Chapter 948: Unveiling the Plot
Chapter 948: Unveiling the Plot
Just a few days into his relaxed vacation, Albert's life became busy again. He had to dedicate a significant amount of time to his hefty Easter holiday assignments. Although he could skip some of the tasks, the sheer number of courses he was taking meant that his holiday workload far exceeded that of his peers at Hogwarts.
His three best roommates couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude at his situation.
After all, they had fewer courses and less holiday homework. Usually, it was Albert who took pleasure in their last-minute scrambling to complete assignments, and now the tables had turned.
After witnessing Albert's duel with Professor Flitwick, the trio had been eager to learn some impressive dueling techniques from him.
There was no denying that the duel had been incredibly cool, and they couldn't help but fantasize about attaining such a level of skill themselves one day.
They had all been quietly practicing non-verbal spells lately, and Albert, upon returning to school, had mistakenly thought they were constipated, even offering them a small bottle of mysterious candy to treat the issue.
It had been a beautiful misunderstanding.
And so… Those three guys still held a grudge about it!
"Tomorrow is the Apparition exam. I wonder if I'll be able to pass," Lee Jordan said nonchalantly as he propped his chin on his hand and flipped through some documents, casually chatting about the upcoming Apparition exam.
"Why do we have to take the Apparition exam during Easter?" Fred whispered in complaint. "Can't they wait until after the holiday is over?"
"Others don't have an Easter holiday," Albert replied without looking up from his work. "For them, this is just a regular workweek. Besides, most sixth-year students start practicing Apparition in early February and need to complete twelve lessons, so the exam is scheduled for the 23rd. We finished our twelfth lesson today, and tomorrow we'll head to Hogsmeade for special training and take the Apparition exam while we're at it."
"What about the students who went home for Easter?" George mumbled.
"Those who don't want to take the exam don't have to. We're all adults now, and it's time to understand how the adult world works. No one will coddle us anymore," George explained softly, glancing at his twin brother.
Indeed, Fred was still a bit naive compared to George, who was the more mature of the Weasley twins.
The girls around them frowned, understanding that George was right. They, too, realized that they were no longer children and that some things couldn't be taken lightly.
Except for a select few whose lives were already secured by prospective spouses, most of them would have to forge their own paths after graduation—a fact that made the girls envious of Isabelle, whose future was secure, and who was also an exceptional individual in her own right, a true winner in life.
As the girls indulged in their envy, a Beauxbatons student entered the library, causing a brief stir among the students working on their holiday assignments.
"I hope you don't mind if I take a little of your time," Yanira said as she approached Albert, speaking in a gentle tone. She wasn't concerned about the others eavesdropping, as most of them probably wouldn't understand Spanish anyway.
"What's the matter?" Albert put down his quill and looked up at the beautiful girl who had persistently pestered him throughout the semester and still hadn't given up.
"I have something I need to take care of, and I'll have to leave early. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see you win the championship. Remember to send me some photos of your triumphant moment," Yanira said, still smiling, but her tone carried a hint of resignation and melancholy.
Albert raised his eyebrows slightly and kindly reminded her, "Madame Maxime won't be happy if she hears you say that."
"Facts can be hard to change sometimes," Yanira shrugged. "And Madame Maxime has already given up on the idea of winning. Before I leave, I wanted to ask if we could be friends and correspond by mail. To be honest, I don't have many friends, and even fewer who I can truly connect with."
Yanira looked at Albert expectantly, afraid that he would reject her offer.
"That sounds fine to me," Albert didn't refuse, although he suspected her motives weren't entirely pure. However, he didn't mind, as he assumed they wouldn't have the chance to meet again anytime soon, and it was nice to maintain a friendship.
"I'll write to you when I get back, and I expect a reply," the girl said. She seemed to want to give him a farewell hug, but in the end, she settled for a handshake.
"What did she want?"
After Yanira left, the curious girls who had been eavesdropping eagerly asked for details.
"She came to say goodbye. She has something to take care of and will be leaving early," Albert explained to the girls who were staring at him.
"I'm starting to see the benefits of learning a foreign language," George joked. "You can chat openly without worrying about others eavesdropping."
"Get back to your holiday homework!" Albert continued to focus on his assignments, determined to finish them quickly and free up some time for himself. It was a rare holiday, and he didn't want to spend it all on schoolwork.
The next morning, the sixth-year students who were of age gathered in the Entrance Hall before collectively heading to Hogsmeade for the so-called special training.
How special could it be?
The students soon found out that they would no longer be restricted to practicing Apparition within the confines of a silly wooden hoop but would be allowed to Apparate on the streets of Hogsmeade itself.
This revelation left the students who had expected the special training to be more interesting than Apparating into a wooden hoop feeling underwhelmed.
The Heads of Hogwarts naturally accompanied the students to Hogsmeade to prevent any more incidents of students splitting into two.
Many students, despite completing the twelve lessons, still struggled to master Apparition and frequently experienced splitting during practice.
As soon as they arrived in Hogsmeade, they were met by Wilkie Twycross, who gathered them together and led them to the outskirts of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. There, they were instructed to carefully observe their surroundings.
For Apparition, witches and wizards needed to have a clear mental image of their destination, and the area outside the tea shop was the designated location for the students' Apparition exam.
Albert attempted the Apparition twice and achieved perfect results both times. Not wanting to take up more practice time from the other students, he took the pamphlet titled "Common Apparition Errors and How to Avoid Them" that Wilkie Twycross had distributed and engaged Professor Flitwick in a conversation about incorporating Apparition into duels and countering other witches and wizards who used Apparition.
"Those who are proficient in Apparition often like to do that," Professor Flitwick commented, implying that he had done some research on the subject of using Apparition in combat.
"Because there's a brief pause after Apparition?" Albert asked.
"Yes, there's a period of buffering required after Apparating, so most witches and wizards use Apparition to dodge attacks rather than initiate them," the professor explained. "Especially if you're performing multiple, rapid Apparitions, there's a high chance of splitting, and splitting during a duel can be fatal."
Professor Flitwick cautioned, "So, when dueling with others, never take unnecessary risks. That's just asking for trouble and putting your life in jeopardy."
Albert had seemingly tried it, but he did not exhibit the splitting effect, which could be attributed to his advancement of the Disillusionment Charm to Level 4.
"Also, most skilled wizards know how to counter another's Disapparating act," Professor Flitwick added. "If you rely too heavily on Disillusionment, you may find yourself at a severe disadvantage. For instance, if someone casts Avada Kedavra at you, and you try to Disapparate to dodge, only to find your spell countered, the consequences could be fatal. Of course, not many can achieve that level of proficiency, and highly capable wizards can even trace your Disillusionment trail to locate you."
Professors McGonagall and Sprout, who had been chatting quietly, furrowed their brows and turned their attention to Albert and Professor Flitwick, who were deep in discussion about incorporating Disillusionment into duels.
The four Heads of Houses were actually quite bored, having come along merely as a precaution.
Snape glared irritably at Albert, who was engrossed in conversation with Professor Flitwick about dueling techniques, before shifting his gaze back to the students practicing Disillusionment.
The training lasted only an hour, after which everyone headed to the Three Broomsticks for a drink. Wilkie Twycross also distributed a pamphlet from the Ministry of Magic titled "Common Disillusionment Errors and How to Avoid Them."
Albert and a handful of outstanding students received high praise from Wilkie Twycross, who essentially assured them that they would undoubtedly succeed in their Disillusionment exam.
Indeed, Albert breezed through the exam with ease. The test required him to Disapparate from the padded spot at the entrance of Hogwarts to a designated area outside Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop.
Of course, the marked area was larger than the wooden hoop they had been practicing with.
Ministry employees kept a close eye on both ends, and any instance of splitting or failure to reach the predetermined destination would result in a failed exam.
It was quite common for minuscule parts of the body to split during Disillusionment, but the most absurd case was that of a Hufflepuff girl who ended up who-knows-where after Disapparating.
Thankfully, Professor Flitwick managed to trace her Disillusionment trail and bring her back.
She had apparently reappeared several miles away.
By the end of the exam, only about half of the students had passed. Many who failed due to losing strands of hair, fingernails, or eyelashes grumbled under their breath, cursing the Apparition examiners who had disqualified them.
The examiners remained unfazed, evidently accustomed to such grumblings. They merely glanced at the disgruntled students and announced that the Apparition Testing Center would be issuing Apparition licenses before the holidays, instructing those who had passed to patiently await their turn.
"I didn't expect it to be this easy," Fred remarked cheerfully.
"Once you get your so-called license, your use of Disillusionment will be monitored to some extent," Albert suddenly interjected.
"Monitored?" The people around him turned to Albert, surprised by this revelation.
"Yes, monitored," Albert confirmed. "But it won't be as stringent as the Trace on underage wizards. It targets a large group, and whenever someone Disapparates, the Ministry will be aware that a wizard has Disapparated and will have a general idea of their location. That's what my source at the Ministry told me, anyway."
Of course, powerful blocking charms could counteract this surveillance, unlike the Trace on underage wizards, which was virtually impenetrable.
The reason such measures were effective was largely due to the fact that very few people were aware of them.
Albert was simply sharing this information as a word of caution.
"I never knew there were such secrets," Alicia said curiously. "How did you come to know about this?"
"A friend at the Ministry mentioned it to me," Albert shrugged.
"The Ministry always has their hands in these sorts of sneaky business," he continued. "I'm just curious as to why they didn't use this method to locate Sirius Black."
"Because they couldn't," Albert replied. "They had no idea where he was."
"Tell us more about these Ministry secrets!" Diggory cut in, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. He intended to join the Ministry after graduation and was eager to learn more about its inner workings.
"Alright, then. I'll share some of the secrets I'm privy to," Albert said, and then dropped a bombshell. "The Minister of Magic is elected, right? But in most cases, the position goes to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The elections are mostly a sham, designed to give people the illusion that they're participating in the selection process."
Everyone was stunned into silence. They had never imagined that the election of the Minister of Magic was fraught with such corruption.
"It's quite normal, actually," Albert continued. "The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is the largest and most important department in the British Ministry of Magic. With the exception of the Department of Mysteries, all other departments are essentially under the command of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Therefore, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is typically the most competitive candidate for the Minister of Magic position and usually secures the role. Bartemius Crouch Sr. once held that position and was the top contender for Minister of Magic, but he lost due to certain circumstances. After Cornelius Fudge took office, Crouch was transferred to the Department of International Magical Cooperation because he had to make way for the new candidate. Barring any unforeseen events, Amelia Bones will be the next Minister of Magic."
This was indeed one of the reasons why Amelia Bones was later killed by Voldemort.
The second reason was that her brother, Edgar Bones, was a member of the Order of the Phoenix and died fighting against Voldemort. Being inherently opposed to Voldemort, Amelia's death was a preemptive strike to prevent any potential complications. The formidable Bartemius Crouch had already proven to be a thorn in Voldemort's side, and a Minister Amelia Bones would have been an even greater threat.
Hermione's eventual rise to the position of Minister also followed this path through the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
As for Rufus Scrimgeour's ascension, it was largely due to his role as the Head of the Auror Office, the largest department within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Following Amelia Bones' death, the Ministry had not yet selected a new Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Fudge had been ousted from power. With Dumbledore once again refusing the position, the Ministry urgently needed a strong and decisive Minister to address the mounting issues and ensure everyone's safety. Thus, Scrimgeour, a hardliner, stepped into the role.
This also explained why Fudge held such a grudge against Dumbledore. When Fudge attempted to smear Dumbledore's reputation, he had an entire cohort of supporters aiding him, going so far as to strip Dumbledore of his title as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and besmirching his name. Their primary motive was to prevent Dumbledore, who enjoyed immense popularity, from seizing power and unseating Scrimgeour.
After all, Dumbledore's influence was such that he could have easily assumed the position if he so desired, rendering Scrimgeour's role irrelevant.
(End of Chapter)
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