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Chapter 641: You're a Natural Auror!
Chapter 641: You’re a Natural Auror!
Seeing that the two were about to argue, Ivan quickly interrupted them.
“Gentlemen, please, now is not the time to assign blame. What we need to do is tell Professor Dumbledore the full story. I’m sure he will know what to do!”
“Agreed, Hals,” Mad-Eye Moody said, looking at Crouch with disdain. He was too tired to argue further and instead pointed his wand at Crouch. “Let’s go, Barty! Need any help?”
“I can manage on my own!” Crouch coldly snorted and walked out of the room, heading towards the Headmaster’s Office in the main tower.
Ivan and Mad-Eye Moody stood on either side of him, keeping a close eye on his every move to ensure he didn’t try to escape.
However, Crouch remained compliant throughout the journey, making no attempts to flee. He led them directly to the Headmaster’s Office.
Mad-Eye Moody recited the password to open the door, and the three of them climbed the spiral staircase together.
Fortunately, Dumbledore was in his office, so their trip wasn’t in vain.
“Hals, Barty, Alastor… It seems you have something important to discuss with me?” Dumbledore’s eyes swept over Ivan and the others, noting their expressions. He spoke in a serious tone.
“Yes, Professors, it’s a very important matter!” Ivan nodded and then turned to Crouch. “But I think it would be best if Mr. Crouch explains it himself.”
Dumbledore then fixed his gaze on Crouch’s worn-out face.
Crouch sighed and, without any unnecessary words, began his story from over a decade ago when he had taken pity on Barty Jr. and brought him out of Azkaban. He continued until the Quidditch World Cup, where a momentary lapse in judgment allowed Barty Jr. to escape during the chaos, and now his whereabouts were unknown.
Ivan and Mad-Eye Moody provided additional details, ensuring the story was as clear and concise as possible.
Dumbledore listened silently, his long index finger tapping gently on the desk, his face occasionally showing signs of deep thought and surprise.
When they finished, Dumbledore’s expression grew serious. He looked at Crouch with a hint of disappointment. “This is far beyond what I expected, Barty… I thought you were more clear-headed.”
“I’m sorry, Albus… I will turn myself in to the Ministry of Magic. I hope it’s not too late to prevent a bigger mistake,” Crouch said, his demeanor somber, appearing much older in that moment.
“Even the smartest of us can be blinded by family ties…” Dumbledore said, his voice tinged with emotion. Then, he added, “However, I do not advise you to turn yourself in to the Ministry of Magic, Barty, at least not now!”
“Why?” Crouch looked at Dumbledore in surprise, not understanding his reasoning. Mad-Eye Moody, standing nearby, was eager to speak but was silenced by Dumbledore’s raised hand.
“Think about it. If news of your trial by the Ministry of Magic spreads, Barty Jr. will realize that his escape has been fully exposed and that Aurors are hunting him. He will be more cautious and might even do things we’d rather not see, like taking out his anger on innocent people…”
"So, it's better to maintain the status quo and wait for him to let his guard down."
"Since Barty Jr. chose to put Harry's name into the Triwizard Cup, there will certainly be follow-up actions. We still have a chance to catch him", Dumbledore explained.
"That's too dangerous, Albus. What if Barty deliberately withholds information or makes a mistake out of sentiment… you know he has a history!" Mad-Eye Moody questioned.
"We need every bit of help we can get, Alastor!" Dumbledore said firmly, then turned to Crouch.
"Are you willing to help us catch your son, Barty? You are probably the person who knows him best. But I need to warn you, there will be no benefits or leniency. You can consider it a form of atonement!"
"Of course! I can swear an oath to bind myself", Crouch nodded without hesitation.
"That's for the best, Barty! I'll be watching you closely", Mad-Eye Moody growled, his eyes fixed on Crouch with a menacing glare.
Ivan couldn't get a word in and could only stand by, uninterested, as they discussed the matter.
Ivan's opinion on how to handle Crouch aligned with Mad-Eye Moody's—he thought it best to lock the man up. After all, there was no telling if a father could truly be ruthless when dealing with a son who had gone astray.
And a Magic Oath wasn't a foolproof solution.
As Ivan was silently musing, the conversation in the Headmaster's Office suddenly stopped. Surprised, he looked up to find everyone staring at him.
"I've already heard from Alastor… you did a great job, Hals!" Dumbledore broke the silence, praising him.
In Dumbledore's view, it was no small feat for Ivan to have extracted the truth from Crouch using just a few clues and two articles from the Daily Prophet, especially considering he was only fourteen.
"I only helped a little. Catching Mr. Crouch was mostly thanks to Professor Mad-Eye Moody", Ivan humbly replied, his voice trailing off as he realized the main subject was still present.
Mad-Eye Moody, however, didn't care about Crouch's thoughts. He clapped Ivan on the shoulder and grinned. "Don't be so modest, Hals. You're a natural Auror! With your abilities, if you join the Ministry of Magic after graduation, you could become the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in just a few years, or even the Minister of Magic."
Ivan shrugged. He had always thought that being a "natural Auror" wasn't exactly a compliment, given that in his experience, Aurors often cleaned up after major battles or served as cannon fodder to highlight the prowess of certain wizards.
"Hals, I heard you've had some disagreements with your friends recently?" Dumbledore suddenly asked.
"Ah, not really disagreements?" Ivan scratched his head, unsure whether Dumbledore was referring to Hermione or Ron, and puzzled by the sudden change in topic. Weren't they discussing more pressing matters?
Dumbledore nodded, acknowledging Ivan's response, and then turned to the two of them. "I need to have a private conversation with Mr. Crouch. If you have no other business, you can go to the Great Hall to enjoy dinner."
(End of Chapter)
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