"Thank you for your kind invitation, but I have my own goals to achieve. Even if I don't work in the Ministry, it won't affect our cooperation. Furthermore, I am currently a major supplier of equipment to the Ministry. With such a relationship, my direct employment could easily bring unfavorable consequences," Alan tactfully refused.
"I only value ability; it has nothing to do with so-called nepotism," Bagnold said with a smile, shaking her head. "However, what you said makes sense. Currently, the Silver Lightning Trading Company and the Ministry of Magic are already intertwined."
With that, she firmly grasped Alan's shoulder and gently reminded him, "Brace yourself; we are about to Apparate."
As soon as she finished speaking, they vanished from the main hall. When they reappeared, Alan found himself on a massive, open-air plaza with a floor made of black rock. Looking around, he saw an endless expanse of ocean and could hear the crashing sound of waves against the rocks, while the air carried the sharp, salty tang of the sea. Judging from the view, they were quite a bit above sea level.
The sky was as gloomy as if stained with ink, making it impossible to tell the exact time. To make matters worse, a light drizzle was falling, accompanied by the biting December air, which did nothing to lift their spirits. In this somber atmosphere, rows of Dementors hovered in the sky nearby. Upon noticing the pair, they all turned to look, their malevolence undisguised. However, they seemed to be adhering to some ancient rule and did not immediately pounce.
Upon landing, Alan activated his Echoing Spectacles, and the entire Azkaban Prison finally appeared before him in its complete form. It was a triangular columnar building, dozens of meters high, plunging straight into the sea. They were currently at the very top of the structure.
"This is the only area in all of Azkaban where Apparition can be used. Stay close to me, and you won't be bothered by Dementors. I have a spell applied to me that allows them to identify me as authorized personnel," Bagnold explained. She exhaled a puff of mist into the air, clearly bothered by the weather; it was chilling to the bone, the kind of damp cold that made one long for a warm fireplace.
"This plaza is so open; doesn't it need human guards?" Alan asked, scanning the empty surroundings.
"Didn't you see all those Dementors floating nearby?" Minister Bagnold said with a grim smile, enduring the freezing air. "There's only one passage in the prison that leads to the rooftop. The prisoners below are a bunch of unfortunate souls who can't cast spells, so we just need to guard the entrance to the stairs."
Alan nodded, but honestly, the security loopholes seemed obvious to him. Relying on a group of extremely unstable, soul-sucking creatures as guards was a recipe for disaster. He found it hard to understand why the Ministry would cooperate with such evil entities. Although Dementors are difficult to kill, it isn't impossible. If it were up to Alan, he would rather neutralize every last one of them.
However, the thought passed quickly. Minister Bagnold led him down a stone staircase, descending step by step. Although they had left the open-air plaza, the damp indoors offered little warmth. After a long trek through the passages, a flickering firelight finally appeared.
Before them was a long corridor open at both ends, with a brazier burning wood against the far wall. Beside the brazier sat two wizards, bundled up so tightly they looked like piles of laundry. They were engrossed in a game of wizard chess, shivering despite their heavy layers.
"Cough!" Minister Bagnold cleared her throat. The two fellows hadn't even noticed them, still staring intently at the board. Her face darkened.
"Who's there!" One of them turned nervously, fumbling through his layers to find his wand. Because of the bulk of his clothing, he struggled for several seconds without success. Once he realized the Minister for Magic was standing before him, he stopped fumbling and stood stiffly, looking at Bagnold with apprehension.
"M-Minister, why are you here? You didn't notify us in advance." The young wizard's face was extremely pale, whether from fright or the environment, it was hard to say.
"Didn't I send out a memo? This visitation was scheduled a week ago. Have you still not received the notice?" Bagnold's gaze sharpened with displeasure.
"Is that so?" One wizard scratched his head and looked at his companion, who looked equally bewildered.
"Sorry, Minister, we really didn't receive anything. Perhaps the owl was scared away by a Dementor. It happens often here," the other wizard added with a forced smile.
"That's still no excuse for you to be so lax at your post..." Minister Bagnold began to criticize them, but Alan interrupted.
"Minister, they are working in a harsh environment; being here at all shows dedication. Besides, don't we have important business to attend to?" Alan smoothed things over and gave the two a friendly wink.
The two Aurors immediately nodded vigorously, looking at Bagnold with docile expressions. Hearing Alan's words, the Minister realized she might be being a bit too harsh. She was suffering from the climate herself, and she couldn't exactly dismiss them—the work was so arduous that if she fired them, they might actually be relieved.