Professor McGonagall was normally stern and unsmiling, her expression as rigid as iron.
But today, as she stood at the staff table, her already serious demeanor carried a storm-like pressure that made every young wizard fall silent.
What she said next confirmed that feeling...
"First, I must announce that we have located Mr. Potter. Fortunately, once we clarify the situation, he will be returning to all of you very soon."
"However, I regret to inform you that the next task may have to be canceled."
These words explained Harry Potter's condition, soothed the students worried about him, and addressed the future of the Triwizard Tournament.
Yet among the sighs and murmurs of disappointment, not everyone missed the underlying problem...
"Canceled? Is it really that serious? And why didn't she mention the other one? Viktor… Krum?"
Hermione Granger, seated beside Draco, was among the first to notice something was wrong.
While everyone else focused on Harry Potter and the canceled Tournament, Hermione hadn't forgotten that the other missing wizard was Viktor Krum, also one of the Champions.
Was it because of him that the Tournament was affected?
What surprised her even more was that when she voiced the question, both Draco and Pansy exchanged odd, uneasy expressions...
"What's with you two? Did I say something wrong?"
"No, it's just…"
"It's not something we can explain in a few words."
Before Draco could respond, Pansy cut in.
Her knowing-but-refusing-to-explain expression made Hermione roll her eyes before looking back at Draco.
Under Pansy's pointed stare, Draco lifted the letter bearing the Malfoy crest and gave it a slight shake. "Don't underestimate the power behind us. I'd say a number of wizards here received some information as well."
At those words, the sharp-minded Hermione understood instantly. Her gaze swept across the hall and settled on a few students wearing thoughtful, conflicted expressions as they watched Professor McGonagall.
It was clear they knew something others did not...
...
Though Hermione was deeply curious about what the letter actually said, what unsettled her even more was the sheer power and influence these noble wizarding families possessed.
That gap reminded Hermione of a certain look Mr. Malfoy had once given her...
Sensing her thoughts, Draco reached out and flicked her forehead lightly.
"Huh!?"
"There's nothing to get worked up over. Honestly, this has a lot more to do with the serious problems inside the Ministry of Magic than with our family backgrounds."
"The Ministry?"
"To be precise, under that person's leadership, the Ministry hasn't had any real secrets for a long time."
It was exactly as Draco said.
Because that Minister—whose abilities were far from impressive—had, in recent years, intentionally tried to distance himself from Dumbledore. This, in turn, created no small amount of chaos within the Ministry.
First of all, it was Dumbledore who had originally supported Cornelius Fudge and helped secure his position as Minister.
That alone showed how much influence Dumbledore once held in the Ministry, and also explained why this timid yet power-hungry Minister never dared to openly confront him. Naturally, in an attempt to counter Dumbledore's influence, Cornelius Fudge began replacing the people around him with his own loyalists and allies, striving to minimize Dumbledore's presence within the Ministry.
And noble families with standing in the wizarding world—especially those who opposed Dumbledore—became the very people Fudge sought to cooperate with and recruit.
As a result, a significant number of wizards outside the "Dumbledore camp" gradually filled key positions within the Ministry.
Which was precisely why Draco and the others could receive information so quickly...
"But our Minister of Magic probably never considered what this might bring upon him."
"What do you mean?"
"If someone inside the Ministry hadn't tampered with the Thunderbird's chains, they wouldn't have drawn everyone's attention away. And they wouldn't have been able to take Harry Potter so easily."
Draco's words stunned Hermione for a moment before she cautiously voiced her confusion.
"You're saying the chains on the Thunderbird were sabotaged on purpose? But… how could the mastermind know you'd be able to handle the Thunderbird? Without your performance, the plan wouldn't have worked at all."
"Mm… exactly. Even I—your childhood friend—only just learned today that you could cast the Fiendfyre Curse. There's no way anyone else knew that beforehand. So does that mean…"
Seeing Pansy look at him pitifully, as if he'd betrayed her, Draco reached out and pinched her cheek with mild exasperation.
"No one knew about the Fiendfyre Curse. But that doesn't mean they didn't test my abilities."
"Test you? When—wait!!"
Hermione glanced enviously at Pansy, who was still clinging to Draco, then abruptly remembered something. Her eyes widened.
Draco nodded, unfazed. "Exactly. Don't forget—during that Defence Against the Dark Arts class, I actually crossed wands with him once."
"You mean Alastor… Moody!? But that can't—"
Hermione, who had been about to deny it outright, suddenly realized that at some point, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor had disappeared from Hogwarts.
She had assumed it was due to important business, but clearly there were other reasons.
Like… being the mastermind behind Harry Potter's abduction...
More importantly, Pansy—who also knew the truth—didn't look surprised or shocked at all when she heard this. Clearly, she had known for some time.
"But wasn't he personally hired by Dumbledore to be the professor… Could it be—"
A traitor?
No...
"In reality, that Alastor Moody wasn't the real Alastor Moody. Who could have imagined even Dumbledore himself was fooled?"
"Not the real Alastor Moody?"
"Yeah. After the investigation, they discovered that wizard was Barty Crouch Jr.—the son of Barty Crouch, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And more importantly, he was a Death Eater who had never been caught."
"A Death Eater…"
Barty Crouch Jr.—a loyal hound at Voldemort's side!
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/BlurryDream