บท 721: If You Had Been More Decisive Back Then, Would There Have Been So Many Matters Now?
บรรณาธิการ: Atlas Studios
Crouch did not show any signs of resistance in the face of the Aurors. Instead, he let out a sigh of relief and cooperatively extended his hands to allow the Aurors to put the shackles on him.
"So you've finally come to your senses, Cornelius. Are you going to arrest me for bending the law?"
"The alleged murder of Bertha Jorkins! She has been missing for nearly a year, and you were the last person to see her!" Fudge snapped.
Crouch's face froze, and he looked at Fudge in disbelief. "As I'm sure Dumbledore explained to you, all I did was put a powerful Memory Charm on Bertha Jorkins, and she went all the way to Romania, and You-Know-Who…"
"You-Know-Who killed her?" Fudge said, before Crouch could finish his sentence. "Who knows if you're lying? I'd rather believe you're trying to pin this on You-Know-Who!"
"It just so happens that there's another body here whose face can't be seen, and I suspect she's Bertha Jorkins!" Fudge coldly ordered the Aurors to take the charred corpse with them.
Dumbledore watched Fudge and the Aurors, anger on his face as he realised that he could not count on the Ministry for help.
"Ah! I almost forgot…" Fudge led the way to the door, then remembered something and turned to Ivan. "Hales, if I'm not mistaken, you were there and found the body, right? So you'll have to come along and take a statement."
Ivan was amused by Fudge's statement, and he could see that Fudge was threatening him to perjure himself in order to convict him of the murder of Bertha Jorkins.
Otherwise, it would not be a coincidence that I found this body, but rather that I was involved in the murder with Crouch…
Ivan, however, was not to be trifled with. He was well aware of his reputation in the wizarding community, and with Dumbledore there, it would not be easy for Fudge to frame him for nothing.
"I think you need to brush up on that, Minister Fudge!"
"Barty Junior died by suicide. All you have to do is test the wand he used with the Flashback Charm and you'll see that it had nothing to do with me or Mr Crouch!"
"In addition, I need to remind you, Minister, that even if one's face can't be seen clearly, professionals can still tell a person's age and gender from their bones!
The difference in pelvis between men and women is the most obvious feature, and if you are willing to dissect a dead person at the scene, you will immediately know that it was a wizard who died, not the supposed Bertha Jorkins!
Muggle genetic technology can also help you identify him, and once tested, Muggles will be able to tell you accurately that this corpse is Mr Crouch's son, Barty Junior!"
Ivan analyzed the situation, then looked at Fudge with disdain and said, "Do you have any other questions that I can help you with?"
Fudge choked and could not reply for a long time.
"Hales was right," Moody agreed. "I heard from Crouch that Aurors were with him when he buried his son, so I'm sure you'll be able to find the exact location of the body. If you don't believe me, you can dig up the grave and check it out."
"That was over ten years ago. Who would remember where it was buried…" Fudge replied, shaking his head impatiently.
"If they happen to forget, my Pensieve will help them remember!" Dumbledore suddenly exclaimed, blocking Fudge's final excuse.
This successfully angered Fudge, who glanced at Dumbledore, then back at Ivan, Moody, and Harry, his expression turning malevolent.
"Good… good! You are determined to go against me, aren't you?" Fudge said angrily.
"The only one I want to deal with is Lord Voldemort! If you wish, it will not be so difficult to find out the truth, Cornelius," Dumbledore growled.
"I'll send someone to find out what happened! There's a Pensieve at the Ministry of Magic that doesn't need your help!" Fudge said through gritted teeth, turning to Umbridge and the others.
"Let's go!"
Relieved to hear this, the Aurors, not wanting to stay a moment longer, grabbed Crouch and Barty Junior's bodies and followed.
When they left the Headmaster's office, the room became empty.
"Professor Dumbledore, are we just going to let them take Mr. Crouch?" Ivan was worried that Fudge would simply silence him when he returned. There were precedents in the original timeline.
"Don't worry, Hulse, Barty will be fine," Dumbledore assured him.
"He wouldn't be so scared if he had the guts to kill Barty!" Moody scoffed.
Crouch was a pure-blood wizard of unusual status, having previously been the head of the executive branch, and had many friends within the Ministry.
With this in mind, Moody turned to Dumbledore and asked, "Regret it, Albus?"
Dumbledore is silent, he certainly knows what Moody is asking, the current Minister for Magic Fudge was elected by him…
"If you'd readily accepted the position of Minister for Magic, there would be so much going on…" Moody groused.
After the end of the Wizarding War, the Ministry of Magic sent people to Hogwarts a dozen times to ask Dumbledore for the post of Minister for Magic, but each time they were refused, and Fudge was chosen.
"This is not the time or place for this, Alastor!" Not wishing to prolong the conversation, Dumbledore changed the subject, turning to Harry and asking him to recount his experiences in the dream.
Harry nodded, trying to remember as best he could, telling her everything he had seen through the snake's eyes.
Dumbledore was silent for a long time, his expression grave when he heard that Voldemort was preparing to massacre an entire Muggle village to regain his strength.
"Do you think that could be true?" Harry asked nervously.
"It is possible, as some high-level Dark rituals require the use of Death Rites." Dumbledore's brows knit together. He was more concerned about where Voldemort learned of Barty Junior's death…
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