21. Freedom, Justice and Order

"We are all gathered here to choose the new minister of magic. I presume that all of you have already decided on whom to vote so by the authority of chief warlock of Wizengamot, I declare the beginning of voting." Dumbledore announced from a podium at the center of a circular hall.

One by one, all 50 members cast their votes by taping their wands on a close envelope and the name of their choice in their mind. The names would automatically appear in the envelope.

The voting took 20 minutes. Then Dumbledore once again took the podium.

"I announce the end of voting. Now, I shall open the envelope and announce the names and numbers of votes.

12 votes for Dolores Umbridge and 38 votes for Alexander Maxim Universe.

I believe that the result is clear to us all. We have a new Minister of Magic. Mr. Universe, the podium is yours." Dumbledore stepped down.

"Hello, my dear colleagues. My days spent in the ministry aren't a lot, but I can assure you that I will try to have my name included among the best ministers to ever serve. Now, I also want to address some issues that I want to start working on as soon as possible.

Many of you don't believe that Voldemort has returned and I can't really do much to change your opinion on that matter but again, we aren't kids who can just close their eyes when scared and expect for things to resolve on their own. If the claim of him being back is made then it should also be properly investigated. Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement will conduct an investigation and report to me directly. Head of Auror department Rufus Scrimgeour, I want you to round up all the remaining death eaters that are still out there.

The ministry has been in a state of decay since its beginning years. We need change which I shall introduce little by little. We need to install a proper criminal punishment system as well. We will start with the death eaters in Azkaban. I will be creating a new kind of pensive with the sole reason of looking into prisoner's memories without harming them. The pensive will not require any cooperation from the accused and his crimes will be automatically shown on the pensive and a large screen connected with it.

I believe that it will make working much more efficient and will also reduce some load off our shoulders. Now, I adjourn this meeting." Alexander stepped off the podium and looked at Dumbledore.

"A strong start my friend"

"A much-needed start, Albus. Let's go to my office and talk there."

"Lead the way"

In the crowd, Dolores Umbridge was going crazy over her loss. She was undersecretary of Fudge and expected to get a promotion but someone else stole it.

...

In the office.

"So, what's the next step?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, we'll Start with small reforms first, I will try to increase the efficiency and professionalism of the ministry. Then big reforms will come. In the meantime I'll hunt your lost prodigy" he answered while sipping on some tea.

"Yes, truly a lost boy. If only I had intervened at the right time we could have avoided losing all those lives." Dumbledore said in self-pity.

"You could have, but what's done is done. You couldn't have known the future... By the way, did you know about the chamber of secrets?"

"Oh! Yes, I know about it but couldn't find it no matter how much I tried"

"Only those who speak Parseltounge can open it. Not only that, there is supposed to be a 1000-year-old Basilisk locked in it by Salazar Slytherin." He dropped the bomb.

Dumbledore stood up in shock.

"There is a fully mature Basilisk in my school. School where little kids study!."

"Relax Albus, I will deal with it before the next semester starts and I believe that we should ask Newt Scamander to come. Basilisk is nearly an extinct species and it's not every day you'd find a 1000 year old one." He suggested.

"Yes, you are right. I just hope Newt will be able to control it," Dumbledore worriedly said.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I got a trick for it. Now, I have an interview to give so I'll be heading to Galaxy tower. You tell Newt to meet us at Hogwarts tomorrow." Alexander walked out.

When he got to the huge main hall of the ministry where the big Merlin statue was present, he looked around and didn't like the color scheme of the ministry. It made him feel depressed and angry. The black building block theme was very ugly. Hence he decided to change the color scheme and make some other changes.

He raised his hand and started waving slowly like he was conducting an orchestra. The people around him stopped and started to look at him. Nobody dared to come to him as everyone recognized that he was the new minister of magic. With each movement of his hand, something changed. The black building blocks started changing into whitish-grey with a little bit of bluish hue at the edges. Many black towers, plaques, doors, etc changed into golden colors. It made it look more regal... respectable. The depressed aura started changing into a cheerful and hopeful aura.

In the end, he installed huge screens levitating in the air which showed the news channel, people could magically mute it for themselves so that they wouldn't hear it. Then he added a rotating transparent screen around Merlin's statue. The screen showed the logo of the British Ministry of Magic with its new moto. 'Freedom, Justice and Order' and 'We live to Serve'. He also added some beautiful magic birds which made the atmosphere a bit more colorful.

With that, he was done, he turned around and saw a lot of people staring at him. He magically amplified his voice.

"Welcome to the new face of the ministry. As you can see, our new motto is to serve our magical brethren, keep order and bring peace. There is also a complaint register at every office now. Anyone with any problems with an office can register their problem and strict action will be taking on it" After saying that he Disapparated. He was amongst the selective few who could do that from inside the ministry.

Alexander apparated in his office at Galaxy tower. He was too busy for interviews now, so he made an identical dummy doll. It would just repeat words that he wanted it to in the interview.

...

Sirius sat in front of him. "So what is it, Mr. minister of magic?"

"Haha... That title has a nice ring to it and I asked you here because I want something from you. It's in your house."

"It is?" He asked with interest.

"I'll tell you after I get it."

"Okay, let's go then. I haven't really gone there since getting out of Azkaban." They apparated to 12, Grimmauld Place.

They stood on the street as the building slid from the middle. They entered and were immediately greeted with dust and foul smell.

"KREACHER" Sirius shouted.

An old house-elf with long crooked nose popped in front of them.

"Why haven't you been cleaning this place?"

"You filthy blood traitor, Kreacher saw no one coming so Kreacher didn't"

Alexander left them bickering and went to an almirah in the corner. He looked at the top and found Salazar Slytherin's locket. The moment he touched it he sensed something trying to probe into his mind. Well, it didn't work and he threw it in his space pocket. He was going to destroy it later. But unknown to him. The moment he threw it into his space pocket the locket lost its connection from the mortal world and the soul shard in it got automatically purified.

"Let's go Sirius"

"Wait, you got what you came for?"

"Yes, it was a locket that your brother hid here. It was a Horcrux," he answered.

"What! A-A Horcrux... But whose?"

"It belonged to that Voldemort. Your brother when realized that Voldemort had created a Horcrux decided to steal it and changed it with a fake one. He died doing this. But Kreacher wasn't able to destroy it all these years, I guess" Alexander shortly explained.

Sirius was shocked by the new revelation. He always hated his brother but it turned out he was wrong. "So... My brother, wasn't a death eater?"

"No, he was a death eater at the beginning but changed his mind after finding out that Voldemort made Horcrux. Sadly, he didn't know that he had made more than one"

"WHAT! You mean that there are more of these?"

Alexander didn't say anything and just nodded. He knew where all the other Horcruxes were. One was in the Hogwarts, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. Then there was the diary in Lucius Malfoy's possession, Helga Hufflepuff's cup in Bellatrix's Vault, the ring with resurrection stone in Gaunt's shack, possibly Nagini and finally, Harry Potter.

"Well, I am going back to my office. You can do whatever you want" he apparated back to his office.

He was in deep thoughts though. Where did Voldemort find the knowledge to make Horcruxes? The secrets of the darkest art was the only book that told how to make Horcruxes and Dumbledore had it in his office. So it is most likely that someone taught him how to make them. But who?