At that moment, another violent explosion reverberated.
Observing this, Thomas immediately struggled to stand up and anxiously addressed Minister Fudge, “Minister, we must leave! The British Ministry of Magic can do without me, but not without you! Allow me to shield you from another spell using my weakened body!”
Being an adept politician, Minister Fudge, in such circumstances, felt deeply moved upon hearing Thomas’ words.
Simultaneously, not far from St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Injuries and Infections, Wentworth, Cassandra, and others quietly observed the events unfolding in the hospital.
Upon witnessing the Alliance’s incursion into the hospital as planned, Cassandra suddenly spoke to Wentworth beside her, “Wentworth, isn’t the line you wrote to my father a bit too much? It’s repulsive to hear! I question whether my father would even say such a thing!”
Hearing Cassandra’s concerns, Wentworth smiled confidently, raised his eyebrows at Cassandra, and replied, “Cassandra, you underestimate your father! Remember, your father was once the head of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic!”
Cassandra regarded Wentworth with suspicion, questioning, “So what? What does that mean?”
Wentworth clarified, “What does it mean? I’m not sure if your father is the best Auror among the wizards of the British Ministry of Magic. However, your father must be the most skilled politician among the Aurors of the British Ministry of Magic!”
Despite Wentworth’s explanation, Cassandra maintained a skeptical expression.
However, at that moment, Wentworth sighed and remarked, “Instead of concerning ourselves with your father, let’s focus on Fudge now! How come that Scrimgeour guy hasn’t arrived yet? If he continues to dawdle, it might genuinely be a hindrance! We can’t approach Fudge and let him go, can we? That would seem a bit too contrived!”
While speaking, Wentworth scanned the surroundings as if searching for Scrimgeour’s presence.
With a hint of suspicion, Wentworth muttered to himself, “That Scrimgeour fellow, is he perhaps hiding somewhere, observing in secret, waiting for us to eliminate Fudge so he can step in to clean up the mess?”
While conversing, the door of St. Mungo’s Magical Hospital, accompanied by the distinctive sound of “pop,” revealed the Apparition of numerous Aurors in the view of Wentworth and others through their phantom migration.
Leading them was Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the British Ministry of Magic’s Auror Office.
A wave of relief washed over Wentworth upon spotting Scrimgeour’s arrival.
Simultaneously, the other wizards and witches at St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Injuries also took notice of Scrimgeour and the British Aurors.
Witnessing this, Carrow urgently exclaimed with a sense of loyalty, “Are you not afraid of messing with the top dogs of the British Ministry of Magic? They’ve brought in reinforcements!”
Following this, Carrow energetically waved and declared, “These British Ministry of Magic folks are up to no good; let’s retreat for now! We’ll settle this score sooner or later!”
Subsequently, Carrow intended to withdraw towards the rear of St. Mungo’s Magical Hospital along with the Alliance party.
Observing the situation, Scrimgeour directed the incoming Aurors to engage in combat while making plans to pursue Carrow and the others. “What are you waiting for? The enemies are retreating because we have the upper hand! Push forward!”
Hearing his command, the other Aurors, as if being possessed by another being, started exuding an aura of confidence as they charged in wildly while firing their spells at the Alliance.
At this moment, within the confines of a ward at St. Mungo’s Magical Hospital, Fudge and his companions rejoiced, celebrating the safety of their group. T
hey were on the brink of popping open a champagne bottle for a well-deserved celebration.
However, amidst the jubilation, Thomas spoke in a hushed tone, injecting a note of caution, “Scrimgeour is still a bit green! If it were me, I’d assemble a group to guard this ward right away. We should be wary of the Alliance’s potential hidden moves and anticipate the possibility of them employing a surprise attack. This could be part of their plan to divert attention!”
He continued, “Although Director Scrimgeour is eager to make contributions, it’s understandable that he might not consider this at the moment.”
As Thomas shared his insights, Fudge observed Scrimgeour’s actions outside.
Recalling Thomas’ earlier willingness to act as a shield against curses, Fudge’s expression shifted to one of unease.
Upon hearing Fudge’s command, Umbridge swiftly exited the room to convey the urgent request to Scrimgeour.
Meanwhile, Scrimgeour, despite feeling a sense of regret and dissatisfaction, could not defy Fudge’s orders.
He watched as the Alliance retreated to the rear of St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Injuries and Injuries before vanishing through Apparition.
Later, Scrimgeour, guided by Umbridge, arrived at the ward to meet with Fudge.
Upon entering, he couldn’t help but voice his dissatisfaction, “Mr. Minister, just give me another half an hour! I am confident that I can apprehend the group of Alliance wizards.”
Fudge, concerned for the safety of Thomas, responded urgently, “We can’t afford to take any risks. Move Thomas to a secure location immediately. Our heroes from the British Ministry of Magic must not be exposed to the threat of the Alliance again!”
Upon entering the room, Scrimgeour’s immediate complaint prompted a cold response from Fudge. He expressed his concerns, suggesting, “Scrimgeour, are you so certain that the Alliance has no supporters? What if this is a ploy from their side? If, after you lead the Aurors away, the other party eliminates you and comes back for us, what then?”
Fudge’s words left Scrimgeour momentarily speechless.
Observing this, Fudge felt a surge of satisfaction. Shifting his attention to Thomas on the hospital bed, Fudge spoke with apparent warmth, “Thomas, take care of your injuries and recover quickly! Your respite won’t be lengthy; the British Ministry of Magic has more critical tasks awaiting you!”
Hearing how he was called by his first name, Thomas knew he was going back into the ranks of the Ministry of Magic after wasting it on taking care of menial paper tasks and the Floo networks.
Grateful for the encouragement, Thomas expressed his thanks repeatedly. “Thank you, thank you so much, Minister Fudge. I will remember this till the day I die!”
Simultaneously, Wentworth and the others, who had been quietly observing the events near St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Injuries, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After wiping the sweat off his temple, Wentworth said, “Alright, this time, the plan is halfway successful.”
Curious, Cedric promptly inquired, “What do you mean by ‘half successful’?”
Wentworth clarified, “As long as the plan has reached this point, and Mr. Vole doesn’t mess things up on his own, his standing in the Ministry of Magic is bound to rise after he’s discharged from the hospital. Our next task is to ensure that Mr. Vole sits exactly where we want him to.”
Although Cedric, Cassandra, and Green appeared puzzled, Wentworth smiled without elaborating.
Instead, he turned to Auston nearby and stated, “Let’s go. Lead the way, Auston. Our next destination is Malfoy Manor! We need to pay a visit to a certain Slytherin friend.”