Chapter 359: Guidance
Chapter 359: Guidance
After leaving Weasley's Joke Shop, Liam and Hermione ran into Percy, who was hurrying over. Upon seeing Liam, Percy's eyes lit up, and he said, "Liam, can I talk to you alone for a moment?"
"Sure." Liam glanced at him and nodded, telling Hermione to head to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to wait for him. Then, he and Percy moved to a less conspicuous spot near the Joke Shop.
"Alright, what do you need help with?" Liam asked, looking at Percy. Seeing his anxious expression, Liam quickly guessed why Percy had sought him out.
Sure enough, after checking that no one was eavesdropping, Percy revealed his recent troubles. "Over the past few days, Fudge and his cronies have been insisting everything is fine at the Ministry of Magic. But my father told me that darkness looms, and even that person might have returned. I don't know who to believe."
"That's simple." After listening to Percy's account, Liam felt that Percy was in a much better state of mind than the ambitious, family-ignoring version from the original story. He decided to nudge Percy in the right direction. "What does your heart tell you?"
"Well, I think some of what my father says is exaggerated, and the situation might not be as dire. But Fudge's claim that everything is fine is pure nonsense. I've noticed Dark Wizards are more active during my field assignments, and I'm also worried about those ten notorious Death Eaters suddenly attacking me." Percy paused for a few seconds before sharing his thoughts.
"So, you recognize that the situation is worsening, but you're hesitant to acknowledge it because you fear it will affect your standing at the Ministry of Magic." Seeing Percy about to protest, Liam raised a hand to stop him. "I have to say, that's not a smart move. Alienating your family over a job, especially one based on lies, is not a good idea."
"Sorry, I just—" Percy clutched his head and crouched down in pain, clearly tormented by this issue. Fortunately, the people around them were distracted by the items in the Joke Shop and didn't notice.
"Here." Liam handed him a bottle of premium mead. "I understand. This week, I read in the Daily Prophet that the Ministry of Magic fired several Muggle-borns and Half-bloods who insisted the situation was worsening. If it weren't for your father being a Clan Leader of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and his relatively peripheral role, he might have been fired too. Fred and George mentioned that he's being somewhat marginalized by the Ministry. It's understandable that you're conflicted, given your ambition to excel at the Ministry."
"You're right. I'm torn. I can't bring myself to argue with Fudge like my father does, but I can't accept what Fudge is doing either. Last week, one of my team members from Ireland was attacked and is now in St. Mungo's. This happened because Fudge insisted everything was fine, sending us on dangerous missions with insufficient manpower and equipment. I filed a report to address the issues, but that woman Umbridge called me into her office and berated me for over an hour." Percy confided, his words fueled by the alcohol.
"Let me break it down for you", Liam said, noting Percy's hopeful expression. "You're worried that if you insist the Wizarding World is deteriorating, you might be sidelined or even fired, right?"
"That's exactly it", Percy said, taking a sip of the mead.
"I want to ask what your direct superior, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Boneswife, thinks about the current situation."
"Of course, she's against it. Most of the injured recently have been from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We sometimes have to face dark forces on the front lines, but we haven't received the same level of training as Aurors or Hit Wizards. However, she doesn't have a good solution for this. I've seen her go to the Minister of Magic's office several times and have quite a few arguments. Unfortunately, not only has the problem not been solved, but Fudge has also reduced our department's funding", Percy said helplessly.
"In that case, I suggest you align yourself with your direct superior on this issue", Liam said. "As long as you don't publicly voice your opinions, even Fudge, the Minister of Magic, can't fire you."
"Regarding being marginalized", Liam paused. "There will definitely be some marginalization, but Fudge's lies can't last long. With ten Death Eaters out and free, I think there's a high chance they'll cause chaos. In that case, Fudge's time as Minister of Magic won't be long either."
"But what if they don't cause chaos?" Percy asked a crucial question.
"If they don't, the situation will be even more serious. Think about who could make ten insane and brutal Death Eaters give up on causing destruction and lie low", Liam pointed out the key issue. "If that really happens, Fudge might become the most unpopular Minister of Magic in nearly a century. You can imagine what will happen to his followers." Liam shrugged after saying this.
"Alright, I understand." Percy took a big gulp of his drink. "Do you have any more advice for me?"
"For the time being, you can remain silent on this issue, but you should be honest with your subordinates. You are frontline personnel, unlike Fudge and his team, who can stay in their safe offices. If you believe Fudge's lies, you might be the first victims. So, my personal advice is to maintain good relationships with your colleagues and subordinates and provide whatever help you can. This will help you navigate this difficult time smoothly and build valuable connections. In a crisis, people tend to form stronger friendships and trust", Liam gave some practical advice, hoping Percy wouldn't follow the same wrong path as in the original story.
"I understand, you've given me a great plan, thank you!" Percy drained the last of his drink. "I'll gather my three subordinates and visit the injured at St. Mungo's. Then I'll try to train them properly to avoid ending up in St. Mungo's like the others."
After saying this, Percy prepared to leave, but Liam stopped him. "By the way, take this card. With this, you can get a 50% discount on one Defense Against the Dark Arts item every month, and a 20% discount on other goods."
Liam handed over a Gold Card, which was the top-tier Vip card for Weasley's Joke Shop. Only ten are issued each year, and Liam had the authority to distribute five of them.
"Thanks", Percy hesitated for a moment, but thinking of his injured subordinates, he took the card. He then shook Liam's hand firmly and left.
"Five Deviation Points, to change Percy's attitude", the System promptly announced. Liam smiled, feeling very happy about being able to help the Weasley family. After all, they were all good people who deserved a happy life.
(End of Chapter)
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