The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 77 On How to Properly Manage the Ministry of Magic

Chapter 77 On How to Properly Manage the Ministry of Magic

"To be precise, at that exact moment, I told Dumbledore everything I knew."

Lynch put the cup back on the table: "But what I knew back then doesn't mean what I know now or before."

He extended his fingers, and as he twisted his wrist, he pinched the air, and a transparent glass bottle appeared between his five fingers.

Lin Qi held the glass bottle close to his eyes and examined it closely.

The bottle contained many filamentous bands of light, and silver light flowed across their surface, reflecting his satisfied smile.

"When I returned to the house and saw the bottle of memory threads on the desk, I understood what I was planning."

People are always more willing to believe the facts they find themselves.

Dumbledore rarely used the Legilimency spell on people, but we cannot underestimate his mastery of this spell because of that. He was undoubtedly a master in this field.

Although he didn't show it, deep down he trusted this ability and regarded it as one of his trump cards. How did Snape, originally a core Death Eater in Voldemort's camp, transform into a loyal follower of Dumbledore?

Just because Voldemort wanted to kill Lily? Did Dumbledore really trust Snape's feelings for Lily that much?

The reason for trusting Snape was one thing, but the need to verify and confirm it was another.

At that time, it was a time of war in the wizarding world. The Order of the Phoenix was not recognized by the Ministry of Magic and was being overwhelmed by the Death Eaters. Dumbledore's cautious actions were not unreasonable.

As you've seen, Dumbledore trusted Snape just as much as he trusted Professor McGonagall and Hagrid.

Aside from Snape opening his heart and allowing Dumbledore to view all his memories, feelings, and thoughts, I can't think of any other reason why Dumbledore would trust him so much.

As he spoke, Lin Qi opened the cap of the glass bottle in his hand, and with a light tap of his fingertip, a thread of memory adhered to his fingertip.

Lynch raised his hand and tucked the flowing silver threads of memory back into his brain from his temple. He continued, "So when I asked Dumbledore to use Legilimency to examine my brain, he agreed without hesitation."

Because after all this back and forth, he needs to know my thoughts, my goals, and my plans.

When I presented him with the answers to all his questions, he was no longer trapped by his own morality.

Besides, I proposed this condition myself, didn't I?"

Reggie's hoarse voice came from the flames: "How much did you tell him?"

Lynch continued to stuff threads of memory into his mind: "Regarding the birth of the First Order, and our arrangements for the First Order—Dumbledore believed it?" Reggie asked.

"Why wouldn't he believe me? Everything was presented to him truthfully. My thoughts when I was planning, my emotions at the time, there wasn't a single falsehood." Lin Qi shrugged, the last sliver of silver light from his fingertips disappearing into his temples.

He let out a soft sigh and shook his head. The flood of memories that had returned in such a short time made his head feel swollen and dizzy.

"If Dumbledore is a master of Legilimency as you say, then he should have discovered the incomplete parts of your memories."

"This is where I need to put in my effort." Lin Qi casually placed the empty glass bottle on the square table, making a slight clinking sound. "Fortunately... almost all the key deductions and follow-up deployments were conceived while sitting at that desk. I don't need to change scenes too much. I just need to ensure that the emotions presented during thinking are consistent, the logic is self-consistent, and... that there is a beginning and an end. That's enough."

What Dumbledore could see at that time was a completely honest me, a me who fully revealed all my plans.

As for these details that are only now returning to my mind, that's another matter.

"So, Dumbledore has no objections to the arrangements regarding the First Order?"

"Of course he has it, but there's nothing he can do about it." Lin Qi's lips curled into a cold smile as he looked at the leaping emerald flames in the fireplace.

Inside the headmaster's office, Snape stood up again.

He leaned forward, staring at Dumbledore: "What do you mean...you are powerless?"

Didn't you say you already knew all of Lynch's plans?

.

"It is precisely because we know this that we understand that there is not much we can do in this matter..." Dumbledore repeated calmly.

His voice carried a helplessness that Snape rarely heard.

Snape's brow furrowed deeply once more, each word like a shard of ice squeezed from between his teeth: "What exactly is his target? Tell me, Dumbledore! Stop playing games!"

"To put it simply..." Dumbledore's azure gaze met Snape's imposing stare as he clearly and slowly uttered the answer that shocked Snape yet seemed entirely reasonable, "...He wants to take control of the Ministry of Magic."

Even the portraits of past headmasters on the wall of the headmaster's office, who had been pretending to be asleep, opened their eyes and stared at Dumbledore, no longer bothering with their costumes.

"He wants to control the Ministry of Magic!" Snape could hardly believe his ears. "And you say you're powerless to stop him?! Why?! Isn't this the kind of ambition that should be nipped in the bud?"

He'd barely escaped one cage and was already eager to overthrow the magical world!

Dumbledore wore a helpless expression, shook his head slightly, and placed his hands on the table: "Because he has to do it through legal and compliant means—Severus, he is not waving a wand to stage a coup."

He planned to use the Stone Tower Merchant Guild's inexhaustible supply of Galleons to fully fund officials who shared his ideals or were at least "profitable" to pave their way in the elections, using the flood of Galleons to sweep away all obstacles... ultimately, to quietly transfer the power of the Ministry of Magic into the hands of his carefully chosen proxies.

Dumbledore's voice betrayed a hint of helplessness: "All of this... is being done within the existing framework of the Ministry of Magic's rules."

We, Hogwarts, as a magic school, cannot interfere with the Ministry of Magic's normal bureaucratic election system.

What?

What did I just hear?

The news that came out of Dumbledore's mouth was like a huge boulder, hitting Snape so hard that he was dizzy and disoriented. He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word and could only stare blankly at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sat behind the headmaster's desk, his deep blue eyes meeting Snape's.

The two looked at each other in silence.

But Snape could clearly read a hint of helplessness deep in Dumbledore's seemingly calm eyes.