Chapter 803
Everyone is an Actor
Chapter 803 Everyone is an Actor
Serena said expressionlessly:
“Watkins, you may have forgotten something…”
She looked up and stared directly at the hunched-over middle-aged man, her brows slightly furrowed, and said:
"They are directly involved in the attack and should remain in New York to cooperate with our in-depth investigation. This will help us identify the suspects as soon as possible!"
This request is reasonable; Moody and the others never intended to leave quickly.
But Watkins retorted, "Ms. Goldstein, these people present are clearly victims, not suspects! Restricting the personal freedom of victims is not in accordance with procedure and lacks sufficient legal basis!"
“This is my case, and I’m in charge, Watkins!”
Salina's tone immediately hardened: "I have the right to demand that they cooperate with the investigation, ensure their safety, and prevent potential secondary attacks!"
"But isn't the best way to ensure the safety of victims to let them return to their own places?"
Watkins pressed on, "Or is it that Miss Goldstein, for the sake of her own political achievements, is willing to subject foreign guests to unnecessary risks?"
Salina's face turned pale, and she burst into anger: "Watkins, can you bear the consequences of making malicious guesses about your colleagues and slandering others?"
As the argument between the two intensified, even Moody hesitated, wondering if he should try to smooth things over. Wade and the others exchanged bewildered glances, puzzled as to why Watkins was taking their side.
Only Arthur Weasley vaguely sensed something, and his lips twitched slightly.
—Really? You wouldn't have gotten into a fight with your colleague just to avoid working overtime, would you?
However, seeing Salina's extremely angry expression, Waterkings, who had inadvertently misspoke, immediately lost his composure and said meekly:
"I apologize, I misspoke... but I still believe that overprotection is tantamount to imprisonment, and this practice may trigger unnecessary international disputes!"
"You don't have to worry!"
Salina said coldly, "Our Auror Department will naturally communicate with the British Ministry of Magic!"
Seeing her resolute attitude and refusal to budge, Watkins sighed deeply, his face saying, "I just can't do anything with you."
He gestured and said, "Salina, shall we go outside and talk?"
His melancholy eyes seemed to say silently, "I have more to tell you."
Despite her anger, Salina was ultimately a person who prioritized official business. She immediately stood up and walked out without saying a word.
In a secluded corner outside the door, Watkins cast a soundproofing spell around them. Salina sneered:
"No need to be so cautious! Tell me, which high-ranking official gave you this special instruction? And who's backing you?"
“No, this is just my personal opinion; no one gave me any instructions. But ever since these people—to be precise, Wade Gray’s entry application—were sent to Congress, I’ve sensed something was off…”
Watkins leaned closer to Salina, his lips moving rapidly. Despite the spell already cast around them, he used physical means to further prevent the secret from being overheard by others.
Salina's expression also changed noticeably, initially showing impatience and insistence, but quickly turning into surprise and uncertainty.
Immediately afterwards, her brows furrowed tightly, her eyes revealing a struggle to weigh the pros and cons, and her expression clearly wavered.
Watkins stepped back slightly and spoke in a low voice:
"...That's the way it is."
"This is only what I've discovered. What about what I haven't noticed? Salina, this is no accident; it's the prelude to war!" "Today, they can set up a curse at the hotel entrance; tomorrow, a much larger attack might occur in Echo Alley, in the Muggle's commercial district, or even at the Magic Congress headquarters!"
"If we continue to forcibly detain them in the country, it would be tantamount to openly turning New York—our territory—into a battleground for those forces!"
"In the end, regardless of who wins or loses, we will definitely suffer the greatest losses! The riots may even destroy our efforts of the past hundred years, expose the magical world, and cause a large-scale international dispute!"
He finished, almost uttering each word slowly and deliberately:
"Let them leave, Salina... keep potential war away from our land!"
"Once they leave America, the remaining trouble will be something the British and those... those guys will have to deal with themselves."
"Our primary responsibility is to protect the overall stability here, not to get involved in a struggle we don't even know the details of and become someone else's victim!"
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, instantly waking Salina up.
The struggle on her face was gradually replaced by a cold decisiveness. She nodded almost imperceptibly, then couldn't help but roll her eyes at Watkins.
"If we follow your method, trouble might come knocking on our door tonight! To get them out safely, we can't let certain guys get alert in advance."
“That makes sense!” Watkins nodded thoughtfully. “Then we need to change our story a bit…”
"No need, just cooperate with me."
Salina's lips curled into a quick smile as she whispered, "I'm sorry, Watkins!"
She suddenly drew her wand, and with a flick and a thud, Watkins was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.
He clutched his chest and coughed loudly, looking over in surprise.
Salina strode out from the corner, her face frosty, and shouted sharply:
"Enough! I don't care who's behind you, or what 'higher-level' considerations you have, don't think you can make me pretend to be deaf and dumb! If you want me to disregard the rules, then you might as well remove me from my post first!"
"Otherwise, the investigation must be carried out to the end!"
After she finished speaking with extreme force, she walked past the helpless and distressed Watkins, stormed back to the Whitebridge Hotel, and went straight to Wade and the others:
"Gentlemen, given the seriousness of this matter, I will personally lead a team to pick you up at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning to take you to the Auror office of the Magic Congress for further detailed questioning and investigation!"
"Please remain in your hotel during this time and do not leave! We need to ensure we obtain complete information and guarantee your safety, so we hope for your full cooperation!"
The announcement sounded like it was going to detain them all, and everyone showed anger, even Lupin's face turned ugly.
Watkins, who was outside the door, had just gotten up from the ground.
He picked up his briefcase, dusted it off, and turned around, his gaze meeting that of Wade and the others for a fleeting moment.
Witt's tone was unusually calm as he said, "Very well, since Miss Goldstein has made this request, we will naturally cooperate with your work."
"I hope so," Salina said coldly, still seemingly still angry.
(End of this chapter)