"I don't think this is necessary, Albus."
Moody spoke in a low voice, his magical eye spinning incessantly, as if searching for a way to break out of here.
Unfortunately, the outcome was destined to disappoint him. Headmaster Dumbledore was here, as were Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick; he couldn't handle even these three alone.
Adding in that young girl who had shown unfathomable power during the Quidditch World Cup Final, he had no chance of escape whatsoever.
"I'm sorry, Alastor. If this is a misunderstanding, I will apologize to you."
After saying this, Headmaster Dumbledore waved his wand at the flask next to Moody, and it immediately flew into his hand.
Opening the cap and sniffing it gently, he looked up at the fake Moody, still appearing gentle and seemingly not angry at all.
"But it seems I won't have to apologize."
As soon as Headmaster Dumbledore finished speaking, two Binding Curses from Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick hit the fake Moody.
The fake Moody glared unwillingly, staggering and falling to the floor.
"It seems I've arrived just in time."
A drawling voice arrived as Professor Snape strode into Moody's office, his eyes vacant as he looked at the fake Moody on the floor.
"Yes, Severus. If you would."
Headmaster Dumbledore nodded. Professor Snape stepped forward quickly, pinched the fake Moody's mouth open, and dripped two drops of Veritaserum inside.
"It's done."
After administering the Veritaserum, Professor Snape stood up and stepped aside.
"Where is the real Alastor Moody?"
Headmaster Dumbledore asked the first question without hesitation.
"In the trunk behind me, the last compartment."
Under the influence of Veritaserum, the fake Moody spoke without any power to resist. Amanda could see he was trying his best to fight it; his face was flushed red and his veins were bulging.
Unfortunately, the potency of Veritaserum was not something he could resist simply because he wanted to.
Hearing this, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape stepped forward and opened the trunk behind the fake Moody layer by layer.
Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall simultaneously stepped forward, firmly shielding Amanda behind them to prevent any accidents.
After opening the final compartment, Headmaster Dumbledore looked down at Moody, who was sitting in a space several meters deep, and let out a sigh of relief.
At least Alastor was still alive, though he looked somewhat weak.
"It's rare to see you in such a state, Alastor."
Headmaster Dumbledore smiled gently and waved his wand, carefully levitating Moody up.
Even with only one leg, the moment he was brought up, Moody braced himself against the edge of the trunk and hauled himself out.
"Aye, I'm old. My vigilance isn't what it used to be, so I was successfully ambushed by two little brats."
"This is why I say, constant vigilance!"
Though Moody's voice was weak, his steadiness and forcefulness remained undiminished.
Tilting her head slightly to look over Professor Flitwick's head, Amanda saw the real Alastor Moody.
He had clearly been imprisoned for some time; his face was pale and thin, and the hair on his head was somewhat balding from being plucked for the fake Moody's Polyjuice Potion.
Looking at his scarred face, Amanda's mind quickly analyzed which spells or weapons each wound likely came from.
Facing the answers her brain provided regarding those spells and weapons, Amanda's eyes held half respect alongside her indifference as she looked at Moody.
This was indeed a battle-hardened Old Auror; the scars on his face were the best proof.
"I'm quite relieved, though, that you discovered that fellow was an impostor so quickly. It seems being Headmaster at Hogwarts hasn't dulled your sharpness or ability, Albus."
Headmaster Dumbledore shook his head and beckoned to Amanda, who was behind Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick.
Amanda walked out with steady steps. Her gaze lingered for a second on the fake Moody, who was tightly bound on the floor, before she walked to Headmaster Dumbledore's side.
"It wasn't us who discovered it; it was this child, Amanda. She noticed that the impostor's gait and movements were unpracticed, and thus judged that he was likely an impostor using Polyjuice Potion."
Hearing Headmaster Dumbledore's words, Moody sat on the edge of the trunk and looked Amanda up and down, then stiffly twitched the corners of his mouth.
It wasn't that he didn't want to smile, but this habitually serious and earnest Old Auror simply didn't know how.
"Extremely sharp insight!" he said in the most powerful voice he could muster.
"Better than those young Aurors I've trained. As long as your grades are fine, you can come work as an Auror directly after graduation."
Amanda nodded woodenly and responded politely in a flat voice, "Thank you, Professor Moody, but I will likely pursue further studies after graduation."
Further studies? Everyone present was stunned. Was there... any other school in the British Wizarding World besides Hogwarts?
But now was clearly not the time to ask about that. After confirming that Moody's health wasn't in serious danger, Headmaster Dumbledore turned to look down at the fake Moody on the floor.
"Now, fake Alastor, please tell us your name."
"I am Barty Crouch Jr."
"Barty Crouch Jr.?" Headmaster Dumbledore frowned and gave Moody an inquiring look.
"It's him. I saw his face while fighting him," Moody said gruffly.
"Why aren't you dead?"
Headmaster Dumbledore continued to question him solemnly. At the same time, Amanda retrieved information about Barty Crouch Jr. in her mind.
Books about the Ministry of Magic in the Hogwarts Library recorded that Barty Crouch Jr. was captured after Voldemort's death. The one presiding over his trial at the time was his own father, Barty Crouch Sr.
As a father, Barty Crouch Sr. had unhesitatingly thrown his son into Azkaban. After that, the man who could have competed with Fudge for the position of Minister for Magic lost his chance entirely.
Later records stated that Barty Crouch Jr. died in Azkaban. However, shortly before his death, Barty Crouch Sr. had taken his wife to visit their son. Therefore, if Barty Crouch Jr. was to escape Azkaban and fake his death, it could only have happened then.
Since Barty Crouch Sr. was still alive while his wife had been declared dead, they must have used that lady to swap Barty Crouch Jr. out.
Amanda, having reached a conclusion and traced the truth of the entire matter in her mind, looked at Barty Crouch Jr. Unsurprisingly, the truth he spoke was exactly as she had deduced.
Before going to see him, his mother was already terminally ill, so his parents decided to use her to swap him out.
Dementors have no sight, so they couldn't tell at all if the prisoner had been replaced. To them, as long as there was someone in the cell, it was fine.
The death reported from Azkaban later was actually that of his mother.
"Then why did you attack Alastor and infiltrate Hogwarts disguised as him?"
Headmaster Dumbledore pondered for a moment and continued to question.
This time, Barty Crouch Jr. clenched his teeth tightly, trying not to speak. However, the potency of the Veritaserum "pried" his mouth open bit by bit.
"Because I must complete the Master's plan."
"Voldemort's plan," Headmaster Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, his gaze gradually sharpening, and an aura both cold and burning involuntarily radiated from him. "What is his plan?"
Seeing Barty Crouch Jr. about to grit his teeth and hold out again, Amanda, who had been keeping an eye on the time and intended to return to the Dormitory early so as not to worry Hermione, frowned and unhesitatingly kicked Barty Crouch Jr. in the stomach.
"Ugh, cough cough... The Master's plan is for me to put Potter's name into the goblet of fire, forcing him to participate in the Triwizard Tournament, and to replace the trophy in the third task with a portkey. Finally, let him take the trophy in the third task so he can be sent to the Master's side to help complete the resurrection plan."
Amanda's kick forced open Barty Crouch Jr.'s clenched jaw, making him reveal the truth immediately.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professors. I just didn't want him to waste time." She nodded sincerely to Headmaster Dumbledore and the other Professors, looking just like a young girl caught by her teachers after an impulsive act.
"Oh, it's understandable, Miss Amanda. We didn't see a thing just now."
Headmaster Dumbledore blinked, his hand at his side tapping gently.
Needing Harry to help him resurrect... Headmaster Dumbledore felt he understood what method Voldemort intended to use to regain a physical body and return to this world.
That magic clearly didn't require Harry's blood, yet he insisted on using it. Tom, oh Tom, you are as arrogant and greedy as ever. Unfortunately, your greed will eventually be your undoing.
You covet the protection of the Blood magic Harry's mother left him, attempting this method so that you might be able to harm him.
But you overlook that if you use Harry's blood, a connection will be forged between you and Harry once again.
This would instead become another layer of protection for Harry's survival. Considering the diary Amanda and Ginny gave him in second year, along with Harry's scar and his Parseltongue... a plan slowly formed in Headmaster Dumbledore's mind. No, this plan still needed refinement; he needed to protect Harry better.
He was still young, not yet of age; he shouldn't have to face Voldemort.
But regardless, Voldemort had to be resurrected so that he could be killed once and for all.
Glancing down at Barty Crouch Jr., Headmaster Dumbledore unhesitatingly hit him with a Stupefy; he didn't need to hear the rest of the conversation.
After a moment's hesitation, Headmaster Dumbledore spoke slowly, "I intend to fight fire with fire, following the plan of Voldemort and Barty Crouch Jr. to let Voldemort be resurrected."
"What?!"
The Professors and Moody looked at Headmaster Dumbledore in stunned silence. Not only was he not stopping Voldemort, but he wanted to follow his plan and let him resurrect?
The vacancy in Professor Snape's eyes suddenly vanished. He stepped forward quickly to Headmaster Dumbledore's side and spoke rapidly in a low voice.
"You want to follow Voldemort's plan and send that Potter to him? You want to send the boy we've spent three years laboring to protect to the man who wants to kill him?"
"Then what is he? A pig raised for slaughter?!"
"Severus," Headmaster Dumbledore took off his glasses, a fire no less intense than a young man's burning in his blue eyes. "Minerva, Filius, Alastor, and Amanda."
He glanced down at Amanda, who was calm and expressionless. "I know you may be confused and don't understand why I'm doing this, but please trust me. Only by letting Voldemort resurrect and regain a physical body can we kill him once and for all. We need him to do something."
"And Harry," Headmaster Dumbledore turned to Professor Snape. "He is James and Lily's child. I too have watched him grow for three years, Severus. I want him to live—to live well and happily."
"But the prerequisite for that is Voldemort's death." His voice rose slightly, his face still bearing that reassuring steadiness. "Voldemort wants to seize Harry for his blood to help him resurrect, but he doesn't know that this will also be a life-saving charm for Harry."
"So we must seize this opportunity, let Harry obtain this protection, and let Voldemort be resurrected."
"Of course, I won't let Harry face him again. Harry is still too young, not yet an adult. I've recognized my mistakes from three years ago, so this time, before Harry takes that trophy, someone will take his place. The only question now is how to let Harry's blood be taken by Voldemort."
"Voldemort will certainly take the blood on the spot. While Polyjuice Potion can change appearance, it may not perfectly replicate the blood and the magic within it. This is the only problem we need to consider now."
After hearing Headmaster Dumbledore's explanation, Professor Snape and the others understood. Albus was always the most trustworthy.
They had just been too agitated by the sudden statement that Albus wanted to let Voldemort resurrect. Now, having heard his explanation, they began to think about how to have someone use Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves as Harry while also allowing Voldemort to draw real blood from him.
Amanda looked around at the contemplative Headmaster Dumbledore, the Professors, and the newly released Moody. A solution immediately surfaced in her mind.
This method was very simple and common, but most of the Wizards present did not have a deep understanding of the Muggle World, so they didn't know about it at all and thus couldn't think of using it.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I have a way," Amanda interrupted everyone's contemplation in her flat voice. "You may not have heard of it, but we can use a method often used in the Muggle World for making movies and television shows: Special effects makeup."
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