Hogwarts: Who made her a professor?

Chapter 483 Facing Fear

It is often said that you will never see members of the Malfoy family at a crime scene, even if the wand used in the crime is covered with their fingerprints.

For the cunning Malfoy, this was a very high compliment.

For centuries, the immense wealth controlled by the Malfoys has ensured their enormous influence within the Ministry of Magic for generations.

The Malfoys rarely step into the limelight; they don't crave the position of Minister of Magic, preferring to operate from behind the scenes and never take responsibility for failures.

For example, Septimius Malfoy, whose puppet was then Minister of Magic Osbert.

Take Abraxas Malfoy, for example. Everyone knows that he was the one who brought down Minister of Magic Nobi Leach, but no one can provide any evidence.

Lucius Malfoy, however, was quite different from his cunning ancestors.

Lucius Malfoy may appear shrewd and cunning, but he is actually terribly foolish. He is always caught out or has something to hide.

The year Hogwarts was plagued by the Basilisk, Lucius Malfoy managed to expel Dumbledore from the school, which seemed successful but was actually a prime example of failure.

Dumbledore, who had been expelled, quickly returned to the school, while Malfoy was expelled from the board of trustees for cursing the other trustees.

He offended the school board and also lost Voldemort's diary.

It's embarrassing to be spinning around like that.

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During the riot at the World Cup camp last summer, if Malfoy hadn't run fast enough, the Ministry of Magic could have apprehended him on the spot and imprisoned him in Azkaban.

Although Lucius Malfoy successfully influenced Connelly Fudge over the next year, experiencing a rare moment of glory, it was not due to his efforts; Malfoy simply happened to be there.

At that time, Cornelius Fudge desperately needed more support to fight Dumbledore. Fudge was indeed influenced by Malfoy, but wasn't he also using Malfoy?

Looking back on Lucius Malfoy's early life, it's fair to say he accomplished nothing, if not nothing at all.

Ambitious but incompetent, with grand ambitions but little talent, yet believing himself to be the smartest man in the world—this is Lucius Malfoy, the Lucius Malfoy who brought shame upon the Malfoy family.

Other Malfoys, even if the wands used in the crimes are covered with their fingerprints, will never be found at the crime scene.

Unlike Lucius Malfoy, whose wands were not only covered in his fingerprints, people could also see his figure at the crime scene.

Fourteen years ago, the Ministry of Magic brought Lucius Malfoy to court. Although he escaped punishment by citing the Imperius Curse, many people believed that he was a Death Eater.

Tonight, the Ministry of Magic caught Lucius Malfoy red-handed once again. This time, there was no way he could escape, and no matter how he tried to explain or deny it, it would be to no avail.

Belvina ignored the stupid and cowardly Lucius Malfoy and turned to check on the dark wizards who were bound like dumplings, making sure they couldn't escape.

Soon, reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic arrived.

Belvina handed over the Death Eaters and Dark Wizards to the support troops and immediately headed to the next temporary base.

The arriving support troops were divided into three parts: one part stayed behind to guard the prisoners, one part went out to keep watch, and the other part supported Azkaban Castle.

As more and more reinforcements arrived, the Aurors, Strikers, and Law Enforcement Team fought with increasing ferocity, and the Death Eaters' dark wizards were driven to flee in terror, their previous arrogance completely gone.

Not only the rabble of dark wizards, but even Voldemort's elite forces couldn't hold out. Although the Death Eaters were skilled in the Unforgivable Curse, the Ministry of Magic had the overwhelming numbers, including many highly skilled individuals.

On the Order of the Phoenix side, Sirius Black and Lupin, who arrived earlier, headed straight for the Death Eaters. They not only forced the Caro siblings into a retreat, but also freed up their hands to support the Aurosevic.

Arrasto Moody arrived shortly after, displaying undiminished bravery. He immediately grabbed Walton McNeil, and the younger generation finally witnessed the prowess of the finest Auror.

On the Ministry of Magic's side, the Auror Office deployed its best personnel, including Rufus Scrimgeour, Gadwin Robbazz, and Kingsley Shackleton—all elite Aurors capable of changing the course of events.

Under the combined attack of the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix, the ragtag group of dark wizards collapsed at the first sign of trouble.

Among the Death Eaters, Avery and Nott, seeing the situation was bad, immediately fled, Apparating the moment they saw Moody's iconic Mystic Eye.

Alecto Carlo was seriously injured. If it weren't for his brother Amicus Carlo risking his life to save him, Alecto would probably have died here tonight. The two siblings fled with their injuries.

The remaining Death Eaters were either wounded or fled, each one running faster than the last.

Although the Death Eaters escaped and the dark wizards were scattered, the Ministry of Magic's crisis was not over; the real crisis tonight was Azkaban.

Along the northern coast, small boats sped towards the island in the center of the North Sea like arrows, their movements accompanied by soft, ethereal sounds.

Instead of pursuing the fleeing Death Eaters and dark wizards, the Aurors, Strikers, and Law Enforcers headed straight for the island that couldn't be marked on a map, straight for Azkaban.

The cold waters of the North Sea did not treat the wizards, who had just experienced a great battle, kindly for Christmas. The North Sea was particularly cold tonight, and the closer they got to their target, the lower the temperature on the sea surface became, with even thin ice floes appearing.

Similarly, the fearsome castle of Azkaban did not treat the hastily arriving wizards well; it had existed for hundreds of years.

The hell on earth seemed even more sinister and terrifying on this cold night, the castle's blurry outline resembling a demon crawling out of hell.

"Something's not right."

Alastor Moody's bright blue magic eyes spun wildly.

The finest Auror wanted to see through the castle's high walls, but a thick white mist blocked his view.

Not only Alastor Moody, but everyone else who landed on the island also realized something was wrong; Azka was too cold and too quiet tonight.

"All personnel on high alert!"

Rufus Scrimgeour, the Auror's Chief of Staff, shouted.

Even without Scrimgeour's reminder, all the wizards who landed on the island raised their wands and carefully observed their surroundings.

Tonight, Azkaban is incredibly eerie. None of the Dementors guarding the castle have appeared, and the island is deathly silent. Something is definitely not right.

Alastor Moody and Rufus Scrimgeour, both limping, strode toward the castle.

Gadwin Robards and Kingsley Shackle followed closely behind, the two elite Aurors glancing around as they secretly recalled pleasant memories.

Seeing this, the others immediately followed suit, each with a solemn expression. Everyone who could use the Guardian Charm was trying to recall things that brought them joy.

Sirius Black, mingling in the crowd, looked terrible; his complexion was even worse than Lupin's beside him.

Sirius Black, who had been imprisoned in Azkaban for twelve years, has a fear of Dementors that far surpasses that of anyone else tonight.

At that moment, Lupin reached out and grabbed Sirius's arm, shaking his head at Sirius.

The two have been friends since childhood; a single glance or gesture is enough for them to understand each other's feelings.

Lupin told Sirius that they had done enough for the night and there was no need for them to come into Azkaban Castle with him; the rest could be left to the Ministry of Magic.

Judging from the current strange situation, something is definitely wrong with Azkaban; the Dementors guarding the castle have likely betrayed them. The key question is whether all or only a portion of the Dementors have rebelled.

Sirius understood Lupin's good intentions, but he had no intention of stopping.

He is Sirius Black, he is the brave Gryffindor, how can he stop because of fear?

Sirius slowly but firmly shook his head. Even if his teeth chattered and his legs cramped, he would face the fear in his heart and crawl over it, even if it meant crawling.

Lupin didn't say anything more. He knew that the Black siblings were stubborn by nature and wouldn't easily change their minds.

Since Sirius wants to confront his deepest fears, Lupin won't stop him; he'll simply stand by and help him overcome them.

Just then, the chaotic footsteps suddenly stopped.

The wizards who landed on the island fell into an eerie silence, a chilling aura washing over them, penetrating to the bone and cutting into their very being.

Lupin noticed Sirius's reaction beside him; his body was trembling, his teeth were biting his lip tightly, and a trace of crimson appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Protect the Gods!"

Lupin immediately raised his wand, and a soft, holy silver mist rose up, enveloping him and Sirius.

Soon, the wizards who landed on the island chanted the guardian deity incantation one after another, and the holy silver mist merged into one, with physical guardian deities running and jumping in the mist.

However, there were simply too many Dementors. Hundreds of them rushed out of the main gate of Azkaban Castle and swarmed toward the wizard.

Hundreds of Dementors swiftly slid toward the wizard, forming an impenetrable wall that completely blocked the wizard's path to the island.

Then, more and more Dementors emerged from the darkness, surrounding the Ministry of Magic's wizards from all sides—

The chill seeped deeper and deeper into his bones, and Sirius's vision grew increasingly blurry. He struggled to raise his wand, his voice trembling as he uttered the incantation: "Hurry—Hurry—Hurry—Hurry!"

A wisp of silver thread drifted out from the tip of Sirius's staff, but it failed to transform into a guardian spirit and dissipated.

"Call upon God for protection!" Lupin chanted the guardian spirit incantation again.

The wisp of silver mist that enveloped Lupin and Sirius instantly materialized, and a silver wolf appeared.