For all that, the current situation was indeed one Albert had single-handedly brought about—and wanted to see.
If he had not known the Death Eaters lacked sufficient time to set a dangerous trap specifically for him, Albert would never have rashly come to take part in the International Wizarding Duelling Competition.
He was not afraid of Death Eaters, but he was wary of being plotted against. He obviously could not expect the Death Eaters to challenge him to a fair duel. Even a Gryffindor would not stupidly charge headfirst into a trap when they knew it was waiting ahead.
Oh, perhaps Harry Potter would. If the Boy Who Lived got carried away, anything could happen.
At present, Albert's safety was not a concern. He kept a low profile and gave the Death Eaters no opportunities whatsoever. Thus, even if they wanted to kill him, they could only take desperate risks. Desperate gambles usually had poor odds and predictable lines of thought. Besides, Albert had planted spies among the Death Eaters—how could he possibly fall for their schemes? Wasn't directing his own little show to complete quests and earn experience better?
With his Level Four Imperius Curse, combined with his considerable magical power, briefly controlling someone without letting them notice anything wrong was genuinely not difficult.
Unless Voldemort came personally to kill him, there was nothing that could truly threaten Albert's life.
Of course, even if Voldemort did show up, Albert was confident he could protect himself.
But... was that possible?
The chances were practically nonexistent. Did the Dark Lord not care about his reputation?
Clearly, this was not yet the time for Voldemort to expose himself. Albert had calculated that long ago, which was why he dared to come to the International Wizarding Duelling Competition.
As for the poorly prepared