The Butcher of Hogsmeade

Shen Hou was left in the Bureau of Mysterious Affairs. The word "left" was probably to save face for him. Strictly speaking, his freedom was forcibly restricted, to the point that even using the word "closed" would not be wrong.

The place of confinement could not be the Time Hall, as this was already the core area of ​​the Department of Mysteries. Even the circular hall at the entrance could not be used, because the staff of the Department of Mysteries—the Silent Ones—would gather and linger here before and after work every day, and Shen Hou had to be isolated from the people of this era as much as possible.

Under various considerations, Shen Hou once again witnessed the wonder of magic: the wizards had actually temporarily created a new room in the corridor before entering the rotunda.

First, Kroc used magic to carve a small, square grid into the wall, roughly the size and length of a kitchen shelf for oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. Then, Dumbledore, wielding a knotted wand, created a door in the grid with a few strokes, resembling a child's toy model. Once all this was done, Dumbledore pushed open the door and gestured for Shen Hou to enter.

"What do you mean... let me in?" Shen Hou was furious; wasn't this a dog hole? At most, only a Pekingese could squeeze through, and even a larger dog would have a hard time getting through.

"Come and see for yourself, Mr. Shen Hou," Dumbledore said calmly, but with no room for refusal. "Do as I say, step one foot in first, then bend over..."

At the same time, the Director of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters also issued an urging, but he was not as gentle as Dumbledore; he was more impatient, even wanting to push her: "Hurry up, do you think we have time to joke with you? We don't have time to waste!"

Shen Hou stretched out his leg and crouched down with some skepticism, when suddenly his perspective changed abruptly. He instinctively looked up and found himself in an empty room, easily over ten square meters in size. He turned around abruptly and saw a wooden door taller than a person; it hardly looked like a "miniature model."

Dumbledore and the others followed, looking around as if assessing the “prison” environment and its sturdiness.

"Something is missing here," Dumbledore cautioned.

Minister Millison said, "Of course, the Ministry of Magic will provide Mr. Shen with the necessary living facilities and three meals a day, and afternoon tea as well."

"Perhaps you also need this..." Dumbledore pointed his wand at the wall opposite the door, and a glass window quietly appeared, letting in the light from outside and illuminating the "cell" even brighter. Looking out through the glass, one could overlook the entrance plaza of the Ministry of Magic, and Shen Hou immediately noticed the glittering golden statue in the plaza.

"Is this safe?" Piastrelli asked, dissatisfied.

"Don't worry, the window isn't real, he can't get out." Dumbledore stood by the window, looking out.

Shen Hou, both dissatisfied and impatient, pressed, "How long am I supposed to stay here?"

"Until someone comes to pick you up, or until we confirm your safety," Piastrelli replied; as the director of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters, he was keen to nip any potential threats in the bud out of his duty.

Shen Hou immediately became agitated and shouted, "Even if it's a sentence, shouldn't there be a clear term? What does 'until safety is confirmed' even mean? Who decides whether it's safe or not? Wizardry laws can't be so arbitrary!"

"You must understand, this isn't a legal issue, it's a security issue, Mr. Shen. Your very existence is a threat, whether to the wizarding world, the Muggle world, or even to history as a whole. And our primary concern is eliminating that threat." Millison Barnold's words had a rather righteous tone, but coming from the person in question, they inevitably evoked anger. "The best outcome in this matter is that someone from your era, from your country, will come to take you away; otherwise… I guarantee I will handle your case with the utmost care and impartiality, and I will take Professor Crocker's advice very seriously."

Having said all that, there was really nothing more to say. Reluctantly, Shen Hou began his "life behind bars." The window on the wall was even more despairing than a real iron window, because the glass was fixed and could not be opened or broken. The sights and sounds outside could be heard through the window, making it more like a monitor displaying real-time surveillance footage.

Saul Krock brought him three meals a day, and this taciturn man was the only one who could talk to Shen Hou every day. After only one day in the "cell," Shen Hou became restless and asked the taciturn man for a way to pass the time, eventually receiving a few books.

"What are 'A History of Magic' and 'Hogwarts: A History of the School'?"

"A way to pass the time." Crocker's words carried a dry humor that Shen Hou couldn't quite grasp. "For Hogwarts students, even just sitting and daydreaming during a History of Magic class is a source of amusement. I know life here is boring, so I hope you can find some enjoyment in this book."

As Shen Hou flipped through the book, he rolled his eyes: "You're just going to let me read the history books of the magical world like this? Don't you have the 'Secrecy Law'? Do you really think I can read these things?"

"I heard you can cast spells without a wand?" Crocker said with a smile. "If that gets you recognized as a wizard, then of course you can see it; if you're still considered a Muggle, then there's a proper way to handle it."

"In what way?"

"We will erase your memories, all memories related to the magical world."

"What the hell!" Shen Hou almost jumped up.

"Don't make a fuss, this is standard procedure; otherwise, how do you think wizards keep Muggles out of sight and protect the secrets of the magical world, relying solely on verbal agreements or written contracts?"

Shen Hou still found it hard to accept: "Will there be any long-term effects?"

Kroc reassured him, "Don't worry, we have a dedicated department and staff to handle memory issues. They are highly professional, precise, and swift. Apart from the parts related to the magical world, the other memories will not be damaged."

"Well, that sounds pretty good." Shen Hou's tone was sullen, as if accepting reality or comforting himself. "Eliminating memories isn't bad either. What I've experienced these past few days... werewolves, war, terrorists, solitary confinement, the magical world has given me a really bad impression. Now I actually hope all of this ends soon."

"It's great that you think that way." Kroc nodded with satisfaction.

However, as the days went by, things did not develop as Shen Hou "hoped," and it seemed that everything he was experiencing would not end quickly.

From three days to five days, then a week, half a month... everything was peaceful inside and outside the Bureau of Mysteries. Shen Hou's "cell" was quiet, and no wizard from 2026 came to pick up this time traveler.

A month later, just when Shen Hou felt his last bit of patience was about to run out, the Minister, the Director, and Dumbledore gathered again at the Department of Mysteries and came before him.