The Return to Hogwarts

"This monastery was probably not so simple before it went bankrupt—"

A few minutes later, Amosta breathed a sigh of relief.

As the saying goes, different paths lead to the same destination. Amostella, already possessing top-tier magical skills, quickly understood the seal on the cave entrance. His fingertips glowed faintly, and he once again slid down the strange patterns to the ground, and then—

call--

The white light emanating from the ground illuminated the dimly lit confinement room, and as the light faded, a dark hole appeared before the three of them.

The moment the air began to circulate, a pungent, suffocating stench of blood and decay rushed up. Louise, who had been peering down in surprise, felt a wave of nausea as the stench swept past her nose and she immediately gagged. She hurriedly retreated to the doorway, gasping for breath and trying to catch her breath.

"Is this the place that magic club used for research?"

As a seasoned Auror, Kingsley was far more resistant to the unpleasant odor than Louise. He merely frowned, but did not back down; instead, his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Can we dig out more clues from below?"

"I think we can find some evidence to convict them, but it will be very difficult to find the group of dark wizards through any clues."

Amosta stared at the spiraling staircase, his tone icy.

"It's been too long, and it's been cleaned up. I think Mr. Pastore was taken inside and witnessed his daughter being tortured down there. The cruel memory is so painful that it's been ingrained in his soul, so much so that even in his irrational state, he still has the instinct to open this place."

Kingsley clenched his fist in his wide sleeves, his gaze toward Pastore filled with sympathy and anger. He understood the mentality of those criminals. The reason they were willing to let Pastore live was because the perverted abusers believed that this would put the survivor in even more intense suffering. They took pleasure in the destruction and torment of the human heart!

"These people should spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban!"

Kingsley was unusually emotional, and he said bitterly.

"What they did to Frazier alone is enough to keep them in Azkaban for life—"

Amosta's expression was cold and stern.

“But that won’t satisfy me. You can go down and take a look, Kingsley, find some evidence. I hope that once we catch these people, they’ll taste the Dementors’ kiss. That’s more fitting for the crimes they’ve committed than turning them to ashes.”

Chapter 781 The Weary Ludo

2024-03-01

Perched atop towering volcanic ash and rocky cliffs, Edinburgh is like an ancient sage, possessing a power to soothe restless hearts. No matter how turbulent the storms and undercurrents of the outside world may be, they always transform into gentle, comforting breezes and drizzles after entering the city.

As a world-renowned tourist destination for Muggles, Attenborough attracts a constant stream of Muggle visitors from all over the world throughout the year, and Arthur's Throne, which offers panoramic views of the city, is a must-see for any Muggle visiting the city.

Under the misty rain, viewed from above, the Muggles climbing the mountain formed an endless black stream from the foot to the summit.

The Muggles were so engrossed in admiring the beauty of this ancient city, which was also known as the "City of Literature," that they were completely unaware that right next door, wizards were also holding their own "sports extravaganza."

East of Salisbury Cliffs, in a green valley adjacent to the coastline, stand six towering spheres piercing the sky.

Unlike the gloomy sky outside, the sky above the valley where the temporary Quidditch pitch was located was a clear blue sky at the turn of spring and summer, dotted with a few flawless white clouds, while the warm sun hung in the southwest sky, casting a reddish-gold halo on the thousands of wizards in the valley.

call!

The sudden roar of the mountain created a strong wind in the valley, which pounded against the mountain walls on both sides and even blew away the clouds on the false sky.

"Without a doubt, Lector caught the Golden Snitch and ended the match!"

In the center of the high stands, Ludo pointed to his neck with the finger gripping his wand, waving his other hand furiously.

"That was fantastic, everyone! Both teams performed admirably. The defeat at the Quidditch World Cup didn't break Scotland's spirit. They've undoubtedly regained their form. Judging from this victory, I'm fully confident they'll create a miracle at the next Quidditch World Cup!"

Facing a world-class team, the lads of the Skrtel All-Purpose Stain Remover Club completely showcased their style. Did you notice, folks? Thanks to their excellent chasing players, they twice pulled ahead by 30 points against Scotland. If they make it to the Europa League semi-finals this year, I wouldn't be surprised at all!

"Thank you so much, Mr. Bagman!"

The cheers in the stadium had not yet died down, but the Scottish team players, having received the final payment for their sponsorship, had already left the field after dealing with the fans for a while. Ludo Bagman, who was invited as a special guest and commentator, also returned to the lounge behind the stands to receive thanks from the organizers of the exhibition match.

Taking advantage of the handshake with Ludo, the somewhat balding but shrewd-looking organizer slipped a heavy money bag into Ludo's sleeve, causing Ludo's smile to widen even further.

“There’s absolutely no need for thanks, York. You know, as the Director of the Department of Magical Sports, my greatest wish is to see this country’s Quidditch level shine on the international stage!”

York nodded repeatedly.

"With your efforts, I believe we will eventually win the Quidditch World Cup, Mr. Bagman—"

York looked at Ludo with expectant eyes.

"If you could attend the celebratory dinner tonight—"

"Oh, I'm afraid that won't work, York—"

Ludo patted his increasingly defined belly, looking regretful.

"You know, ever since Old Barty finally figured it out and started to slack off, a lot of the work for the Triwizard Tournament has fallen on my shoulders. I have to rush back to the department tonight to take care of some things, and tomorrow I have some other guys waiting for me to give them encouragement!"

"I completely understand; someone as important as you is always incredibly busy—"

After muttering a few complaints to himself, York respectfully picked up Bagman's suitcase.

Emerging from the VIP passage of the stadium, and watching York walk back into the shadows of the passage, Ludo, who had been all smiles, suddenly stopped smiling. He looked around to make sure no one was nearby, and then eagerly pulled out the money pouch from his sleeve.

Splash--

Galon reflected a dazzling golden light in the setting sun, and Ludo, holding a handful of gold coins, was even more radiant than when he was commentating on the match.

After stuffing the money pouch into his briefcase, Ludo hummed a cheerful tune. He adjusted the brim of his bowl-topped black hat and strode towards the open platform outside the arena, which was used by wizards for Apparition, Portkey landings, and FlooNet.

The open platform set up halfway up the mountain wasn't crowded; people were watching the post-race special flight skills performance. However, the fireplaces embedded in the walls seemed to be malfunctioning, belching thick smoke. Some people were urgently repairing them. Ludo slightly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the row of fireplaces, selecting those that were still usable, but—

Snap--

Suddenly someone patted him on the shoulder. Ludo turned around in surprise and found a black leather glove floating in mid-air behind him, gesturing at him.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Ludo realized that the glove was pointing him in the right direction. Raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight, Ludo vaguely saw a dark figure standing in the shadows on a higher mountaintop, waving his arm at him.

Hmm--

As he hesitated, the black glove had already circled around to his front, making an inviting gesture.

"Alright, let me see who it is—"

Ludo shrugged indifferently, reached out and grasped the leather glove, then disappeared into a rapidly spinning phantom.

"Your commentary is still as passionate as ever, Ludo—"

As that young yet composed face, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, came into view, Ludo quietly opened his mouth. His eyes, which had been slightly narrowed by the mountain breeze, slowly opened to their widest extent, and he was completely stunned.

"Ah ho!"

Suddenly, Ludo's frozen expression melted away. He shouted happily, leaping to Amosta's side as if his feet had struck a spring, and patted Amosta heavily on the shoulder.

"That's surprising, Amosta, old buddy. Nothing going on at Hogwarts? You're here to watch the game. Oh, are you a Scottish fan, or do you support Scorsese's club?"

Ludo smiled broadly, but a chill ran through him. He didn't know if Amosta had seen him counting the money.

Ostensibly, he accepted the invitation to commentate on the exhibition match to support the domestic Quidditch movement, but everyone knew that the organizers would definitely thank him privately for participating in such an event. However, this was ultimately a matter that couldn't be brought up publicly. For the dignified Director of the Department of Magical Sports to travel so far to personally commentate on a match with low viewership just for a bit of gold was truly damaging to the Ministry of Magic's prestige.

"I've always believed that work isn't everything in life; we all need some entertainment now and then, Ludo—"

Amosta smiled and said he knew perfectly well why Ludo's eyes were darting around, but he didn't bother to point it out. He beckoned to Ludo and strolled down a narrow path carved out by Muggle climbers along the ridge.

His relaxed demeanor only made Ludo more uneasy, unsure why Amosta wanted to see him. In any case, it certainly wasn't just for casual conversation.

Taking off his hat, Ludo quickly followed and stood beside Amosta.

"How's things going at the ministry lately, Ludo?" Amosta asked casually.

"Oh!"

Ludo suddenly became lively, as if he had something to say all along.

"Although I don't particularly appreciate old Barty's rigid work style, I have to admit that the department really needs a shrewd and capable person to take charge. Connelly is only interested in attending parties, and that silly woman Dolores is always thinking about how to plant people in various departments to gain more power. I don't care about any of that, so I came out to find some peace and quiet!"

“You are the Director of the Magical Transportation Department, Ludo—”

Amusta chuckled and said in a casual tone,

“Bati is quite ill, and it looks like he won’t be able to host anytime soon. Haven’t you thought about taking advantage of this time to showcase your abilities and gain more support?”

"Oh, I'm not cut out for that, and besides, that silly woman Dolores is determined to take over Connelly's job, and I don't want to be targeted by her!"

Ludo spoke immediately, but after blurting it out, his mind raced, and he looked suspiciously at Amosta's profile.

"What, Amosta, are you also looking for a job at the Ministry of Magic?"

Amosta glanced helplessly at Ludo. The higher-ups in the ministry all knew that he and Amelia had a good relationship, and that he was almost certain to succeed Dumbledore. Only Ludo would ask such a question. However, after confirming that the guy's mind was as muddled as ever, Amosta felt a little relieved.

“Like you, Ludo—” Amosta said calmly, “I’m not cut out for it either.”

Ludo clicked his tongue in regret. He felt that Amosta was quite to his liking in some ways, and he had a good relationship with those cunning goblins. If Amosta wanted to become Minister of Magic, he would definitely support him, but only if Amosta helped him pay off the gambling debts he had incurred during this period with the goblins.

"Oh, right--"

As if sensing Ludo's thoughts, Amosta abruptly stopped in front of a slowly drifting, thin cloud. He stared at Ludo with a slightly mocking gaze.

"How much money have you owed the fairies lately, Ludo?"

Chapter 782 Suspicious

2024-03-03

"How much money have you owed the fairies again lately, Ludo?" Amosta asked with a hint of mockery.

"Oh, you're underestimating me, Amosta!"