I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 323 Barty Crouch II

My thoughts drifted a little far away.

In short, a Ministry of Magic without checks and balances cannot control the expansion of its power.

The institutions of power are naturally unwilling to relinquish the power they gained during the war years.

For example, Aurors would not voluntarily give up their right to use the three unforgivable powers without consequence.

On the one hand, the war had just ended, and those Death Eaters who had fled remained in danger; on the other hand, the power structure itself was prone to spontaneously expanding its power, unaffected by individual will.

Today, the Auror office informed us that Aurors can use the Killing Curse, and tomorrow they will strive to use Legilimency.

The day after tomorrow, they will need the Ministry of Magic's permission to use a few less-than-humane interrogation methods on the criminals.

The day after tomorrow, they even want to skip the trial altogether.

Mad-Eye Moody has always been cynical about these kinds of frivolous trials.

In his view, what the Aurors wanted was to hunt down Death Eaters without any restrictions. Forgiving them was Merlin's business. What the Aurors had to do was send them to Merlin. If they caught them in the living room, they should be killed in the living room. If they caught them in the toilet, they should be drowned in the toilet. Only in this way could all the problems be solved in the end.

And this is the attitude of the Auror office.

Other subordinate agencies of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement included the "Strike Team" (elite Aurors, special forces in the magical world), the Magical Law Enforcement Investigation Team, Wizengamor, and the Office Against the Abuse of Magic.

They are all growing rapidly, somewhat like the CIA during the Cold War, where their functions allowed them to expand their influence easily.

As Minister of Magic, Milison Bagnore had essentially lost control of this increasingly powerful agency, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement had fallen entirely into the hands of Barty Crach.

This is why Barty Crouch's reputation plummeted after he was exposed, and he was reassigned to the International Department of Magical Exchange.

Because the Minister of Magic would not tolerate a subordinate with higher prestige than himself, or a disobedient department.

The public's mind is already made up, and they are not very willing to accept a warmonger as minister.

Therefore, the apparent prestige is merely the calm surface of the Black Lake, while the deeper undercurrents are invisible to Barty Crouch, who is currently blinded by the limelight.

The purge against him had already begun long ago.

"This trial is actually meaningless for Barty Crouch, and will only have the opposite effect," Miss Granger continued calmly.

"Why?" Harry and Ron asked, puzzled.

"It's all a show," she said. "While it may boost his prestige in the short term, it also exposes his cruel and ruthless side to the public and makes the current Minister of Magic clearly see his absolute power over a department."

He is challenging the current Minister of Magic's bottom line.

Milison Bagnore had only been Minister for Magic for less than two years; how could she possibly give up power so easily?

Not everyone is Professor Dumbledore.

Miss Granger looked at Barty Crouch's power-hungry face and felt a genuine sense of disappointment.

Irving was right.

The Ministry of Magic is absolutely rotten.

It would be better to incorporate the Ministry of Magic into the British Cabinet and have it directly managed by the Prime Minister.

Anyway, the Minister of Magic doesn't need to go to the battlefield to fight the enemy.

It doesn't even matter whether he has magical abilities or not; all he needs to do is know how to manage the country.

So it seems that the Prime Minister is fully capable of this position, doesn't he?

I heard that the new Labour Prime Minister has just cracked down on a group of terrorists hiding on the British Isles who carried out a horrific massacre on the North Island.

Hundreds of innocent Muggles from all over Europe lost their lives.

His fame soared from then on.

He has the potential to become Britain's most outstanding prime minister since Churchill in World War II.

Oh right—what's the new prime minister's name again?

Hermione frowned. The Daily Prophet would naturally not report anything about the Muggle Prime Minister.

However, it seems that Barty Crouch has been outmaneuvered by the Prime Minister, as the Daily Prophet published an article mocking the Minister of Magic, which included the Prime Minister's name.

Jim Haley?

"Ah!" Harry and Ron exclaimed in unison.

This prompted Miss Granger to glance at them sideways.

In the instant their eyes met.

She then remembered what Owen had said.

"What I love most about them (referring to Harry, Ron, Justin, etc.) is their clear yet foolish eyes, which prove that their minds are completely untainted by knowledge. Empty heads, they can easily shed blood for some lofty slogans with just a few words."

Especially Harry.

The title of savior is a good thing!

He is a divine sword on the road to reforming the Ministry of Magic, and only the Minister of Magic can wield it. I'm being lazy, so I'll leave it to you. In the future, when dealing with those corrupt officials and pure-blooded dark wizards, only he can advance without hesitation.

Although Hermione didn't quite agree with the second half of Owen's statement, she did agree with the first half—she looked up at Harry and Ron again.

What he said was absolutely true.

"This is just a memory of Professor Dumbledore, part of the past. If you trace back the origins from the present outcome, some things are quite obvious."

"."

Harry and Ron pursed their lips, their eyes blank and bewildered—guess?

Guess what?

Guess what we're having for dinner tonight?

Meanwhile, the trial of Karkarov continues.

He had already rattled off several names.

Antonin Dolokhov, Evan Rozier, and many others.

But Crouch refuted them one by one.

He has been in prison for six months.

The Death Eaters who were still active outside were either captured or killed. The few he knew were unlucky enough to fall into these two categories.

"I...I'm so happy!" Karkarov's eyes widened, and he quickly smiled obsequiously, saying, "They all deserved to die! They got what they deserved!"

"Ha—he must be so happy." Harry sneered, because Karkaroff's expression shifted noticeably from disappointment to fawning, changing faster than turning the pages of a book.

"He's missing a few cards." Hermione's face grew increasingly grim, because the names Karkaroff uttered were all heinous dark wizards, each with the blood of dozens of Muggles on their hands.

These people were all featured in the Daily Prophet in later years, especially last year when the Death Eaters were rampant, the newspaper listed all of the Death Eaters' past crimes in one go.

She had read those reports.

It can only be said that those who are inherently evil, cruel, and bloodthirsty, like Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Anthony, have crossed the line of humanity. There are also some who are simply humanoid.

Their actions only demonstrate the diversity of the human species.

"Perhaps using truth serum would be a good option," she said through gritted teeth.

"Huh?" Harry and Ron looked at her in surprise, feeling that Hermione was becoming more and more Europeanized.

They exchanged a glance.

They both saw similar conclusions in each other's eyes.

Especially this year—her behavior has completely changed since she was in second grade.

"Anything else?" Crouch continued coldly.

"This—yes! There's more!" Karkaroff's tone was starting to sound panicked.

It was clear that he was beginning to worry that his intelligence would be of no use to the Ministry of Magic.

He glanced at the door in the corner of the room; the two Dementors were undoubtedly still standing behind it, waiting.

He turned around, trembling.

Harry noticed that fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, and his eyes had turned terrified as he kept glancing back at the door to Azkaban and the two Dementors standing in front of it.

"And Travers!" Karkaroff exclaimed frantically. "He helped murder the McKinnons! Oh, and Mulce, he's a master of the Imperius Curse, forcing people to do horrible things! And Lukewood, he's a spy, providing useful information to Vulcan from within the Ministry of Magic!"

When he uttered Lukwood's name, a murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Lukewood!" Mr. Crouch nodded to a witch sitting across from him, who then wrote on a piece of parchment, "August Lukewood of the Department of Mysteries?!"

"It's him!" Karkaroff exclaimed urgently. "He's transmitting intelligence for the mysterious man; he has access to the Department of Mysteries..."

"Alright, we already know about Travers and Mulcebo, which you mentioned." Crouch's voice was ambiguous, neither happy nor disappointed.

"Kakarov, if that's all, you'll be sent back to Azkaban, pending our decision..."

"No!" Karkaroff cried out in despair, but he could tell that his names were clearly not enough to satisfy the power-hungry man before him.

"Wait, I have some more!"

In the firelight, his pale skin was slightly red, a clear sign of his agitation, the marks left by the chair binding him as he struggled.

"I have another one, I know another name!"

Karkaroff's eyes were fixed on Barty Crouch, like a bloodthirsty serpent coiled around a man's neck, ready to bite at any moment.

"I know this man participated in the manhunt, and he also used the Cruciatus Curse." Karkaroff's eyes grew brighter, and his voice rose, "He tortured Auror Frank Lombard and his wife."

"His name! Tell me his name!" Crouch pressed urgently, his eyes burning even more intensely than Karkaroff's.

"Barty Crouch!!!"

He shouted suddenly!

Then the entire courtroom fell silent.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Barty Crouch, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, sitting in the dock.

"The Second Generation!!!"

The scene erupted in uproar, and then the courtroom in front of the three suddenly vanished like smoke, and everything gradually disappeared.

They could only see themselves; the surrounding environment had turned into a spinning black mist.

However, the courtroom soon reappeared.

But this time the atmosphere suddenly changed. The three looked around and found that the wizards around them seemed to have changed positions. Obviously, the two memories were not connected and definitely did not happen on the same day.

The room was quiet when a frail-looking woman appeared beside Crouch.

She clutched a handkerchief to her mouth with trembling hands and sobbed incessantly.

The once-renowned Director of Magic no longer possessed his former arrogance; now, all they could see was a haggard, ashen face, with a throbbing vein on his temple.

"Bring him in!" His voice echoed in the silent courtroom.

Everyone looked at that door!

That door that holds the key to Azkaban.

The door in the corner of the room opened again, and six Dementors led four people in.

The Dementors placed the four men into four chained chairs in the center of the dungeon. One of the men, a short, stout man, stared blankly at Crouch; the other, thinner man, seemed more nervous, his eyes darting towards the audience.

A woman with thick, glossy black hair and long eyelashes looked as if she were sitting on a throne.

She is Bellatrix in her youth.

Bellatrix, 29, had not yet experienced the torment of Azkaban.

She looked quite beautiful, with a full jaw, thin lips, heavy eyelids and thick, long eyelashes, and thick, shiny black hair.

Her eyes were filled with rage, but Miss Granger could see a hint of sadness in her deliberately manic demeanor.

Perhaps she was grieving for the defeat and death of her master!

"."

"Good heavens! I had no idea Barty Crouch had a son!" Harry exclaimed in surprise.

All eyes were fixed on the tall, thin boy who looked the youngest.

Yes, at this time Barty Crouch Jr. was only nineteen years old. He was not in the same generation as Bella and her group; there was a ten-year age difference between them.

"He would rather not have had this son!" Ron grumbled. "It's the biggest stain on his life. The whole wizarding world knows that the Crouch family has a Death Eater. His own son ruined his future, and he personally sent his son to Azkaban."

"Is he still alive? That little Barty Crouch?" Harry asked curiously.

“Dead!” Ron said. “He died years ago. My father saw a group of Aurors carry his body away from the Ministry of Magic.”

"Dead?" Harry looked toward the center of the courtroom, his gaze fixed on the pale-skinned young man with light blond hair.

He was about the same age as Sirius's younger brother, Regulus.

"Another pathetic wretch!" Miss Granger said coldly.

"Yes." Harry and Ron nodded at the same time.

After the battle of Hogsmeade last year, Owen introduced them to some of Voldemort's most loyal henchmen.

Aside from those who are already dead, the most famous of the living are Bella and her husband (whose husband was killed by Irwin), Barty Crouch Jr., and so on.

The two of them were Voldemort's most loyal henchmen.

They knew far more information than the other Death Eaters.

For example, the two of them knew Voldemort's real name, Tom Riddle, and that Voldemort was actually half-blood, but they didn't care.

They didn't follow Tom just because he proclaimed pure-blood supremacy; the reasons for this were complex, as Owen had explained to the young wizards.

Simply put, Bella treated Voldemort as her lover.

Barty Crouch Jr. treated Voldemort like his own father!

Barty Crouch Jr. looked at Bella: ? ? ?

Kyrie Irving isn't joking.

He truly regarded Voldemort as his own father.

This is closely related to Buddy Crouch's parenting of his son. Of course, it is more likely that the son, who was in his rebellious phase, was sent to Azkaban before he could be straightened out, and from then on made a big mistake. His hatred made him unable to forgive his real father.

Barty Krach's thinking is actually quite understandable: he is grateful for the sudden kindness of a stranger, but blind to genuine kindness that has been shown over a long period of time.

This is related to Barty Crouch's strict upbringing; just look at his grades at Hogwarts, which show he passed all 12 OWLs.

But this is more about human nature.

Humans are always humbly grateful for the kindness of strangers, yet they see long-term care as a shackle.

Yes, after secretly becoming a Death Eater, Barty Crouch Jr. did indeed spend what he considered a period of "freedom".

Even though he did this to rebel against his father, the mistake had already been made.

The three onlookers, even knowing the reason behind it, did not show him any sympathy.

But there is still some regret.

If he could receive a normal education, he could easily become an excellent wizard with his magical talent.

Upon seeing Barty Jr., the frail witch next to Mr. Crouch began to sway back and forth, covering her mouth with a handkerchief and sobbing. She looked very sad and distressed, with all her emotions written on her face.

Crouch stood up abruptly, looking down at the four men with extreme hatred on his face.

He spoke clearly, but his body swayed involuntarily, "Your crimes are so heinous."

"Of course, if you can name a few of your accomplices." Even at this point, this cold-blooded man was still striving for his power.

This greatly annoyed the three onlookers.

Hermione, in particular, was so angry she wanted to punch that gentlemanly guy.

"It's disgusting!" she said.

Bellatrix was the first to react when she heard Crouch's voice.

She blurted out, "Go to hell, are you an idiot?"

Simple foul language, ultimate enjoyment.

This immediately made Crouch's expression turn quite unpleasant.

This sound almost made Barty Krach, who was pretending to be innocent, lose his composure.

He was pretending to be completely terrified, trembling all over, like a child who had done something wrong.

Bella's cursing made him smile involuntarily, but he immediately lowered his head.

Then, in a voice that was half-laughing and half-crying, she pitifully cried out, "Father, please."

Although he wanted to appear extremely mournful, his tone was too strange, like someone trying to laugh but holding it in, as if he couldn't catch his breath.

"This is an exceptionally cruel act, one of the most egregious in any case tried in this court," Mr. Crouch raised his voice, drowning out his son's. "We have heard the charges against you."

(End of this chapter)