The Mitter family stands with Andre, and with you."
'In other words, aside from the silver wand on the other side, there's no guarantee that you're truly aligned with us.'
Alex grasped the implication behind Edmund's words.
Edmund spoke carefully, as expected from a member of the long-established Schmidt family.
Their influence in the German wizarding world spans business and politics, and they rarely express their positions outright.
Even facing death, they wouldn't state their stance plainly.
"We're just as outraged by what the silver wand did to the Schmidt family," Edmund continued.
"Director Andre chose to reveal the club's conspiracy to you because he doesn't want you to be deceived further, which would only tarnish the Schmidt family's reputation."
He added, "Right now, the silver wand Club is like a cancer in the German wizarding world. Until they're wiped out, Germany will keep suffering because of them.
The choice you make now will shape the future of our magical community."
Director Andre, who's always worked hard for the country's peace, stands firmly behind this belief and has been leading the fight.
Alex's point was clear: no matter how deeply the silver wand has infiltrated the Ministry of Magic, the Schmidt family shares some responsibility.
By standing up against them now, you're trying to make amends for past mistakes.
Moreover, this club could soon become Germany's greatest public enemy, and Andre, as the front-runner opposing the silver wand, must have earned a great reputation.
The sooner you connect with him, the more you stand to gain.
Frankly, this conversation between Alex and Edmund was an attempt to win over the Schmidt family, hoping they'd fully join his side.
After hearing Alex out, Edmund glanced at his younger brother Alan and silently nodded to himself.
The young man before them was no fool, he'd skillfully set them up with just a few words.
But as head of the family, Edmund had to think carefully.
They'd been burned by Pete's lies before and couldn't blindly trust Andre and Alex.
Still, with the evidence Andre provided, Edmund confirmed that the silver wand was responsible for his son's death.
That fact formed the foundation of their cooperation with Alex.
"I understand what you mean," he finally said.
Edmond nodded without giving much away, then shifted his tone.
"Alan and I will follow your plan for this operation. After the Phoenix avenges my beloved son, Shi Mi, the Te family will never forget the kindness shown by you and Director Andre."
Alex raised an eyebrow, mildly amused.
"Do you still need to see our methods with your own eyes before making up your mind? It's really foolproof."
He curled his lips slightly, feeling a bit exasperated.
He wasn't a fan of dealing with people who were so calculating.
Compared to straightforward folks like Moody, Hagrid, and Andre, these deep thinkers seemed much more complicated.
Andre, standing nearby, didn't pick up on the subtle exchange.
Instead, he kept urging, "Alex, Edmund and the others seem reasonable, and the time is almost upon us. Shouldn't we get started?"
"Alright, everyone, gather around. I'll quickly run through the details of the operation," Alex said without hesitation.
He moved to the dining table in the rental house and pulled out a special tactical map from his bag.
Everyone fell silent and gathered around the table.
Then Alex tapped his wand on the map, and a 3D projection of a house appeared.
Edmund and Alan had never seen such advanced magic before and were visibly surprised by the holographic image.
Yet, the Aurors around them remained calm and focused, clearly used to this kind of tech.
Alex ignored the newcomers and pointed at the projection.
"This townhouse is Phoenix's hideout in Germany, just over a hundred meters from our current location."
He continued, "It's important to note that because these row houses are connected side by side, Phoenix's hideout shares a wall with other Muggle homes. I checked the neighborhood beforehand, each house is occupied, which means civilians could be in danger once the fight starts."
After a brief overview of the outside, Alex tapped the projection again, slicing open the house to reveal the floor plan.
"I've done a thorough survey of the hideout. It has three floors plus a basement, with a master bedroom and four guest rooms. Each floor has a fireplace and is linked to the Floo Network."
Alex carefully explained the layout of the house to everyone, pointing out that Phoenix usually spent most of her time in the reception room on the second floor and the master bedroom on the third floor.
He added that she would probably rest in the bedroom on the third floor later.
He went over the location, orientation, and other important details of each room, especially focusing on the four people who would be responsible for the main battle.
When it came to tactical arrangements, Alex explained that their team needed to be split into two groups.
One group would handle the perimeter, which itself had to be divided into two parts: one guarding the streets in front of and behind the house.
Their job was to cast spells to keep Muggles away from the area and to prevent any stray spells or flying debris from the fight causing harm to the outside world.
As he said this, Alex gave a pointed look to the Aurors, emphasizing their crucial role in this part of the plan.
"Don't worry, you've seen their skills before. Defending won't be a problem," Andre reassured Alex, patting his chest confidently.
"Anyway, this time we're running a secret operation, so we have to keep it under wraps. If word gets out, we risk drawing a large number of Silver Wands reinforcements," Alex gave a serious warning.
Then he continued, "As for the other Auror team, once our main force launches the frontal attack, you need to move quickly into the houses on either side of the target's hideout and evacuate the Muggles living there. Use force if necessary."
"This has to be done quickly. Just two houses won't be enough to guarantee safety, we should try to control the entire row. And remember to erase their memories afterward," he added firmly.
"Also, to avoid tipping off the Phoenix, we can't evacuate them ahead of time. Your actions have to coincide exactly with our attack. Understood?"
Alex looked each Auror in the eye with a serious expression.
"Don't worry, it's just another 'door-breaking operation.' The targets are Muggles again, and we promise to keep the evacuation under one minute," one Auror said confidently.
"One minute?"
Edmond and Allen exchanged glances, surprised.
Their confidence.
What exactly was this 'door-breaking operation' they kept mentioning?
Andre hadn't shared much about the club with the Schmidt family, so they were left puzzled, and somehow felt these Aurors had been involved in some pretty intense stuff before.