The Preselected Minister
With that thought in mind, Barty Crouch Sr. immediately made a decision.
He shook his head slightly and said, "Hiding when there's danger isn't my style."
His eyes were filled with determination. He paused for a moment before speaking in a deep voice, "Great Britain appears peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents are swirling. I know several Pure-blood families are secretly relocating personnel. My Department of International Magical Cooperation has also apprehended intelligence agents from France, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and even North America in various corners of Great Britain. Clearly, foreign powers have sensed something and are constantly sending spies into our territory, paying close attention to our situation..."
His dark pupils gleamed with a shrewdness that didn't match his haggard appearance. "Clearly, the aftereffects of the Dark Mark appearing in the Quidditch World Cup are beginning to spread, and while the Shadow of the Shadow of the Magic Dragon is well-hidden, the elites of various countries are not entirely unaware... Earlier, the Indonesian Ministry of Magic in Southeast Asia was breached by a dark wizard. We initially thought it was a minor matter, but recently there seems to be a new lead; that dark wizard appears to have a rather extraordinary background..."
"Regardless of whether the Mysterious Man ultimately resurrects and returns—" Barty Crouch Sr. took a deep breath, his tone filled with stern solemnity, "in my view, the arrival of chaos is inevitable. Although no one truly likes the arrival of chaos, it must be said that this is our opportunity. Whether we can seize this opportunity to make the most correct judgments and take the right actions—"
"It will determine the future development and destiny of everyone!"
Skylar was very satisfied, truly satisfied.
There's a Muggle proverb that goes something like this: Like father, like son. Actually, the reverse is also true; you can often glean insights into a father's abilities and talents from his son's personality and personality.
If judged solely on intelligence, Barty Crouch Jr. Crouch Jr. is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent characters in the original books, perhaps second only to Dumbledore.
In terms of academics, he was even better Hermione. In his fifth year, he earned 12 O.W.L. examinations, an achievement that even Hermione couldn't accomplish. Throughout the entire original world, only Bill and Percy, the eldest and third sons of the Weasley family, could rival him in this regard.
Moreover, Barty Crouch Jr. is not just a bookworm who only knows how to study.
In terms of practical combat experience, he joined the Death Eaters immediately after graduation and acquired the Dark Mark in the shortest possible time. It's important to understand that the Dark Mark isn't something just anyone possesses; it represents the innermost circle of the Death Eaters. Although the exact time he acquired the Dark Mark isn't mentioned in the original books, he was definitely the youngest Death Eaters. (This chapter states: He was 2 years younger Snape and 7 years younger than Lucius.)
He had only recently been rescued from his father's Imperius Curse, and now he was about to team up with Peter Pettigrew to Silencio capture the real Mad-Eye Moody.
Note that this is in Mad-Eye Moody's house. Capturing the second-in-command of the Order of the Order of the Phoenix alive without alerting anyone is no easy feat. Yet, the two of them managed to do it, and the entire process only triggered the defense mechanism of the trash cans, attracting the attention of the Muggle police. Mad-Eye Moody didn't even have a chance to call for help.
In terms of cunning and talent, he was able to impersonate Mad-Eye Moody, Dumbledore 'Dumbledore most trusted friend, right under Dumbledore's nose, until the very end of the Triwizard Tournament when his disguise was exposed. This required a combination of Potions Occlumency, imitation ability, adaptability, strategic thinking, calm observation, and extraordinary courage.
Not to mention, throughout the entire process of helping Harry win the Triwizard Tournament, he grasped the personality of each character —Harry, Cedric, Dobby— very accurately, and arranged everyone perfectly, demonstrating superhuman planning, strategy, and organizational abilities.
(Note: When Rowling visited Montclair Elementary School in North America on October 14, 1999, she personally stated that Hermione was just a very hardworking near-genius, the original text being "Borderline Genius," not a true academic genius. Hermione's academic genius persona, such as photographic memory and super high IQ, is all fictional creations by fanfiction authors to satisfy readers who enjoy self-indulgent fantasies.)
Barty Crouch Jr.. is so shrewd and capable, Skylar can imagine what kind of person his father must have been before he suffered setbacks in both his career and family life.
The two hadn't exchanged more than ten sentences since they started talking, but they were both quick to grasp each other's thoughts and reached a preliminary understanding. Skylar liked talking to intelligent people like this; it was effortless and convenient. He hadn't misjudged them after all.
Barty Crouch Barty Crouch Sr.. deserves his recruitment.
It wasn't for nothing that he spent so much effort and time talking nonsense with Harry and clashing with Dumbledore.
Skylar smiled, gazing intently at Barty Crouch Sr.'s expression, a glint of wisdom in his eyes. "What? You're still obsessed with the Minister for Magic?"
Barty Crouch Sr. was taken aback. He pursed his lips, pondering Skylar's meaning. To be honest, he was an extremely ambitious man, and even he himself couldn't believe he had no desire for the position of Minister for Magic.
However, being stared at by Skylar's seemingly calm but actually sharp gaze gave him an indescribable feeling. His intuition told him that he shouldn't covet the position of Minister for Magic, especially in front of this young man.
After much deliberation, he sighed heavily and said somewhat listlessly, "If I didn't covet the position of Minister for Magic, I would be completely deluding myself."
"But," he said firmly, "the position of Minister for Magic is no longer suitable for me. My reputation and prestige among the people have suffered a severe blow and are now being questioned—"
"Most people no longer trust my abilities. They probably all think..." A subtle pain appeared on his face, "... that someone who can't even be a good father has no right to manage a wizarding nation?"
Skylar nodded in satisfaction, pleased with Barty Crouch Sr.'s ability to know when to advance and when to retreat, as well as his self-restraint—a quality that far surpassed Fudge and Scrimgeour's. At the same time, he was certain that if it weren't for Barty Crouch Jr..'s disastrous past, Barty Crouch Sr.'s position as Minister for Magic would likely be unshakeable and unassailable.
"You're right," Skylar said with a hint of sympathy, "It's cruel, but you're truly no longer suited for the position of Minister for Magic... that position..." A slight smile played on Skylar's lips, "... I already have someone in mind..."
"Is it Amelia?" Barty Crouch Sr. chuckled. Now that he had decided to let it go, Barty Crouch Sr.'s mind suddenly became clear. In a flash of inspiration, he realized that Skylar probably already had a complete plan for the Ministry of Magic, and he might even have arranged all the important positions in his mind.
He couldn't help but feel a moment of disorientation. Was this Malfoy really just a boy not even 15 years old?
Why did he feel that this kid was far more terrifying than his father Lucius, who was known for his shrewdness and cunning?
"Yes," Skylar didn't deny it, "Auntie Leah is capable, powerful, well-connected, and has no shortage of political acumen and personal prestige. She is the most suitable person for this position." Skylar didn't say was that Amelia's niece was one of his confidantes, so the relationship between the two of them was far deeper and closer than it appeared on the surface.