Chapter 797: Bones' Mission
Chapter 797: Bones' Mission
After leaving the Muggle-Wizard Relations Office, Kyle intended to make an appearance at his office since so many people had seen him; it wouldn't do to completely disappear.
However, as he stepped into the elevator, he found a familiar figure waiting inside.
"Didn't I tell you to stay at 12 Grimmauld Place?" Chris asked, a bit taken aback to see Kyle there.
Previously, he hadn't thought of Kyle as an impulsive person, but now he couldn't understand why Kyle would risk leaving the safe house and come to the crowded Ministry of Magic at a time like this.
Didn't he know there were Death Eaters hiding in their midst?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Chris felt his anger rising.
But the next second, a golden-red phoenix suddenly appeared and perched on Kyle's shoulder.
"It's fine, I was prepared for this," Kyle said with a smile. "It's not easy for the mysterious man to catch me, and I was brought here directly from home by Fawkes, so it's absolutely safe."
Hearing Kyle's explanation, the anger that had just flared up in Chris instantly dissipated, but he still maintained a stern expression as he said, "What if the mysterious man directly attacks the Ministry of Magic? You could bring big trouble to everyone."
"I don't have that much influence to make the mysterious man disregard everything and lead the Death Eaters to attack the Ministry of Magic," Kyle shrugged. "And he wouldn't dare to."
"He wouldn't dare?"
"That's right," Kyle nodded and explained, "The last time the Death Eaters dared to attack the Ministry of Magic was because they were certain that Dumbledore wouldn't be there, plus the fact that the attention of the Order of the Phoenix and some Aurors was on Privet Drive. It was a well-planned ambush.
"But it's different now. No one knows where Dumbledore is, and he might very well be lurking in some corner of the Ministry. As long as the mysterious man can't confirm Dumbledore's movements, he won't dare to come here recklessly.
"And as long as he doesn't come, the Death Eaters won't either."
"Then how can you be sure that Dumbledore is in the Ministry of Magic... or rather, that he makes the mysterious man think he's in the Ministry?" Chris continued to question.
"That's simple," Kyle said.
At that moment, the elevator door opened, and Fawkes quickly flew out. In the midst of startled exclamations, he turned into a ball of fire and disappeared.
When the elevator door closed again, Kyle shrugged, "Well, now Dumbledore is in the Ministry of Magic."
Chris felt his temples throbbing.
But he had to admit that Kyle's move was indeed very effective.
The second floor was the busiest level, and it wouldn't take long for the news of Fawkes' appearance to spread.
And currently, the only known phoenix in the wizarding world was Fawkes, who was always by Dumbledore's side. It could be said that wherever Fawkes appeared, Dumbledore was sure to be nearby.
"I really can't understand why Dumbledore would entrust the phoenix to you," Chris rubbed his temples.
"Maybe it's because I'm a kind person," Kyle said with a smile. "And I get along well with Fawkes."
Chris opened his mouth, "Well, then why did you suddenly come to the Ministry of Magic?"
"Because of Hermione. She wanted to help, so I took the opportunity to recommend her," Kyle replied.
The elevator stopped at the first floor, and Kyle quickly stepped out.
"Can you already arrange for people to work at the Ministry of Magic?" Chris, who had been about to follow, paused, feeling incredulous. Even he couldn't directly bring a student who hadn't graduated yet to work at the Ministry.
Even the Minister would have to issue a formal document, rather than just bringing someone along like they were going home for dinner.
"Of course not, it's just a voluntary helper," Kyle explained. "All the departments are short-staffed right now. They'd be delighted to have some free labor to use."
Chris nodded. That made much more sense.
"Where's Hermione, then?"
He turned to look back. It seemed like Kyle had been the only one who entered the elevator.
"She's already started working," Kyle said casually. "She didn't even enter the Muggle-Wizard Relations Office, she just went out with Perkins to get to work."
"Wait, what?" Chris was even more confused. "Hermione is such a smart witch, and you sent her to the Muggle-Wizard Relations Office?"
"It's a good fit, isn't it?"
"That's not the point," Chris took a deep breath. "I want to know why you didn't bring her to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?"
"Huh?" Kyle blinked. "Are you short-staffed?"
"What do you think?" Chris said irritably. "Why do you think I came to see Minister Bones? It's to ask for personnel."
"So, in your opinion, which type of wizard is most likely to illegally breed magical creatures?" Chris asked.
"Those who set up stalls on Knockturn Alley?" Kyle replied tentatively.
"To be precise, it's the wizards who walk the line between light and dark," Chris said. "Take Mundungus, for example. They're not truly dark wizards, but they straddle the gray areas and engage in illegal businesses.
"Among their most popular trades, whether it's smuggling, creating Dark artifacts, or conducting dangerous magical experiments, almost all of them are related to magical creatures."
"At the same time, they are also prime candidates to become Death Eaters. Most of the newly recruited Death Eaters come from these circles.
Chris quickly provided the answer. "Most of them are discarded, especially those of low value and inconvenience to carry. When they go to pledge their allegiance to the mysterious man, they simply abandon them by the roadside."
"Are you aware that our workload has tripled, or even more?" Chris's tone grew stern. "Yesterday, Cornwall was filled with three-tailed dogs and two-headed geese. Cedric had to pull an all-nighter to deal with the mess, and he still hasn't returned!"
Chris's frustration was evident as he described their hectic work in the department, leaving them barely any time to go home. Just when they were expecting some help, his son had reassigned the volunteer to another department.
For a fleeting moment, he considered approaching Minister Bones to have Kyle transferred to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
"I... I didn't know," Kyle averted his gaze, feeling guilty. "How about I find a couple of strong men to help you out? Fred and George seem to be free; it wouldn't hurt to give them something to do."
"If I return empty-handed this time, you better," Chris grumbled in response.
Just then, they arrived at the Minister's office.
Without another word, Chris straightened his clothes, knocked on the door, and entered, leaving Kyle behind.
Knowing they had official business to discuss, Kyle didn't follow but instead continued on to his own office.
This office had been assigned to him by Fudge, and although it wasn't spacious, it was much better than the partitioned offices in other departments. Moreover, it was a single room, providing a quiet workspace.
Despite his absence for over a year, Minister Bones hadn't taken it back and it remained his.
Upon reflection, Kyle felt a twinge of embarrassment.
Although he hadn't visited in a long while, the office was spotlessly clean, likely maintained by someone or perhaps a house-elf.
There were house-elves in the Ministry of Magic, though not as many as in Hogwarts. Similar to the house-elves in the school kitchen, they usually kept themselves hidden from view.
After all, in their perception, a good house-elf was one whose presence you were unaware of.
Kyle sat behind the desk, pondered for a moment, then retrieved a piece of parchment and began to write.
Half an hour later, the office door opened, and Amelia Bones walked in.
She looked much the same as the last time they had met, except for a new addition—a pair of spectacles.
The role of the Minister for Magic was evidently a demanding one.
"I heard from Chris that you've finally returned to work," Minister Bones said as she entered.
"I may have to disappoint the Minister," Kyle replied. "I came today to help a friend and also to resign."
"Resign?" Minister Bones frowned, her expression turning serious. "Why? Are you afraid?
"But I don't think you're that kind of person. Ever since we first met formally, I could tell that you weren't afraid of Death Eaters."
The first formal meeting?
It must have been when he was interrogated at the Ministry by Lucius Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle—three Death Eaters.
Back then, he hadn't shown the slightest hint of fear and had even used Wizengamot to turn the tables on them.
"I guess you could say I'm afraid, but not in the way you think," Kyle explained. "Yesterday, at the Valley of Gordric, I saved some people and ruined the mysterious man's plan. As you know, he's petty, so I might have to lie low for a while."
"The Valley of Gordric," Minister Bones murmured. "Wasn't it Dumbledore who saved people that day?"
"I helped a little too," Kyle admitted. "The mysterious man wouldn't dare go against Dumbledore, so I became his target instead."
"That does make sense," Minister Bones acknowledged.
"Yes," Kyle continued. "So, I need to keep a low profile for a while to avoid being constantly on his radar. But that also means I won't be able to come to work at the Ministry."
"If that's the case," Minister Bones said, "there's no need for you to resign. I can keep this position and office for you, and you can return once things have calmed down."
Kyle glanced up at Minister Bones, a sense of unease growing within him.
It made sense for Fudge to treat him favorably, as Kyle had essentially been his advisor and had helped him avoid being ousted from his position.
But why was Minister Bones being so accommodating? Surely, it couldn't be because she admired his talent. Their interactions had been minimal, as she had been recovering at St. Mungo's the previous year when he worked at the Ministry.
Despite his inner doubts, Kyle kept a straight face.
"That would be wonderful," he said, "but I'd rather not take a salary since I won't be working. It wouldn't feel right."
Minister Bones didn't respond verbally, merely smiling in acknowledgment.
"Not in a hurry," Kyle said, handing over the parchment on his desk to Bones. "I came to work today, so I should at least make some contributions."
"What is this?"
"Messaging parchment," Kyle replied.
"Messaging?" Minister Bones pushed her glasses up and examined the parchment intently.
Kyle explained, "Each parchment has a unique number, and by writing the corresponding number, the message will appear on the matching parchment. It's much faster than using paper airplanes for communication, which is the current practice in the Ministry."
"That's a brilliant idea," Minister Bones said, looking up. "But what about security? If an Auror loses the parchment while out on a mission, won't that expose our plans to the enemy?"
"A password restriction can be implemented; it's not difficult." Kyle said, "However, I didn't consider that. This is meant for internal use to improve office efficiency."
"I see," Minister Bones said, "but it seems vaguely familiar."
"Because it was used last year," Kyle said, "Remember, it was used to notify people of locations when we were dealing with the Dementors."
"Was that your idea as well?"
"Not exactly," Kyle shook his head, "I made it, but the idea came from someone else."
"Who?"
"Hermione Granger and Cedric Diggory," Kyle said, "They organized an extra Defense Against the Dark Arts study group when they were in school, and they used these to notify everyone of the class times. Back then, they called it the Messaging Coin."
"Diggory?" Minister Bones thought for a moment, "You mean Cedric Diggory from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded, "Also, Hermione is working at the Ministry as well. She'll be helping out at the Muggle-Wizard Relations Office for a month."
"Alright, I will seriously consider this proposal." Minister Bones put away the parchment, "If it's approved... your salary will remain unchanged."
"Additionally, if possible, I hope you can come up with another messaging tool for the Aurors and Hit Wizards to use. That's the most important thing.
"Of course, you don't need to come to the Ministry. Just have Chris send it over when it's ready."
"I'll think about it," Kyle said.
"One more thing," Minister Bones said suddenly, "I heard that Dumbledore also came to the Ministry today?"
"Really?" Kyle blinked, "Where is he? I have something to ask him as well."
"You don't know?"
"No, I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon," Kyle replied.
Minister Bones studied Kyle's eyes.
"What is it?" Kyle asked.
"Oh, it's nothing," she said.
Minister Bones then left, as she had many things to do and couldn't stay there any longer.
Kyle, on the other hand, was called by Chris to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, where he spent the entire day in the office, buried in paperwork.
It was only at 8 p.m. that Kyle finally lifted his head from the mountain of documents, and Chris returned from his own errands.
When they were alone in the office, Kyle told him about what had transpired during the day.
"It's simple," Chris said, "She wants to keep not you, but Dumbledore close."
"What do you mean?"
"Dumbledore values you greatly, and almost everyone knows that. Many even speculate that he intends to groom you as the next Headmaster of Hogwarts." Chris glanced at the tightly shut door as he spoke quietly.
"That's impossible," Kyle immediately refuted, "I'm too young. Even if Dumbledore retires, the next Headmaster would undoubtedly be Professor McGonagall."
"That's not the point," Chris said, "What matters is what most people think."
"She seems to have realized that Dumbledore won't stay at the Ministry for long, so they need another way to strengthen their connection with him.
"For example, you or Harry. As long as either of you is in the Ministry, people will firmly believe that Dumbledore is also on the Ministry's side."
"So, I'm just a mascot?" Kyle spread his hands, "Wow, I didn't expect Minister Bones to adopt Fudge's tactics as well."
"She just wants to strengthen the public's trust in the Ministry, and it's not unreasonable for her to do so," Chris said, "If I were in her position, I might make the same choice."
"Alright, you should head back now." Chris patted Kyle's shoulder, "Remember to stay put tomorrow and don't come here again. Phoenixes can't keep appearing in the Ministry all the time."
"Okay," Kyle nodded, "Should I wait for Hermione? She went out with Percy again and hasn't returned yet."
"No need, Arthur will send her back," Chris said, "And she might not be back before 10 p.m., so if you're willing to wait another two hours, I don't mind..."
"Then, Mr. Weasley will have to endure the trouble!"
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
