[This book has been dropped. I am uploading all my drafts. Check out my new book. Harry Potter: Return From Future]
"Good morning," the Minister's voice echoed through the chamber of Wizengamot.
His voice was shaky, completely lacking its usual political edge, confidence and arrogance. He was clearly far out of his comfort zone and aware of its reality.
"William Ilvagar has already narrated all that transpired during the attack on the Wizengamot," Minchum said. "I have nothing more to add to that sequence of events. Everything has already been clarified and explained."
"But there are a few other pressing matters that I must address," he continued, his eyes scanning the quiet and focused hall.
"First," he said. "It is no secret that there has been a continuous and constant increase in the attacks faced by Wizarding Britain at the hands of the Death Eaters in the last few weeks or maybe even months."
"Initially, it did not look like a serious or complex issue. We believed that it was nothing more than a group of upstart individuals who simply wanted to create a bit of chaos. A bit of disorder. A group of people who were desperate for attention. We treated them lightly. We were wrong."
Antonio scoffed inwardly. This was a blatant lie, a complete rewrite, deviation from the truth.
Almost everyone in the room had been aware from day one that this movement was anything but a passing disturbance. They all knew it had been a severe threat from the very start. Regardless, Antonio was eager to see what exactly the Minister was trying to set up.
"We were wrong," the Minister repeated, letting the heavy admission hang in the air.
"But over the last few days, we have truly realized how dire this situation is. They attacked the estate of Lord Edmund Bones, and it was only through his immense bravery and courage that he was initially able to save himself and his daughter. They attacked Hogsmeade, murdering innocent students and civilians, and injuring many more. And then, they attacked the Wizengamot itself, where they finally succeeded in their horrific desire to assassinate Edmund Bones."
A horrific silence permeated in the Wizengamot. The gravity of the three incidents that the minister had mentioned was settling among the Lords.
"Secondly," the Minister continued. "For quite some time, the Ministry has attempted to deal with this crisis with a light touch, operating as much as possible strictly within the established ambit of the law. But our methods have clearly failed. These tragic attacks have made us realize that we must fundamentally change our approach."
The entire Wizengamot sat in absolute silence. Every witch and wizard remained utterly focused on each and every word falling from the Minister's mouth, waiting in breathless anticipation for what was about to happen. In curiosity about what aggressive moves and measures the Ministry was about to implement.
"Thirdly," Minchum said. "To deal with this crisis, the Ministry has decided to enact several extraordinary measures."
"Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, and that is precisely what we intend to do. We are going to make some tough calls, and we are prepared to think and act outside the box."
"We are going to establish a specialized hit squad. This squad will be composed primarily of Aurors, but at times, we may request the direct services of capable individuals who are not attached to the Ministry in any formal capacity," the Minister announced, looking out over the benches occupied by the most powerful and most influential individuals of Wizarding Britain. "I only hope that all of you will answer the call if the Ministry requests your presence."
A sudden wave of murmurs erupted across the crowded chamber. The concept of the Ministry conscripting or requesting specific services from civilian wizards was not an entirely new phenomenon. The ministry had been utilizing specialized services for a long time.
The real issue, however, was the nature of the work they were being asked to volunteer for. This was frontline, highly lethal combat. Many of the Lords and Ladies on the benches looked around uneasily, completely unsure of how they were going to react if an official Ministry draft letter arrived on their doorsteps. The Minister pointedly ignored the growing murmurs and pressed forward.
"The hit squad will be led by Chief Auror Alastor Moody," he stated.
From his seat, Moody offered a grim, small smile and a sharp nod of acknowledgment, his magical eye whirling tightly in its socket.
"As I have already stated," the Minister continued, raising his hands to quiet the room. "This is an extraordinary measure, and this hit squad will be granted extraordinary powers to deal with extraordinary times."
"The hit squad will possess a vast amount of autonomous power," Harold Minchum continued. "Unlike standard auror protocols, its members will not be expected to bring every criminal alive."
"If the situation demands it, the squad is fully authorized to use lethal force, and no legal repercussions will follow for the Aurors involved."
Another wave of anxious whispers washed over the Wizengamot benches, the tone of the room turning decidedly tense.
"Let me emphasize," the Minister added quickly, raising a hand to placate the room. "That this mandate applies strictly to active Death Eaters, not standard criminal offenders."
"And how exactly are we to verify whether those the Aurors execute are true Death Eaters or merely common criminals?" A sharp voice called out suddenly from the middle tiers of the Lords' benches.
"Well," the Minister sighed.
"To date, we have not encountered a single Death Eater operating without their infamous robes and masks. That is our primary identifier. And I highly doubt anyone in these dark times would adopt such attire for the sake of fashion. If you put on those clothes, you are actively asking for trouble."
"Secondly," the Minister continued, "the sheer brutality, cruelty, and heinous nature of the acts the Death Eaters commit when they target an inn, an establishment, a shop, or a public square separates them entirely from common thieves or dark wizards. The very scale of their violence is more than enough to confirm their allegiance."
Antonio fell into his own line of thought. In the original timeline he remembered, the Ministry had never established a specialized, autonomous hit squad quite like this. Given the massive ripple effects his own interventions had already caused, this tactical shift did not shock or surprise him. What truly mattered was that the Ministry had finally been backed into a corner and forced to act with absolute seriousness. Now, the real question was how this ruthless new variable would alter the trajectory of the grand war against Voldemort and his followers. Alastor Moody was a thoroughly competent man, and certainly not someone who would ever give in or back down. If he were allowed this level of power, he would undoubtedly give the Death Eaters a brutal, unrelenting fight.
"And we can place absolute faith in our Aurors," the Minister added.
"And how exactly can we do that?" Someone questioned sharply from the benches again. "Can the Aurors themselves not be traitors?"
"A very fair question," the Minister responded, inclining his head. "And that is precisely the issue I was just coming to."
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