Chapter 429 You Have to Pay Back the Money Whether You Get Into Azkaban or Not.

Curling up, rolling, and then continuing to struggle, it was not until Moody finished casting the spell that the beetle's legs were completely stretched out, and it lay weakly on the makeshift platform.

It happened that there was nothing worth saving in the room except for the pot of Felixir. William stood patiently and watched Moody perform - after Dumbledore handed him the relevant magic book, he only experimented with mosquitoes. I'm still very curious about how other people cast spells.

After all, not many people would perform this kind of spell in public - the Unforgivable Curse can basically be regarded as the door key to Azkaban. Who would be crazy enough to perform this in public?

"Can the Cruciatus Curse be used to detect magical creations?"

He asked curiously.

"No, I'm just checking to see if it's still under control. Professor William, you must have used the Imperius Curse, right?"

This topic is so special that even prisoners in Azkaban dare not chat like this.

"Only used on insects and the like."

"That can be considered an attempt, the feeling of mastering the other person, the feeling of connecting oneself and the other party with a magic spell. Professor William, where do you think the Imperius Curse works?"

A smile appeared on Moody's face, and he was happy to display his vast knowledge in these areas - partly to show off, and partly to pass on.

"soul?"

"Of course, soul, although many people don't think so, its controllability and scope of action are hard not to make me doubt it."

Moody poked the powerless beetle with his wand, "Although it's not very accurate, but if you want to control such a beetle to sneak in and trigger the alarm, I don't think ordinary domestication can achieve such a situation, even if it is carefully trained." Even alchemical transformation can’t do this so well.”

"So, what you mean is," William understood somewhat, "to pass on the pain through the Cruciatus Curse along the method controlled by the other party?"

If you can use bugs to sense the surrounding environment, you will definitely feel the pain from the soul. This is the advantage of magic, but also the disadvantage of magic - the more precise the environment you feel, the more intense the pain you feel.

The more interesting thing is that in order to maintain observation, the other party has to strengthen this feeling, so he cannot easily disconnect it - the insect is still alive is the most obvious sign. In most methods, once the blessing is withdrawn magic, the bugs used for observation will die almost immediately.

"Although I have other methods, this is the most convenient."

Moody and William explained, their magic eyes fixed on the beetle.

"I will search the surrounding guests to see who is suddenly sick, in poor health or in an emergency..."

He smiled happily. Compared to teaching, catching suspects was what he was better at.

"Then it's up to you, Professor Moody."

William nodded, "I have to tidy up the room, otherwise Professor McGonagall will think I plan to demolish the castle."

"Don't you?"

Moody asked, and began to weave a cage to try to contain the beetle - suddenly, he stopped what he was doing, and his magic eye swept towards the wall.

“How much material did you use to reinforce the wall?”

Moody shook his head, showing a helpless expression.

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that, not much - it seems Filch is here?"

"Yes, the footsteps are very similar."

Just as the two of them were making guesses, Filch ran over panting.

"Professor William, I heard reports that the glass in your room - God, what happened here!"

Filch's face was full of sorrow, as if the destroyed office was not William's, but his own.

"There was an intruder and the defense system was triggered."

"who?"

The administrator picked up the broom as if desperate.

"We are still investigating. The other party is a good man. He broke into my office without cracking the defensive magic outside."

William explained, but looking at the administrator's confused look, he began to think about how to make this matter simpler.

Before he could explain again, Professor McGonagall had already hurried over.

After seeing William's already deplorable office, she joined others in condemning the intruder's frenzied behavior, and then asked whether William was injured.

After confirming that William's side was fine, she quickly arranged for elves to come over to help clean up the mess, and then sent over a new set of desks and chairs - in order to enhance the lethality, the items shattered in the storm could no longer be used Fixed with magic.

After all this was completed, she took the beetle left by the intruder from Moody and observed it carefully.

"Is this the beetle that even the devil's eye can't see through?"

Professor McGonagall looked at the crawling beetles in the cage and fell into deep thought - she believed that if Moody wanted to arrest, he would definitely be able to catch the real murderer.

However, the other party's purpose in coming to Professor William's office was probably to steal information about the competition, which made this matter a bit embarrassing.

After all, stealing information is a tradition. Even if you are caught, you can't get angry... The tradition is like this. Private transactions are OK, but exposure is not allowed.

"Who did it?"

As she thought about it, her eyes kept drifting towards this so-called surveillance beetle.

"Um?"

Looking at those regular patterns, she suddenly remembered the huge surprise given to her by her students who had graduated long ago last year.

"yes…"

Professor McGonagall looked carefully - this time, she discovered more details.

In less than three minutes, she confirmed the fact that the other party was not a prop transformed by alchemy, nor a beetle enhanced by magic, but an Animagus.

"I think we have the murderer."

Professor McGonagall set the cage down on the wood and plank surface and took a step back.

"murderer?"

"That's right."

Professor McGonagall said with certainty - it would be embarrassing if you were caught stealing information and stealing information.

With a little bit of operation, she could at least help the professors at her school get three more offices.

It doesn't matter if you resort to means. If you are caught doing something real, I can only blame you for being stupid.

"Albus only developed the magic last year and used it again this year."

Professor McGonagall had a smile on her face - ever since she learned this spell from Albus, she had been unable to find a suitable target to cast it on.

She is the only Animagus in Hogwarts, and the only one she can find who can move freely is Sirius. She can't force Sirius to come over and cooperate with her in casting spells, right?

She happily waved her wand and pointed it directly at the beetle in front of her.

Visible to the naked eye, the beetle began to struggle again, but to no avail. Under the light from Professor McGonagall's wand, it began to expand rapidly, and then gradually revealed its human form, and finally transformed into a character that William had seen in the newspaper.

"Rita Skeeter?"

Moody's expression was strange - the appearance of this reporter meant that his previous reasoning was wrong again.

He had been in the Auror office for so long, and he had never heard of anyone being able to use magic to control others to complete Animagus transformation...

"So... you're an Animagus and you want to steal the news by sneaking into my office?"

When he saw this notorious reporter, William roughly understood what she was thinking.

Rita, who had been forced to transform by Professor McGonagall, had not yet been freed from the pain of the Cruciatus Curse. Coupled with the chaotic scene in front of her, even she, who always boasted that she could control the situation in various situations, did not know Say something.

You can't just say "afternoon" to three Hogwarts professors, okay?

While Rita was silent, William had already gotten the answer he wanted.

"A total of seven Animagus were born in this century - no, a total of eleven Animagus were born," William quickly found the most critical point, "And you are obviously not on the published list of seven. among.”

"You're not an Auror, you're just a reporter, so stop saying that stupid thing about you being secretly authorized by the Ministry of Magic."

"Don't worry, Professor William, the Ministry of Magic has never issued such a stupid order, but this reporter, I remember she called me crazy last year."

Moody quickly provided first-hand information. Although Rita's appearance was a bit embarrassing for him, he still had a lot of negative reports from Rita. Although he was usually too lazy to settle accounts with her, but now that he had caught up, he didn't. Mind seeing her misfortune.

"Then, forget about infiltrating, why do we need to carry out large-scale destruction?"

There was confusion on Professor McGonagall's face - she really couldn't understand, if Rita only wanted information, why did she destroy Professor William's office like this?

She felt heartbroken for William just looking at the wreckage on the ground - broken parchment, scattered candies, pieces of books, pieces of furniture...

'Who knows what that bastard was thinking, he destroyed his own office! ’

‘No, he is just a lunatic, a complete lunatic. Moody is not even as crazy as him. No wonder Moody has to work as his deputy when he comes over! ’

But Rita only dared to think about such words, not to say them out loud.

"Illegal Animagus seem to need to go to jail, right?"

It was impossible for him to make a political deal and let Rita go. The Dark Lord was going to be resurrected this year, and a reporter showed up running into his office - he didn't believe it if he said it had nothing to do with the Death Eaters.

Even if the other party was really not a Death Eater, the things she had committed were enough to keep her in Azkaban for about ten years.

He was the reviewer of the Triwizard Tournament. Calculating the charges, it was at least equivalent to stealing college entrance examination papers. How could he be given a light sentence?

Not to mention Rita's bad reputation, he had heard it in Azkaban. The confidentiality agreement alone stipulated that if someone sneaked into their office, they would be arrested - otherwise they, the professors, Leaking is too easy.

It is absolutely impossible to get a lighter sentence. It is reasonable and fair to stay in Azkaban for as long as the crime is serious.

"Yes, Azkaban for one year or half a year?"

Moody couldn't remember a bit - he usually only caught serious criminals.

"What about trespassing?"

"Well, let's not wait, but it will take more than three years anyway. The professor's office is a special zone. Even if a student is caught planning to break in, the highest punishment can still be expulsion. As for adults, it is serious—— This is not even counting the special circumstances of this year.”

"Then we have to add in trying to steal the Triwizard Tournament information." William paused and realized another blind spot, "She will most likely sell the stolen information for money, right?"

"Probably."

Moody became more energetic. He had always had a keen sense of smell in this area and was very suspicious. The Triwizard Tournament was also an important job that he did overtime every day. He took it very seriously. William's guess awoke him.

"And most of the Hogwarts warriors don't need these, so she can only sell them to other schools."

Before William could respond, he continued to impose more punishment on his own.

"Foreign spying and illegal collection and provision of intelligence, she can go to Azkaban for the rest of her life."

Moody nodded. He was an expert in this area. "The latest trial was the guy who was hiding in the Ministry of Magic and was caught leaking information from the Ministry of Magic to the Death Eaters. Just at the World Cup, Azkaban for Life." With... this, it should be about the same."

After retiring, he could send the deserving ones to Azkaban to make up for the regret of not being able to catch them personally during the World Cup. This made Moody feel a lot better.

Professor McGonagall on the side shook her head, watching the two professors adding sentences to each other. After thinking about it, she finally said nothing - it was not that she refused to save him and allowed William and the others to do whatever they wanted, but Rita. I just called Dumbledore an old lunatic during the summer vacation...

Albus naturally couldn't argue with her, but at this point, it was naturally impossible to help her anymore.

"Don't judge too harshly," she finally relented. After all, she was also a student back then. "Spies are too scary..."

"Okay, Professor."

William, who was frightened by Moody's generosity, and Moody, who was reluctant, made a joint decision, and then began to reduce the sentence - if they did not prosecute some of the crimes, they would definitely not be imprisoned in Azkaban for the rest of their lives.

"Almost ten years..."

Professor McGonagall spoke. Both of them were experienced people. They quickly helped Rita calculate the sentence and adjusted the sentence to about ten years.

Rita on the side realized the horror of the matter - she thought she was just eavesdropping on the news, but the other party actually planned the Triwizard Tournament?

Breaking in illegally and stealing information about the Triwizard Tournament, this...

Especially the last one, if the newspaper says that she tried to sell information to other schools, then she is really dead... No fan can accept this situation, the title of traitor...

"By the way, there are also compensation measures for my personal belongings."

Just when Rita was desperate, William's voice suddenly came to her ears.

‘Is there any hope? Can you redeem yourself with galleons? ’

There was a light of hope in front of her eyes. She had made a lot of money over the years. She became famous with her sharp words, and then used her name to publish books to make money. I dare not say more, but she could still make up three or four thousand galleons.

"Well, I will help you apply to the ministry. She is going too far..."

Professor McGonagall shook her head. William's office was really damaged.

"Then, charge them with those charges, and I'll discuss it with the Auror office."

Moody's words shattered her illusions.

"You don't want compensation?"

"Yes."

William looked at her curiously - whether she was a Death Eater or not, she deserved it. Why didn't he dare to try to miss the question in the office and let the students break in? Wasn't it because of the confidentiality agreement?

"You have to hand it over whether you can get compensation or not. We will apply for enforcement unless you can put all your property into Gringotts."