HP: The Root of Everything - The Magician

Ministry of Magic.

This morning, when Kington Kitsch arrived at his office, he saw someone already waiting for him on the sofa. This person was the Minister of the Department of Magical Creatures Control, 'Junkie Patin'.

Kington put down his briefcase, and asked with a smile and a puzzled look, "Minister Jonge, what brings you to this early morning? Are you here to have coffee with me?"

"Minister Kington... I've come to tell you that two wizards from my department who were guarding the black dragon on Isle of Aylay have gone missing."

"Oh, so you didn't come to see me for coffee. But, since someone from your department is missing, why are you looking for me?"

Ignoring Kington Kitsch's apparent ignorance, Jonge explained with a hostile look, "The people I sent to guard Isle of Aylay were the two wizards, Tang De and Shake."

"Among them, Tang De, after my repeated on-site investigations more than ten times, was determined to have died in an attack."

"As for Xia Ke... no traces were found of anyone murdering her and disposing of her body, but just as dawn broke this morning, I received a message from an Auror in the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters."

“He told me—” Jonge paused for a moment, then continued, “He told me that he saw the missing Xia Ke last night while he was patrolling the Oxford area as a law enforcement officer.”

"Not only that, he also saw Shake following behind Teach Carl like a servant."

At this point, Jonge Patin, who was explaining the incident, challenged Kington, saying, "It's clear that the murderer of my department's Tang De and the kidnapper of Shake are self-evident."

"Mr. Kington, I remember Teach Carr, that wizard killer, wasn't it you who was protecting him?"

"I need you to give me an explanation for this."

Seeing Jonge's attack, Kington instantly realized the problem behind it: [Well done~, what a clever feint, killing two birds with one stone. As expected of you, Chief Fudge.]

On the surface, it seems they allowed what they did to Teach Carl to go unchecked because of my intervention, but in reality, they were lying in wait, waiting for Teach, the wizard killer, to do something unscientific, and then using that as an excuse to attack me.

[Using this incident as a pretext, you can create division or even discord between me and other neutral departments, allowing you, Fuji, to take the opportunity to win me over and isolate my faction, making it the target of everyone's attacks.]

After figuring things out, Kington slowly sat down in his office chair and began to think: [What should I do? How can I strike a balance in the face of Jongie Patin's attack?]

[Teach Carr, I can't give up. He not only has the ability and strength to disrupt the British magical world and create an opportunity for me to rise to power, but more importantly, he has 'magic.' In his magic, I see the limitless potential of magical power.]

After I successfully become Minister for Magic, I need to continue working with Teach to gain magical knowledge and power so that I can reach an even higher position.

【but......】

If I do not offer a peaceful solution and continue to stubbornly protect Teach Carl, my influence within the Ministry of Magic will be in jeopardy.

What enables cooperation between people?

It's about benefits, benefits that are sufficiently satisfying and large enough.

Then Kington addressed Jonge's solemn and dignified demeanor, saying, "Minister Jonge, if you're going to say that Teach Carr is the murderer, I can't believe your baseless accusations."

"As far as I know, Teach Carr is currently an adjunct professor at Hogwarts, and I think... the greatest white wizard of our time, Albus Dumbledore, would not allow a murderer to be a professor."

If Dumbledore knew about Teach Carr's actions in pursuit of magical research, he certainly wouldn't have made him a professor, but the Dumbledore of today doesn't know that.

Even if you find out, it will be too late.

Even if Dumbledore knew that Teach was a wizard killer, he couldn't expel Teach Carr from Hogwarts because Teach, with his petrifying eyes, had grown up.

Judging from that tentative contest in the Basilisk Chamber, Dumbledore couldn't defeat Teach without paying a price in terms of strength.

The price to pay is likely the safety of the young wizards at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore was unwilling and unable to take such a risk, so as long as Teach Carr did not harm the young wizards in the school, Dumbledore could only allow Teach to teach at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore was a headmaster, a professor who taught and nurtured students. Catching criminals was none of his business as long as it didn't threaten the entire wizarding world or his Hogwarts school.

Surprise Patin was furious when he heard Kington say that he was going to continue protecting Teach Carl.

But the next second, the benefits offered by Kington silenced his urge to question them.

"Minister Jung, I firmly believe that Teach Carr is innocent until there is conclusive evidence."

"Although he has done things that harmed our Ministry of Magic in the past, he is now a professor who teaches and educates, and there has been no confirmed case of him murdering a wizard during his time at Hogwarts."

"I am deeply saddened and regretful about the murder and ordeal of your department's staff. Therefore, I am willing to transfer two wizards from my Department of Mysticism to Isla de la Alai to carry out the work on the Black Dragon."

"To appease you, I am willing to relinquish the right to host this year's National Quidditch Tournament and give up the Quidditch revenue that belongs to the British magical community."

The rewards of the national Quidditch tournament include not only huge sums of money, but also fame and connections with wizards and families from all over the world.

Although it was only a one-year hosting right, Jonge Patin could not refuse such benefits.

Even someone like him, who doesn't crave power, couldn't refuse such benefits.

Ultimately, Tang De's death is just that—death. In the wizarding world, people die every day; it's commonplace. In the face of extraordinary power, the laws they establish are essentially child's play.

As for Xia Ke... Qiong Qi felt that since she was still alive, he had to find her. If he did nothing, it would be difficult for him, as the minister, to gain the respect of the people.

And so, Jonge Patin left satisfied with the benefits ceded by Kington Kitsch.

At the same time, an Auror also left the Ministry of Magic this morning.

......

Wizards with the ability to apparite are very fast.

That morning, Jungkir Padding appeared in Oxford and used magic to search for Shakky's whereabouts while inquiring about the existence of the Carl family from passersby.

At the same time that morning, an Auror from the Ministry of Magic Apparated to the gates of Hogwarts Castle and ordered the gatekeepers to inform Dumbledore that he had confidential information to report.

......

In the afternoon, Jonge followed the clues to London.

In the afternoon, Dumbledore appeared at the gates of the Cal family's castle with a deep frown.