bioinnovel Chapter 381 Madness and Lucidity
Chapter 381 Madness and Lucidity
Chapter 381 Madness and Lucidity
As is widely known, the Black Mark is the symbol of Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
Voldemort branded this mark onto the inside of each Death Eater's left forearm.
This is both a way for Death Eaters to recognize each other and a method for Voldemort to summon Death Eaters to his side.
Thirteen years ago, Voldemort fell from power, and the Ministry of Magic originally wanted to use the Dark Mark to identify the Death Eaters and arrest them.
However, the Ministry of Magic was surprised to find that the Dark Mark on the inside of the Death Eater's left forearm had faded, making the method of identifying the Death Eater by using the Dark Mark completely ineffective.
Thirteen years later, the Dark Mark reappeared on the inside of Igor Karkaroff's left forearm, and the mark was so clear that its significance was self-evident.
Rufus Scrimgeour looked to Dumbledore beside him for help, hoping to get a negative answer from him.
No one wanted Voldemort to return, neither the weak Cornelius Fudge nor the hardliner Rufus Scrimgeour; no one wanted to see Voldemort come back.
"Professor Dumbledore, this isn't real, is it?" Scrimgeour said. "It's just a joke played by the people who kidnapped Karkaroff, a truly wicked joke, isn't it?"
"Rufus, I don't think this is a joke," Dumbledore said calmly. "For the past six months, this mark has become more and more obvious, the pattern clearer and clearer. Until yesterday, it has become what it is now."
Scrimgeour felt a sudden dizziness. He believed Dumbledore's words and his judgment.
What has Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, been doing since yesterday? Why is he, the Chief of the Auror Office, completely unaware of this?
Rufus Scrimgeour felt the world spinning even faster. If even he was unaware, was Amelie Bones, the head of the Enforcement Division, also unaware?
In just a brief moment, Scrimgeour mentally cursed Fudge's ancestors one by one.
Although the Ministry of Magic is corrupt and incompetent, a bloated and inefficient bureaucracy, there are still insightful individuals within it.
Rufus Scrimgeour immediately grasped the crux of the matter: he realized Voldemort might be back, and he also realized Fudge might want to avoid the issue.
Silence, a depressing silence.
Dumbledore didn't speak again, and Belvina and Professor McGonagall remained in the background.
Of the three from the Ministry of Magic, Scrimgeour cursed Fudge as an idiot in his heart, Kingsley lowered his head in thought, and Dolittle looked out the window.
Apart from Mrs. Pomfrey's voice taking stock of the stolen medicines, the only other sound in the entire school hospital was Igor Karkaroff's neurotic mutterings.
As for Viktor Krum, he remained like a wooden statue throughout, neither speaking nor showing any expression; Krum was almost completely oblivious to the situation the entire time.
"He's back! He's really back!" Karkaroff said nervously. "He's back, and you're all going to die!"
Karkarov suddenly jumped up, pointed at himself, and said, "He's back! You're all going to die, and I'm going to die too! I'm definitely not going to survive!"
Immediately afterwards, Karkarov knelt down on the hospital bed, which was thickly made, but he kept banging his head against it.
He kowtowed repeatedly, pleading frantically, "Don't kill me—don't kill me—I don't want to betray you—don't kill me—"
Belvina looked up at the erratic Igor Karkarov. She felt that his madness was partly an act; otherwise, Karkarov's mental fortitude was far too weak.
Just then, Mrs. Pomfrey, having finished taking inventory of the missing medications, returned to the bedside.
Ignoring everything else, Madame Pomfrey stepped forward, grabbed the deranged Karkaroff, pried open his mouth again, and poured another vial of medicine into it.
Soon, the erratic Igor Karkarov calmed down, lay back down on the hospital bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Viktor Krum, who looked like a clay figure or a wooden sculpture, stood up and, with great tact, took his leave.
"Professor Dumbledore, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now," he said. "I'll leave Professor Karkaroff in your care."
"Then you should go back now, Viktor," Dumbledore said. "We will discuss and reach a decision on the Triwizard Tournament as soon as possible, depending on Professor Karkaroff's health."
Viktor Krum said nothing more, and after apologizing to Mrs. Pomfrey, he left the school hospital.
Now, the school hospital only has nominally its own people left: the three Aurors from the Ministry of Magic and the three professors from Hogwarts.
“Professor Dumbledore,” Kingsley spoke first, “can I take this to mean,” pointing to the now composed Karkaroff, “that the Man of Mystery has returned.”
Kingsley Shackle, a pure-blood wizard from one of the Twenty-Eight Houses of Purebloods, made his point clear.
"Yes, Voldemort is back," Dumbledore said.
Before he finished speaking, Scrimgeour and Delilah shivered simultaneously, and Kingsley raised his hand to cover his mouth, as if he had wanted to sneeze but forcibly held it back.
Belvina didn't react at all. She was someone who had fought Voldemort to the death, so how could she be afraid of a name?
Professor McGonagall, having followed Dumbledore for so many years, had gradually become immune to it.
"He's back," Dumbledore said, rephrasing his statement. "Just yesterday, in Little Hangleton, Belvina had a fight with him—" Dumbledore paused, """ and continued, "...well, they had a fight."
Instantly, the three from the Ministry of Magic all looked at Belvina, their eyes filled with shock, disbelief, and a hint of admiration.
After all, that was Voldemort. It was already difficult to escape unscathed from Voldemort's clutches, let alone fight him.
"So, the mysterious man who disappeared thirteen years ago reappeared in Little Hangleton yesterday and even fought with Belvina." Dexter looked at Belvina. "Does the Minister know about this?" He then turned to Dumbledore.
"I informed Cornelius about this yesterday," Dumbledore said. "Now that he's back, the Ministry of Magic must prepare accordingly."
As soon as the words were spoken, the three people from the Ministry of Magic reacted in different ways.
Scrimgeour's expression turned grim, and he couldn't help but curse Cornelius Fudge in his mind once again.
The minister already knew about Voldemort's return yesterday, but the head of the Auror's office only learned about it today, and even then, it was from the headmaster of Hogwarts!
Even a fool could tell that Cornelius Fudge was up to no good!
Thinking of this, Rufus Scrimgeour glared fiercely at Belvina, as if it were all her fault.
Delixi showed no panic, but looked somewhat melancholy, staring blankly at the empty ground beneath his feet.
The current situation is clear: Fudge and Dumbledore have differing opinions. One is the Minister of Magic, and the other is the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Neither of them should be offended.
For a moment, Dexter was unsure whether to stand firmly in support of the Minister of Magic or to follow in the footsteps of the Hogwarts Headmaster.
Although both were Aurors of the Ministry of Magic, Kingsley Shackleton was different from the hesitant Delilah. He made his choice of side almost instantly without any hesitation.
Kingsley turned to look at Belvina, eager to know what choice she would make.
On one side is her old friend who has been through thick and thin with her all the way, and on the other side is her highly respected old headmaster with whom she has only recently met. What choice will Belvina Black make?
Belvina felt Kingsley's gaze upon her. Kingsley's eyes weren't exactly ardent, but they carried a strong sense of inquiry.
So, Belvina looked back decisively, her eyes not flinching at all.
At this moment, Rufus Scrimgeour, the Auror's Office Chief, spoke again, saying in a deep voice, "Professor Dumbledore, I think I should return to the Ministry of Magic immediately."
Scrimgeour only said that he had to rush back to the Ministry of Magic immediately, but did not say what he would do there.
Perhaps he should report to Amelia Borns, the head of the Enforcement Division, or perhaps he should go back and cause trouble for Cornelius Fudge.
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore said. "If all else fails, I'll send him to St. Mungo's."
"Then I'll be going now, Professor Dumbledore." Scrimgeour nodded and turned to walk towards the entrance of the university hospital.
Although Rufus Scrimgeour walks a bit slowly, he moves very fast, giving the impression of striding forward.
Upon seeing his superior leave, Kingsley Shackleton immediately followed, without uttering a single unnecessary word, not even bothering with a polite greeting.
Delizi, who was at the back, also took his leave.
He said, "Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, I'll be going now."
Then, Delis looked at Belvina and continued, "I'm going back now, Belvina."
"Goodbye, John." Belvina waved, watching with slight disappointment as Delilah's broad back gradually disappeared into the distance.
Belvina once thought that John Dexter was a trustworthy friend, a man of exceptional talent and confidence, someone worth winning over.
However, judging from the current situation, Belvina misjudged him; Delis is not as shrewd as he seemed.