Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 485: Arrogant at first and respectful at the end

Fudge naturally had no interest in Percy's nose.

He kept repeating the same monotonous and repetitive words, shouting them out:
"Idiot, fool, moron! How could the Ministry of Magic have such an Auror!"
The Auror office even said he was incredibly capable, unable to even keep an eye on someone controlled by the Imperius Curse!

"Calm down, Connelly."

Looking at the impotent rage of Fudge, Dumbledore said kindly:
"I vaguely remember that Delix's NEWT test results all seemed to reach 'excellent'."

However, although he has excellent grades, his abilities are lacking, so it's understandable that this happened.

"you!"

Fudge suddenly realized what was happening, and with a trembling hand he pointed at Dumbledore, shouting in a shrill voice:
"You knew all along!"

You said he could resist the Soul Reaper Curse!

You just said that's unsafe!

Dumbledore nodded slightly:

"Yes, Connelly, I warned about this."

Unfortunately, our worst fears have come true.

Barty Crouch Jr., an extremely dangerous Death Eater, is now free, and most likely with the help of his accomplices.

Upon hearing Dumbledore's words, Fudge's face turned from pale to a deep liver color.

He tried to roar again, but his throat felt blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound.

Dumbledore's calmness was like a mirror, further reflecting his previous arrogance and ignorance.

At this moment, he still wanted to refute, to accuse Sherlock of meddling, and to blame Dexter for his incompetence, but...

The situation has become so serious that any attempt to shirk responsibility seems utterly futile and laughable.

He looked around. Dumbledore's eyes remained calm, yet the power contained within them made him uneasy.

Reality was like a cold snake, coiled around his neck.

The fig leaf that had been prepared was completely torn apart.

In his utter confusion, he failed to notice even the silent mockery in Sherlock's eyes, Harry's worry, and Mr. Weasley's complex gaze, which held an almost pitying intensity.

As for Percy's desperate attempt to portray himself as a valiant fighter, he simply ignored him.

There is no doubt that news of Barty Crouch Jr.'s escape will spread very quickly.

According to Arthur Weasley's statement, more than one person knows that the Aurors have been defeated and the prisoners have been abducted.

Not to mention, the reappearance of the Black Mark, which had not appeared for thirteen years, was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.

It's no exaggeration to say that the entire magical world will be thrown into panic because of this.

He could no longer escape.

This problem must be addressed.

Otherwise, he would become the target of public criticism, and his position as minister would be in jeopardy.

Finally… he couldn’t help but look at Dumbledore, his eyes pleading:
"Mr. Dumbledore, what should we do now?"

The mockery in Sherlock and Sirius's eyes intensified.

This is bureaucracy.

Now you know to ask for help?
Weren't you just being arrogant?
Arrogant at first and respectful later, it’s really laughable to think about it!

However, Dumbledore did not make fun of the other person.

His tone remained amiable, but his words forced Fudge to take them seriously:

"Abandon illusions, prepare for battle."

"What do you mean by that?" Fudge suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"As far as I know, no one but Voldemort could have done such a thing in such a short time."

When Dumbledore uttered that name, Fudge and the Weasleys couldn't help but shudder.

"Dumbledore, don't joke around. You mean the Mystic is coming back?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Dumbledore doesn't intend to tell anyone else about Professor Trelawney's second prophecy at the moment.

Therefore, he was merely stating the facts as they were:
“I think it must be because he has gained strong and powerful allies—only under such circumstances can his will be carried out so effectively.”

But in any case, I hope you are prepared.

I said thirteen years ago that there was no evidence that Voldemort was dead; he had simply become very weak.

Even today, there is still ample evidence to suggest that Voldemort is slowly regaining his power.

If we simply let things slide, when the crisis actually occurs, we will be caught completely off guard and face a crisis capable of destroying the entire magical world.

"I see."

Fudge's voice carried a sense of powerlessness, as if crushed by reality. He waved his hand weakly, indicating that he wanted to be alone.

“Connelly, there’s one more thing we haven’t done.”

"whats the matter?"

"Call Barty Crouch over here."

“Yes…” Fudge said somewhat absentmindedly, “You just said you wanted to call Barty Crouch and his son over for a confrontation, but Crouch Jr. is already… is it still necessary?”

"It is necessary. Although Barty Jr. escaped, Crouch Sr. is still a key figure."

We need to know everything he knows: Barty Jr.'s possible whereabouts, his associates, and any possible plans.

"Time is of the essence."

Dumbledore added a sentence, his tone leaving no room for doubt, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

Fudge closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This simple action seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

When he opened his eyes again, all that remained was a disheveled state and a trace of resigned dejection.

"Arthur."

He said in a hoarse voice, “Go…go and fetch Barty Crouch…Chief Crouch…come here, immediately.”

Mr. Weasley pulled LaPercy aside, then silently led him away.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to wave his wand to clean his wounds.

It was still a wait, but this time Fudge's mindset was completely different from before.

Just now, he was full of confidence and certain of victory.

Now they are restless and terrified.

Sherlock's gaze swept over everyone in the room.

Connelly Fudge slumped in his chair, staring blankly at the shattered teacup pieces on the carpet, as if they were his crumbling authority.

Dumbledore was whispering something to Sirius, and judging from their posture, Dumbledore was telling Sirius some information he didn't know before.

Harry, like Fudge, looked nervous.

Although he had never seen the Dark Mark, just hearing Mr. Weasley's description made him feel a shadow looming over him.

Sherlock looked away and shook his head.

Let's wait for Barty Crouch to arrive. He's the key figure; I can get more useful information from him.

After an unknown amount of time, the office door was pushed open again.

Barty Crouch walked in.

His steps remained as steady and precise as ever, but the dignity on his face was replaced by an undisguised weariness and something deeper.

Not only that, his hair also seemed to have turned grayer, and his shoulders were no longer as straight as they used to be.

He glanced around the room, his gaze sweeping over Dumbledore, Sirius, Sherlock, and Harry, before finally settling on Fudge's distraught face.

Fudge immediately avoided his gaze.

Mr. Weasley, who came in with him, sighed upon seeing this and casually closed the door.

Without waiting for Fudge to speak, he immediately repeated the key information from the previous incident.

A wizard suspected to be a Death Eater attacks the camp, the Dark Mark is launched into the sky, and Barty Jr. is kidnapped during transport.

In fact, Barty Crouch had already guessed the truth on the way here with Mr. Weasley.

He also knew about the Death Eaters attacking the camp and the appearance of the Dark Mark.

However, upon hearing the news that his son had been kidnapped, Crouch's body swayed almost imperceptibly.

In an instant, all the color drained from the face of this wizard, who was known for his iron fist and ruthlessness and whom Sirius Black greatly admired.

That weary facade was completely torn away, revealing an abyss of despair.

Sherlock had been watching Barty Crouch ever since he entered the office.

Noticing the change in his expression at that moment, I immediately realized what he was thinking.

However, Crouch's despair lasted only a very brief moment.

Then, something surprising happened.

Barty Crouch straightened his back—though not with the same force as before, but enough to show his determination.

The grief on his face vanished quickly, replaced by a terrifying, cold calm.

"I understand."

Crouch's voice was unnervingly steady, without any tremor, only a metallic quality.

He faced Fudge directly, without attempting to explain or plead, and stated bluntly:
“Your Excellency Minister, I deserve this outcome.”

Fudge looked up at him in astonishment, and everyone else was stunned. Only Sherlock raised an eyebrow and let out a soft "Oh."

Crouch's voice rang out clearly throughout the office:

"It all stems from me. I abused my power by illegally taking the convicted felon Barty Crouch Jr. out of Azkaban."

I concealed the truth for thirteen years and used the Soul-Stealing Curse on him, but ultimately failed, leading to this disaster.

He has fallen into the hands of Death Eaters, and the danger and potential destruction he may cause are incalculable...

All of this is entirely my personal responsibility; it has nothing to do with the Ministry of Magic or Minister Fudge.

He paused slightly, his eyes deep, as if drawing a line under the last vestige of his lingering attachment to power:

"To maintain the normal operation of the Ministry of Magic, to ensure the Triwizard Tournament can continue with minimal interference, and to facilitate your all-out pursuit of the fugitive..."

I am willing to plead guilty immediately and accept all investigations and trials by the Ministry of Magic.

It is also recommended that the work of the International Magical Exchange and Cooperation Division, including all coordination matters of the Triwizard Tournament, be transferred to Ludo Bagman, the Director of the Sports Division.

He was supposed to co-host this event with me. He's experienced enough and familiar with the situation; only he could ensure the smooth operation of the subsequent procedures.

Barty Crouch's tone was completely businesslike, devoid of any personal emotion.

Fudge opened his mouth, never expecting things to develop this way.

But amidst the shock and regret, there was also a slight sense of relief.

Because someone took the blame voluntarily.

"Crouch, who kidnapped your son? Where might he have gone? Do you have any leads?"

Dumbledore suddenly asked.

"No, I have already told Minister Fouché the details of what happened."

"For years, I've been controlling him with the Imperius Curse; he's had no chance to meet anyone else."

At this point, Barty Crouch paused, "Ever since I rescued him, he's been wearing an invisibility cloak and spending all his time with house-elves."

She was his caregiver, and she sympathized with him. Sometimes she would even persuade me to give him some preferential treatment as a reward for his good behavior.

This time, it was because she was begging me.

She told me that he liked Quidditch.

She told me that my wife rescued him to set him free, not to put him under house arrest for life.

She persuaded me for months, and considering that he hadn't left the house for several years, I finally agreed.

In this description, Barty Crouch seems to be intentionally avoiding the names of the house-elves and his son, consistently referring to them as "she" and "he".

Fortunately, his reasoning was clear and logical, so there was no ambiguity.

"Then, is it possible for him to resist your Imperius Curse?"

Dumbledore continued, "I think you should know that he secretly took Harry's wand."

Not only that, after Sherlock discovered him, he even initiated an attack.

Barty Crouch suddenly looked up and gave Dumbledore a deep look, his eyes seemingly conveying a message that only they could understand.

After a moment, he shook his head. "I don't know."

"I understand."

Dumbledore nodded, then turned to Fudge. "Cornelly, things have come to this. I hope you remember what I just said—abandon illusions and prepare for battle."

"Dumbledore, Dumbledore..."

At this moment, Fudge seemed somewhat lost. "Could it be that the mysterious person has really returned? This is impossible, isn't it?"

Stop joking, stop joking...

I think the person who kidnapped Crouch might not necessarily be the Mystic. Maybe it was one of his other companions, right?

I cannot give you a precise answer.

Dumbledore looked calmly at Fudge, "But judging from the current situation, Voldemort is eager to make a comeback."

Furthermore, the people who kidnapped Crouch Jr. were definitely not the same group who caused chaos at the camp.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have left in such a hurry when the Black Magic Mark appeared.

Therefore, kidnapping Crouch Jr. was part of Voldemort's plan, and possibly even a key part.

Perhaps... this is closely related to Voldemort's search for a physical body to regain his power.

With each word Dumbledore spoke, Barty Crouch's expression grew more pained.

After he finished speaking, Barty Crouch could no longer contain himself.

He nodded to everyone, "Excuse me, everyone, I need to leave for a moment."

Then he said to Fudge, "Minister, I will stay at home during this time and will not go anywhere."

(End of this chapter)