Chapter 324: Two News Reports
Chapter 324: Two News Reports
The Triwizard Tournament, without a doubt, would capture the attention of British wizards throughout the entire year of the competition.
The Daily Prophet, as the leading newspaper in the British wizarding world, naturally reports on what the public is interested in.
Even though the journalist responsible for this event, Rita Skeeter, had disappeared, an incident involving a special figure like Harry, who was kidnapped during the tournament, would undoubtedly dominate the front page of the next day's newspaper.
However, something unexpected happened. The day after the competition ended, an even more shocking news story took over the entire front page of the Daily Prophet!
The headline alone was enough to make anyone wonder if the editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet had gone mad.
[Minister Crouch, Missing for Five Months, Claims: The Dark Lord Is Gaining Strength, and I Was Under the Control of the Imperius Curse by Death Eaters]
The content of the news article was entirely Crouch's own account. Clearly, even though the Daily Prophet dared to publish this story, it did not take a clear stance, neither confirming nor denying Crouch's claims.
In the report, Crouch claimed that after the Quidditch World Cup in September, he was controlled by the Imperius Curse by the Dark Lord's followers. They arranged for him to infiltrate Hogwarts with the intention of assassinating the current Dark Magic Defense Professor, Sherlock Forest.
However, the Dark Lord's plan failed, and Crouch managed to break free from the Imperius Curse. He was then imprisoned by the Death Eaters but was eventually rescued with Dumbledore's help, and Sherlock successfully freed him.
Crouch's account was very detailed, with no information withheld. He listed all the names of the Death Eaters who had imprisoned and cursed him.
However, the Gagson trio had long disappeared from the wizarding world, so even though their identities were exposed, it was impossible to locate them directly.
The Daily Prophet, as expected, caused an uproar in the British wizarding world. Countless wizards wrote to the Ministry of Magic to inquire about the truth of Crouch's claims and whether the Dark Lord was indeed making a comeback.
Even Hogwarts was in turmoil that day. Many students, like Hermione, who subscribed to the Daily Prophet daily, received this news and it overshadowed the incident of Harry's kidnapping the previous day.
Several bold young wizards ran to Sherlock's office to ask about the authenticity of the news. Sherlock did not avoid the question and told them that Crouch had not lied in the newspaper.
This only added to the shock of the students in the castle.
As the Daily Prophet was being circulated everywhere, the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had just received the newspaper.
After reading the entire article about Crouch, his fingers, which were gripping the newspaper, had turned white from the force of his grip.
Fudge's usually plump, smiling face was now contorted with anger, his face flushed and his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably.
"Why did I find out about this from the newspaper!"
The minister's secretary, standing to the side, cautiously replied.
"We all found out about this news in today's Daily Prophet. I came to inform you as soon as I could."
Fudge, livid with rage, slammed the hand holding the newspaper onto his desk.
"Why did no one inform me that Crouch returned yesterday!"
"Winchance said he had already told you about it. You said not to worry and to prepare for a lawsuit against him for his lack of diligence", the secretary said, bracing himself.
Fudge's eyes seemed to spout fire, though it was unclear whether it was due to Crouch or the new, tactless secretary.
"I want to know! Such a significant matter, why didn't Crouch come to me first for a discussion instead of rushing to the newspapers!"
The secretary hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked,
"Shall I call Mr. Crouch over now?"
Fudge, a seasoned politician, had now regained his composure and looked at the secretary coldly.
"You can go back to the Centaur Liaison Office. Then have the new secretary of the Ministry call the editor of the Daily Prophet to my office!"
After Crouch unexpectedly dropped a bombshell on the Wizarding World's public opinion without any warning, Fudge's reaction was swift.
The newly appointed secretary, who had been in the position for less than half a day, only knew that the Daily Prophet's editor spent the entire afternoon in the Minister's office. The next day, after the major news was published, the front page changed dramatically.
[Ministry of Magic Minister Cornelius Fudge: We have not yet received any information about the Dark Lord's return. Crouch's statements may have ulterior motives.]
Fudge did not directly deny Crouch's claims or call him a liar.
While politicians and street thugs both engage in deceit, the difference lies in whether one wants to maintain a facade after engaging in such behavior.
Fudge was undoubtedly a competent politician who knew how to maintain his facade while engaging in deceit.
In the Daily Prophet, he declared to all British wizards that he had not received any information about the Dark Lord's return and had no way of verifying the truth of Crouch's statements.
However, he was aware that Crouch had long harbored resentment over not becoming the Minister of Magic. Crouch was trying to bring him down through various means, and what had started as an internal political struggle seemed to have spread to the wizarding public.
Fudge did not explicitly call Crouch a liar, yet his entire statement implied that Crouch was lying.
The Daily Prophet, which had not taken a stance the previous day, provided a "comment" below the article.
In essence, it advised Minister Fudge and Head of Department Crouch to avoid letting their conflict affect the normal order of the Wizarding World, urging them to communicate rationally and resolve the issue internally.
This commentary was nauseating.
It appeared to be mediating, but in reality, it was entirely on Fudge's side, treating his statements as established facts.
This led most British wizards to subconsciously believe Fudge, causing Crouch's reputation to plummet.
However, there were also those who remained skeptical and did not jump to conclusions. According to Crouch's claims, two crucial individuals had yet to speak: Dumbledore and Sherlock.
Their acknowledgment of the truth of Crouch's statements was the key to the matter.
(End of Chapter)
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