The Hogwarts Emerald

Chapter 550: Arresting the Traitor
We won, but not completely. We lost, but not completely.

This is the result of the battle between Ada and Voldemort today, basically a 50-50 match.

Ada saved Florin Fusco, who ran a cold drink shop, and killed Barty Crouch Jr., the "most loyal servant", but failed to protect Garrick Ollivander, the master wand maker.

As a renowned wand-making master in Europe and the number one arms dealer in Diagon Alley, Garrick Ollivander's importance needs no words. Now that he has fallen into Voldemort's hands, it is a big blow to both the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts.

The loss of Ollivanders means that the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts will not be able to obtain a supply of well-made wands, and most wizards will not be able to exert their full strength without their wands.

From this point of view, it would be better to change the name of the magic wand to a walking stick.

In addition, Ada was also worried that Voldemort would have the same questions as herself, and would obtain more secret knowledge about wands from Ollivander, so that Voldemort's personal strength would be further enhanced.

An immortal Voldemort is already annoying enough, so don't make him any stronger. Ada doesn't have a masochistic tendency, so it's better for the enemy to be weaker.

If we are weaker, it will be easier to win the war and everyone will be relatively safe.

Having lost Ollivander and protected Florin Fosco, Ada didn't know if she had lost the big picture. She could only hope that Fosco was as important to Voldemort as Ollivander, so that she would feel better.

In the office, Ada was worried about Voldemort and thinking about what to do next, but outside the office it was very lively.

After leaving Ada's office, Pierce Thicknesse immediately mobilized personnel, including Aurors, strikers, and law enforcement teams. In short, the corridor in front of the minister's office was filled with staff waiting for the minister's orders.

A large group of people were crowded together in the corridor. Some staff were whispering about St. Mungo's; some were discussing why the minister had summoned everyone; some were curiously looking at the closed wooden door near the minister's office, wondering if the person inside was the one rumored.

After a while, Thicknesse and Arthur Weasley walked out of the Minister's office together, with Arthur Weasley holding a roll of parchment in his hand. Arthur Weasley first counted the number of people, and then set off under the leadership of Minister Thicknesse.

After walking for a while, everyone was puzzled as they looked at the familiar area and the messy cubicles. They thought the Minister had called them together for a mission, but how come they were back to the Law Enforcement Department? And the Auror Office?
Led by Thicknesse, the confused Aurors passed through another heavy oak door, then walked into a dimly lit, dilapidated corridor through many turns, and finally arrived at the end of the corridor.

There was a door on the left slightly opened, revealing a broom closet, and on the door on the right was a faded brass sign: No Misuse of Muggle Items Office.

The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was a dingy, shabby space with two desks crammed inside. Filled-to-brimming filing cabinets lined the walls, with teetering bundles of papers piled precariously on top. There was hardly any room around the desks for movement.

Deep in this simple office, there was a newly created area. Thicknesse walked forward and didn’t even bother to knock on the door. He just pushed it open and walked in.

Behind the Minister, Arthur Weasley and several Aurors also squeezed in. There was no place to stand in the narrow room, and people were crowded together.

An irritated Yaxley was sitting behind his desk, looking at Thicknesse and his colleagues who had barged in in surprise.

"Minister, what's going on?" asked the ferocious-faced Coban Yaxley. With such a big fuss, Yaxley naturally knew what was going on, but he still had to pretend to be stupid.

Thicknesse straightened his wrinkled gilded robe and said lightly, "Yaxley, you are under arrest."

"Why don't I understand what the Minister is saying?" Yaxley was still playing dumb. "The Ministry of Magic is in turmoil right now, but the Minister treats me like this. Isn't he afraid of chilling everyone's feelings?"

Thicknesse's face darkened. He didn't like what Yaxley said, as if he was purging meritorious officials in order to maintain his position as minister. Moreover, Yaxley was not a meritorious official at all, but a damned traitor.

The Aurors behind the minister looked at each other in confusion. They had no idea of ​​the crime for which Thicknesse had arrested Yaxley, but they came because the minister had brought them here.

"Stop trying to deceive people, Yaxley." Arthur Weasley stepped forward and unfolded the parchment in his hand. "This is an arrest warrant. Do you really think we don't know your identity as a Death Eater?"

Arthur Weasley slammed the arrest warrant directly on the table, and the loud bang also woke up the hesitant Aurors.

Yaxley glanced at Arthur Weasley arrogantly, his eyes full of disgust, as if his office was tainted with something dirty because of Weasley's appearance.

He said: "Me? A Death Eater? The truth about this matter has long been revealed. At that time, I was controlled by the Imperius Curse, and all my actions were not my own will. As early as the time of Minister Barnold, this matter was concluded!"

boom! boom! boom!
Yaxley slammed the desk three times to express his indignation and dissatisfaction.

He continued, "You two are the ones who should be arrested! One of you used the witch from France to get to the top, and the other is the witch's adoptive father. You two should be sent to the Wizengamot for trial! You should be locked up in Azkaban for eternity!"

"Don't be upset or angry." Thicknesse's voice was still light as ever. "I came here to arrest you today, so I have evidence to arrest you. If you want to quibble, you might as well wait until the trial. Maybe your sentence can be reduced a little."

"By the way, your trial is open to the public. Thank you for all your contributions to demonstrating the power of the Ministry of Magic, Mr. Yaxley." Thicknesse turned around and didn't want to say anything more. "Catch him!"

The Aurors immediately followed orders and stepped forward. The thought of resisting flashed through Yaxley's mind, but before he could touch his wand, Arthur Weasley, whom he always looked down upon, had already put his wand against his head.

"Resistance is futile. This is the Ministry of Magic. You can't escape." said Arthur Weasley.

Yaxley, who was held at the point of a wand, gave up the idea of ​​resisting. He could not guarantee that his movements would be faster than the dirty Weasley. With no other choice, Yaxley could only accept his fate and followed the Auror out and was temporarily detained.

The arrest of Yaxley was not concealed at all. Everyone in the Ministry soon knew about it and learned that Yaxley was suspected of being a Death Eater.

Just this morning, the Ministry of Magic carried out a safe transfer of the key protected person Florin Fusco in advance, but the Auror was ambushed by Death Eaters just as he walked out of the ward. This easily makes people think that someone was secretly betraying the Ministry of Magic's action plan.

Everyone was discussing this matter with their acquaintances throughout the morning, and everyone looked like a traitor who betrayed the Ministry of Magic. Some timid and incompetent people even felt that the Ministry was no longer safe and that everyone except themselves was a bad person.

Not long into the afternoon, news came that Yaxley had been arrested and identified as a Death Eater. People immediately pinned the blame on him for betraying the Ministry of Magic's action plan.

As for Yaxley's defense and his accusations against Thicknesse and Weasley, no one took it too seriously.

Thicknesse was able to rise to power thanks to Drizzt's support. This news had spread throughout the Ministry of Magic before today. It was not explosive at all, as Ada herself was not sitting in the Minister of Magic's chair.

The relationship between Arthur Weasley and Drizzt is well known to everyone. Everyone knew about it during the Quidditch World Cup. It is nothing new at all.

(End of this chapter)