aircannonsinc Chapter 258: Neither an offer of amnesty nor a proclamation
Chapter 258: Neither an offer of amnesty nor a proclamation
Chapter 258: Neither an offer of amnesty nor a proclamation
Now, Scrimgeour, sent by Wizengamor and the Ministry of Magic, came to deliver a message, but it was not to offer amnesty or persuade them to surrender, which was quite strange.
Harry thought to himself: If they're not trying to recruit him, they must be determined to fight to the death.
Sending my brother here, could it be a deliberate act to provoke me into speaking ill of him, so that I might kill him and find a legitimate reason to attack him?
He thought for a moment, then said loudly, "Brother, please speak freely. We are brothers, why beat around the bush?"
Upon hearing this, Scrimgeour took a deep breath and said, "Wiseengamor and the Ministry of Magic will issue a joint public statement tonight, saying that it was the Death Eaters who attacked Hogsmeade Square."
The words had barely left his lips when the secret room erupted in a cacophony of buzzing discussions. It was like the crackling of frying chicken cutlets and sautéing cured meat.
The students' expressions kept changing as they whispered among themselves, gossiping about everything.
"Do these guys at the Ministry of Magic think we're Death Eaters? Does that mean we don't need to fight?"
"Don't be silly, how could they be that stupid?"
"This is definitely a trap!"
Everyone was talking at once, making noise and no conclusion could be reached.
Even Dumbledore frowned, staring intently at Scrimgeour.
Harry pondered these words for a while, his doubts growing stronger. He said, "Brother, are you really telling the truth? It sounds like those Wizengamot bastards are using a trick to fool me!"
"Yes, that's what I thought at first too." Scrimgeour sighed for a moment, then suddenly said seriously, "But the Ministry of Magic is holding a press conference tonight."
"Wiseengamor has decided to amend the Law Against the Abuse of Magic, lifting the ban on twenty-eight types of dark magic, including the three Unforgivable Curses."
"You should know that the Ministry of Magic has detected that you have used twenty-eight types of recorded dark magic."
Upon hearing this, Harry's brows furrowed, and he remained silent for a long time.
But Dumbledore, unusually, brought out a bottle of vodka, filled a glass himself, took a sip, and then said, "So, they're planning to release Harry without charge?"
"They didn't say it explicitly."
Scrimgeour shrugged and glanced at the students around him, each wielding a knife and staff. "But for that reason, I can't think of any other reason why the sages would call those students in the square Death Eaters."
"It is obvious that the sages are deliberately covering up the truth."
He finished speaking, and Harry and Dumbledore remained silent, each sipping their drinks, their faces showing hesitation.
Seeing this, Scrimgeour clenched his fist even tighter and said abruptly, "Harry, although I don't know what the sages and the minister are thinking, I sincerely hope we don't come to this."
He gestured towards the Boxer Rebellion heroes, saying, "These children are the future of the magical world; they shouldn't die because of pointless infighting."
"We need to unite and fight against the Mysterious Man together, instead of falling apart before he can make a move against us."
Harry ignored Scrimgeour's words and instead gave Ron a wink.
Ron understood, grabbed a bottle of wine from the table, smiled broadly, moved to Scrimgeour's side, grabbed his sleeve, and pulled him aside.
"Can you tell me about the Aurors, Mr. Scrimgeour?"
"My biggest dream when I was a child was to become an Auror —"
Once he and Scrimgeour were far away, Harry summoned Hermione and began arguing with Dumbledore.
Harry poured the two men a full glass of wine and asked, "The Ministry of Magic sent someone with a message, neither offering amnesty nor declaring war, but instead trying to put on an act of peace and prosperity. What do you and the Professor think?"
Normally, these two wise men, one old and one young, could expound a profound truth in just a few words.
But now they all sit silently, not uttering a single word.
Harry pressed her twice more before Hermione hesitated and said, "I think—this sounds like a conspiracy."
"Even if they don't pursue your misuse of dark magic—Harry, don't forget you killed several sages, which was a blatant act of contempt and provocation against Wizengamor."
"How could they possibly be truly willing to let you go?"
Harry nodded after hearing this, then turned to Dumbledore and asked, "What does the professor think?"
"That's strange."
Dumbledore rubbed his temples and sighed repeatedly. "In fact, since last summer, I've been able to sense that Wizengamot has gradually become unfamiliar."
"I once suspected they were under some kind of Imperius curse, but I couldn't detect any trace of magic in their bodies—"
Harry, annoyed by his rambling, snapped, "If it can't be detected, then it's just how it is."
"These scoundrels are no longer family, so dwelling on those past grievances is pointless. Haven't you heard: what's past cannot be changed, but the future can still be shaped?"
After listening, Dumbledore pondered for a moment before saying softly, "It wouldn't be too late to discuss this after they make their statement at the press conference, would it?"
As the group was discussing, a languid female voice suddenly floated down from mid-air, "Albus is right, war is the process of achieving an objective, not the result."
Harry looked up and saw the figure, then quickly cupped his hands and exclaimed, "Oh! Sister, when did you arrive? Why didn't you let me know first?"
""
Rowena floated down to Harry's side, crossed her legs, and said, "Whenever that Ministry of Magic messenger arrived, that's when I arrived."
She was a rare and quick-witted person, and now that she was here, Harry couldn't possibly miss the opportunity. He quickly bowed and asked, "Sister, what are your thoughts on this matter? I would be very grateful for your guidance."
Rowena waved her hand. "I wouldn't call it guidance; I'm just a little curious about these so-called sages of Wizengamo."
"If they really intend to let you go, that can only mean one thing."
"They're not targeting you as a person, but your behavior."
Harry was even more confused. "Sister, what you're saying is confusing me. Have I done something to offend those birdmen?"
"Ah, it's just a guess."
Rowena was about to reach out and ruffle Harry's hair when she noticed the many people around her, and quickly suppressed the thought, only pursing her lips.
"They probably have some kind of principle or doctrine, which we'll call 'ultimate.'"
Everything they do is to get infinitely closer to, to achieve the "ultimate."
"Your past actions have distanced you further from the ultimate goal, so Visengam is going to put you on trial and stop your actions."
"But things are different now. They've found that your continued freedom and independence are more helpful for them as they approach their ultimate goal."
Harry was even more puzzled after hearing this, and said, "What kind of big schemes could those birdmen from Wizengamo have? I've swallowed my anger and killed their people."
Rowena shrugged. "Who knows? Highly skilled wizards are all eccentric; no one can understand what they're thinking."
After her advisors had said all they needed to say, Hermione glanced at Harry, gave his leg a gentle squeeze, and asked meaningfully, "Harry, what are your thoughts?"
"You need to know that ultimately, you are the one in charge."
Harry held the silver cup for a moment, then tilted his head back and drank the wine in one gulp. He let out a long sigh and said, "In that case, I'll do you a favor, Brother Scrimgeour."
Why would this scarred man give up his idea of rebellion? It turns out that he not only listened to his advisors' words, but also had his own plans in mind.
Firstly, although there are many brothers and sisters in the group, most of them are still children. Apart from those younger children, half of them are actually capable of fighting. It would be better to keep a low profile and conserve their energy.
Secondly, although Naskellinger was ostracized by Fudge, he was still a loyal subject at heart.
If a fight were to break out, they would first have to face the Aurors. Those people are seasoned veterans; if they clashed head-on, many of their brothers would surely suffer heavy losses.
Thirdly, the actions of the bird sages of Wizengamot are truly astonishing. If what Rowena said is true, and they are secretly plotting something enormous, could it be related to the law of equilibrium? Dumbledore needs to investigate this further.
Having made up his mind, Harry called Scrimgeour over and said, "While I don't trust the Ministry of Magic or those birdmen from Wizengamot, I do trust my brother. Since you've offered your advice, I'll do you a favor."
"Now the lives of hundreds of brothers and sisters in our Boxer Rebellion are all in your hands."
When Scrimgeour first heard that Harry was willing to make peace, a huge weight lifted from his heart. But when he heard the words "a thousand heads are at stake," his nerves, which had just relaxed, tightened up again instantly.
He laughed and said, "Harry, I'm just an office manager. How could I say I can protect all of your lives?"
"Of course, you also need to be careful. If this is just a trap, don't fall into it."
Harry's eyes lit up, and he pressed on, "So, you're saying my brother would rather I rebel?"
Scrimgeour's expression froze for a moment, then he quickly said, "Of course not! Harry, I think you might have misunderstood me," "So you mean I should just stand there and wait for them to come and get it?"
The man's face was contorted in a grimace, his expression one of deep anguish. "Of course, that's not what I meant—"
"Neither left nor right works! What does my brother want from me? You've completely confused me!"
Scrimgeour was truly caught in a dilemma, unable to speak of it or remain silent, like a mute swallowing bitter herbs. His stomach was churning with bitterness, yet he couldn't utter a single drop.
Seeing that he was stammering and unable to speak, Harry suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Brother, don't be offended! I was just playing a trick on you!"
Having said that, he ordered his men to reheat the wine, and he and Scrimgeour drank several cups together. After they finished drinking, he saw him out the door.
Scrimgeour left Hogwarts and went straight to Hogsmeade.
As they approached the village entrance, they saw two Aurors guarding the area. Upon seeing Scrimgeour, the two men quickly bowed and said, "Good morning, boss."
Are you going to see the minister?
Scrimgeour nodded in confusion, then glanced around the village. He saw Aurors guarding the main roads and paths with staffs in hand, and frowned, asking, "To seal off Hogsmeade? Who gave that order?"
"Of course it's the minister," Auror on the left said helplessly. "He's afraid Mr. Potter will come back to kill us."
The Auror on the right also sighed, "If he really comes back, I'm willing to hand over the minister."
Scrimgeour's face darkened. He gestured for the two of them to be quiet and strode towards the Three Brooms Bar.
When we were still more than ten steps away from the shop door, we could hear Fudge's penis coming out from inside.
"I'm not exaggerating, wise men, Potter is a complete madman!"
"Even if we let him go, he will definitely find a way to take revenge on us."
"He killed several sages!"
Just then, Scrimgeour burst through the door.
A sage glanced at him sideways, then turned to Fudge and said, "This is Wisengamour's decision; you simply need to obey."
"Of course, your concerns are indeed valid. I will give you a satisfactory answer later."
"Minister Fookie, you can go and rest now."
Fudge looked resentful, glared at Scrinker, and then slammed the door and left.
"Well then, Director Scrinker."
All the wise men in the bar turned to look at Scrimgeour, and an old woman stepped forward and asked, "What was Mr. Potter's answer?"
Scrimgeour took a deep breath and recounted the events that unfolded in the secret chamber in detail, omitting only the part about his private conversation with Harry.
After he finished speaking, the wise men whispered among themselves, their expressions filled with relief. The old woman at the head of the group clapped her hands and laughed, "You've worked hard, Director Scrinker. I think you can go and rest now."
Scrimgeour remained rooted to the spot, asking, "So, is this a trap?"
"A scheme to bring Mr. Potter back."
The wise men were all taken aback upon hearing this. After a moment of silence, they heard a few low, mocking laughs, which continued closely.
"Oh, Director Scrimgeour, your imagination is a bit too vivid." The old woman flicked her wand, and the bar door opened on its own. "Wessengamo wouldn't stoop to such despicable means."
Upon hearing this, Scrimgeour felt relieved, bowed slightly to the assembled sages, and left the bar.
That night, Fudge indeed held a press conference in the Ministry of Magic's main hall.
Reporters from dozens of newspapers gathered, numbering over a hundred, filling the hall to the brim; it was so crowded you couldn't even get a needle in a hole.
Harry and Hermione also used illusion magic to change their appearances, disguising themselves as reporters and blending into the crowd. The two of them huddled together, shoulder to shoulder, determined to hear what Fudge had to say.
Don't think he's putting himself in danger; you should know the principle of survival through peril.
What if this press conference is just a pretext, while they secretly send people to raid Hogwarts' lair? Wouldn't that ruin the whole plan?
Therefore, one must see and hear for oneself to be truly at ease.
Hermione stood on tiptoe and looked around. People were packed tightly together on all sides. She was pushed and shoved until she was pressed against Harry's chest, almost unable to breathe.
She leaned close to Harry's ear and said, "The security is very tight, and Scrimgeour is there too. I think it's probably true."
Harry remained calm, only lowering his head and speaking in a hushed tone, as he whispered in her ear, "If it's fake, it doesn't matter. There are professors and brothers guarding that school, but the Ministry of Magic doesn't have that many heroes."
"I will surely slaughter them all at that time."
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