Chapter 320: Purpose
Chapter 320: Purpose
Harry and the merman named Ritchie were brought to the Headmaster's office together.
After confirming that Ritchie had indeed been under the Imperius Curse, the merpeople did not object to his removal. They only asked that Dumbledore ensure Ritchie's safety.
The merpeople's attitude toward wizards was the complete opposite of the centaurs. These aquatic magical beings knew all too well that it was best not to harbor any hostile intentions toward wizards.
After all, when the other side has the greater power, it's wise to yield when necessary, and there's no shame in doing so.
Besides Sherlock, the only other person to accompany them to the Headmaster's Office was Mad-Eye Moody. Bagman had initially wanted to come along to check on Harry's condition, but Dumbledore, noticing Sherlock's subtle hint, politely declined.
As they entered the office, both Mad-Eye Moody and Harry were surprised to see Crouch already there.
"Why is Barty here?" Mad-Eye Moody asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
Seeing Crouch lying on the sofa, clearly unconscious but still breathing, Dumbledore's expression visibly relaxed.
"This is Sherlock's doing. He brought Barty back."
Sherlock merely waved a hand, saying nothing more.
They could discuss Crouch's situation at another time. The pressing issue was to understand what had happened to Harry.
Dumbledore sat down in his chair, his hands clasped together, and looked at Harry. The blue eyes behind his glasses held the same calm gaze, which helped to ease Harry's nerves.
"There are a few things I need to confirm with you, Harry. You mentioned earlier that the merman knocked you unconscious and then dragged you to the bottom of the Black Lake?"
Harry organized his thoughts. With no one else present, he could provide a more detailed account.
"Yes, Professor. I was awakened by my mother's voice. When I came to, I saw him holding my arm and pulling me to the lake bottom. Then, he started searching for something along the lake floor."
"Did he show any intention of killing or harming you?" Dumbledore asked next.
Harry replied firmly.
"No, if he wanted to kill me, he could have done so when I was first knocked out. Besides, he took my wand later, and he had plenty of opportunities to kill me, but he didn't."
This statement revealed a lot, and both Sherlock and Mad-Eye Moody exchanged a meaningful glance.
Clearly, if the person who had put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire intended to kill him, the plan had almost succeeded. However, the merman under the Imperius Curse did not act on that intention, and his actions were peculiar.
The office fell silent as they pondered this. Suddenly, the merman on the floor stirred.
"Ugh, where am I?"
He sat up, looking confused. It was evident that he had come out of the Imperius Curse and was now back to normal.
Naturally, Dumbledore took charge of the questioning.
His gaze remained calm as he locked eyes with Ritchie and asked if he remembered what had happened.
After a brief moment of recollection, Ritchie quickly recalled his actions.
He was extremely anxious, frantically explaining that he had not acted of his own will. The day before the competition, he had inexplicably entered a dazed state.
His body was no longer under his control, and his consciousness couldn't think clearly. It was as if his body had another mind, controlling his actions.
As for why this situation occurred and when he was cursed, he had no idea.
The person who cast the Imperius Curse on him had hidden deeply and never showed any trace. Even if the matter was eventually exposed, there would be no evidence to find.
However, despite his age, Dumbledore's thinking ability had not diminished; in fact, it was much stronger than that of most people.
"Can you still find the place where you took Harry to the bottom of the lake while under the Imperius Curse?"
Ritchie nodded immediately without hesitation.
"I know the underwater areas of the Black Lake very well. I remember that place."
Although they couldn't get much useful information from Harry and Ritchie, they could continue searching from other angles.
After receiving a positive response, Dumbledore did not hesitate and immediately instructed Ritchie to take Mad-Eye Moody on a trip to the Black Lake to find the object he had tried to retrieve from the lake bottom.
Once Ritchie and Mad-Eye Moody left, there was nothing left for Harry to do. Dumbledore encouraged him to prepare well for the final task in June and then dismissed him to return to the common room.
The office now only contained Sherlock, Dumbledore, and Crouch, who was still under the Stunning Spell.
Sherlock did not immediately speak about Crouch to Dumbledore. Instead, he said softly,
"The Durmstrang students have always lived on the ship moored at the Black Lake, and Karkaroff is there as well."
Dumbledore's expression faltered slightly, but he then shook his head.
"Even with this information, it only increases his suspicion. Without concrete evidence, we can't do anything to him."
There are many ways to make someone talk, and Dumbledore himself, under the right circumstances, could make Karkaroff speak without any additional means.
However, such methods are illegal in the Wizarding World.
Wizards possess extraordinary abilities, but the magical society is still a civilized and orderly one. Someone like Dumbledore must follow the rules.
Only the Ministry of Magic can use such methods; no one else can, though Snape often threatens Harry with Veritaserum.
"Let's talk about Crouch first. Since he's still unconscious, how did you find him?"
Sherlock recounted his morning's experience to Dumbledore, including the conversation he overheard between the three Death Eaters.
"Voldemort clearly wants Crouch to do something for him. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so eager to have his followers reapply the Imperius Curse."
Dumbledore turned to look at the sleeping Crouch and said in a solemn voice,
"I think this is not just because he can meddle at Hogwarts. Barty's identity is crucial. Even though he is the head of the International Magical Cooperation Office, he still commands great respect in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Voldemort is planning for the future."
(End of Chapter)
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