Having experienced the wondrous and bizarreness of the two worlds, with his own experiences being extraordinarily marvelous, Bryan had natural talent in Legilimency.
Attempting to hide secrets from a wizard like Bryan was futile, unless one was an 'old fossil' like Dumbledore. For a wizard of Ludo Bagman's caliber, it was simply impossible.
Within the fleeting span of a few minutes, the shattered security plan was meticulously rewritten by Bryan. Barty clutched his 'career prospects' with an iron grip, his face finally relaxing into a calm expression, He let out a short sigh of relief, and when his gaze fell upon Bryan's face, his eyes were tinged with a subtle hint of regret and wariness.
What a pity, such talent would make an excellent ally.
Barty swiftly concealed this thoughts, his voice still rigid with residual tension as he spoke, "We've managed to save the opportunity; otherwise, we'd have no explanation for the British wizarding community."
"Yes, yes, Barty is right!" Ludo's relief was palpable, his strained grin, a testament to the gravity of the situation they had narrowly escaped. "Eidetic memory, truly remarkable! Without your ability, our only option would have been to return empty-handed!"
Barty cast a chilly glance in Ludo's direction.
"So now, we face another problem!"
Relying on an imbecile like Ludo was a fruitless endeavor, a truth that Barty had long since realized. He turned his gaze towards Bryan, his eyes brimming with the unspoken hope that the young man could come up with unique perspectives. Of course, even if he couldn't, it didn't matter; Barty vowed to investigate this matter thoroughly and retaliate decisively, no matter who was involved!
"And that is—who wants to sabotage Hogwarts's opportunity to host the Triwizard Tournament!"
"This issue isn't actually that troublesome—" Noticing Barty and Ludo's expectant gazes fixated upon him, Bryan blinked and uttered those words lightly.
'Not troublesome?!'
The perpetrator had managed to slip past the hotel's defenses undetected, sneak into their room, destroy the security plan, and leave before Bryan returned— to be able to do all these things, there must be a powerful person or a powerful force behind them.
Moreover, Bryan himself had said that he found no clues about the culprit amidst the wreckage— being able to hide from the eyes of a wizard like Bryan also shows that the person who took action is experienced.
Without tangible clues or evidence to guide their pursuit, identifying and convicting these scoundrels would consume a considerable amount of time and resources, even if the British Ministry of Magic devoted the entirety of its resources and leveraged every available connection at its disposal.
As these sobering realizations appeared in Barty's mind, his expression cooled noticeably, the fires of determination flickering behind his steely gaze.
Under the leadership of Cornelius Fudge, the once-formidable British Ministry of Magic had been steadily deteriorating, its foundations eroding with each passing day. It was precisely this self-inflicted weakness that encouraged their rivals to dare to strike. The recent silencing of Peter en route to Azkaban—an unprecedented scenario that would have been unimaginable during Millicent Bagnold's tenure as Minister—served as a grim reminder of the Ministry's waning influence and the threats that lurked in the shadows.
As Barty's face grew tense with anxiety and Ludo held his breath in anticipation, Bryan's lips curved into a faint smile. He rummaged through his pocket before retrieving a battered object.
"What is that?" Ludo leaned closer, his curiosity piqued, his gulps audible as he scrutinized the mysterious item with unease. "It looks like an Omnioculars, Is it something the intruder left behind? But you said there were no clues, Bryan?"
Ludo's hand darted forth, eager to grasp the Omnioculars within Bryan's palm, but Bryan neatly evaded his reach.
"No, this is mine—"
But, Barty maintained his composure, his eyes brimming with silent questions, patiently awaiting Bryan's explanation, which Bryan provided without keeping suspense.
"This is a modified Omnioculars that I call a Monitoring Lens or Surveillance Mirror. You should have a record, Barty—last Halloween, after I returned to Hogwarts, Dumbledore must have helped me apply to the Ministry to use it for monitoring the castle's safety. At the time, Minister Fudge approved it according to regulations; the Minister's assistant should have filed a case record—"
Barty narrowed his eyes, his mind delving into the vast sea of documents that encompassed the Ministry's archives.
"Dolores did seem to have filed a record for a permit approved by Cornelius for Monitoring Lenses. If I'm not mistaken, it can monitor and record..."
Barty's voice solidified, filled with the weight of realization. "So, this thing captured the person who entered the room?"
If he had been eighty percent certain before, now Bryan was one hundred percent convinced of his guess.
At some point, beads of sweat had formed on Ludo's brow. He hastily swiped the sleeve of his robes across his forehead, his protruding belly contracting more rapidly with each labored breath. He licked his dry lips.
"But...it, but you said—"
"Yes, it was severely damaged by the intruder's magic." Bryan's gaze bore into Ludo's, his words meaningful, though his smile remained genuinely warm and reassuring. Noting Ludo's relief, the tense expression relax, Bryan added with casual nonchalance, "It'll probably take me about a week to repair it."
"Very well, then!" Barty exhaled heavily, his fists clenched tightly. "We'll let those despicable scoundrels enjoy themselves for a few days. After the inquiry meeting the day after tomorrow, once Hogwarts becomes the host of the Triwizard Tournament, we'll deal with this matter. At that time, I'll have Rufus deploy all his capable men here. No matter who is behind this, I'll ensure they spend a lifetime in Azkaban!"
"What's wrong, Ludo?" Bryan asked with concern, gazing at the visibly shaking, pale Ludo, who resembled someone recovering from a high fever.
Bryan's greeting also drew Barty's attention, and he too noticed Ludo's unusual expression, his eyes flickered momentarily, and the furrows on his brow deepened.
"Ahem, you both know what I was up to last night!" Ludo immediately rallied his spirits, straining to maintain a plausible smile. "Though I hate to admit it, oh, perhaps my stamina isn't what it used to be. I couldn't quite handle those passionate, erm, fans."
"Oh, I see—" Bryan's hand fell upon Ludo's arm in a reassuring gesture, yet in that fleeting instant, a shadowy tendril, slipped unnoticed into Ludo's sleeve. Bryan gave Ludo an understanding smile. "I can imagine, Ludo, you must have been utterly exhausted last night!"
"Indeed!" Ludo nodded fervently, his movements exaggerated in their desperation to convince, to dissipate the lingering doubts that clouded the air. His gaze then turned pitifully towards Barty Crouch, "I need rest, Barty, I was up all night—"
"Get out, Ludo!" Barty's suspicions evaporated like morning mist, replaced by a furious glare that he shot at Ludo Bagman, his voice a thunderous roar that reverberated through the chamber. "Stop causing me trouble, Ludo! Go find somewhere to sleep where we can't see you!"
Ludo practically sprinted from the room, and even after his retreating figure had long since vanished from sight, Barty still wore a scowling expression.
"Letting someone like him become part of the Ministry... If this wasn't related to the Department of Magical Games and Sports, I would never have involved him, that blundering fool!"
"At least, I think Mr. Bagman has a decent sense of humor—" A glint of something inscrutable flashed in the depths of Bryan's eyes, and after a faint, enigmatic smile, he turned and headed towards the tent.
"Come, Barty, with your keen eye, let's review this plan and see if there's anything else worth improving, any potential vulnerabilities we might have overlooked."
"Wait, Bryan—" Barty's agitated breathing gradually subsided, the turbulent emotions that had roiled within him settling into a deceptive calm. His brow furrowed slightly as he called out to Bryan's retreating back, a nagging question gnawing at his mind.
"About that Monitoring Lens of yours, it was modified from an Omnioculars, correct?"
"Yes—" Bryan turned around and asked in surprise, "Is there a problem?"
"But you didn't get a modification permit from the Ministry, nor did you pay the patent fee to the workshop that produced it, correct?" Barty eyed the battered Monitoring Lens in Bryan's hand with suspicion.
Bryan laughed dryly. What did this mean? At a time like this, Barty was still trying to catch him out?
"If you want to send me to Azkaban too, Barty—" The corner of Bryan's mouth twitched.
"I'll write to the Ministry now and have them sort out the proper procedures—" Barty stated, his tone matter-of-fact, brooking no argument. "I think we can include the Monitoring Lens in the security plan. I believe it would be a highlight!"
Bryan had to admit, he hadn't considered using the Monitoring Lens to monitor the tournament proceedings, which could not only enhance the viewing experience but also greatly ensure the participant's safety during the competition.
"But—" After thinking for a moment, Bryan said seriously, "Let me tell you in advance, Barty, I don't have money to pay any patent fees——"
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