Something like a conscience...
It definitely existed inside Vinson Wright.
Just like the birthday cake Old Barty Crouch had bought: even Barty Crouch Jr. and the House-elf Winky, who were imprisoned in the Underground Fortress, had a share.
And Vinson Wright had personally delivered it to them.
However, after living in the Underground Fortress for more than a month, Barty Jr. painfully declared that he wanted to return to life aboveground. Even if he were placed under the Imperius Curse, at least then he would not have to clearly feel the despair of confinement every day.
There was no one here to talk to at all.
Inside the Underground Fortress, the only person he could communicate with was the tireless House-elf Winky. It was even worse than when he had been in Azkaban, where there had at least been a group of prisoners cursing each other.
Barty Jr. had never hated being lucid so much!
"Let me out of here!"
Barty Jr. gripped the iron door of the Underground Fortress tightly and snarled, "Even if... you use the Imperius Curse on me, I don't care... Let me out of here!"
"Sorry, that was your own choice."
Vinson Wright rejected him with perfect courtesy.
Just as Vinson had expected.
Most of the Death Eaters loyal to Voldemort actually enjoyed causing trouble everywhere. None of them could endure this kind of psychological isolation!
Vinson Wright did not completely refuse to help. He kindly reminded Barty Jr., "However, before you entered this Underground Fortress, I guessed that you might encounter these psychological problems. I recommend once again that you read some of the inspirational books on the bookshelf..."
"..."
This little thing really was a devil!
Barty Jr. glared furiously at Vinson Wright. That little bastard had known all along that he would be bored to the point of madness in the Underground Fortress, yet he had still lured him into choosing to live there!
"You despicable little bastard..."
"Watch your language. Don't curse."
Vinson Wright frowned slightly. He forcefully pried open Barty Jr.'s hands from the iron door and pushed him back into the Underground Fortress, saying softly, "You have to learn to take things in stride. At least here, you can break every bad habit you developed in the past..."
Afterward, Vinson Wright ignored the even angrier Barty Jr. and called over Winky, earnestly instructing her, "From now on, don't talk to Mr. Barty Crouch Jr. You only need to pay attention to one thing: don't let him die here..."
"But..."
The kind House-elf hesitated.
"No buts."
Vinson Wright shook his head and smiled softly. "If you talk to him too much, you'll waste Mr. Barty Crouch's painstaking effort for his son. You wouldn't want to see them become enemies, would you?"
"...Yes, Lord Wright."
The kind House-elf eventually nodded.
Vinson Wright glanced at the sumptuous lunch on the table inside the Underground Fortress and continued his gentle instructions. "You don't need to prepare any lavish meals for him from now on, either. This is a spiritual ascetic practice we've prepared for him. Naturally, the life of an ascetic should be a little austere. A cup of water and a slice of bread every day should be enough..."
"Yes."
The kind House-elf understood what ascetic practice meant.
"You little devil..."
Although the gray-haired boy's voice still sounded extremely childish when he said these things, that did not stop Barty Jr., who had witnessed everything, from deciding that they were the devil's whispers!
That little bastard!
How could he say such things?
Why did he have to interfere with his life in the Underground Fortress? One slice of bread and one cup of water every day—the quality of life in Azkaban had never been this terrible!
"All right. Only those who work diligently will receive rewards."
Vinson Wright ignored Barty Jr. After giving Winky an understated word of praise, he slowly closed the Underground Fortress's gate under Barty Crouch Jr.'s furious and despairing gaze.
"Stop!"
"You little devil!"
"You rotten little bastard!"
"Brat, you'll die a horrible death!"
"I'll curse you with Crucio ten thousand times!"
Barty Crouch Jr. furiously pounded on the Underground Fortress's iron door, paying no attention to the swelling and reddening of his fists as he hoped his curses could penetrate the iron door.
Unfortunately...
Vinson Wright could no longer hear him.
That did not stop Vinson Wright from guessing that Barty Crouch Jr. was definitely cursing, since Barty Jr.'s moral character was poor.
Vinson ran a hand through his gray hair. As he turned and walked away, he could not help shaking his head and clicking his tongue in lament. "His moral education still needs improvement. Hopefully, he'll have a friendlier attitude the next time we meet..."
Compared to his father, Barty Jr. was still far behind.
As a senior official of the Ministry of Magic, Old Barty had always maintained a serious and earnest attitude. No matter what situation he found himself in, he would do his best to remain calm, and he always considered everything very thoroughly.
That was precisely what Vinson Wright admired about Old Barty Crouch.
Vinson Wright had now received his Hogwarts acceptance letter, so Old Barty Crouch naturally had to take him to the most prosperous marketplace for wizards—
the legendary Diagon Alley.
Only there could he purchase everything required on the new student list.
Generally speaking, there were two ways to reach Diagon Alley. The first was through The Leaky Cauldron in central London, where there was a mechanism leading into Diagon Alley.
The second was through a fireplace connected to the Floo Network. All one had to do was grab a handful of Floo Powder, throw it into the fireplace, and they would arrive directly at their destination.
Naturally.
Vinson Wright chose the safer option.
Vinson Wright explained to Old Barty that he wanted to see the magical place known as The Leaky Cauldron. It was where ordinary people began their journey into contact with magic.
Besides that.
The Leaky Cauldron also had a relatively simple exploration quest.
[Exploration Quest: Enter Diagon Alley from behind The Leaky Cauldron (0/1), Reward: Spell to unlock, Incomplete]
As for entering Diagon Alley through The Leaky Cauldron, Old Barty Crouch personally felt that it did not matter either way, since no wizard had any particular dislike of The Leaky Cauldron.
In fact.
Every young wizard's true starting point in the Wizarding World was being led by their family through The Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley.
Moreover, The Leaky Cauldron had existed for nearly five hundred years. It had accompanied every wizard as they grew up, giving its existence a meaning of its own.
Back when The Leaky Cauldron had not yet been protected by the Muggle Repelling Charm, it had nearly been demolished by Muggles who wanted to build a road. In the end, all the wizards united and cast Obliviate on the Muggle planners, altering the road plans and allowing The Leaky Cauldron to survive to this day.
Central London.
Between a large Muggle bookstore and a record shop stood a small, old wooden door. Because of the Muggle Repelling Charm, ordinary people passing by paid no attention to its existence.
Those passing ordinary people would never know that if they happened to step through that wooden door by chance, they would be able to come into contact with the wondrous Wizarding World.
Please recommend this book and add it to your collections! It should be able to get a contract next Monday.
Before you continue