The Butcher of Hogsmeade

For the rest of the day, although no fifth visitor came to see Shen Hou, he also had no chance to get a peaceful afternoon nap, his mind preoccupied with the news brought by Dumbledore.

Even after it was finally confirmed that he was a "transmigrator from another world", it only solved the problem of not being able to find his hometown and parents. What was with those training images of "magic signs" and "swordsmanship" in his mind?

Could it be that I went to other places before appearing in Hogsmeade?

Another other world?

Shen Hou was unwilling to believe that all his memories were false, just like a mental patient who never admits to being mentally ill until he is completely cured.

The treatment at St. Mungo's Hospital was of a very high standard. They said three days and it was three days. After three days, the bandages were removed, and Shen Hou felt that the skin on his left arm and left shoulder was smooth and tender, just like that of a newborn. The two sides of his body were different colors.

As we all know, a baby's skin feels wonderful to the touch. After thoroughly enjoying touching the baby's skin while removing the bandages, the nurse smiled and reassured her, "It'll be fine in a while."

The Pwitt brothers were the ones who came to pick up Shen Hou from the hospital, their faces solemn and their eyes wary.

"Your expressions don't look like you're here to pick up a discharged patient, but more like you're here to escort me to the execution ground," Shen Hou couldn't help but complain.

"Don't joke around, Shen. Things are more serious than you think, even more serious than most of us anticipated," Gideon warned seriously. "Absolutely, absolutely do not take this lightly."

"What happened?" Shen Hou was puzzled. Killing two Death Eaters was indeed big news, and he expected to be blacklisted by the Death Eaters, but the Pewter brothers were acting as if they had become the Death Eaters' only mortal enemy, their irreconcilable sworn enemy.

It wasn't that Shen Hou felt inferior; the problem was, did he really have that much influence? Could he outshine the Ministry of Magic, the Auror's Office, and Professor Dumbledore, old rivals who had fought Death Eaters for over a decade?

"It was Old Barty's doing," Fabian said in a hostile tone. "He publicized it in the Daily Prophet, portraying Antonin Dolokhov's death as a major victory against the Death Eaters, while simultaneously revealing your identity."

"What does 'semi-public' mean?" Shen Hou asked.

"He publicly announced that you are a clerical staff member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, without mentioning your name or specific position, but..." Fabian shook his head with a cold smile, "What's the difference between that and making it public? Everyone knows that there are spies within the Ministry of Magic. Those from pure-blood families usually hold high positions in the Ministry of Magic. Finding a specific person through vague departmental information will only take a few more days."

Shen Hou's face also darkened: "Could it be that our Director Barty Crouch himself is an inside man?"

"Not necessarily." Gideon promptly interrupted his outspoken brother, taking over the conversation. "Barty Old Man has always taken a hard line against Death Eaters. Allowing Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curse was something he strongly advocated for. From the moment the policy was implemented, the number of Death Eaters killed as a result will probably be ten or twenty times greater than your achievements in Diagon Alley. The Death Eaters' hatred for Barty Old Man far exceeds yours, and may even be second only to Professor Dumbledore."

Why would someone like him want to screw me over?

"Because you are a 'combat hero,' and you appeared at the very moment Barty needed a 'combat hero' the most," Gideon said in a deep voice. "The Death Eaters' atrocities are becoming more and more frequent, creating enormous panic among the people—which was their original intention. Barty probably felt the need to boost public confidence, especially their confidence in the Ministry of Magic, and that's when you appeared. An office worker who stood up against the brutal Death Eaters, and among those you killed was a notorious bandit—what a great story! A Ministry of Magic employee in the story—even if he's just an office worker—has the courage, the ability, and a proven track record."

Shen Hou understood: "Barty Crouch wants to use this to wage a media war, and I'm his... magic wand?"

Gideon nodded, his tone deep: "That's right! You've become a flag, placed between the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters by Barty the Elder, attracting everyone's attention."

"Damn it, no wonder he started by showering me with the title of 'combat hero.' I thought he was trying to take credit for his department, but I guess I was too narrow-minded," Shen Hou muttered. "Everyone else agreed with him doing this, but what about the Minister of Magic?"

"Secretary Millison didn't agree, but the problem is that Old Barty didn't consult with the minister beforehand. She only found out when the owl delivered the newspaper to her desk; by then, public opinion had already spread and it was irreversible," Gideon said.

Fabian added with a wink, "I heard they had a huge argument. The Minister believed that putting the person in danger was both illegal and unethical; while Old Barty insisted that it was for the greater good. They argued fiercely, right there in Old Barty's office, and everyone in the Auror's office heard it. It's a pity that Gideon and I were out on a field mission at the time and didn't hear it ourselves."

"Heh... He made a 'big picture' decision for me without my knowledge. This director is indeed very 'big picture'." Shen Hou sneered.

Gideon reminded him, "You can't go back to your old place. It was arranged for you by the Ministry of Magic, and it can be found in the internal records. We'll help you find a new place to live."

"What about the office? Can I go back there?"

"Of course, the Ministry of Magic is relatively safe, and going to work as usual is no problem." Gideon said as he stood up and led Shen Hou out of the ward. As before, Gideon led the way, Fabian brought up the rear, and Shen Hou walked in the middle.

The three of them returned to the Ministry of Magic via the fireplace, then walked two blocks to a three-story apartment building.

"This is our safe house; please use it as your temporary residence." Gideon led Shen Hou inside, where they were greeted by an elderly woman of about sixty years old. "This is Mrs. Figg, the apartment manager. She's one of our people and can be trusted."

"The room has been prepared; it's at the end of the corridor on the third floor." Mrs. Figg spoke slowly, but every word was clear. In Shen Hou's opinion, this was the most Muggle-like person he had met since entering the magical world. Whether in her clothing or her speech and behavior, Mrs. Figg was unlike other wizards who were full of flaws.

The group followed Mrs. Figg upstairs, walking slowly. Seeing no one around, Shen Hou seized the opportunity to ask, "The Ministry of Magic's safe house—isn't it recorded?"

"Hmm... You can assume that the security level of the safe house is much higher than the house you rented before, and it's not in the public records." Gideon's hesitation flashed across his face, but Shen Hou couldn't see it because he was walking ahead.