Chapter 687 - Ruse Aftermath (1/2)
The Minister of Magic, Eugenia Jenkins had been abruptly roused from her bed with the news that Damocles Belby had been murdered by the dark wizarding organization led by one so-called Dark Lord. It was past midnight when the first semblance of reports began to come in with the number of casualties on both sides, the wounded, and the those captured alive. The Death Eaters that had been captured had immediately been sent into the holding cells to be interrogated.
After Auror Percius Clements had given his report, he too was excused with the rest of those that had entered her office with preliminary reports. The stout witch with her usual bobbed hair in disarray furrows her brows at the Head of Law Enforcement, Bog Ogden, and his Deputy, Elphinstone Urquart. Slamming her fist against her desk, she growls, ”Tell me, how this attack was able to occur?”
”By all accounts, Auror Percius Clements had reported the ambush and yet not only did the department fail to comply on time, but we failed to protect our objective, Damocles Belby! Well?!” Minister Jenkins snapped. ”I would like an answer from the Head of Law Enforcement and his Deputy!”
The short, plumb wizard, Bob Ogden carefully removes his enormous thick glasses and cleans them slowly, before putting them back on. ”There are no excuses, Minister Jenkins, our objective failed, but that proves one very important thing.”
”What?!” Minister Jenkins impatiently snapped.
”There are still spies to be found within the Ministry of Magic high enough that Damocles Belby's personal information was leaked,” Ogden matter-of-factly stated. After Harold Minchum many of the corrupted officials that had been found had been forcibly retired or been downgraded to such a position, where they quit on their own. The Ministry of Magic was mostly rat-free, but still, there were bound to be sly rats that escaped the purge.
Minister Jenkins opens her mouth to deny such a statement, before closing it back again. Letting out a sigh, she leans back in her chair and rubs her aching head. ”There is no getting around this, Ogden. Even if that is the case, the press is going to have a field day come morning. I can already see the headlines, 'Genius Potion Master Damocles Belby slain!' 'Who is to blame for the Ministry of Magic's incompetency?!' 'What is the Ministry of Magic doing?' 'Corruption rampant among the Law Enforcement Department!' 'And those are the tamest titles that I can think of!”
”And that is why we shall get out from under this and confront the situation head-on,” Ogden calmly retorted.
”How Ogden?” Minister Jenkins sarcastically asked as she opened her eyes in frustration.
”By sacrificing me,” Ogden answered with a pragmatic smile.
”No, Ogden,” Elphinstone interrupted in shock. He was not the only for the usual slicked black-haired wizard with a widow's peak, his hair is out of sort having been summoned from his bed. He could not allow his friend to do so!
”The Department needs you!” Elphinstone firmly reiterated. ”Now, is not the time to act so very altruistic!”
”I've been meaning to retire for years,” Ogden ruefully countered. ”And now's a good as time as any. And if it means I can save the Ministry of Magic's face, I don't mind some ill-natured gossip, it will die down soon enough.”
Minister Jenkins opens and closes her mouth, before viewing the short wizard with newfound eyes. ”What a brave, and self-sacrificing thing to do, Ogden,” Minister Jenkins sincerely said with a hint of exasperation in her voice. ”It's very Gryffindorish of you.”
Ogden snorts softly and says, ”Well, I'm right proud to be a Gryffindor, Minister. I would not be sorted elsewhere for all the galleons in the world.”
Minister Jenkins weakly smiles, before moving onto business. ”Then who shall be your replacement, Ogden?”
”Urquart,” Ogden fearlessly replied. ”Although he is a Slytherin, he's shown that he is capable, and is engaged to Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts and a Gryffindor. His appointment will appease both sides of wizarding society.”
”Very well, what do you say, Urquart?” Minister Jenkins firmly said and turned her sharp gaze towards the shocked Deputy Head of Department. ”Will you accept the position of Head of Law Enforcement?”
”I-, I don't know what to say,” Elphinstone stammered for the second time in his life words failing him. Swallowing, his mouth feeling suddenly rather dry, he finally replies, ”Yes, Minister, I accept the position.”
”Good, man,” Ogden said with a pleased expression as he congratulated Elphinstone with a firm pat on the back.
”Excellent,” Minister Jenkins said as she rose to her feet. ”Mrs, Prim!” She called out to her undersecretary.