In the dimly lit room, Moody's magical eye spun wildly before suddenly locking in place. Both of his eyes fixed intently on the bound Filch.
He stared for quite a while, then gripped the man's chin, tilting it from side to side to inspect it. Suddenly, Moody let out a cold snort and released his hand.
"You've noticed it too, haven't you, Dumbledore?" Moody muttered darkly, and his tone was filled with suspicion. "This isn't Transfiguration… He didn't turn into this through magic."
Then, with an impatient wave of his hand, Moody motioned for Snape to take a look as well.
The Potions Master approached with his usual expressionless face. His wand slid out from his sleeve and gently tapped the side of Barty Jr.'s neck as he murmured a few detection spells under his breath.
Moments later, Snape's black eyes narrowed slightly. He grabbed Barty Jr. by the collar, pulled him closer, and flared his hooked nose as he carefully sniffed.
"It's not Polyjuice Potion, either," he said in his cold, certain voice.
The two men exchanged a glance with their brows tightly furrowed.
For that moment, they even forgot their mutual loathing, both struck by the same question—
"If it's neither spell nor potion, then how on earth did this 'Filch' manage to disguise himself so perfectly?" Sirius asked bluntly.
Snape raised an eyebrow and said in a sharp tone: "Are you questioning my judgment?"
Sirius sneered. "Who knows if you—"
Just as the tension between them was about to explode, Wade's eyes suddenly lit up with realization.
"Maybe… he went through Muggle plastic surgery?"
"Plastic surgery?" Sirius frowned in confusion. "I think I've heard Lily mention that once. It's some sort of Muggle cosmetic procedure… but aren't they only capable of minor adjustments—like reshaping a nose or eyelids?"
"He might've first changed his overall facial structure, then made small adjustments bit by bit," Wade explained.
"If he used potions to speed up healing, the whole process wouldn't even take that long. And hardly anyone pays close attention to Filch's face—small differences probably wouldn't be noticed."
Wade's gaze fell upon Barty Jr.. Alongside pity, there was even a trace of admiration.
Using magic to transform into someone else's appearance could be done in just a few breaths. Aside from the unpleasant taste of Polyjuice Potion, it had no real side effects, and one could revert instantly.
But Hogwarts had the world's greatest Transfiguration expert—Dumbledore himself. Barty Jr. probably didn't dare to show off his magic in front of him. As for using potions, one would have to drink a sip of Polyjuice every hour—and obtaining the ingredients would be a problem too.
Stealing from the Potions Master, or buying from Knockturn Alley, would only raise the risk of exposure.
It was likely out of such caution that Barty Jr. chose the Muggle method.
But to make one's skin sag and freckle, to draw away facial fat so that wrinkles deepen, to shave off excess bone, wear down the teeth…
He must have undergone five to ten separate surgeries to achieve that effect—and suffered greatly through them.
Wade couldn't help but sigh inwardly— Barty Crouch Jr. truly loves Voldemort with a terrifying devotion.
Snape glanced at Wade, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
But he didn't argue. Instead, he bent down again and traced his fingers over "Filch's" face before pulling open the man's robes.
Filch was always wrapped up in his dusty grey robes, never revealing any skin below his neck—even in the height of summer.
Because of that, Barty hadn't bothered to alter the rest of his body to match the appearance of an old man. The skin on his chest and the skin on his face were completely different in texture and tone, separated by a sharp, obvious line.
Snape straightened up and said with disgust, "Indeed… he used Muggle methods to turn himself into this."
"A clever approach," Dumbledore said calmly. "Unexpected… but it did allow him to evade magical detection and deceive our eyes."
He turned toward Wade, and his gaze seemed to pierce straight into the young man's thoughts.
"Wade, do you know who he really is?"
Wade shook his head. "Before he was caught, he didn't mention anything."
His fingers, hidden in his sleeve, absently brushed against his wand—he could still see Barty's name, yet had no way to explain how he knew it, so he chose to say nothing at all.
After all, uncovering the impostor's identity didn't rely on only one method.
"Severus, please fetch your most potent Veritaserum," Dumbledore said crisply. "I believe we need to hear this 'Mr. Filch's' story."
Then he added, "Alastor, go to the infirmary and ask Madam Pomfrey for a vial of Restoration Draught."
Both men nodded and immediately turned to leave.
"Restoration Draught?" Wade repeated—he had never heard of such a potion.
"It's a rather obscure one," Dumbledore explained gently. "Usually used to treat victims who've been transfigured by Dark Magic, or those who've accidentally ingested faulty Polyjuice Potion. I believe it should also help restore a body that's been forcibly altered by Muggle surgery."
Wade thought to himself, So when Hermione turned into a cat girl after taking Polyjuice in the original story, they must have used this potion to restore her?
That would explain why it's so rarely mentioned—though Wade treated Polyjuice as a staple potion, it was actually uncommon in the wizarding world, and most people wouldn't dare use it openly; otherwise, they'd risk warnings or even arrest by the Ministry of Magic.
"Now then," Dumbledore said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. He gestured for Wade and Sirius to do the same, before asking, "Tell me—how did you two first discover there was something wrong with Filch?"
--------------------------------
🙏🙏Please consider supporting this translation project by becoming a P@treon member!!!
Your support is greatly appreciated!
Available on my P@treon page for just $4!!
Early access to the following translations:-
⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- 200+ Chapters
⭐MCU: Druid's Adventures (MCUDA)(⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 460
⭐Famous Police Detective in Detective World (FPDDW)- +165 advance chapters
⭐Marvel: Little Genius (MLG) (⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 450
[email protected]/Lightreaper457
--------------------------------