"S.H.I.E.L.D - Shield?"

Mrs. Weasley repeated her husband's word, humming noncommittally.

"So, what's your specific position? It's not still that... uh, Chief Technology Officer thing, is it?"

"Uh, not anymore - a lot of very capable people have joined recently. I'm now one of the top-ranked technical consultants..."

Arthur Weasley wiped his mouth, stood up, and picked up his hat from the coat rack, saying vaguely.

"Alright, Molly, don't keep pressing me. I really can't tell you too much right now. You'll know when the big shots figure things out and it's in the papers. It's pretty much the same as my usual work, just with more technical demands."

"Alright then--"

Mrs. Weasley glanced at her husband, thoughtfully asking in a low voice.

"But speaking of which, you really don't have some secret stash of gold hidden somewhere?"

"Even though this 'S.H.I.E.L.D' thing isn't officially established yet, you've been busy as anything these past few days. How come I haven't seen them give you an extra paycheck? Percy wrote to tell me that Ginny received a new broom recently--"

"Cough - of course not! What could I buy with a secret stash? You know, I just tinker with Muggle gadgets."

Arthur Weasley waved his hand, saying righteously, "Those Muggle gadgets aren't worth much money. Besides, you know exactly how much money is in the family vault. Do I look like I have somewhere to hide money? As for Percy..."

Mr. Weasley paused, clearing his throat.

"Uh... I've heard about that thing Percy mentioned, not just little Ginny, but all the new students on the team received new brooms, although the models are slightly different. I'll ask about it when I go to the school later..."

"Oh, is that so?" Mrs. Weasley gave her husband a suspicious look.

Although knowing Arthur as well as she did, he didn't seem to be lying, but she still felt that something was off.

Oh well, they’ve been married for so many years. Molly believed that her husband wouldn't mess up on major issues.

If it was really as Mr. Weasley said, that multiple magical governments were planning to form a brand new magical organization, then this would actually be an opportunity for him.

"Alright then, remember what I told you about the Stripp family, and come home early today--"

"Don't worry, even if the Ministry of Magic turns into ruins, I won't be working overtime today… I'm off to work."

Arthur Weasley picked up his briefcase, waved without turning his head, and grabbed a pinch of shimmering Floo Powder to throw into the fireplace.

"Ministry of Magic."

The green magical flames instantly flared up, engulfing Arthur Weasley's figure.

Just as he disappeared, the hooting of an owl came from outside the window in the distance.

"Hmm? Has the newspaper arrived already? It's quite early today--"

Mrs. Weasley turned her head to look back and saw a long-eared owl flapping its wings into the living room, hurriedly dropping a copy of the "Daily Prophet" on the table.

She muttered to herself about the newspaper arriving unusually early today while fumbling for coins in her pocket.

The "Daily Prophet" is priced at five bronze Knuts. Although there have been rumors of a price increase recently, they are still just rumors for now.

But speaking of it, five bronze Knuts is a little too low. A novel sells for several Galleons now.

As Molly Weasley thought, she counted out five bronze coins and was about to put them into the leather pouch on the owl's leg.

Suddenly, the corner of her eye caught sight of the unfolded newspaper, and her movements froze.

"Dark Mark Reappears, Ministry of Magic Reduced to Ruins"

…………

British Ministry of Magic, main hall corridor.

"Oh, my goodness, what on earth--"

Arthur Weasley stood by the fireplace, stunned, with his briefcase in hand, looking around in shock.

The Ministry of Magic looked as if it had just experienced a catastrophe, with some hideous and terrifying marks still remaining on the walls and the ground.

The peacock-blue ceiling was covered with black-gray scorch marks. The original gleaming golden high-altitude bulletin board had disappeared, replaced by a scene that looked like words written with magical spray paint.

The magical brothers fountain in the center of the hall was also gone. Several goblins and wizards were setting up a few tables there, with a long line in front, as if they were receiving something --

Hmm? Wait, a few wizards and... goblins??

Arthur Weasley looked around and realized that not only were there goblins around those long tables, but almost everywhere.

Unlike the attire of the goblins at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, these goblins were mostly wearing exquisite suits, carrying small briefcases, mixed in the noisy and crowded crowd in the Ministry of Magic's main hall corridor, looking no different from the surrounding Ministry of Magic employees, just like...

"Alright, Arthur... just be a little surprised, don't stand in front of the fireplace."

Before Mr. Weasley could finish his thoughts, someone pushed him from behind, and he staggered forward a few steps.

He turned his head to look back and saw Ludo Bagman stepping out of the fireplace with a yawn, holding a loaf of bread in his hand.

"The Ministry of Magic was attacked by the mysterious man yesterday. It was a big battle. Of course, we successfully drove them out -- but most of the offices were destroyed, especially your level of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, almost nothing left. Hmm... don't ask, I've explained it to at least ten people today. If you have any questions, queue up, they are counting and filling out forms over there, and there will be a brief explanation..."

Ludo Bagman kept yawning, not giving Mr. Weasley a chance to ask questions, pointing to the distance as he spoke.

"However, you guys can also count it a blessing in disguise -- the Ministry of Magic has reached a cooperation with Gringotts Wizarding Bank. In these days, goblins will come to the Ministry of Magic for job interviews. They brought the Ministry of Magic reconstruction loans with very high discounts. You can take this opportunity to re-do things."

"Uh... mysterious man... a blessing in disguise? Goblins... loans?"

Mr. Weasley opened and closed his mouth, feeling all kinds of words pouring into his brain, and then several times as many questions popping out.

He had a strange feeling that he had not just slept for one night, but for several months in one go.

In fact, it wasn't just him who felt this way.

Apart from those Ministry of Magic members who were called up in the middle of the night, most of the Ministry of Magic officials who went to work this morning felt the same way.

However, the Ministry of Magic's high-level officials had obviously considered this in advance, or more precisely, Dumbledore and Gringotts were prepared for this.

Almost everyone who arrived at the Ministry of Magic was first guided to those temporarily set up long tables to collect forms.

After collecting the forms, they would be led by goblin specialists temporarily hired from Gringotts to the interrogation room below - which had now been temporarily converted into large conference rooms - to introduce the war that broke out last night in batches.

Of course, in order to unify the tone, the description would be slightly artistically embellished.

"In short, that's pretty much it. Mr. Weasley, do you have any questions?"

The goblin specialist pushed up his glasses, looked up at the man sitting in front of him, and asked with great skill.

Since most of the Ministry of Magic was still counting losses, at the suggestion of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Cornelius Fudge and others finally listened to their ideas and used the interrogation room floor below the Ministry of Magic's main hall as a temporary place for answering questions and filling out forms.

And those responsible for receiving and answering questions were a batch of goblin receptionists who were hastily put on the job after a brief training.

It must be said that at least in this era, goblins are indeed quite professional in this regard.

"Uh, let me think..."

Arthur Weasley looked at the form in his hand, rubbed his aching eyebrows, and tried to digest the information he had just absorbed.

"Can I understand it like this? The mysterious man has returned, the Ministry of Magic was destroyed in last night's war, and now it is going to be extensively renovated and rebuilt... We will first return to our homes to rest, think about what things we want in the new office, and then submit the application together?"

"In other words, am I on temporary vacation for these few days...?"

"It would be more accurate to say try to retrieve the data, because the Ministry of Magic's current data loss is particularly serious."

"Uh..." Arthur Weasley stammered a few times, tentatively asking, "What if I don't remember most of it?"

"Then at least it proves that we tried--"

The goblin grinned, revealing a malicious sly smile.

"Reality is always disappointing, right? The mysterious man destroyed most of the data, which is also something that cannot be helped."

"Yes, uh... that's true--"

Arthur Weasley was stunned for a moment, then his brow relaxed, and he shrugged noncommittally.

"By the way, where are the Minister and Director Bones? Why haven't I seen them?"

"Oh, Minister Fudge and the directors should be holding a joint press conference on the establishment of S.H.I.E.L.D now. If you have any urgent business to contact them, you can tell me and I will help you forward it, or wait and see in the afternoon--"

"Wait, what did you just say... holding what?" Arthur Weasley blinked in confusion.

"S.H.I.E.L.D--"

The goblin showed a strange smile.

"This shouldn't need an explanation, right? Respected... Supervisor Weasley..."

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Yay!