Listening to his son's reasoned and well-founded analysis, Lucius's earlier skepticism gradually faded.
He lowered his eyes to the wine glass in front of him, lost in thought; the wine reflected his deep-seated brows and eyes.
He never imagined that Peter Pettigrew's imprisonment would uncover such a complex web of hidden secrets.
He never expected that his son could analyze the characteristics of the dark creatures and the details of the situation so thoroughly.
After a long while, he slowly turned his gaze back to Draco, his expression now solemn.
He picked up his wine glass, but didn't drink it; instead, he gently twirled the stem. "You certainly seem to know everything about this."
There was neither praise nor doubt in his words.
His tone, however, became more serious.
"Even the Auror leaders at the Ministry of Magic might not be able to sort out these details so clearly. Although you didn't mention the source, it doesn't seem to be just speculation."
His brow was still furrowed, clearly he had begun to weigh the pros and cons. "With the Dementor out of control, Fudge will be the first to be thrust into the spotlight, and the Ministry of Magic's credibility will plummet. This is indeed the perfect opportunity to bring him down."
"But the risk of Dementor uprising is too great. If we're not careful, the entire Wizarding World will be thrown into chaos, and Malfoy will be dragged into the mess."
Having said that, he looked at Draco expectantly and posed the crucial question, "Since you've seen through all of this, I suppose you not only have predictions, but also ways to deal with it?"
Draco was a little stunned; he wasn't just responsible for revealing...
Lucius put down his glass and said, "You think taking down Fudge is just about him personally? You're being naive."
First, the family's stance will be affected.
" Malfoy has always sided with Fudge in the Ministry of Ministry of Magic, and their relationship is openly close, even to the point of being intertwined with mutual interests."
"If the Dementor get out of control, Fudge will be held accountable for his incompetence, and all the doubts in the Wizarding World will spread to Malfoy through the network of connections."
"People will say we're colluding with Fudge and allowing the Dementor problem to worsen."
"Secondly, the family is suspected of having ties to Dark Magic."
"You said the remnants of Dark Magic on Peter aroused the Dementor, and Peter is Voldemort's man; the Malfoy family has a history of dealings with Voldemort."
"Once this matter is exposed, Fudge will inevitably try to shift the blame in order to escape punishment."
"They attributed the Dementor' loss of control to 'the influence of Dark Magic,' and conveniently made Malfoy the scapegoat."
"They're accusing us of secretly colluding with dark forces and disrupting the Ministry of Magic's order. At that point, we'll be powerless to defend ourselves."
Third, there is a risk that the situation could get out of control.
" The Dementor riots are not simply an internal crisis within the Ministry of Magic, but a disaster affecting the entire Britain Wizarding World."
"They roam freely, feeding on the emotions of wizards, and causing extreme panic among the people."
"At this point, someone from the Ministry of Magic will inevitably have to step forward and take responsibility. Besides Fudge, those families close to him will be seen as accomplices in his 'inaction'."
" The Malfoy, possessing vast resources in the Wizarding World and belonging to a prestigious family, naturally become the target of everyone's attacks. Once caught in the vortex of this crisis, it will be difficult for them to extricate themselves."
Fourth, the cost of disrupting the overall strategy.
"My promotions in the Ministry of Magic were the result of careful planning and covert maneuvering, relying on connections, resources, and timing, not on this kind of extreme chaos."
"Chaos could bring down Fudge, but it would also create a power vacuum in the Ministry of Magic, allowing various factions to vie for power."
" The Malfoy ' years of planning may be disrupted in the chaos, or even their achievements may be swallowed up by other families."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Draco with a serious expression.
" Fudge's downfall was an opportunity, but the risk of the Dementor going out of control was enough to cost Malfoy his years of hard-earned foundation."
"That's why, if we're not careful, we could be dragged into a quagmire."
Draco was somewhat helpless, but he didn't shy away from Lucius's concerns, instead speaking coldly:
" Malfoy won't be dragged into the mire. We'll just stand on the edge and watch Fudge fall in on his own."
Lucius frowned, about to speak, when Draco interrupted him in a deep voice.
"Do everything in this order."
He distinguished a clear hierarchy:
"First priority, immediate execution—this is the core of survival and avoiding disaster."
" Laodeng, you should immediately and privately send signals of doubt about Fudge between the neutral senators in the Ministry of Magic and the Auror leadership."
"Only mentioning concerns about Azkaban's safety, and briefly mentioning the recent restlessness of the Dementor and the hasty adjustment of the Watchtower's forces."
"Don't directly criticize him, but let the seed of Fudge's mismanagement be planted in everyone's mind."
"At the same time, immediately withdraw all resources from the family that support Azkaban, and only say to the outside world that it is an internal resource integration of the manor."
"This completely severs any ties with Fudge, preventing Malfoy from being seen as his accomplice."
"The second priority, which must be completed in the short term—to seize the initiative and lay the groundwork for future plans."
"Use all of the family's intelligence and connections within the Ministry of Magic to secretly gather evidence of Fudge's dereliction of duty."
"Furthermore, you should proactively raise the issue at the Pure-blood Council and the Ministry of Magic Council, suggesting that the residual Dark Magic on Peter Pettigrew has not been properly addressed and could trigger unusual activity from dark creatures."
"Direct all potential blame onto Fudge's negligence, thus eliminating any possibility of others using this to slander Malfoy."
"Third priority: long-term planning, stabilizing the foundation—making full preparations for the coming chaos."
"Dispatch the family's most trusted spies to monitor all movements around Azkaban, firmly grasp the timing and route of the Dementor uprising, and seize the initiative."
"At the same time, expedite the production of anti- Dementor protective gear and calming Potions within the family business."
"Contact the leaders of St. Mungo's's and the wizarding communities in advance to ensure all channels for aid are in place."
"Fourth priority, to be executed after the riot breaks out—to reap the benefits and seize control of the Ministry of Magic."
"Once the Dementor are truly out of control and public opinion is in an uproar, you can anonymously expose the evidence through third-party journalists or old members of parliament who are dissatisfied with Fudge, solidifying his guilt and forcing him to step down."
"After Fudge falls from power, don't rush to seize the ministerial position. First, unite with veteran officials and neutral nobles, and under the guise of stabilizing the overall situation, take control of emergency command."
"Then they deployed Auror, appeased the public, and cleaned up the mess. Finally, they released all the prepared supplies to aid the wounded and pacify the public..."
Draco said with a sharp but calm gaze:
"By then, the position of Minister for Magic won't be one you fight for; everyone will be begging you to take it."
After he finished speaking, the dining room fell silent.
Lucius stared blankly at his son. All the worries and hesitations that had been weighing on his mind vanished completely in the face of this meticulously planned and flawless scheme.
He remained silent for a long time, then finally nodded slowly.
"I see."
At this moment, Narcissa's eyes were filled with undisguised pride and reassurance as she looked at Draco.