stjorthotic Chapter 281 Helper
Chapter 281 Helper
Chapter 281 Helper (5.2K) (1/2)
"Where?! Where is he at Hogwarts?!" Lupin asked almost without thinking, his voice sharp with urgency.
If Peter is really still alive, really here, he must know immediately!
However, Lin Qi slowly shook his head: "I can't tell you that for now."
"Why?!"
"To clear Sirius's name, we need to leave the Ministry of Magic with no room for argument."
Lupin couldn't understand: "If Peter is really still alive, he is the most direct and irrefutable evidence to clear Sirius's name!"
"You really think so?" Lynch's lips curled into an almost mocking smile. He looked at Lupin, his eyes sharp. "Remus, your more than ten years of wandering, besides honing your fighting instincts and ability to seize opportunities, don't seem to have brought you much improvement in your understanding of power and bureaucracy. Do you really think that as long as you take Peter to those officials in the Ministry of Magic, they will weep and admit their mistakes, then immediately release Sirius and award him the Order of Merlin?"
Lupin was speechless for a moment, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.
He knew all too well what it was like to deal with officials at the Ministry of Magic, from the lowest to the highest levels—a system of buck-passing, rigidity, and a willingness to ignore any truth in order to save face and, damn it, maintain "stability." This was especially true of the Ministry of Magic under Fudge's leadership.
A hero who has been "dead" for twelve years suddenly becomes a traitor?
This would be an unprecedented scandal for the Ministry of Magic!
They will absolutely do everything in their power to question, deny, and even possibly silence Peter in order to maintain the "truth" they have been weaving for twelve years.
Seeing the knowing look and the darkness in Lupin's eyes, Lin Qi knew that he had understood.
Lupin was silent for a moment, then seemed to have thought of another hope. He raised his head and said with a hint of expectation, "Then we can ask Dumbledore for help! He will definitely believe that he has the ability to get the Ministry of Magic to—"
"Dumbledore?" Lynch interrupted him, his tone becoming more complex. "Unfortunately, his credibility isn't as high as you might think when it comes to Sirius Black."
Lupin was stunned.
Lynch continued, his voice low but each word clear: "When Sirius was imprisoned in Azkaban for twelve years, he chose to turn a blind eye. This was partly due to Sirius's self-exile and unwillingness to defend himself—a form of self-punishment. But it's also undeniable that Dumbledore, this elder who could have seen more and wielded immense influence, chose to ignore it. He lost trust in Sirius, and this breakdown of trust is a two-way street. Therefore, Dumbledore will know the truth, but only when everything is about to settle, when he can no longer interfere or must accept it. We must take the initiative; once the die is cast, he will naturally become our ally."
These words were like a heavy hammer, shattering Lupin's last illusions.
He fell silent again, a silence longer and heavier than ever before.
Lynch's words bluntly and bluntly revealed a fact that he had subconsciously ignored: after Sirius was captured by the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore did not continue to intervene and left Sirius to fend for himself.
After a long while, so long that even the light in the forest seemed to dim, Lupin finally raised his head. His eyes were filled with exhaustion, but even more so with a resolute acceptance of reality and a sliver of hope buried deep within.
He hoped Lynch was telling the truth—that Sirius hadn't betrayed them, but Peter Pettigrew had. Although betrayal was still bitter, the person who betrayed them had changed, and he seemed less burdened by it…
So he looked at Lynch and asked the most crucial question: "You've told me all this—what do you want me to do?"
He knew that Lynch would never reveal so much information to his "enemy" without a reason.
Seeing the final struggle and resolve in Lupin's eyes, Lynch knew he was wavering, and then revealed the real plan: "We've designed a stage, a place where the truth of the betrayal twelve years ago can be laid bare before the public. But to do this, the key is to lure Peter into the trap without warning. And we need you, Remus Lupin, to be the one who leads him into that trap."
Lupin stared intently at Lynch, trying to find any trace of deception in those unfathomable eyes. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "How can I be sure—this isn't a trap to capture me and Peter?"
Lin Qi did not answer directly, but smiled and casually waved his arm.
In an instant, the invisible shackles binding Lu Ping's entire body vanished like smoke.
Caught off guard, Lu Ping staggered as he suddenly lost his support before managing to regain his balance and move his somewhat stiff and numb limbs.
"If Peter was truly, as the world knows, a heroic and innocent martyr," Lynch's voice rang out again, carrying a persuasive logic, "then why, in the twelve years he lived, did he never seek out any of his former Order of the Phoenix comrades? Why did he act like a real criminal, hiding under an assumed name, even going so far as to cut off a finger to conceal himself?"
This question acted like a key, further unlocking the door to Lupin's doubts.
Then, Lynch slowly stepped forward, and under Lupin's wary gaze, he pinched the tip of the wand with his fingers and gently handed the old cypress wand to Lupin.
"And another thing," Lynch said calmly, yet with an undeniable and powerful confidence, "you are no different to me than Buckbeak just now. If I really wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need to beat around the bush like this. Do you agree?"
Lupin's gaze moved from Lynch's face to the wand in his hand, and then back to his calm eyes.
He remained silent, making his final decision.
Finally, he slowly reached out and took his wand.
When the familiar staff returned to his palm, he felt a complex sense of peace, but also a deeper understanding of the vast disparity in strength between them.
"What do I need to do?" Lupin asked, his question no longer an angry interrogation, but rather one tinged with a resigned solemnity, a readiness to participate.
Lynch's smile widened: "I'll tell you the specifics later. Be patient, Remus. I assure you, we will clear Sirius's name and make the real traitors pay the price."
Having said that, he seemed to have put the entire thrilling conversation behind him, and naturally reached out to brush away the non-existent dust from Lu Ping's shoulder, his gesture as casual as if he were treating a familiar old friend.
"Now," Lynch turned around, his tone returning to its usual calm, "let's set up the warning magic first. If we delay any longer, Professor McGonagall will get impatient."
He said no more, and strode on towards the depths of the Forbidden Forest and the borders of Hogwarts, as if none of the plots that had just taken place had ever happened.
Lupin stood there, watching Lynch's receding figure and feeling the cool touch of his wand.
He gripped the wand tightly, his knuckles turning white, then loosened it slightly, before finally gripping it firmly again.
He took a deep breath of the damp, cold forest air, forcibly suppressing all his shock, confusion, hesitation, and lingering fear, and started walking, silently following that unfathomable figure.
Lucius Malfoy locked himself in the office assigned to him by the Stone Tower Merchant Guild as vice president. It was much smaller than his study at Malfoy Manor and far from luxurious, but at this moment it became the tense central hub where he strategized.
The air was thick with the scents of old parchment, expensive ink, and a silent sense of unease.
The purchase list and supply contracts on the huge mahogany table were roughly pushed aside, replaced by an aerial view of his own manor's banquet hall, a lengthy guest list, and several carefully worded draft invitations awaiting his final review.
Choosing Malfoy Estate as the venue for the banquet was a well-considered decision.
First, within the Stone Tower Chamber of Commerce, there is currently a "struggle" (at least from the perspective of those pure-blood families).
Having gained the upper hand, the leader of the party that has secured the apparent advantage should naturally hold such an important banquet on his own turf.
This is both a demonstration of his strength and a confirmation of his status as a "victor".
Secondly, the manor's house-elves are completely under his control, and he personally arranged the security measures, which ensures that everything is foolproof and can better prevent unnecessary prying than at the Chamber of Commerce headquarters.
Most importantly, here he could create an atmosphere that perfectly suited the aesthetics of pure-blood nobles, silently telling all the guests—especially the officials of the Ministry of Magic and the people of the Daily Prophet—that even if there were "restless elements" like Reggie within the Chamber of Commerce, the true force that dictated the tastes of the upper class was still him, Lucius Malfoy, and the ancient family he represented.
Just now, he received a reply from Ludo Bagman, the director of the Department of Magical Sports—the guy readily accepted the invitation, his words filled with anticipation for the "fun" at the dinner and the possible "investment opportunities"—but this was far from enough to put Lucius at ease.
The real tough nuts to crack are the big shots in those core departments.
The quill nib hovered over the name "Connelly-Fudge" for a long time.
He tried to make an appointment three times, but was turned down each time by the minister's assistant on the grounds that "the minister is too busy with official duties to participate in social activities."
Fudge's evasive attitude was obvious. Under the dual pressure of Black's prison break and the Dementors' out-of-control behavior, he was instinctively wary of any activity that might divert his power or attract controversy, especially the Stone Tower Merchant Guild, an organization that had recently gained momentum and had an ambiguous background.
Lucius frowned, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table.
He had to make Fudge understand that missing this dinner party, which he, Lucius Malfoy, had spearheaded, meant potentially losing support from pure-blood families and emerging business powers, which would be a bad thing for his crumbling authority.
He needed a more subtle approach, perhaps by influencing officials in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, or—
His thoughts were interrupted by a rapid and impolite knocking on the door. Before he could respond, the door was pushed open.
Old Nott and Avery arrived together, both with obvious displeasure and a hint of accusation on their faces.
"Lucius," Avery spoke first, his voice deliberately low but barely concealing his anger, "we heard that, in order to curry favor with Reggie, you forcibly allocated 30% of the profits from that batch of crystals we 'negotiated' last time to a special banquet budget? Are you using all of our interests to pave the way for the Stone Tower Merchant Guild? When did you become so selfless?"
Old Nott chimed in menacingly, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Yes, Vice President Malfoy. We all know you're in a lot of power now and need to prove yourself, but there's no need to do it so—so unsightly, is there? Or have you already decided to completely side with Reggie and Lynch? Don't forget, we were able to get you to this position, and we can also—"
A surge of anger rose within Lucius, but his face was only covered with an even colder layer of frost.
He put down his quill, leaned back slightly, and swept his scrutinizing yet distant gaze over the two of them.
"Foolish." He uttered the word softly, but it made Avery and old Nott freeze in shock.
"You think I'm trying to curry favor with Reggie?" Lucius's voice carried a condescending sarcasm. "Open your eyes and see clearly! Fudge is like a frightened bird, suspicious of every little thing. The other directors in the ministry are all watching! If we can't put on a banquet that the entire Ministry of Magic can't ignore, if we can't demonstrate that our pure-blood family still controls the situation and resources, why should Reggie continue to respect us? And why should we have a say when it comes to dividing up the greater profits in the future?"
He picked up the draft dinner budget on the table, which was covered in revisions, and pointed his finger at the questioned "special funds".
"This money isn't a tribute to Reggie! It's leverage to sway Fudge, to win over those opportunists at the Daily Prophet, and to prove our influence to everyone! Without sufficiently VIP guests and an impeccable spectacle, this dinner is a joke! And we," he said sharply, looking at Nott, "along with our families, will become a laughingstock!"
Avery's eyes flickered, seemingly somewhat persuaded, but old Nott remained unconvinced: "Even so, the profits from that batch of crystals shouldn't be touched! We took a risk—"
"Risk?" Lucius interrupted him, his voice suddenly turning dangerous and low. "Nott, you're talking to me about risk? What about the five percent of the goods you secretly withheld from Warehouse 3 Knockturn Alley and disposed of through your family's underground channels? Do you think Reggie and his men are blind, or do you think I, Lucius Malfoy, am a fool you can easily manipulate?"
Old Nott's face instantly darkened. He thought he had done a good job of keeping things discreet, and he didn't know how Lucius and that damned Reggie had gotten the information.
Avery looked at Nott in shock, clearly unaware of the situation.
"That—that was before—" Nott tried to explain.
"There is no 'before'!" Lucius roared. "Until the new rules are clear, any unauthorized action is betrayal! A betrayal of our entire alliance! Reggie has already noticed the accounting issues. Why do you think he suddenly rewarded me with two run-down shops? That was a warning! A warning that I can't manage my men!"
He stood up, walked around the desk, and stood before Nott, his grey-blue eyes devoid of any warmth. "Now, I'm giving you two choices. First, immediately return what you've swallowed, with interest, to fill this hole. Your men who handled this know what to do—do it cleanly and efficiently, so everyone sees the consequences of breaking the rules. Second, you can continue your underhanded tactics, but I guarantee that the next time Reggie intervenes personally, the Nott family will face pressure from me, Lucius Malfoy. At that point, your losses will be far more than just a few Galleons."
Under Lucius's imposing aura, Nott gritted his teeth in anger, but finally nodded helplessly.
Now that they've been caught red-handed, and the situation is beyond their control, they have no choice but to swallow their anger for now.
Lucius snorted and turned to Avery: "Control your men, and control your temper. We're walking a tightrope right now. Any infighting or shortsightedness will lead to our demise. This banquet must succeed. It's not just about my reputation, Lucius Malfoy's reputation, but also about whether we can maintain and even enhance our rightful position and influence within the Chamber of Commerce, and indeed throughout the entire wizarding world. Understand?"
Avery took a deep breath, nodded, and looked at old Nott with disgust. He'd made money without even calling him! And he'd even come with him to cause trouble for Lucius.
"I understand, Lucius. I'll keep an eye on Nott and make sure he handles things properly."
After getting rid of these two troublesome people, Lucius felt utterly exhausted.
He not only had to deal with the omnipresent pressure and probing from Lynch's side, but also had to suppress those fools within his own ranks who only cared about their immediate interests.
He sat back down in his chair, his gaze falling on the setting sun outside the window, as shadows began to fall over Diagon Alley.
After a moment, he rallied and picked up the quill pen again.
He had to write several more "personal" private letters to the columnists of the Daily Prophet, hinting that there were some "exclusive news" and "GG collaborations" to discuss after the dinner. At the same time, he also needed to figure out how to bypass Fudge's assistant and convey the implications of the dinner directly to the Minister himself through "old friends" within the Ministry of Magic.
The lights came on, illuminating his pale, focused profile.
Lucius Malfoy felt like a commander at the center of a vortex, having to steer two colliding currents simultaneously—one from Reggie, Lynch, and others led by the Hangman, and the other from his arrogant and not entirely obedient pure-blood allies behind him.
He meticulously prepared this banquet not only to fulfill the task assigned by the hangman, but also to carve out a path for the Malfoy family, and for the pure-blood forces he himself represented, to maintain their dignity and power amidst the chaos.
He firmly believed that the humiliation before him was temporary. As long as he could use the Stone Tower Merchant Guild and the power of other pure-bloods to weave a new network of relationships for his family, and as long as the new network was dense and large enough, the Malfoy family would have the last laugh in any storm.
This dinner party was undoubtedly a perfect opportunity.
Therefore, he carefully considered every wording of the invitation, every seating arrangement, and even the selection of every dish. These were not only a reflection of his taste, but also a meticulous calculation and a silent display of his strength.