Chapter 91
Gray couldn't shake the thought that Merlin, the hunter sent after him, might have established this order long ago. He had always expected Merlin to chase him across the multiverse, but now it seemed Gray had arrived in the hunter's domain. The realization dawned on him—he was up against an enemy with overwhelming numbers, immense power, and home-field advantage. Yet, instead of fear, Gray smiled with unshakable confidence. His determination only grew as another paparazzo—or perhaps a Silver Tongue—asked mockingly, "Mr. Knight, is your new look a result of consuming a defective product?"
Gray stopped, turning to face the man. "No," he replied firmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I do not make defective products, nor do I use innocent or sentient creatures in my alchemy." The paparazzi swarmed closer, shouting questions as the Silver Tongues fanned the flames. But Gray raised a hand, gesturing for silence. Then, with an exaggerated tone, he addressed the crowd.
Gray said with a fabricated saddened tone, "No, this tragic transformation was a result of poisoning." The moment he said this, gasps could be heard as more pictures were taken. "Yes, poison. Some wizards, dark or light, could not bear to witness a once-in-a-thousand-year genius like myself," he continued, patting himself on the back while ensuring he looked dashing for the cameras. Then, remembering to look appropriately sorrowful, he added, "So they poisoned me while I was enjoying a meal alone, as one does when they are single. And this is where I have been for the last couple of months—I was recovering."
He paused, breathing deeply before continuing, "But in the process of recovering, I have lost so much muscle mass. My hair grew dull and gray as years were unrightfully stripped away from me." Shedding a single tear, Gray glanced at the crowd, noticing some of the wizards present were crying as well. He didn't stop there, declaring with dramatic flair, "But the most egregious loss of all was my height. Look at me—barely 5 foot 10! I was six foot and something before! Such a tragedy has never been seen in the history of wizardry." His words touched the hearts of the men present, as he took another deep breath, preparing for the finale.
"Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for them, I have recovered, although not fully. And perhaps I never will," he lamented with a bittersweet smile, "and as a result of my misfortune, i have learned a great lesson" he said as he looked around, letting his words sink in, "i have decided to start selling a healing potion that can work againts poison, magical or physical injury so that such trafedy wont repeat again" he said as more picture were taken before he continued, "So, ladies, you know who to blame for my decrease in height." Gray finished his performance by blowing a kiss to the cameras before turning and proceeding toward the Ministry of Magic. As he approached the grand building, he looked up at its imposing structure, sighing heavily before preparing himself for what lay ahead—his trials.
Upon entering, Gray found himself in the Atrium, a grand hall with a polished dark wood floor that gleamed under the magical lighting. The peacock-blue ceiling above was adorned with golden symbols that continuously moved and changed, resembling an enormous heavenly notice board. The shiny dark wood-paneled walls featured gilded fireplaces on both sides—those on the left for arrivals and those on the right for departures. The atmosphere was both intimidating and awe-inspiring, with every detail crafted to perfection.
At the center of the Atrium stood the Fountain of Magical Brethren, a striking fountain with golden statues depicting a wizard, witch, centaur, goblin, and house-elf. The wizard and witch held their wands aloft, from which water spouted in a mesmerizing display. Gray paused for a moment, taking in the sight of the fountain before straightening his posture and proceeding toward his assigned courtroom. The time for theatrics was over; now, he would face the trials awaiting him.
Inside the courtroom, Gray sat relaxed in a chair in the middle of the room. In front of him were Dolores Umbridge, a high-ranking Ministry of Magic official, the actual Minister of Magic, and a mysterious woman wearing a black veil. Umbridge's irritation was evident as she addressed him, "Mr. Knight." Gray responded casually, "Please, call me Gray." Her annoyance grew as she retorted, "Mr. Knight, you are on trial for the crime of—" "Accusation," Gray interrupted. She snapped her head toward him, her voice sharp, "False accusation, Mr. Umbridge, and you should say allegations instead of crimes." Umbridge's expression darkened as she countered, "Mr. Knight, please refrain from interrupting me." Gray shot back, "Then please refrain from accusing me of crimes I didn't commit."
Umbridge's composure cracked further. "That we will find out now," she said, her voice clipped. She began listing the alleged crimes, her tone cold and deliberate. "You are accused of using illegal ingredients in your makeup potion, conspiring with dark wizards to gain access to forbidden materials, using unicorn blood, and illegally enhancing your physical strength through potions to cheat in the Triwizard Tournament." She paused briefly before continuing, "Additionally, you are accused of performing an unregistered and illegal Animagus ritual and spreading rumors that the Dark Lord has returned." Gray sat silently for a moment after the long list before letting out a low chuckle. "Wow, that's a lot," he said, glancing around the room filled with adult wizards.
Despite the intimidating atmosphere Umbridge had hoped to create, Gray remained unfazed. At just 15, he could kill them all with a single thought if he wished. "Well, that's a long list of hearsay," he said with a sigh. Umbridge snapped, "Prove it." Gray frowned slightly. "It's not my job to prove it; it's yours," he said, making her visibly angrier. "Are you telling me how to do my job?" she asked, her voice rising. Gray responded instantly, "Yes, Dolores, but let's do this properly. The ingredients for my makeup potion are known to other potioneering shops that sell my potion, so it's easily verifiable." Umbridge opened her mouth to argue, but Gray cut her off. "And before you bring it up, the reason why my potion is stronger is simply because I am better—I'm the inventor, after all. It's not impossible."
Umbridge was momentarily silenced, and Gray continued. "As for cheating in the Triwizard Tournament, with what? I'm physically stronger, and it's not because of potions. Otherwise, I'd still be consuming them and wouldn't be this weak." He flexed his arm to emphasize his current unimpressive state before pressing on. "As for using illegal or forbidden ingredients—for what? And where's your proof?" The veiled woman, part of the Merlin Voice Division and a Whisperweaver, spoke up. "What about the Animagus ritual, unsupervised and unregistered?" Gray grinned. "Prove it," he said confidently. The woman smiled faintly beneath her veil. "Then we will," she replied, approaching Gray. Taking a blood sample, she performed a test, but no response came. Minutes passed, and still, nothing happened. "If I were to undergo an Animagus ritual, what animal would I be?" Gray joked. The woman walked away, saying, "We'll keep your blood for further testing." Gray chuckled. "You won't get far; my blood rots after it leaves my body for too long."