Hogwarts: From Luna's House to Godhood Through Intense Competition

"Coo coo..." Thor squinted his eyes and let out a long, pleasant groan.

However, it did not stay in the room for long. Once its feathers were smooth, it flapped its wings and flew out the window, gliding towards the garden.

Vizette opened Penelope's reply, and its contents indirectly confirmed Vizette's thoughts.

An accident did indeed occur at Hogwarts; after Christmas, students began to faint without warning.

An examination by the school hospital revealed that it was a slow-acting poison mixed with a curse, similar to a combination of a potion of despair and a living hell potion, capable of plunging a person into a prolonged nightmare.

Based on past experience, Madam Pomfrey used conventional potions to slow down the effects of the poison, thus giving Snape more time to prepare the antidote;

Penelope and her classmates need to take on the responsibility of being prefects and organize the students' group outings to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

She also mentioned the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic, who appeared outside Hogwarts Castle with a squad of battalions the day after the students were poisoned.

Penelope's exact words were: "This is the first time I've realized that the Ministry of Magic can act so quickly! If they had acted faster back then, the First Wizarding War would never have happened!"

Based on Penelope's letter and the Daily Prophet's continued reporting, it is clear that not only pure-blood families were involved, but the Ministry of Magic was likely also involved.

This indirectly confirms Xenophilius's words: "Cornell Fudge would love for Headmaster Dumbledore to be reduced to this state, being belittled to nothing, so as not to affect his position as Minister of Magic!"

……

Another day later, The Daily Prophet published another follow-up report on Rita Skeeter.

[Crisis Tracking: A Bloody Christmas! Multiple victims emerge at Hogwarts, and all clues point to Dumbledore as the mastermind! Our worst fears have come true!]

This report corresponds to the contents of Penelope's letter: several students who stayed on campus for the holiday were poisoned and are currently receiving treatment at the school hospital;

According to Rita Skeeter, this was a new round of dark magic experiments that Dumbledore secretly conducted during the Christmas holidays when there were fewer people around.

Unfortunately, the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic, after a series of searches, only obtained some ambiguous clues and were unable to arrest Dumbledore.

At the end of this report, Rita Skeeter concluded with these words:

Although the truth may be obscured by that unseen hand, I have reason to believe that truth and justice may be delayed, but they will never be absent! I will continue to follow up on developments and will report on any new developments immediately!

After reading this outrageous ending, Vizette now understood even more why Xenophilius looked down on the Daily Prophet.

The Daily Prophet and the Ministry of Magic did this with the aim of weakening Dumbledore's influence.

At least for some people who believe everything they hear, such reports often have a very good effect...

Chapter 30 The Twisted Old Man

The Daily Prophet is the primary source of information for English wizards, and therefore has a significant impact on the English magical world.

As the Christmas holidays came to an end, on the Hogwarts Express on their return journey, some students were catching up on their homework, while others were discussing the latest issue of the Daily Prophet.

"The Daily Prophet has gone mad! Who would believe something like that?"

“My grandfather believed it… He lived in the Hebrides and even swore that Dumbledore invented dragonpox.”

"No offense intended, but the Hebrides...did a dragon kick him in the head? Dragonpox existed in the fourteenth century, how old was Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"He might actually have been kicked by a fire dragon... because he was a fire dragon keeper, and once during a black dragon uprising in the Hebdiri Islands, he was attacked by a fire dragon, and ever since then... well... he's become strange..."

……

Similar conversations filled the carriage, with many of the older passengers, especially those from remote areas, trusting the Daily Prophet and willing to believe Rita Skeeter's investigative reports.

In addition to past follow-up reports, the new edition of The Daily Prophet's coverage is also on the students' lips.

"Have you read today's Daily Prophet?"

"Look! Lockhart actually concocted an effective antidote and cured those unconscious students!"

"I also find it unbelievable... He was defeated by Vizette Lovegood's disarming spell, yet he managed to concoct an antidote?"

"With so many adventurous experiences, he should know some skills, right?"

"Didn't that book, 'Vacationing with a She-Ya-Sha,' mention that the She-Ya-Sha's food was practically poison? Luckily, he knew how to concoct an antidote, otherwise he would have been poisoned by that pot of soup."

"But at the dueling club, he was defeated by a student... Adventure and combat, that's what adventurers are all about, isn't it?"

"That's true...it doesn't make any sense at all!"

-------------------------------------

The discussion continued into the auditorium, where a lavish banquet was held, perhaps to welcome back the students or to reassure them.

Dumbledore wore a crimson robe embroidered with intricate rose patterns, and looked exceptionally spirited.

However, according to Penelope and the others, Dumbledore was under considerable pressure and received several complaint letters every day.

However, in Vizet's view, Dumbledore's eyes were still bright, and he should not have been affected in any way. He could even read a bit of... expectation and interest in them.

Lockhart, who had been silent since the Duel Club, also appeared in the Great Hall, and looked to be in good spirits.

However, what bothered Vizette was that Lockhart wasn't wearing a wizard's hat anymore; instead, he was wrapped in a thick headscarf...

Just like Professor Quirrell in the past.

……

After the dinner ended, Vizette escorted Luna back to the common room and then turned to walk towards the principal's office.

The gargoyle's password remained unchanged. He went up the spiral staircase to the door and gently knocked on it.

"Come in!" came Dumbledore's cheerful voice from inside.

Vizette pushed open the door and entered, first offering a brief greeting before getting straight to the point, "Headmaster Dumbledore, is Lockhart... is there something wrong?"

Dumbledore picked up a berry and put it into the mouth of the phoenix Fawkes.

Compared to its initial appearance at the time of its rebirth, Phoenix Fox now has grown its wings and is gradually becoming more beautiful.

After returning Fawkes the phoenix to the bird stand, Dumbledore gestured for Vizzett to sit down. "If you're talking about being possessed by Voldemort... there's at least no sign of that yet."

"Because of the 'wand backfire,' he lost all his hair... Compared to the wizard's hat, the turban was obviously safer and less likely to be blown away."

Wizette let out a soft breath and asked, "Headmaster Dumbledore, did Professor Lockhart give anything away?"

"So many things have happened recently... You mentioned in your comment that it 'even saved a lot of energy'..."

"Could I interpret this to mean that Lockhart has... colluded with those pure-blood families?"

“Very perceptive…” Dumbledore nodded with a smile. “To be able to solve so many problems at once, doesn’t that save a lot of effort?”

“And about the Malfoy family…” Vizet murmured before continuing, “Headmaster Dumbledore, Mr. Lucius Malfoy sent me Dobby.”

"Hmm!" Dumbledore nodded slightly, without the slightest hint of surprise in his tone. "That was an interesting house-elf."

“He is indeed very different from others…” Wizette agreed. “He wanted freedom, but he also wanted to work… so I signed a contract with him.”

Dumbledore blinked, then repeated with interest, "A contract signed?"

“He gets paid a salary every month and he gets time off, that’s about it,” Vizette said simply. “But he doesn’t ask for much… he prefers his work.”

“That’s good!” Dumbledore exclaimed with satisfaction. “That’s really good! Perhaps I should try…doing the same thing with the house-elves of Hogwarts…”

“Of course, this might frighten them, after all, they are different from Dobby…” Dumbledore sighed. “Vizette, what have you gleaned from this report?”

“I can see… the Ministry of Magic’s hostility towards you.” Vizet said very bluntly without much hesitation.

“I didn’t think so at first, but now… I think Mr. Lovegood was right.”

“I was also somewhat surprised. I never expected Cornelius Fudge to turn out like this…” Dumbledore stood up and sighed deeply.

"He used to be a passionate person, often asking me for advice... He was always anxious and worried that he hadn't done this or that well..."

"Headmaster Dumbledore, is this... repaying kindness with enmity?" Wizette asked.

Dumbledore smiled slightly, his tone becoming strange. "Perhaps he has simply rediscovered himself? In some ways, I can still understand him!"

Wizette asked, somewhat puzzled, "Headmaster Dumbledore?"

“Power! It’s a terrible thing!” Dumbledore exclaimed, gazing silently out the window.

Outside the window was a dark, oppressive night sky, like an abyss, without a single star in sight.

After a while, as if he had made up his mind, he turned around and walked to the cabinet, taking out the Pensieve from it.

“As you get older… sometimes you can’t help but think about things,” he said softly, “things about youth…”

"I want to relive this feeling, but I'm also afraid and regretful... I want to talk about it with others, but I don't want them to know... It's so conflicting!"

Chapter 31 Changing Characters, Tom and Voldemort

Looking at the Pensieve placed on the table, Vizette already had a guess in her mind. "Headmaster Dumbledore, am I fortunate enough... to be the listener?"

“Of course, Vizet!” Dumbledore took out his wand, gently pressed the tip against his temple, and slowly drew out a silver thread of memory.

He tossed the memory thread into the Pensieve. "Let's begin!"

Vizette immediately thought of Rita Skeeter's report, "The poisoning incidents during the Christmas holidays?"

“That’s right.” Dumbledore nodded.

“Okay!” Vizette slowly bent down and buried her head in the Pensieve.

……

With a feeling as if he were falling weightlessly, he found himself in front of a hospital bed in the school hospital, where a burly boy was lying.