"What? Even three ministers?" The dozen or so German Aurors present looked stunned, their understanding of their world shattering. The place they thought was their Ministry of Magic suddenly seemed more like a den of thieves.
"But why would these ministers do this? If they were honest officials, why join forces with criminals?" one Auror asked Alex, his voice barely above a whisper, as if confronting a nightmare.
"And what else could be the reason?" Alex replied grimly.
Before Alex could say a word, Andre slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "If Germany gets divided, those bastards will end up controlling one of the countries completely. They'll just keep switching ministers forever, like it's some endless game."
He continued, "Don't you see? They're treating all German wizards like their own toys, mere pawns!
First, they split up the Floo Network, then they separated the Dudden House, and now this new decree is all about officially dividing the Ministry of Magic. They're gearing up for something big."
Andre, his voice rising, went on, "Once they finish their plan, they'll use one country as a base to push smuggling magical creatures, and build a wizard army.
Those so-called folk groups? They're just their backup force. Eventually, like before, the saints will sweep through and ignite a revolution worldwide!"
He leaned in, eyes blazing, "And if you want the truth, their target was chosen long ago, West Germany!
He even tried to strike a deal with me before, asking me to support them. In return, they promised me the position of Magic Minister in East Germany!" Andre, already a bit overwhelmed, had clearly pieced together their future moves and unleashed them all at once, leaving everyone stunned.
After hearing Andre's explanation, it was hard not to agree. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense, and the more terrifying it became. If the Silver Wand pulled this off, they could reshape the entire wizarding world's power structure.
Alex, too, was speechless. He hadn't expected Director Andre to be so decisive, laying out the plan without needing help to make a convincing story. Still, Alex's own statement sounded more reasonable and helped keep the matter of the elixir under wraps.
"Exactly," Alex said, regaining his composure and speaking seriously. "That's why destroying those three breeding places isn't just about fighting crime, it's about cutting off the Silver Wand's funding source."
He added, "At the same time, it strikes at their core strength. Most of the wizards working in those place belong to some organization, and if we dismiss them all at once, we'll put their forces on the back foot.
The Silver Wand had recruited so many people to work in the place that it seemed likely they intended to use them as hostages. Anyone targeting the area would have to consider all those commoner wizards, just like you did earlier.
You know how a breeding place operates, the place doesn't actually need that many workers, especially not so many Muggles."
When everyone heard this, they suddenly realized how sinister Eisenberg's plan was. A chill ran down their spines as they thought about it: if those commoner wizards were dismissed or harmed, Eisenberg might resort to violence, and even the suspects caught in the crossfire might not be safe.
One Auror voiced his concern, "But there are hundreds of good people there, not just a few birds. What are we supposed to do with them once they're captured? That's hundreds of mouths to feed."
Alex turned to Newt and said, "Don't worry, I've thought all this through a long time ago. Mr. Scamander, have you prepared all the supplies I asked for?"
Newt nodded slightly. "Yes, I've gathered enough food, drinking water, and essentials to support 600 people from the UK for a month. You also asked me to prepare food, medicine, hypnotic potions, and gear for magical creatures, and that's all ready too."
"And there should be some supplies already in the place," Alex added. "As for beds and other items for the wizards, those are ready-made. Plus, I recently found a secret underground warehouse that just needs a little modification to hold that many people."
Hearing this, everyone felt a wave of relief. They were impressed by Alex's thoroughness, this young man had clearly thought of everything.
"But we can't keep these people forever, right? They're commoner wizards, and there are so many Muggles too. Have you figured out what comes next?" Amelia asked.
Alex smiled slightly and answered, "Don't worry. I've already prepared for that, but it's part two of the plan. Forgive me for not sharing it now, but these wizards are our greatest treasure. Make sure no one gets hurt."
Hearing his assurance, Amelia, Newt, and the others finally felt the last bit of anxiety ease from their hearts. After all, they were about to aim their wands at so many civilians, and since they weren't in their own country, the pressure was immense. Even if just one or two people were harmed, it could lead to serious consequences.
"Alright, since everyone feels confident about this operation, let's move on with the combat briefing. Before we begin, I've shared all the information I've gathered so far.
Now, the next step is the actual execution. We have to make sure this mission is a complete success, if it fails, everything else planned afterward will fall apart."
With that, Alex glanced over at Fang standing beside him and said, "Go ahead. Let's get into the tactical details."
"Yes Master," Fang replied, noticing that everyone had been convinced by Alex's argument, "before I get into the tactics, I think it's important that you all understand the work and rest schedules, as well as the defense measures, at the breeding base."
"Take place No. 7 as an example. Their day starts at 7:08 a.m., with breakfast served between 12 and 13:18 a.m. Lunch is at noon, followed by a one-hour break in the afternoon. They then resume work until evening. Dinner is served later in the evening.
After 6:21 p.m., unless there are special circumstances, the staff have free time. The place is equipped with plenty of entertainment facilities for them to enjoy during these hours."
At 9 p.m., a curfew is enforced, and all personnel must return to their dormitories. Our investigation shows that most of them turn off their lights and go to bed before 10 p.m. This is when we plan to carry out our raids, under the cover of darkness when resistance will be minimal."
André nodded in approval. Attacking while they're resting would indeed reduce resistance. He realized, though, that the meeting had gone past 10 p.m. wasn't the strike supposed to happen today? Before he could ask, Fang continued.
"However, there's a catch. The breeding place has some staff on special schedules, namely, 36 patrol members and 5 medical wizards working night shifts.
Thankfully, the five medical wizards usually stay within the large shed in the place, taking care of sick magical creatures. They rarely leave that area.
As for the patrol teams, they work in two shifts daily. One group of 16 patrols from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Of these, some patrol outside the place, each accompanied by a hunting dog, while others stay inside. In total, five groups cover the place at night.
During the day, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., the other shift of 10 patrols takes over, split between outside and inside patrols, with a similar setup to the night shift."