In another direction, Amos held Cedric in his arms with an affectionate expression and asked through his tears, “Cedric, my dear son, are you alright? The Alliance didn’t harm you, did they?”

Cedric shook his head in response to his father’s question.

Rufus approached them and inquired, “Amos, I believe we should first find out why Mr. Cedric, instead of being at Hogwarts, ended up in London.”

Upon hearing Rufus’ question, Amos quickly asked Cedric for an explanation.

Cedric calmly explained, “I received a letter from my father, and I felt I needed to do something. I couldn’t stand by at Hogwarts while my father was fighting here. So, I discreetly used the secret passage from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, and from there, I Floo Networked to London. I just didn’t expect to be spotted by the witch as soon as I approached the battlefield.”

Upon hearing Cedric’s explanation, Amos embraced him again, profoundly moved by his son’s actions.

In Cedric’s heart, he silently begged for his father’s forgiveness, knowing he had lied to protect the innocent wizards.

The other Ministry of Magic wizards present were equally touched by Cedric’s response, especially when they heard about the secret passage at Hogwarts.

Many of them shared knowing smiles.

Fudge also approached them with a warm smile and praised them, “As expected of an outstanding Hogwarts student! Aware of the dangers here, yet still rushing to contribute your strength. Amos, you have a remarkable son! Cedric, you are the future of the British Ministry of Magic!”

“Cedric, I eagerly await your early graduation from Hogwarts. The British Ministry of Magic will be honored to have you!” Fudge added.

Fudge’s admiration for Cedric continued to grow.

He recognized that this young man’s unexpected appearance had significantly influenced the unfolding events.

Saving the life of an innocent teenager was a political act in itself, and it aligned perfectly with Fudge’s political correctness.

Fudge concluded, “Amos, please accompany Cedric for now. He must have been through a lot and needs to return to Hogwarts as soon as possible. I wouldn’t want Headmaster Dumbledore to come looking for him. I’ll arrange for someone to take care of it. Haha!”

With those words, Fudge left with the other wizards to attend to their responsibilities at the scene.

Only Rufus, when leaving, cast a lingering and scrutinizing look at Cedric while the rest of the wizards bid farewell to the brave young man.

Meanwhile, Abernathy and Rosier met in a corner after handling the Alliance’s members.

Rosier waved his wand, causing an invisible in the air, and suddenly the Lovegoods and Rita Skeeter appeared before them.

The two reporters, who had witnessed the day’s events, realized that the Alliance hadn’t forgotten them even after the battle.

Abernathy, without wasting time, got straight to the point. “We hope that news of today’s battle will spread quickly throughout the wizarding world. However, we don’t want the details to be widely known. Do you understand?”

While Xenophilius appeared puzzled, Rita nodded and replied, “I understand your point. You want the world to know that the Alliance initiated a full-scale battle against the British Ministry of Magic and then left. Is that correct?”

Abernathy nodded in satisfaction, and Rosier, endorsing Rita’s statement, said, “Exactly.”

After Abernathy and Rosier left, Rita and Xenophilius exchanged glances and breathed sighs of relief.

***

Towards evening, Dumbledore finally received an owl-delivered letter.

After reading it, he handed the letter to Grindelwald, who was beside him.

Grindelwald read the letter first and then allowed Dumbledore to read it.

The letter, signed by Arthur Weasley, contained important information.

While Grindelwald read the letter, Dumbledore shared his thoughts, “After today, I believe many wizards will remember the fear caused by the Alliance. I fear that your former subordinates will be under scrutiny by various Ministry of Magic departments worldwide.”

Grindelwald, however, smiled with disdain and seemed uninterested in responding to Dumbledore’s statement.

Noticing this, Dumbledore continued, “Nonetheless, there is a silver lining. They may be safer for a while, as today’s events will serve as a reminder. However, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of further attacks.”

This time, Grindelwald shook his head slowly and replied with deep conviction, “No, Dumbledore, you are mistaken. The moment they attacked Wentworth marked the resurgence of the war. They know the way Alliance works. Some things must be done without hesitation. They won’t stop.”

As Dumbledore spoke to Grindelwald, a group of foreign wizards had rented an abandoned house in Hogsmeade that had long been uninhabited by wizards.

Once they had moved their boxes into the house, a blonde woman named Christine, who had been in London not long ago, entered her suitcase and, after a brief moment, brought out a middle-aged man bound and gagged.

With the middle-aged man on the table, a wizard pointed his wand at him while Christine said, “Thomas Vole, don’t think we haven’t given you a chance. Now, do as we say!”