The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 344 Personal Feud (6K) (1/2)

All the wands pointing towards the grass hesitated for a moment.

The Aurors wore expressions of astonishment, confusion, and even absurdity.

They were on high alert, as if facing a formidable enemy, but the center of the encirclement turned out to be—this?

Scrimgeour strode forward, his thick eyebrows furrowed into a knot.

His sharp gaze swept over the sprite and the area around it like a searchlight.

There were no obvious signs of fighting or magical confrontation. He crouched down—a gesture that made him look more like a lion preparing to inspect its prey. He carefully examined the sprite from a distance with his wand, confirming that it was merely unconscious, with stable vital signs. Apart from some grass and dust on its body, it had no obvious external injuries and did not appear to be under any complicated curse.

Scrimgeour stood up, his face terribly grim.

He looked around at the empty surroundings, then looked up at the Black Demon Mark that was still emitting a ghastly green light in the night sky.

The Dark Mark ——— A comatose house-elf ———

His intuition was screaming for his life.

This is too deliberate; it's just a clumsy trick to divert attention!

But the scene was infuriatingly clean, and apart from the unconscious little sprite, there was no other suspect.

Just as Scrimgeour was about to order a thorough investigation of the scene, and then bring the little sprite back to the ministry as the prime suspect for a complete examination and even memory extraction, "Sh ...

Suddenly, a rapid, rustling sound, clearly not the sound of wind, came from the bushes on the left.

Very close, right at the edge of the encirclement!

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" The nearest young Auror reacted with lightning speed, shouting almost the instant the voice rang out. Simultaneously, his wand instinctively pointed towards the source of the sound, and a dazzling red light shot out—"Faint!"

"Sizzle!"

The red light did not hit its target, but was deflected at an angle by the wand in mid-air, turning into scattered light fragments that illuminated the suddenly shaking bushes.

"It's me!"

A deep, hoarse yet authoritative voice rang out, carrying a distinct suppressed anger and an undeniable firmness.

The last halo of the red light that had been flung away illuminated the slender yet upright figure that strode out from behind the bushes. The figure had meticulously styled gray-brown hair, a stern, chiseled face, tightly pursed thin lips, and eyes that, even in the dim light, seemed sharp enough to pierce the heart.

It was Barty Crouch, the former Director of the Department of Law Enforcement and the current Director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

The wand in his hand was still emitting a faint blue smoke from the removal of the Stunning Curse. The tip of the wand was lowered, but the posture was like a sharp sword about to be drawn. His robe was stained with dew and a few leaves, indicating that he had also been traveling in a hurry at night, but the oppressive feeling of being in a superior position had not diminished in the slightest.

The moment he saw who it was, the young Auror who had cast the Stunning Spell paled, instinctively took a half-step back, and stammered, "Chief Crouch—"

The Aurors around him were also stunned, and they all lowered some of their wands aimed at Crouch, but the wariness and doubt in their eyes had not completely disappeared.

The sudden appearance of this former Director of the Legal Enforcement Division, known for his rigor and iron fist, at this time and place is extremely suspicious.

Scrimgeour's pupils also contracted slightly.

He waved his hand, signaling his men to calm down, but he did not loosen his grip on his wand.

He stepped forward, standing between the unconscious sprite and Crouch, his rough voice carrying a stiff, businesslike tone: "Chief Crouch, what are you doing here?"

Barty Crouch's gaze swept quickly over the unconscious sprite on the ground, his eye twitching almost imperceptibly, before he looked up at Scrimgeour, who was standing in front of him.

"Someone burned my tent," Crouch's voice was filled with suppressed anger and a barely perceptible urgency. "In the initial chaos, I tried to chase the arsonists, but they used smoke and barrier spells, heading towards this part of the woods. More importantly, they kidnapped my house-elf—Sparkling."

He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over Scrimgeour and the Aurors behind him, before continuing, "I followed the trail to this area, and then I saw—" He raised his hand and pointed to the night sky, though the mark had faded, everyone understood what he meant, "—that mark rose over there. I think the two things are likely related; the attackers may have fled to the mark's release point, or the mark itself may have been some kind of signal, causing them to rush over immediately."

He looked again at the thin figure wrapped in a tea towel on the ground, pointed, and said decisively, "It seems you've found her. I need to take her back immediately for examination and treatment, and ask her if she saw any features of the attacker."

take away?

Examination and treatment?

Scrimgeour's alarm bells went off instantly.

Crouch's story sounds plausible: the tent was attacked, the elf was kidnapped, he followed the trail, and arrived after seeing the mark—but the timing is too coincidental, so coincidental that it raises suspicion.

Especially his subtle change in expression just now and his eagerness to take away the only "evidence" from the scene.

Why did his Pokémon happen to appear at the marked release point?

Thinking about this, Scrimgeour's doubts deepened.

If Crouch had truly been tracking them nearby, arriving immediately upon seeing the marker rise, theoretically he should have been faster than them gathering at the edge of the camp, or at least not later. Why then does it seem like he was tailing them?

Seeing the questioning look on Scrimgeour's face, Crouch realized the time discrepancy in his words and quickly added in a stiff tone, "The terrain in the forest is complicated, and the tracks are intermittent. After seeing the markings, I was worried about ambushes along the way, so I checked several possible hiding places, which delayed me a little. That's why I arrived a little later than you."

This explanation sounds reasonable; a cautious Crouch might indeed have done that.

But Scrimgeour's intuition still screamed—too coincidental, too detailed.

When has Batty Crouch, a tough and powerful man, ever been so cooperative in answering questions?

Scrimgeour's alarm bells went off instantly.

Crouch's seemingly coherent explanation only made him more suspicious the more perfect it sounded.

Especially their eagerness to take away the only "evidence" from the scene.

He was determined not to let Crouch have his way.

But in reality, the deeper reason for his decision was his own intractable hatred for Crouch.

The man in front of him was once his superior, a ruthless figure in the Legal Enforcement Division whose word was law.

Scrinker admired his abilities and skills, and they had worked closely together on many cases, maintaining a facade of professionalism and harmony.

But when Crouch was forced to leave the Department of Law Enforcement due to the "wrongful conviction of Sirius Black" and was transferred to the Department of International Magical Cooperation, a position that seemed like a promotion but was actually marginalized, he did something that Scrimgeour still resents to this day: he strongly recommended himself to take over as the head of the Department of Law Enforcement.

At the time, everyone outside the company thought this was a former boss promoting a capable subordinate.

Only Scrimgeour himself knew that this was nothing more than a vicious scheme of flattery to kill and eliminate his offspring.

Crouch's own downfall due to scandal has thrust Scrimgeour, a hawk known for his toughness and "ruthlessness," into the spotlight.

Fudge was already wary of the power and independence of the Department of Law Enforcement. Crouch was already giving him a headache, and now there was Scrinker, who was even tougher in style and had enough experience and achievements to convince people.

Fudge would never agree to that.

As Scringer had predicted, he remained in the powerful position of "Chief of the Auror Office," receiving some verbal promises as reassurance. However, the title of "Director" and broader prospects for advancement were completely blocked by Crouch's "brilliant" recommendation.

He was forever relegated to the role of "executor" and "henchman," making it difficult for him to access the true core of decision-making.

Scrimgeour never revealed this hidden resentment and hatred, but at this moment, in this suspicious scene, facing Crouch's seemingly reasonable request, it gnawed at his reason like a venomous snake.

“I’m afraid that won’t work, Chief Crouch.” Scrimgeour’s voice was even colder than before. He stepped forward, completely blocking Crouch’s view of Brilliant. “Your house-elf was found at the heart of the Dark Mark’s release, and she was the only one present. She is now a prime suspect—or at least a key witness. By procedure, I must bring her back to the department for questioning and a full examination to determine whether she cast the mark, whether she was carrying any illegal magical items, or whether she witnessed the true identity of the Mark caster.”

He deliberately emphasized "interrogation" and "comprehensive examination," his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Crouch.

Crouch's face darkened, his eyes sharpening like knives: "Interrogation? Scrimgeour, you and I both know that a house-elf, without a wand, how could she possibly unleash that level of Dark Mark? This is clearly a ruse by the real criminals to divert our attention! What you should be doing right now is hunting down those Death Eaters who are causing chaos, not wasting time here tormenting a poor, frightened elf who couldn't possibly have committed a crime!"

"Whether it's possible or not is not for us to speculate on, but for the evidence and magical tests to determine." Scrimgeour stood firm. "Procedure is procedure, Chief Crouch. This is a principle you personally established and emphasized back then. Before she is cleared of all suspicion, she must be subject to the supervision and investigation of the Auror Office. This is also to clarify the truth as soon as possible and find the real culprit."

The Aurors around them kept their eyes down, remaining silent and even breathing softly.

The tension between the former director and the current leader was so high it was almost igniting the air, and neither wanted to get involved.

Crouch's chest heaved slightly, clearly indicating that he was trying his best to control his emotions.

He stared at Scringer with a gaze that seemed to pierce him.

Scrimgeour was equally defiant, his thick neck stiff, the scars on his face appearing even more menacing in the dim light.

Just as tensions were running high and the air seemed to freeze, a soft "rustle—pfft—" was heard.

From the bushes in another direction came the sound of someone crossing and the sound of dead branches breaking underfoot.

Scrimgeour and Crouch turned their heads simultaneously, alert, and their wands adjusted slightly.

"Who?!" an Auror on the periphery immediately shouted.

"It's us! Don't attack!" A slightly breathless but familiar voice rang out.

Immediately afterwards, two figures emerged somewhat disheveled from the edge of the misty woods.

Ahead of them was Arthur Weasley, his hair disheveled, his face flushed and showing signs of nervousness from running.

Closely following behind him was Sirius Black, who was in slightly better condition, but his eyes were sharp, his wand gripped tightly, and he warily scanned the scene. Especially when he saw Barty Crouch, his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and his lips pressed into a cold, hard line.

"Weasley? Black?" Scrimgeour frowned even more. The people gathering in this woods tonight were becoming increasingly diverse. "And what are you all doing here?"

Sirius didn't speak immediately. His gaze swept quickly over Crouch, Scrimgeour, and Gilgamesh on the ground, finally settling on Crouch's tense face. A complex light, a mixture of cold hatred and scrutiny, flashed in his grey-blue eyes.

The former head of law enforcement played a crucial role in his imprisonment in Azkaban without trial.

Mr. Weasley took a breath, trying to calm himself, and quickly explained, "Director Scrimgeour! We were nearby when the Dark Mark appeared. It rose from a spot not far from us, so we rushed over immediately." He pointed in a direction deeper into the woods, "We got there very quickly, just in time to see a figure dart into the woods from the other edge of this clearing and escape! We both gave chase, but unfortunately, the woods were too dark and the terrain too complicated. The figure twisted and turned, and in the end—we lost track of them. We couldn't catch them. So we had to come back."

His tone was tinged with frustration and regret, while he explained to Scrimgeour their reasonable course of action: they had returned here after failing to track "another figure."

Upon hearing this, Barty Crouch stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, but he immediately seized the opportunity, turning to Scrinzel, his tone becoming even more assertive: "Did you hear that, Scrinzel? Weasley and Black saw a real prisoner being released! A wizard! That's enough to prove my house-elf couldn't have been the one who released the mark! She was either knocked unconscious by the servants here, or by the prisoner who released her! Now, may I take her away? She needs treatment and comfort!"

Skrinze's expression did not soften in the slightest.

The appearance and testimony of Weasley and Black, despite mentioning a "male confession," only made the situation more confusing.

Who knows if what they saw was the real liberator?

Or was it another unrelated Death Eater who took advantage of the chaos to escape? Or perhaps—could they have mistaken it for someone else? Their testimony cannot completely clear the little elf of suspicion, especially given its presence at the heart of the scene.

“I heard it, Chief Crouch,” Scrinzer’s voice remained curt, laced with bureaucratic indifference. “But Mr. Weasley and Mr. Black didn’t actually see the moment the mark was released; they saw figures moving before and after it. This doesn’t completely rule out the possibility that your house-elf was involved in some way we don’t understand, or was used as part of the ritual. Until a thorough magical examination and memory check are completed, she remains key evidence and a potential suspect. The process must be completed.”

His words clung to the word "procedure," sounding grand and dignified, but anyone present who was even slightly perceptive, especially those familiar with the past grievances between the two, could detect a subtle undercurrent of malice directed at Crouch.

Skrinzer simply refused to release them easily, even though his reasons were somewhat far-fetched.

Sirius Black had been observing the confrontation with a detached eye. His dislike for Barty Crouch was undisguised, but at this moment, he was even more disgusted by the Eye Master's bureaucratic, presumptuous excuses and scheming.

Scrinzer was clearly using the rules to make Crouch uncomfortable, and the truth and the Death Eater who had been sent to the scene did not seem to be his primary concern.

Sirius felt nauseous at this dirty political charade.

"We didn't see who put that thing there," Sirius Black suddenly said, his voice not loud, but carrying a lazy yet penetrating sarcasm that broke the tense atmosphere between the two officials.

His dark eyes first glanced at Crouch's ashen face, then turned to Sklintse, "But we heard it."

Scrimgeour and Crouch both looked at him.

"Just a second or two after the mark shot into the sky," Sirius continued, his tone as flat as if describing the weather, "we heard chanting coming from roughly this direction." He gestured toward the center of the clearing. "It was a man's voice, hoarse and low, but definitely that of an adult male."

He paused, his gaze falling on the unconscious house-elf Sparkle on the ground, then looking up at Scrinze, a forced smile playing on his lips: "The one on the ground, as you can see, is a female house-elf. So, at least she wasn't the one who chanted that spell. As for why she's lying here, whether she was knocked unconscious and thrown here as a substitute, that's something you 'procedure-obsessed' people need to investigate."

Sirius's words were like a stone thrown into a calm surface of water, where undercurrents were turbulent.

He mentioned a seemingly minor but crucial detail—the voice characteristics of the Black Mark caster.

This directly refutes the core possibility of the hypothesis that "the sprite is the releaser," making Scrinzer's insistence on "procedural necessity" seem more like a deliberate attempt to obstruct.

The Pilos around him exchanged glances, clearly finding Blake's words quite reasonable.

Mr. Weasley quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, Sirius is right, we heard it too, it was a man's voice!"

Barty Crouch's tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, and his gaze toward Sirius Black was complicated for a moment. He knew perfectly well how much Black hated him, and he never expected that Sirius would give testimony that would benefit him at this moment.

Skrinze's facial muscles twitched.

He stared at Sirius for two seconds, then glanced at Arthur Weasley, who was nodding affirmatively, before looking at the unconscious sprite on the ground.

His mind was working very fast.

Crouch's behavior was certainly suspicious, and the presence of the sprite was no accident, but Black's obnoxious testimony, combined with the sprite's inherent limitations, completely blocked any possibility of directly attributing the most serious charge of "releasing the Dark Mark" to Crouch or his property. Continuing to dwell on this issue would only waste time and exacerbate the already strained relationship with Crouch, yielding no real benefit.

Skrinzer was a pragmatist. He despised Crouch, but he despised pointless, fruitless brawls even more.

He made the decision almost instantly.

"—Very good." Skrinzer's voice returned to its rough calm, but the previous nitpicking towards Crouch was gone, replaced by a cold, hard tone that focused on the matter at hand.

He offered no further comment to Crouch or Gilgamesh, but instead abruptly looked up, his Tinley's self-illumination locking onto the slowly writhing, ominous green skull and serpent mark in the night sky. He raised his thick arm, a blinding golden light erupting from the tip of his wand, followed by a solid, spear-wing-like Exorcism Charm!

The incantation struck the core of the magical mark with pinpoint accuracy. A low, muffled thud, like shattering glass, echoed through the air. The enormous green skull, along with the venomous snake, instantly disintegrated into countless points of light, swiftly vanishing into the darkness as if it had never existed. The entire process was clean and efficient, demonstrating powerful magical ability and control.

After finishing this task, Skrinzer seemed to have simply brushed a speck of dust off his shoulder.

He turned to Mr. Weasley and Sirius, speaking quickly and clearly, leaving no room for argument: "Weasley, Black, you said you saw a figure running in that direction?" He pointed in the direction Sirius and Arthur were.

"Yes, roughly over there, but the woods are too dense—" Arthur quickly confirmed.

"That's enough. Bolt, you take four men and immediately begin searching in that direction, covering an area up to an inch wide. Focus on finding any suspicious traces, residual magical fluctuations, or anyone hiding there. Maintain contact, and if you encounter resistance, signal immediately." He then appointed another senior Piro.

"Mingmeng!" Piro, named Bolt, immediately waved and led his four companions to quickly and silently disperse in the designated direction, disappearing into the dark forest.

After arranging things here, Skrintz seemed to suddenly remember Crouch was still nearby. He turned around and said in a businesslike tone, "Chief Crouch, since there is corroborating evidence that your sprite is not a spellcaster, you can take her away. I suggest you have her examined as soon as possible to find out why she was unconscious and how she ended up here. If there are any discoveries related to tonight's events, please be sure to contact Piro's office."