Chapter 277 "The Assault On St. Mungo"

The British Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, swiftly entered St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Infections, accompanied by his entourage.

"Where is our heroic figure at the British Ministry, Mr. Thomas Vole, currently receiving treatment?" Fudge inquired eagerly as they stepped into the hospital.

Guided by the hospital staff, Fudge and his group were ushered into a ward. Therapist Hippocrates Smethwyck happened to be present, overseeing Thomas' condition.

Hearing the door open, Hippocrates Smethwyck rose and turned to see Fudge entering briskly, anxious to know about Thomas' well-being.

"Healer Smethwick, how is Mr. Vole?" Fudge inquired, glancing down at the hospital bed to find Thomas Vole in a coma, his face pallid and drained of color.

In response to the Minister of Magic's inquiry, Hippocrates Smethwyck sighed deeply and responded, "Fortunately, Mr. Vole did not sustain any fatal injuries. Currently, his most significant issue is the depletion of his magical power. With adequate rest, he should naturally recover from the resulting sequelae."

Upon hearing Healer Smethwyck's reply, Fudge's expression brightened, and he exclaimed, "That's good, that's good! As long as it's not a major issue, the British Ministry of Magic cannot afford to have Mr. Vole absent!"

In uttering these words, Fudge spoke the truth. Following the First World War on Magic in England, Fudge had maintained a low profile, fearing another encounter with the Alliance.

The profound impact that the Alliance had on Fudge that day was immense; it wasn't merely a battle but a war. Fudge had never envisioned that the wizarding world's conflict could encroach so closely upon him.

At the time, Fudge grappled with a question: why was the British Ministry of Magic, holding the home advantage and boasting a slightly larger force than the Alliance, finding itself on equal footing with the Alliance?

Upon resuming the war, the British Ministry of Magic concluded that the Alliance outperformed the Aurors in two crucial aspects: the degree of mutual understanding and the overall combat power of both factions.

Notably, during that war, several members of the Alliance, including Rosier and Abernathy, refrained from taking action, while the veterans of the Alliance, led by Carrow, played pivotal roles.

Since then, Fudge has been pondering where to recruit new formidable wizards to bolster the British Ministry of Magic, ensuring that British magical forces can match the Alliance's top combat power.

Initially, Dumbledore seemed like the most promising choice, but Fudge immediately dismissed the idea. Welcoming Dumbledore to the British Ministry of Magic would mean Fudge relinquishing his position as the Minister of Magic to the revered wizard.

Upon receiving the news of the Alliance's resurgence and their siege of Gringotts, Fudge felt a sense of desperation. The absence of Scrimgeour, who could have engaged in a one-on-one contest with the Alliance wizards, further intensified the crisis.

With Scrimgeour in Scotland, Fudge hesitated to venture into Diagon Alley personally.

After much contemplation, Fudge impulsively assigned Thomas Vole, the former head of the Auror Office, to lead a team to Gringotts.

Little did he anticipate that this seemingly arbitrary decision would yield such a significant surprise. Thomas, alongside Lockhart, not only withstood the Alliance's assault but successfully repelled it.

The revelation that the wizard he had randomly chosen had played a pivotal role in this triumph left Fudge astounded, realizing that the solution to his predicament was right under his nose.

Observing Thomas lying in the hospital bed, Fudge's satisfaction grew.

Although Thomas was not a product of Fudge's personal promotion, he had proven to be remarkably capable.

With Lockhart's assistance, they successfully thwarted the Alliance attack—a feat that, in Fudge's estimation, Scrimgeour might not have achieved.

Umbridge, who was at Fudge's side, was a constant source of irritation for him. Seizing the opportunity, she proposed, "Minister Fudge, perhaps, when Mr. Vole has recovered, we should relocate him."

Fudge, though nodding in agreement, remained silent.

In the midst of this contemplation, a sudden explosion erupted not far from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Injuries, startling everyone within its confines.

As Fudge and Umbridge exchanged uneasy glances, the distant echoes of a battle reached their ears. The gravity of the situation etched a grim expression on their faces.

Just as confusion set in, an Auror responsible for Fudge's protection rushed in with urgency, brandishing a wand. He addressed Fudge, "Minister, we must evacuate immediately—It's the Alliance! They came here for revenge!"

Upon hearing the Auror's urgent message, Fudge involuntarily trembled. The sounds of battle drew nearer, and the clash of opposing forces became audible, signaling an unforeseen onslaught by the Alliance.

The swift and unexpected attack caught Fudge off guard, even causing his own Auror Guards to struggle.

Amidst the unfolding chaos, a faint voice reached Fudge's ears.

He turned to find Thomas, still weakened, but there was a look in his eyes, attempting to rise from the hospital bed. Thomas weakly uttered, "Minister, is that the sound of a battle? Where's my wand? Give me my wand, and I can still fight!"

Witnessing this, Healer Smethwyck rushed to support Thomas, cautioning, "No, you've depleted your magical energy. Using spells again could be fatal! We don't want to risk further injuries in your mana flow."

However, Thomas gazed at him sternly, brushing off Healer Smethwyck's assistance, gasping, "Don't worry about me. Leave this place to me, run away! I... can't leave; they're coming for me!"

Simultaneously, the sounds of battle drew closer, indicating that the Alliance had infiltrated the hospital. The cacophony of the skirmish between the two sides became increasingly distinct.

"Rush in! Thomas Vole is in there!"

"Our lord commands that Thomas Vole must be eliminated! He poses a significant threat to us! We can't go back without his head serves for lord Grindelwald!"

"While he's injured now, we must ensure he's killed today to avenge our dozens of fallen comrades!"

Thomas was surprised to hear the Alliance's wizard roar from the outside, "Is this another plan from Wentworth? This is quite over acting coming from bunch of the Alliance..."

During this tense moment, Fudge stared wide-eyed at Thomas Vole, expressing disbelief. He questioned, "Did you really kill dozens of Alliance wizards? Then why wasn't there a single Alliance corpse at the scene?"

Thomas coughed dryly before responding somewhat weakly, "Of course, it's not just me. Isn't Mr. Lockhart present there? As for the Alliance wizards' corpses, they were taken away by their own people during the Alliance's evacuation! At that time, I truly couldn't prevent it, with the last of my energies being depleted before I could even lift my wand!"

"Truly remarkable, Mr. Vole! First and foremost, I am sorry for your condition, and thank you for your service! Let's face the Alliance assault together." Fudge exclaimed with a wide grin on his face.