The Butcher of Hogsmeade

Shen Hou was neither a philosopher nor a physicist, and he didn't intend to take things too seriously. He quickly put the mass-energy conversion formula aside and focused on the people and things in front of him.

Marlene's parents were unharmed, only petrified, and had been moved to the living room and revived. As for the Prewitt brothers, they had also brought back the three Death Eaters from the front door with Sirius's help.

The London police responded quickly to the bombing, but even the fastest response couldn't outrun a wizard who could apparite. As soon as the police car entered the neighborhood, the officers were all under a confusion spell, mistaking a wizard who neither wore a fire suit nor drove a fire truck for the fire chief. After hearing a briefing about the "gas explosion," and amidst the fire chief's smiling assurances of safety and cleanup, they dazedly turned the car around and drove away.

Immediately afterwards, Shen Hou witnessed the Ministry of Magic's exceptionally high efficiency in covering up magical incidents.

Confusion and forgetting spells were used extensively, and every resident of the neighborhood—including passersby who happened to be passing by and stopped at the time of the incident—was unconsciously given the following false memory: the McKinley farm encountered an irresponsible and incompetent gas pipe repairman who violated regulations and ignited the remaining gas in the pipes, causing the explosion.

Fortunately, the McKinnon family, including the elderly couple and their daughter, were in the front hall when the explosion occurred, so only construction workers were injured. The gas company has stated it will take responsibility and compensate the McKinnon family for repair costs.

Watching the memory erasers and the Muggle Problem Coordination Committee pull off one amazing feat after another, Shen Hou exclaimed in amazement: "If the Auror Office had this many people and this high efficiency, the Death Eaters would have been wiped out long ago, wouldn't they?"

Gideon explained, "Maintaining the Statute of Secrets is the Ministry of Magic's top priority. Even our war with the Death Eaters is largely driven by the need to uphold the Statute of Secrets. If we let the Void and the Death Eaters do as they please, the wizarding world would be completely exposed within hours."

"So, we've made such a big fuss today, aren't we going to be in trouble?"

"Just wait, Scrimgeour, Old Barty, the Minister, they'll come looking for us one after another," Gideon said gravely.

Fabian gave a wry smile: "It's also possible that they won't come one after another, but all at once."

"Who are you trying to scare!" Sirius Black, oblivious to everything, kicked several prisoners. "The culprit is right here! With this much spoils, Scrimgeour will be grinning from ear to ear. Too bad Lucius Malfoy isn't in there, you cunning white peacock!"

"Peacock?" This was the first time Shen Hou had heard this adjective.

Sirius Black pouted: "When you went to Malfoy Manor, didn't you see the peacocks they kept? Like father, like son. The Malfoy family are just like peacocks, wanting to spread their tails wherever they go, as if they want others to know that they are sacred 'pure-blood nobles'."

"Stop with the nonsense. Before those big shots arrive, let's sort things out. Marlene, why did the Death Eaters come to your house? Did they reveal their reasons?" Gideon asked.

Sirius Black immediately put aside his complaints about his cousin's family and asked with concern, "Have we been exposed? Is it targeting our Order of the Phoenix?"

"No, I'm afraid not; they weren't just after me. One of the Death Eaters mentioned Lily, and said they knew I was Lily's best friend." Marlene looked at Sirius, her eyes revealing not lingering fear, but worry—worry for Sirius.

"They're after James and Lily?" Sirius's expression changed drastically, turning terrifyingly grim. "What else did they say?"

"No, it's too late, because Fabian and Shen will be here soon," Marlene said. "A battle broke out at the front door, and the Death Eaters who broke in were startled and tried to take me away, but in the chaos, I seized the opportunity to snatch my wand back; you know I'm pretty good at wandless spellcasting."

Sirius's expression softened slightly: "Of course, I already knew; Professor Flitwick praised you back in school."

Marlene blushed again as Sirius stared at her, pursing her lips and turning her face away.

"When you meet the people from the Ministry of Magic later, don't mention anything about Lily," Gideon solemnly instructed. "Don't mention the Potters to anyone before telling Dumbledore; this matter is for now to be kept secret within our own organization."

Everyone nodded in unison, understanding each other without a word.

As the work of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters draws to a close, the investigation into the attack itself begins as expected; before that, Sirius, Stoddill, and Emily had already made their escape.

The Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, whom they hadn't seen for several days, personally arrived and, after offering a perfunctory and brief greeting to the elderly McKinnon and his wife, immediately took all the parties involved and prisoners back to the Ministry of Magic. Meanwhile, the Director of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters—another old acquaintance of Shen Hou—was waiting for them at the Ministry.

"Can anyone tell me how this bombing, which almost alarmed the Muggle cabinet, happened? Do you know how many resources we used to suppress the news?" Mr. Piastrelli, just as he had when they first met, was deeply disgusted by all accidents and disasters that were out of control.

"The Aurors were protecting the lives of innocent civilian wizards, Mr. Piastricht." Unexpectedly, old Barty spoke up to defend everyone; it was clear that although his relationship with Scrimgeour wasn't good, when it came to departmental interests, this director's stance was very clear.

Piastrelli sneered, "Is it really necessary to make such a fuss over arresting a few dark wizards? You should probably retrain the Aurors, at least let them know what the Secret Code is."

"On the contrary, the Aurors acted with great professionalism and restraint, promptly stopping the Death Eaters' attempt to create a large-scale exposure incident in the Muggle community and minimizing the damage. As for the training on the secrecy law..." Old Barty chuckled twice, "I think Director Piastrati should make this suggestion to the Mystic, asking him to send one of his Death Eaters to train you. I just don't know if you dare to go?"

Shen Hou gasped, and the others present reacted similarly. Old Barty's verbal retort was no longer a simple mockery; it was a public humiliation, even carrying a hint of malicious curse.

The head of the Ministry of Magic, the person in charge of controlling magical accidents and disasters, dares not hold accountable the criminal suspects who actually violated the Secret Service Act, but only makes trouble for his colleagues who are also risking their lives to protect the Secret Service Act?

The clashes between big shots can be so straightforward and simple.