Chapter 372: Unrelated
Chapter 372: Unrelated
Sherlock looked at Scrimgeour, who was also looking at him.
In truth, he had no particular dislike or prejudice against this new Minister of Magic who had succeeded Fudge.
This male wizard, whether in terms of ability or determination to fight Voldemort, was far superior to Fudge.
Sherlock didn't immediately respond but instead fell into deep thought. After a moment, he raised his head to meet Scrimgeour's gaze.
"Although this question might seem abrupt, could you, Minister, share with me your plans for dealing with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters?"
Scrimgeour, of course, wouldn't provide specific details to someone like Sherlock, who held no official position in the Ministry of Magic. However, he had no intention of keeping the broad strategy a secret.
"Today's trial was a signal", Scrimgeour said, his expression serious as he looked at Sherlock. "Next, we will begin targeting Wizards who have shown any inclination towards the Dark Lord. The captured individuals have already secretly confessed the names of many of their accomplices, and we will act on this list."
"Those for whom we find concrete evidence will be arrested immediately. Those without evidence will be closely monitored by Aurors to ensure that we can dismantle the Dark Lord's forces before he makes his next move."
Sherlock stared into Scrimgeour's eyes.
"And what about Voldemort? What are your plans for him?"
This time, he didn't use the title "Dark Lord" but directly uttered the name that was taboo in the Wizarding World.
Even the resolute Scrimgeour paled slightly at the sound of the name.
But at least he didn't tremble, which was more than most Wizards in the Wizarding World could manage.
"When the time comes, he will be a lone figure, and dealing with him alone will be much easier."
Sherlock gazed deeply at him and shook his head.
"You fear him, yet you underestimate him. The true danger to the Wizarding World has never been the Death Eaters. Opportunists and criminals exist in every era, but the key issue lies with Voldemort, a madman whose threat far exceeds that of almost any dark wizard in history."
"Even if you capture all of his followers, Voldemort will still be Voldemort. Only when Voldemort is truly dead will the so-called Death Eaters fall apart on their own."
The Minister's office fell into a heavy silence, broken only by Scrimgeour's noticeably heavier breathing.
After a long pause, Sherlock spoke again.
"I understand that targeting the Death Eaters is your only option, given the Ministry of Magic's lack of knowledge about Voldemort. Even you, the Minister, feel fear when you hear the title that isn't even his true name, let alone others."
"Can you guarantee that there are no spies within the current Ministry of Magic? Even a high-ranking official like Bagman can be turned, and a traitor like Karkaroff can be re-employed. Can you honestly say that every person in the Ministry is trustworthy?"
"Secrecy is the most basic requirement for any plan to directly confront Voldemort. If you can't ensure that, then there's no point in even trying to defeat him."
With that, Sherlock's tone grew more serious.
"Minister Scrimgeour, if you truly wish to defeat Voldemort and help the Wizarding World through this crisis, the best course of action is not to interfere with the Order of the Phoenix's operations."
"The Ministry of Magic's primary goal is to eliminate the Death Eaters, while our sole focus is on one individual. Our core objectives are aligned, but the tasks are divided into two parts. The best scenario is for the Ministry of Magic to handle the Ministry's responsibilities, and the Order of the Phoenix to handle its own, each focusing on their respective tasks without interference."
"To achieve this, I have never agreed to take a position within the Ministry. Your attention should not be on my or Harry's influence, but rather on stabilizing the British magical community and minimizing the repercussions of the upcoming conflict with Voldemort."
Having said all that, Sherlock stood up from his chair.
He never considered Scrimgeour a bad person or an obstacle in the fight against Voldemort. The internal disputes arose simply because their viewpoints differed. Sherlock had used this opportunity to make his stance as clear as possible, and now it was up to Scrimgeour to decide how to proceed.
"I need to return and prepare for tomorrow's award ceremony. I apologize, but I must take my leave, Minister."
He walked to the door, and Scrimgeour, lost in thought, made no response.
Sherlock then left the Ministry of Magic and returned home.
It wasn't too late when he arrived. The trials had run for over ten sessions today, and as a key witness, he had spent most of the day at the Ministry. After his conversation with Scrimgeour, it was already dinnertime when he got home.
Since Silke's cooking skills had improved significantly, she had been spending most of her days at home experimenting with recipes. Over time, she discovered Sherlock's fondness for Chinese cuisine and bought a copy of the Comprehensive Chinese Cuisine Encyclopedia. She would often test her dishes on herself when Sherlock was not around, and now her cooking was quite impressive.
For dinner tonight, she had made tomato and egg noodles.
The noodles were cut with magic and had a chewy texture.
"Before we go to the award ceremony tomorrow, we need to make a trip together", Sherlock said as he slurped his noodles.
Silke wasn't eating; she usually had a light dinner, and tonight she had just had some fruit.
"Where are we going?" she asked, puzzled.
"To get your eyes treated", Sherlock replied casually. "I've made some connections within the Ministry of Magic and found an old witch who used to be a Time-keeper. She's a bit eccentric, but she should be able to offer some advice on your condition."
Sherlock didn't want to raise Silke's hopes too high, so he didn't promise that Mrs. Matthews could definitely cure her eyes.
Hearing this, Silke was momentarily stunned.
Her golden eyes, hidden behind the black ribbon, gazed at Sherlock in disbelief. After a long moment, she smiled.
"I'll go with you tomorrow."
"We also have the award ceremony afterward, so we'll head straight there from there."
(End of Chapter)
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