Chapter 135: The Referees' Heated Argument
If we look at everything that happened around the judges' table during the second event from Sirius Black's perspective, we might see more details that Draco didn't have the chance to know.
Not long after the contestants set off, a heated argument broke out around the referee's table.
"Viktor was struck by a powerful stun spell, not some ridiculous physical ailment!" Igor Karkarov roared, furious. "Mr. Bagman, as the principal of Durmstrang, I demand fair treatment and a rescheduling of the match!"
"Oh, that's not something you can decide so easily," Bagman said uneasily. "The competition has already started."
"Don't tell me you didn't see it! This is most likely the work of warriors from other schools! Viktor already knew about the golden egg. He's been working so hard, spending countless hours every day diving to the bottom of Black Lake to prepare for the competition! You all know how cold the lake water is this time of year!" Karkaroff's blue eyes blazed with anger. "Now, to just let him forfeit like this, I absolutely do not approve! If he were sober, he wouldn't approve either!"
"I understand your regret, Igor. I also feel sorry for what happened to Mr. Krum," Dumbledore said gently, earning only a disdainful snort from Karkaroff.
"However, the warriors cannot accept your accusations so easily; we need evidence," Dumbledore continued. "Mrs. Pomfrey is taking care of Mr. Krum in the makeshift medical tent on the shore, and he could wake up at any moment. I think that once he wakes up, the referees can move there and find out as soon as possible who committed such a heinous crime."
Karkarov's face darkened, and he was about to say something more when he was interrupted by Madam Maxim's arrogant words: "We will not accept a rematch! It would affect the fairness of the competition. The details of the competition, which should have been kept secret, are now common knowledge, and the warriors' methods are no longer a secret; moreover, the other warriors have already gone to the lake and expended a lot of energy. If there is a rematch, only one person will still be in peak physical condition..."
"Are you suspecting that I deliberately rendered Viktor unconscious?" Karkaroff's eyes flashed with icy coldness. "Are we putting on an act?"
"That's certainly a possibility," Ms. Maxim said, straightening her large, imposing frame.
"In my opinion, you just don't want to see any warriors other than Beauxbatons achieve good results!" Karkaroff chuckled briefly, his voice unpleasant.
"How dare you say that? That's incredibly rude!" Mrs. Maxim's large breasts, clad in a black satin dress, heaved violently.
"Please don't be angry, everyone—" Bagman said, trying to smooth things over. "Mr. Karkaroff, you have to consider the actual situation. We spent a lot of manpower, resources, and money, and three months preparing for the second competition... If we were to re-compete, based on the principle of fairness, we would definitely have to choose a new competition event. Considering the costs in terms of time, money, and manpower, it's simply impossible to accomplish—"
"Hmph, you don't seem to care, after all, you're an official of the British Ministry of Magic, representing the Hogwarts students, so their safety is assured—"
"Mr. Karkaroff!" Percy Weasley, who was replacing Barty Crouch as referee, couldn't help but stand up from the referee's table and interrupt Karkaroff. "As the organizers of the Triwizard Tournament, we have always been fair and impartial, and can withstand any scrutiny! The Goblet of Fire lights up and goes out at fixed times. If we replay the match, everything will be delayed. How can we possibly have an extra match before the Goblet of Fire goes out? Doesn't this require advance planning and coordination? Besides, the warriors need ample time to recover after each match…"
Sirius Black stood to the side, looking at the sky impatiently.
The noisy group didn't seem like a school principal at all; they looked more like small vendors haggling over prices at a Muggle market piled high with fruits and vegetables.
The reason he was willing to come to the referee's table was simply because it was closer to Harry—he could be the first to know if the warriors in the game made any moves; and he could be the first to rescue them if they were in danger.
As a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Sirius took on some of the support roles in the Triwizard Tournament—for example, rescuing warriors who encountered unexpected situations. He certainly had complete faith in Harry's wit and courage—that was beyond question; but the Black Lake was full of unknown dangers, and even he and James, as daring as they were back then, did not actively consider going down to explore it.
The incessant arguing was getting louder.
"In short, a rematch is out of the question." Percy adopted a rigid and unyielding demeanor, much like Crouch, and said arrogantly, "The match has already begun, and it must be played by the rules. There is no room for negotiation."
"Who gives you the right to speak here?" Karkaroff gave him an unpleasant look. "Where's Barty Crouch? He's got quite the airs, not even showing up for such an important occasion!"
"Mr. Crouch is sick!" Percy straightened his back; he had a head of fiery red hair.
The red hair reminded Sirius of Harry's friend Ron, and the amusing twin brothers George and Fred; but clearly, in terms of personality, Percy was going to a different, more serious extreme, quite unlike the brothers' easygoing nature.
"I've heard," Dumbledore said, asking Percy with interest, "How is Mr. Crouch's health?"
"I believe he will recover soon. Until then, someone needs to take charge of the unattended work." Percy smiled at Professor Dumbledore, his face regaining a touch of humility, though his tone still held a hint of pride. "I have had to handle various matters that arose while he was away from his office."
"We don't have time to listen to an assistant bragging about his work at the Ministry of Magic!" Karkaroff interrupted Percy rudely, asking maliciously, "And what about that student who jumped into the Black Lake without permission, Albus?"
"I was equally surprised," Dumbledore said with a smile, glancing at the now calm Black Lake.
"Albus, this is not the time for you to downplay this! What was wrong with that student? How could he just jump into the Black Lake where the warriors are competing? Isn't that against the rules? What if he jumps in and casts a curse on one of the warriors, disrupting the competition?" Ms. Maxim said vehemently, her face showing great disapproval.
"That's right, he's blatantly breaking the rules! Is this the rule-making process upheld by the British Ministry of Magic? Is this the style that Hogwarts is supposed to be?" Karkaroff said menacingly.
Percy blushed and remained silent.
"Given Mr. Krum's current coma, the Durmstrang Champions' Treasure does indeed require additional rescue." Dumbledore's gaze shifted from the lake, his blue eyes behind his glasses remaining calm. "That young man did display some inappropriate impulsiveness and acted with surprising lack of consideration; however, one thing I can assure you with my honor: even if he is not a Triwizard Tournament champion, he is an excellent Hogwarts student, and I believe he knows what he is doing. I believe he only wants to rescue the treasure left at the bottom of the Black Lake and will not do anything extra to the champions, much less bring shame upon Hogwarts."
"That would be for the best," Ms. Maxim scoffed. "In any case, this match is a bit of a mess, even a bit chaotic."
"That makes sense. This competition is completely chaotic." Karkarov seized the opportunity and said slickly, "I don't remember anyone telling me that the host school can arbitrarily let unrelated students participate in the competition, just as I don't remember anyone telling me that the host school can arbitrarily let two students be warriors and participate in this competition for honor."
"Igor, I thought we had reached a consensus on this issue," Dumbledore said calmly.
Karkaroff looked somewhat annoyed. He turned his gaze to Ms. Maxim. "Madam, since you also have doubts about this, why don't you reconsider and perhaps choose another day to compete..."
Ms. Maxim's pretty face suddenly became somewhat serious, and wrinkles appeared near her brow. She didn't want to replay the match, but she also didn't want to let go of certain "unfair practices."
Sirius gazed at the deep, dark lake, no longer listening to their tedious argument.
He was immersed in a kind of shock—he was deeply impressed by Draco's leap from the stands.
Everything happened so fast that, as a rescuer, he didn't even have time to react. Amidst the gasps from the stands, he only managed to catch a glimpse of Draco entering the water—a figure resolute, swift, and unwavering.
Merlin, who could have imagined it?
Draco Malfoy—his adopted nephew—is such a womanizer! Sirius shook his head instinctively.
He knew from the start that Draco would go crazy over "Granger becoming Krum's treasure," so when Dumbledore suggested choosing her, Sirius vehemently opposed it.
"That girl, she's not suitable!" he said to Dumbledore. "Choosing her is completely unnecessary!"
"Sirius, relax, this is just a game," Dumbledore said casually. "No hostages will be hurt in this game."
Sirius had no say in the matter—the referees had no objections. For the sake of fairness, he couldn't even reveal the details of the match to Draco, so he had to avoid Draco and couldn't face his godson.
He could only watch helplessly as Dumbledore used magic to hypnotize the hostages—Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Cho Chang, and a little girl who looked somewhat like Fleur—and cast one protective spell after another on the unconscious hostages.
Even though he was mentally prepared, he didn't expect the Slytherin boy to be so crazy!
Jumping straight into Black Lake—ignoring the rules—that's really exhilarating. If he were ten years younger, back in his student days, he might have jumped in for a spin too. Thinking about it, a hint of anticipation even appeared on Sirius's face.
He was very enigmatic. Most of the time he appeared cold and distant, and was used to being sarcastic. When talking to Sirius, he was always cold and arrogant, showing no respect for him, and even awkwardly refusing to call him "uncle".
Most people would consider such behavior impolite, but Sirius finds it appealing. He has always disliked insincere and familial relationships, and this pursuit of equality makes him feel comfortable.
Sirius found it difficult to define Draco. He had initially thought the boy was a typical Slytherin viper, just like his parents—pretentious, hypocritical, and opportunistic.
He even wanted to advise Harry to stay away from Draco. He didn't believe that this platinum-haired, pointy-chinned, mean-spirited boy had any good intentions! He must have ulterior motives for getting close to Harry.
However, after several encounters, Sirius realized that his judgment might have been flawed.
Draco Malfoy is definitely not as simple as he appears on the surface.
He is a contradiction, a mixture of many traits. Most of the time he displays the coldness and awkwardness of Slytherin, occasionally a hint of Gryffindor courage and fearlessness, and sometimes a tiny spark of exciting madness.
For example, the madness he displayed at this moment, jumping into the Black Lake without hesitation, was a kind of stubborn madness unique to Blake's blood, a madness that only Blake could perceive.
Sirius admired this madness; he and his old friends all had this quirk to some extent.
Combined with a scene he witnessed at the Christmas ball, everything became clear to Sirius.
Hermione Granger—the brightest student in Gryffindor—was the unexpected hammer that shattered Draco Malfoy's cold mask, the kindling that ignited the dormant embers.
Undoubtedly, she was the source of his madness. Sirius didn't know how this girl had done it. She had quelled the cowardice of that Slytherin, igniting his courage. Perhaps even something more.
Yes, Draco said he didn't want to get involved and didn't care about Harry's life or death; but he still cared about Harry and helped him. He cared about Harry's mental state before the game, helped Harry study the spell to deal with the dragon, and even asked Snape for gill stalks early on. Is this what they mean by "it's none of his business"?
This boy is so hypocritical! Beneath his cruel and ruthless words lies a hidden spark of passion.
I really don't know how Narcissa and Lucius raised such a son.
Thinking of this, Sirius grinned. While indulging a small part of his thoughts to wander, he kept his wary gray eyes fixed on the silent black lake, intending to rush down and rescue the person as soon as he saw the red spark of distress.
Fleur Delacour used her last bit of strength to launch red sparks towards the water's surface.
Her robes were accidentally tangled by several horned Grindylows, and then her prized hair. Just as she was trying to pull herself free by her hair, the pale green demons extended their long, thin claws, grabbed her wand-holding hand, bared their teeth at her, and grabbed her legs and arms almost simultaneously, followed by her face and throat.
A Grindylo grinned and punctured her bubble head—she couldn't breathe.
The fear of death crept over her, and Fleur panicked. Suffocating, she swayed from side to side among the swaying water plants, about to sink to the dark bottom of the lake. With her last vestige of consciousness, she sent a spark of prayer to Merlin, hoping someone would come to rescue her.
After an unknown amount of time, a hand grabbed her arm. Then, several flashes of light appeared, and the green claws released her neck, allowing her to breathe, but she immediately choked on water.
She tried to struggle, but the arm was very strong. In the confusion, Fleur looked up along the hand and vaguely realized that it was her dance partner from the Christmas ball—Sirius Black.
Why is he here? She thought groggily, and stopped struggling.
The handsome man didn't look at her; instead, he was busy surveying his surroundings. His black hair swayed in the water, and his grey eyes blended into the lake. With his other hand, he held his wand, deftly shooing away the fanged Grindylows hiding among the seaweed, while simultaneously pulling her rapidly towards the surface of the lake.
His face was breathtakingly beautiful in the reflection of the Black Lake. Hibiscus stared at him blankly as he pulled her along until the fresh air from the lake filled her lungs.
She was pulled onto the lake in the cold air, wrapped in a blanket, and gradually came to her senses—she had failed.
Her treasures remain at the bottom of the Black Lake.
"What is my treasure?" she rushed toward Ms. Maxim, her eyes gleaming with terror.
"Your sister," Ms. Maxim said, flustered. She had just finished a heated argument and was in a bad mood; now she was also annoyed by Beauxbatons' failure in the second project.
With all these circumstances mixed together, Ms. Maxim forgot one thing—how much Fleur cared about her sister.
"Gabrielle?" Fleur's eyes widened suddenly—why would it be Gabrielle, who was far away in France?
Damn it! The thought of her sister facing immense danger at the bottom of the cold, dark lake made her dizzy.
"Gabrielle!" she screamed, throwing off her blanket and rushing toward the lake, wanting to go down again to rescue her sister.
"Stop her! She can't go down there anymore, she's disqualified!" Percy Weasley yelled angrily behind her. "Isn't anyone going to do anything about this? We've been criticized far too much for our adherence to the rules... The security at this game is absolutely terrible!"
Just as she was about to plunge into the lake, Hibiscus was stopped by Sirius, who had just come ashore and was dripping wet.
"Let me go! I need to save her—my little sister!" she screamed hysterically at Sirius, her beautiful face bearing several scars.
"No! Stop, stop!" Sirius forcefully stopped her. She charged wildly, like an angry unicorn in a tattered robe. Later she even started biting him, and he had to hold her tightly to stop her madness.
"Gabrielle…she's at the bottom of the lake…my little sister…I'm the worst sister ever…she's so young, how scared she must be!" Fleur struggled in vain and burst into tears.
For the first time, she found the handsome face in front of her so repulsive. Why was he stopping her?
"Calm down!" Sirius tried his best to hold her, but he couldn't actually hurt her because her body was covered in cuts from Grindylow, and he was afraid of touching them. He shouted at her in frustration, "She'll be alright!"
Furong seemed not to hear her. Her eyes were blurry with tears, her voice hoarse, as she pleaded with the cold-hearted man before her in broken, unfluent English, "Please, let me go, I have to go… She'll be scared… It's so deep… so dark… There are so many monsters… She'll get hurt! No one will save her… In an hour… she'll die!"
"Fleur Delacour! Use your pretty head! Dumbledore won't let the hostages die. She'll be rescued when the time comes!" Sirius snapped. He pulled and dragged her ashore like a struggling corpse.
"Really? Will she...will she be alright?" Furong finally heard what he said clearly.
Her struggles lessened, and a vulnerable expression appeared on her face.
"Of course! For Merlin's sake, we're not murderers," Sirius said irritably. Once they were some distance from the lake, he finally released her and assured her again, "She'll be fine. Don't try to go back into the lake. Otherwise, I'll have to jump in again to save you."
Furong regained her senses.
She suddenly realized that, in full view of everyone, she had just been dragged along by this man like a rag doll.
This is so embarrassing!
"You're so rude!" She staggered to her feet on her own—ignoring his outstretched hand—and glared at him angrily. "No one has ever dared to treat me like this!"
"Rude? You mean the teeth marks you left on my arm?" Sirius looked up at her through the bangs that were half-hidden in front of her face, his expression a mixture of shock and anger.
Then, he held his bleeding arm up to her nose and said, slowly and deliberately, "Do you think—anyone has ever dared to treat me like this?"
Furong's mouth was half open, and she was speechless.
She then realized the shameful thing she had done—she was acting like a loud, unruly child, or a crazy person biting indiscriminately, rather than the elegant and composed Beauxbatons warrior she was supposed to be.
Her image was shattered.
Merlin, let her die! For Gabrielle's sake, for the sake of her remaining at the bottom of the lake... for the sake of my own foolishness just now...
"Look in the mirror! You look crazy and ugly." Sirius wiped the water off his face, smoothed his wet hair behind his head, and turned to leave.
How dare he call her ugly! Furong stood there, gritting her teeth, glaring at his back.
Fleur Delacour, that French girl is really not to be trifled with—crazy and fiery. Sirius draped the large towel that Madam Pomfrey had grumbled at him over his shoulder, recalling Fleur's silly, stunned expression, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
She was quite interesting. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as she shakily draped a towel over herself, gazing motionlessly at the lake, and the thought suddenly occurred to him.
Then, Cedric Diggory, a warrior from Hufflepuff, emerged from the lake with Cho Chang. Shortly after, Draco and Hermione appeared.
Sirius heard a variety of sounds from the stands: boos, screams, and cheers, and she could hear Ms. Pomfrey gasping for breath. She murmured, "How romantic..."
Sirius turned to look at Ms. Pomfrey and was quite surprised to find that she was not as furious as she had been when she first saw them—complaining that the match was a complete physical torture—but instead had a dreamy expression on her face.
Sirius didn't have time to mock Ms. Pomfrey. He rushed over and pulled them ashore.
Despite his pale face, Draco gestured for him to help Hermione first. Sirius couldn't help but roll his eyes, and as he pulled him ashore, he couldn't resist mocking him as a "fool, a Slytherin womanizer," unsurprisingly earning a curt reply from Draco: "Shut up—"
"That hypocritical little rascal!" Sirius burst into laughter, then hurried off to pull his godson ashore.
Only then did he truly feel relieved. He had been on tenterhooks for Harry the whole time.
As for Draco? That slippery Slytherin boy, he wouldn't worry about him! Sirius clicked his tongue.
Harry, what a fine boy he is, he even managed to pull Fleur's sister up with him.
Thanks to Merlin, that French girl finally doesn't have to cry anymore.
Wait! What is she doing—is she kissing Harry and Ron?
She really did start using her charm on Harry! He knew she was up to no good! From now on, he'd have to keep a close eye on her. Sirius hissed, clicking his teeth in thought.
By the time Sirius snapped out of his wild thoughts, Ludo Bagman had already announced the results of the competition and added at the end: "The final event will take place on the evening of June 24th. The warriors will know the details of the event a month in advance."
"Very good"—Sirius's eyes gleamed like a dog smelling meat.
In just a few days, the Daily Prophet will be reporting on this extensively. As long as Voldemort can read, he will walk step by step into the trap they have set.
Sirius looked at Harry, who was shivering with water dripping from his hair, with satisfaction, while thinking about someone else.
James, I'm about to avenge you.
His eyes welled up with tears, and he chuckled softly. The excitement of "getting revenge" made him want to share it with someone. He looked at Draco and saw that he was still hugging and cuddling with Hermione, and they had even started kissing without a care in the world.
It's simply unbearable to look at.
"Oh, give me a break! Get a room!" he shouted at them.
But they were so engrossed in their own world that they were completely unaware.
Are they deaf or what? Sirius rolled his eyes.
Kids these days—they really have no self-respect.
"Sirius—you're such a spoilsport! Don't you think what you're saying is inappropriate for children?" Ms. Pomfrey, carrying a bunch of large towels, rushed over and angrily booed him.
"I'm not suitable for children? I... Open your eyes and look, who's munching away behind the medical tent?" Sirius raised his voice.
Merlin, is Ms. Pomfrey blind?
"Shut up! It was just a romantic kiss! Don't ruin the children's beautiful moment with your adult thinking!" Ms. Pomfrey said, her face flushed.
"You're all crazy… crazy…" Sirius sighed, giving her a disdainful look, finally realizing Ms. Pomfrey's gossipy nature.
"The warriors and the hostages have all been properly taken care of. Why don't you stay in the medical tent? Did you come out here just to see this?" he asked bluntly.
Ms. Pomfrey glared back at him fiercely, a hint of guilt flashing across her face.
"Me, come here to see these things? I'm too busy! I'd rather stay in the tent! But after Mr. Krum woke up, Professor Dumbledore wanted to ask him questions—and all the judges were there. To be honest, they were very disrespectful to the patient! A patient who had just woken up was being questioned, and they even dared to kick me out!" Mrs. Pomfrey shouted at him in a show of bravado.
That makes more sense! Sirius shrugged at Ms. Pomfrey and didn't bother arguing with her about her unreasonable behavior.
Curious about the cause of Krum's coma, he glanced at his good-for-nothing, womanizing, and foolishly grinning nephew, and strode toward the entrance of the medical tent.
"It was that referee sent by the British Ministry of Magic—Barty Crouch," the young man with a heavy Scandinavian accent said with a look of frustration. "He attacked me this morning when I was walking to the edge of the Forbidden Forest."
All the referees in the tent gasped, their faces showing shock.
"Impossible! Mr. Crouch would never do such a thing!" Percy Weasley's face flushed red, redder than his hair. "He's bedridden now, how could he possibly come to Hogwarts and do something he would never stoop to? This is an irresponsible accusation! It's slander! It's defamation!"
"I saw it clearly," Krum said with a grim face. "Test me with magic, give me a truth serum, do whatever you want. The result will be the same—I wasn't lying."
"There's no need for truth serum, Viktor. They have no right to do that. If they continue their 'rule-breaking' ways and take the opportunity to ask you other questions—like where Durmstrang's campus is located—our safety will be completely compromised." Karkaroff patted him heavily on the shoulder, his tone slick. "Everyone will trust you; no one will be foolish enough to doubt your character—that of a warrior certified by the Goblet of Fire."
Krum didn't speak again, looking gloomily out of the tent, as if something was tugging at his mind.
"Of course, Igor," Dumbledore said slowly, "if Mr. Krum, as a Durmstrang warrior, vouches for the truth—"
"I vouch for it," Krum said without hesitation. The rest of the people in the tent exchanged uneasy glances and fell silent.
"Mr. Bagman, I have reason to believe that your officials are single-handedly undermining the fairness of the Triwizard Tournament!" Karkaroff pressed his advantage. "By Merlin, the officials of the British Ministry of Magic cannot bully our honest and hardworking warriors! I demand that the results of the second event be voided!"
"If the situation is indeed as Mr. Krum says, then I have to second this proposal," Ms. Maxim said.
"Of course you'll second that…" Percy muttered to himself.
The Beauxbatons' performance in this competition was inferior. If the results are invalidated, it will only benefit Beauxbatons, and not harm them.
Ludo Bagman finally recovered from his shock.
"Wait! Buddy, oh, he definitely wouldn't, he's not that kind of person." He blinked, hesitatingly saying, "Is there some misunderstanding?"
"A misunderstanding?" Karkaroff sneered. "Absolutely absurd! This tournament was a conspiracy from the very beginning! It wasn't a fair competition from the start. First, you smuggled Harry Potter into the team—despite his age! Now, looking back, wasn't it Mr. Barty Crouch who insisted on doing that? Now, he's gone even further, directly trying to incapacitate our champions! I smell deceit and corruption throughout this whole affair—"
"That's right," Mrs. Maxim began speaking rapidly in French, waving her hand and sounding very dissatisfied, "Ils s'attendaient à ce que ce soit le cas, et je n'y croyais pas encore (They anticipated this would happen, and I didn't believe it at the time)!"
"That's just your warriors' side of the story!" Percy, unable to contain himself any longer, spoke righteously amidst the background of Mrs. Maxime's French voice. "Do you dare confront me directly? I believe Mr. Crouch has the right to defend himself..."
"Listen to me, listen to me!" Dumbledore snapped. He had to raise his voice—the judges fell silent—and the heated debate that had been raging in the medical tent was briefly quelled.
He looked around seriously, knowing he had to do or say something quickly before the referees, whose faces displayed a variety of expressions including anger, coldness, confusion, and bewilderment, started arguing again.
"I believe in Mr. Krum's honesty. He has no reason to lie about such an important matter and to accuse a highly respected official of the Ministry of Magic—" Dumbledore said, seeing that Krum's expression finally relaxed a little. "I also believe that the officials of the Ministry of Magic are honest and fair, and not abusive." He glanced in Percy's direction, where Mr. Crouch's assistant was looking at Dumbledore gratefully.
"The most important thing now is to find Mr. Barty Crouch as soon as possible, find out what happened, whether he came to Hogwarts or attacked the warriors, and then make a decision!" Dumbledore's blue eyes shone with determination, and his tone was calm and composed.
At this moment, the Hogwarts headmaster finally abandoned his gentle smile, revealing a sharp glint in his eyes, and offered a methodical solution: "Ludo, Percy, please report this matter to the British Ministry of Magic as soon as possible, and immediately send someone to Crouch's house to see if he is still there and if he is still bedridden; Leom, Igor, please return to your residence, strengthen security, and maintain order; as for me, I will lead the Hogwarts teachers in conducting a thorough search of the castle and the Forbidden Forest, in case the attackers are still hiding in some corner of Hogwarts, or even launch another attack on the participating warriors."
"But—" Karkaroff wanted to argue, but Dumbledore didn't give him the chance. He said in an unquestionable tone, "I will inform you immediately as soon as I have any news. Igor, I promise, everything will be handled fairly, I'm willing to stake my name on it."
Karkaroff stared at Dumbledore for a moment—finding his arrangements to be impeccable—and then, as the other referees had already emerged from the medical tent one by one, he had no choice but to give up.
"Get some rest, Viktor—" He approached Krum, gave him a few words of advice, and left with a gloomy face.
Only Krum, Dumbledore, and Sirius remained in the tent.
Krum seemed unconcerned by Karkaroff's warning. A look of anxiety crossed his face, and he couldn't help but ask, "Professor Dumbledore, is the match over? Is my treasure still at the bottom of the lake?"
"Oh, Mr. Krum, I think you need not worry about that. The treasures will be safely brought ashore in due time, and Mr. Malfoy has already rescued Miss Granger," Dumbledore said calmly.
"What did he do? That boy named Malfoy?" Krum asked in shock, unable to believe his ears.
"That's right! He dived to the bottom of the lake early this morning and rescued Granger—" Sirius repeated this well-known fact, saying gleefully, "You can rest assured! They're both fine!"
"Oh, damn it! By Merlin!" Krum's thick, dark eyebrows furrowed in frustration, revealing genuine hatred. "This is a disgrace! That bastard Barty Crouch—he ruined everything!"
Sirius smiled at him, secretly feeling a sense of pride that Draco had gained the upper hand in this invisible battle.
He stopped there, not saying anything more to kick someone when they're down, and slowly followed Dumbledore out of the medical tent.
"What do you think about this?" Dumbledore asked. "It seems that Mr. Krum has no intention of lying."
"I also think he wasn't lying. But Buddy Crouch's behavior was so abnormal—how could someone who's so protective of his reputation do something like attacking the Warriors? He was acting like a completely different person," Sirius said.
"Yes. It could be Polyjuice Potion, or it could be the Imperius Curse." Dumbledore pondered. "The truth will only come out when we find him."
"I'm afraid he won't be easy to find," Sirius said.
To everyone's surprise, Buddy Crouch was found that afternoon.
He looked as if he had been wandering for many days; the knees of his robe were torn and stained with blood; his face was covered in scars, his beard was unkempt, and his complexion was ashen and haggard.
"He was talking to himself in front of a big oak tree on the edge of the Forbidden Forest," Hagrid said gleefully as he greeted Professor Dumbledore who had rushed over. "It was Toothpick who found him. Isn't Toothpick, aren't you a great hero?"
Toothy barked excitedly.
"What happened, Barty?" Dumbledore asked the distraught Crouch.
"I'm sorry… I can't… He forced me… Voldemort… He cast a spell on me, making me attack other heroes… to ensure… Harry Potter's ultimate victory…" he mumbled, clearly still desperately resisting the effects of the Imperius Curse.
"Voldemort—where is he?" Dumbledore's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed Dumbledore's collar, asking urgently.
"At my house… after the first project, he came to my house…" Crouch's eyes were somewhat vacant, and his body twitched.
Dumbledore's expression changed drastically. Professor McGonagall gasped softly. Sirius nearly jumped to his feet.
"Quick! Sirius, come with me!" Dumbledore released Barty Crouch, tossing his limp body aside. "Minerva, go find Severus and Madam Pomfrey, and take good care of him!"
He grabbed Sirius's arm and vanished into thin air, leaving a surprised Professor McGonagall and a bewildered Hagrid staring blankly at the nearly insane Crouch.