"Winky?"
Bartemius said this with disbelief.
"I found her at the place where the Dark Mark was cast. When I arrived, she was the only one there, holding a wand."
Mr. Diggory said.
Bartemius's face turned pale, and his eyes seemed to be burning with fire.
"This can't be true," he stiffly argued while pointing his wand at Winky.
"Rennervate!"
Winky quickly regained consciousness, seeing so many wizards staring at her, and then slowly looked up at the still visible mark in the sky, tears filling her big eyes.
"Winky, you saw it too. Someone summoned the Dark Mark, and you were found right below it, holding a wand. Please explain!"
Mr. Diggory interrogated her harshly, causing the trembling house-elf to stutter, "No, Winky knows nothing. Winky was unconscious and wouldn't do such a thing."
"You were found holding a wand!"
Diggory roared, waving the wand he took from Winky.
"Enough trouble, Diggory."
Bartemius interrupted, raising his own wand and pointing it at the wand on Diggory's hand.
"Prior Incantanto!"
In front of everyone's eyes, the Dark Mark leaped from the tip of Winky's wand again.
Then Bartemius chanted the Dark Mark counter-curse lightly, and the Dark Mark vanished into thin air.
He stared at Winky with an expressionless face. "Do you have anything else to say, Winky?"
The trembling house-elf stammered, but she couldn't say anything.
"This is clothes, and you should know what it means. You are free."
Bartemius's cold and ruthless voice completely broke through the house-elf's defense.
"No!"
Winky screamed, falling to her knees at Crouch's feet.
"No, master! No clothing, no clothing!"
Her pitiful appearance aroused sympathy from a few girls present, but this was Bartemius's family matter, and as outsiders, they couldn't say anything.
In the end, the scene ended with Winky being abandoned. Before leaving, Fudge said something to Arthur, and his expression relaxed.
"What did Fudge tell you?"
Cho asked as she returned to the tent, holding Arthur's arm.
"He asked me not to prosecute the surviving wizards, and I agreed."
"What condition did he agree to?"
Cho knew her boyfriend well. If Fudge didn't get something in return, he wouldn't give in.
"I'll go and check out the Department of Mysteries."
Arthur didn't hide anything and revealed the deal he made with Fudge.
The Department of Mysteries?
Cho had heard her parents mention this mysterious department before.
The people who worked there were called Unspeakables, and they never revealed any secrets.
"Do you know what's inside?"
Arthur shook his head. If he knew what was inside the Department of Mysteries, he wouldn't be so curious about it.
It was a very mysterious place, especially the mysterious veil where Sirius fell in the original story. Arthur was very curious about it.
As they walked to the bedroom door, Arthur smiled at Cho and asked, "Do you want to come in?"
The young lady blushed, slapped Arthur lightly, and ran into another room.
Arthur didn't mind. He was just teasing Cho. While missing some opportunities was regrettable, he wasn't so impatient.
The next day, Mr. Weasley returned, dragging his tired body. He and other Ministry officials hadn't slept all night, working to maintain order here.
Last night, there were many wild Death Eaters.
The ones Arthur encountered were just a part of them, and many others were scattered in different places, attacking other wizards.
Bill and Charlie had some injuries, but they didn't mind. They even proudly described how they got those wounds.
Mr. Weasley quickly packed their things and put the tent in his backpack. There would be someone else to take care of Arthur's tent.
On the way out, Arthur saw what happened to the Muggles yesterday. At this moment, they had returned to normal, but their expressions seemed dazed.
Luna's father and Cho's parents each took their respective daughters away. Arthur didn't follow the Weasley family and Harry to the Burrow.
He had made an agreement with them to meet after school started, so he Apparated away.
Instead of returning to his home, Arthur arrived on a path. Winky was walking there alone, looking very sad.
As a house-elf abandoned by her master, it was a disgrace.
No one would need a house-elf like her. Winky was feeling lost; she didn't know where to go next.
"Winky, do you want to return to Mr. Bartemius' home?"
Arthur asked.
Hearing the voice, Winky subconsciously turned around. She remembered this young wizard. He was also there yesterday to watch.
"Can you really let me go back to my master's home?"
She looked at Arthur with hopeful eyes, putting all her hopes in him.
"I'm Arthur Gaunt. You must have heard of me."
Hearing Arthur's name, Winky's emotions visibly lifted. She knew Arthur and often heard her master mention his name.
She knew that Arthur was a great wizard.
Seeing Winky's expression, Arthur smiled slightly.
"I'm quite familiar with your master. As long as you take me to him, I'll put in a good word for you. Maybe he'll forgive you."
This was pure trickery by Arthur. He and Bartemius were at best acquaintances; they were not friends at all.
However, he currently couldn't find Crouch's residence, so he had to rely on the house-elf to lead the way.
Bartemius' level in the Ministry of Magic was only temporary.
It was impossible for him to become the Minister of Magic in ten years, or at least five years.
Upon seeing Bartemius, Arthur's mind had a daring idea.
"Thank you very much for your help, Master Gaunt!"
Winky deeply bowed to Arthur, nearly touching the ground with her nose.
Winky went up to Arthur and grabbed the bottom of his pants, not realizing that she was being tricked.
After that, she Apparated to Crouch's house.
Bartemius's house was very big, but in a simple way that was common to him.
Winky led Arthur all the way to Bartemius's study. She knew her master would be working there at this time.
"Master!"
Bartemius hadn't closed the study's door. He was busy dealing with piles of documents. When he heard Winky's voice, he subconsciously frowned.
"Winky, you've been freed. You have no right to be here."
Instead of Winky responding, it was Arthur who spoke, "Mr. Bartemius, I apologize for the intrusion."
...
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