Internal Review
The shockwaves from the Amber Coffin incident lingered in the marble corridors of the International Confederation of Wizards headquarters. Veratia stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the president's office, her gaze coldly fixed on the distant Alps.
Disagreement?
question?
In her view, this was nothing more than another collective collapse of weakness and shortsightedness in the face of fear.
Voldemort's terrifying pronouncements were not the end, but the beginning, while the doves within were only thinking about building high walls, pretending not to see the rot spreading outside.
Just like Chamberlain decades ago, how could they possibly expect to buy peace through appeasement?
Peace sought through compromise will perish; peace sought through struggle will endure. This is a principle that Veratia has always kept in mind.
"I can't tolerate this any longer," she muttered to herself, her fingertips unconsciously stroking her wand.
It's not about tolerating Voldemort, but about tolerating this corrupt and compromising attitude within the organization.
In her view, these doves who championed caution, dialogue, and avoiding escalation were no less dangerous than lurking spies—they undermined the will to fight, obscured the enemy's true nature, and provided the very breeding ground that Voldemort's golden thread and honeyed desires most craved.
"Notify all members of the Security Council that an emergency closed-door meeting will be held in one hour. Agenda: Evaluate the second phase of the 'Purification ' operation and optimize internal coordination mechanisms."
She spoke to Ms. Rosier, who was standing beside her, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable sense of finality.
"In addition, Security Office and Ms. Costa of the Internal Oversight Bureau attend."
An hour later, in the Security Council meeting room, decorated with the emblems of various Magical World and perpetually solemn in atmosphere.
The long table was filled with delegates, and the air was heavy. Several doves known for their composure and conciliatory approach, such as Nivea Meriweather from Britain and Jean- Pierre Dallady from France, wore obvious unease and subtle resistance on their faces.
They anticipated this would be a debate about the intensity of the action, but they didn't realize that they themselves would be at the center of the storm.
Veratia did not sit in the main seat, but stood at one end of the long table. Her figure appeared particularly tall and imposing against the backdrop of the huge magical world map.
She skipped the pleasantries and cut straight to the point, her tone as cold as the biting wind of the Alps in winter.
"Gentlemen, since the start of Operation Purification, we have achieved some preliminary results, but we have also encountered a fierce counterattack from the enemy. The Amber Coffin incident was not an accident, but a declaration. It declared that our opponents do not care about any bottom line, and it also declared that any weak illusions within our ranks are self-destructive."
Her gaze swept across the entire room, lingering particularly on the faces of Meriweather and Dallady.
"However, just as our Auror on the front lines were risking their lives to eliminate strongholds and cut off supplies, just as we sacrificed a valuable informant," she paused, raising her voice, "Some of our colleagues here were wasting precious meeting time questioning the brutality of the operation, worrying about potential collateral damage, and even implying that we had created unnecessary conflict!"
The conference room was deathly silent.
Meriweather's face turned pale, and Dallady's beard trembled slightly.
"I'd like to ask Lady. Meriweather," Veratia's gaze locked onto her, "When you questioned the 'Strong Action,' did you carefully read the testimonies of the rescued wizards at the Colombia outpost? Three of them were permanently crippled due to prolonged magic extraction and Dark Arts experiments! Did you see the complete magical video report of the Frosted Apple? That wasn't just murder; it was a trampling on the moral bottom line of the entire Civilization magical world!"
Meriweather opened his mouth, wanting to argue that it was a reasonable question, but under Veratia's cold gaze, the words stuck in his throat.
"And Mr. Dallady," Veratia turned to the France representative, "You repeatedly cite the <International Magical Conflict Mediation Code>, emphasizing dialogue and de-escalation. So, may I ask, with whom do you intend to engage in dialogue? With Miss Merope, who branded the former Argentine Minister of Argentine Ministry of Magic with a rotten mark? Or with those silent allies who encase living Goblin in amber? Is your desired de-escalation hoping they'll do it more artistically next time they hang Frosted Apple at the Geneva headquarters?"
The satire was biting and scathing, and Dallady's face flushed red. Some of the other representatives around him lowered their heads, while others showed expressions of agreement. The atmosphere was extremely tense.
"This isn't a discussion, this is an accusation!" a Nordic representative who was on good terms with Meriweather couldn't help but exclaim.
"No, this is a clarification of our position." Veratia interrupted him, a sharp glint in her eyes. "In times of war—and I call it war—internal differences must be kept to a minimum, especially those that could be exploited by the enemy to erode our morale. The Purification operation concerns not only the order of South America, but also whether the entire wizarding world can prevent a more cunning and dangerous Voldemort from making a comeback. Before this goal, there are no doves or hawks, only war and obstacles."
Her words carried weight. Then, she made a decision that left everyone speechless.
"Therefore, as President, in accordance with the powers granted by the <International Confederation of Wizards Emergency Security Regulations>, I hereby announce: Effective immediately, the Internal Coordination and Review Special Team is established, directly led by me, with Ms. Costa in charge. This team has the authority to review and assess the performance, stance, and potential security risks of all departments and personnel within the Confederation in the Purification operation and related counter-terrorism matters."
She looked at the pale-faced Meriweather and Dallady: "Lady. Meriweather, Mr. Dallady, based on your recent public statements and voting records on relevant issues, and the potential impact they may have on operational security and internal unity, the special task force needs to conduct the first phase of questioning. Please cooperate with Ms. Costa to the designated location after the meeting. This is not a conviction, but an investigation. During the investigation, you will temporarily recuse yourselves from all decision-making and intelligence contacts related to the Purification operation and South America affairs."
House arrest. House arrest in effect, although worded as questioning and temporary recusal.
The meeting room erupted in chaos, filled with protests, exclamations, and table-pounding.
This is too harsh, too inhumane, and some representatives even felt it bordered on autocracy.
But Veratia remained unmoved.
Behind her, the head of the Security Office stepped forward with two expressionless Auror, creating an overwhelming sense of oppression.
Ms. Costa, already holding the scoreboard, walked over to Meriweather and Dallady, her tone curt. "Please, both of you."
Seeing that two influential representatives were practically "invited" out of the meeting room, the remaining representatives remained silent in fear.
For the first time, they realized with such clarity just how tough and autocratic this young chairman truly was.
She was ruthless not only to external enemies but also to internal obstacles.
"Silence." Veratia's voice cut through the last commotion. "The meeting continues. We will now discuss the second phase of Operation Purification: the in-depth reconnaissance plan for the Thorned Holy Grail region. I need to hear constructive opinions aimed at the complete annihilation of the enemy. Irrelevant noise can be reserved until after the review is complete."
The meeting continued, but no one dared to stand up against Veratia.
After all, nobody wants to be targeted by this tough chairman, falsely accused, and taken away.
The news spread like wildfire, reaching all corners of the world.
At Grimmauld Place, Number 13, Harry and Cassandra learned of everything that was happening within the International Confederation of Wizards through encrypted communication channels.
Harry frowned. "She's putting too much pressure on herself, and she'll make too many enemies."
Cassandra, however, appeared calm, even showing a hint of agreement.
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. If those dovish voices are allowed to fester, they will indeed become a loophole. Veratia is using her authority as president to forcibly bridge the differences; although the methods are drastic, they may be the quickest way to achieve results right now. However—"
She paused for a moment, her voice hesitant.
"She put herself on the line—if follow-up actions fail to achieve decisive progress, or if there is too much internal backlash, she will be the first to suffer."
At the Buenos Aires Manor, Miss Merope soon received a detailed report on the internal purge within the Confederation.
Her red eyes gleamed with pleasure, as if she were watching a captivating drama.
"Look, they've begun," she said to the wizard beside her. "Grindelwald is cleaning house for me. The more forcefully she suppresses dissenting voices, the more our discontented and fearful friends will gravitate towards us. Pressure creates fissures, and fissures are the best fertile ground for our seeds to sprout."
She chuckled softly. "Inform our contacts in Europe to increase their outreach to families and individuals who have been sidelined or suppressed by Grindelwald. Now is the time when they need comfort and support the most."
Inside the headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards, an investigation is being conducted in a secret location.
Meriweather and Dallady were placed in comfortable but secluded rooms. The interrogation was not rough, but extremely detailed and in-depth, even using Truth Serum and memory-detecting magic to trace the motivations behind every recent statement and all their interpersonal interactions.
Ms. Costa left no stone unturned, her goal clear: to find out whether their differences were merely political and short-sighted, or whether they had already formed some kind of secret connection with external forces.
Even if it's just being used, we absolutely cannot tolerate it!
"Veratia's under too much pressure," Harry said to Cassandra after dinner, with the latest international edition of the Daily Prophet spread out in front of him. Although it didn't directly report on the internal investigation at the headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards, the article hinted at a strengthening of discipline within the Confederation, as well as some commentators' subtle concerns about the risks of power concentration during the counterterrorism operation.
"She'll isolate herself like this. And I worry that this will play right into Voldemort's hands, pushing those who were only hesitant to his side," the newspaper said.
Overall, public opinion leans towards supporting Veratia, after all, less than a generation has passed since Voldemort's last rampage.
Nobody wants to go back to those days of constant fear, and even if Voldemort claimed he had changed, no one would believe him.
Cassandra stirred the black tea in her cup with a small silver spoon and said with a smile, "Isolation? Perhaps."
But as you've seen, what did the previous meetings give us besides arguments and delays? Voldemort's forces, however...
It's spreading.
"Sometimes, an unhindered decision-making core is necessary in times of crisis. As for pushing people to the other side—" her voice turned cold, "Those who turn to the dark side simply because of internal investigations are bound to be a threat sooner or later. Exposing them now is better than stabbing them in the back at a crucial moment later."
"But this isn't a black-and-white choice!" Hermione scratched her hair in frustration. "Not everyone is as indecisive as Nott! Meriweather and the others might just have different opinions!"
"In the face of war, hesitation and wrong ideas can cost lives." Cassandra's voice remained calm. "Veratia chose to bear this infamy and risk in exchange for operational efficiency and temporary internal unity. What we need to do is not question her, but to achieve decisive results as quickly as possible on the path she has paved. Only victory can prove the necessity of her methods and alleviate the pressure accumulating within."
She looked at Hermione: "How's it going on your end? What about Bill's leads? Any news from Professor Lupin? The faster we progress here, the less pressure Veratia will face in Geneva."
Hermione took a deep breath, suppressing her worries.
Cassandra is right; action is the best support.
"There are procedural obstacles within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement regarding investigations into several suspicious companies, which I'm trying to circumvent. Bill has traced more South America Dark Arts items through Borgin - Borgin and is attempting to trace them upstream. Professor Lupin has contacted a long-dormant South American Werewolf Sanctuary Network that has provided some vague information about several unwelcoming magical settlements deep in the Andes Mountains, which we are verifying."
"Send Professor Lupin's information directly to the operations commander in encrypted form," Cassandra said decisively.
Any clue could be life-saving. Also—"
"I think it's time to get Draco more involved in some peripheral work," she said with a smile. "He could help keep an eye on the activities of fence-sitters like the Nott Family, especially the thoughts of the younger generation. Sometimes, the intuition and choices of young people are better predictors of the future than the calculations of the old folks."
"So you think you're an old guy?" Harry suddenly asked.
Cassandra paused for a moment, then glared at Harry with utter contempt.
"But I think," Harry quickly added, "That someone like Old Nott, a Voldemort follower, is already determined to pledge allegiance to his former master. Theodore has mentioned this to Draco before; he and his father don't have a good relationship, and they've argued about it quite a bit. I remember it was in third year, right? Theodore didn't even come home for Christmas."