Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil.

The conversation gradually shifted from expressing regret for Minister Barnold to the selection of the next Minister of Magic, with everyone holding their own opinions and arguing heatedly.

The most heated debate took place around the Gryffindor dining table, with many young Gryffindor wizards patting their chests and declaring confidently, "The next Minister will definitely be Professor Dumbledore! No one else is qualified for the position!"

This statement was immediately endorsed by many young wizards.

After all, Professor Dumbledore's abilities are among the best in the entire wizarding world, and he is highly respected and has great prestige. Whether it is officials in the wizarding world or teachers and students of Hogwarts, they all have great respect for him.

If he were to run for Minister of Magic, no one could stand against him, and his election would be a foregone conclusion.

But Penny knew in his heart that this statement had an important premise: that Dumbledore was willing to run for office.

In fact, Dumbledore never had the idea of ​​running for Minister of Magic. If he had, Millicent Barnold would never have had the chance to take office.

It's important to remember that during the difficult period when the wizarding world was fighting Voldemort, it desperately needed a strong leader. Back then, Dumbledore didn't even step forward to run for Minister. Now that the wizarding world is at peace, it's even less likely that he would have such an idea.

Puni knew perfectly well that Dumbledore's ambition had completely vanished when Grindelwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard Prison. Even earlier, from the moment he gave up the struggle with Grindelwald and chose to protect Hogwarts and the peace of the wizarding world, he had no desire to fight for power. Hogwarts and those who needed to be protected were the most important things in his heart.

Seeing everyone arguing endlessly, Puni couldn't help but speak up and shared his guess in front of everyone: "Let me tell you my opinion."

He paused, looking at the focused gazes of the crowd, and continued, "I think Professor Dumbledore would absolutely not run for Minister of Magic."

As soon as he finished speaking, the young wizards of Gryffindor immediately voiced their dissatisfaction and disagreed, and the scene became noisy again.

Ignoring the objections of the crowd, Puni continued, "I suspect the next minister will most likely be either Batty Crouch or Cornelius Fudge."

"Currently, within the Ministry of Magic, only these two have enough prestige and ability to compete for the position of Minister."

Chapter 75 Barty Crouch: *!

No sooner had he finished speaking than a chorus of scorn erupted from the Slytherin table. Many of the young Slytherin wizards showed disdain at the mention of Barty Crouch's name, clearly indicating that they did not approve of him.

"Third, in my opinion, Connelly Fauci is more likely to be elected as the next minister."

Puni calmly added, "The mistakes that Batty Crouch's son made back then are enough for many wizards to remember for a lifetime, and this will be the biggest obstacle on his campaign path."

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of enthusiastic applause came from the Hufflepuff table. Many of the young Hufflepuff wizards were filled with joy, because Cornelius Fudge was a Hufflepuff himself, and they naturally hoped that someone from their house could be elected minister.

Finally, Penny concluded, "I think that if Professor Dumbledore were willing to nominate either of them, the one nominated would certainly be elected smoothly."

Upon hearing this, the young Ravenclaw wizards nodded in agreement, believing that Dumbledore's prestige was enough to influence the election results.

Puni's reasoning was clear, logical, and well-founded, instantly convincing most of the young wizards present. The originally noisy dining hall gradually quieted down as everyone pondered his words, and many people showed expressions of agreement on their faces.

Puni shook his head as he observed the reactions of the crowd.

How could a crown possibly have the power to attract attention with just a few words, and even subtly brainwash others?

In short, it's none of his business; he just wanted to try out the function of the crown.

However, for the British wizarding world, which has enjoyed ten years of peace, the change of Minister for Magic is undoubtedly a major event that affects the entire wizarding community.

Over the past decade, wizards have escaped the fear and chaos brought by Voldemort, and their lives have become more stable. Minister Millison Barnold's tenure has laid a solid foundation for peace and stability in the wizarding world, and has also raised public expectations for the Ministry of Magic.

Although it will be quite some time before Millison Barnold officially steps down, after repeated attempts by the public to persuade her to stay failed to change her decision, the attention of the entire wizarding world has completely shifted from "trying to retain the Minister" to "the next Minister candidate." Just like the young wizards at Hogwarts were arguing in the dining hall, everyone is speculating about who will take over this important task and head the British Ministry of Magic.

Just as Penny had predicted in the Hogwarts dining hall, the only two people with the best chance of winning the election were Cornelius Fudge and Barty Crouch.

Both had served in the Ministry of Magic for many years and had extensive experience and a certain prestige, but Barty Crouch was far more popular than Cornelius Fudge.

The reason for this lies entirely in Batty Crouch's consistent adherence to principles and impartial enforcement of the law over the years.

Over the years, he has handled countless magical cases. Regardless of the status or background of those involved, he treats everyone equally and never shows favoritism or bends the law. With this impartiality, he has won the recognition and respect of the vast majority of wizards and established a very high reputation among the people. Many wizards have said that Barty Crouch is the only choice for the next minister.

Despite his immense popularity, Barty Crouch's campaign was far from smooth sailing. Just as Pony had predicted, the fact that his son, Barty Crouch Jr., had been a Death Eater was like an indelible scar, a stain he could never shake off and the biggest weapon his rivals could use against him.

The people in the wizarding world often have subtle contradictions in their minds, and this contradiction is vividly reflected in Barty Crouch.

Upon closer reflection, human cognition is indeed peculiar. If a person commits numerous evils throughout their life, with their hands stained with sin, and one day suddenly has a change of heart and does a great deed that is enough to make up for their mistakes, many people will easily change their opinion of them, thinking that they are a prodigal son who has turned over a new leaf, and may even forgive all their past misdeeds because of this one good deed.

Conversely, if a person does good deeds in everything and dedicates their entire life to others and the magical world, and through years of accumulation establishes a perfect image in the hearts of the people, as if they have gilded themselves and erected an unparalleled monument, then everyone will assume that they are the perfect person they are.

But if he makes even the slightest mistake, even a trivial one, he will be endlessly criticized and attacked. All his past achievements will be wiped out, his original invincible image will shatter instantly, his reputation will collapse, his status will plummet, and he will ultimately end up with a ruined old age.

Batty Crouch is currently mired in such a predicament.

For the past decade, Barty Crouch has never stopped trying. He works tirelessly, attempting to cover up his son's Death Eater past with more achievements, wanting to bury that matter completely in the past.

But the more he tried to avoid it, the more it haunted him, always being brought up from various corners and used as a topic of conversation or a weapon to attack him.

Now, this is the closest he has ever come to the position of Minister of Magic, and the best opportunity for him to realize his lifelong ambition. But the closer it gets to the change of leadership, the more people are using his son's situation to their advantage.

Various voices of doubt and accusation kept coming in, and many newspapers even openly published articles questioning Barty Crouch Jr.'s character, his qualifications to head the Ministry of Magic, and his ability to treat every wizard fairly, based on his past.

In the dimly lit office of the Ministry of Magic, Barty Crouch sat behind a large desk, clutching several copies of the day's wizarding newspapers tightly.

The front page of the newspaper prominently featured an article attacking him, filled with malice. Every word and sentence mentioned his son's mistakes and even maliciously speculated that he had protected his son and abused his power for personal gain.

He stared at the glaring words, the anger in his chest like a ignited flame, spreading little by little, scorching his reason.

All the pent-up grievances, resentment, and anger he had accumulated over the years erupted at this moment. He could no longer suppress his rage and suddenly raised his hand, throwing the newspapers in his hand violently toward the fireplace beside him.

The newspaper was engulfed in flames the moment it was thrown into the fireplace. The crackling sound of the burning paper was particularly clear in the quiet office, casting flickering light and shadow on Barty Crouch's face.

Chapter 76 That pure-blood traitor, his hands are stained with the blood of us pure-blood wizards! (Bonus Chapter)

He stared intently at the flickering flames, his teeth grinding together: "A bunch of damned bastards! It's all the fault of those Death Eaters! If it weren't for them, my son wouldn't have gone astray, and I wouldn't be in this state!"

The only sounds in the office were the crackling of the flames and Barty Crouch's heavy, rapid breathing.

He leaned back in his chair, his chest heaving, and the anger on his face was gradually replaced by exhaustion.

He knew that those who attacked him were not necessarily Death Eaters, but they were definitely people who wanted to prevent him from being elected minister, and his son's mistakes were their sharpest weapon, making it impossible for him to defend himself and refute them.

......

The Room of Requirement has long since shed its former cluttered appearance, transforming into a quiet and tidy Transfiguration spell study room.

In the center of the room stood a large oak table covered with smooth parchment. Several heavy volumes of transmutation spells lay scattered around it. The ink bottle was full of ink, and a quill leaned against its side. The air was filled with the scent of ink and the aroma of old books.

Puni was sitting at the table, writing his homework on parchment while occasionally glancing up at the two-way mirror in his hand that was gleaming faintly.

“Regulus, I know you’ve been trying to target Barty Crouch, but you’ve been too hasty these past few days. Even we Hogwarts students can tell at a glance that those newspaper reports are deliberately targeting him, let alone the wizards in the magical world.”

Regulus's figure was clearly visible in the two-way mirror. He was in a dark and secluded environment with smooth walls and no superfluous decorations. It was obviously a carefully arranged secret room.

Puni knew that Regulus had always been very cautious. He had never revealed the two-way mirror to his wife and children, and even their phone calls were always held in the most secluded places to avoid leaking any information.

Upon hearing Puni's words, Regulus frowned slightly and explained truthfully, "This was not my idea; it was Lucius's suggestion, and the other pure-blood families also agreed."

He paused, his eyes instantly turning cold, filled with contempt and disgust. "That pure-blood traitor Barty Crouch has the blood of us pure-blood wizards on his hands. How can we just stand by and watch him become Minister of Magic?"

Puni looked at Regulus's cold expression in the mirror and understood.

Even though Regulus cleverly escaped his identity as a Death Eater and even became a recognized hero in the wizarding world with the help of secret agents, his deep-rooted belief in pure-blood ideology never changed.

However, his pure-blood ideology was not as extreme and cruel as that of the Dark Lord. He would not indiscriminately kill innocent people or harm Muggle-born wizards in order to maintain the purity of pure blood. He simply firmly believed that pure-blood wizards should have a higher status and should not be superior to Muggle-born wizards.

Puni also knew that the Crouch family was one of the 28 holy pure-blood families in the wizarding world, with a long history and profound heritage. In fact, several generations ago, a female member of the Black family married into the Crouch family, so the two families were related by marriage. Logically speaking, Regulus should not be so hostile to Barty Crouch.

Penny knew the reason perfectly well. After Voldemort's downfall, the Ministry of Magic conducted a large-scale trial of the Death Eaters. Barty Crouch, as the key figure in the trial, always adhered to the principle of strictness and severity. He showed no mercy to any pure-blood wizards involved, even if they were pure-blood nobles related to him by marriage, or even his own son, Barty Crouch Jr. He still handled matters impartially and without any favoritism.

Most of the pure-blood nobles who had escaped trial and were not imprisoned in Azkaban had been severely punished by Barty Crouch during the trial, either by being stripped of their family property or having their magical rights restricted. They had long harbored resentment towards Barty Crouch.

Now that Barty Crouch has a chance to run for Minister of Magic, the surviving pure-blood nobles are naturally not going to let him off easy. They have joined forces and, on Lucius's suggestion, have begun to launch a massive attack on Barty Crouch through newspapers and other channels, trying to ruin his reputation and prevent him from being elected minister.

Puni picked up his quill again and continued writing on the parchment, adding calmly, "I understand your thoughts, but being too hasty will only expose your flaws. If it is discovered that you secretly manipulated these reports, not only will you fail to stop Batty Crouch, but you will also implicate yourselves, which would be a loss."

Regulus in the mirror was silent for a moment, but remained resolute: "I know the risks involved, but we have no way out. Once Batty Crouch is elected minister, he will only continue to suppress our pure-blood families. We must strike first, even if it means taking some risks, we must not let him succeed."

Puni didn't refute further, but simply shook his head slightly.

Regulus is the type of person who, once he makes up his mind, will not easily change it, especially with the support of other pure-blood families.

"Recently, there has been a constant stream of negative news about Batty Crouch Jr., with attacks everywhere. Haven't you considered that this approach is too deliberate and could easily leave hidden dangers?"

He looked away and lowered his head again: "I'm not saying it's wrong for you to target him, it's just that your methods are too direct and too hasty."

"In this way, with just a little guidance from someone, Batty Crouch could easily throw all the mudslinging at Connelly Fudge, thus creating the image of himself as incorruptible and selfless, yet being maliciously slandered by petty people."

"At that time, your attacks will not only be ineffective, but will also help him gain sympathy and indirectly help him succeed. This is not the result you want, is it?"

Puni saw through it all. Barty Crouch had been in the Ministry of Magic for many years and was already a seasoned veteran of political maneuvering. He would never lack people around him who would offer advice and strategies.

Moreover, his image of upholding justice in his daily life is deeply ingrained in people's hearts, and he must have a group of people who genuinely trust him and are willing to serve him.

With a little maneuvering, those people could turn this attack on him into an opportunity to improve his reputation, and Regulus and his group would only suffer losses in the end.

Regulus, on the other side of the two-way mirror, fell into deep thought upon hearing Puni's words.

He frowned, carefully considering Puni's words. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Batty Crouch was a very politically astute person. Even if he himself disdained to use such underhanded tactics, the people around him would never sit idly by and watch him be attacked without cause. They would definitely try to turn the situation around.

Chapter 77 Only you could come up with such a dirty trick, Little Puni! (Bonus Chapter)

Barty Crouch's ability to maintain his position in the Ministry of Magic for so many years and to win public approval through his image of upholding justice is no small feat.

His advisors and confidants will surely seize this opportunity to turn these attacks into a more positive image for him.

Thinking this, Regulus's impatience gradually subsided, and he became more serious. He asked the two-way mirror, "Puni, since you say so, you must already have a plan, right? Tell me, how can we avoid this situation and truly achieve our goal of suppressing him?"

Regulus's gaze was fixed on the mirror, and he could vaguely see a sly smile playing on Puni's lips.

He knew Puni too well; every time he showed that smile, it meant he had come up with a foolproof plan.

Sure enough, Puni stopped writing, put down his quill, leaned back slightly in his chair, and looked at the two-way mirror: "The idea is simple. Send a small portion of the people you sent out to attack Batty Crouch to speak up for him instead. That's called 'padded flight'."

"Padded to fly?" Regulus was taken aback. "What does that mean?"

Puni blinked, then shook his head: "It's nothing."

He paused, then continued, "In short, when those people speak up for him, they shouldn't hold back at all. They should praise him as much as they can, even if it's exaggerated or outrageous. The key is to make the voices of this small group drown out the voices that attack him, creating the illusion that 'a minority can uphold justice and support Batty Crouch.'"

Upon hearing this, Regulus frowned instantly, his face full of confusion and doubt: "What kind of idea is this? Puni, are you serious? We're supposed to suppress him, but you want us to send people to praise him? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse? How can we possibly suppress him like this?"

He simply couldn't understand Puni's thinking. His goal was to prevent Batty Crouch from being elected minister, so why was he helping him campaign?

Looking at Regulus's puzzled expression in the mirror, Puni couldn't help but smile, still confident: "Of course I'm serious, and this is just part of the plan. The people we send out to speak on his behalf will not only praise him lavishly, but also attack Cornelius Fudge, making Fudge sound utterly worthless to highlight Batty Crouch's excellence. After attacking Fudge, we'll double down on praising Batty Crouch, leaving no room for compromise."

At this point, Penny's eyes became increasingly cunning and playful: "What we need to do is to elevate him to the heavens, praising him as a unique and perfect person, a being comparable to a saint. Make everyone feel that if he doesn't become Minister for Magic, it will not only be a huge loss for the British wizarding world, but also a regret for the entire wizarding world. Once we elevate him to such a height, the rest will be much easier."

After finishing speaking, Puni raised an eyebrow and looked at the two-way mirror: "So, what do you think of my idea?"

He knew in his heart that this seemingly simple strategy of flattery to kill was far more effective than relentless attacks.