章節 65: Arrested
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*Squeak!*
The door to Gringotts slowly opened, revealing a group of goblins who nearly wept with relief at the sight of Scrimgeour, as if he were a long-lost relative.
Scrimgeour regarded Dyroth's recent actions as evil, completely oblivious to the growing hostility in the crowd around him.
Several quick-thinking Aurors, taking advantage of the tension, gathered information from the surrounding witnesses. One of them hurried to Scrimgeour's side, explaining the situation more objectively. Unlike the goblins, this Auror didn't put all the blame on Dyroth nor did he exaggerate Dyroth's heroism; he simply relayed the facts.
After listening, Scrimgeour didn't dismiss the crowd. Instead, he kept his cold eyes fixed on Dyroth, silently appraising him. Based on what had transpired, Dyroth hadn't done anything wrong, nor was there any solid evidence against him.
However, Scrimgeour's keen instincts as an Auror made him suspicious—the Saints were somehow involved in this incident.
"You lot, wait here and keep an eye on them. I'll take another team inside to investigate," Scrimgeour ordered his Aurors, taking a lingering, hard look at Dyroth before heading towards Gringotts with his team.
Dyroth, disliking the unnecessary delay, sensed the Aurors' intentions. They had clearly been instructed to prevent anyone from leaving, causing further unrest among the wizards.
Dyroth raised his hand, signaling for the crowd to remain calm and wait quietly.
Half an hour passed, and still, nothing stirred inside Gringotts. The sun was high in the sky now, its winter rays blinding. Frustration grew among the wizards, with many voicing their dissatisfaction with the Ministry's handling of the situation, demanding to leave.
"What does the Ministry of Magic even do? We were just trying to help!" one wizard shouted.
"Yeah, let us go! Or we'll take action ourselves!" another threatened.
"Honey, please calm down," a witch murmured to her husband.
"Shut up! If you interrupt me again, I'll make sure you regret it!" the man snapped back.
The tension was palpable. The Aurors, now struggling to maintain control, glanced anxiously at Dyroth for assistance.
Dyroth, however, had his own concerns. He had business to attend to, including the Saint's store. If he stayed here any longer, it might affect the shop's operations—and who would be accountable for those losses?
Just as the situation teetered on the edge, Scrimgeour emerged from Gringotts with several goblins in tow.
"What's all this noise about?" he asked, his voice sharp.
"Director, the wizards here want to leave. Should we...?" an Auror began to explain.
Scrimgeour waved his hand dismissively. "Let them go!"
A collective sigh of relief spread through the crowd, and people began to disperse. But before they could leave, Scrimgeour's sinister voice echoed once more:
"But Mr. Grindelwald, you're coming with us."
"Me?" Dyroth felt his heart skip a beat, but he quickly recalled that he hadn't been at the scene of the crime. His body relaxed.
"When the explosion at Gringotts happened, I was hosting an event at the store. I wasn't there. Why are you arresting me, Mr. Scrimgeour?" Dyroth asked calmly.
"Mr. Grindelwald, you might have an alibi, but your Saints don't," Scrimgeour sneered, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the group behind Dyroth.
"You have a choice, Mr. Grindelwald. You can come with me voluntarily, or I can arrest one of your Saints instead. Saints talk more easily than you do," he added with a cruel smile.
"Dyroth!" Vinda pulled out her wand instinctively, standing protectively in front of Dyroth.
Dyroth gave her a small, reassuring smile and gently lowered her hand.
"It's fine. I'll go with them," Dyroth said, his voice calm.
Scrimgeour's smile widened as if his plan had fallen perfectly into place. He motioned for the Aurors, who swiftly stepped forward to arrest Dyroth.
The Saints couldn't tolerate this injustice. They reached for their wands, prepared to defend their leader.
"Don't move," Dyroth commanded, his voice still gentle but now laced with undeniable authority.
He locked eyes with Scrimgeour. "I hope you won't regret this decision."
Scrimgeour laughed. "Mr. Grindelwald, that's none of your concern. Let's go!"
With his goal achieved, Scrimgeour turned on his heel and left without a backward glance.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
Then, a witch broke free from her husband's grip, fury etched across her face. "How could you just let them take him?" she cried. "Mr. Grindelwald fought the goblins for us! He gave us discounts at his store, showed us kindness, and this is how we repay him?"
The crowd remained quiet, guilt weighing heavily on them.
"What does the explosion at Gringotts have to do with him?" she continued. "Dyroth stood up for us, knowing he would get into trouble. And yet, when the time came to stand up for him, we just stood by..."
Her husband tugged at her sleeve, murmuring, "Wife, enough..."
She pulled away from him, her face twisted in disgust. "You spineless coward. I'm going to the Ministry to demand answers. If any of you still have any sense of honor, you should be ashamed."
With that, she apparated away, leaving the crowd to stew in their remorse.
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The British wizarding community erupted into chaos. This was a time for celebration, for peace—but now, that tranquility had been shattered. On Christmas Eve, a bombing at Gringotts, and instead of investigating the true culprits, the Ministry had arrested an innocent man who had only been helping with the rescue.
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*Malfoy Manor*
Lucius Malfoy frowned as he read the headlines. "What is the Ministry playing at?"
Draco stormed into his study. "Father, Dyroth was framed! You have to help him!"
"I'll gather a few other families and visit the Ministry. We'll demand answers from Fudge," Lucius said, standing up. "Narcissa, make sure Draco is ready for tonight's dinner."
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*Hogwarts*
In the headmaster's office, the four house heads had gathered in front of Dumbledore.
"I know why you've come," Dumbledore began, but before he could continue, Professor Sprout interrupted.
"Headmaster, Dyroth is a good boy! He was only trying to help. We can't let him be wronged like this!" she exclaimed, her face set in determination.
Professor Flitwick nodded in agreement. "The facts are clear. This injustice can't stand."
"Whatever happens, we must ensure no Hogwarts student is slandered," McGonagall said firmly.
Snape said nothing, but his silence meant the same as others.
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