I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 213 Chaos in every sense.

—A group of mysterious figures in black robes have appeared in the Scottish Highlands. More than four wizarding families have suffered attacks of varying degrees. —The Daily Prophet

—Westminster Alert! The cathedral is on fire, suspected to be the work of a mad wizard. Please be aware that if you encounter such an emotionally unstable wizard, he could bring disaster to the entire community. Contact the Ministry of Magic, and we will arrive at the scene as quickly as possible.—Wizarding Weekly

—It's Dementors! Dementors are attacking wizards! Today, large numbers of Muggles along the eastern coast have been attacked by Dementors. The Ministry of Magic remains indifferent to these out-of-control dark creatures. We have reason to believe this is a means by which Barty Crash establishes authoritarian rule. A cold-blooded man, he has no heart; he is a puppet planted by the fire spirits. — *The Quibbler*

—The Ministry of Magic's Golden Hall has been attacked, and the magical fountain has been damaged. Shockingly, the attacker was not a dark wizard, but a Ministry employee who claimed he could no longer tolerate the endless overtime and withheld wages. He said he would welcome Voldemort back if he could change all that. It is understood that the wizard is a pure-blood wizard. —Rita Skeeter's briefing.

—The Ministry of Magic has expelled the wizard and charged him with damaging public property. Wizengamot will be tried in three days. Frankly, Wizengamot is entirely Barty Crach's man; this trial is reminiscent of sending Sirius Black, the wizarding hero, to Azkaban. It's hard to believe who truly serves whom in this institution. —Rita Skeeter's briefing.

—A massive strike, the craziest thing since March. The Wizengamor trial was worse than my grandmother's foot bindings. I can't believe what's going on in those high-ranking senators' heads—is Galleons all they have? The rebellious hero has been found guilty and will be imprisoned in Azkaban for six months—the most disgusting thing ever. The Ministry of Magic's employees have launched a massive strike.

Several departments, including the Department of Magical Creatures Protection and Management, the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters, the Department of Magical Transportation, the Department of Mysteries, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, have announced a government shutdown.

"This strike will not end until Buddy Crouch stops oppressing his employees."

Let's cheer for our heroes.

—Rita Skeeter, The Daily Prophet

—The recent disasters have threatened the lives and property of the vast majority of wizards. The British Wizards Protection Company is now launching a new service—the Wizards First Aid Team. For just 15 Galleons per month, you can enjoy this service. Our professionally trained Auror medical personnel, forming a trauma team, will go to protect your life and property no matter how fierce the war is or how rainy it is. For details, please contact us at 2077 Diagon Alley.

Rita Skeeter highly recommends it.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Over the next few days, all sorts of alarming news bombarded the young wizards' nerves.

This is a carnival for rumor-mongers.

The newspapers were filled with questions, arguments, and calls to action.

Truth, lies, conspiracies.

It seems that nothing else matters anymore.

People just wanted to find a place to vent their frustrations, and the Ministry of Magic became the target of their anger.

The anger brewing beneath the noise is like a volcano that has been suppressed for a long time, about to erupt with scorching lava.

The chaos in the outside world inevitably affected Hogwarts.

Ron was the first to know.

"Percy has been hired by the Auror Office of the Ministry of Magic." That day was Potions class, which was held together by Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

In the second greenhouse, Owen had just watered the new variety of White Dew that Professor Sprout had cultivated when he and Harry came over.

"What? Are they short of cannon fodder?" Owen didn't even look up, holding a thick parchment in his hand, and then walked past the wooden cabinet full of potted plants to the biting cabbage growing area.

This plant is not very aggressive when it is immature and still in the soil.

Of course, if you voluntarily stick your finger into its mouth full of fangs, it won't mind eating meat.

"You think so too, right?" Ron said, watering the plants as he did so. "Many seventh-year wizards have received acceptance letters from the Ministry of Magic. Almost all of them were sent by the Auror Office."

"Don't they care about the young wizard's life at all?" Hermione, who had also heard about it, pushed her way through angrily and said, "You should do something about it."

She pouted and stared at Owen.

"Me?" Owen put the parchment away. "I'm not the Minister of Magic."

"You are the Hogwarts Student Council President, and the only one. You have the authority to manage the students, even the graduating seventh year students."

"If the junior wizards were given the same job, what could I say? Should I cast a forgetting spell on each of them, making them forget they received their acceptance letters?"

"We can't let them become cannon fodder!" Ron shouted.

This immediately attracted the attention of the other young wizards in the greenhouse.

However, after seeing that it was Harry Potter and Owen and a few others gathered together, no one else dared to say anything.

They can't squeeze into small circles, but they can always hide from them.

As for Professor Sprout, she wasn't in the second greenhouse; she had gone to the first greenhouse to retrieve something.

Let Owen watch over the young wizards.

"Cannon fodder~~~"

Irving sneered.

At least in this matter, Ron is right.

Becoming a qualified Auror is by no means an easy task.

Normally, to become an Auror, one must pass five NEWT exams with a score no lower than "Beyond Expectations" (Level E).

Besides Defense Against the Dark Arts, NEWT courses must include any two of the following: Charms, Potions (with a special focus on poisons and antidotes), Herbalism, and Transfiguration.

So if you're trying to earn credits by evaluating things like divination or Muggle studies, that's absolutely not going to work.

And this is just the beginning.

Next, the Ministry of Magic will train the young wizards for three years.

This is when most Aurors and ordinary wizards diverge from each other.

Those deadly spells and combat skills were all cultivated during this period.

After that, he became an intern Auror after joining the wizarding profession.

Only after years of missions under the guidance of a seasoned veteran Auror can one become a true, independent Auror.

Now, the Ministry of Magic has begun issuing internship positions to seventh-year wizards, which means they will skip three years of training and become apprentice Aurors directly.

Even a fool could see how much of that is exaggerated.

"Such foolish methods that show no respect for the lives of young wizards will naturally be strictly prohibited by Professor Dumbledore." Owen didn't seem to care about this at all.

Unless the old headmaster has gone completely mad, there's no way he would allow his students to step into such a dangerous place at such a young age.

"I don't think that's enough!" Ron said seriously.

Judging from his expression, Irving really thought he was worried about his brother's life.

"We should~" he said, suddenly having an idea.

Then he gave Harry and Hermione a knowing smile.

All that's left is to wait.

After the herbalism class.

They rushed to the professor of spells without stopping.

They found Luna and Colin there.

A dozen minutes later, a meticulously crafted hodgepodge of lies and fabricated, dubious rumors was produced.

It cannot be said that this article is entirely a lie; it does contain elements of truth, at least the Ministry of Magic did indeed disregard the lives of young wizards.

This is an undeniable fact.

The only difference was that he used ambiguous language to maliciously speculate on the Ministry of Magic's reasons for doing so.

Then, under Hermione's disdainful gaze, they sent the bomb to Luna's father's newspaper.

Sing a Different Tune

I believe we'll hear a sound soon.

The next day, The Quibbler used the front page of The Quibbler to report on the letter sent by the young wizard.

Title: Despicable, the Ministry of Magic Deceives a 'Confused Seventh Grader'.

Mr. Xenophilius then added his own interpretation.

The report, in a questioning tone, inquired whether there was any bleeding under Buddy Krach's seat, implying that even if there wasn't now, there certainly would be in the future.

Because soon the blood of the young wizards from Hogwarts will overflow into his seat.

Speaking of this, Mr. Xenophilius turned around and asked Barty Crouch if his hatred for young wizards stemmed from his only son being a Death Eater who died in Azkaban.

His mental abnormality must have been the result of years of stress and pressure.

This contrasts with Mr. Xenophilius's more restrained statements in the newspaper.

The next day, when the British wizard saw the newspaper, he thought that was truly rude.

Angry roars drifted into the Ministry of Magic like snowflakes.

The people's vigorous oral gymnastics practically insulted Buddy Krach's entire family and his ancestors for over a dozen generations.

Even his deceased son and wife could not escape the angry scorn of the crowd.

Some even speculate that his son's rebellious behavior and joining the Death Eaters were entirely due to his father's coercion, and that he may have also killed his wife to cover up his own dark past.

It must be said that the wizards have quite the imagination; they did grasp the key point, and at least in one of the two questions above, they guessed correctly.

Despite the scorching public opinion, Barty Crouch's tough stance remained unchanged.

The Aurors are still out there attacking everywhere, and at least on the surface, the Ministry of Magic has not made any changes because of the plight of ordinary wizards.

This puzzled Irving greatly.

Strictly speaking, Barty Crouch's political acumen far surpasses that of Fudge.

He shouldn't have been so foolish and stubborn.

But the reality was that he was somewhat dizzy, yet he still relentlessly attacked enemies he couldn't even see.

In the following days, Hogwarts returned to calm.

But outside, it was like a carnival, descending into endless chaos.

Calls for Batty Crouch to step down are growing louder.

Even his most loyal followers, the older generation of officials in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Department of International Magical Exchange, gradually became disappointed in him.

They hoped Dumbledore would step forward.

To take charge of the overall situation.

But the old principal still had no interest in power.

He was simply inviting Buddy Crach to Hogwarts once again.

The argument was instantly ignited.

"What the people need is a strong leader, a leader who can lead them out of the mire, not a nagging old mother."

"My men have located the hidden Death Eaters. Give me a little more time, just a little bit, and I can wipe them out completely!"

In the principal's office.

Barty Crouch's expression was somber, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

Dumbledore, sitting in his chair, looked at him with equal seriousness. If he didn't know that this mad minister, known for his toughness, had indeed been chasing down the Death Eaters recently, he might have thought that the person in front of him was a Death Eater in disguise.

Their goal was to divide the wizards and undermine the authority of the Ministry of Magic.

"The current situation is that most innocent wizards are in danger, and this danger does not come from the Death Eaters at all. I think you should be well aware of that!" Dumbledore said in a deep voice.

"I'm the one who left the Death Eaters with nowhere to hide, like rats in the street. What if we let our guard down now and they escape, plunging the country into eternal turmoil?" Cratchit's anger was clearly written on his face. He stood up, unwilling to continue discussing this endless topic with Dumbledore.

This is his third time arriving at Hogwarts this month.

And only a week has passed this month.

"You are intentionally condoning the increasingly chaotic situation."

"You see it as chaos, but I think it's getting better!"

Krach remained indifferent.

He stared at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was looking at him too.

Both sides are very clear about what the other wants.

Barty Crach's strategy was actually quite simple: to endlessly harass the Death Eaters with sheer numbers.

In a society where everyone is an enemy, they will be under maximum pressure.

The Aurors, on the other hand, can conserve their strength and use their superior advantage to defeat their opponents in one fell swoop.

Of course, this is on the premise that countless ordinary wizards will become sacrifices in this cruel and indulgent act.

Unfortunately, Irving wasn't present when this argument took place; he was tied up with other things.

If he were there, he would definitely recognize this familiar scene.

Because in a TV series from his previous life, there was a similar debate: between officials and the people, should officials be saved first or the people first before a major disaster?

Batty Crouch provided the answer to this question with his tough stance.

At least that's the answer he thinks.

That means saving the official first.

Prioritize ensuring the Aurors' combat effectiveness.

In the short term, his approach makes some sense.

The battle at Hogsmeade resulted in the near annihilation of the Auror elite; aside from the well-known figures, most of the Aurors sustained injuries to varying degrees.

Even a seasoned Auror like Moody nearly lost his life.

After the war, the Ministry of Magic even had to bring back Serxus, a meritorious Auror who had been retired for over thirty years. However, in the long run, if this chaos continued, the enraged wizards would eventually overthrow the Ministry. Currently, Barty Crouch is still able to hold his position not only because the Aurors are indeed fighting the Death Eaters and have made achievements, but also because the Malfoy family's insurance company is fully committed to guaranteeing the Minister's financial support. It's a win-win situation for both sides.

Lucius earned a large number of orders, while Barty received support from the Auror Office thanks to stable Auror disability insurance.

But this Ponzi scheme, which is essentially a game of musical chairs, will eventually come to an end.

Because Lucius's approach is simply to use new insurance orders to compensate for previous ones, he will soon be unable to sustain this once the market becomes saturated.

Therefore, in any case, the Minister of Magic probably doesn't have much time left.

Dumbledore knew this perfectly well, as did Barty Crouch. This crucial gamble had to end quickly, because he had indeed reached his limit.

—The argument in the principal's office continued.

In March, warm, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean finally reached the Scottish Highlands, driving the cold air that had dominated Scotland for more than four months back into the sea.

Then, some good news came from Harry.

Professor Lu Ping has been discharged from the hospital.

Yes, after two months of treatment, he finally recovered.

His story had already been published in the newspapers.

Another Merlin Medal secured.

Of course, on a deeper level, Owen noticed that Professor Lupin was in much better spirits than before when he returned to Hogwarts. You see, because of his werewolf identity, he would transform every month, which would cause him to be listless and physically weak. And every time he was almost fully recovered, the next full moon would arrive.

Could werewolves really fill the void in a soul so quickly?

He was curious.

Then I spent several days tracking and observing Professor Lu Ping.

Just when Sirius was about to conclude that the boy must be seriously ill, Professor Lupin finally stopped Owen and openly asked him what he was doing.

That's the covered bridge at the south exit of Hogwarts.

In the distance stands the Owl Tower.

Beyond that are majestic green mountains, with trickling streams flowing through them and converging into the Black Lake on the other side of the covered bridge.

Still and undisturbed.

"Professor." A chilly wind, heavy with moisture, blew through the mountains and brushed against Owen's face. "You haven't turned into a werewolf again?"

He asked directly, completely ignoring Professor Lupin's shocked look and Sirius's slightly surprised but quickly normal gaze.

"When did you find out?" the Dog Godfather asked calmly, seemingly unsurprised that Owen had guessed Lupin's true identity.

"Whenever Snape substituted for Professor Lupin, he would always teach the werewolf chapter. He'd already spent four lessons on that chapter, afraid the young wizards wouldn't be able to guess it."

"Damn snotty old man, I knew it was him!" Sirius clenched his fists, his handsome face covered in frost.

"Expecting him to keep a secret is like expecting a pig to fly."

"That despicable, disgusting, and repulsive person."

"Enough, Sirius." Professor Lupin, recovering from his shock, took a deep breath and looked at Irving, saying, "So, are you planning to report me?"

"Am I crazy?! I just want to ask you, how long has it been since you last transformed?" Owen waved his hand.

They had now walked out of the covered bridge and arrived at the monument commemorating Granger's punch to Malfoy.

Looking down at Hagrid's hut at the foot of the mountain, Owen had already taken out the parchment.

He looked at Professor Lupin with the gleam of a fanatical scientist, "Your recovery is incredibly fast. Is it related to your werewolf identity?"

Professor Lupin was speechless for a moment. Looking at Irving's inquisitive eyes, he didn't know how to evaluate him.

After a long pause, he hesitantly replied, "Yes, I haven't transformed into a werewolf for two months."

"On the night of the full moon, I just suddenly get more body hair."

"So, it's the soul that influences the body," Owen muttered to himself.

The study of the soul has always been a taboo subject in the wizarding world. Very few scholars have studied it.

But Irving is very interested in this, whether it was Bella before or Professor Lupin now.

Professor Lupin has not turned into a werewolf again. This may be because his soul has not yet fully recovered, but his body has developed some werewolf traits. This means that the werewolf bloodline has not disappeared from him, but has simply become ingrained.

Perhaps after some time, once he has fully recovered, he will turn into a werewolf again every month.

This is a very interesting topic; perhaps people can cure some diseases by adjusting their souls.

"Interesting is a rare subject." He grinned, staring at Professor Lupin with a wicked grin.

The next second he received "concern" from Little Wolf Heart.

"You'd be better off spending your time on that little girl named Lavender," the Dog Godfather said, a mocking smirk playing on his lips as he looked at Owen. "She seems to care about you quite a bit!"

"Don't let them down."

When this was mentioned, Irving's face darkened.

He became alert, looking around nervously, afraid that a blond figure might suddenly jump out from any corner.

Here's the thing -

Lavender returned to the castle in February.

She looked much more energetic and radiant. Perhaps it was the effect of the vampire's blood; her skin had become fairer, her figure had become slender and thinner, and her cheeks had become more defined than before. Her eyes blinked and became more alluring.

Simply put, this girl used a beauty filter.

Life's beauty is eternal and has no end.

The drastic change in her appearance made her even more unscrupulous.

From the very first day he returned to Hogwarts, he launched a fierce attack on Owen.

The offensive was quite swift.

Even after standing firm for two years, Hannah, who was known as an impregnable fortress, finally succumbed.

Because Lavender was much more—tsk tsk—uninhibited than any of his previous opponents.

Previously, all she encountered were love letters, secretly adding love potions to Owen's teacup, or, as a second-best option, asking Professor Sprout to help her make a match.

In short, this is a British magic school, not an American one. The children of Old London, bearing the Union Jack, are relatively reserved.

At most, it's just a public confession.

But Lavender was different; she not only dared to confess her feelings in public, but she even dared to push Irving down in public.

This terrified Irving so much that he almost lost his mind.

Thinking about his past and present lives, which total several decades, he was still a pure person.

A pure boy

Where have I ever seen such a scene?

But the battlefield is always unpredictable, and soon a turning point appeared, with another player being forced to participate.

That's Hermione.

Let me state upfront that Hermione has absolutely no objection to Lavender's various declarations of love, nor does she care who the ladies surrounding Owen are.

He can be with whomever he wants. (gritting his teeth)

She joined the fray because her roommate, Lavender, felt that every time she tried to corner Irving, she failed, and that there must be a 'traitor' who betrayed her.

The prime suspect naturally falls to Hermione.

Hermione, who was busy reading Irving's book "Ancient Alchemy Unveiled," with bloodshot eyes, heavy dark circles, smoky makeup, and disheveled hair as if she had been electrocuted, was filled with questions.

She really wanted to point her finger at Lavender and ask her if her eyesight was bad and she couldn't see how busy she was.

Unfortunately, no matter how she explained, Lavender, who was deeply in love, wouldn't listen to a single word.

The two were always bickering and fighting almost every time they met.

Owen heard from Hannah, Neville, and Ron that she hadn't been to the Gryffindor Tower for a week.

I no longer sleep in the dormitory.

In the end, Luna told him that Hermione had moved into the Room of Requirement.

She planned to thoroughly understand that book before releasing it.

"By the time she's fully convinced, I'll have already graduated!" said a guy in the dark who was eating dinner in the lounge.

Because he couldn't guarantee that the cups on Hufflepuff's table weren't tainted with love potions.

Several unlucky people have fallen victim to this.

There were several girls among them.

Professor McGonagall was furious. She severely deducted points from Lavender's grade and put her in solitary confinement.

But this did not seem to dampen the little girl's enthusiasm.

Every day, they still bounce around near Teacher Miao's bottom line.

Medicine should not be taken indiscriminately.

Having lived for over 20 years, this is the first time I've discovered that I'm allergic to something.

I'm actually allergic to ibuprofen.

Oh my god, my hands are covered in rashes. They're like red patches, like mosquito bites.

I immediately stopped taking the medication.

Now, they're relying solely on their righteous spirit to hypnotize and lower body temperature.

(End of this chapter)