Chapter 73

"Shocking Scandal! Aurors Illegally Arrest Innocent Passerby Causing Death!"

"Malicious Framing! Who will guarantee our safety?"

"Everyone is in danger! Unregulated justice"

"No trial needed? The tragedy of the Wizengamot"

"Questioning! Where is the upper limit of the power of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

"Secret Interrogation! The unknown history of the Auror Command"

"Fifty Thousand Galleons! Philanthropist Murphy donates to St. Mungo's"

Rita Skeeter is worthy of being the number one pen in the wizarding world. She is very familiar with concocting topical news. For several days in a row, the Daily Prophet was filled with reports about Aurors torturing for confessions.

Under the bombardment of public opinion, wizards were shocked by the story Rita Skeeter told.

Auror Command, the only legal violent institution in the British wizarding world.

Originally, wizards thought this was just an agency used to crack down on minor things like black magic item crimes and attacks on Muggles, but it actually had such terrifying power!

Not only can they arrest a wizard without any solid evidence, but they can also force wizards to say any testimony they want through Legilimency, Veritaserum, and even various torture methods.

The most terrifying thing is that they can even throw wizards they think are guilty into Azkaban without trial!

And they have already done so!

This one-stop service of arrest, forced confession, and imprisonment is comparable to the Muggle Inquisition in the memories of wizards!

Such great power and such casual style of conduct are like a sharp sword hanging over the heads of all British wizards. Who wouldn't be afraid?

During the First Wizarding War, in order to crack down on Death Eaters and curb black wizard crimes, Aurors were given huge power. To this day, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is still the largest agency in the Ministry of Magic.

However, the Wizarding War has passed for several years. Voldemort has disappeared and is said to be dead. Death Eaters have all been thrown into prison. Aurors have no enemies. Who will their sharp blades be aimed at?

In several articles, Rita Skeeter quoted many of Murphy's arguments, such as the confusion of legislative power and judicial power, the overstepping of law enforcement power over judicial power, etc., trying to describe the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Auror Command as a terrifying violent machine that can supervise all wizards but is not supervised by anyone.

In her story, the Auror Command can take you away while you are still dreaming, and let you wake up to find that you have moved into a single dormitory in Azkaban.

Its power is so great, and its style of conduct is so domineering and cruel, it is simply the Western Jinyiwei, the Eastern Factory of the wizarding world.

This story is so terrifying.

Yet the evidence is solid.

Sirius Black being imprisoned without trial is in the past, and now the Nameless One dying in the interrogation room is in the present. Wizards cannot help but be afraid.

And Rita Skeeter's conspiracy theory is also reasonable.

There is really no agency in the wizarding world that can supervise Aurors, and wizards have never even thought that Aurors need to be supervised.

But after being awakened by Rita, wizards found that this kind of supervision seems essential.

So, for a time, public anger was aroused, and letters demanding severe punishment for the involved Aurors, retrial of the Sirius Black case, and even demanding the resignation of Scrimgeour and Barty Crouch flew to the Ministry of Magic like snowflakes, filling the Minister's complaint mailbox.

One month after the incident fermented, Scrimgeour resigned in disgrace.

At the same time, the Wizengamot announced that it would retry the Sirius Black case on a chosen day.

On the day Scrimgeour resigned, the atmosphere in the Auror Command was extremely oppressive.

Scrimgeour closed the door of the Director's office, handed the key to an Auror on the side, and turned to see a group of former colleagues standing in the corridor.

"I didn't know they had arranged a farewell party." The Old Lion was still serious, but he actually made a joke.

"Rufus," Kingsley was a whole circle thinner, "I'm sorry, I didn't listen to your advice, because I..."

Scrimgeour patted him on the shoulder, "Never underestimate your opponent, always be more patient than the enemy. However, we are still lucky, we still have the opportunity to learn lessons."

Having experienced the First Wizarding War, Scrimgeour had seen many comrades die in the struggle against Voldemort. Compared to that kind of sacrifice, the setback in front of him was not worth mentioning.

"But it shouldn't be you, the mistake I made, it should be me..."

"The person the other party is targeting is me. Even if you are pushed out, it is not enough. It is just a waste of one more person."

Public opinion was surging, and even the Minister was sitting on pins and needles. For such a big thing, just pushing out an Auror Captain was not enough to calm that wave. In fact, even Barty Crouch, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was almost unable to keep his position.

Once the Sirius Black case is retried and there is any turn, Barty Crouch will immediately face impeachment.

In fact, to eliminate this incident, Barty Crouch's resignation is the most effective. It can not only preserve the power of the Auror Office to the greatest extent, but also remove the hat of "overstepping judicial power" from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

But obviously, Director Crouch didn't want to step down in disgrace with such a big pot on his back.

So, only he, Rufus Scrimgeour, could leave.

Regarding this, he had no complaints.

Kingsley's actions were known to him beforehand, and he naturally had leadership responsibility.

Subordinates fight on the front line, superiors drink tea in the rear, snatching credit when there is credit, and running away when something happens—that is the face of a politician, and he, Scrimgeour, disdains to do so.

Aurors fight for their lives on the front line, so he naturally has to let them have no worries.

Since he didn't make better arrangements beforehand, then afterwards, taking a little responsibility for them is the only thing he can do.

It's just that it's hateful that he was ordered by the Minister to assist in protecting the Muggle Prime Minister that day and didn't appear on the scene in time, otherwise things shouldn't have been so embarrassing.

Thinking about it now, that order should also be Murphy's means.

Not as skilled as others, one move behind!

This person, Murphy Darkholm, is truly like the Dark Lord back then.

No, his madness is exactly the same, his ruthlessness is on par, but in terms of meticulousness and high-level means, he is even above Voldemort.

Losing to him is not unjust.

Kingsley Shacklebolt felt remorse in his heart, but he didn't say any more apologies, and even the painful look on his face gradually converged, returning to the gentle, wise, and calm look he had at the beginning.

But the words he said were more resilient than ever before: "One day, I will bring the truth to light and give you justice."

Scrimgeour felt that power, patted the other's arm, and turned away.

The war that belonged to him had ended.

And as a burnt offering, the future warriors had already obtained the armor to fight the new Demon King.

Be patient, Shacklebolt.

Be more patient than your enemy.

Because darkness cannot permanently cover the light, because the truth cannot permanently yield to lies.

Observe patiently, endure and hibernate, and then wait quietly for that ray of lonely white dawn.

Cut through the night.

(End of chapter)