Hogwarts: Who made her a professor?

Chapter 289 Elimination Method

Chapter 289 Elimination Method

Belvina knew, of course, that the person she met last night was not Karkaroff.

She deliberately came to the Black Lake, deliberately lured Karkarov out, and deliberately told him about what happened last night.

Igor Karkarov's expression of surprise seemed genuine, and Belvina was once again certain of her suspicions: someone was using the identity of "Karkarov."

What could be more reasonable than Voldemort's Death Eaters causing trouble at Hogwarts?

Karkaroff, his face changing drastically, accidentally plucked out a hair from his beard, his gaunt face instantly contorting into a grimace.

Karkaroff had assumed that Belvina had come to him because of a power struggle within the Ministry of Magic between her and Barty Crouch.

Karkarov never imagined that he would be implicated in the matter.

If Belvina's words are true, who impersonated him at the castle last night? Could it have been Barty Crouch?

"Blake, I didn't go anywhere last night," Karkaroff said. "I drank a cup of mulled wine and went to bed."

The implication is: I didn't go to the castle last night, so don't get involved!

Karkaroff had no interest in watching the spectacle; there was also the menacing Alastor Moody in the castle, and he couldn't afford to offend that old man.

"That would be wonderful, Professor Karkaroff," Belvina said. "I don't want the friendship between Hogwarts and Durmstrang to be affected."

1

It has had an impact, it's been impacting us for a while now!

I was affected from the moment you started targeting me!

Igor Karkarov had a whole bunch of swear words churning inside him.

"I came here with good intentions, just to participate in the Triwizard Tournament," Karkarov said. "We will return home the same day after the tournament."

Karkaroff spoke earnestly; he truly had no intention of causing trouble at Hogwarts.

To stir up trouble right under Albus Dumbledore's nose—are they out of their minds, or are they tired of living?

Moreover, with Alastor Moody on the school's roster, Karkarov dared not have any other thoughts; he only wanted to win the Triwizard Tournament.

Throughout Igor Karkarov's early life, he had never been as pure as he is now.

"Hogwarts welcomes all visitors, Professor Karkaroff, there's no need to rush off," Belvina said with a smile. "However, please be careful, Professor. Since someone is impersonating you, they must have ulterior motives."

You warned me to be careful, you told me you had ulterior motives!

Karkaroff was well aware of the danger involved; someone wanted him to take the blame.

Principal Durmstrang kept thinking, from Antonin Dolokhov to Travers, and from Moorseber to August Lukewood, but these people were still imprisoned in Azkaban and could not possibly be at the school.

Snape! Severus Snape, it must be him, it must be him taking revenge!

This was the only possibility Karkaroff could think of; of the Death Eaters he betrayed to the Ministry of Magic, only Snape wasn't imprisoned in Azkaban.

Seeing that Kakarot's expression was unusual, Belvina naturally wouldn't just stand by and watch; she looked into Kakarot's eyes.

When they first met at the Ministry of Magic, Igor Karkaroff's eyes were cold and sharp, but now all that remained in them was panic and fear—panic at Snape's revenge and fear of Moody's capture.

A smile played on Belvina's lips; she actually hoped Karkaroff would jump out and frame Snape.

Belvina was happy to see anything that could cause trouble for Snape, anything that could raise his blood pressure; she just wanted to see Snape unhappy.

It is said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but Belvina does not regard Karkaroff as a friend. On the contrary, she looks down on him and panics over the smallest things.

Even if Karkaroff hadn't done anything, and even if he had indeed planted bombs in the castle, he shouldn't be so panicked.

As expected of a Death Eater who would betray another Death Eater, he couldn't withstand the slightest storm.

"Professor Karkaroff, if there's nothing else, we'll take our leave," Belvina said. "I still need to find the person impersonating you and expose him."

"Oh—well, I won't see you off," Karkaroff said absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied with Snape and Moody.

He had no interest in paying attention to Belvina.

"Then we'll be going now," Belvina said with a smile. "Remember to attend the dinner, Professor Karkaroff."

After saying that, Belvina and Bassheda left the Black Lake together.

As she walked, Bassheda kept looking back, as if reluctant to part with the male bodhisattva swimming in the black lake, or perhaps observing Karkarov, who was standing there in a daze.

Once the two had walked a distance and were sure no one else was around, Bassheda asked, "Did you just use Legilimency on Karkaroff?"

Belvina glanced around and said, "Yes, I didn't expect that the esteemed Principal Durmstrang would be so unprepared."

I could see what he was thinking with ease.

"He was probably scared and panicked, which lowered his defensiveness during the Occlusive Therapy," Bassheda analyzed.

Perhaps because Dumbledore was the headmaster of Hogwarts, Bassheda always felt that no matter how bad the headmaster of Durmstrang was, he shouldn't even be unable to perform Occlumency.

"Maybe," Belvina said. "Anyway, I saw right through his little scheme." "He actually thought Severus was getting revenge on him. Isn't that hilarious?"

Belvina smiled broadly, but Bassheda did not laugh along.

She said, "Actually, his suspicions are very much in line with Professor Snape's character, it's just that Professor Snape doesn't have time to pay attention to him right now."

H

"In that case, Karkaroff should thank Alastor," Belvina said cheerfully. "If Alastor hadn't been keeping an eye on Severus, our Potions professor might actually have done something."

"Based on my years of understanding his colleagues, it's very possible." Bassheda couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. "Poisoning the wine, poisoning the food, or poisoning Durmstrang's warriors!"

In Basilda's fantasy, the Potions Professor is inseparable from potions and poison.

At this moment, Belvina suddenly stopped. She looked around again before speaking.

She said, "Kakaloff is a coward; he cowers at the slightest sound. And Professor Dumbledore vouches for Alastor, so Alastor Moody is fine."

Bassheda stopped and said, "Then there's only one answer left: Barty Crouch. But why would he do this? There's no reason!"

Yes, that's why Barty Crouch did it.

How did the hero who was tough on Voldemort and his henchmen change?

Belvina had suspected Alastor Moody. His solitary nature, excessive paranoia, and the attack before the start of the school year...

The suspicion against him is not unreasonable and well-founded.

However, both Belvina's probing and Dumbledore, an old acquaintance, proved Alastor Moody's innocence in their own ways, proving that he had not been switched.

Igor Karkarov was also excluded. He seemed to value the Triwizard Tournament more than anyone else, and he was both stupid and cowardly, not at all like someone who could accomplish great things.

Unless Karkaroff is an exceptionally skilled actor, he could not possibly fool Belvina's Legilimency.

Finally, only Barty Crouch remained, the Barty Crouch who left Belvina completely baffled.

Belvina couldn't figure out why he had suddenly switched sides. How could someone who could send his only son to Azkaban suddenly turn against the light and join the darkness?

Therefore, Belvina could only suspect that he might have been switched, and that the current Barty Crouch was not the real Crouch.

"If someone were to impersonate Crouch, who could do it so perfectly?" Bassheda asked. "Compound decoctions can only mimic the form; without long-term observation, it's impossible to be so similar."

"Sigh," Belvina sighed, "If someone really did use Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Crouch, then he must know Crouch so well that it's almost impossible to find any flaws."

She thought for a moment, then said, "Personally, I prefer the Imperius Curse. The Imperius Curse is hard to detect, and as long as he doesn't give Crouch too many instructions, there won't be any flaws that will be exposed."

“The Imperius Curse is indeed possible, but it’s just as difficult.” Bassheda frowned. “He has to cast the curse on Crouch without anyone noticing, and he also has to be constantly on guard against Crouch’s resistance to the Imperius Curse.”

If Barty Crouch was indeed controlled by the Imperius Curse, the caster must be a highly skilled individual.

After analyzing it again and again, everything seems to have returned to square one, as if an invisible hand is secretly manipulating the situation.

"Anyway, at least we can now pinpoint Barty Crouch," Bassheda said, her worry turning to joy. "If we keep an eye on him and follow the trail, we'll eventually find the mastermind behind it all."

"We don't just have old Crouch as our backer, we also have Harry," Belvina said. "Someone wants Harry to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. Of course, that person isn't me."

Basilda shook her finger and said jokingly, "No, no, Miss Black, I now highly doubt your motives. Why did you let Harry participate in the competition?"

"To supplement household income? A thousand Galleons is no small sum."

Bassheda tilted her head and said, "I'll consider this a pass for now!"

The two professors, chatting and laughing, did not return to the castle, but instead wandered aimlessly around the grounds.

They found themselves near Hagrid's cabin, where they spotted Beauxbatons' powder blue carriage.

Beauxbatons' enormous carriage was parked in an open area two hundred yards from Hagrid's cabin, while the steed, which was about the size of an elephant, was in a temporary enclosure.

When Belvina and Bassheda saw Hagrid, they wished they could immediately return to the castle and rush into the bathroom to wash their eyes.

Hagrid was wearing an extremely ugly, fluffy brown suit, paired with an equally ugly striped tie. Worst of all, his hair was combed so smoothly that it looked as if it had just been licked by a cow.

At this very moment, Hagrid was showering Mrs. Maxim with attention, as if he were the most affectionate man in Hogwarts.