In the evening Long Island Estate, the burning clouds on the horizon dyed half of the bay a brilliant orange-red color.
In the guest room on the first floor, Joseph silently put his old duffel coat on his body and stuffed a few small items into his pockets.
He carefully inserted the spare Wand he bought from the Wand store into the secret pocket of his sleeve. Finally, he stood in front of the half-length mirror and patted his old and haggard cheeks hard, trying to make himself look energetic.
He made a decision.
He wants to leave this safe haven and return to Wizarding World, who is looking for him everywhere.
Pushing open the door of the guest room, Joseph happened to meet Lynn in the corridor carrying a basin of washed strawberries.
Seeing old Wizards fully armed and ready to go out, Lynn stopped, and a glimmer of understanding flashed in his dark eyes. "You want to leave?"
"Yes, Mr. Lynn."
Joseph took a deep breath, with a look of desperate determination.
"I've caused you trouble during this period. But I have to go back. I can't just watch Wizarding World being kept in the dark by Vought International."
He walked up to Lynn, his tone was urgent and excited:
"You also saw the newspaper this morning. Old Minister had no idea that it was Mutant Army of Vought International who massacred Auror last night! He thought they were just a group of ordinary illegal poachers! If Ministry of Magic continues to search according to the method of dealing with ordinary black Wizards, more people will only die!"
Lynn picked up a strawberry, took a bite, and asked calmly:
"So, what are you going to do? You are now the number one traitor in North American Wizarding World, and there are wanted orders for you everywhere. As soon as you show up, the curse of Auror will beat you into pieces."
"I'm going to meet Old Minister!"
Joseph clenched his fists, his eyes burning with some kind of almost fanatical hope,
"I want to surrender to him and turn Bigfoot Gang, Outsiders, New Compound V... and all the trump cards and truth of Vought International." Tell him face to face! As long as he knows the truth, with his prestige and courage in Wizarding World, he will definitely be able to unite with International Confederation of Wizards and give Vought International the most painful blow!"
Lynn looked at the old man in front of him who was shaking with excitement and was silent for a few seconds.
"Mr. Joseph, have you ever thought about another possibility?"
Lynn's voice was very soft, but very serious, "What if that Old Minister actually knows everything? What if the death of your three hundred colleagues was a tacit understanding between him and Vought International?"
As soon as these words came out, Joseph felt as if he was struck by lightning.
He took a step back suddenly, his face instantly turned pale, like an old beast that had been stepped on to protect its cubs, and he rarely raised his voice to Lynn:
"This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Joseph gasped violently and shook his head desperately, as if to shake Lynn's terrible guess out of his mind.
"You don't know him... you have no idea what kind of person he is!"
Seeing old Wizards's violent reaction, Lynn stopped talking.
In fact, it is not that Joseph, the old Auror who has been working in the Magic Security Department for most of his life, has become stupid.
As the top official in charge of the entire North American Wizarding World security intelligence, how could he not even have the most basic political sense?
But he just didn't want to think about the worst.
In other words, he didn't dare to think in that direction.
Because if Lynn's speculation is true, then this fact is too dark and too disappointing.
That means that the justice that Joseph has insisted on for most of his life is a complete joke, and it means that the Wizarding World that he tried his best to protect has long been rotten from the root.
More importantly, that superior Old Minister is more than just a boss to Joseph.
"Forty years ago, when I was a young boy who just entered Ministry of Magic, he was my mentor..."
Joseph's voice trembled violently, and his muddy eyes were full of tears and stubbornness.
"It was he who taught me how to cast spells step by step, and he taught me what the bottom line should be as a Auror. Later, I offended Pure-blood families and was almost kicked out of Ministry of Magic. It was he who protected me despite the pressure. He even pushed me to the position of minister of the Security Department from behind."
Old Wizards was clutching at the corners of his duffle coat, as if he was grabbing the last piece of driftwood in the ocean.
"He is just like my father. How could a man who would do anything to protect students and Wizarding World's dignity be complicit with a cannibalistic capitalist like Vought?"
Joseph looked at Lynn with red eyes, a hint of pleading in his tone, as if he was trying to convince Lynn, and also as if he was desperately trying to convince himself:
"Mr. Lynn, there are always some things that are clean in this world, right? He must have been deceived. As long as I see him, as long as I put the evidence in front of him, everything will be fine."
Facing this old man who clung to the last glimmer of light in despair, Lynn's eyes dimmed for a moment.
Joseph What he needs now is not rational analysis, but an idea that can help him continue to live.
"Now that you've decided, go ahead."
Lynn did not try to dissuade you any more. He took the pot of strawberries and took a step aside. His tone returned to his usual gentle tone, "But please be more careful."
"Thank you, Mr. Lynn, for your kindness, I, Joseph, will never forget it in my life."
Joseph breathed a sigh of relief, bowed deeply to Lynn, turned around, and walked towards the door of the Manor with solemn and firm steps.
Lynn stood in the corridor, quietly watching the back of old Wizards gradually disappearing into the dusk.
"This old man is dead."
I don't know when, John quietly floated behind Lynn.
He held a can of Coke in his hand, looked in the direction of the door, and curled his lips, "That bullshit minister of his is 100% an old silver coin. If this old man goes back now, it's like he's actively stretching his neck into the gallows."
"Yeah."
Lynn took a strawberry and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing the sweet and sour juice carefully. "When people are desperate, they will always instinctively grab the person who was the best to them."
After saying this, Lynn suddenly realized something and slapped John on the head, "Don't learn to talk to your unqualified biological father in the future! You've ruined it for me!"
John lowered his head and scratched his head in embarrassment.