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Chapter 910: Believe in Yourself
Chapter 910: Believe in Yourself
Is Bartemius Crouch Sr., the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, dead?
Killed by Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew?
"Ah... Cough, cough..."
Albert sputtered, spraying the milk he had just sipped all over the copy of the Prophet in front of him. The headline had certainly been a shocking revelation.
"Is everything alright?"
Everyone at the table looked up, surprised by Albert's unusual reaction. It was rare to see him so flustered.
In truth, it wasn't the news of Crouch's death that stunned Albert, but rather the revelation that Dumbledore had apparently cornered and killed Voldemort at the Crouch residence.
Although Albert had anticipated that some changes would occur, this particular development was quite significant. When had Headmaster Dumbledore become so bold?
"Cough, it's nothing. Just some surprising news, that's all," Albert managed to say as he set down the newspaper and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth. He then resumed reading the front-page article in the Prophet.
Dumbledore's decision to confront Voldemort at the Crouch home was indeed startling.
What Albert didn't realize was that his casual conversation with Percy at the Christmas feast had inadvertently given Dumbledore some insights, leading to this peculiar and somewhat misguided course of action.
As it turned out, Percy's superior had perished, and his next job would be as the assistant to the Minister of Magic.
Albert wondered what repercussions Dumbledore's unorthodox actions might bring about, but for now, it seemed that Dumbledore had successfully dispatched Voldemort's snake, Nagini.
As Albert opened his task panel and checked the "Dark Lord's Demise" mission, he noticed a significant increase in his contribution points, confirming his suspicion.
"It seems that Professor Dumbledore has been making careful arrangements," Albert mused to himself. "The mysterious man's defeat is well-deserved."
In reality, Albert himself was partly responsible for Nagini's demise, as his assistance to Dumbledore in predicting the horcruxes had directly exposed the snake's true nature. Naturally, when Dumbledore arrived, he had taken care of the snake first.
As for Voldemort, that was a different matter altogether. The Dark Lord seemed impossible to kill, and Albert wasn't sure if Dumbledore now knew about Voldemort's horcruxes or the secret of their creation.
If Voldemort realized that Dumbledore was attempting to destroy his horcruxes, things could become very troublesome indeed.
"Let's eat breakfast first," Sansa reminded him with a frown. "Cold food isn't very appetizing."
"Sorry," Albert mumbled, quickly devouring the food on his plate. He then picked up the copy of the Prophet and headed toward the hall to continue reading, with Isabel mysteriously appearing by his side.
"What's wrong?" she asked, knowing that something must have happened to cause Albert's unusual reaction.
"Bartemius Crouch, the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, is dead," Albert replied, handing the newspaper to Isabel.
She quickly scanned the article, her brow furrowing in concern.
"It's quite a coincidence," she said, her slender fingers tracing the lines of the article. "I suspect Dumbledore sensed something amiss. And this mention of a Dark Wizard is also suspicious. It's likely..."
"Yes, your guess is probably correct," Albert sighed. "The entire United Kingdom will likely be in turmoil. And Harry Potter becoming the fourth champion... that's definitely the work of the mysterious man."
"Are there any accomplices of the mysterious man within Hogwarts Castle?" Isabel suddenly looked up at Albert. Having confirmed that he was aware of this, she continued, "According to the rule that the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is always problematic, is the mysterious man's accomplice our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? I recall that he was attacked on the first day of school. It seems you've been suspecting him for a while, but given your personality, why didn't you give Dumbledore any hints?"
"Is Mad-Eye Moody a close friend of the headmaster?" Albert explained. "Dumbledore may have had his suspicions, but until the other party reveals a fatal flaw, Dumbledore won't do anything excessive. After all, they're old friends, and if he uses certain methods and makes a mistake, even Dumbledore might not be willing to bear the consequences."
"Moreover..." Albert suddenly smiled. "Someone like Dumbledore actually prefers to trust his own judgment, and you and I are similar in that regard."
"So, Dumbledore has already figured things out in his own way and is confident that Mad-Eye Moody isn't an imposter?" Isabel didn't deny this, as most geniuses tended to have a similar flaw—they were overly confident, sometimes to a fault.
"No, Dumbledore will still have his suspicions," Albert replied. "He can be certain that there might be a spy within Hogwarts, and until that spy is unmasked, everyone is a suspect."
"That's clear enough, yet you still dare to participate in the Triwizard Tournament," Isabel remarked.
Isabel couldn't help but feel some disdain for Gryffindor's adventurous spirit. Even though she knew that Albert had likely made thorough preparations, she still disliked the idea of him taking such risks. She was terrified of the thought of Albert encountering danger, and she didn't want to end up like her mother.
"Their target is definitely Harry Potter, not me," Albert assured her. "As long as I'm careful and don't get caught in the crossfire, there shouldn't be a problem. When the time comes, I'll definitely take the Felix Felicis beforehand and make sure I'm fully prepared before participating in the third task."
Albert wasn't worried about his own safety. If Barty Crouch Jr. dared to cause him trouble, he wouldn't hesitate to send him packing.
In fact, Albert was already planning to get rid of Barty Crouch Jr., as he was a valuable source of experience points.
"You should have more faith in me," Albert whispered reassuringly. "With my current strength, there are very few wizards who can truly threaten me."
"If it were ten years from now, I definitely wouldn't doubt your words," Isabel said.
"You can believe me now," Albert said. "Don't forget that even back in my second year, I already possessed considerable power, and it's been several years since then."
"While I do have confidence in you as you are now, it's best to be careful," Isabel said softly, kissing Albert's cheek. "Please don't make me worry, alright?"
Isabel returned home, even though the house-elves were helping Mrs. McDougall with the cooking. She wanted to check in and occasionally chat with Mrs. McDougall about the Crouch family.
"It feels like you two are discussing something that can't be shared," Nia said, watching as Albert flipped through the newspaper.
"Yes," Albert replied as he handed the Prophet to Nia. "Some unfavorable omens have appeared, and I'm afraid that before long, Britain will no longer be safe. After the school breaks for the holidays, we'll send you off on a plane to leave the country."
"I'm more concerned about when you'll accompany me to dance and visit Hogwarts," Nia said, setting the newspaper aside.
(End of Chapter)
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