Joint Operations Office.
"Sowing doubt and undermining Voldemort's authority is only the first step," Tver explained to Marvolio, shaking his head with exaggerated confidence. "What matters most is the psychological gap the Death Eaters are feeling."
"They followed Voldemort because they wanted to enslave muggles and permanently secure their place among the Ministry of Magic's upper class."
"But now, forget enslaving muggles. They're practically being frightened into little mice by the muggle police involved in the hunting plan!"
"So it's about interests."
How could Marvolio not know what those Death Eaters wanted? Otherwise, Tver would never have been able to split away the other half of them.
"Exactly!"
Tver's method for dealing with Voldemort had always had only one target: striking at his foundation.
The greatest danger Voldemort's side posed to the world was not Voldemort himself. It was the Death Eaters he had incited, those who believed in plunder, along with Dementors and other creatures that destroyed everything without restraint.
Once the main contradiction had been identified, the solution naturally had to start from there. That was how the hunting plan came about.
After all, he was not some ruthless person who insisted on wiping out every last Death Eater. If they were forced into a desperate corner, that would only backfire.
"When these Death Eaters realize that following the Dark Lord doesn't even bring them as much benefit as working a proper job, the seeds of doubt and suspicion will naturally be planted!"
"But as long as Voldemort's plan succeeds, the Death Eaters can still gain enormous benefits."
It was not that Marvolio disagreed with Tver. He simply felt that, since these Death Eaters had once been willing to be arrested and sent to Azkaban for Voldemort, their loyalty would not be so easy to shake.
"Don't forget, they're almost the most fanatically loyal people Voldemort has left. You could even say they have a blind faith in him."
"Even if they question Voldemort's methods, they'll still firmly believe that Voldemort is the one who will win in the end!"
"That is, of course, the trickiest part. That's why I said the suspicion created by the hunting plan is only the first step…"
How could Tver not know that? It was precisely because he understood it, and because of the intelligence Snape had sent over, that he had called Marvolio in.
Otherwise, would he really have nothing better to do than explain the hunting plan to Marvolio?
Seeing the smug smile on Tver's face, Marvolio, who knew him all too well, immediately understood.
"You're setting someone up again!"
Tver's expression darkened at once.
"How can you slander an innocent man out of thin air like that? Dealing with Voldemort can't be called setting someone up. It's strategy. When a righteous person does something, how can that be called setting someone up?"
Then came a string of barely intelligible arguments, such as "fighting Voldemort calls for psychological tactics" and "whether the cat is black or white, any cat that strikes at Voldemort is a good cat," which only made Marvolio look even more unconvinced.
"Give it up. Catherine wouldn't even fall for that kind of sophistry."
Tver curled his lip, immediately dropped the act, and looked at Marvolio with such ill intent that it made him uneasy.
"Of course I know the Death Eaters' loyalty won't be so easy to shake. But since the seeds of suspicion have been planted in their hearts, it means this tiny crack in their mental defenses can be used by us!"
"What do you mean us? You're the only one who's been scheming against Voldemort from beginning to end!"
"Don't interrupt." Tver irritably slapped Marvolio's pointing finger aside. He had done all this scheming for the peace and stability of the wizarding world, hadn't he?
And for just a little bit of his own agenda.
"Voldemort hasn't given any orders. That means, while the hunting plan is loosening its grip, these Death Eaters can do things, but no one is managing them, and no one is giving them plans or targets."
"What do you think they'll do?"
"What else can Death Eaters do?" Marvolio answered casually. "They'll start testing how loose the hunting plan has become, using the safest methods they can… uh…"
He suddenly realized that without Voldemort's instructions, he really had no idea what these Death Eaters were supposed to do.
Attack muggle facilities and trigger major disasters? That would inevitably attract the Office's attention.
Back when Voldemort was there to take the blame, they naturally had nothing to fear. But the problem was that Voldemort was no longer covering for them.
So.
"They can take action, but they don't know what to do!"
Tver spoke with absolute certainty, as if he had already foreseen the confusion of those Death Eaters.
"At a time like this, all it takes is for a genius Dark Wizard from Greece to appear and point them in the right direction."
"Or rather, to propose some feasible counterattack plans. For example, destroying a warehouse where the Office stores equipment, or quietly infiltrating a certain department of the Ministry of Magic…"
"Not only could this wizard gain their trust, he could even rise to become a rather prestigious leader among the Death Eaters!"
Marvolio's eyes widened in shock. He seemed to have figured out what Tver was planning.
An undercover agent.
And one meant to replace Voldemort.
By then, no matter how powerful Voldemort was on his own, if he lost the Death Eaters under him, he would not be able to stir up any real trouble.
"But setting aside whether anyone could disguise himself right under Voldemort's nose, he wouldn't just stand by and watch some random Death Eater who suddenly joined replace him…"
"But Voldemort isn't here…"
Through Snape's intelligence, Tver knew Voldemort's next target was still Hogwarts.
Of course, he could not be completely certain that Voldemort had truly abandoned his followers and stopped caring about them.
"Besides, you don't need to join the Death Eaters. You only need to play the role of a foreign Dark Wizard on good terms with them."
"Someone who simply dislikes the British Ministry of Magic's oppressive attitude toward Dark Wizards, and is therefore very willing to extend a hand of friendship to his peers. Naturally, they'll be deeply grateful."
"I don't fully expect you to replace Voldemort. But as long as you leave an impression in the minds of these Death Eaters, then when Voldemort shows signs of decline, the stronger you appear, the more likely they are to switch sides!"
That really was possible.
Marvolio nodded thoughtfully.
After all, the Death Eaters would never allow someone of unknown identity to join without Voldemort's permission.
On the other hand, as a group of Dark Wizards known all over the world, it was perfectly normal for the Death Eaters to be on good terms with Dark Wizards from other countries.
But the key was that this wizard had to display exceptional personal strength and charisma. Only then could the Death Eaters believe a new Dark Lord had appeared, and thus betray the old one.
"Wait, me?!"
Only then did Marvolio belatedly realize that Tver intended for him to play this so-called Greek genius Dark Wizard.
"Of course," Tver replied, his eyes drifting away. "You're the one here who knows those Death Eaters best. You're strong, charming, and winning those people over again would be a piece of cake for you~"
Marvolio was not appeased by Tver's fake flattery. Instead, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
"I haven't had a single day off in months, and now you want me to go pretend to be a Dark Lord in waiting? Even the Mooncalfs in the herb greenhouse wouldn't dare let themselves be worked like this!"
Thinking of how hard the Mooncalfs worked, frantically producing dung, Tver could not help feeling guilty for one second.
"That's why I specifically let you rest for a day today…" But only for one second. "Besides, dealing with those Death Eaters suits you much better than staying in the office."
"Or are you planning to stay in the office forever, carrying out those dull and boring tasks?"
"…"
Marvolio stared at Tver with grief and fury, while Tver looked back as if everything were perfectly reasonable.
You arranged both of those things, you bastard!