Hogwarts: Third Dark Lord

As Abernathy walked out of Rita Skeeter's residence, Cornelius Fudge hurriedly entered the Auror Office on the second basement level of the Ministry of Magic.

The office was already filled with Aurors, all from the British Ministry of Magic. When the Minister of Magic appeared, the Aurors who had been gathered together quickly parted to create a path. Yet, their faces remained overshadowed by expressions of anger and fear.

Through the path cleared by the Aurors, Fudge saw what had captured their attention: several bloodless bodies laid out in the center of the room. Surrounding them were Rufus Scrimgeour, the newly appointed Head of the Auror Office, and a few travel trunks neatly placed beside the corpses.

Fudge turned pale at the sight of so many bodies within the Ministry.

Rufus Scrimgeour, who had been crouched over examining one of the corpses, stood up when he noticed Fudge. He approached the Minister and said gravely:

"Minister Fudge, our assessment indicates that all these individuals died from the Killing Curse. Before their deaths, it's highly likely they endured severe torture."

Fudge's face flushed with a mixture of anger and unease. His voice rose as he exclaimed:

"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! Whoever did this must be thrown into Azkaban immediately!"

After his outburst, Fudge seemed to regain a measure of composure. After a brief silence, he asked:

"Have we identified the victims?"

Without hesitation, Scrimgeour replied:

"There's no need for an extensive investigation. I am almost certain these individuals were the same wizard hunters who attacked Dumbledore recently. If it were just one person, I might hesitate to make this claim, but their physical descriptions perfectly match Dumbledore's account of the attackers. I'm confident it's them."

Fudge's expression flickered with surprise. Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, he asked, with a mixture of nervousness and slight eagerness:

"Are you saying their deaths are connected to Albus Dumbledore? Did Dumbledore use an Unforgivable Curse to kill them?"

The gathered Aurors exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to respond. Scrimgeour cleared his throat and said cautiously:

"Minister, while we know who the victims are, the identity of the perpetrator remains under investigation. It's too early to conclude that Dumbledore used an Unforgivable Curse to kill these wizard hunters. At present, we have no evidence linking him to their deaths."

Fudge seemed to realize he had spoken impulsively. Quickly, he adjusted his tone and said:

"Quite right, Rufus. You must find the perpetrator as soon as possible! Since that man's downfall, the British wizarding world has seen no incident as severe or horrifying as this. Whoever is responsible must be brought to justice without mercy."

After his declaration, Fudge's expression turned contemplative. He then asked:

"By the way, where was Dumbledore when this incident occurred?"

"We've already sent him an owl," Scrimgeour replied. "I assume—"

Before he could finish, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. Moments later, Dumbledore himself entered, pushing the door open and stepping into the room.

Fudge immediately donned a welcoming smile, moving to greet him.

"Ah, Albus, what a pleasure to see you! What brings you to the Ministry today?"

Dumbledore, unperturbed, replied evenly:

"I received Rufus's letter and Apparated here at once. I wanted to see if the victims were indeed the individuals who attacked me and my student the other night."

Without waiting for a response, Dumbledore walked past Fudge and toward the center of the room, inspecting the bodies closely.

Fudge's smile faltered, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face before he quickly masked it. He stepped up beside Dumbledore and said, in a tone that attempted to sound casual:

"Albus, while I'm glad you're here, this case is still under investigation. For certain reasons, you cannot yet be ruled out as a suspect. I must ask you to—"

But before Fudge could finish, Dumbledore interrupted him, speaking firmly:

"Minister, you misunderstand. I am not here in a personal capacity."

Fudge blinked, momentarily confused. "Albus, I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

Dumbledore's piercing gaze met Fudge's, and for a moment, it felt as though the Headmaster could see straight through him. Fudge shifted uncomfortably as Dumbledore continued:

"Minister, an incident of this magnitude is no longer just a matter for the Auror Office. I am here on behalf of the Wizengamot—because I am its Chief Warlock."

Fudge froze, stunned into silence. Dumbledore, however, paid him no further attention. Turning to Scrimgeour, he said:

"Indeed, Rufus, you are correct. These individuals are the same wizard hunters who attacked me and my student."

Scrimgeour inclined his head respectfully. Then, with measured composure, he asked:

"My apologies, Headmaster Dumbledore, but could you tell us where you were and what you were doing last night? Is there anyone who can vouch for you?"

Fudge, who had been standing to the side, quickly moved closer to listen intently.

Dumbledore appeared unfazed by the question. Nodding slightly, he replied:

"After dinner last night, I returned to my office at Hogwarts. There, I summoned Professor Snape, our Potions Master, to request the preparation of a specialized potion. We discussed the matter at length until late in the evening. After Professor Snape left, Professor McGonagall, our Deputy Headmistress, came to discuss upcoming academic matters with me. It was only after I received Rufus's owl that I Apparated here."

Scrimgeour nodded, acknowledging the response. "Thank you for your answer, Headmaster. If you don't mind, we will later confirm this with Professors Snape and McGonagall."

"Of course," Dumbledore replied with a slight smile. "I have no objections."

As the questioning seemed to conclude and Dumbledore prepared to leave, Scrimgeour suddenly asked:

"One more thing, Headmaster. Your student, Wentworth—where was he last night?"

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