Hogwarts House Search!

Professor McGonagall had anticipated this.

With Dumbledore no longer stationed at Hogwarts, she was essentially managing all the school's affairs, big and small.

On the day Hubert was attacked, besides informing Dumbledore, who was in Scotland, she also reported the incident to the Ministry of Magic.

A typical campus assault wouldn't warrant such action, but the involvement of dark magic meant it fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Even if Professor McGonagall hadn't reported it, Hubert's parents would have done so themselves.

Thus, on the third day after the attack, two Aurors arrived at Hogwarts.

Their response time was actually quite swift; they had already conducted a professional examination and questioning of the victim, Hubert, at St. Mungo's Hospital yesterday.

Although the information they gathered was limited, they had preliminarily concluded that the perpetrator was likely still within Hogwarts.

The primary use of the Cruciatus Curse was for interrogation, so why would a dark wizard risk so much to interrogate a child?

The most probable reason was that the attacker was after something within Hogwarts, and the young wizard who was attacked either possessed it or knew its location.

While Hogwarts appeared to be taking no action on the surface, the reality was a facade of calm over strict vigilance.

Professors and older Prefects were patrolling the castle constantly, both day and night.

No suspicious activity had been detected so far, which indicated that the perpetrator was still lying low. They might have already obtained what they wanted, or they might still be waiting for an opportunity in the shadows.

Of course, there was also a very small possibility that they had fled Hogwarts on the day of the incident.

"We need to examine the scene of the incident first," Kingsley requested of Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall led them to the corner of the corridor connecting the Slytherin common room to the Great Hall.

This was a necessary thoroughfare for anyone going from the Slytherin common room to the corridor, so it was no longer in the state it was when the incident first occurred.

Furthermore, even when Hubert was first discovered, no traces had been left here.

However, the Aurors had their own methods.

"Savage, Red Powder," Kingsley said, squatting down where Hubert had fallen earlier and instructing his assistant behind him.

Savage took out a bottle of black powder from his robe and handed it to Kingsley.

Kingsley sprinkled the powder from the glass bottle around the area. The black powder floated in the air, and upon contact with the air, its color quickly lightened until it became completely transparent and dissipated, becoming invisible.

"Red Powder is our usual method for detecting residual dark magic. It reacts with any dark magic residue left within five days. If dark magic was cast in this area, the Red Powder will turn from black to red. If not, it will be like this," Kingsley explained to Professor McGonagall.

"What clues will we get from this?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Savage answered her question.

"This isn't the actual site where the young wizard was attacked. Someone dumped him here."

Kingsley stood up. "Let's go. It's been a while since we've seen Hogwarts' portraits. We should go say hello."

Afterward, they proceeded down the corridor, questioning everyone along the way. However, the portraits all stated that no suspicious individuals had appeared on the day of the attack, and the battered Hubert had simply appeared there as if out of nowhere.

"Has the Anti-Apparition Charm in the castle been weakened recently?" the young Auror Savage asked a rather foolish question after they had hit a dead end.

Professor McGonagall shook her head without hesitation. "There's no need to doubt that. No one can Apparate within the castle."

With no new discoveries at the scene, Kingsley was preparing to change his approach to investigate the attack. Just as he was about to ask Professor McGonagall to escort them to her office, A young Slytherin wizard, who had been following them all along, suddenly mustered the courage to ask, "Are you Aurors from the Ministry of Magic?"

Kingsley's eyebrows rose. He had a premonition that this young wizard would provide him with some useful information.

"That's right, child. My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt, an active Auror in the Ministry of Magic. Do you have something to tell me?"

The Slytherin wizard's body trembled slightly, unsure if it was from nervousness or excitement. Like a collaborator reporting underground resistance fighters to the enemy, he loudly declared, "It was Professor Foxx! Professor Foxx definitely did it! He used to be a dark wizard, and he's the only one at Hogwarts who would have a reason to do something like this!"

Professor McGonagall's face instantly darkened. She said angrily, "Slandering a professor! Slandering a professor! Who taught you this! Now! Immediately! Get out of here! And within three days, you will submit a one-foot-long self-criticism!"

Professor McGonagall's long-standing authority terrified the young wizard, who turned and fled. However, what he had said could no longer be taken back.

Seeing Kingsley deep in thought, Professor McGonagall said solemnly, "Adrien does indeed have a past record, but I believe you, as an Auror, are more aware of the details than I am, so I trust him. Albus also trusts him. The real culprit would never be him!"

Kingsley waved his hand to comfort Professor McGonagall.

"I understand, Professor. Of course, I know about Foxx's past, and I naturally believe he wouldn't do something like this. But as you can see, since a student has the audacity to accuse Foxx to me in front of you, it shows that his image among the students is already quite negative."

Professor McGonagall's expression remained grim.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Kingsley said frankly, "Take us to see Foxx. We will prove his innocence."

Ten minutes later, in Professor Foxx's office.

Kingsley sat in a chair, observing the office's decor.

Professor Foxx had prepared tea for the three of them and was conversing with Kingsley like two old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time.

"I thought you would come to me first when you arrived at Hogwarts."

Kingsley and Professor Foxx didn't seem like they were meeting for the first time; the two showed no signs of unfamiliarity.

"I certainly believe you wouldn't use your research against your own students. However, your reputation at Hogwarts isn't very good right now."

"Enough talk, how do you need my cooperation?" Professor Foxx looked into Kingsley's eyes, appearing quite practiced.

"Just like ten years ago, old Foxx, please hand over your wand."

Kingsley didn't avert his gaze either. This scene brought back memories of that day ten years ago.

He had only recently become an Auror when he was assigned to inspect Foxx's wand.

The results of the inspection at the time were:

That wand had unleashed countless Cruciatus Curses and...

Five Killing Curses in just three days!

Even in death, I will let out a decaying cry from my coffin: "Vote for me!!!"