Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 487 Horrifying Scenes from the Quidditch World Cup

"Holmes, I've met quite a few so-called smart people in the magical world."

But whether in the magical world or the Muggle world, there has never been anyone like you.

After speaking frankly, Barty Crouch came to his senses.

At that moment, his previously gloomy gaze sharpened, staring intently at Sherlock, and he said in a tone of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection):

"You can dig out facts from the smallest clues that even I dare not admit."

What you see is the fault line in people's hearts, the truth itself buried beneath silence and anger.

With your abilities, you're sure to become someone the whole world will look up to in the future.

"No, Barty."

Just then, Dumbledore, who had been silently observing, stepped forward and walked to Sherlock's side:
"I think your judgment needs to be adjusted a little in terms of time frame; there's no need to wait until the future."

Even now, Sherlock Holmes has become the kind of person you're talking about, someone that everyone else has to take notice of.

If someone doesn't do this, it only shows that they lack foresight.

Sherlock's wisdom has already reached the pinnacle of the magical world, and it continues to grow over time.

Barty Crouch looked at Dumbledore in surprise.

He had praised Sherlock as much as he could, but he never expected Dumbledore to think so highly of this boy who was not even fifteen years old.

At that moment, he suddenly realized:

"I understand now. You must have discovered the matter involving Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew as well?"

“Yes, it is me,” Sherlock nodded. “I can tell you don’t believe me.”

"That was in the past; now I firmly believe it."

Crouch said, word by word.

The conversation between the two ended there.

Under Sherlock's influence, Barty Crouch eventually told the truth.

After Barty Crouch left, Dumbledore didn't immediately remove the sound shield, but instead chatted with Sherlock for a few more minutes:

"Sherlock, what do you think?"

"This incident confirms my previous judgment."

"You mean Harry's dream?"

"Yes, what happened at the Quidditch World Cup, and the testimony of our dear Chief Crouch, all prove that everything Harry saw in his dream was real, and that he really could sense Voldemort's experiences through the scar on his forehead."

“If that’s the case… things are getting complicated, Sherlock. I beg you not to tell Harry about this—at least not for now.”

"I understand. It seems you've made some progress on your quest for the Horcrux."

"...Sherlock, you are far too perceptive."

"It's just that the people you usually encounter are too slow-witted."

Dumbledore lifted the shielding restriction only after the conversation ended.

Next, he instructed the group not to tell anyone about what happened that day.

The rest of the Weasleys were still waiting for them, but Dumbledore left first.

Sirius suggested that the group not rush back to the cave dwelling, but instead spend some time at number 12 Grimmauld Place.

“Kreacher has prepared breakfast. Arthur, when you get there, send him a message and tell him not to keep Molly busy. It’s not too late to leave after you’ve eaten.”

Mr. Weasley pondered for a moment, then agreed.

As Blake said, Kreacher had prepared breakfast for them well in advance.

They ate and chatted about what happened the night before.

Just then, Hedwig delivered today's Daily Prophet.

"let me see!"

Ron was the most excited; he took it immediately and read it aloud.

The front page of The Daily Prophet prominently featured a black-and-white photograph of the Black Magic Mark suspended in the treetops.

The title is also quite eye-catching:

Horrifying scenes from the Quidditch World Cup

As for the author, it is naturally Rita Skeeter, a special correspondent for The Daily Prophet.

Who could have imagined that a grand event that should have been a time of unity and celebration for the magical world would end in such a horrifying way?

Last night, while countless families were reminiscing about the exciting game and basking in the festive atmosphere in their tents, a terrifying drama quietly unfolded in the woods on the edge of the camp.

This disastrous failure ultimately and undeniably pointed the finger at the Ministry of Magic, which we should have trusted.

An organization that panicked and made a series of blunders at crucial moments, ultimately allowing dangerous Death Eaters to escape unscathed!
According to dozens of concerned eyewitnesses at the scene (whose identities are to be protected), the riot began with piercing screams and blinding green lights.

Then, the symbol that terrified everyone who had experienced the last war appeared!
The unforgettable Black Mark, like a venomous snake, writhes as it rises to the treetops, spewing its suffocating curse mark into the night sky (see image below).

Where is the supposedly foolproof security that the Ministry of Magic claims to have?
Where is the Auror's tight control?
The answer is disheartening: everything has vanished!

The scene was in chaos.

It is alleged—and this newspaper has reason to believe it to be entirely credible—that a group of Aurors responsible for guarding prisoners were attacked during a transfer.

This was no ordinary highway robbery, but a meticulously planned armed prisoner rescue that openly defied the authority of the Ministry of Magic!
Even more unbelievable is how cleanly and efficiently the attackers succeeded.

An entire squad of Aurors was easily subdued, and dozens of serious criminals easily escaped.

This was tantamount to a solid punch to Secretary Connelly Fudge's proud nose, and it also revealed a cold, chilling reality:

Our magical security has become outrageously lax!
How could such a terrible incident occur in our heartland, right under the Minister's nose?

What do those dark wizards lurking in the shadows have to worry about?

They must be raising their glasses in some dark corner right now, mocking the incompetence of the Ministry of Magic and the shame of the nation!

And what about the poor, frightened wizards?

When that terrifying sign hung overhead, they were forced to flee their tents in panic, gathering like frightened ants at the edge of the woods.

Hundreds and thousands of people huddled there, holding their breath and shivering in the cold night wind.

They longed to hear the authoritative voice of the Ministry of Magic and receive even the slightest reassurance to calm their nerves.

They desperately need to be told that the danger has passed and safety has returned.

However, they were greatly disappointed!
After a long, frantic wait filled with whispers of panic and desperate anticipation—long enough for anything terrible to happen—a Ministry of Magic official finally appeared.

But what did he say?
No one was injured.

This is all the comfort we, the terrified people, have received! That's it?
Who was the attacker?
Why was it so easy to succeed?
Where did the kidnapped prisoners go?

Are there more accomplices?

How can future security be guaranteed?
The official remained tight-lipped about the matter, spouting platitudes while refusing to utter a single word about the crucial questions that the public most urgently wanted to know.

What other reasonable explanation could there be for this perplexing silence besides proving that the Ministry of Magic is in unimaginable chaos and buck-passing?

What can this veiled official statement possibly quell?
Instead of calming people's hearts, it acted as a huge catalyst, allowing all sorts of terrible rumors to gush and grow among the panicked crowd, spreading like wildfire.

One of the most sensational, and most telling, reflections of the public's extreme distrust of official information, is:
Some people claim with certainty that shortly after the chaos subsided, they witnessed several bodies covered with sheets being silently carried out of the woods where the incident occurred.

What is the truth?

When does Minister Fauci intend to break his suffocating silence and give the nation a clear and complete explanation?

Or is this chilling rumor not entirely unfounded?
Time will tell us the answer—and hopefully, disaster won't strike again before the answer comes!
This newspaper will continue to follow this disturbing event and is determined to uncover more of the truth that the Ministry of Magic has been trying so hard to hide.

A senior Ministry of Magic official, who declined to be named (but whose identity is absolutely reliable) and was clearly extremely disappointed with the current situation, revealed that a fierce, almost out-of-control argument broke out in the Minister's office that evening.

Minister Fauci reportedly lost all judgment, and the entire arrest and cleanup operation fell into a shameful mess in the absence of unified command.

There are increasing signs that this earth-shattering prison break is just the tip of the iceberg...

Has the shadow of that person, whose name cannot even be mentioned, quietly returned?
Have his most loyal and ruthless followers already woven a new web of terror behind the scenes?
Has the heart of the magical society already quietly rotted away?
Rita Skeeter will continue to spy on you, so stay tuned!

"That woman is deliberately going against the Ministry of Magic!"

Percy, upon hearing Ron finish reading the report, said angrily:
"She said last week that we should have focused all our efforts on eliminating the vampires, but instead we were nitpicking about the thickness of the crucible and wasting time!"

It seems that paragraph 12 of the "Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizards and Half-Humans" does not specifically address this—

“Please, Percy,” Bill said, interrupting him with a yawn, “Stop talking.”

As an adult wizard, he and Charlie also helped their father and other Ministry of Magic officials resolve the chaos yesterday.

He was sitting at the dining table with a sheet covering his arm, and traces of blood could still be seen seeping out. Charlie's shirt was also torn in a large hole.

However, neither of them tried to flaunt his bleeding nose like Percy did.

"That's nonsense!"

Mr. Weasley also expressed his dissatisfaction:
"No one was hurt, so what should I say?"

Some people claim with absolute certainty that the body was silently carried out of the woods where the incident occurred…

Excellent! Now that she's written something like this, rumors are sure to spread.

"So, the Ministry of Magic official she was referring to is Mr. Weasley?"

Sherlock raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, no name was mentioned, but it is indeed me."

Mr. Weasley sighed deeply. "I knew it would turn out this way. You all go home first. I need to go to my office. This matter needs to be clarified."

"But this report did not mention Barty Crouch Jr."

Harry took the newspaper from Ron, read it carefully again, and then said:

"Although it's a bit of an exaggeration, 'even Aurors were easily subdued' and 'dozens of serious criminals escaped,' the name Barty Crouch was definitely not mentioned."

“Harry, you’ve spotted the blind spot,” Sherlock nodded in agreement. “After all, only a few of us saw him.”

"That alone is enough to give us a headache, Sherlock."

Mr. Weasley shook his head and said, then turned to the others, "Don't tell anyone about this either. The name... is too sensitive."

Everyone nodded, and Percy even patted his chest to assure them:

"Don't worry, Dad. Keeping secrets is the least of my abilities."

Sherlock glanced at him.

It was obvious that Percy was unaware that his most respected Chief of Staff Crouch had resigned.

However, it seems that the outcome of his case will not be announced anytime soon.

As Mr. Weasley said, dealing with the reappearance of the Dark Mark after thirteen years has already exhausted all their energy.

Therefore, this time everyone in the Ministry of Magic stood on a united front, temporarily putting aside the matter of Barty Crouch and his son.

Unfortunately, even so, the news still couldn't be completely suppressed.

Speaking of which, Rita Skeeter is quite an interesting woman.

She always seemed to have access to firsthand information.

The abduction of Barty Crouch Jr. is definitely a secret.

But somehow she got the news from somewhere.

Although the information was not very accurate, one Delicious became a team of Aurors, and a small Barty became dozens of serious criminals.

After finishing his meal, Mr. Weasley prepared to go to the Ministry of Magic.

"Aren't you going home, Arthur?"

"That was true at first, but then this happened—"

Mr. Weasley picked up the Daily Prophet, pointed to the section that mentioned him without naming him, and said wearily:
"I have to go to the office; this matter needs to be clarified."

“I’ll go with you, Dad.”

Percy also stood up and said proudly, "Secretary Crouch will certainly need everyone to be in their places, and I can personally hand him my crucible report."

The people around the table all frowned.

Even at a time like this, you're still thinking about the crucible report...

However, everyone was exhausted, so they didn't bother to say much more.

Harry knew Crouch had quit, but Dumbledore had given him instructions beforehand, so he couldn't say much, only offering a subtle hint:

“Percy, I don’t think Minister Fudge is in the mood to look at your crucible report right now.”

Percy was taken aback at first, then said smugly:
“You don’t understand, Harry—being able to stick to your job in this chaotic situation is a sign of competence.”

Harry: ￣△￣
Hermione, who also knew the inside story, gave Percy a deep look.

All right, just be happy.

After Mr. Weasley and Percy left, the others also returned to the Burrow via the Flying Furnace Powder.

Just as Ron and Ginny were about to leave, Sirius suddenly spoke up:

“Ginny, I’ll tell Molly that you might as well stay here.”

(End of this chapter)