Chapter 385: Dialogue and Plan
Chapter 385: Dialogue and Plan
In the Mind Chamber, Felix handed over a cup of tea.
"This place is becoming more and more real", Dumbledore said curiously, taking a sip of the amber liquid. "What kind of tea is this? I don't think I've had it before."
"Ordinary tea, our tastes are different", Felix replied, sitting across from Dumbledore. At this moment, only the two of them were here.
"How much time do we have?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.
"Two and a half minutes", Felix rubbed his head. "If you insist, we can stretch it to five."
"That's at least a quarter of an hour, then", Dumbledore nodded slightly.
Felix stared at him, rolling his eyes, and crossed his legs. "Two things: one is to calm the four schools, and the other is to investigate the mastermind behind the scenes."
Dumbledore interlaced his long fingers in front of him. "What are your thoughts?"
"The first one is relatively straightforward, mainly depending on your opinion."
"Mine?" Dumbledore smiled.
"The Goblet of Fire's contract cannot be broken, and that alone should keep them in line. However, this will cause a problem: Hogwarts' reputation will take a significant hit, disgracing us internationally."
"That's a scenario I also wish to avoid", Dumbledore said decisively. "We need to make some compromises."
"There are two options: either strengthen the opponents or weaken ourselves. The former is not feasible, given the different interests of each school", Felix said calmly.
"Then we are left with the latter. Let's discuss the second issue; that's the crux of the matter", Dumbledore said. "Who do you think their target is?"
"Most likely Harry. That's the most plausible scenario", Felix said, suddenly remembering something. "Sirius mentioned to me during the World Cup that Harry's scar..."
"I know about that; Sirius also wrote to me about it", Dumbledore brushed the topic aside and said gravely, "Let's get back to the Goblet of Fire. I once suspected how Harry managed to bypass the Goblet's restrictions, but when Hermione Granger appeared, I knew it was impossible."
"Is it possible to bypass the restrictions? I always thought it was a strong Confundus Charm..."
Dumbledore smiled. "The Goblet of Fire's rules were set by humans, and humans have flaws. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed in the person behind the scenes; the method was too obvious."
Felix nodded. That was true. If someone found a loophole in the rules, it would be less obvious. Now, everyone knew the Goblet had been tampered with.
The difference was that the other four schools believed Hogwarts had done it, or at least benefited from it.
"So, it's Voldemort?"
"Indeed, Voldemort", Dumbledore said softly. "However, from what I know of him, it couldn't have been him personally."
"He must have had help. The one who attacked Harry with Peter Pettigrew, and perhaps others", Felix continued, following the Headmaster's line of thought. "He once ruled half of Britain; this shouldn't be too difficult."
Thinking about it, he realized the deadline he had given Lucius Malfoy was before Christmas, but the situation had changed, and he couldn't wait any longer. Additionally, according to Swift Guardian's feedback, the mysterious antique seller seemed to have a connection to the Malfoy estate...
"No, Felix, you don't understand him. Voldemort's power is the foundation of his rule. Without power, he loses control over his followers", Dumbledore sighed. "During the summer, I visited his former companions and staff from the orphanage. The more I learned, the clearer his nature became."
Felix thought for a moment. "So, his hiding in the Albanian Forest is related to this? After losing his power, he trusted no one, or rather, those he trusted were locked away in Azkaban... until Peter Pettigrew found him!"
"You hit the nail on the head", Dumbledore agreed.
Felix frowned. "Can we determine who tampered with the Goblet? Theoretically, the four Headmasters and their professors, or even the professors at Hogwarts, could have had the opportunity..."
That was a wide range.
"Igor Karkaroff was once a Death Eater", Dumbledore said calmly. "That's why I stopped Alastor."
"Could it be him?" Felix was skeptical. Karkaroff's reaction seemed too genuine. Even if he wanted to clear his name, he didn't have to go so far, and he had stirred up the emotions of the other three schools.
On the contrary, Moody... Scenes from the past flashed through his mind, some doubts lingering, but he had no concrete evidence.
"The likelihood of Karkaroff is low. He betrayed his former master and provided a list of Death Eaters after the war", Dumbledore said. "I personally believe Voldemort wouldn't approach him."
"What about the Imperius Curse or Polyjuice Potion?" Felix probed, not referring to Karkaroff, but wanting to gauge Dumbledore's reaction.
"You still don't understand, Felix. If it were Voldemort, he wouldn't show his weakened state to a former traitor. He would prefer to announce his return and make the traitors live in constant fear, until they die quietly in the shadows."
Felix nodded. Was this the Dark Lord's pride? He said softly, "From what I know, Professor Moody claimed to have been attacked before the start of the term..."
Dumbledore's gaze sharpened.
“... I also noticed that he carries a curved flask with him, but I've never seen him open it. It seems a bit suspicious, doesn't it? Wouldn't he get thirsty?”
Dumbledore gazed at him for several seconds before calmly saying, “That’s just your speculation. Alastor is quite sensitive and never touches any suspicious food. This is a well-known fact. I’ve known him for over half a century, longer than Voldemort, and I understand him well enough. I haven’t found anything suspicious about him.”
“We shouldn’t take action based on speculation.”
“It’s you who wouldn’t take action based on speculation,” Felix emphasized deliberately.
Dumbledore fell silent.
“Dumbledore,” Felix said, “We shouldn’t keep a potential threat around us,” his tone grew solemn, “At the very least, we should test him.”
After a moment of solemn silence—
“What do you plan to do?”
“The Imperius Curse, Polyjuice Potion, and memory modification are the three methods I can think of, but the third one can’t be verified without subduing Professor Moody,” Felix explained, adding others to make it seem less targeted, “Of course, this applies to everyone else as well.”
“Assuming they aren’t willing pawns of Voldemort,” Dumbledore added.
“Exactly. If they are willing, my options are limited. A Dark Wizard who dares to cause trouble in front of you would certainly be prepared for Legilimency,” Felix acknowledged the difficulty, “Can I really probe his memories bit by bit? That’s no different from stripping someone bare.”
If he were wrong, he would be creating a mortal enemy for himself.
Why do wizards value their memories so much? Because their concerns are justified—wizards have the means to modify, forge, and erase other people’s memories.
“I’ll handle this, Felix. I’ll speak with Alastor,” Dumbledore said gravely, “I’ll verify the Imperius Curse and Polyjuice Potion, but I disagree with memory probing. That would be the greatest humiliation for Alastor.”
“But—”
“I won’t agree to any extreme measures without more concrete evidence,” he said firmly, “Besides, if he’s innocent, I plan to have him keep an eye on any suspicious individuals around him...”
Felix shrugged, “I’ll wait for your answer.” He snapped his fingers, dispelling the magic, and the two returned to reality.
In the room, Madame Maxime was glaring at him, looking furious. Her chest, clad in black satin, heaved violently, as if she was about to punch him. But perhaps remembering his position as a school governor, she barely restrained herself.
She remained silent, and Karkaroff finally recovered from Moody’s shadow, saying impatiently, “What’s the minor issue? How do you plan to resolve it? You’ve been staring at each other for half a minute without a word. Don’t think you can fool us. If you don’t have a good plan, then release Durmstrang from its constraints and allow them to use any means—”
“Headmaster Karkaroff,” Felix looked at him, “The restrictions on your students aren’t as severe as you think—”
“What do you mean?” Karkaroff glared.
“I have a question: Is Durmstrang a school that cultivates Dark Wizards?”
“That’s slander! Mr. Crouch, did you hear that?”
“Let me finish,” Felix stared at him, “Durmstrang is the most open-minded when it comes to dark magic, and that’s true. But it doesn’t mean Durmstrang is a school that exclusively teaches dark magic. Dark magic only occupies a small portion of the curriculum. At least from the textbooks I’ve seen, there’s not much dark magic...”
“Dark magic is widely used in dueling, but do you not teach the Disarming Charm? The Stunning Spell? The Shield Charm?”
Felix continued slowly, “Dark magic is just an effective supplement, but it will never be the mainstream in a publicly enrolled magical school. No matter how much you enjoy dark magic, you should remember this!”
Karkaroff was speechless.
If he admitted that Durmstrang primarily taught dark magic, the school’s reputation would be ruined tomorrow. As Headmaster, he had to defend himself and the school.
Karkaroff’s face turned red as he said, “Dark magic is just a part of Durmstrang. We have the ability to manage its side effects. We have specialized professors who assess students’ progress and selectively teach dark magic.”
That’s what he said, but in private, many professors turned a blind eye and didn’t pursue it too strictly. This was why Durmstrang was known for its tolerance of dark magic.
The reason Durmstrang hadn’t become a haven for Dark Wizards was due to the school’s system. They followed certain review standards, which meant that even if students practiced dark magic in secret, they didn’t dare use it openly, reducing the frequency of practice and the impact on their character.
“What about the extra champion from Hogwarts?” Karkaroff abruptly changed the subject.
“Simple. Since you all see it as an advantage for Hogwarts, let’s turn it into a disadvantage,” Felix casually scanned the champions and Headmasters present. They didn’t care whether a Dark Wizard was secretly coveting Harry or the issues with Durmstrang’s curriculum. They only wanted to know how to reasonably weaken one side before the competition.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch, Mr. Bagman, I suggest that Hogwarts' score be calculated based on the average."
(End of Chapter)
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