"Scrimgeour is making trouble for me," Murphy said bluntly. "I need you to help me deal with him."
"Impossible!" Lucius flatly refused.
"If there is any wizard in this world more stubborn than Barty Crouch, it has to be Rufus Scrimgeour! He's a rock! Nothing can move him! Once he sets his mind on something, he'll see it through to the end."
"So he won't respond to either carrot or stick?"
"Don't even think about it. You're finished. He'll definitely catch something on you. It's only a matter of time."
Murphy paid no mind to Lucius's gloating. "With that hard-line personality, he's not exactly popular in the Ministry either, is he? He's been head of the Auror Office for quite a few years now, but he's never been promoted. Is that the reason?"
"Even if many people dislike him, more people dislike you."
"Plenty of people like me too," Murphy said. "Minister Millicent seems rather fond of me."
"She's just a foolish woman, nothing more. She has some prestige among half-blood wizards, but she's still only a minor figure."
"Even though she's been reelected for several terms? Even though half-blood wizards now make up almost more than half the Ministry of Magic?" Murphy scoffed. "Looking down on your opponents isn't a good habit, Lucius. Haven't you learned that lesson yet?"
"..."
Lucius choked on the words.
"What specific plan do you have? I can help you contact some people, but Scrimgeour is very cautious. If you can't catch him on anything, you won't be able to bring him down."
"Kingsley—do you know him? How much do you know about him?"
"Kingsley, of the Shacklebolt family?" Lucius pondered for a while. "He's no simple character. What are you trying to do?"
"Nothing much. One of his subordinates followed me before, and