe, regardless of the truth."
"I think Albert put it aptly: 'The only lesson history teaches is that we don't learn from history.' "
"I believe it's inappropriate, even offensive, for them to fabricate stories about Albert for the sake of sales," Cedric said with a hint of malice during his own interview with the Prophet. "According to my latest inside information, the Ministry of Magic is considering taking action against the newspapers and magazines spreading these rumors, and fines may be imposed."
This statement caused quite a stir, but many publications and magazines brushed it off, as the Ministry had no precedent for such actions.
However, their laughter soon turned to dismay. Just because it hadn't happened before didn't mean it wouldn't now.
Kingsley needed funds, and this presented a perfect opportunity. Not only could he do Albert a favor, but he could also collect a substantial sum of galleons and address the British wizarding world's bad habit of spreading unfounded rumors. After all, someone might attempt something similar on a larger scale in the future.
The reasoning was simple: Albert's accomplishments alone deserved everyone's respect, and fabricating stories to tarnish his reputation was an offense not just to him but to the entire British wizarding community.
As a result, the Prophet was slapped with a hefty fine of one thousand galleons. The reporters involved were summoned for questioning under the influence of Veritaserum, and even the newspaper owner wasn't spared.
Every publication that had spun tales was targeted, and the journalists responsible were fined substantial amounts, forcing them to give up all the profits they had made from this scandal.
Under the Ministry of Magic's guidance, stories of Albert's achievements began to circulate within the British wizarding community, leaving many ashamed.
Albert had just defeated Voldemort and performed numerous good deeds, and here they were, causing trouble. It led some to suspect that there might be remnants of Voldemort's supporters stirring up trouble in the background.
Even if there weren't, the extent of the slander was unacceptable. Not imposing severe penalties would be a disservice to Albert.
Furthermore, to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, the Ministry showed no mercy. After all, he was still the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister!
Amid the wailing and lamenting of countless magazines and newspapers, the matter came to a close.
However, it was only afterward that readers realized they had been played for fools once more. The most intriguing part was that Kingsley had already announced that the hefty fines collected would be used to implement the subsequent werewolf segregation plan, ensuring the gradual elimination of the negative impact werewolves had on Britain.
(End of Chapter)
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