Chapter 230: Conversation In The Office
In the black porcelain bottle was colorless transparent Veritaserum, the file bound in yellow parchment was filled with interrogation transcripts, and in the nearby evidence booklet were front-facing photos of three Obscuruses and Salem Dark Wizards, their faces pale and gloomy, eyes revealing malice.
French Ministry of Magic, Auror’s Office.
Seated around the walnut wood desk, Melvin and Kristin, the two parties involved, were supplementing their statements, while Mr. Bonnel and Mr. Grevis took notes.
As warriors who subdued Dark Wizards and Obscuruses, they were invited to the Ministry of Magic to record statements. The bottle of Veritaserum on the table wasn’t for them, but leftover materials from just interrogating the Dark Wizards and Obscuruses. Melvin inhaled lightly to smell it; it seemed to have a scent. He thought this bottle of Veritaserum was not as good as the one brewed by Severus Snape.
“Melvin, this is the French Ministry of Magic’s award invitation. Mr. Bonnel applied for your commendation. I’m honored to inform you that they will award you the First Class Heroic Medal.”
After Grevis spoke, Bonnel handed over an exquisite invitation letter with the French tricolor crest printed on it.
The French Heroic Medal is similar to Britain’s Order of Merlin, both honoring wizards who make outstanding contributions locally. France’s historical foundation is still deeper than Romania’s. For small Ministries of Magic with little scale, they can only apply to Britain’s Knightly Order for the Order of Merlin.
“When is the award ceremony?” Melvin showed an interested expression.
“All Saints’ Day holiday in November.”
“Hogwarts has no holidays before or after. I probably won’t be able to attend.” Melvin shook his head, not too concerned. Medals weren’t important; the main thing was that this case opened internal connections in the French Ministry of Magic, making it convenient for the Traffic Bureau to carry out Floo Network renovations.
“Tell us about those Dark Wizards and Obscuruses. How did the interrogation go?”
“Confirmed the Dark Wizards are Purifiers. We interrogated locations of other cultists from him.” Mr. Grevis said, “The Department of Magical Law Enforcement has these guys under surveillance and is currently pursuing them. They have no Obscuruses with them; the case is expected to close within two days.”
“When will the trial be?” Kristin asked.
“Look under your feet; they’ve already been brought to the Tribunal.” Grevis lightly tapped the desk with his wand, and the office furnishings moved to the sides, revealing the French tricolor crest pattern inlaid in the floor.
Under the iconic Phrygian cap was inlaid frosted glass of magical material. The office floor was the skylight of the Tribunal below, inlaid so that they could see the prisoners in the Tribunal through the glass, but those in the Tribunal couldn’t see upstairs.
Those judges in wide robes looked down imposingly, faces unclear. The four on trial were imprisoned in iron cages, wearing heavy shackles.
Given the destruction caused by the Dark Wizards and Obscuruses, and their previous crimes, the Tribunal decided on the spot to sentence the Dark Wizards and the Obscurus named Pickaninny to death. The other two Obscuruses, for cooperating with the interrogation and confessing their crimes truthfully, were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Considering the special nature of Obscuruses, they would be sent to a special prison for 5X-level magical creatures.
“Actually, death and life imprisonment make no difference to those two Obscuruses. Their frontal lobes were removed, they have severe psychological issues, sealed in their own mental worlds, hard to communicate with the outside, their thinking tamed, almost no different from hounds. Whatever commands the outside gives, they execute accordingly.”
Grevis sighed here, his feelings complex toward these Obscuruses—they were victims as well as perpetrators.
After learning about the Obscuruses’ experiences, many wizards felt pity for them, even considering releasing the two with lighter crimes. But thinking of that easily out-of-control yet powerful and violent Obscurus power, the Tribunal still chose imprisonment.
“Few Obscuruses live past ten years old; they probably won’t be exceptions.” Grevis looked at the photos on the table. Clearly still immature children, not yet school age, their lives already declared over, having previously suffered inhuman torture.
His fists clenched again, and he said dully, “This time we destroyed an important New Salem nest, clearing Purifier remnants. They’re left with just a few rats hiding in Mexico, not daring to show their heads. Mr. Bonnel and I have discussed it. Next year at the International Confederation of Wizards, led by the American Ministry of Magic and French Ministry of Magic, we’ll organize a joint investigation team to eradicate all these scum!”
The International Confederation of Wizards convenes every four years, where wizard representatives from around the world discuss the wizarding world’s future development. Dumbledore is the Confederation president and Britain’s wizard representative, having sat in that position for many years. He even dozed off from boredom at the last meeting.
Mr. Bonnel said nothing; he was the only one present who couldn’t understand English, but his expression and actions were a bit strange, frequently glancing at Melvin.
Melvin picked up a cup of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement’s special French coffee and drank it—still as unpalatable as ever. Looking up, he saw dark circles under Grevis and Bonnel’s eyes. These two gentlemen probably hadn’t rested these past few days.
He wondered if wizards could die from overtime.
“…” Bonnel spat out a string of awkward French, sounding like phlegm stuck in his throat that he couldn’t cough up.
“What did he say?” Melvin asked.
“He’s asking about the remaining Obscurus, the girl we met at Père Lachaise Cemetery, Bastard.” Grevis was also quietly observing Melvin’s expression. “According to the interrogation information, there is indeed a young Obscurus. They smelled that Obscurus’s scent, followed it to the museum, targeted the Granger family, and during the on-site combat, that Bastard even obstructed the Obscurus’s attack.”
“You’re asking me?” Melvin spread his hands. “Who do I ask?”
“That’s not our intention. Mainly, that Dark Wizard revealed your student Hermione Granger has a connection with Bastard. Could you please ask Miss Granger and her family to come to the Ministry of Magic? Perhaps she knows some clues.”
Worried Melvin would misunderstand, Grevis immediately clarified, “It’s not an interrogation targeting a suspect. Mr. Bonnel guarantees no methods will be used; we just think she might know something.”
“Do you want to hear what you’re saying?”
Melvin leaned back in his chair, slightly tilting his head up, looking at the two Aurors: “You mean, an ordinary little witch on a Paris vacation, with no prior intersection with Salem or Purifiers, somehow befriended an escaped cult Obscurus in a short time?”
Grevis translated to Bonnel, and after thinking, neither could refute it.
“But… the Dark Wizard’s statement…”
“The Dark Wizard wanted to capture immature young wizards, trying to cultivate Obscuruses with cruel methods, so he targeted traveling Hogwarts students, putting the Granger family in danger.”
Melvin tapped the table. “And this peril was caused by the French Ministry of Magic—not taking the Woolworth Building’s message seriously, shirking responsibility. Even when Mr. Grevis came to Fürstenberg Square in person, you were still perfunctory. High-level officials took bribes to obstruct the investigation… Now you’re going to harass an innocent little witch victim?”
“That’s not what we mean.”
“The Dark Wizard’s statement proves nothing, just like what you said to us that day—produce actual evidence.”
“…”
Bonnel had grievances he couldn’t voice. He had indeed said that, but it was to placate the higher-ups. Didn’t he let them investigate? He let them check files in the archives, gave hints when stalled, and issued notes for them to contact Beauxbatons.
Kristin thought for a moment and looked up: “Professor Levent’s meaning is also the Rocher family and Beauxbatons’ meaning. The Ministry of Magic should take responsibility itself, not find ways to trouble a 13-year-old student.”
“We’ll find ways to investigate ourselves. Additionally, for Miss Granger and her family’s losses, the Ministry of Magic will compensate and won’t disturb their summer vacation travel anymore.”
Bonnel’s smile grew more bitter. Auror captains like mid-levels got squeezed from both ends. Damn bureaucracy. After this case, he wanted a promotion a few levels up, let someone else sit here taking the heat.
Watching their backs leave the office, Grevis flipped through the photos in the file. The oval scars on the two Obscuruses’ foreheads were particularly prominent. He recalled the little girl he saw that day—not thoroughly brainwashed, not blindly obeying the Dark Wizard’s orders, completing some transformation after the collar broke.
Though unclear why Melvin was protecting that Bastard, his intuition said the little girl wasn’t a heinous thug.
“Still that Levent… always finds loopholes in the laws.” Grevis closed the photos and said softly.
…
Hotel suite terrace, Hermione was flipping through local Paris wizard newspapers, the specially translated English edition. The front-page headline was the Obscurus attack on the Louvre Museum, news title《Those Obscuruses from Across the Ocean》.
The accompanying photo was the wrecked Louvre Pyramid, Auror figures scattered repairing the damaged Muggle architecture, with images of the Dark Wizard and three Obscuruses, faces dull, hollow eyes seeming to stare straight at the reader across the newspaper.
“It doesn’t mention us at all?” Mr. Granger stood behind, shouting, “Doesn’t anyone care about your mother and my heroic performance? Charging at the Dark Wizard for our child, a Don Quixote-style charge—or in your wizard terms, a Cadogan-style charge.”
“To minimize impact on us, the Ministry of Magic sealed news about us to ensure we wouldn’t face revenge.” Hermione put down the newspaper and looked up. “And your charges weren’t heroic at all—useless against the Dark Wizard, but a big impact on me. I was so scared my heart stopped.”
“My little Hermione…”
Mr. Granger pulled her into his arms. “We haven’t blamed you yet. Trying to abandon us to face the danger alone when it came—do you admit your mistake?”
“Mm…”
Hermione buried her head in her father’s clothes, mumbling unclearly.
Mr. Granger couldn’t hear clearly but knew her answer, messily ruffling her hair as punishment. He took the newspaper from the table, flipping to the second page, title《France’s Savior, the Mysterious Wizard from the Magic Mirror》.
“So it was this Professor Levent who saved us. How is it so coincidental?” Mr. Granger scratched his head—pity there wasn’t much hair left on top. “Subduing the Dark Wizard, burning three Obscuruses with Fire Magic… Why do they specifically mention Dark Magic? The wording feels odd; the gratitude and praise are awkward?”
The subpage news photo was the young professor’s back, from a low-angle shot making the back tall and broad, oppressive.
The news wording was also strange, emphasizing burning, stressing the Fiendfyre Curse as Dark Magic, seeming to hint at something.
“Because Fiendfyre is Dark Magic, the extremely evil kind. Among all magic, only the Unforgivable Curses are more evil than Fiendfyre. The flames turn everything they touch into fuel, devouring and burning everything. If Fiendfyre spreads on a large scale, no one can stop it.”
Hermione stuck out her tongue. “Fifty years ago, a wizard released Fiendfyre in Paris, nearly burning the whole city to ruins.”
“Sounds indeed evil, but it’s the magic that’s evil. Professor Levent was facing cultist Dark Wizards then; using fiercer magic is normal. We always hear you mention that professor—gentle and kind personality, patient with students, actively promoting Muggle Culture. How could such a wizard be a Dark Wizard?”
Mr. Granger shook his head. “These Paris newspaper reporters, writing such reports.”
“Can’t entirely blame the Paris wizards. Professor Levent’s magic…” Hermione rarely defended the reporters. She remembered being anxious then, nearly thinking the professor would burn those Obscuruses and Bastien together.
“When Professor Levent has time, I really want to thank him properly.”
Hermione shook her head with a sigh: “Don’t know. The professor only told us to take good care of Bastien. With him handling the Ministry of Magic side, they won’t trouble us.”
“Bastien and your mother should be back soon?” Mr. Granger put down the newspaper. “Just went to the restaurant to pack a few dinners; shouldn’t take long.”
As soon as he spoke, the sound of swiping a card to open the door came from outside.
“Mom, Bastien!”
Hermione ran over to greet them immediately.
Mr. Granger put away the wizard newspaper and followed leisurely. In the doorway hallway, the two ladies carried packed dinners, and the father-daughter pair staying behind were both stunned in place.
They’d been in the hotel nearly a week, not the first time packing food, and knew Bastien had a slightly big appetite. But seeing bags hanging from arms—at least ten person portions of dinner, plus various ice cream and mousse cakes—the two were still shocked.
“Bastien said she expended too much power that day, so she’s extra hungry.” Mrs. Granger looked helpless. “She promised she can finish all this.”
“Finish and remember to brush your teeth well, okay?”
Mr. Granger scraped the little girl’s nose. They didn’t understand magic, but they remembered that day Bastien held off three monsters, buying them time.
Bastien sniffed, nodding vigorously, her deep blue eyes sparkling.
After such an incident, they were still willing to adopt her, never blaming her for bringing the danger, nor distancing because of the Obscurus.
