A day at Hogwarts.

Chapter 560 Deepest Condolences

"It is with deep sorrow that we announce the tragic death of Mr. Igor Karkaroff, former headmaster of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in the terrorist attack on Falbotton Castle, outside Hogsmeade Village, last night."

Mr. Karkaroff was caught in an attack by fairies. In this perilous moment, he displayed extraordinary courage, resolutely choosing to stay behind and cover the retreat, buying precious time for Charles Smith's evacuation. Facing numerous fairies, Mr. Karkaroff fought valiantly, ultimately sustaining multiple stab wounds and sacrificing his life heroically.

His past may be controversial, but his act of protecting others at the cost of his life last night, under the firelight and shadows of Farbatton Castle, surprised everyone and ultimately proved the unwavering resolve and courage deep within him. His sacrifice was to protect young lives from the clutches of darkness.

Principal Igor Karkalov has been laid to rest. May his soul find peace in the afterlife.

……

The obituary on the front page of The Daily Prophet shocked the global wizarding community.

Professor Agard, the current headmaster of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was so saddened by the news that he almost laughed.

Karkaroff served as the principal of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for over a decade, gaining considerable international renown and numerous students in Eastern and Northern Europe. He was a highly influential figure.

He was fired by Durmstrang, which many wizards believed was simply a result of infighting within the school's upper echelons.

For this reason, the British Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore did not imprison him in Azkaban, but instead kept him in Farbatton Castle as a researcher.

The world is shocked when Karkaroff is killed while covering Charles's retreat at Farbatton Castle and holding off the goblins.

In contrast, Charles's disappearance has thus gained more attention.

This matter is far too complicated; from Dumbledore to Fudge to Voldemort, there's still no clue.

In the Hogwarts Headmaster's office, Madam Maxime told Dumbledore, "Professor Agard and I have discussed this, and we recommend that the fifth game be postponed until next month."

Dumbledore agreed.

Karkaroff was not convicted, and Dumbledore and Voldemort, despite their antics, never caused any trouble in the English Channel. Karkaroff was, after all, the former headmaster of Durmstrang. Therefore, it was reasonable for Durmstrang to suspend entertainment and matches.

During lunch break that day, Hermione somehow got hold of a radio and turned it on in the courtyard to listen to the most popular midday news, attracting a large crowd of students.

The radio crackled with the voice of Sirius Black, the newly appointed press secretary: “The robbers attempted to steal the vault, but Farbatton Castle was safe. They were dealt with before they even saw the vault doors.”

……

"The core business area of ​​Phoenix Logistics and its subsidiaries is located in a location as secure as the vault, and its business has not been affected. The business of communication laptops and delicious tablecloths continues to operate normally, and the takeaway business of Dancing Grass Restaurant will resume at 5 p.m. today."

……

"We will not be defeated, we will not back down, we will achieve final victory!"

After Blake finished speaking, there was a Q&A session with special correspondents.

Rita Skeeter asked, "How much damage did Phoenix Logistics suffer in last night's disaster? Will it affect its future business? Will it be crippled forever?"

Blake replied in a deep voice, "Our initial estimate of the losses is at least 2.5 million Galleons. The exact amount needs further calculation, and this figure will increase further."

He later revealed that Charles had asked him for money as start-up capital.

Everyone around the radio was stunned. They knew that Farbatton Castle and Dancing Grass Restaurant had suffered heavy losses, but they never expected it to be this bad.

Many wizards began counting on their fingers, wondering how many lifetimes they would need to earn so many Galleons.

In the professors' lounge, professors taking their lunch break were listening to the radio, and Dumbledore was also there.

Upon hearing the number, Dumbledore, remembering Charles's money-grubbing ways and inherent ruthlessness, immediately clutched his chest and collapsed.

Back then, Malfoy was nearly beaten to death for destroying plants in the greenhouse, and Dumbledore couldn't bear to think that Charles, now under such immense pressure, might turn into a wizard like Voldemort or Grindelwald. The professors were in a panic and immediately carried the headmaster to the school infirmary.

Blake continued, "While we have suffered heavy financial losses, the loss of our core competitive advantage—our talent—is not severe."

"Our company has grown rapidly in a short period of time thanks to the hard work and dedication of all our employees."

"With the joint efforts of all employees, our company will surely recover soon."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the manuscript in his hand again to make sure he hadn't made a mistake, and only then did he regain some confidence.

This isn't like the usual casual conversation; I'm representing the entire Phoenix Logistics Company. If I say the wrong thing, it will not only bring shame to the company but also make the Black family a laughingstock.

Although Blake left home early, he did not completely sever ties with the Blake family. Now that he is the only member of the family left, he can start over and therefore has begun to pay attention to the family's reputation.

Rita then asked, "What are your plans for the future? Will you retaliate against Gringotts? Will you handle it through the Ministry of Magic, or will you resolve it privately?"

This question immediately attracted everyone's attention, and many people wanted to know what they would do next, whether through reason or force.

The Ministry of Magic is most concerned, as some fear this could trigger a new goblin rebellion.

"Our top priority now is to resume production; other matters will be decided by Charles Smith," Blake said.

Those on the other end of the radio who recognized Charles immediately perked up; no one had seen him since last night.

Rita asked the question they wanted to ask: "Where is Mr. Charles Smith now? There are rumors that he is hiding somewhere, rumors that he was kidnapped by a fairy last night, and even rumors that he was eventually killed. Which one is true?"

The few seconds of silence on the radio felt so long.

Blake's voice came through: "No comment."

Hermione and the others around the radio were worried, wondering if it was to protect Charles and keep it a secret, or if something bad had happened.

Voldemort also frowned at the same time.

He felt the matter was too suspicious.

Today’s Daily Prophet features clear photos and identifications of all the goblin corpses, as well as Gronouk’s ambiguous statement after being arrested at the Pig’s Head Bar.

All 70 fairies died, none escaped, and the 14 fairies who were specifically targeting Charles had their heads chopped off.

Anyone who has a history of killing can tell at a glance that it was less a fairy assassinating Charles and more a trap set to ambush the fairy.

Especially the fairies who were dealing with Charles, they didn't move around much in their respective positions and could only be ambushed by the enemy with a numerical advantage.

Wizards rarely use beheading as a method; now it seems more like a demonstration, a form of intimidation, like a dark mark.

Voldemort couldn't help but wonder if Charles had come up with this on his own, or if he had been guided by a mastermind.
If he came up with it himself, then he's an extraordinary talent; we should snatch him from Azkaban.

Some people frowned even more deeply, seeing their own belongings reflected in the photos of the goblin's corpse.

The other Death Eaters, however, were focused on Karkaroff, thinking to themselves that it was no wonder the Dark Lord hadn't given him any instructions regarding his arrest; he had gone to be Charles's bodyguard.

At this moment, Charles is using Occlusive surgery to avoid sneezing caused by others talking about him.

He unscrewed a bottle of soda, took two gulps, and started thinking about what to do next.

(End of this chapter)