Hogwarts’ John Wick 254: Severus and Johnny Silverhand

254: Severus and Johnny Silverhand

Old Barty arrived at Silverhand Manor with questions for Johnny Silverhand.

His expression wasn't particularly good.

The Departnt of Magical Law Enforcent, under Alia's command, was a powerful authority—essentially representing the entire ard force of the Ministry of Magic.

Historically, seven out of ten Ministers of Magic had co from this departnt.

It was a position just below one, but above all others within the Ministry.

Although the Triwizard Tournant had encountered so complications, the overall outco was positive. Old Barty's reputation in the wizarding world had improved significantly.

His decisiveness and smooth handling of the aftermath had kept his popularity high.

He could see it now—if he wanted to break the deadlock between himself and Alia, he needed an external force.

Either Dumbledore—

Or Johnny Silverhand.

These were the top two wizards recognized by the magical community today.

Since Dumbledore wasn't interested in getting involved, Barty's advantage grew stronger.

...

"Lord Silverhand."

Upon entering, Barty saw the silver mask behind the desk, elegantly stroking the head of a black long-eared owl.

"Barty, my friend," John's hoarse voice rang out. "You upheld fairness and justice in the Triwizard Tournant—everyone is praising you. Now, tell —What is it you desire?"

The black long-eared owl squinted in comfort, its posture relaxed.

Watching that srizing hand, even Barty felt his anxious emotions gradually settle.

"Lord Silverhand, you know why I'm here."

Old Barty softened his tone, carefully choosing his words.

"I need your help."

"Hmm.." This was exactly what John had been waiting for.

He placed the book on the desk.

Barty didn't know what it was, but he knew it would undoubtedly aid his campaign.

Just as he reached out to take it, John's hand suddenly paused—His left hand, adorned with a ring, pressed down on the book.

With a low, steady voice, he spoke:

"Barty, as a friend, I hope you'll carefully consider the path ahead."

"Hmm?"

Barty frowned.

"My lord, what do you an?"

Behind the silver mask, John's gaze was deep, as if capable of pulling souls into its depths.

A hoarse voice erged—

Uttering a single na.

"Albus Dumbledore."

"!!!"

Barty's eyes widened in shock as if he was trying to confirm whether he had heard correctly.

"Think about it, Barty."

John continued, speaking as if lost in his own thoughts.

"Do you rember Cornelius Fudge?"

"A diocre man."

"With just a single word of praise from Dumbledore, he beca Minister of Magic."

"But in reality, he was nothing more than a puppet. Hovering over the entire Ministry, every decision had to pass through him first."

Barty muttered, "Perhaps Dumbledore was just concerned about the wizarding world."

"Haha~ No, no, no~"

John rose from his seat, stepping toward Barty.

He placed the book firmly into Barty's hands.

"If Dumbledore truly cared about the wizarding world, he wouldn't have chosen Fudge."

"What he cares about—"

"—is himself."

"He doesn't want to be Minister—"

"But he does want the Minister to obey his every word~"

Barty clenched the book tightly as John's whispered words stirred mories within him.

"Fudge's weakness… Do you rember Lucius? What happened after he complained about Dumbledore?"

Barty's grip on the book tightened.

Lucius had filed a complaint against Dumbledore, and the result? He was kicked out of the Hogwarts Board of Governors.

Even though he later regained his position with Johnny Silverhand's help, it was nothing more than an empty title. The power that should have belonged to the Malfoy family had completely disappeared.

"Dumbledore enjoys binding others with his self-righteous sense of justice," John said, patting Barty's shoulder aningfully.

"Think about all the reckless decisions Dumbledore has made over the years. Every ti, he's the one who brings danger into Hogwarts. Maybe he's not as fit to be Headmaster as people believe."

Barty instinctively muttered, "Yeah, he's awful."

Then, he froze, a look of shock flashing across his face.

Why… Why did he think that?

He recalled the day he asked Dumbledore to choose the next Minister of Magic. Even then, he had hesitated.

Yes, Dumbledore stood above them all. Even he, Barty, who was running for Minister, had to seek Dumbledore's approval.

And the worst part? Even Alia hadn't noticed anything wrong with it!

A man with no official position in the Ministry had the power to decide who would lead it.

Barty couldn't help but wonder—if he beca Minister of Magic one day, could Dumbledore remove him with just a single word?

His face darkened.

He had to admit, Dumbledore's influence had grown far too vast.

"You're right," Barty said, looking at John with a troubled expression. "But, sir, I can't simply force Dumbledore into retirent."

"Well," Beneath the silver mask, John's lips curled into a knowing smile. He glanced at the book on the table. "Now you have the ans to do so."

Skeptical, Barty opened the book. He had assud it contained sothing that would give him an edge over Alia in the election.

But when he saw what was inside, he was utterly stunned.

This wasn't just an advantage—it was a direct ticket to victory!!

Like photographs frozen in ti, Death Eaters were trapped within the pages. Each one was a bargaining chip.

"Don't release news of Voldemort's return just yet," John instructed. "Wait until you've secured your position as Minister. Then, you can begin reforming the Ministry."

Barty had written to Johnny Silverhand the mont he learned about Voldemort's return, so he never doubted the truth of it.

"Voldemort is back. Dumbledore saw it with his own eyes."

Unlike Fudge, Barty didn't need to witness it himself to believe it. He knew Dumbledore wouldn't joke about sothing like this.

In a low voice, he said, "Sir, forgive for being blunt, but even if you have a personal grudge against Dumbledore, now isn't the right ti to act on it."

He could sense that Johnny Silverhand had plans against Dumbledore.

But when it ca to matters of life and death, he couldn't afford to gamble with the fate of the wizarding world.

"Personal grudge, huh? Bahaha~" John shook his head while laughing. "Barty, do you really think this is in your best interest?"

"Think about it—if you follow Dumbledore's lead and publicly announce Voldemort's return, what will happen to Dumbledore's reputation?"

John continued, "People will rember the Dumbledore who fought against two Dark Lords. If that happens, you won't have a choice but to obey him. Otherwise, the public won't accept it."

Barty's expression darkened—he had no intention of becoming a puppet.

Then John delivered the final blow, eliminating any lingering concerns Barty had about facing Voldemort.

"Don't worry," John said with a smirk. "Dumbledore sees himself as the embodint of justice. Even if no one else helps him, he will still gather a force to fight Voldemort to the end. All we need to do is control the balance."

You claim to be the champion of justice?

Fine. You go fight Voldemort.

A cold glint flickered in John's eyes.

Barty understood now—Johnny Silverhand wanted Dumbledore and Voldemort to fight each other. anwhile, the Ministry of Magic would use this ti to clean house and strengthen its grip.

Barty's eyes lit up. Compared to letting Dumbledore grow even stronger, this plan was far superior.

When two kings clashed, the Ministry of Magic's authority would rise.

And with Johnny Silverhand supporting him—the man considered second only to Dumbledore—even if the plan went awry, there was a safety net.

Barty agreed.

...

During this holiday, if everything went smoothly, Barty would beco Minister of Magic.

John enlisted Rita Skeeter to craft a glowing report for him while simultaneously preparing a 'thorough' exposé on Dumbledore.

There was no need for embellishnt—just presenting the facts was enough: in first year, Dumbledore hired a Death Eater as a professor; in third year, he brought in a werewolf; in fourth year, he allowed a professor to demonstrate the Unforgivable Curses.

John also roped in the superstar Gilderoy Lockhart to assist with the publicity campaign.

On the surface, John provided whatever was needed—money, manpower, resources.

In the shadows, Death Eaters were being eliminated through various ans, high-ranking officials were being courted at lavish banquets, and even the Auror Office was lending discreet support.

Although Alia Bones was a formidable opponent, she had lost the initiative.

Barty's popularity continued to soar.

...

One week later—

John moved on to the next phase.

The position of Hogwarts Headmaster and the appointnt of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Hogwarts was crucial. It wasn't just the foundation of wizarding education across the country but also the alma mater of every major powerholder.

Its monopolistic hold on wizarding education made it irreplaceable, to the point where even the Minister of Magic dared not interfere too much.

The Headmaster's position wasn't just about replacing Dumbledore—it was about reshaping the future.

He thought of soone who would have been the perfect choice—unfortunately, that person was no longer suitable.

There was also the matter of dealing with Horcruxes. He had an idea: to create a Horcrux tracker by utilizing the connection between them.

By using this tracker, he could pinpoint the locations of the remaining Horcruxes.

The golden locket had been in his possession for so ti now, yet John hadn't taken the ti to study it properly.

Just as he was about to examine it, an unexpected visitor arrived.

Severus Snape.

John didn't know what was going through Snape's mind as he stepped into Silverhand Manor.

Watching from the window sill, John observed him with interest.

A fleeting thought had passed through his mind earlier—Snape as a potential candidate for Headmaster.

But unfortunately, this man was destined never to stand by his side. That answer had already been given back in third year.

If Snape knew that he was planning to overthrow Dumbledore, wouldn't that be an amusing scenario?

John wasn't certain whether Dumbledore had revealed his true identity to Snape. After all, Snape was Dumbledore's most trusted confidant.

Regardless, John decided to et him.

His forr Head of House—the man he once tried to recruit, only to be refused.

And now, Snape had co to him.

The shift in their roles was fascinating, wasn't it?

Heh~

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