Arthur Weasley sat at his desk in the cramped office of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department, his brow furrowed in thought. Stacks of papers, half-opened gadgets, and scribbled notes surrounded him in an organized chaos that reflected his mind. He fiddled absently with a ballpoint pen, his fascination with Muggle inventions only half-occupying his thoughts tonight.
The Ministry had changed. That much was undeniable.
With Rufus Scrimgeour’s rise to power, security had become the Ministry’s primary concern. Goblin enchantments, magical surveillance systems, and new protective wards—there was no end to the measures being implemented. On the surface, it all made sense. The wizarding world was facing dark times, after all. But something about it unsettled Arthur.
“Dad?” A voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up to see Fred and George standing in the doorway. “Mum says dinner’s ready.”
“Ah, right. Thanks, boys.” Arthur stood up, rubbing his eyes. “I’ll be right down.”
As the twins bounded off, no doubt planning some new mischief, Arthur made his way to the kitchen where Molly was setting the table. The smells of roast chicken and boiled potatoes filled the room, but Arthur’s mind was still preoccupied.
“What’s got you all serious tonight?” Molly asked, handing him a plate. “You’ve been quiet since you got home.”
Arthur sighed, sitting down. “It’s the Ministry. All these new measures… I just don’t know, Molly. It’s all starting to feel a bit much, don’t you think?”
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Molly frowned, taking her seat across from him. “I’ve heard you grumbling about it before. What’s bothering you?”
“It’s the surveillance,” Arthur replied. “The goblin enchantments, the tracking spells… they’re impressive, but… where does it end? At what point are we sacrificing too much?”
Molly pursed her lips, thinking it over. “It’s for our protection, isn’t it? You’ve said yourself how dangerous things are becoming. We can’t afford to take risks.”
“I know, I know,” Arthur said quickly. “But I can’t help feeling uneasy. It’s not just about protection anymore. It’s about control. I’ve seen some of the things they’re developing, and it feels like we’re putting too much power in the hands of too few people.”
Molly’s expression softened, and she reached across the table to take his hand. “You’ve always had a soft spot for Muggles and their ways, Arthur. I think you’re just worried that magic is being used for the wrong reasons.”
Arthur nodded slowly, his gaze distant. “Exactly. I’ve always admired Muggles for their ingenuity, for the way they manage without magic. And yet here we are, relying on more and more magic to solve all our problems. I’m just… I’m worried that we’re heading in a direction that might be hard to come back from.”
As the children filed into the kitchen, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, but Arthur’s mind remained occupied. Later, after everyone had gone to bed, he stayed up in his office, tinkering with an old Muggle radio he’d brought home.
Muggle technology didn’t need magic to work. It relied on ingenuity, creativity, and perseverance. That was what Arthur admired so much about it. And as he watched the Ministry become more and more reliant on magical surveillance and control, he couldn’t help but wonder if they were losing something vital in the process.
Was it really worth it? Would they be better off, or would they wake up one day to find they had given up too much in the name of security?
Arthur sighed, setting down the radio and rubbing his temples. The world was changing, and not all of it for the better. He just hoped that when the dust settled, there would still be room for the values he held dear.
He turned off the light and headed upstairs, but the nagging worry followed him to bed.