"Is there still any room for doubt? A mere boy defeating five vicious, seasoned Death Eaters? Such a story would be a laughingstock if it traveled beyond these walls. Only the overly optimistic Minister Bagnold would believe such a convenient excuse," Avery sighed again, playing to the crowd.
"What you say carries weight, but the fact remains that five men were arrested. How do you explain that?" Lucius prompted, his tone conversational.
"Who can say? Perhaps a third party truly intervened and the boy simply took the credit. Or perhaps those wizards were incapacitated with a potion and left for the Aurors to find. It is even debatable whether they were truly Death Eaters at all," Avery replied as if reciting a well-rehearsed script, responding instantly to Lucius's cue.
As he spoke, the surrounding guests—representatives of various ancient families and a swarm of reporters—couldn't help but feel a seed of suspicion take root. Indeed, Alan was only a student who had just finished his third year; how could he possibly best five adult wizards in a fair fight?
Whispers began to ripple through the Atrium. What role did Bagnold play in this? Were those men actually Death Eaters? Memory modification was a known branch of magic; perhaps their identities had been fabricated. Because the details of the raid had been classified by Auror Command, the lack of a transparent account only fueled the skepticism.
Seeing the buzzing reporters, Avery and Lucius exchanged a subtle, triumphant smile. They knew they couldn't stop the ceremony, but they could dismantle the prestige of the event by slandering the hero, thereby neutralizing the political impact of the arrests.
Alan, meanwhile, watched the performance with genuine interest. He felt that if these two formed a double act, they would be a sensation; their timing and tone were impeccably lifelike. He glanced at Lucius with a hint of surprise. Was this fool really Julia's brother? Had that woman not bothered to warn him? Even without a warning, hadn't he noticed that not a single member of the Travers family had dared to show their face today?
The situation was becoming truly entertaining. Alan actually grinned, a sharp flash of teeth.
Arthur Weasley, standing beside him, was trembling with rage. With the two men talking over each other like a rapid-fire battery, he couldn't find a gap to interject. Arthur had his own private moments of wonder regarding Alan's feat, but he trusted the boy implicitly and respected the Minister. He couldn't let this slander go unanswered.
"You—" Just as Arthur prepared to launch a defense, Alan reached out and pulled him back.
"Arthur, they're coming for me. They've prepared for this. Against men like these, words won't settle the matter," Alan said with a calm smile, his hand steady on Arthur's shoulder.
"But..." Arthur began, sweat beading on his forehead, only to see Alan offer a small, firm shake of his head.
Alan stepped past Arthur, facing the two men and their mocking expressions. "To put it plainly, you're doubting my strength, aren't you? Then allow me to demonstrate it," he said.
"Oh? Are you planning to challenge me?" Avery raised an eyebrow, a predatory glint in his eyes.
Alan shook his head slowly.
"Heh. I thought you were preparing for a duel. It turns out you're a coward. Doesn't that confirm you're a fraud? Everyone, look! The 'defeat' of five Death Eaters is nothing but a fiction used by this boy to deceive the Ministry!" Avery spread his hands, addressing the room.
The murmurs swelled into a roar, and flashbulbs fired in a frantic rhythm. 'The Ministry's Combat Hero is a Liar'—there was no more lucrative headline than that. Arthur, Vivian, and the others were frantic with worry, but they were paralyzed by the public nature of the confrontation.
Alan shook his head a second time. "Torquil was a waste of space," he stated clearly.
"What did you say?" Avery narrowed his eyes, confused by the sudden change in topic.
"I mean," Alan said, enunciating every syllable, "Torquil was a waste, but you are even less than that. How could challenging someone inferior to a waste prove my capabilities? I defeated five Death Eaters head-on. Assuming they are all judged by Torquil's standard, converted into trash like you..."
He paused for dramatic effect.
"I will fight ten of you at once."
The statement caused an immediate sensation. The reporters hadn't expected such a pivot; the whispers died away, replaced by a noise as loud as a bustling marketplace.
"Are you serious?" Avery's anger flared, his face darkening with a violent flush.
"If you're scared, I'll allow you to kneel and apologize," Alan mocked. "If you accept, count yourself and Lucius, then pick eight more wastes like yourselves to join in. I'm in a hurry."
"Fine! You said it! We accept your challenge! Don't complain when you're being carried out!" Avery and Lucius were stung. When had they ever been insulted so brazenly? If the boy wanted to be humiliated, they were happy to oblige.
Avery and Lucius immediately began scouring the room for allies. Alan had called for ten, and they intended to give him ten. To be honest, many of the pure-blood nobles were hesitant to join. To be called a "waste" just for the privilege of a ten-on-one fight against a student was a losing proposition; winning would be embarrassing, and losing would be social suicide. Many of the older families chose to remain spectators, content to watch from the sidelines.
It took some time, but eventually, the two found eight more willing participants—mostly men who had personal ties to them or had served the Dark Lord in the past. Alan was now surrounded by a protective circle of his friends, the Weasleys, and several Aurors who were watching the escalation with mounting concern.