bioinnovel Chapter 238 True Thoughts
Chapter 238 True Thoughts
Chapter 238 True Thoughts
No one knew the Ministry of Magic's old case files better than Belvina. Igor Karkaroff was all bark and no bite, outwardly strong but inwardly weak, selfish, and utterly unscrupulous.
Today, let's show this traitor who betrayed his colleagues and ran away alone the ultimate secret of magic—the Great Summoning Spell!
Back then, Igor Karkarov was arrested by Alastor Moody, and Batty Crouch sentenced him to life imprisonment in Azkaban.
He dared to bark at Belvina only because he thought he could control a young person, since Belvina was young. But he would never dare to lose his temper in front of Moody and Crouch.
Little did she know, Belvina was only young; she had already grasped Karkarov's true nature and seen through him as nothing more than an empty shell.
"Percy, wait a moment."
Belvina turned to look at Karkaroff and said dismissively, "Do you have any other acquaintances in the Ministry of Magic, Igor? Someone from Azkaban will do too."
Upon hearing Azkaban, Igor Kakarov stood up abruptly.
"Blake!" Karkaroff pointed angrily at Belvina, his facial muscles twitching and his goatee twitching.
The two officials accompanying Kakarov exchanged glances, wondering what was going on. This young deputy director was really going to offend them to death!
As Karkaroff moved, Cooper Collins of the International Department of Magical Cooperation also stood up abruptly, stretched out his arm to block Belvina, and glared angrily at Karkaroff opposite him.
It wasn't that Mr. Collins was particularly loyal to his master, but rather that Belvina was his superior, and the principle of a subject dying for his master's honor is self-evident.
In contrast, the young male wizard from the Department of Sports and Recreation was ashen-faced, trembling, and a chill seemed to emanate from his sparsely sparse head.
It is truly a case of "a cowardly soldier is one coward, and a cowardly general leads to a whole cohort of
Your subject, Belvina, requests the execution of Ludo Bagman!
Despite years of experience in the Department of Physical Education and Sports, his performance was even inferior to that of Percy Weasley, who had just joined the Ministry of Magic.
At this moment, Percy Weasley had already entered the conference room, standing tall and proud behind Belvina, his right hand tucked into his robe.
In just a few words, the atmosphere in the meeting room was no longer one of gunpowder, but rather one of tension, with both sides poised to start a fight at the slightest provocation, much like street thugs.
On the other side, Madam Maxime and the French Ministry of Magic officials beside her exchanged glances, inwardly cursing both sides who had stirred up trouble.
Before the meeting even started, Igor Karkarov began to provoke her; after the meeting began, Karkarov frequently made provocative remarks and repeatedly belittled Belvina.
Durmstrang's side made mistakes, but Hogwarts' side also had significant problems.
Headmaster Dumbledore didn't show up, nor did Chief Crouch. And Belvina, who was in charge of all matters related to the meeting, had a bad temper. I really don't know what these British guys were thinking!
They might curse in their hearts, but they still had to put on a show, at least to prevent the two sides from fighting in front of Beauxbatton's representative.
Mrs. Maxim raised her fist, as big as a clay pot, and slammed it heavily on the triangular conference table, causing the water glasses and folders on the table to shake.
She shouted, "Haven't you two had enough? We're gathered here today to discuss the three-way championship, not for you two to argue!"
After shouting angrily, Mrs. Maxim gently patted her chest with her large, winnowing hand, and continued, "Since Dumbledore and Fudge have already designated Miss Black as their representative, why are you still making a fuss about this, Igor?"
Then, Mrs. Maxime said to Belvina, "Miss Black, the resumption of the Triwizard Tournament is extremely important. Is Dumbledore really so busy that he doesn't even have time to show his face?"
Belvina slowly rose, straightening her sleeves as she spoke softly, "Madam, please understand my predicament. Are you willing to sit at the same table with Grindelwald's followers in a foreign land?"
As she spoke, Belvina looked at the officials accompanying Karkarov, but deliberately overlooked Karkarov himself.
She continued, "As two of Europe's oldest magic schools, Hogwarts and Durmstrang share a lasting friendship. For Durmstrang's sake, I'm willing to sit down and discuss the Triwizard Tournament. But what about you?"
Mrs. Maxim sat back down in her chair. She could tell that Hogwarts and the British Ministry of Magic were enthusiastic about the Triwizard Tournament, but Belvina might not be so.
Otherwise, Belvina wouldn't have openly overturned the table and acted as if she were mortal enemies with Karkarov.
Black, the pure-blood wizarding family Black, what blood feud do they have with the Death Eaters?
What Mrs. Maxim could see, Igor Karkarov could also see; he also realized that Belvina seemed to have the idea of sabotaging the Triwizard Tournament.
That won't do, absolutely not.
Karkaroff is still counting on the Triwizard Tournament to turn things around. As long as Viktor Krum can participate and win the championship, everything will be fine.
Igor Karkarov's mind raced. The young deputy director in front of him was there to cause trouble, and he had foolishly stepped into the trap the other party had set, allowing the other party to provoke conflict as he wished.
The meeting room quieted down after a period of fog.
Mrs. Maxim sat back down in her seat without saying a word.
Igor Karkarov racked his brains, trying to resolve the current conflict in a dignified manner.
As for Belvina, she laid her cards on the table. She stopped pretending and actually took out a nail file and sat there grooming her nails.
From the very beginning, Belvina opposed restarting the Triwizard Tournament, feeling that it was better to avoid trouble.
After the date was set for the meeting to revive the Triwizard Tournament, Belvina's attitude changed slightly, but not much. Her stance was: if it can be done, it will be done; if it can't be done, then so be it; she would never compromise.
That's why Belvina was vying for the hosting rights at today's meeting while secretly putting firewood under Karkarov.
If Karkarov falls into the trap, then we can take advantage of the situation to ruin the three-way battle; if Karkarov doesn't fall for it, then we can seize the home advantage, and at least our trip won't be in vain.
To everyone's surprise, Igor Karkarov was incredibly cooperative. Before the firewood was even set up, he had already started acting crazy, and things were going much more smoothly than expected.
Now, Belvina only hopes that this Death Eater traitor will stand firm and stop playing the victim card, instead sliding to his knees on the spot.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and Igor Karkarov's behavior went even further than imagined.
Belvina was practically pointing her finger at him and cursing, but Karkarov, as the head of the school, was able to swallow his anger, which shows how much he valued the Triwizard Tournament.
Under Belvina's disappointed gaze, Karkarov straightened the wrinkles in his robes, then sat back in his armchair as if nothing had happened.
"Didn't we just say that old Crouch is inspecting the Quidditch World Cup? Let's not disturb him. There's no rush to see an old friend."
Karkarov stroked his beard and continued in a glib tone, "And there's Alastor, that old man has been retired for years, why bother with him?"
Originally, he intended to control Belvina, but the hot-blooded young man flipped the table, leaving Karkarov with no choice but to save face.
Seeing that Karkaroff had backed down, Mrs. Maxim quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Igor is right, Miss Black, let's not bring up those people who have nothing to do with the Triwizard Tournament anymore."
Belvina sighed inwardly, feeling utterly disappointed; the three-way battle for supremacy was now inevitable.
"I'm so sorry, everyone. I was too young and impulsive," Belvina said, putting away her nail file and softening her tone.
These words made Karkarov feel even worse. Young people are immature and can act impulsively, but what about him?
"Let's continue discussing the competition organizers; that's the main point of the meeting," Mrs. Maxim suggested. "We can agree to Hogwarts hosting this year's competition, but Hogwarts must guarantee the safety of our students."
Upon hearing this, not only Belvina was stunned, but even the officials accompanying Madame Maxim were taken aback.
The change in attitude was too sudden, without any prior warning. Why did Mrs. Maxim suddenly give up the fight for the hosting rights?
"Of course, you can rest assured about the students' safety, Madam," Belvina said. "Ensuring the students' safety and the smooth running of the competition is of paramount importance."
Belvina understands that Igor Karkarov is flexible and adaptable, given his urgent need for the Triwizard Tournament.
But Belvina really couldn't understand Mrs. Maxim's sudden change of attitude; it didn't make sense!
With Hogwarts chosen as the organizer, the meeting to revive the Triwizard Tournament continued, moving on to the next topic in a friendly but unsettling atmosphere.
The main participants in the discussions were Belvina and Mrs. Maxim, while Durmstrang's side would only occasionally chime in.
Before they knew it, night was falling, and the first meeting between the three parties came to a temporary end. Belvina, Mrs. Maxim, and Karkarov each signed the letter of intent, making the three-way battle for supremacy almost a done deal.
Afterwards, Belvina led Percy and the others out of the conference room to prepare for the reception dinner.
Mrs. Maxim and Kakarov, who remained in the conference room for a rest, then dismissed their accompanying officials.
“Igor,” Mrs. Maxim spoke first, “you seem to know nothing about this newly appointed Deputy Director, Belvina Black.”
Karkaroff thought for a moment and said, "I really don't know. I haven't set foot on this land for many years."
When Igor Karkaroff became a Death Eater, Belvina was still living a carefree life at school; when Igor Karkaroff, the wolf-fox, fled the British Isles, Belvina remained at school.
"I don't know much about her, I've only heard bits and pieces of information about her," Mrs. Maxime said. "Someone told me that Miss Black is very likely to become the next Minister for Magic."
Igor Karkarov stroked his beard, lost in thought, as if he had kicked a hornet's nest.