"How could that be?! That's Wizet!"
"Exactly! I've seen that boy—how many crises has he already resolved?"
The entire Headmaster's Office erupted into noise as the portraits of former headmasters began questioning Barty Crouch Sr.'s words.
After calming the portraits, Dumbledore blinked, drew a deep breath, and said, "Barty, just as you said earlier..."
He seemed to be struggling to compose himself. He wanted to pick up his tea and take a sip, but the tremor in his fingertips betrayed him the moment he touched the cup.
Behind his half-moon spectacles, his eyes seemed far brighter than usual, like springs on the verge of overflowing.
"Wizet has merely disappeared. You haven't..." He withdrew his hand, his voice hoarse.
His lips trembled. It was as though he lacked the courage to say the word "body." In the end, he could not say it at all. He merely shook his head helplessly. "I mean... you understand what I mean."
"As for matters concerning the Department of Mysteries, the Unspeakables are the professionals. Perhaps we could let them..."
"Albus!" Barty Crouch Sr. called out, his tone sharpening. "You should know my way of doing things very well."
"When I had the Floo Network Authority arrange the Floo Network, I contacted those Unspeakables at Amelia's instruction and had them disclose information about the Time Chamber."
"I must reiterate that unfortunate news..." He sighed. "Wizet is dead. There is no possibility of his return. He... even his body has disappeared. It is... most unfortunate!"
The Headmaster's Office fell silent. Dumbledore seemed frozen in place, his entire body rigid.
Even the former headmasters in the portraits fell quiet. Several of them seemed unable to bear the blow and vanished directly from their frames.
Not only Dumbledore—Barty Crouch Sr. and Snape also remained motionless, merely watching Dumbledore