The Return to Hogwarts

Old Barty didn't look at the Dark Lord. His eyes were bloodshot, his pale lips trembling, as he stared intently at the beast opposite him, who seemed ready to tear him apart at any moment. His heart ached as if it were being stabbed.

"The biggest mistake I've ever made in my life!"

"Father!"

Little Barty grinned maliciously.

"My disappointing father. Wasn't it you who brought me out of Azkaban?"

Old Barty's clenched teeth bled, but he was speechless.

"Old Barty, ah, the formidable high-ranking official of the Ministry of Magic, renowned throughout the wizarding world for his tough stance and ruthless methods against evil, and for his unwavering courage in the face of darkness. Oh, my friends, but look at you..."

Voldemort, facing his Death Eaters, spoke in a humorous tone, as if introducing an exhibit.

"But he personally released Voldemort's Death Eaters and illegally imprisoned them in his home for thirteen years. Oh, I must thank you, old Barty, for your hypocrisy, which provided powerful assistance on Voldemort's path to resurrection."

Many Death Eaters laughed, looking at Barty with mocking eyes.

The utter embarrassment Voldemort had anticipated didn't appear on Barty Crouch's face. Harry, like an outsider, looked at Barty. Because of his attitude towards Gilgamesh, Harry disliked Barty like Hermione, but now he felt sympathy for him for having given birth to such a beast, and even developed a little respect for him.

Unlike Karkaroff, who groveled to save his life, Barty the Elder glared fiercely at Voldemort, facing the most evil dark wizard in history, a wizard whose very name was taboo in the wizarding world.

"It won't be like last time, Voldemort!"

"How dare you address your master by his name! You bastard!"

Little Barty immediately jumped up, raised his wand, and was about to 'judge' his father.

"Wait!" Voldemort said coldly, "Not like last time. What do you mean?"

"Dumbledore will stop you!"

"Oh, Dumbledore, are you counting on that senile old man?"

Voldemort laughed.

"I took Harry Potter away, right under his nose! Oh, I'm really looking forward to his expression when he sees Harry Potter's body, and..."

Voldemort glanced at the three corpses on the ground.

"And with these few students, I'm afraid he'll lose his position as headmaster of Hogwarts."

But old Barty seemed not to hear Voldemort's words; he gritted his teeth and spoke in a heavy voice.

"And Blaine, you absolutely cannot fight against both Dumbledore and Blaine at the same time!"

Some Death Eaters showed unusual movements, seemingly agreeing with Barty Crouch's words, which amused Voldemort, who laughed heartily.

“Amostrath Blaine, I see. So you harbor such a ridiculous idea that the most powerful dark wizard in history couldn’t defeat an old senile and a young upstart. How amusing. Perhaps the duel that night of the Quidditch final has caused some misunderstandings, but just wait and see. I will soon prove that this idea is proof of ignorance. Voldemort’s power is unmatched. Now!”

Voldemort glared fiercely at his Death Eaters.

"Take off your cloak and let our impartial judge see!"

No Death Eater dared to defy Voldemort's orders. Even though they were unwilling, they still reluctantly showed their faces. Harry opened his eyes wide and memorized their features. He would be waiting for them in hell!

Almost everyone there was a significant figure in the British magical world, and their every word and action could cause a stir.

However, these people now kneel behind Voldemort, becoming his accomplices in the exercise of his tyranny.

"Look at them!"

Although he said he wasn't worried about Dumbledore and Blaine teaming up, Voldemort seemed to be enraged. He grabbed Malfoy by the collar, pulling him back.

"Look at these people, Barty Crouch!"

Voldemort revealed a mocking smile.

"Barty Crouch, who prides himself on justice, I imagine you've attended quite a few parties with Voldemort's henchmen. Just how many have you actually tried?"

This was indeed a tremendous insult to old Barty. His nails dug deep into his flesh as he glared angrily and hatefully at these thugs who disguised themselves with wealth and power. He should send them to hell. However, he understood what Voldemort was trying to tell him, and he admitted it in his heart—

He was not a noble person like Albus Dumbledore.

Barty Crouch the Elder was finally stung. He could ignore the torment, but he couldn't bear the inner turmoil—he was not a good husband, a good father, or the good official he had hoped to be.

He had always been dismissive of people's opinions of him, but at this moment, Barty Crouch Sr. faced his conscience and had to admit that he was just a power-hungry, unprincipled Ministry of Magic official.

Come on, my dear Buddy!

Seeing the regret and self-reproach on Old Barty's aged face, Voldemort smiled smugly. He looked at his most loyal follower.

"Return the wand to your father, and then, like me, wash away your shame with your own hands. You will become Voldemort's most trusted Death Eater!"

Chapter 856 Father and Son

2024-04-11

Perhaps at this moment, Harry finally understood why people called Voldemort the most evil wizard in history, and why people feared him so much that they dared not even mention his name.

Voldemort could have simply taken Barty Crouch's life, but he didn't. He wanted to torment his mind, trample on his dignity, and then take his life in a way a hundred times more cruel than the Avada Kedavra curse. This was to prove to his followers that the infamous Barty Crouch was nothing more than a beast at his mercy, and that any wizard who dared to defy him would meet a terrible end.

And doing so has a truly remarkable deterrent effect.

The fear, almost etched into their souls, immediately surged in the hearts of many Death Eaters, such as Lucius Malfoy, and of course, there were many Death Eaters whose excitement and admiration were palpable.

"Come, my dear father!"

Barty Jr. pulled his wand from his pocket and smashed it into Old Barty's face, who had been put down by Voldemort. The wand rolled to the ground, and he licked his lips excitedly, revealing a cruel, triumphant smile.

"Come on, let's duel. Oh, this is the first time, and of course, the last. You know you'll die, don't you? But your death will allow me to be sacrificed again, and I will finally be rid of the shame that your blood has inflicted upon me!"

The Death Eaters scattered in a wide arc, all knowing that Barty Crouch Jr. was a madman and fearing they might be accidentally harmed by his magic.

Harry looked at Barty Crouch and his son, and even his numb heart was filled with boundless sorrow once again.

All along, he had longed for his family to be reunited. His parents were not heroes, and he was not the 'boy who survived a great calamity.' Just like Ron's family, they were just an ordinary wizarding family. While his classmates at Hogwarts were marveling at Neville's transformation, only heaven knew how much he envied Neville for finding his parents.

But the father and son before him had turned against each other and, instigated by Voldemort, were determined to fight to the death.

Old Barty's expression was a bit strange. When he first woke up, he hadn't even glanced at the Dark Lord, but instead had been almost hatefully cursing his son.

But now they were going to have a showdown. Old Barty fell silent. He glanced at the wand on the ground, his hair, wet with his own blood, obscuring the deep pain etched into his eyes.

"Oh my God?"

Voldemort said in a witty tone, "You can't bring yourself to do it, can you, Mr. Crouch?"

Amidst the laughter of the Death Eaters and his son's humiliated roars, old Barty shakily picked up his wand.

Barty Crouch is now at his wit's end.

Harry knew this was a one-sided battle; Barty Crouch the Elder was indeed a powerful wizard, and he might not be inferior to his son. But unfortunately, he was facing someone who wasn't his son at all.

The first time I met Barty Crouch was on the night of the Quidditch final last year. Cold-blooded, ruthless, and domineering were the first impressions he left on me, Hermione, and Ron. But at that time, Barty Crouch was indeed imposing, and no Ministry of Magic official, including Mr. Weasley, could stop his decisions.

But now?

Harry looked at Barty Crouch, a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Magic, now just a frail old man, his backbone broken. Perhaps even Filch, who only dared to yell at young wizards, seemed to have more backbone than him. His heart was long dead.

"No!"

Barty Crouch Jr. had already raised his wand with a sinister grin, but at that moment, a dark figure came rushing over from the side, howling, and stood in front of Barty Crouch Sr.

It was Gilgamesh, who had been driven aside by Voldemort earlier.

"No, Master Barty, you can't do this!"

The house-elf's frail body shielded its elderly owner; its large, tennis ball-sized eyes were brimming with tears, and its voice was high-pitched and desperate.

“You cannot kill your father, Master Barty, the master. He saved you; he brought you back from Azkaban!”

"Oh, what a moving scene!"

Voldemort turned to look at his Death Eaters and said something humorously, to which the Death Eaters responded with laughter.

"A loyal little elf who would rather die than not protect his master."

Voldemort said, his tone turning cold.

"Get out of the way, you idiot!"

Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, but he believed that this was indeed the first time he had heard a hint of panic in Barty Crouch's voice that evening.

"Get out of that man's way, now, get out of the way!" Little Barty roared, "if you want to live!"

"You can't, young master!"

Besides Dobby, Harry also saw a little elf who defied its master's orders. Its tiny body was so tragic.

"Oh, what a pity, my dear Buddy--"

Voldemort shook his head, his crimson eyes filled with coldness.

"I still quite like your little elf. It's made Voldemort's life very comfortable these past few days, which is why it was able to enjoy this honor of appearing at my resurrection ceremony. But if it insists on stopping me, then I'm afraid you'll have to say goodbye to it."

"Despicable coward!"

Young Barty's words were filled with even more panic, and he glared at Old Barty with hatred.

"I'll rely on Shining to protect you!"

“Get out of here, Blink--” Old Barty said wearily, “You can’t stop anything.”

"No!"