Hogwarts: Who made her a professor?

Chapter 380 A Lightning-Fast Return

Chapter 380 A Lightning-Fast Return

The following day, Dumbledore announced the lifting of the Hogwarts ban.

The students, who had been trapped in the common room for two days, were overjoyed and rushed out of the room in a swarm.

Inside the castle, on the grounds, by the Black Lake, and everywhere on campus, you could see students having a blast.

Just as the students were enjoying their freedom and shouting "Long live freedom!", an Auror from the Ministry of Magic brought a person into the school and appeared in the students' sight.

"It's Karkaroff!"

"Who? Who do you think it is?"

"Kakarov, Durmstrang's Karkarov!"

Despite Professor Karkaroff's disheveled appearance and wretched look, some students recognized him at a glance.

Soon, the students who were keeping watch in the field all saw the scene of Karkarov being escorted away.

The word spread quickly, and more and more students flocked to the field. Even Durmstrang students who were resting on the big ship came after hearing the news.

Amidst the watchful eyes of hundreds of students, the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic silently escorted Karkaroff into the castle, leading him all the way to the school hospital for a check-up by Madam Pomfrey.

When Belvina arrived at the school hospital after receiving the news, Igor Karkarov's bedside was already crowded with patients.

Hogwarts has Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, while the Ministry of Magic has Scrimgeour, Dexterity, and Kingsley Shackleton.

In addition, Durmstrang students, led by Viktor Krum, were gathered around the bed, though they did not seem to welcome Karkaroff's return.

Just as Belvina was about to step forward, she saw Mrs. Pomfrey rushing over with a furrowed brow and glaring eyes. Judging from her furious demeanor, she probably wanted to poison Igor Karkarov herself.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" Madam Pomfrey roared as she charged forward. "He's not going to die, what are you all doing here!"

The crowd parted, revealing Karkarov, who was being held down on the hospital bed.

Igor Karkaroff had long lost the high spirits he had when he first arrived at Hogwarts, and the fear and anxiety he had felt a few days ago. Now he looked dull, his eyes were lifeless, and his expression was wooden.

Enraged, Madam Pomfrey lost her usual compassion. She abruptly pried open Karkaroff's mouth and poured a bottle of liquid that looked unpalatable into his mouth.

The drug took effect very quickly; Karkarov's face instantly turned from white to red, smoke began to rise from the top of his head, white vapor rose and swirled, and even wisps of white smoke came out of his nostrils and ears.

Dumbledore glanced at Rufus Scrimgeour, the Auror's office director, but Scrimgeour, who looked like an old lion, did not react.

Then, Dumbledore looked at the Durmstrang students, led by Viktor Krum.

Instantly, Durmstrang's students all took a half-step back in perfect unison, except for Krum, who was once again highlighted because he was a beat too slow!

Under the bewildered gazes of the three Aurors from the Ministry of Magic, Durmstrang students, except for Krum, walked out of the school hospital in a group. They did not communicate or speak to each other at all, not even exchanging glances.

With the Durmstrang students leaving, the ward suddenly became empty, and Karkarov's bedside was no longer crowded.

Belvina stepped forward and asked, "Rufus, where did you find Professor Karkaroff?"

The way she asked the question made it seem as if she knew nothing about Karkarov's disappearance.

"Hogsmeade," Scrimgeour said, "right on the streets of Hogsmeade. Isn't that strange?"

Rufus Scrimgeour is an ambitious, resourceful, capable, and charismatic man, a representative of the hardliners at the Ministry of Magic.

"This morning, we were planning to evacuate Hogsmeade, but then we found Karkaroff unconscious on the street," Dexter continued. "To be precise, it wasn't that we found him—"

'

Dexter looked at Kingsley Shackleton, who continued, "We found him on the streets of Hogsmeade like we found a discarded doll."

Kingsley Shackle was a tall, dark-skinned wizard with a deep, slow voice that had a calming magic.

The three Aurors from the Ministry of Magic briefly recounted how they "found" Karkaroff.

Belvina looked surprised, as if she had no idea that the missing Karkaroff would suddenly appear in Hogsmeade.

In reality, Belvina was inwardly cursing Aberforth for being unreliable; how could he throw Karkaroff out at a time like this!

“This is strange, Professor Dumbledore,” Scrimgeour said, looking at Dumbledore. “We’ve searched Hogsmeade so many times before and found nothing. Now, he’s suddenly appeared.”

As he spoke, Scrinker pointed to the continuously smoking bed in which Karkarov lay.

Even a greenhorn, let alone a seasoned Auror like Rufus Scrimgeour, would find this very strange.

First, Igor Karkaroff disappeared, then Hogwarts conducted a massive school search, and then Hogwarts detained Barty Crouch Jr., who was impersonating him.

The next day, Barty Crouch Jr. revealed the truth in front of the entire school and was subsequently imprisoned again. Fudge then returned to Hogwarts, and Barty Jr. committed suicide.

On the third day, which is today, the cause of all this happened when the missing Igor Karkaroff suddenly appeared on the streets of Hogsmeade and happened to be encountered by the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic who were preparing to evacuate. What a coincidence!

What Dumbledore was thinking is unknown, but Belvina was completely stunned; she didn't even have the energy to rant about Aberforth anymore.

"Rufus, this is indeed very strange, too much of a coincidence," Dumbledore said, glancing at Karkaroff on the sickbed. "Professor Karkaroff is our only lead at the moment."

Scrimgeour, looking like an old lion, stared at Dumbledore, seemingly trying to see through the Hogwarts headmaster's true thoughts.

However, Dumbledore, that old fox, would not easily reveal his true colors, and Scrimgeour was destined to see nothing.

"Igor Karkarov, can you hear me?" Skriner said to Karkarov.

Professor Karkaroff, can you hear me?

With a blank stare and a wooden expression, Karkarov slowly raised his head and his gaze slowly shifted to Rufus Scringer.

"Lion!" Karkaroff cried out. "Don't eat me! My flesh doesn't taste good!" Terrified, he curled up in a ball on his hospital bed, trembling.

Rufus Scrimgeour has a thick head of brown hair that looks somewhat like a lion's mane, and with his sharp eyes, he gives the impression of a majestic lion.

Immediately afterward, Karkaroff screamed again, pointing terrifiedly at Belvina at the foot of the bed, shouting, "Blake! Blake! Don't kill me!"

The three Aurors from the Ministry of Magic all looked at Belvina; Karkaroff's reaction to seeing her was far too much.

"Well—I had a little unpleasantness with Professor Karkaroff," Belvina explained. "It was just a little unpleasantness, nothing to do with extreme issues like life or death."

"How about I do it?" Kingsley looked at Scrinker, seeking the opinion of the Auror's office director.

Rufus Scrimgeour nodded, took two steps back, and sat on the adjacent bed.

Seeing this, Belvina also stepped back to prevent Karkarov from pointing at her and saying any more nonsense.

"Professor Karkaroff, I am Kingsley Shackleton, an Auror from the Ministry of Magic," Kingsley said slowly and calmly. "May I ask you some questions?"

Curled up in a ball, Igor Karkarov slowly turned his head. His eyes were still glazed over, but the fear on his face had lessened.

"My first question," Kingsley said calmly, his pace even more measured, "do you remember where you've been all this time?"

Igor Karkarov raised his hands tremblingly, clutched his head in anguish, and mumbled, "No—I don't know, I—I don't remember—it's so dark—it's so dark—"

It appears that Professor Karkaroff, having suffered a tremendous blow, has lost his mind and is now completely unfit to be questioned.

"My second question," Kingsley continued, "Professor Karkaroff, do you remember how you left Hogwarts?"

Karkarov, who was already curled up in a ball, curled up even tighter, his knees almost touching his chin.

He mumbled incoherently, "I don't know—there were two people—two people suddenly appeared—suddenly appeared—"

The three from the Ministry of Magic exchanged glances and meaningful looks.

Although Karkaroff's statement was somewhat vague, it aligned well with the clues previously given by Hogwarts.

Igor Karkarov was forcibly taken away by two men, both of whom were wearing black hoods and had their faces covered by masks.

"One last question," Kingsley asked again, "Professor Karkaroff, do you remember why you wanted to sneak away from Hogwarts?"

According to Hogwarts, Igor Karkaroff was planning to sneak away, but before he could even leave the castle, he was kidnapped by two people who suddenly appeared.

Upon hearing Kingsley's third question, Karkaroff, lying in his hospital bed, seemed to suddenly transform into a different person.

"The reason I left Hogwarts—I remember now!" His hands stopped trembling, and his whole body straightened. "I remember why I left!"

Immediately afterwards, Igor Karkarov went berserk, raising his right hand and pointing his fingers like a knife as he slashed viciously at his left arm.

Scrimgeour, in the adjacent bed, focused his gaze and clenched his fists; he already knew the reason.

While Kingsley and Delilah were still stunned, Scrimgeour walked to the bedside, grabbed Karkaroff, and roughly pulled up Karkaroff's left sleeve.

On the inside of Igor Karkarov's left forearm was a bright red tattoo: a large snake emerging from the mouth of a skull, which looked like a tongue.

"The Black Mark!" Delilah exclaimed.