The Director of the International Magical Cooperation Department, Barty Crouch, was dead?
Murdered by Peter Pettigrew?
"Ah, this... cough, cough..."
Seeing the front-page headline in the Daily Prophet, Albert sprayed the milk he had just swallowed all over the newspaper.
"What's wrong?"
Everyone at the table looked up. They rarely saw Albert lose his composure.
In truth, it was not the news of Barty Crouch's death that had stunned Albert, but the fact that Dumbledore had actually cornered Voldemort at the Crouch residence and killed him.
Albert had long known that some changes might occur, but this was far too great a change. Since when had Dumbledore become so fierce?
"Cough, cough, it's nothing. I just saw something surprising."
Albert put down the newspaper, took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the corner of his mouth, and began reading the front-page report in the Daily Prophet.
The fact that Dumbledore had gone to the Crouch residence to ambush Voldemort was truly astonishing.
Albert had no idea that Dumbledore had suddenly gone to the Crouch residence entirely because Albert had spoken nonsense to Percy at the Christmas Feast, allowing Dumbledore to pick up on something and develop a peculiar misunderstanding.
The result was not wrong, though. Percy's superior was gone, and his next job would be as the Minister of Magic's assistant.
Albert had no idea what impact Dumbledore's borderline rule-breaking move would have. In any case, Dumbledore had chopped off Voldemort's snake.
Albert realized this when he opened his Task Panel and checked the quest "The Dark Lord's Demise," only to find that his contribution had risen dramatically.
It seemed the Headmaster had made careful arrangements. Lord Voldemort had not lost unfairly, Albert muttered to himself.
In fact, more than half the blame for Voldemort's Nagini having her head cut