Another achievement was the acquaintance with Madam Amelia Susan Bones, the Director of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Magic.
She was a powerful figure in the Ministry, second only to Fudge, and a fair and honest person.
She harbored deep hatred towards Voldemort; her brother Edgar Bones had sacrificed his life during Voldemort's previous reign.
She was a potential candidate to replace Fudge as the Minister of Magic.
Alaric prepared to establish a secret cooperation with her, supporting her candidacy for Minister of Magic and using her to control the Ministry of Magic to gain access to the secrets of the Department of Mysteries.
Before the trial event, it would have been impossible for Alaric to cooperate with Bones politically.
At that time, he was just a young wizard with academic achievements, though renowned, lacking political influence.
However, things were different now. Alaric, who had single-handedly coerced the entire Wizengamot into compromise, had become a force to be reckoned with in the wizarding world.
He was capable of being Bones' collaborator—no, his reliance.
Because in the process of cooperation, he was the stronger one, and Bones couldn't seek revenge for her brother without Alaric's help.
So the plan became apparent.
The optimal time to launch the plan would be next year—or rather, the next school year.
In the original book, Hogwarts held the Triwizard Tournament the following year, and Voldemort's Death Eaters set a trap during the tournament, sending Harry Potter to a graveyard where Voldemort was resurrected.
As a Minister of Magic who came to power only after Voldemort's defeat, Cornelius Fudge had always feared Voldemort.
His reaction to Voldemort was evasion and denial, treating those who pointed out Voldemort's return and advocated for resistance as enemies, such as the Order of the Phoenix.
Ultimately, due to his negligence, the Death Eaters wreaked havoc in the wizarding world, leading to widespread discontent among wizards, and he was eventually ousted from the ministerial throne.
And he was replaced by the Head of the Auror Office, Rufus Scrimgeour.
Madam Bones, on the other hand, was the opposite of Fudge.
In confronting Voldemort, she was always a strong force within the Ministry of Magic, advocating for a strong response to Voldemort rather than denying his existence.
Unfortunately, in the original book, Madam Bones was killed by Voldemort and did not have the chance to showcase her talents.
Alaric's plan was for him to lead the fight against Voldemort, while Madam Bones acted as the opposition to Fudge within the Ministry, publicizing Voldemort's return and advocating for a firm stance against him.
With Madam Bones confronting Fudge directly, the Ministry of Magic could not completely block information about Voldemort's return as it did in the original book under Fudge's reckless governance.
Voldemort's return would surely cause panic in the wizarding world.
This panic was precisely what Alaric needed, because at this time, the wizarding world would yearn for a hero.
Their first choice would naturally be Albus Dumbledore.
However, Dumbledore's approach to Voldemort was quite passive and negative; he attempted to solve Voldemort through prophecies. This was Alaric's opportunity.
Because if Dumbledore didn't act, he could.
Alaric already had considerable influence in the Wizengamot, and as long as he openly confronted Voldemort, he could gain genuine popularity in the wizarding world through the Wizengamot, becoming the savior hailed by all.
At that time, Madam Bones, who advocated resistance against Voldemort, would also become a strong competitor for the position of Minister of Magic.
As long as he supported Madam Bones, he could overthrow Fudge and make her the new Minister of Magic.
If the plan went smoothly, when he defeated Voldemort, his reputation would peak, and he could replace Dumbledore as the leader of the wizarding world, while Madam Bones would secure the position of Minister.
At that time, whether Alaric wanted to control the Ministry of Magic or access the records of the Department of Mysteries, the entire Ministry would be at his beck and call.
Of course, this was possible.
After all, Dumbledore himself was like this: as the leader of the light wizards, he had been elected Minister of Magic several times, but he refused each time, giving Fudge the opportunity.
When Fudge first took office, he sought Dumbledore's opinion on almost everything.
As long as Dumbledore was willing, the Ministry of Magic could basically become his backyard.
The only thing that could prevent all of this from happening was Dumbledore's own character; his nobility prevented him from doing so.
But Alaric wouldn't be as noble as him.
Of course, Voldemort himself didn't know yet. He had not yet resurrected and was already being used as a stepping stone by others to enhance their reputation.
Alaric's plan aside, upon his return to Hogwarts, he immediately received a hero's welcome.
Both teachers and students surrounded him with concern, wanting to inquire about his treatment at the Ministry of Magic.
Upon learning that Alaric wouldn't be held responsible, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Additionally, the attitudes of the three girls towards Alaric became much gentler. They knew that Alaric being tried by the Wizengamot largely stemmed from their own actions.
On the third day, when the Ministry of Magic issued a statement, everyone's gaze towards Alaric changed.
They didn't know what had happened that day, but they knew that during that trial, Alaric not only cleared his name but also made the Ministry of Magic acknowledge its own responsibility.
Furthermore, he secured compensation for the students' emotional distress, albeit just a few Galleons. Nonetheless, it represented a compromise by the Ministry of Magic.
The three girls were even more excited and moved.
Their gazes towards Alaric were filled with gratitude because they knew that Alaric had fought for this medal for them.
The Order of Merlin medal was no small honor in the wizarding world.
And even a Third-Class Order signified significant contributions and recognition throughout the wizarding world—let alone the fact that Alaric had even taught them the Patronus Charm.
The status of the three girls as prominent figures at Hogwarts was further solidified.
Penelope hadn't even taken her N.E.W.T. exams yet, but several departments of the Ministry of Magic had already sent her letters inviting her to join them after graduation.
Cho Chang had reserved the position of Ravenclaw Prefect in advance.
Once she reached fifth year next semester, she would become the new female Prefect without any objections.
Everyone felt she deserved it, and she herself was becoming more and more confident.
As for Hermione, her life changed the most. She was no longer the boring bookworm people once perceived her to be.
Previously, the girls found her dull and antisocial, but now, the former bookworm and bore had transformed into someone knowledgeable and charismatic.
Several younger girls had started to gather around her, imitating her every move.
She felt somewhat uncomfortable with this attention but started to learn how to navigate social interactions among girls.
Furthermore, there was another change that pleased Alaric immensely—Hermione finally gave up the Time-Turner.
However, it wasn't due to the pressure-induced breakdown Alaric had envisioned, but rather because she received too much attention.
This attention always prevented her from finding a secluded spot to use the Time-Turner, greatly increasing the danger of using it.
Consequently, the exhausted Hermione opportunistically ceased this behavior
As a consequence, she dropped the electives "Muggle Studies" and "Divination."
In conclusion, this event changed everyone involved.
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