Doubts During Reconciliation

While Lucretia was receiving treatment at St. Mungo's, Mr. Crouch's Auror Task Force was also swamped with work.

Williams pondered where to start.

He'd encountered this situation several times before: orphanages that weren't under government jurisdiction, where Muggle officials likely only visited once a year, and weren't well-known private charities.

The Ministry of Magic had always struggled with these grey areas. Director Crouch always called them loopholes in the system.

But Williams felt the problem was more complicated than that.

He and two other Aurors cast Confundus Charms on themselves to appear as Muggle social welfare investigators and went to Wu Orphanage.

The sky was overcast, making the already dilapidated building look even more unsettling than it had when they visited at night last time.

The paint on the walls was peeling badly, revealing cracked bricks underneath.

Williams recalled the things the Director had warned him about.

The grass in the yard was overgrown, and the metal toys meant for the children lay rusting in the weeds, unrecognizable.

He really wondered what the actual Muggle welfare departments were doing.

"Remember," Williams said in a low voice, "we're here to investigate adoption records from the past five years. Muggles are sensitive about these things, so don't arouse their suspicion."

They entered the headmistress's office, and a foul smell of mold hit them.

Williams couldn't help but think of the case he'd handled last year, which had a similar smell to a disused classroom at Hogwarts.

He rubbed his nose, hoping this investigation would be over quickly.

The overweight woman had recovered after her Memory Charm was removed a few days prior, but her eyes were full of suspicion as she stared at the investigators.

"Records from the past five years?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Who can remember things from that long ago? Besides, those documents were already..."

Williams produced a document with a government seal. "We have the right to access any relevant files. If you don't cooperate, we'll have to request permission from our superiors to take further action."

Seeing the government seal, the headmistress's attitude softened slightly, though she remained reluctant. "Fine, the archives are in the basement. But no one's been down there in a long time; it's full of dust..."

The basement was even darker and damper than they had imagined.

Williams turned on his flashlight, its beam sweeping across rows of yellowed filing cabinets.

"Let's split up and search," he said. "Focus on adoption records around 1970. And don't forget the Director's instructions: record anything you find unusual."

As time passed, Williams grew increasingly dissatisfied as he sifted through the moldy files.

The more he read, the more he confirmed a disturbing fact from these scattered records: the orphanage's neglect of the children far exceeded his imagination.

Most children's records in the orphanage were perfunctory, even crude.

Furthermore, comparing them with past charity donation records, the donation statements and expenditure details were severely inconsistent.

The accounts showed substantial donations received each month, but the children's expenses for food, medical care, and education were pitifully low.

Even more suspicious was that some large donations disappeared without a trace after being recorded.

Williams pointed to an expenditure record. "Look here. During the flu season last winter, over twenty children fell ill, but the orphanage only reimbursed less than ten pounds per child for medication. Yet, the donation records show nearly five hundred pounds in medical donations received that month."

The young Auror frowned. "Where did that money go? I told you, it was so cold in that hallway last time we were here; the windows couldn't block the wind."

Williams continued searching. "And this. Winter heating costs were almost zero; they said the children wouldn't get cold if they exercised more. But the accounts show a large amount of coal was purchased."

When they examined the medical records, the situation became even more disturbing.

Sick children often did not receive timely treatment, with the orphanage's stance being that if they could endure it, they didn't need to go to the hospital.

Some seriously ill children were even isolated in the attic, left to fend for themselves.

"This explains why those medical records were so sloppy; they simply didn't care if these children lived or died."

The dust in the basement made them cough, and just as they were about to move the documents upstairs, a young Auror suddenly spoke.

"Captain, I found Viola's record!"

Williams took the file. "Let me see. It says that a month and a half ago, this girl named Viola suddenly became seriously ill with a high fever. There were no further records, but a month later, she reappeared on the attendance sheet, and..."

The young Auror leaned in. "And what?"

"And the orphanage's records state that her behavior changed significantly after her recovery."

Williams pointed to a line of scribbled notes.

"Although she didn't play much with the other children in the orphanage before, afterward she often stayed alone in the garden, or only with that blonde girl, Emily."

Another Auror said, "It's normal for illness to change someone's personality, isn't it?"

"Yeah, my aunt had a serious illness before. She used to be short-tempered, but after being discharged from St. Mungo's, her temper became much milder."

Williams coughed, choked by the dust. "But the problem is, this doesn't match the accounts we just saw. You guys, look here. The other sick children were given at most two pounds for medical expenses, but Viola's hospitalization record is blank? It initially says one hundred pounds, but it was crossed out and then a question mark was added?"

The young Auror leaned closer. "Could it be that her condition was particularly severe?"

Williams frowned. "If it was really that serious, why is there no hospital information? And the payment method for this expense is also strange. It wasn't paid from the donation account, but rather..."

His finger stopped on a line of text.

"From an anonymous donor."

Just then, they heard a commotion from upstairs.

Williams motioned for everyone to be quiet and listened closely. It was the Headmaster arguing with an orderly from the orphanage.

"Headmaster, they're social welfare investigators. If they find out you've secretly taken away..."

The Headmaster's sharp voice came through the floor. "I told you, I know nothing about that! Martha was on duty that night, but she quit a long time ago and is now working at another welfare institution in London. Do you understand?"

Williams exchanged a look with the other Aurors.

Martha?

This was the first time they had heard that name.

And that night...

Was he talking about the night Viola got sick?

Williams said in a low voice, "Take all this information back to Director Crouch. Find out where this Martha is now. Oh, and that anonymous donation, check who gave it."

As they packed up the documents and prepared to leave, Williams's gaze fell on a yellowed photograph.

It was a group photo from last Christmas. Viola stood in the very corner, head bowed, her expression cold. Emily stood beside her, her hand resting on Viola's shoulder.

"Perhaps..." he said thoughtfully, "we can also go ask Emily what exactly happened during the time Viola was sick."

"So, you mean we split up?"

The young Auror brushed some dust off his robes, stood up with the documents, and muttered that these Muggles should at least clean the archives.

"Alright, Judy, you stay with me. You're a woman, and Emily might relax a bit more if you talk to her. The rest of you, work a little harder and check the welfare institutions in London for any newly hired orderlies named Martha."