The morning mist had yet to clear when a grey owl sliced through the hazy sky, its wide wings skimming over the vapors rising from the Thames River, deftly weaving through the labyrinth of buildings.
Suddenly, it folded its wings for a swift descent, diving precisely through an open attic window, the gust lifting the fine dust from the window frames.
The owl dropped a stack of newspapers, landing lightly on the crossbar of the oak bookshelf, shaking its feathers, and tilting its head to gaze at the figure sitting up from the bed, letting out two low "hoo-hoo" sounds.
"Morning, Eva."
Vid rubbed his eyes and smiled.
After getting ready, he drank a glass of water before picking up the newspaper placed on the table, tearing open the pale yellow string as he walked out of the bedroom.
"Rustle---"
As the newspaper unfolded, a bold headline on the front page caught Vid's attention. He paused in the corridor to read for a moment, when a voice sounded nearby:
"Vid?" Ferdinand asked in confusion, tying his robe as he emerged, "What are you doing standing here?"
"Dad, today's paper has arrived."
Vid's voice still carried the rasp of morning, though his gaze was completely alert.
"Oh...the newspaper?"
Ferdinand paused, fully waking up, then walked closer to pick up the paper, glanced at it, and after a moment of silence, sighed, "Well... it's not the worst outcome after all."
Vid shook his head slightly, without saying a word.
The father and son moved to the study, where Ferdinand retrieved a few small magnets, waiting for Vid to unfold the newspaper before lightly pressing his fingers.
"Click."
The magnets met the metal sheet with a crisp sound.
Surrounding this newspaper were several clippings, some with striking character photos, even rare colored ones:
Scrimgeour looked like a lion poised to strike, his grizzled hair standing stubbornly, his face scarred yet full of strength. His brow furrowed slightly, with furrows in between that seemed beyond smoothing.
Umbridge was dressed in a pink velvet robe, with lace and bows adorning the collar and cuffs, her face plastered with a sickly sweet smile, repeatedly shaking hands and smiling with former Minister Fudge.
Bones appeared stern, with deep lines accentuating her features, her traditional black wizard's robe lacking any personal flair, except for the Wizengamot crest hung at her chest as the only decoration.
Sinclaire stood in the grand hall of the Ministry of Magic, his silver-grey hair neatly combed, hands clasped casually in front of him, his lips curved in an appropriately polite smile.
After fierce competition, these were the four finalists for the position of Minister of Ministry of Magic.
Vid's gaze swept over them one by one:
"Safety Cannot Wait, The Time to Act is Now!"
[Mr. Rufus Scrimgeour stated:
The primary responsibility of the Ministry of Magic is to protect the safety of the people; we must not relax our vigilance because of some people's illusion of "all is well"...
We need to recruit and train more elite Aurors to ensure the safety of every inch of land...
I will do my utmost to resolve existing security issues, rather than cover up the darkness...
We must not let the magic world repeat the mistakes of the past...]
Next came the report on Umbridge, beside her affected smile were large flowery letters—
"For a Better, More Prosperous Magic World."
[We must ensure that stable lives continue, rather than be destroyed by some people's "crisis rhetoric" and "reform fanaticism"...
I, Dolores Umbridge, as a loyal Guardian of the Ministry of Magic, am willing to promise:
To maintain the existing order... enhance administrative efficiency... develop the economy, and with a firmer attitude, safeguard the safety of private property... protect the interests of the people...]
Vid frowned in disgust, his gaze shifting to the next clipping:
"Rebuilding Trust, Returning to Justice."
[The Ministry of Magic should return to fair and transparent operations... corruption, abuse of power, disregard for the people's voices are not individual issues but systemic failures...
I will ensure every abuse of power is held accountable... guarantee that the law is enforced fairly and justly, regardless of lineage or background... open public oversight, prevent authoritarianism in the upper echelons...
Amelia Bones, fighting for a just Ministry of Magic!]
Following Ms. Bones, was Pierce Sinclaire's campaign declaration—
"Unity, Pragmatism, Progress!"
[What the Ministry of Magic needs now is not division, but unity; not empty talk, but pragmatism.
Excessive radicalism or stubborn conservatism will harm the interests of the magic world, what we need is to maintain the stability and peace of the British Magic World, not power struggles...
I do not belong to any faction but will strive to heal the rifts between factions... respect the opinions of all parties, the most important thing is to maintain the normal operation of the Ministry of Magic...
We cannot exaggerate threats or create anxiety and fear among the people, but neither should we ignore hidden dangers... let us meet tomorrow's challenges with reason and unity...]
Revisiting this article, Vid still found it laughable, his lips curling in disdain, letting out a snort.
"It's all just empty rhetoric and platitudes; at least others have made promises, but him? Even if he does nothing once he becomes Minister, the public can't say he violated his declaration."
Ferdinand set down his teacup, speaking gently, "But after experiencing turmoil, what people crave the most is precisely this seemingly mundane sense of security."
"Especially when people open the paper to see such extreme views, just the words alone make one feel exhausted. Since life is passable, a promise of 'changing nothing' is more appealing than those bold and radical leaders."
Vid tapped on Sinclaire's photo on the newspaper, sighed, looking back at his father helplessly, "Alright... you win."
"It's not that I won." Ferdinand gazed at Umbridge's photo, saying, "The one who actually had the best chance of winning was her... if it wasn't for your intervention, the person I bet on wouldn't have been able to win either."
In the middle of the clipping wall, it was filled with various negative news:
Scrimgeour was closely associated with numerous wanted Dark Wizards;
Amelia Bones' grandfather, Edgar Bones, was a known collector of Dark Magical Artifacts;
Sinclaire had once been hospitalized for mental instability, alleged to have been under Imperio control for years;
Bones had shielded family members during trials, leaving victims unable to secure fair rulings;
Sinclaire allegedly a puppet of certain forces;
Scrimgeour had used torture to extract confessions during investigations, leaving at least three wizards permanently disabled;
A well-known official from the Ministry of Magic warned that if Scrimgeour was elected, the Ministry would turn into an Auror dictatorship!
Vid could immediately tell these were Umbridge's tactics. She could even produce various doctored photos, getting supposed "victims" and "insiders" to tearfully testify in front of cameras, boosting her once unparalleled reputation.
Of course, others didn't refrain from counterattacking, there were reports of "Umbridge long-term abuse of household servants" and "Ms. Umbridge once made shocking remarks," but lacking visual evidence, the persuasiveness was much less.
Not to mention, being Fudge's former confidante, Umbridge could easily obtain dirt on numerous individuals while suppressing negative material related to herself.
But there was one person, akin to a Divine Listener hidden within the British Magic World, who possessed countless unpublicized scoops, yet hesitated to release them due to the Ministry's power.
Vid contacted Rita Skeeter, promising her a hefty sum of Galleons and assuring her reports could be published internationally, and soon, a deluge of well-evidenced negative news about Umbridge erupted!
Initially, Umbridge had the backing of magical world capital, her rise almost assured. But now, not only was she abruptly ousted and lost her candidacy, she even faced lawsuits and imprisonment.
Yet, the candidate Vid clandestinely supported, Ms. Bones, also failed to secure election.
This morning, the headline he just received read—
"A Historic Moment: Sinclaire Elected Minister of Ministry of Magic"