Chapter 30: 30
Meeting of the Force Operations Division
Grimmo 12, living room, after 7:00 p.m.
*
I ordered Kreacher to place the coffee table between the two sofas by the fireplace; now the Calhoun brothers are on the same sofa and Mr. Creighton is in front of them. I sat in the extra chair so that I could see the brothers, Creighton and the fireplace. All the greetings ended when Kreacher brought them into the living room, so I got down to business. There was a London atlas on the table, opened at the action site, and some of my amateur shots of the Good Squire Bar.
"Gentlemen. At the moment, a few high-ranking bastards had the indiscretion of trying to paw my inheritance. To unblock the inheritance, we need resources. You're looking at the trans-shipment point of one of Brixton's criminal organizations. We need to monitor this pub, identify key figures in the organization. Our job is to take control of the key figures at this point. We're interested in capturing resources and reaching out to the leaders. Your suggestions?"
From the brothers, the thesis of the organization has sprinkled with human surveillance, from Creighton magic. That's not going to work.
"Gentlemen, your thoughts are no doubt shared. But I demand that you work as a team. Combine your suggestions in a report note, tomorrow at the same time."
Besides, I've enlightened my mercenaries that I can offer them accommodation in the village at Uchaf Creek after the goblins have finished their repairs. Creighton agreed right away. He, as a young professional with no work experience, took up the idea of government housing. The Calhoun didn't mind. After that, the conversation shifted to providing operations. The brothers had their guns, but it wasn't a blanket. We agreed they'd make a list of equipment, potions, and amulets in another report note. That was the end of Division meeting, I handed out the emergency and ordinary keys to the agents gave the brothers the amulets and sent everyone home.
Okay, that's all good, but what happens when there are at least a few assault groups? I need "communication officers," where do I get them? Not just a wizard fighter, but his unique, mystical modification, a wizard fighter with analytical brains. And it's also necessary to get the candidate to work for me. Okay, that'll be later, and first we'll solve the funding issue.
*
Meeting of the Advocacy Division
After 9:00 p.m.
I met Miss Bosworth on the sofa, which the brothers had occupied before. When Kreacher brought her in, I got up.
"Good evening, Anna!"
"Good evening, sir."
I saw that she didn't know how to act with an 11-year-old boy who acts like an old man. The old man's illusion amulet was still on. Well, she called it sir, that's good. She went on.
"I've been rereading the Daily Prophet lining for the last three weeks. Weren't you the one who initiated this wave of hate for Dumbledore?"
"That's right, Anna."
"Did you hire me for the same purpose, sir?"
"I need to illuminate to the public exactly the view of the state of affairs that benefits me. You see before you the heir to the Black family. You know who Black is. If any scandal can be pushed through Skeeter in the Daily Prophet, I want to convey my calmer thoughts to the audience in another way. Plus, it takes considerable time to prepare some articles, at least to process the statistics. I can't afford to do this on my own. Besides, I'm going to need open-source files on some people."
"Sir, may I have a personal question?"
"I don't have to answer it."
"How true are the Skeeter articles?"
"As true as Skeeter's scandalous articles can be based on real facts."
Bosworth thought about it, but I interrupted her thoughts with a target.
"Anna here's your first job. Achieving this task will hit powerful people and dangerous people. You went to Hogwarts not so long ago. You know the figure of Severus Snape. I am interested in a transparent analytical article about the impact of 11 years of teaching Mr. Snape on the state and prospects of potions in our society. You should study the data for 20 years and prove that Severus Snape is destroying the system of the specialty Potions. Use the statistics of the Aurorate, St. Mungo, think of something for yourself. I want you to let the reader know how much the quality of education in the field of potions has dropped, by confirming it with graphs of recruits for the Aurorate and students for St. Mungo. If you find any more affected branches of the magical society, that's wonderful. The reader should have an opinion - and it is absolutely true, based on the true facts that Dumbledore and his Pocket Eater Snape artificially strangled the Potions in Magical Britain. The conclusion must be clear: the losses from the actions of Dumbledore and his accomplices are heavier for Magical Britain than from the terror of Voldemort. After all, it's not Voldemort who has strangled education for the last fifty years.
It's a fact to me, it's a dangerous fact. For me, Snape is a traitor to the interests of a magical society. I'm sure the statistics will prove my point. Do you understand that publishing such an honest but inconvenient article would be a threat to your well-being? Now you understand your task. It will be an excellent but dangerous job for a professional journalist."
Let's see what you're up to, in this case, preparing a hit on Dumbledore wouldn't hurt.
"Sir, I agree that Professor Snape's methods can influence the prospects for the potions in society. This task is clear to me and seems worthwhile and interesting. I've heard your words about "public files." Please explain this point."
"Anna, don't see you as an informer. You're a woman, you're part of a magical society. I've been in society since early summer for reasons you know. I need your essay and a short opinion about the people you're interested in. I'll repeat the point. There's no need to write a snitch. Write an essay on "Magical society with my eyes". Make it an exercise in publicity."
I liked her behavior. Brave and straight.
"I did not like your question. You've shown an unpleasant misperception and mistrust of my thoughts. I'm making it harder for you. I know the features of modern education at Hogwarts. The work of most teachers is unquestionable. There is the figure of Sybill Patricia Trelawney. I have a prophecy connected to me. She told the prophecy to Dumbledore personally. Then she was hired at Hogwarts. The prophecy is a strange subject. I don't understand its importance to society. But I'm sure of Trelawney's weakness as a teacher. I repeat, Snape is a great potion expert, but he's a disgusting teacher. Sybill Patricia Trelawney's an interesting visionary, but she's an odd teacher. Consider the statistics on the development and importance of prophecy to society over the last 50 years."
I gave Anna the "bottomless" wallet.
"There are 500 galleons for expenses. At the end of the operation, I expect you to submit a report with precise statistics and the thesis of the article. I don't give an exact date for the end of the operation, but I expect you with a competent and accurate result."
Friday and the 13th. It's a terrible time.
Like Division II, I gave Anna an emergency and a regular portkey and offered a cottage by the creek to which she agreed. Since the time was late and my neighborhood was not the best, I made an offer:
"If you're afraid to go home at a later time, I can offer you a guest room."
"Thank you, sir, that's very helpful."
I walked Anna to one of the open and cleaned Kreacher bedrooms on the third floor and showed her the bathroom at the same time. Back in the living room, I called Kreacher.
"Keep an eye on Mrs. Anne. If you notice anything unusual in her behavior, let me know," I trust my agents because I can afford it.
At the moment, all my plans are stuck with funding. A big organization needs the right financing, and I need a big organization. As Tommy used to say, "Lucius, my slippery friend!"
At this very moment in Wiltshire, in his office, a handsome blonde choking on wine and coughing. He dropped his glass on the papers he was working with. There was no one to follow the protocol, so the blonde scolded heartily.
*
Grimmo 12
Noon, September 8, 1991.
*
Yesterday, apart from the reports from the Second Division, brought me unpleasant but long-awaited news. Dumbledore has dissolved his society of fighters for the good of the light wizard. Creighton reported that he found observers in Diagon Alley. They show painful attention to public fireplaces, points of apparation, passages and so on. On the one hand, it's bad. So far, all this activity is not a direct threat to me, but it can make my actions more difficult. On the other hand, I've long wanted to take Spider's members prisoner. On the third side, they're probably used as idiots, and they don't know anything about the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore doesn't dedicate anybody to his sophisticated plans. For some of his plans, he could be killed by his supporters. Or they could turn him over to Mungo for a madman's ward. That's a guess! The spider could have quietly destroyed the Horcruxes and sued all the Eaters for the kiss of death. But this intrigue is keeping it all safe, hoping to get a public opinion in twenty years. In the canon, Dumbledore had no shorter plan than a year. I don't understand the way people think at this level of power. He's taken over many positions. It's hard to hold on to power. But why act so dirty. Dumbledore's main method is disgusting. It doesn't destroy flaws and dirt. He hides the dirt, he makes sure it stays dirty. And then he spills that dirt on society in small portions. And he destroys this dirt in small portions. But in doing so, he cooks and cherishes new streams of dirt for society. He reminds me of a professional Diversant! The Saboteur who wears the mask of a fighter against the Saboteur. I judge as a victim of his plans. But that doesn't make my judgment stupid.
On the fourth side, in my basement new victims will quickly remember a lot of details and on the indirect data can be quite a whole picture. It's just a holiday! Only I wondered how to catch and where to look for members of the Order and other scoundrels, and here they found themselves. Plus, the marasmatic must have lost all common sense, and thoughts about capturing his observers are unlikely to come to his mind. He's used to the fact that the enemy is a wizard with a wand. And no one touches any informants or quiet agents. But he is wrong! My family needs victims. Half-breed Dumbledore doesn't know the requirements of the ancient family altar. Of course, don't underestimate the bearded spider. But I won't underestimate it either. I almost killed him! As long as he's weaving 20 years of intrigue, I'll squeeze out his Orderly Guards. Let's count who's left at Dumbledore's and he's got almost no one left, just Snape. Yeah, Dumbledore's going to get a dozen or two morally unstable young men with burning eyes. But all their youthful energy will go into the pipe for the first couple of years. I need the energy of the young and stupid enemies of my family. Because fifthly, the protection of the mansion will increase to a hundred percent. Good, good, my boy! Let the hate flow through you, Dumbledore!
Time to write the last Skeeter letters before it's too late. I'm not Trelawney, of course, but Rita's last rise will soon paint the sky. If I put in the information correctly, it'll be late and useless to clean up Skeeter. Still, she did a good job for me, I don't want her dead. That's the kind of personnel the Black family always needs! Half an hour later, I sent Kreacher with a letter whose main message was simple.
At the declared "protection" of the Boy-who-lived, the Supreme Wizard of All Magic Britain has told every stray dog the signs of a national hero! Not to mention the fact that for 146% protection it was enough to declare that the Dark Lord is defeated by James Potter. Dumbledore set the baby up on a targeted attack!
I didn't have much hope in the papers anymore. I realized that Dumbledore could only be removed from his posts if he died.
My mercenaries are on a mission, and I have nothing to do at the moment. I'm holding three more missions for the Militant Squad right now, but I can't hire more people financially yet. So I've decided to dedicate the day to code and other books in search of spells and rituals available to my powers. The criteria for the ritual I was looking for were simple. No "special" ingredients, just blood, my own or the enemy's; quick time to use for a momentary effect. Or vice versa, a lasting effect under any other conditions. By the evening, I found a useful ritual that significantly improved my hearing. Up to echo orienteering and finding living objects by beating their hearts. I could use this "radar", but the recommendation was to perform the ritual on Samhain. Wait, especially since I'm supposed to be organizing processes, not directly beating my enemies' faces. I got to grow up. I've also found information on reinforcing and subjugating magical tattoos, but I'll deal with it tomorrow. Yeah, the gods are laughing at our plans! I put the book on the coffee table intending to continue reading tomorrow when Kreacher showed up.
"Sir! The robber is trying to get in the house!"
"How nice. I love robbers."
So somebody didn't get over it and sent a scout. It's important to me, who? If it's a slippery friend, then we blame the bearded spider. On the contrary, it works, too. I'd like to have Fidelius set up on all three objects, it wouldn't hurt.
"Go with the plan "birthday," Kreacher."
I swept a nonexistent shit off my shoulder and went to the ground floor in no hurry. Sooner or later somebody would try to feel the house on the Grimmo. Let's see what kind of gift it was that came to us with its feet.
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