Chapter five hundred and seventy first sparks ignite a prairie
Perhaps, this is the most unified opinion among the top officials of the Ministry of Magic in history.
Not far behind Cornelius Fudge, there were Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic, Barty Crouch, Director of the Department of International Magical Exchange and Cooperation, and Ludo Barton, Director of the Department of Magical Sports and Sports.
Germann, Amos Diggory, Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures...
Almost all the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Magic came to this floor through the elevator one after another.
Everyone's face was covered with a frightening gloomy look, and the air was filled with a suffocating depression - even when Voldemort was most active, there was never such a terrifying atmosphere that seems to be ignited by the air.
.
Just in the early hours of this morning, the "American Magical Federal Reserve System" established in Knockturn Alley unilaterally stopped all gold galleons redemptions. Before everyone could notice that something was wrong, just as it appeared, it suddenly
Disappeared.
Except for a few temporary employees who knew nothing about anything, all the principal personnel, including the huge amount of gold galleons, along with the rosters and documents, were all missing, and all traces were wiped away by magic.
.
The only thing that is known is that there seems to be the shadow of goblins behind the whole incident.
After learning the news, all the senior officials of the Ministry of Magic fell into extremely furious emotions almost at the same time - you know, in the pyramid-like spreading mode of the plague, all wizards, including Cornelius Fudge,
They all took out all their savings from Gringotts and invested them all in that extremely attractive investment project.
Fortunately, with the powerful action of the Auror Office, the Ministry of Magic found the only clue.
The name left by the wizard who registered the company in Knockturn Alley was the name of a dead man, and everything seemed to be at an impasse.
But just when Cornelius Fudge was about to fly into a rage, the owl from Hogwarts also arrived in his office, sending an unexpected message that a public trial was about to begin at Hogwarts.
.
As the headmaster of Hogwarts and the chief wizard of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore hopes that the Ministry of Magic can respect his request, review the major magical accident ten years ago, and try Peter Pettigrew for illegal acts.
Stealing the title deed to Hogwarts with the intention of destroying the great friendship between goblins and wizards was a bad act.
In the letter, Dumbledore also specifically requested the Ministry of Magic to send a sufficient number of Aurors to maintain order and prevent the remaining Death Eaters from "robbing the court" or "silencing" them. He also urgently requested all members of the Wizengamot to go
Hogwarts, start the trial process directly, find out the truth as soon as possible, and let everything return to calm.
only……
For Cornelius Fudge, one more sin may need to be added to Peter Pettigrew's sins this time.
"Everyone, we may be experiencing the most terrifying catastrophe and the most despicable fraud in the history of magic..."
Cornelius Fudge shook the envelope in his hand vigorously, and looked around with murderous eyes. His voice seemed to be cold and squeezed out from between his teeth, which was completely different from the confused image he had in the past.
.
"Peter Pettigrew, the damn Death Eater who fooled the entire wizarding world, and now he may even have betrayed the entire wizarding world. Fortunately, now he is about to be tried at Hogwarts - no, he needs
What we are facing is not just a trial of a case, we must torture him to find out the whereabouts of our lifelong wealth..."
"Everyone, as long as they don't have urgent work, come with me to Hogwarts! Even if the mysterious man is resurrected today, it can't stop us from making the truth known to the world and getting back our hard-earned money!"
Along with the angry roar of the Minister of Magic, a belated employee of the Ministry of Magic finally gradually understood what had happened. A little bit of terrifying fire gradually appeared in the eyes of all wizards.
Under the catastrophe, no one can be spared.
And the same flame, along with the owls flying all over the sky, has spread silently in the magic world.
After confirming the news, all the wizards silently stopped all their work, took out their wands and walked towards the nearest Floo Network moving point. The sound of wizards apparating continued to be heard on the streets of Hogsmeade Village.
, as if someone lit a firecracker that never stops.
If you can overlook the Hogwarts area from above, you can clearly see that thousands of wizards are gathering into this area from all directions, silently walking towards the school castle.
It's like a flood.
A spark has started a prairie fire.
…………
Meanwhile, Azkaban wizard prison.
This is a prison located on a small island in the middle of the North Sea (noord zee).
It was built in the 15th century. Like Hogwarts, it has almost all the hidden spells that wizards can think of, including the Unplottable Curse, the Apparition Prohibition Curse, the Muggle Expelling Curse, the Traceless Stretch Curse...
A spell used to ensure the safety and concealment of this prison.
Although the current maintenance and management of the prison is mainly undertaken by the British Ministry of Magic.
But in fact, this wizard prison located between Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France can be regarded as a joint prison for dangerous criminals in the wizarding world across Europe.
Because most of the guards in this prison are stateless magical creatures - dementors. (Note, ↓ expand)
In addition to transporting basic food and fresh water, most of the time no wizard is willing to take the initiative to go to this prison. Any wizard who does not have permission from the Ministry of Magic will be attacked from all directions the moment he sets foot on this island.
Dementors suck it clean.
Under the influence of the Dementors, most of the prisoners in Azkaban gradually lost their sense of self, and slowly turned into the living dead who could only sit in the dark and talk to themselves, or they died in despair, and then
The remaining soul was sucked away by the jailers, and the body was thrown into the cemetery next to the prison to slowly rot.
However, ten years ago, a very special and extremely dangerous prisoner was sent here.
"Blake, you seem to be in good spirits. It's really exciting."
A tall, dark-skinned wizard with a golden ring in one ear stood in front of the prison bars. He raised the wand in his hand and took a closer look at the thin man half sitting in the dark in the cell. His expression
He said in a complicated voice.
Sirius Black raised his head, the dark man, with a pair of black eyes shining brightly in the light of the wand.
"Kimless Shacklebolt? What's the matter? What's the point of Mr. Auror? Or...Minister Connelly agreed to my previous request and asked you to give me some scrap newspapers that I have read for crossword puzzles.
To kill time?"
"None of them...there is a public trial today, and the Wizengamot court needs you to attend as an important witness."
"Trial? Testimony? Oh? Who do you need me to identify?"
A trace of amusement flashed across Sirius Black's gloomy and haggard face. The waxy white skin stretched tightly on his cheekbones, like a skeleton. He grinned evilly, revealing a mouth of scary yellow teeth.
"Lucius Malfoy? Ah, this is an ancient family, a wealthy man who donates generously to good causes. Walton MacNeil? No, Mr. Minister said last time that he works in the Ministry of Magic. Minibus
Ty Crouch, ah, sorry, he's dead... So, Bellatrix? Isn't she next door to me... Well, that's too bad, the Death Eaters I know are either going to be acquitted
, or he has been arrested, where else can there be..."
"Peter, Peter Pettigrew, the wizard you killed ten years ago."
Jinlai Shacklebolt shook his head and spoke slowly in a low voice, with a terrifying look on his face.
"Yesterday afternoon, Peter Pettigrew was arrested at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and a public trial will be held at the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch at ten o'clock this morning in front of the entire wizarding world. You
Are you willing to testify in court?"
"Peter...old friend..."
In the cell, Sirius Black's laughter suddenly stopped. The man gasped, like a big dog growling with a low voice. After a long time, Black laughed softly.
It was a hoarse, terrifying, joyless laughter that echoed in the Azkaban cell.
"Of course, of course... I have been waiting for this moment for too long."
…………
…………
Diagon Alley, Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
The busy scene of the past has completely disappeared. Most of the shops on the street have posted "temporarily closed" signs. A famous wizard is walking hurriedly on the street, with frightening flames flashing in his eyes.
With the disappearance of the company in Knockturn Alley, the crowd who gathered at the entrance of Gringotts to withdraw money disappeared instantly. The huge bank hall became empty almost instantly, leaving only a few bewildered goblin clerks.
Stand in it.
"Finally...it's time to come back..."
On the empty cobblestone street of Diagon Alley, a dozen short figures wrapped in cloaks stopped at the entrance of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. They raised their heads and looked at the tall snow-white marble building in front of them, with a particularly special tone.
complex.
In front of them, a white stone staircase leads to two shining doors. Two goblin guards wearing scarlet and gold uniforms stand in front of the doors on the left and right, looking warily at the group of cloaked people in front of them.
, but the figure looks familiar.
"Hey, who are you..."
"Why, it's only been a few months and you don't recognize us anymore?"
Douglas pulled down the cloak on his head, grinned and showed sharp teeth, looking at the panicked goblin guard in front of him with a playful face, took out a roll of documents from his arms, and threw it to the goblin guard casually.
"What...what is this?" The goblin guard subconsciously reached out his hand and caught the roll of parchment.
"This? You can call it the [Gringotts Unconditional Surrender Letter]. The content has been drafted, and all that remains is the signature."
Douglas smiled, slowly took out a cigar from his arms, lit it skillfully and put it to his mouth.
"Go! Tell the idiots underground who failed to kill me that Douglas, the chief financial officer of the Destiny Group, is back - please note that the eldest lady only has half a day left for Gringotts to surrender."