Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures - H.P.S.T Chapter 1410: Unequal Exchange

“So basically, you’d like to give the impression that we’re working for the Ministry?” asked Harry.

At this point in the conversation, he finally understood Scrimgeour’s true intentions.

The other party hoped to have him and Evan speak for the Ministry and change the Wizarding community’s perception of it, as if they were mascots that would bring good luck.

“It would give everyone a lift to think you were more involved,” said Scrimgeour eagerly, sounding relieved that Evan and Harry had cottoned on so quickly. “ ‘The Chosen One’ and ‘Dumbledore’s Successor,’ you know … It’s all about giving people hope, the feeling that exciting things are happening. …”

“There’s one more thing I don’t quite understand,” said Evan. “If this is the extent of our cooperation, what purpose does it serve beyond boosting confidence in the Ministry? I mean, how do you actually plan to fight Voldemort and the Death Eaters?”

“Right now, the most important things are confidence and hope, Evan. The Aurors will capture that Dark Lord and his Death Eaters,” said Scrimgeour, frowning slightly. “What we need most at the moment is for people to believe that we can defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…”

In other words, they had no real strategy. Confidence and hope alone could not defeat Voldemort.

Evan shook his head. If the Ministry continued with its current approach, the fragile hope that had just begun to rise would soon be exhausted.

By then, he and Harry’s reputations would be just as tarnished as the Ministry’s.

Looking at Scrimgeour, Evan stuck to his previous judgment. He suddenly felt that the once-renowned Auror had fully transitioned into a politician after becoming Minister. Even if Scrimgeour genuinely wanted to defeat Voldemort, his priority right now was saving his own precarious position.

To improve the Ministry’s image, Scrimgeour needed to take actions that would win public support without actually solving any problems — a classic political maneuver.

That’s why he had come to invite Evan and Harry to work for the Ministry instead of actually seeking a solution to the problem.

It made sense — Scrimgeour probably didn’t believe Evan and Harry had any real way to solve the problem either.

“If Evan and I do what you ask, won’t that seem as though we approve of what the Ministry’s up to?” said Harry, still endeavoring to keep his voice friendly, though he was very dissatisfied with Scrimgeour’s request and his earlier response.

“Well … well, yes,” said Scrimgeour. “I can understand your concerns, but please believe that the Ministry’s current approach is absolutely effective. We will eventually defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. After all, fifteen years ago —”

Voldemort’s defeat fifteen years ago didn’t seem to have much to do with the Ministry either.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Minister, I don’t know what Evan thinks, but I can’t,” Harry interrupted Scrimgeour, determined to make himself as polite as possible, “I don’t think that’ll work. You see, I don’t like some of the things the Ministry’s doing. Locking up Stan Shunpike, for instance.”

Scrimgeour did not speak for a moment but his expression hardened instantly.

“I would not expect you to understand,” he said patiently, but a hint of anger still slipped out of his words. “But as I said before, I hope you understand, Harry, that these are dangerous times, and certain measures need to be taken.”

“So you’re making Stan a scapegoat and putting him in Azkaban, just like you want to make us mascots?!”

Scrimgeour fell silent again. He and Harry looked at each other for a long moment, and it seemed he could see the unwavering determination in Harry’s eyes.

“Alright, alright,” he relented, turning to Evan. “Evan, what about you?”

“Harry’s answer is mine as well,” said Evan. “But I am still willing to cooperate with the Ministry.”

“In what way?” Scrimgeour frowned.

“I have a few suggestions. For instance, Stan Shunpike should be released immediately; his imprisonment serves no purpose other than deepening people’s despair toward the Ministry. Additionally, you should revise the laws regarding magical creatures such as werewolves, vampires, giants, centaurs, and house-elves. They are potential allies, yet our current policies are driving them straight into Voldemort’s arms,” said Evan. “Furthermore, I suggest stepping up efforts to clean up and crack down on the Knockturn Alley Underworld. And, well, if…”

Evan listed over a dozen suggestions in succession, and Scrimgeour’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Many of these suggestions were what Dumbledore had told him before, but he’d rejected them. He didn’t know whether he could defeat Voldemort by following these suggestions, but it would definitely cause the Ministry to be plunged into huge controversy in the short term. Not even during the last war had the Ministry taken such steps.

“Finally, Mr. Minister, I suggest that you should have a sincere talk with Dumbledore,” said Evan.

“Well, if that’s what you’re suggesting, I’ll consider it,” said Scrimgeour perfunctorily. “About cooperation?”

“What I just said is the content of our cooperation,” said Evan. “It is also the premise for us to serve the Ministry.”

“Is that so?” said Scrimgeour, but his tone was no longer so friendly. “It seems that you two prefer — like your hero, Dumbledore — to disassociate yourselves from the Ministry?”

“I don’t want to disassociate myself from the Ministry, but I don’t want to be used either,” said Harry.

“Some would say it’s your duty to be used by the Ministry!”

“Yeah, and others might say it’s your duty to check that people really are Death Eaters before you chuck them in prison,” said Harry, his temper rising now. “But you don’t do that. As far as I can see, you’re doing what Barty Crouch did. You never get it right, you people, do you? Either we’ve got Fudge, pretending everything’s lovely while people get murdered right under his nose, or we’ve got you, chucking the wrong people into jail and trying to pretend you’ve got ‘the Chosen One’ and ‘Dumbledore’s Successor’ working for you!”

“So you’re not?” asked Scrimgeour, astonished.

“I thought you said it didn’t matter either way?” said Harry, with a bitter laugh. “Not to you anyway.”

“I shouldn’t have said that,” said Scrimgeour quickly. “It was tactless —”

“No, it was honest,” said Harry quickly. “One of the only honest things you’ve said since you met us. You don’t care whether Evan or I live or die, nor do you intend to adopt any of Evan’s suggestions, but you do care that we help you convince everyone you’re winning the war against Voldemort, and to make your position more secure, because…”

“That’s enough, Harry!” said Evan, stopping the angry Harry. “Apologies, Mr. Minister, we can’t agree to your request for cooperation. To be honest, I would like to do my best to serve the Ministry, but I don’t want to do useless work.”

He had never placed much faith in the Ministry to begin with — expecting them to defeat Voldemort was simply unrealistic. However, if Scrimgeour had been willing to listen to him, it could have saved a lot of trouble, sped up their progress, and tilted the scales of the war in t

heir favor.

But now, it seemed that wasn’t going to happen either…

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