Chapter 467: Vastly Different Attitudes
Chapter 467: Vastly Different Attitudes
Chapter 467: Vastly Different Attitudes
The meeting room was filled with sharp intakes of breath. The wizard who had just asked about a discount for his granddaughter's new product slid off his chair to the floor, muttering curses as he stood up. However, no one paid him any attention. The room was like a bustling market, and even Professor Marchbanks looked astonished at Dumbledore.
"Are you sure he has truly returned, Dumbledore? I mean, really returned?" Amelia Bones said sternly, her face serious behind her monocle.
Dumbledore shook his head slightly, and Mrs. Bones' rigid body relaxed, her thick eyebrows returning to their proper position.
"So, we still have time to prepare", she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"Provided we don't turn a blind eye and pretend nothing has happened—"
"Enough, Dumbledore!" Fudge shouted loudly, his face turning purple, spittle flying from his mouth, though he seemed completely unaware of it. "Stop spreading fear! There is no evidence to suggest he has returned... or is even showing signs of returning!"
"The evidence is right under your nose, Fudge. You just need to lower your head and calmly examine it for a few seconds", Dumbledore said.
"Where?"
"Barty Crouch—"
"Aha! I knew you were going to say that!" Fudge roughly tugged at his collar, his face and neck turning red with anger. He stood up, crumpling his top hat in his hand and waving his arms wildly. "Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you about this so-called evidence. You'll see how laughable it is—"
The members of the Wizengamot stared at Fudge as he paced around the room, speaking loudly.
"Barty Crouch! I didn't want to bring this up, as it involves a scandal, but—former head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, who, twelve years ago, committed a serious act of malfeasance by getting his damned Death Eater son out of prison, right under everyone's noses! Barty Crouch used Polyjuice Potion to switch his wife and son, and the Dementors didn't detect it... I admit there are flaws in Azkaban, and we are considering adding a Thief-Repelling Waterfall to wash away all spells and the effects of Polyjuice Potion—"
Fudge suddenly stopped. One hand clutched his crumpled top hat, the other resting on a chair, and he spoke loudly. "Think about it, how insane his actions were, committing murder over a decade ago. He was so... evil! Not much better than those Death Eaters."
"Cornelius", Amelia frowned, "Barty did make a mistake, but according to his testimony, his wife was terminally ill at the time, and Barty couldn't resist her final plea—"
"Not just that!" Fudge interrupted her, "Barty Crouch committed more than one crime. He also drove his own son to madness!"
The meeting room fell silent, with only Fudge's heavy breathing breaking the quiet. He seemed like a dangerous gladiator, and they were not in the Ministry of Magic but in an ancient arena, with Fudge ready to battle anyone who dared to challenge him.
He met his match. Dumbledore folded his hands on the table and looked at Fudge with interest, speaking softly, "A unique perspective! Fudge, I find your thoughts increasingly intriguing. I'm all ears."
Fudge seemed to be infuriated by Dumbledore's calm demeanor. His voice grew louder, as if he had used a Sonorous charm.
"I have evidence, Dumbledore. If you choose to believe Barty Crouch, you must believe everything he says. Is that not so?" Fudge's small eyes fixed on Dumbledore, who met his gaze without flinching. Dumbledore seemed to radiate an indescribable power, and Fudge averted his eyes first.
"Imperius Curse... yes, gentlemen and ladies, have you considered how Barty Crouch controlled his son? To avoid exposure and continue climbing the ranks at the Ministry of Magic, he personally cast the Imperius Curse, keeping young Crouch hidden under an invisibility cloak for twelve years!"
"He deserved it, that little Death Eater!" Professor Marchbanks exclaimed, "He participated in torturing the Longbottoms, a heinous crime—were it not for Felix", she glanced quickly to the side, "that poor couple would still be living in a daze at St. Mungo's."
"I know", Fudge said impatiently, "I assure you, I have no sympathy for that Death Eater. My uncle died in the war, and I hate them just as much as you do! I only want to tell you that Barty Crouch has gone mad, long gone mad. He is not what you imagine. What do you think the heart of someone who has continuously used Unforgivable Curses for twelve years would be like? Hm?"
Felix glanced at Fudge in surprise, amazed that he had thought of this breakthrough. The reaction of the wizards, who were clearly shocked, made it clear—Barty Crouch's reputation was completely ruined, and no one would ever sympathize with him again.
But when he considered Dumbledore's visit the day before, he realized Dumbledore was equally prepared.
"So you're asking what happened? It's a tragedy", Fudge said with a heavy expression. "His father abused his power and used the Imperius Curse to control his own son. Eventually, the curse drove his son mad, mad enough to imagine that there was another voice in his head, that the Dark Lord was still alive. But, regardless, he broke free from the curse's control and, in turn, took control of his father!"
"The curse messed up Barty Crouch Jr.'s mind. For the past six months, he pretended to be under the Dark Lord's command, pretending to still serve the Dark Lord. He infiltrated Hogwarts and tortured his father—all of this was a product of his delusions."
Felix let out a long breath. He had a newfound respect for Fudge's character. Fudge's resistance and stubbornness were truly eye-opening. His strategy was also convincing: first, he exposed Crouch's crimes, turning him into a dangerous criminal, and provided a rationale for Barty Crouch Jr.'s actions. While there were still some loopholes, it was a credible story. If he was right, Fudge would next destroy any evidence that could support Crouch's testimony—
"Barty Crouch is insane!" Fudge shouted. "When he reappeared, he had suffered severe torture, both mental and physical!" He looked at Amelia Bones. "You know this, don't you?"
"Barty Crouch did indeed suffer inhuman torture, but—" Bones said cautiously.
"The healers at St. Mungo's confirmed his condition!" Fudge immediately turned to Dorthea Boham. "Your healer, he admitted that Barty Crouch was hit with a severe Confundus Charm and had his memory tampered with!"
Ms. Boham slowly nodded. Many members of the Wizengamot were convinced, their faces showing signs of sympathy.
"This is the truth!" Fudge waved his hat. "There is no Dark Lord! No war!" He put his hat back on, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore smiled as well, even clapping a few times. "Fudge, your story is built on imagination..."
"Are you saying you have evidence?" Fudge asked eagerly.
Dumbledore replied calmly, "If the evidence you're expecting is to see Voldemort standing before you", Fudge flinched at the name, and Dumbledore continued, "then I do not have it. However, I am happy to share some facts and my own speculations based on those facts."
"So you're going to make up a story too, Dumbledore? I'm busy and not interested in this—"
"I'm afraid that's not possible", Dumbledore said.
"What—what do you mean, not possible?" Fudge gasped, as if Dumbledore had threatened him with a wand rather than words.
"Fudge, please understand. I am the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Although you are the Minister of Magic, you are still a member of the Wizengamot and must allow me to finish speaking", Dumbledore explained. Fudge's eyes widened as if he had been struck.
Felix sat quietly in his chair, thinking. He found it hard to believe that Dumbledore would reveal all the secrets about Voldemort. More likely, Dumbledore intended to issue a warning. The question was, how far would he go?
"Where should I begin?" Dumbledore mused softly. "Fourteen years ago, Voldemort, with the help of a traitor, entered the Potters' safe room, killed the Potters, but failed when he faced the infant Harry Potter. His Killing Curse rebounded, and he lost his power—"
"He's dead", Fudge said curtly.
"Where is the body?" Dumbledore countered.
"Who cares about that, Dumbledore!" Fudge said impatiently. "He's dead! He might have turned to ashes or his body could have been taken away."
"It was just a hopeful wish", Dumbledore shook his head and said, "At the time, I realized there was a possibility that Voldemort was still lingering somewhere in the world, barely surviving... But people were so eager to hear good news, so eager to restore order and embrace peace."
"Proof, Dumbledore? Proof?" Fudge said.
"Why can't you let him finish speaking?" Professor Marchbanks said loudly, "He wasn't so rude when you were talking!"
Fudge glared at her and reluctantly muttered, "Alright, I'll listen... What proof do you have..."
"Thank you, Giselda", Dumbledore smiled and thanked Professor Marchbanks. He continued, "I didn't voice my suspicions, perhaps as Fudge suggested, he really did turn to ash and die. However, based on my understanding of him, the likelihood of that is very low."
"One piece of evidence is the curse that still hovers over Hogwarts—the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. In the second year after Voldemort's death, it was still active, which made me even more uneasy. I took the initiative to gather evidence of his survival, paying attention to unusual sightings and legends..."
"It took me several years, but I finally found a clue in a Muggle newspaper", Dumbledore said. "Indeed, I developed a habit of reading Muggle newspapers during those years, a habit I still keep. I particularly enjoy the Sudoku puzzles; Muggles say they can prevent senility."
Fudge stared at him with a blank expression, as if he already had signs of senility.
"Getting back to the point, I saw a news item about an expedition team in the newspaper. They had heard terrifying legends about the Albanian Forest, where some creatures and livestock would die suddenly, exhibiting very strange behavior before their deaths. An eight-year-old boy swore he saw a snake reading a newspaper, and the photos in the newspaper even moved."
"We all know what that means, don't we?" Dumbledore looked at the assembled crowd.
In the crowd, Tiberius Ogden said discontentedly, "Which foolish Wizard threw the newspaper away after reading it?"
"That doesn't prove anything..." Fudge said stubbornly. "It could be a snake Animagus from another country."
"I examined them; they were possessed", Dumbledore said.
"Wh-what?"
"Posessed", Dumbledore repeated, "That doesn't necessarily mean anything. It could be a malevolent spirit, but I must remind you that it could also be someone who has lost their powers. I continued my investigation in the forest... I found a large pit filled with animal carcasses, mostly rats and snakes, with snakes being the most numerous. I tried to unravel the mystery and thought I saw a familiar figure, a broken and ghostly form that flashed before me, but I never saw it again after that."
"You mean that thing... was hiding from you?" Amelia Bones asked seriously.
"I believe so", Dumbledore nodded slightly, "I persuaded a few nearby families to move away and asked the owner of a local Wizard pub to keep an eye on the ghost's movements. This went on for over a decade. I gathered more information, and my suspicions grew stronger."
"But if it really was that person, why didn't he come out? Why did he wander in the Albanian Forest for over a decade?" Amelia Bones asked.
"Indeed! I too would like to know that—"
"I can only offer some speculations", Dumbledore said.
"Your speculations are valuable", Bones said, and some Wizards in the meeting room nodded in agreement, while others shook their heads.
"I believe—before I make my speculations, I need to remind you that Voldemort has lost his powers and is weaker than ever, even more limited than ghosts", Dumbledore said, "One of his weaknesses is that he cannot suppress the intense resistance he faces for long periods, so he tends to possess simpler-minded animals, especially snakes. He has a particular influence over snakes."
"Parseltongue", Bones said with a grim face.
"Exactly, perhaps in the first few years after losing his powers, he still hoped that some Death Eaters would find him and help him regain his strength... but he was disappointed. Ruling through fear, once failed, leaves nothing but emptiness", Dumbledore said softly, "Of course, a few of his loyal followers were imprisoned in Azkaban."
"Junior Barty Crouch, the Lestranges!" Bones said.
Felix's heart stirred. He was moved again, the first time when he spoke with Neville. He thought about Azkaban and the Dementors, but he hadn't realized the issue at the time. He had overlooked a key point—Azkaban is a prison filled with various kinds of criminals.
He leaned back in his chair, gazing up at the ceiling, struggling to think. Dumbledore's voice became a background hum, providing inspiration—
"Almost four years ago, Voldemort possessed a professor at Hogwarts, infiltrating the school to obtain the Philosopher's Stone hidden within. In the end, Harry Potter and his friends stopped Quirrell... and the Philosopher's Stone was destroyed."
"More than a year ago, the war hero Peter Pettigrew, presumed dead, reappeared. He and a Death Eater—later revealed to be Barty Crouch Jr.—were ordered to infiltrate the school. Before they could carry out their plot, Harry Potter and his friends discovered them. A battle erupted at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Fortunately, Sirius Black, who was then wrongly accused of being Voldemort's loyal servant, and two professors arrived in time to save them..."
"Unfortunately, these people nearly died at the hands of out-of-control Dementors." Dumbledore said sternly, Fudge's eyes shrinking, and Umbridge hiding her head behind the papers. "Peter Pettigrew died that night, by the Dementor's Kiss... Before he died, he suddenly repented, admitting that he was the traitor who betrayed the Potters. He also said one more thing."
The meeting room fell silent, everyone holding their breath, watching Dumbledore.
Dumbledore repeated softly, "He said: 'He is coming back, the one whose name cannot be spoken is coming back. I have done wrong, forgive me—'"
"What!" Amelia Bones gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Fudge. "No one told me this! You put a password on it?"
Fudge stammered, wiping sweat profusely, and finally yelled, "What do you want me to do? Enforce a state of emergency based on a vague statement? Destroy the peace we've painstakingly built over the years?"
"Peace isn't a facade", Felix said with a smile, finally piecing everything together.
Azkaban, Dark Wizards, Death Eaters... Voldemort's resurrection... and Dumbledore.
All of this formed a hypothesis. If Dumbledore had inflicted multiple fatal injuries on Voldemort, and if Voldemort had been extremely weakened and had to rely on others for help, his options would be very limited.
This person must be a Death Eater, fanatically loyal to Voldemort and aligned with his beliefs, someone who could earn Voldemort's limited trust and be honored with the task of tending to the Dark Lord's injuries or even performing a resurrection ritual.
If such a person had evaded capture after the war, it would be impossible for them to remain inactive for so many years. Therefore, they must have been imprisoned in Azkaban.
Could this person know more, like about the Horcruxes?
Of course, of course. Voldemort was extremely selfish and would never allow the secret of his Horcruxes to be known, even to a loyal servant willing to die for him. He might have used a spell to keep the secret, a forgetfulness charm or a Confundus Charm could achieve that purpose...
Fudge glared at Felix, his expression still stubborn.
"By this year, the signs have become more evident", Dumbledore said. "There have been several disappearances. Bertha Jorkins vanished without a trace from Voldemort's last hiding place. Then there was a Muggle, Frank Bryce, who lived in the village where Voldemort's father was born. I read about it in the Muggle newspaper, remember? I read Muggle newspapers... and Crouch, if not for his rescue, might have been another disappearance."
"Dumbledore, what you're saying is all speculation, perhaps just coincidences!"
"I have a witness", Dumbledore said gravely.
Fudge's head snapped toward him so quickly he nearly injured his neck. The others also turned their gaze to Dumbledore, and Fudge muttered, "You can't mean Barty Crouch, his testimony is unreliable—"
"What about his House-elf?" Dumbledore asked politely, waving his wand. Winky and Dobby suddenly appeared in the office.
Winky still looked dazed, but Dobby was well accustomed to such situations. He tugged at Winky's hand, and they both bowed deeply, squeaking, "Good day, gentlemen."
Everyone stared at them—not because of Dumbledore's magic, but because both of them were wearing fine little clothes. The meaning was clear:
These were two free house-elves.
(End of Chapter)
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