This Hogwarts is not normal

Chapter 1309 The real conspiracy

Aiden Selwyn, Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort...

There is definitely some conspiracy hidden behind this disaster.

Vincent's gaze returned to Aiden. "Selvin, it seems you're just a clown pushed to the forefront."

Aiden tightened his grip on the opal in his hand. His deep blue eyes seemed to see through everything, including the secrets hidden deep within his heart. This feeling was even more chilling than the mind-reading ability of Legilimency.

The violent flames seemed to have subsided, but they still held him firmly within them.

Suddenly, the tranquil courtyard was shattered by a series of Apparition explosions, and Ministry of Magic staff appeared in every corner of the courtyard like raindrops.

Staff members riding brooms were present on rooftops, balconies, entrances, and even in the air.

They surrounded Vincent and Aiden, wands in hand.

The leader was Arthur, who looked more tired than usual, with a furrowed brow, but his hand holding the wand was very steady.

Standing beside him was Cedric's father, Amos Diggory, who also held a wand, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

In addition, there were several department heads, and Amos was not the only employee of the Department of Magical Creatures Control. The Office of Prohibiting the Abuse of Magic was mobilized in its entirety, and the number of employees surrounding the courtyard far exceeded the configuration of a normal arrest operation, which shows how much Fudge valued Vincent.

“Vincent Wayne!” Arthur’s voice rang out. “Put down your wand! You are surrounded! Fudge has obtained permission from Wizengamor, and the Ministry of Magic will now use all its power to arrest you!”

Vincent did not respond immediately; his gaze slowly swept over the faces surrounding him.

There are too many people. How come staff members from the Department of Magical Sports, the Department of Magical Transportation, and the Department of International Magical Cooperation, who have nothing to do with the front lines, are all here?

Unless... Fudge sent all the staff he could mobilize.

Vincent looked at Arthur again, his voice eerily calm, "Arthur...Director Weasley, how many staff members are on night duty at the Ministry of Magic tonight?"

Arthur was taken aback, clearly not expecting this question.

Vincent ignored the wands pointing at him and turned to look in the direction of the Ministry of Magic in the distance. "How many people are there in London right now, including all the staff we can contact in each department?"

This should have been a top secret of the Ministry of Magic, but Amos revealed it himself: "Fudge has activated the highest level of emergency. Everyone except those who must remain at their posts is on their way here."

“Everyone…” Vincent repeated in a low voice.

Although his voice was low, everyone in the courtyard could hear it clearly.

How many staff members remained at the Ministry of Magic? 100? 50? Or fewer?

Arthur's expression changed drastically. As a veteran of the Order of the Phoenix, he had experienced the war and understood the meaning of strategy. When Vincent asked the question, he quickly understood.

Vincent continued, "Who told you I was here? Who told you 'Vincent Wayne is at Buckingham Palace, send everyone there immediately'?"

The courtyard was deathly silent, while the fiery cage that imprisoned Aiden burned silently.

Several older wizards exchanged glances; they too began to realize that something was amiss.

Everything happened so fast and so coincidentally tonight. The curse broke out simultaneously in multiple crowded places. Vincent appeared to the rescue. The Ministry of Magic received an anonymous tip that he was at Buckingham Palace. Fudge immediately ordered everyone to be mobilized...

“Lucius Malfoy,” Vincent stated the name, not as a guess, but as a statement: “He provided the intelligence, didn’t he?”

Arthur did not deny it, because Vincent was right. The intelligence was indeed provided by Lucius. Just a few minutes earlier, he had personally witnessed Fudge and Lucius communicating through the projection screen.

"That bastard!" Aiden, inside the Fiery Cage, slammed the opal he was holding onto the ground. The flying fragments and billowing black mist were instantly incinerated.

Vincent glanced back at Aiden, his eyes no longer cold, but filled with deep compassion.

Lucius, that cunning and treacherous snake, was truly insidious; seeing the situation turning against him, he turned around and betrayed him.

Just then, a new batch of Ministry of Magic staff arrived.

Vincent withdrew his gaze. "A disaster has broken out in seven gathering places in London, with a large number of Muggles being harmed. Aurors are scattered in various places to provide relief, and the Ministry of Magic's defense forces have been largely mobilized here to arrest me because of Fudge's foolish orders."

He paused for a moment, allowing the Ministry of Magic staff to process the meaning of his words.

“At this moment,” he said, his gaze sweeping across everyone’s faces, “if anyone wants to do anything to the Ministry of Magic, they will find that tonight the Ministry of Magic may be the most vulnerable it has been in decades.”

"Nonsense!" a senior official shouted. "You're trying to divert attention! You're the one who caused this disaster!"

Everyone looked at each other. If Vincent was telling the truth, then their operation would be exactly what some people wanted.

Arthur's face turned deathly pale. Lucius had indeed been going out frequently these past few days, and the people from the Order of the Phoenix who were secretly tracking him had lost track of him more than once.

All of this corroborates Vincent's suspicion that Lucius—or rather, Voldemort behind him—has his sights set on the Ministry of Magic.

It could be the Horcrux that the Department of Mysteries is protecting so closely, or it could be an attack on the Ministry of Magic, or it could be some other purpose.

Regardless of the possibility, they should not continue to carry out Fudge's orders; their primary task should be to return to the Ministry of Magic and strengthen its defenses.

Vincent stopped explaining and looked at Aiden again, who was looking at him with a mixture of despair and mockery.

"Your patron might be hiding somewhere in Buckingham Palace, watching your revenge plan get thwarted by me. Instead of helping you, he betrayed you. It must feel terrible to be betrayed like that."

"Ha—" Aiden sneered, "And how are you any better than me? The Ministry of Magic has mobilized almost the entire staff. Do you think you can escape?"

"Run?" Vincent put away his caduceus. "Why should I run?"

He walked toward Arthur, a move that made everyone extremely nervous.

One step, two steps...

His steps were unhurried, as if he couldn't see the dozens of wands pointed at him, which made some of the younger employees feel a chill down their spines and subconsciously take a half step back.

He didn't have a wand, at least not on the surface, but no one would be naive enough to think that not having a wand meant he was no threat.

Finally, Vincent stopped.

He stopped three meters away from Arthur, a subtle distance that would allow anyone to react.

His deep blue eyes looked at Arthur, and he made a gesture that made everyone hold their breath, calmly extending his hands.

"Director Weasley, handcuff him."

His voice wasn't loud, but it sounded particularly jarring in the quiet courtyard.

The Ministry of Magic staff stared wide-eyed, their wands still raised in mid-air, their minds blank.

Some people blinked, wondering if they were hallucinating.

As they instinctively looked around, they saw the same disbelief in each other's eyes.

Vincent Wayne, the new-age Dark Lord, actually asked to be arrested?

……

……