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Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Nip the world-class crisis in the bud

Hagrid could be a bit muddle-headed at times, but he was always unwavering when it came to matters of right and wrong. So when he realized that the creature he had bred could potentially trigger a world-class disaster, he reluctantly agreed to Roger's request.

Roger nodded but didn't immediately begin the destruction. Instead, he used magic to bind the Fear Demons Hagrid had created, sealing off a large area around them with powerful protective spells. Once the creatures were contained, Roger left the hut near the Forbidden Forest and headed straight for Hogwarts.

At Hogwarts, he made his way to the Divination classroom. Although Divination was an elective for third-year students, he hadn't taken it in his first year.

"Professor Trelawney, could you step outside for a moment?"

The moment Sybill Trelawney saw him, she flinched. As a mediocre diviner relying on the half-baked talents inherited from her seer ancestors, she often struggled to stand her ground in the presence of a truly powerful seer. Roger's unexpected arrival made her fear that the true seer was about to ruin her livelihood.

Roger, however, quickly explained his intentions, which eased her nerves.

He held a letter left by Dumbledore—more than just a token, it was a magical item that granted him the ability to mobilize many of Hogwarts' resources, equivalent to half the headmaster's authority. With this, Roger issued an order: Sybill was to temporarily cease teaching and summon the students she believed had genuine divination abilities.

Although Trelawney's classes often consisted of 'psychological divination'—the type of fortune-telling tricks performed by street mystics—she did possess real divinatory talent. After all, the prophecy regarding Harry and the Dark Lord had been her work. She could easily discern which of her students had authentic abilities.

With the headmaster's token in hand, Roger quickly assembled a team of diviners. Divination, when it came to the past, was far easier than predicting the future. Roger's intention was clear: to leave no stone unturned and ensure that every last Fear Demon was eradicated.

Although Roger himself was a seer, his abilities were primarily focused on danger prediction. While he could make some prophecies, they didn't reach the level of a full-fledged seer. This meant cross-checking and verifying from multiple sources was the safest course of action.

The elimination itself was straightforward. One spell was all it took to vanquish the immature Fear Demons. They were no more difficult to deal with than an unhatched bird's egg, fragile and vulnerable.

But the work didn't end once the creatures were destroyed.

After a screening process more rigorous than a biosafety level 4 laboratory, Roger sent Hagrid to find the little girl, Luna Lovegood, who claimed to see the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. Meanwhile, Roger returned to Hogwarts, where he sought out Professor McGonagall, the one person in the school he trusted most.

"Contact the Ministry of Magic?" Professor McGonagall's eyes widened.

"Yes," Roger replied seriously. "I need to speak directly with Minister Fudge and the head of the Department of Mysteries."

McGonagall paused, sensing the gravity of the situation.

"However," Roger continued, "with my identity, my words carry little weight. I need you to convey my message to them."

Roger's plan was simple: he wanted to inform the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Mysteries about the existence of the Fear Demon species and the potential harm they posed.

Though the Department of Mysteries was technically a part of the Ministry, it had been established long before the Ministry itself. The department operated with a considerable degree of autonomy, and even the Minister of Magic couldn't always control its internal affairs. This made it essential to approach both sides.

To avoid any future complications or legal entanglements, Roger had no intention of disclosing everything. Instead, he would suggest that the Ministry of Magic seal all records of the Fear Demons under a charm similar to the Fidelius Charm, ensuring that only those with the highest clearance could access them. He also proposed that a targeted action plan be developed to deal with the threat.

As for the Fear Demons' origins, Roger would mention that they were bred from Boggarts and another magical creature. He would withhold the identity of that creature, specifically the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, for now.

As long as the Ministry of Magic tightened control over Boggarts, the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks would naturally remain unrelated… If Hagrid hadn't used unconventional methods, these two creatures would have had no connection in nature.

As for Luna, Roger would address that later. He would not only control the flow of information but also ensure that Luna didn't face any unnecessary trouble because of this. He would release some false information to protect her.

Lies were one thing, but strategic deception was another. Although Roger despised lying, he wasn't so rigid as to let it cloud his judgment.

"Why?" Professor McGonagall asked, clearly puzzled.

Since Roger had already handled the matter, she assumed there was no need to escalate it to the Ministry of Magic.

"Blood is thicker than water," she mused, following the unspoken conventions of the wizarding world. It wasn't common to involve higher authorities unless the situation became completely unmanageable.

Understanding her unspoken thoughts, Roger answered, "Covering it up isn't the right solution."

If Hagrid could create Fear Demons, others could too. Roger didn't believe Luna would be the only person throughout history capable of seeing the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. In fact, there may have been ancient wizards who could see them as well, though they would have called them by a different name. Perhaps the Crumple-Horned Snorkack was once known as the "inner demon" in the East?

If, in the future, someone else met the same conditions as Hagrid and Luna, and Fear Demons appeared once more, quietly spreading... what would happen then?

"We recognize the potential for a crisis," Roger continued. "We can't just ignore it. We can't let future generations inherit an unresolved problem, letting it fester into something uncontrollable. We must solve it now, before it grows out of our hands."

Thus, it was better to have the Department of Mysteries come up with a plan.

"Doing this might bring you some…" Professor McGonagall started to caution.

"I know," Roger interrupted, his voice calm but firm.

Back in the Middle East, he had the option to leave, but he stayed. He kept his promise, choosing to play the entire game despite the risks. In the Wizengamot, he could have let a lawyer defend him, but Roger refused to entrust his fate to someone he couldn't trust. Even knowing the outcome might not be in his favor, he defended himself and chose his own destiny.

Roger had always said he feared death—and he never denied it. But for him, self-will was just as vital as life itself.

Living in a way that violated his core principles, becoming someone he despised, was like dying to Roger.

"If I am no longer myself, what use is this body?" he thought.

So, he would continue to fight, always standing firm on what he believed was right.

Professor McGonagall met Roger's unwavering gaze, nodded, and rose to contact the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Mysteries through Hogwarts' official channels.

Once she left, Roger sat back and rubbed his forehead, suddenly lost in thought as he waited for both parties to arrive.

Something occurred to him—since he had inadvertently provided the ideas and some of the techniques that led Hagrid to create this dangerously powerful magical creature, the possibility of something similar happening again couldn't be dismissed.

Outsourcing his responsibilities to others was a risk he couldn't afford to take lightly.

"Harry…" Roger murmured, his frown deepening.

In many ways, Harry was the protagonist of a certain fated trajectory. If Harry ever ventured into the path of Time Magic—and something went wrong—Roger doubted the resulting trouble would be any smaller than the one caused by Hagrid's creations.

"I need to set up some insurance measures," Roger concluded, already formulating a plan.

.... Patreon Seasay

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