Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 88 Make your choice, Dumbledore!

Dumbledore is a very smart man. This intelligence is not limited to his mind and knowledge, but also includes his experience and insight.

When Dumbledore made his tentative move, Vaughan knew that Dumbledore had guessed something based on his rapidly developing partnership with Crouch.

In fact, as long as a person has enough information and a rich and bold imagination, it is not too difficult to guess why Crouch is willing to help Vaughan.

For a man who is so heartbroken because his family is broken and he is even willing to give up his political future, what else can help him to cheer up again?

His family, of course!
Vaughan didn't think about hiding anything. He wanted to win over Crouch to take advantage of Crouch's reputation and connections, so there was naturally no need to hesitate.

Even Crouch himself didn't care - he just wanted to fulfill his and his wife's wishes and get his son back. Apart from that, he could ignore everything!
Dumbledore heard Vaughan's subtext.

He was silent for a moment, then pondered, "Have you ever considered that those who are corrupted by the Dark Arts aren't entirely due to the corrupting influence of the Dark Arts? In a sense, we can also believe that power is neither right nor wrong. Just like a Muggle gun, it won't just come into your hands and force you to use it... Magic, like guns, is just a tool, without a mind!"

"Every fallen wizard who became addicted to the dark arts was first guilty of sin in their own hearts. Dark magic was merely a tool they used to carry out their sins. Just because the tool then influenced its owner doesn't mean all the blame should be placed on it... For people like that, do you think there's any need to change their ways or save them?"

Vaughn smiled. "You shouldn't say that to me. I'm just... a doctor, so to speak? I deal fairly with the patient's family. He helps me, and I help him. As for whether the patient is guilty or not, that's a matter for the law enforcement and the family. It has nothing to do with me, a doctor!"

Old Deng sighed and said nothing.

He knew that his attempt to influence Vaughn with morality had failed again, and this was also where he felt most powerless towards Vaughn. Vaughn was only 12 years old, but his worldview was shockingly mature.

He has his own logic and way of doing things, and they usually make sense - even if they are twisted, they are still quite convincing.

And the more important problem is that Dumbledore discovered it too late!

It was only this afternoon, when Dumbledore learned that Crouch had sent more than 20 letters in a row to support Vaughan, that he realized that Crouch's support for Vaughan far exceeded the normal range.

So, before coming to the Ministry of Magic, he went to the Crouch family cemetery in Godric's Hollow, where Mrs. Crouch was buried with Barty Crouch Jr.

However, his magic only found one body in the two tombs...

If he were acting entirely from his heart, Dumbledore knew that he should immediately notify the Ministry of Magic and have Barty Crouch arrested.

This is where he finds it difficult to make a decision - once Crouch is caught, the establishment of the Werewolf Affairs Committee is likely to encounter setbacks.

No...it's not very likely, but it will definitely happen!

Now everyone knows that Crouch is also a supporter of Vaughan. For this reason, he even wrote more than 20 letters in one afternoon this afternoon.

As the opponent, Fudge obviously knows it better!

If something happens to Crouch at this time, not only will the Wizengamot who voted in favor be caught off guard and lose morale, but Fudge will also take this opportunity as an excuse to hinder or delay the resolution to establish the Werewolf Affairs Committee!
Barty Crouch Jr. was undoubtedly a cruel and incorrigible Death Eater.

But if the future of more than a thousand wandering werewolves is sacrificed because of him...

Dumbledore is in great pain now. If he knew more about Muggles, he would know that his current troubles are somewhat similar to a classic Muggle thought experiment - the trolley problem.

He is now like the poor driver in the trolley problem, caught in a moral dilemma: should he sacrifice thousands of innocent people in order to punish a villain, or let the villain go for the sake of thousands of innocent people?
"call--"

Dumbledore sighed and glanced at Vaughn with a tired look in his eyes: "Vaughn, did you let me find out on purpose?"

"I just figured it out. You had Crouch suddenly contact an old friend on your last day. You did it on purpose, at this high-profile moment, to draw everyone's attention to your unusual partnership... especially me. You know, I'll definitely find out why Crouch cooperated with you like this!"

"The reason for this is that you plan to make Crouch your spokesperson. He will have more and more contact with me and Amelia in the future. Sooner or later, we will realize that something is wrong with you. In that case, there is no point in hiding it. And you never waste time on meaningless things..."

As he spoke, he smiled bitterly: "Sometimes, I really want to pry open your brain and see what's inside."

Vaughan neither admitted nor refuted the allegations.

He just smiled and replied, "My academic performance can guarantee that my head is not filled with Babo tuber thick water or slug slime, you can rest assured."

"Ha...classic apothecary metaphor!"

"Thank you. I learned this from the professor and it was very interesting."

The smile on Vaughn's face grew wider.

Of course he was happy. The fact that Dumbledore could talk to him in such a harmonious way was enough to show what choice Dumbledore had made.

Obviously, between the future of thousands of people and the sin of one person, Dumbledore unsurprisingly leaned towards the majority.

This is the most likely choice that most people who face a moral dilemma will make.

Seeing the undisguised joy on Vaughn's face, Dumbledore felt a little unhappy and deliberately asked, "Actually, there's a question I've wanted to ask you for a long time. Crouch's secret, the Horcrux... where did you get all this information?"

Vaughn showed little interest in his deliberate probing. "What do you think?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment and said something shocking: "I suspect you have the blood of a prophet!"

"Oh... if you say there is one, then there is one!" Vaughn answered perfunctorily, with a not very good expression.

Dumbledore didn't care about him and asked with a smile: "Then, dear prophet, can you tell me what my future will be like?"

"you will die!"

Vaughn's words were equally shocking, and he sneered back, "His death was horrible. He fell from the Hogwarts Observatory and was smashed into a meat pie. After his death, his grave was dug up. It was so tragic!"

Dumbledore: "Oh - now I am sure that what Aurora (the Astronomy professor) said about your lack of spiritual talent in Divination is probably true!"

Amelia, who had just walked in and accidentally overheard the conversation: "..."

Amelia looked at Vaughn with a vicious smile, and then at Dumbledore with a playful smile, and suddenly felt that these two guys who hurt each other were really alike in some way!

Like, they're all a bit childish...

At night, Whitehall Street on the ground is brightly lit and magnificent.

The Ministry of Magic underground was no less bustling with people coming and going. On the second underground floor, the Wizengamot Conference Hall, which was relatively deserted in the past, became lively again today.

Unlike the last time when the room was filled with people in purple robes, this time, in the huge stepped hall, only a dozen or so Wizengamot members were sparsely seated on the main podium side.

The other sides were filled with Ministry of Magic officials, reporters, and idle wizarding folk who had come to join in the fun after seeing the notice in the afternoon.

The whole scene was therefore very noisy.

As Vaughan and Dumbledore followed Amelia into the Great Council Chamber, the first thing that greeted them was the flashes of cameras in the front row.

The smoke from the burning magnesium strips had a faint smell of potion.

Then, a short, fat man with Mediterranean hair, surrounded by the crowd, walked over quickly and gave him a big hug.

"Son, long time no see. Daddy really missed you... Everyone, this is my son Vaughn Weasley. Look, what a handsome boy! He's as tall as me now!"

Of course, the only person who could speak to Vaughan like this was Arthur.

Vaughan was speechless. In fact, he had met his father half a month ago. After all, he had been staying in the Ministry of Magic during that time.

Arthur took his son and proudly showed him off to his colleagues, especially Amos, Cedric's father.

"Amos, after today, my son's fame will spread throughout the entire wizarding world. He will become a big shot..."

Arthur put his arm around Vaughan's shoulders with difficulty and boasted to the sullen-faced Amos Diggory. Amos finally couldn't stand it anymore and walked away.

Arthur laughed heartily twice before whispering to Vaughan, "Don't have much contact with the Diggory family in the future. You don't know how petty Amos is, son. He actually spoke for Fudge just to belittle you in front of me... What a bastard!"

"Actually, Seid is a good person," Vaughn replied fairly.

"Oh... yes, yes, Seid is a good kid. He's just unlucky to have an unreliable father..."

As the two were talking, Amelia, who was already prepared at the podium, put her wand to her throat:
"quiet!"

The resounding voice, amplified by the spell, drowned out all the noise.

Amelia glanced around seriously. "The Wizengamot resolution vote is about to begin. Please take your seats. No noise!"

Vaughn quickly separated from his father and returned to the Wizengamot seat.

Arthur and other Ministry of Magic officials also sat opposite the Wizengamot according to past rules, with wizarding people and reporters on both sides.

As the spotlights and smoke flashed again, Amelia, who was in control of the situation, announced:

"This vote by all members of the Wizengamot is to decide whether the Werewolf Affairs Committee should be established!"

As she spoke, she turned and looked behind her: "Members of the Wizengamot, do you have any objections to the topic of this vote?"

No one spoke.

Amelia once again looked at the seats for Ministry of Magic officials, wizarding people and reporters, and asked in turn. This was a tradition inherited by the Wizengamot from the ancient Muggle kingdom. The four people to be questioned corresponded to the House of Representatives, the ruling body, the people and scholars respectively.

Although it has been passed down to this day, it is just a formality.

Naturally, no one expressed any objection.

Amelia went through the process without delay and waved her wand.

Envelopes folded into the shape of birds flew down from the top of the conference hall, and Amelia tapped her wand on the open space in front of the podium.

The originally empty granite ground suddenly slid open, revealing a pit. A blazing flame gushed out of it, but the people around could not feel any warmth, as if it was burning in another world.

"In the 16th century, when the first modern law was promulgated, the entire magical world cast a spell on this celestial flame. As it has for the past few centuries, it will witness Wizengamo fulfilling the sacred duty entrusted to it by the laws of magic. Here we count the votes, and each vote is based on the voter's own will, without persecution or fraud..." Amelia finished reading what sounded like an oath as everyone watched in silence.

Then she took an envelope folded into a bird and threw it into the fire—

boom--

After the so-called fairy fire devoured the envelope, it expanded rapidly with a loud noise. A red fireball shot out from it, flew into the air, and exploded into a sky full of brilliance!

Then the brilliance "froze" in the air.

Amelia, who had been paying close attention with her head held high, announced loudly, "One vote in favor!"

Behind her, Vaughan looked at the "fairy fire" with great interest and whispered to Dumbledore, "Is that ancient magic?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, it's a very ancient magic that's completely different from the modern spell system. In fact, I think it's more like alchemy."

"What is the name of this magic?"

"It's called 'Fairy Fire'. This type of fairy fire usually has no lethality, but it possesses some special functions. For example, the Gublai Fairy Fire never extinguishes, and this 'Fairy Fire' is fueled by honesty and oaths!"

"interesting……"

As the two of them spoke quietly, Amelia continued to count the votes, and red fireballs shot out from the fairy fire.

Colorful lights kept flashing in this large conference hall.

It was not until more than ten letters were put in and a new envelope was put in that everyone saw that the fireball that was ejected this time was green.

The bleak green color, like poison, made Amelia pause. She carefully identified it again before retracting her stern gaze.
"One vote against!"

Fortunately, after throwing all the votes into the fire one by one, the proportion of green votes against was not high, and with more than 50 envelopes, there was almost no time wasted.

When Amelia read out the result of the last letter, the crowd couldn't help but become restless.

Especially those reporters, they are willing to come to the ceremony just to get first-hand news, and now, the news is beckoning them.

"quiet!"

Amelia scolded majestically. She tapped the table of the main podium lightly with her wand. Under the effect of magic, even such a slight sound was like thunder.

As the crowd gradually calmed down, she raised her head and looked at the fireworks that exploded and solidified in mid-air.

"Under the witness of the sacred magical laws and the celestial fire, all members of the Wizengamot vote on the establishment of the Werewolf Affairs Committee:"

"36 votes in favor, 18 votes against—"

"I hereby declare that from today on, the Werewolf Affairs Committee will be born as a new organization in England!"

It's another early morning.

When Lupin woke up in the cellar, the sky in the east was just beginning to turn pale.

He tore off his tattered clothes and looked out at the dark and low cellar, which had been simply dug out and had no decorations, with long wolf hair scattered everywhere, in the light coming in through the air vents.

There were a few weak scratches on the moist earthen walls around, which were left recently.

In the corner of the cellar, there were two pairs of wrought iron shackles, but they seemed to have not been used for some time and had become rusted.

Lupin held onto the wall, his weak body barely allowing him to stand up straight, his face pale.

This is a side effect of the full moon transformation, which is extremely painful and requires a lot of energy.

"Hu-hu-"

Lupin panted heavily for a while before finally squeezing out a little strength.

He suppressed the weakness and emptiness in his body, staggered out of the cellar, went to the kitchen, found the food he had prepared in advance, and with cold water, he bit and chewed it with his sore teeth.

Transformation consumes not only physical strength but also magic power. Now he can't even perform the simplest trick.

After quickly but painstakingly chewing two sandwiches, Lupin finally felt that the terrible empty feeling in his body had eased a little.

He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling relieved to have survived.

He had been living like this for nearly thirty years, ever since he was scratched by Greyback when he was very young, but he still couldn't adapt, nor did he want to adapt.

Thinking about it, he laughed weakly at himself. "At least it's much better now than before. Before, every time I transformed, I was terrified, afraid that the restraints I prepared would be ineffective, afraid that I would get out and hurt someone. Now, at least I can spend every full moon night sober..."

Thinking of the severe pain he felt when he transformed last night, Lupin's face, which had finally regained some color, turned pale again.

When he transformed before, he had lost his sanity and had almost no perception of pain.

But now there is wolfsbane potion to help stay awake. Every time he transforms, he has to experience the excruciating pain of his entire body's bones and muscles being crushed and reshaped.

This was a problem that Vaughn had not anticipated.

Lupin reported this to Vaughn more than a month ago, and Vaughn replied that it would be resolved in the next version.

Thinking of Vaughn, Lupin calculated the time and the Wizengamot voting should be over!
He looked out the window, but perhaps it was too early, so he didn't see the owl delivering the newspaper.

Whether the Werewolf Affairs Committee can be established is a matter of concern to every werewolf, including him.

But like everyone else, he could do nothing but subscribe to the Daily Prophet, hoping to see progress in the newspaper.

He learned about the Wizengamot's upcoming vote from reading the newspaper last night. Vaughn hadn't contacted them for a while.

With feelings of uneasiness, anticipation, anxiety, etc. in his heart, he thought about it for a long time, until the sun shone through the window frame, and Lupin, feeling much stronger, walked out the door.

He now lives in Newham in the London metropolitan area, which is the most famous slum in the entire London area, home to a large number of bankrupts, dock workers and factory workers.

After the economic transformation in England in the 90s, workers returned to the bottom of society.

Earning the lowest salary and living in the worst and most chaotic place.

Lupin, wearing a patched coat and looking very shabby, walked here without a sense of incongruity.

Passing by countless Muggles who were as destitute as he was, Lupin arrived at a remote and sparsely populated warehouse on the edge of Newham.

This place had long been rented by the wolves as a shelter for women and children on full-moon nights.

In the past two months, adult men and young women have found jobs one after another and live outside like Lupin.

Lupin and several wizards and werewolves cast a spell on the periphery of the warehouse to ensure that no Muggles would trespass.

When Lupin arrived, more than 200 pale-faced women and children, who had just recovered with the help of other werewolves who had arrived earlier, were moving around outside the warehouse.

"Remus, were you okay yesterday?"

Hearing someone calling him, Lupin looked and saw it was little Banar.

He was helping the ladies prepare breakfast, and although he was weak after the full moon yesterday, he looked in good spirits.

"I'm fine, Banar. Is everything going well here too?"

Little Banar shrugged. "Some of the younger children couldn't bear the pain and made a noise that alerted the gatekeeper. Fortunately, the spell you cast worked and confused his mind."

Following the direction pointed by little Banar, Lupin saw from afar a middle-aged man squatting at the door of the janitor's office, looking dazed.

Lupin frowned slightly, feeling a little anxious.

As time went by, the inconveniences that werewolves faced in living in Muggle society became increasingly apparent. In particular, in order to take care of women and children who were temporarily unable to work, werewolves had to choose to live in groups in Muggle society.

In Lupin's view, this was a very dangerous thing - of course it was not the werewolves that were dangerous, but the werewolves' activities that could very likely expose the magical world.

The International Statute of Secrecy has long been ingrained into the wizards' bones!
Lupin had mentioned this issue to Vaughan before, but Vaughan didn't seem to care. At least two months had passed and Vaughan had not made any new arrangements for the werewolves. He only told Lupin that everything would be decided after the Werewolf Affairs Committee was established.

Lupin also knew that Vaughn had helped the werewolves enough. So far, the wolfsbane potion consumed by hundreds of werewolves in two full moons was sponsored by Vaughn and Dumbledore.

Everyone was able to return to life in the Muggle community thanks to the tens of thousands of pounds provided by Vaughan.

Logically, he shouldn't ask for too much, but the fact is, Lupin doesn't know who else can help the werewolves besides Vaughn?
Compared to his anxiety, little Banar didn't feel anything. After all, he was not a wizard and had no fear of the Statute of Secrecy.

In the eyes of little Banar, everything is slowly getting better. Although he grew up in the wilderness, he doesn't like that kind of savage life at all.

He longs to return to human society, likes cities, and likes TV. Apart from his preference for eating raw meat due to lycanthropy, he is no different from an ordinary Muggle teenager.

Half a month ago, young Bannell found a job as a waiter in a dock bar. He received his first weekly salary in his life, which was only 90 pounds.

He used the money to buy a pen and the rest to buy some candy for the children.

He called Lupin because he wanted him to do him a favor -

After a few pleasantries, regardless of Lupin's absent-mindedness, little Bannell pulled Lupin to a secluded corner, hesitantly took out the pen, and stammered, "Remus, can you...can you help me give this to the gentleman?"

Lupin was stunned, "You..."

He had barely uttered the words when James Brown, waving a newspaper, rushed over excitedly. "Remus, Bannell, the sir made it! He made it!"

(End of this chapter)