"Do you think he'll give in?"
Around the large round table, the decision-makers of several pure-blood families had gathered again after a year apart. Spread before them was the front page of the latest newspaper, reporting on Inferi attacks on a muggle village.
"Probably... not."
The elderly man's words carried more helplessness and resignation than certainty.
Their temporary Minister clearly had no intention of following "everyone's advice." Rather than continuing the conciliatory policy adopted after the First Wizarding War, he intended to "settle accounts" with the British magical world. His relentless pressure had made everyone present feel deeply threatened, forcing them to gather and discuss how to respond.
"What do we do, then?"
The hall suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Clearly, none of them knew what to do either, or they would not have needed to gather here to discuss it.
"How about we keep causing him trouble and force him to compromise?"
"Find a way to drive him from office, or arrange for him to die of an unexpected illness?"
These were the simplest and most commonly used solutions, yet it was difficult to win everyone's approval now.
Kingsley was not that easy to deal with. Otherwise, he would have died long ago—how could he have become the New Minister? "I suggest we talk to him again."
An elderly man tapped the newspaper on the table with his fingers, reminding everyone present, "This time, we lost. When you lose, you must pay a price. Giving in to the New Minister is a necessary step."
"Giving in? Look at what he's doing." A middle-aged wizard said angrily, "We lost, yes, but he can't take all the benefits for himself. That isn't how things are done."
His words quickly won the agreement of the others around him.
The noble pure-bloods