The Return to Hogwarts

Amostella frowned, then flicked his fingers to surround himself and Dumbledore with sound.

"To expose this is to tell everyone about our dereliction of duty, Headmaster Dumbledore—"

Dumbledore's silvery eyebrows twitched, but he remained focused and spoke calmly.

“We must admit that Hogwarts failed to protect its students, Amos Tower. If people blame us for this, we must bear the consequences.”

Amosta snorted coldly, a strange glint flashing in his eyes as he stared at Barty Crouch's retreating figure.

"Fudge and Burns seem a bit caught off guard; this probably wasn't a question that was planned to be asked. Is it Lucius Malfoy? Did he bribe Barty Crouch to try and pin a few more accusations on Peter?"

Amosta's expression was indifferent. If that were the case, Lucius Malfoy had done something foolish. He had already spoken to him, but then went to Barty Crouch in private. This clearly showed that he did not trust him.

Although Lucius's trust was worthless to him, this behavior was a sign of contempt for Amosta.

"Because of Draco, Lucius Malfoy cannot tolerate Peter or anyone entering Azkaban, so—"

"If you knew Barty the same as I do, you wouldn't have made that guess."

Dumbledore interrupted Amosta.

"Sirius's mistake is a huge stain on Barty the Elder's reputation, second only to the disgrace his son brought him. Cornelius wants Barty the Elder to take responsibility for the Ministry of Magic's mistake, but a wizard like Barty the Elder will not be willing to let his reputation fall to the ground."

Amosta blinked and understood.

As a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Magic, the fact that his son was a Death Eater was already fatal enough, but the wrongful conviction of Sirius Black earned him the reputation of a "fool." But Barty Crouch was clearly not willing to accept this, and he wanted to do something eye-catching to gain the support of some people.

As Amosta had predicted, things turned out exactly as he had anticipated.

"--Peter Pettigrew is accused of revealing the whereabouts of the Potters to the Void, leading to their deaths; he is also accused of murdering multiple Muggles and using the Imperius Curse to control underage wizards. For these multiple crimes, the death penalty is recommended!"

When Barty Crouch's cold voice echoed through the courtroom, the vast stone chamber fell into a long silence. Many people stared incredulously at Barty Crouch's tough back, including Sirius Black below!

During his time in the Ministry of Magic's custody, Sirius had figured it out: Peter had probably spared his most precious life. So many Death Eaters with heinous crimes were sentenced to permanent imprisonment in Azkaban back then, and Wizengamo probably wouldn't make an exception for Peter.

But now, Buddy Crouch, the very man who sent him to Azkaban, is recommending that the jury sentence Peter to death. Sirius stares at Crouch in astonishment, unsure whether to resent him or thank him.

"Wait, Barty, this isn't something we're discussing. I mean, according to the law, it should be imprisonment!"

Fudge finally snapped out of his daze, got off the stool, leaned forward, and said quickly with a curl of his lips.

Meanwhile, the impact of this suggestion finally spread, and for the first time since Amosta entered the courtroom, there was such a commotion.

To his surprise, there were many supporters of the death penalty. Many of the attending wizards and their associates argued heatedly about whether Peter should be sentenced to death or imprisoned for life.

"What is your opinion, Dumbledore?"

Seeing that Barty was completely ignoring him, Fudge wiped the sweat from his brow and remembered Dumbledore's opinion.

The death penalty, such a severe form of punishment, has not been used for many years. If it were to set a precedent for Peter Pettigrew, it would only do harm and no good for Fudge, the then Minister of Magic. He had no reason to risk controversy for the support of radicals!

"Now, I ask the jury to vote!"

Barty saw through Connelly's intention to drag Albus into the mess, but he didn't give him the chance. His gaze swept upwards, and he asked the jury to vote immediately.

Peter's mind finally cleared up a bit. He covered his face, unable to look at the outstretched hands, and his sobs were sharp and piercing.

Not a single person in the front row raised their hand, including Amosta; he had no reason to reveal his intentions in such a situation.

This was just a show. Old Barty never expected Wizengamo to pass his recommendation to execute Peter; he simply wanted to express his firm stance against evil.

"Very good—raise your hands if you agree to sentence Peter Pettigrew to life imprisonment—"

Barty Crouch spoke again with a stern face, and this time, the proposal was accepted by the vast majority of people.

Peter burst into tears, first from fear, but this time from joy!

He survived in the end, even in a terrible place like Azkaban. As long as you're alive, there's hope!

Peter was dragged away by the Aurors who were guarding him. Now that the trial was over, the Aurors immediately carried out Wizengamot's decision and took Peter to the Department of Mysteries on the ninth level of the Underground, where there was a room that contained the key to Azkaban.

Fudge breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless, the death sentence had been stopped, and his Ministry of Magic wouldn't suffer criticism because of it. Fudge gave Barty a forced smile, indicating he could end the trial. However, Barty Crouch once again did something unexpected.

Ignoring Fudge's hint, Barty Crouch turned and looked at the regretful Sirius Black with disgust. His sudden voice startled the jurors who had just relaxed.

"Sirius Black, you will be charged with unlawful study and use of Animagus!"

Chapter 359 Fierce Clash

2023-07-01

What is the Ministry of Magic most concerned about in this series of events?

That was certainly not because Sirius Black was innocent, nor because Peter, who was awarded the Order of Merlin First Class and died as a hero, was actually the real culprit. Overall, what the Ministry of Magic was most concerned about was how Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban.

Azkaban, guarded by Dementors—creatures whose fear is deeply ingrained—is a sharp knife in the hands of the Ministry of Magic. It is a place that is repulsive and disliked by everyone, but it is precisely because of this that the Ministry of Magic is revered.

Just like Hagrid or Remus Lupin, they are both top-notch wizards in terms of strength. They may not be afraid of death, but Azkaban and its guards are definitely something they fear.

Now, the fact that a wizard has managed to escape from Azkaban, which is said to be inescapable, is shaking the very foundation of the Ministry of Magic's rule!

Therefore, after receiving Sirius from Amosta and Dumbledore, Fudge immediately ordered Rufus to find out the truth about the matter.

Barty Crouch, one of the top three most powerful officials in the Ministry of Magic, was embroiled in this affair and knew all the secrets behind the series of events. But no one expected that he would turn against his own side at the last minute.

Dumbledore didn't seem particularly shocked. He had watched these high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic grow up, and he knew how they would react in various situations. In contrast, Fudge's reaction could be described as panic.

"We—we agreed, didn't we?"

Fudge said angrily.

"Let's not pursue this matter; consider it a reprieve for those twelve wrongful years of imprisonment!"

Amelia also frowned and stared at her old colleague's profile, very annoyed by his unauthorized actions that went against the previous consensus.

Barty Crouch seemed oblivious to the fact that he had become the center of attention; he coldly stared at Sirius Black, who was equally caught off guard in the audience.

"Sirius Black, I think you know that the Ministry of Magic has enacted laws to regulate Animagus, this dangerous form of transformation magic, right?"

"Yes I know--"

Sirius Black, sitting in the audience, answered with a furrowed brow. He glanced at Dumbledore and Amos Tower behind Barty Crouch and saw that both of them were calm and seemed not at all surprised by Barty's unconventional behavior. So, his tense emotions calmed down and he glared at Barty Crouch without showing any weakness.

"Do you know that Animagus's first transformation must be under the supervision of the Ministry of Magic, and if successful, it must be registered?"

"Yes I know."

"Are you aware that violating this rule could result in prosecution by the Ministry of Magic?"

"Yes I know--"

When did you master this magic?

"Sixteen years old, that was when I was studying at Hogwarts."

Barty Crouch stopped his arrogant questioning, and the jury looked surprised after hearing Sirius's answer.

It's important to know that the Animagus spell is considered one of the most difficult of all Transfiguration spells. Sirius Black, as well as Peter Pettigrew who was just taken down, all of these guys successfully transformed on their own when they were still young wizards, which truly makes them geniuses.

"Hogwarts' teaching quality is commendable, Albus—"

In the noisy crowd, someone gave Dumbledore a thumbs-up and whispered.

"Thank you for the compliment, but Hogwarts didn't offer them much help in this matter—"

Dumbledore blinked and smiled mischievously.

Most people were still amazed by Sirius's magical talent, but there were intelligent people in the courtroom who realized why Barty Crouch was bringing up old matters at Peter's trial, a place where everyone's attention was focused.

When Sirius Black was arrested, Barty Crouch was the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He was popular among a group of people for his tough stance against the Dark Lords. It was he who ordered Sirius Black to be thrown into Azkaban without even the necessary trial process.

Barty Crouch placed both hands on the table, leaned forward, and looked down at Sirius Black, his meticulously groomed mustache curling upwards.

"Sirius Black, twelve years ago you were convicted by the Ministry of Magic of murdering the Potters and imprisoned in Azkaban for life. During that time, did you ever tell anyone that you were not the Potters' secret keeper?"

"No, at that time—"

Sirius Black had already realized something was wrong. He wanted to avoid the question, but he couldn't resist the relentless questioning from a high-ranking and powerful official in the Ministry of Magic.

"Excuse me!"

Barty Crouch's expression was cold and stern.

"Is it possible that you knew you were innocent, yet you didn't explain yourself to anyone because you feared a thorough investigation by the Wizengamo Tribunal and were afraid of being exposed as an illegal Animagus?"

"That's not true at all!"

Sirius finally roared in fury.

“I didn’t say it was because I felt guilty. What I mean is, I killed James—no, James and Lily died because of my stupid advice, and I felt I needed to atone. That’s what I was thinking at the time!”

Dumbledore sighed helplessly. Sirius's thinking and behavior were indeed contrary to ordinary people. Although Peter had now been proven innocent, Sirius's own testimony still did not carry much weight in the eyes of most members of the Wizengamot Tribunal.

Dumbledore stood up, ready to say something, but Amostra suddenly grabbed his arm and shook her head almost imperceptibly.

"There's no need to get involved, Principal. Someone will handle it."

"I object!"

As soon as Amosta finished speaking, Ms. Burns stood up, her brows furrowed, her monocle pressing against her eye socket, leaving a red mark. Amelia Burns glared at Barty Crouch, who was meeting her cold gaze, and said sternly,

"Your question is seriously misleading, and your conclusion lacks reliable factual basis, Mr. Crouch!"

An uproar erupted in the courtroom as the assembled jurors stared incredulously at the two high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Magic who were locked in a fierce confrontation.

This was already a very serious political incident. In the Wizengamor courtroom, under the watchful eyes of many attendees, the heads of the two departments considered to be the Minister of Magic's right and left hands actually confronted each other in public. The impact of this incident was extremely negative.