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“Hogwarts is still too early for you,” McGonagall said sternly. “Tell me where you live, and I’ll take you home right now.”

Whether the person in front of us is a real child or pretending to be one, the safest and most foolproof choice is to let him leave Hogwarts and send him home.

Staying at school for a visit is something even Hogwarts wouldn't normally allow a six-year-old to run around in, let alone in such a tense situation.

McGonagall refused decisively.

“Alright.” Dumbledore turned around with a pitiful look on his face, and in a corner where McGonagall couldn’t see him, he winked slyly at Witt, then obediently walked out of the school.

"Is this Dumbledore extending goodwill to me?" Witt wondered uncertainly.

Even Witt could vaguely sense that Dumbledore seemed to intend to make him the master.

This is quite unusual; not only is it unusual, but it also feels like a dream.

Is Old Dumbledore really that easy to talk to? Is he planning to cause trouble quietly? Witt's face immediately tightened, and he waved to Dumbledore, telling him to hurry up.

"This guy is actually suspicious of me," Dumbledore thought to himself, quite speechless as he looked at Witte's expression.

You secretly did a whole bunch of things right under my nose, and when the time came, you actually had the nerve to doubt me.

Dumbledore simply rolled his eyes at Witt.

The moment he stepped out of the school gate, he drew his wand and Apparated away right in front of McGonagall.

McGonagall was startled and quickly drew her wand, looking around warily.

After a long while, seeing that no one was around, he hurried back to Hogwarts. The number of guards at Hogwarts needed to be increased. Since the Ministry of Magic staff were staying at Hogwarts, they had to contribute their share.

We can't let them stay for free.

Just three days after the storm had passed, a new storm was brewing in the British magical world once again with the arrival of the International Wizarding Federation.

There will always be things worse than the worst-case scenario.

"What's the situation now?"

Three days later at Hogwarts, Crouch, somewhat listlessly, inquired about the Ministry of Magic from Kingsley.

Although he had not been removed from his post as Minister of Magic, Crouch knew that he was no longer Minister of Magic.

The reason it wasn't shut down is because nobody wants to do something so boring and meaningless.

The Ministry of Magic has been breached; Voldemort has completely taken over it.

His position as Minister of Magic was already a mere figurehead; what difference would it make whether he was dismissed or not?

Kingsley sighed heavily, sat down on the sofa, his expression grave and silent, as if someone had taken away his ability to speak.

“Kingsley, why aren’t you saying anything?” Crouch whispered. “Speak up. We can accept any news. It can’t be worse than Voldemort taking over the Ministry of Magic, can it?”

Kingsley glanced at Crouch with annoyance and muttered, "It's worse than Voldemort taking over the Ministry of Magic."

"No, there is no worse news in the world."

"..." Kingsley opened his mouth but hesitated for a long time before finally failing to speak: "Frank, you tell me, I don't have the energy right now."

Crouch and McGonagall's gazes immediately shifted to Frank.

Frank didn't know how to explain it, so he had to start from the beginning.

"This morning, when we went to investigate near the Ministry of Magic, we found people from the International Wizarding Association arguing loudly outside the Ministry of Magic."

"After we got a little closer, we could hear what they were arguing about. Voldemort had run away."

“Last night, Voldemort took the Ministry of Magic’s assets and a large number of newly joined Death Eaters and left the Ministry of Magic. Now the Ministry of Magic is just an empty shell.”

"The International Wizarding Federation is currently unable to find anyone in charge, so they must select one or more countries in the aid-providing countries to represent the British Ministry of Magic in signing a series of treaties."

Frank chuckled self-deprecatingly as he said this.

Britain today is a complete mess, so dilapidated that nobody wants to take it over. The International Federation of Wizards has been arguing back and forth for ages without any resolution.

“It’s bad,” Crouch said, frowning, “but it’s not the worst-case scenario, not enough to warrant such expressions from you.”

"That's enough." Frank forced a stiff smile and said listlessly, "They argued for a long time, but no one was willing to sign the treaty on behalf of Britain. Finally, the Minister of Magic of France stepped forward."

"What did you say."

Upon hearing Frank's words, all the staff of the British Ministry of Magic present, including the professors of Hogwarts, stood up.

Say it again!

Frank said weakly, "Say it ten times and it won't change anything. The French Minister of Magic stepped forward and signed the treaty with the International Wizarding Federation on behalf of Britain. He successfully moved into the Ministry of Magic, and from now on, we are a vassal state of France under the International Wizarding Federation."

"Damn Frenchmen!" Crouch could no longer contain himself and burst into a tirade.

During his tenure, the British Ministry of Magic was breached by Voldemort, the Statute of Secrecy was overturned, and the International Confederation of Wizards was held accountable.

Then Voldemort fled, and France took over, effortlessly taking over the British Ministry of Magic.

This is fucking ridiculous.

Crouch felt that his name would probably be forever etched on the pillar of shame in the history of British magic.

Moreover, they topped the list with the highest score.

"Why the French? Other countries? Germany would be fine, no, I could even accept India, why France of all people?"

"No, we must take back the Ministry of Magic, now, immediately, right now."

“It’s no use.” Kingsley said with a gloomy face, “The contract has already been signed, and that Frenchman discovered our whereabouts a long time ago. I tried to stop him, but he used magic to freeze me in place, and I couldn’t move at all.”

"We could only watch helplessly as he signed the contract."

"The International Wizarding Federation has already begun its operations, and aid from other countries has been fully delivered. If we take action now to reclaim the Ministry of Magic, it would be tantamount to trampling on the face that has already been lost in front of the whole world."

"Even if we could beat them, we shouldn't try to steal them."

“Those Frenchmen have already planned out the entire road ahead; this time, we can only swallow our pride and bear it.”

After Kingsley finished speaking, Crouch's expression slowly returned to how it had been when Kingsley first entered.

This world is truly a mess. Just when you think things can't get any worse, it always manages to deliver a devastating blow.

And it tells you that there are even deeper abysses beneath the deepest abyss.

"We are now..." The people present were completely at a loss, their minds a complete mess, unable to think at all.

The situation is hopeless; there's no need to even cover it with a white cloth. I suggest just throwing it into the ground as fertilizer.

"Work with those Frenchmen."

After a long pause, Crouch stood up through gritted teeth and roared, "Let's cooperate with those Frenchmen and deal with Voldemort first."

“This is impossible! I absolutely disagree with this decision!” Kingsley stood up and loudly rebuked Crouch.

“I am still Minister for Magic.” Crouch’s eyes seemed to blaze as he looked around and said earnestly, “If you still recognize me as such.”

"You mean!" Kingsley instantly understood Crouch's meaning.

Crouch didn't mince words and said directly, "I know that at this point, I should have resigned, but in the current situation, does it even matter whether I resign or not?"

"Even if this Minister of Magic were offered to you, I'm afraid no one would want him."

"But in any case, nominally I am still the Minister of Magic of the United Kingdom, and I am qualified to represent the United Kingdom in negotiations with France and even the International Confederation of Wizards."

“I’ve made so many terrible mistakes,” Crouch said painfully. “I should at least do something for the Ministry of Magic.”

Kingsley fell silent. Crouch wanted to take all the blame upon himself, using his position as Minister of Magic, which he had not yet stepped down, to play one last role.

As for what happens next...

That was the end.

Ten years ago, Crouch personally tried his son. He had no descendants left, and now he was going to give up his last bit of reputation as well.

Kingsley admitted he couldn't make that sacrifice.

“I promise you,” Kingsley said softly, looking at Crouch’s resolute face.

After Kingsley agreed, most of the Aurors in the Ministry of Magic also agreed to the proposal.

They are the Ministry of Magic's top henchmen; such a huge responsibility cannot be shirked from them, yet Voldemort could very well harm their loved ones.

This choice is not difficult to make.

......

In the Hogwarts Library, Witt glanced at the letter sent by the Serpent Demon, scratched his head, and decided to ignore it.

Voldemort has indeed learned his lesson this time, and this evacuation has presented a major challenge to both the International Confederation of Wizards and the British Ministry of Magic.

In the magical world, contracts cannot be signed casually, as the consequences of breaching them are extremely serious.

Voldemort initially intended to feign compliance, but the people sent by the International Federation of Wizarding Authorities were all shrewd and capable; how could they possibly leave any loopholes for Voldemort to exploit?

If Voldemort dared to sign a contract, he would absolutely become one of these people's employees.

Without a contract, the International Wizarding Federation is not something Voldemort can handle at his current level.

The consequences of resorting to force would be even worse.

Therefore, before the other party arrived, Voldemort sent people to investigate and test their bottom line.

Upon receiving the results, Voldemort promptly absconded with the money and his men.

Voldemort originally didn't want to run away; he planned to spend some money to stay in his position at the Ministry of Magic for a while longer and recruit more people.

But these guys are more vampires than vampires themselves, relentlessly exploiting their power and determined to drain them dry.

Fine, if you don't want to take the money and leave, I can run away with it, okay?

Voldemort was bold and daring; he simply absconded with all the Ministry of Magic's savings, leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of his prized possessions, ensuring that none of them received a single penny.

This directly resulted in no one from the countries that came to take over the British Ministry of Magic.

Voldemort stole the British Ministry of Magic's savings. Although the land is still valuable, it's not secure and needs to be guarded.

Those who came this time have all read Voldemort's autobiography and know his power and evil. They probably can't hold this place.

With no cash on hand and no land to hold, apart from France, a good brother who was willing to lose money to sabotage Britain, no other country, unless they were brain-dead, would ever take on this mess.

Although Voldemort escaped, he didn't lose out.

In any case, he had already demonstrated his power and prestige in the previous battle, and regained the Dark Lord's authority.