Chapter 163: After the Upheaval
A few days later, in Ollivanders Wand Shop. Bright, warm sunlight streamed through the glass door, illuminating the interior. A gentle breeze made the shop sign swing softly. The street outside was once again full of the hustle and bustle of daily life. Cheerful people were sharing the story of what had happened with friends and family, boasting about how they had struck a blow for justice in the wizarding world, smiling as they departed under the admiring and slightly envious gazes of their relatives.
Wandmaker's Apprentice, Ryan Welles, was retrieving the day's newspaper at the behest of his boss, Mr. Ollivander. He was very interested in today's paper, as Ralvin had sent him a message telling him to wait for it.
Yesterday, he had returned to Hogwarts to teach. In his practical class, Harry Potter had excitedly recounted everything that had happened at the Ministry. He'd described the grand scale of the event, the new power he had gained, and had even thanked Ryan for asking him if he wanted power in the first place. Ryan had encouraged Harry, but also passed along a complaint from George and Fred: the Weasley twins had played an indelible role in Harry's daily dueling practice, and as a result, were now covered in bruises. They strongly requested that Harry find a new dueling partner, emphatically recommending Percy Weasley for the position. After class, Harry had left the classroom smiling.
"Harry's description was a bit vague, probably because he was a bit stage-struck at the time... And Ralvin has certainly learned how to build suspense..." Ryan murmured, unfolding the newspaper.
The text on the page was bright in the sunlight. It detailed a major reshuffle at the Ministry of Magic and the full story of the "great event" a few days prior.
Ministry Leadership Reshuffled:
...In light of the preceding factors, the entire staff of the Ministry of Magic has agreed to sign a motion temporarily suspending Mr. Fudge from his ministerial duties. By way of election, two acting Ministers and five Deputy Ministers have been chosen to jointly manage Ministry affairs in a new council format.
We give special thanks to the outstanding wizards who, disregarding their own safety and reputation, dedicated themselves to the prosperity and development of the Ministry. It is these wizards, who dared to confront Fudge's tyranny and expose the injustices in our society, who have pushed the Ministry to become better.
Therefore, by decision of the new Ministerial Council, a statue will be erected in the Ministry Atrium entitled: The Power of the People. It will serve as a warning to all Ministry staff and an encouragement to all wizards who hold justice in their hearts.
The paper went on to detail the lives and careers of the two acting Ministers and five Deputy Ministers.
Barty Crouch, the veteran politician who had once competed with Fudge for the position, had finally achieved his goal and become one of the acting Ministers, while also retaining his role as Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. However, due to the dark mark on his son's reputation, his influence was far less than that of the other acting Minister.
Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Office, had leaped to the top, becoming both an acting Minister and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The paper praised his iron-fisted and resolute style, noting his "indelible and outstanding contribution" to the peaceful resolution of the admonishment incident, preventing any casualties.
But the most eye-catching name among the seven was the former Deputy Head of Magical Transportation, Ralvin. A man in his early twenties, his promotion to Deputy Head just a year ago was already unprecedented. Now, after the reshuffle, Ralvin was a full Deputy Minister and the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation. He was also the most influential of the five Deputy Ministers, as Dumbledore had expressed his strong support for his former student. Ryan had also written a letter of endorsement, and the savior, Harry Potter, was known to be very close to this new star of the magical world.
The three most influential wizards in Britain all backed Ralvin. Thus, the new power structure at the Ministry was a triumvirate of Crouch, Scrimgeour, and Ralvin, with the other four Deputy Ministers holding little real power beyond a vote on the council.
In the past, if the Daily Prophet had heaped such praise on these figures, The Quibbler would have, nine times out of ten, fabricated some juicy gossip or bizarre rumors to get a laugh. But this issue of The Quibbler also expressed its utter contempt for Fudge and its support for the new Ministry leadership. Of course, the former took up the most space, accusing Fudge of secretly building a private army and fostering sycophants, all in preparation for a new Dark Lord's reign, a crime so heinous it was unforgivable.
Perhaps because the paper was so heavily influenced by the editor's personal feelings, it even "predicted" the punishment Fudge and his loyal subordinate Umbridge would receive. An "anonymous" editor at The Quibbler speculated that once Dumbledore convened the Wizengamot to reform wizarding law, Fudge and Umbridge would very likely be sentenced to imprisonment in Azkaban.
"Do you think that's likely?" Ollivander asked, having appeared quietly behind Ryan.
"Impossible. Fudge was mainly just in the way. His crimes don't warrant that. He's just an incompetent fool," Ryan said, shaking his head. "Two years ago, a figure like him was necessary. Everyone was tired of fighting. The war had lasted too long, and people needed a rest."
"But things are different now?" Ollivander asked.
"With your perception, sir, you've naturally seen the truth. Too much wizarding blood was spilled in the past. But I don't need wizards to bleed now. On the contrary, I want to lead them to a more comfortable life."
Ryan knew that although his questions over the past few days had seemed purely academic, focused on wand construction, the meaning behind each one was enough for a perceptive man like Ollivander to see the blueprint taking shape. It all boiled down to one thing: no one in the wizarding world had ever asked, "If you embed a power source in a wand, can someone without magic use it to cast spells?" A wizard already has a power source. The very fact that Ryan was asking the question implied he wanted a group without magic to be able to use such a wand.
What Ryan wanted to do was obvious.
"Mr. Ollivander, I actually think you could take on more apprentices. The Tower of Wonders has plenty of space for them to work," Ryan said sincerely. He had only been able to learn the bare minimum in the past few days, just enough to set a research direction and create a prototype. To truly refine this concept of a power-infused Magi-Alloy wand would require countless wandmakers.
"The Ollivander family craft is passed down to an Ollivander," the old man said. "But I will consider publishing a book on this new philosophy you've proposed. And I will take on a few apprentices specializing in this area and send them to your Tower of Wonders."
"And one more thing," the old man smiled, "this new direction of wandmaking, these new wandmakers... you can't exploit their labor."
~~~
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