The problem was simple. Theodore Williams was dead, and compensating the dead was always cheaper. The Ministry of Magic did not particularly care about repairing the dignity of a man who could no longer stand in the courtroom and demand justice.
Jessica and Roger, however, were alive. They had been imprisoned in Azkaban for eleven years without a proper trial, and the scandal had already spread too far to be buried under polite Ministry language. Considering the scale of public outrage, the Ministry would likely have to pay an astronomical price to quiet the matter.
One day later, the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot issued a formal resolution regarding the unlawful imprisonment of Jessica Williams and her son in Azkaban. The document was long, dignified, and full of carefully chosen words meant to sound both sincere and untouchable. Its most important conclusion was clear: Jessica Williams and Theodore Williams had been coerced into serving Voldemort during the war, and because neither had been proven to have committed serious independent crimes, their former Death Eater affiliation would no longer be pursued.
The resolution also noted that the Ministry had reached a confidential compensation agreement with the Williams family. At the request of all parties involved, the exact details would not be publicly disclosed. That line alone made countless reporters scratch at the edges of the story like hungry Kneazles outside a locked pantry.
Beyond the personal verdict, the Ministry promised sweeping reforms to Azkaban. The number and authority of Dementors would be significantly reduced, while the proportion of wizard administrators would be increased to prevent the prison from relying entirely on Dementor control. The resolution also promised more mind-healers and counsellors, especially for wrongfully imprisoned prisoners, to help with recovery and eventual reintegration into society.
An independent Prisoners' Rights Commission would be established to supervise Azkaban regularly and safeguard prisoners' basic right to survival. Appeals from Azkaban inmates would be expedited, and those proven innocent or clearly sentenced unfairly would be released. For a small number of prisoners who had genuinely repented, sentence reductions or other humanitarian measures could also be considered.
The Ministry declared that it would conduct a full review of Azkaban's administration and treat all prisoners in a more humane and fair manner. The language sounded noble, though anyone who had dealt with the Ministry knew that noble language often arrived faster than actual change. Still, after eleven years of silence, even public promises had weight.
During the investigation, the Ministry also discovered that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the old trial authorities had indeed bypassed legal procedure and carried out punishments without proper process. Considering the chaos of the war and the special emergency powers granted to Aurors at the time, the Ministry chose not to tear open every old case at once. Instead, it issued a second set of decisions regarding the responsible personnel.
Barty Crouch Sr. was demoted. Relevant personnel within the Ministry's inquiry and adjudication offices would be held accountable, though the wording carefully avoided saying how severely. Internal supervision would be strengthened, the powers of officials at every level would be clearly defined, and abuse of authority would supposedly be prevented in future.
The Ministry also promised to improve its disciplinary inspection system, focusing especially on departments involving imprisonment, personal liberty, and the use of force. A public complaint channel would be established, allowing ordinary witches and wizards to appeal against improper enforcement and monitor misconduct. Regular training on law enforcement regulations and procedure would become mandatory for Ministry personnel, and even psychological counselling for law enforcement staff would be strengthened to prevent excessive behaviour under pressure.
At the end, the Ministry solemnly declared that it would carry out internal reforms to ensure that such dereliction of duty would never happen again. The sentence looked excellent on parchment. Whether it would survive contact with reality was another matter entirely.
Roger and Jessica did not care much about most of the Ministry's decision. The document was long, winding, and written in the sort of official language that could turn a simple apology into six pages of fog. The only useful part, in Roger's eyes, was that Jessica and Theodore had been declared innocent.
As for compensation, the Ministry had already drafted an agreement and delivered it to them through Dumbledore. Out of respect for the headmaster, Jessica did not immediately argue over every term, even though the agreement had clearly been written first by the Ministry and only then presented as a settlement. Roger watched quietly as she read through it, his thoughts far less trusting than his expression.
The agreement stated that the Ministry of Magic and the Williams family had reached a settlement intended to provide compensation and restore the family's reputation. In economic compensation, the Ministry would pay Roger Williams one hundred thousand Galleons and Jessica Williams three hundred thousand Galleons. In material compensation, all Williams family properties, lands, and estates in England would be returned, and Roger and Jessica would be provided with a high-end apartment in central London.
For educational compensation, Roger's tuition and living expenses at Hogwarts would be waived for seven years. The Ministry also promised him a full scholarship should he choose to study at a leading magical school abroad in the future. For medical compensation, Jessica and Roger would receive lifetime high-level magical medical care free of charge, along with five years of regular psychological counselling, extendable if necessary.
The agreement also included employment arrangements. Jessica would be offered work opportunities suitable to her professional background, while Roger would receive active recommendations if he applied to the Ministry of Magic after graduation. Finally, the Ministry would issue a public apology in all major wizarding newspapers, expressing regret and wishing the family happiness in the future.
The agreement was reasonably sincere, at least compared with what Roger had expected from the Ministry. Still, many details needed further negotiation. Numbers written on parchment were one thing; actually transferring property, opening vaults, delivering gold, and forcing departments to fulfil their promises were quite another.
Roger nestled against Jessica's arm as she signed the agreement. Watching Dumbledore stand there as the respected White Wizard, Chief Warlock, and messenger of compromise, Roger felt his wariness deepen. Albus Dumbledore might be kind, powerful, and admired by half the wizarding world, but that did not mean he acted without motive.
"Congratulations," Lucius Malfoy said, and for once, his happiness seemed genuine.
He had gained a great deal from this incident. "It is a pity there was conclusive evidence against Bark Williams in the McKinnon murders. Otherwise, he might have been released from Azkaban as well."
Many members of old pure-blood families had already been quietly restored to respectability, and others would be released from Azkaban one after another. As the influence of those families grew, so did Lucius's own prestige. Especially now that many in the wizarding world believed Voldemort gone for good, Lucius was being treated as the practical leader of the pure-blood faction.
That level of prestige was intoxicating. Lucius had already begun imagining an organization that only pure-blood families could join. He even had a name for it: the Ancient Magic Alliance, a society dedicated to discussing the protection of wizarding heritage and the interests of old magical bloodlines.
Lucius sighed with theatrical regret. "Bark is still serving his life sentence, and unfortunately, he still holds the key to your family vault."
He had heard a little about the Ministry's compensation, but the true wealth of the Williams family lay in its old treasury. Even a conservative estimate placed it at no less than five million Galleons. Compared with that, the Ministry's apology money looked like a respectable but modest purse.
"Mrs. Williams," Lucius said, turning smoothly to Jessica, "considering how much pure-blood heritage has begun to disappear, I am planning to establish an organization open to ancient magical families."
"The Ancient Magic Alliance," he said with a faint, mysterious smile. "Ancient magic represents the former glory of the wizarding world. Through this alliance, we can unite old families and search for lost magical traditions."
Lucius had recently read a number of books about the Muggle world. For perhaps the first time in years, he had set aside a little of his arrogance and begun thinking seriously about the future relationship between wizards and Muggles. What he discovered troubled him more than he wanted to admit.
Modern wizards no longer possessed an absolute advantage over Muggles. Muggle weapons could destroy entire cities in a single strike, and no ordinary wizard could withstand such power directly. An imbalance of power meant a disorder of status, and Lucius Malfoy, proud heir of an old family, could not accept the thought of wizards one day being trampled under Muggle boots.
He had therefore become fascinated by ancient magic. In his mind, if such power could be rediscovered, wizards might regain the overwhelming superiority they had once imagined was theirs by right.
"I believe that once ancient magic is restored, the status of wizardkind will rise again," Lucius said. His grey eyes shone with a dangerous, fanatical light. "And naturally, the old families must stand at the centre of that revival."
"Mr. Malfoy," Roger asked curiously, "would only pure-blood families be allowed in the alliance?"
"Of course," Lucius replied without hesitation. "Only our families have carried their lines from the ancient magical era into the present. Only we have preserved the blood of old magic. Who else would be qualified?"
"But if we do that, won't the alliance stand against the entire magical world?" Roger asked. "Everyone would become wary of us."
Lucius paused.
"Why not use other standards?" Roger suggested. "Spells, Potions, magical theory, ancient texts, rare crafts. As long as the core of the alliance remains controlled by the old families, more members would only increase the influence of the core figures."
He spoke as though merely sharing a child's thought, but his words struck cleanly at the weakness in Lucius's plan. "If the alliance only recruits pure-bloods, especially when the wizarding world is still so sensitive after the war, people will treat it as another dangerous faction before it even begins."
Lucius had to admit that the idea was worth considering. A closed circle might preserve purity, but it would also limit power. A wider structure, carefully controlled from within, could bring talent, money, reputation, and useful pawns under one banner.
"Mr. Malfoy, do you already have a blueprint for the organization?" Roger asked.
"Well," Lucius said, suddenly looking slightly embarrassed, "I am still refining it."
He could hardly admit that most of the plan currently consisted of a grand name, a few impressive phrases, and his own ambition. After a brief cough, Lucius quickly said he had matters to handle at home and left in a hurry.
"What a pity," Roger murmured as he watched Lucius disappear. "I already had a plan ready for him."
"All right," Jessica said, putting away the Ministry documents. She had seen enough to know that her son and Lucius Malfoy would cause trouble together sooner or later if left unchecked. "Go to bed early. We are moving tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Roger looked up in surprise. He had not expected it to happen so soon, and part of him still wanted another chance to speak with Lucius.
"That's right," Jessica said firmly. "Do not be fooled by the agreement saying the house is in London. If we wait too long, the Ministry may find reasons to delay. We will strike while the iron is hot, before they start passing responsibility from one department to another. Go and get some rest."
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