bioinnovel Chapter 361 Killing someone isn't enough; you also have to destroy their spirit.
Chapter 361 Killing someone isn't enough; you also have to destroy their spirit.
Chapter 361 Killing someone isn't enough; you also have to destroy their spirit.
Soon after, Cornelius Fudge left Hogwarts and returned to London.
Originally, the minister intended to hold someone accountable and shift all the blame onto Dumbledore.
As it turned out, Dumbledore was one step ahead, not only denying Fudge a chance to shift the blame, but also setting Fudge up in a very clear and logical way.
Although the Minister of Magic left, Scrimgeour and his team stayed behind. They not only continued searching the castle, but also Hogsmeade and the surrounding area.
Barty Crouch was also among those who stayed behind. He didn't choose to fight to the death, but rather wanted to wait and see, showing a bit of a "wait and see" attitude.
What Barty Crouch didn't expect was that after the minister left, Dumbledore didn't even bother to act anymore; "double standard dog" doesn't even begin to describe his next move.
Under Dumbledore's arrangement, Belvina's temporary place of confinement was her own common room, and the person in charge of guarding her was Bassheda Bablin, the ancient rune professor of Hogwarts.
Anyone who inquires even slightly about Belvina will know that she has a very close friend who works at Hogwarts and happens to be a professor of ancient runes!
Even so, Dumbledore could still offer a seemingly reasonable explanation.
Belvina Black is a woman, and a young and beautiful one at that, so it's no surprise that Professor Bablin, also a woman, is in charge of looking after her. Barty Crouch would love to punch Dumbledore in the nose and break it again. Does Hogwarts have no other female faculty or staff?
In contrast, Barty Crouch's place of confinement was rather shabby; Dumbledore had placed him in the West Tower, the same room where Sirius Black was temporarily imprisoned the previous year.
The person in charge of guarding Crouch was Professor Felix Flitwick. Although Professor Flitwick might not even be as tall as Belvina when she was sitting up, he was a true dueling champion, not someone who earned his title for nothing.
And so, Belvina and Crouch were led out of the principal's office by Professor Flitwick and Bassheda, respectively.
Standing before the ugly, dripping stone beast, Barty Crouch glanced at the three people in front of him and decisively abandoned the idea of a 1v3 battle.
Although Dumbledore wasn't around, Professor Flitwick was no pushover either. Justice still had a significant advantage in a three-on-one fight, and Crouch knew he had no chance of winning.
Just as Barty Crouch was about to come up with another plan, Belvina wasn't about to let him off the hook.
"I'd like to speak with Mr. Crouch alone, Professor Frivi," Belvina said to Professor Frivi.
Professor Flitwick readily agreed, without even asking why, and walked straight to the side to stand with Bassheda.
Barty Crouch watched as Belvina approached, eager to know what this wicked woman had to say.
Is it the victors' merciless mockery of the losers, or standing on the moral high ground to issue righteous accusations?
However, Belvina chose neither to mock nor to accuse; instead, she chose to attack the victim's spirit.
"I once read a Muggle novel, and one sentence in it stuck with me. Now, I want to share that sentence with you," Belvina said.
She cleared her throat and said slowly and clearly, "A man who doesn't spend time taking care of his family isn't a real man."
Well—that's roughly the idea.
Buddy Crouch was stunned, as if struck by lightning.
He didn't even notice that Belvina was already very close to him, close enough that he could reach out and strangle her.
Belvina leaned close to Barty Crouch's ear and whispered, "You see, even Muggles can understand this, but Mr. Crouch doesn't."
As he listened to the piercing words, Barty Crouch's mind drifted back to the dark, cold trial chamber.
I thought of Azkaban, who instilled utter despair, and the Imperius Curse, which had haunted me for ten years.
"Mrs. Crouch was such a poor woman; her life was ruined by the two men she loved most," Belvina continued in her whisper. "Her husband, and her son, how pitiful."
After saying that, Belvina took a step back, creating distance between herself and Barty Crouch.
Then, Belvina said something silently.
Barty Crouch understood; she was saying, "It's been a long time, Barty Crouch Jr."
In that instant, Buddy Crouch felt all his strength drain away, his mind filled with the day he left Azkaban.
When the dazed Barty Crouch came to his senses, he had already been taken to the West Tower and entered the room where Sirius Black had once been imprisoned.
The room was still very simple, with bare stone walls all around, dirty glass windows, and a dilapidated chair lying in the center of the room.
Professor Flitwick drew his wand, first lighting a fire in the fireplace, then repairing the chair.
"Mr. Crouch, I'm afraid you'll have to stay here for now," Professor Flitwick said. "I'll have the house-elves come and tidy up in a bit. If you need anything, just let them know."
Professor Flitwick was a warm and friendly man. He would fall off the lectern in excitement when he first called Harry Potter's name, and he would secretly wipe away tears when Ginny was taken into the Chamber of Secrets.
However, the warm and friendly Professor Flitwick treated Barty Crouch with cold indifference. Perhaps he was simply thinking of that bright and studious boy.
Barty Crouch didn't say anything, just watched Professor Flitwick busy himself in the room, and then watched him leave.
Alone in the room, Barty Crouch slowly walked to the window, stroking his wand as he looked out at the world through the dirty glass.
He thought that perhaps he could use house-elves to send messages, or perhaps he could have Shiny bring some things over, so that he could hold out for a while longer. Dumbledore couldn't keep him locked up in the school forever.
He also thought that perhaps Cornelius Fudge could find the missing Karkaroff soon and solve his current predicament.
Barty Crouch shook his head. He had really lost his mind to place the hope of breaking the deadlock in Cornelius Fudge's hands. How foolish, utterly naive.
He left the window, walked back to the center of the room, and sat down in the uncomfortable chair.
Barty Crouch closed his eyes again. He wondered if it was possible to snatch Harry Potter away right under Dumbledore's nose.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Belvina and Bassheda returned to the fifth floor.
Upon entering the lounge, Belvina immediately took out the Marauder's Map that she had temporarily entrusted to her.
"I solemnly swear that I will not do good deeds."
Basilda tapped the Marauder's Map with her wand, and ink lines instantly spread out from where the wand tip had struck.
Although Cornelius Fudge didn't take anyone's wand, Dumbledore still placed a spell on Belvina and Crouch, allowing him to know immediately whether they had cast a spell and what kind of magic they had used.
Bassheda unfolded the map, located the West Tower, and said, "What if Barty Crouch escapes with the Portkey? He should be able to, right?"
"Professor Dumbledore already thought of this," Belvina said. "Although I don't know how he did it, all the Portkeys in Hogwarts will be disabled. Perhaps it's the Headmaster's authority?"
Belvina thought for a moment, then said, "I'm not worried about Crouch running away, but I'm worried that he'll do nothing. We can't keep him locked up at school forever."
"He'll definitely find a way to escape," Bassheda said confidently. "Staying at school won't do him any good."
Looking at the motionless black dot on the Marauder's Map, Bassheda suddenly felt a sense of unease. The room in the West Tower, with its many stories, reminded her of Sirius Black.
"Do you think it's possible that Crouch might break into the Gryffindor common room late at night and forcibly take Harry away?" Bassheda said. "Oh, he probably doesn't know what the password to the common room is."
If Barty Crouch really intends to follow in Sirius Black's footsteps, the Gryffindor dorm supervisor is likely to suffer again.