Maybe, Hacker thought to himself, the UK is not far from officially abolishing the death penalty. He just hoped it wouldn't happen during his tenure.
"Speaking of prisoners, the cost of maintaining prisoners in our country is surprisingly high," Hacker began to complain again. Obviously, he was very dissatisfied with many things, but he lacked the ability and courage to change the situation.
"But a few days ago, someone incredibly wanted to take over a maximum-security prison. It's unimaginable. Dangerous criminals aren't easy to control," Hacker complained to Dumbledore about some strange things he had witnessed before, while placing a bowl of caramel pudding in front of him.
"Criminals with minor offenses usually behave better because they still have hope of being released. They follow the rules and naturally cooperate. But most dangerous criminals are ruthless individuals who will spend the rest of their lives in prison or half of their lives. The only thing that can control them is the guards' baton. It's a difficult task to make them sit quietly in front of a sewing machine," Hacker explained to Dumbledore the difference between different types of prisoners, knowledge he had gained from conversations with his secretaries.
"Oh," Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, "So the person who wanted to take over the maximum-security prison is destined to lose money, isn't it?"
"Yes," Hacker nodded, "I've reviewed the information. The prison is located on a remote island, covering an area of 144 square kilometers, and can house 1,500 prisoners. It's called White Dolphin Prison. Due to its sea-surrounded location, the designers gave it another nickname: the White Dolphin Aquarium. The prison's internal security facilities are comprehensive and said to be the most escape-proof prison in the world.
What's most surprising is that the prison provides a considerable amount of freedom to the prisoners, allowing them to engage in various activities such as sports, reading, and work within the facility. The prison has a full team of guards and other support staff, as well as prison doctors and chaplains. In my opinion, the funds allocated by the government are not enough to cover the prison's daily operating expenses."
Hacker expressed his concern about the financial situation of White Dolphin Prison.
"Perhaps only a fool would accept taking over that prison," Hacker concluded.
As the "fool," Tom had no concerns at all.
In the restaurant industry, there's a model called self-service, which focuses on saving labor costs and large-scale production. In the restaurant industry, the cost of ingredients really represents only a small part, while the main expenses are rent, utilities, and labor costs.
Tom planned to leverage this self-service model. Guards? He could hire some of Yuri's henchmen to do occasional work. After all, the real guards were the Dementors: the fundamental purpose of building that prison was to feed the Dementors, everything else was secondary.
Tom believed that under the supervision of the Dementors, prisoners would learn to love work.
Soon, dinner came to an end. Everyone left satisfied with a wide variety of food in their stomachs.
"Mr. Hacker, would you like me to accompany you?" Dumbledore held Hacker's somewhat full arm and kindly asked if he needed assistance.
"Oh, of course, I appreciate it. Tomorrow I have to return to London to attend to some matters," Hacker followed Dumbledore out of the Great Hall.
Hacker was very pleased with his visit to Hogwarts today. This new world was truly fantastic to him, as if he had entered Alice's rabbit hole.
If I use this as a foundation and write a book about the magical world, could I become the next Tolkien? An idea sprang to his mind, but he also understood that the magical world would never allow him to publish such a book.
However, the return method also brought a surprise to Hacker. He thought he would return to London on the Knight Bus as before, but unexpectedly, Dumbledore grabbed his arm and, using a magic called "Apparition," brought him back to London.
Hacker felt like he was being squeezed inside a rubber tube. When he emerged from the tube, he found himself standing in front of his own house.
"This magic is... incredible, although the experience was mediocre," Hacker said in amazement, unable to close his mouth.
"That's because you haven't experienced the use of a Portkey," Dumbledore winked mischievously.
"A Port... what?" Hacker wanted to ask what a Portkey was, but Dumbledore had already disappeared.
...
It was December 26th, a fine day.
Today, the Ministry of Magic welcomed the twenty-ninth Minister for Magic, Amelia Bones.
She stood under the spotlights of the Daily Prophet and delivered a speech.
"Today, I am here, symbolizing the end and also the beginning, symbolizing the end of weakness and the beginning of something entirely new. The current situation is very different. The servants of the Dark Lord have broken their chains..."
"I cannot forget the suffering that the war caused us, the difficult and painful days we went through. I do not wish to witness or allow the magical world to be tormented by that person again."
...
"Fortunately, it is not too late. I will do everything in my power to capture Peter Pettigrew and to defeat the remaining followers of the Dark Lord. At the same time, I will also complete the two great projects that we have long planned. It is an overwhelming responsibility, and I will not shirk it; I accept it gladly. But, at the same time, this is not just my responsibility, but the responsibility of the entire British magical community."
"So, my fellow wizards, do not ask what your Ministry of Magic can do for you; ask what you can do for your Ministry of Magic. Victory will be ours, the Ministry of Magic's, and all those who refuse to bow to the Dark Lord."
In the auditorium, thunderous applause could be heard.
Minister Bones's speech was captivating, a strong start to her ministerial career. Of course, she was shrewd in shifting the responsibility of capturing Peter and defeating Voldemort's followers onto all British wizards.
As for Peter's whereabouts, Minister Bones had a hunch: Peter was locked up in Hogwarts. In her opinion, Peter was the welcome gift that Dumbledore had prepared for her as an ally. Dumbledore had sent someone to capture Peter, tarnishing the Death Eaters' reputation and forcing Voldemort to retreat. When she assumed office, both sides would collaborate to act and capture Peter again, providing her with a personal achievement that would help secure her position as Minister for Magic.
She would write a letter to Hogwarts in a few days, asking them to bring Peter. That's what Minister Bones thought.
After the speech, Amelia Bones moved to the Ministry office. At this moment, there were several baskets filled with pending documents on her desk.
Bones looked at the documents and sighed happily—it was painful but also rewarding!
She picked up the document that was on top and began to read it.