Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 637 A new journey
Dumbledore didn't keep them in suspense and announced directly:

"Professor Igor Karkaroff has decided to resign from his position as headmaster of Durmstrang and remain at Hogwarts."

"what?!"

A stone stirred up a thousand waves.

As everyone had anticipated, everything Dumbledore said today was astonishing.

This one is no exception.

At that moment, everyone was stunned, especially the Durmstrang students.

Led by Viktor Krum, the students all turned to look at Professor Karkaroff at the faculty table, speechless with surprise.

Did Durmstrang's headmaster resign and stay at Hogwarts?
What kind of behavior is this?
"Sherlock, what's going on?"

Harry looked at Sherlock with a surprised expression.

From Sirius Black and Lupin, they learned about Karkaroff's past, that he had once been a Death Eater.

It is also known that he betrayed many Death Eaters in order to escape from Azkaban.

Although his character is despicable, it is a good thing for the side of justice.

Not long ago, Snape also asserted that if Voldemort were to truly rise from the dead, Karkaroff would surely flee—because Voldemort and the Death Eaters would not let him go.

But what is happening now?

“For him, this was actually a wise choice—if he ran away now, he would most likely die on the way.”

Sherlock said calmly, "Putting aside strength, his ability to conceal himself is absolutely terrible."

Upon hearing Sherlock's words, Harry couldn't help but recall seeing Karkaroff the night before their first project.

So Sherlock's statement isn't wrong.

“Dear Harry, I think you’ve probably overlooked something.”

Sherlock smiled slightly:
Even at the height of Voldemort's power, Hogwarts was widely regarded as the only safe place.

Also, Dumbledore is…

“He’s the only person Voldemort is afraid of,” Harry said immediately. “I understand. Rather than running away, I’d rather stay at Hogwarts and accept Dumbledore’s protection.”

"Obviously, my friend."

Sherlock's friends around him nodded in agreement, understanding Karkaroff's choice.

It's not shameful to be alive.

What does the position of a school principal matter as long as a dog's life can be saved?
“I just don’t know what he’s going to do here,” Ron said, somewhat puzzled. “After all, he’s the principal of Durmstrang… wait, he’s not going to become our vice principal, is he?”

Ginny immediately protested: "What?! Dumbledore will never agree to let someone from the Death Eater background be our headmaster!"

Sherlock and Harry exchanged a glance but said nothing.

This girl is still too young.

She probably forgot that Snape, who was also a Death Eater, had been a Potions professor at Hogwarts for over ten years.

Moreover, he is the youngest dean in the school's history.

“No,” Gemma shook her head gently. “I think he’s more likely to assist Professor Lupin or Professor Snape…”

As they were discussing, Dumbledore continued his narration:

"Actually, I also hope that I'm mistaken—but unfortunately I am not."

Therefore, in the period to come, we will all face a dark and difficult time.

All the parents in the auditorium had experienced that special period of time.

"Some of you have loved ones who have been harmed by Voldemort, and your families have been torn apart..."

Upon hearing this, Sherlock looked at Neville.

He clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Sherlock frowned.

Although Neville's parents were not killed by Voldemort, the root cause was still Voldemort.

This bastard!
"...Next, please welcome Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge to speak!"

Although Dumbledore remained polite, Sherlock could still sense that his attitude towards Fudge had changed.

They are no longer as tolerant and respectful as before.

now it's right!

There's no need to be polite to people like that in the first place.

If you really think he's in the way as Minister of Magic, then it's even simpler.

If you don't change your mindset, replace you; if your attitude is wrong, move you to another position; if you lack ability, step down!
After Dumbledore finished speaking, Fudge stood up, clutching the parchment containing the speech prepared for him by the department staff.

He cleared his throat, only to find that his voice was even drier than he had expected.

Even as soon as she opened her mouth, there was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor in her voice:
“I completely agree with what Professor Dumbledore just said.”

That one sentence alone seemed to have exhausted all the courage he had accumulated.

He paused for a few seconds before continuing:
"Regarding...regarding the return of 'that person whose name cannot even be mentioned,' the Ministry of Magic, after the latest investigation and evidence gathering, has now confirmed that it is true."

Because of Dumbledore's earlier foreshadowing, the reactions were no longer as intense as before.

Despite the occasional whispers, the vast majority of people remained silent, watching Fudge and waiting for him to continue.

Fudge observed everyone's actions, and he tightened his grip on his speech, trying to raise his voice to mask his panic:
"I know that many people may question the Ministry of Magic's previous silence."

But please believe me, we need time to verify the authenticity of the information in order to avoid causing unnecessary panic.

After all, the stability of the magical world is the foundation for all of us.

The speech remained very official and formal.

Seeing this, Dumbledore coughed lightly at the opportune moment and turned to Fudge:

"Your Excellency Minister, I think what everyone is most concerned about right now is the Ministry of Magic's specific plans for the future."

After all, confirming the facts is only the first step; addressing the challenges is the key.

Fudge, as if grasping at a straw, nodded hurriedly:

“That’s right, Professor Dumbledore is absolutely right.”

The Ministry of Magic has activated its security plan:

First, we will increase Auror patrols at key locations such as Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Sicknesses to ensure the safety of the core areas.

Secondly, we will collaborate with the Ministry of Magic, including Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to share Death Eater intelligence networks and take preventative measures.

Furthermore, we will fully cooperate with the school's defense measures for Hogwarts students, including providing the latest defensive magic materials and dispatching experienced Aurors to assist professors in improving the Defense Against the Dark Arts course.

When talking about these things, Fudge's expression was noticeably more fluent than before.

"I think it's because he kept his head down while reading from the script."

Hermione snorted and whispered in Sherlock's ear:

"What do you mean by 'full cooperation'? Just last week, the Daily Prophet was implying that some highly respected figures in the wizarding world like to exaggerate. Now things have changed so quickly."

Hermione's warm breath gently brushed against Sherlock's ear.

If Harry were treated like that by a woman, the boy would definitely feel as if a Bowtruckle was ramming into his heart.

However, Sherlock merely raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the parchment in Fudge's hand, and said calmly:
"His statement was only recently revised." "Wouldn't it have been better if he had done that sooner?"

Harry sighed. He didn't understand why some people had to be hit hard and bruised before they would accept reality.
Thinking of this, he suddenly seemed to sense something and looked in the direction of Ravenclaw.

He immediately saw that Qiu Zhang and Luna were both looking in his direction.

But he quickly realized that Qiu Zhang was indeed looking at him.

As for Luna, she should be watching Sherlock.

Thinking of this, he exchanged a glance with Qiu Zhang.

It seems I need to have a proper talk with Qiu Zhang before leaving tomorrow.

"And one more thing."

At this point, Fudge seemed to suddenly remember something. He adjusted his top hat, and his tone surprisingly carried a hint of sincerity:

"In recognition of the outstanding performances of Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, and Cedric Diggory during the Triwizard Tournament, the Ministry of Magic has decided to increase the funding amount from one thousand Galleons to one thousand five hundred Galleons."

Now, please welcome Diggory, captain of the Hogwarts team, to the stage to receive his award!

As soon as these words were spoken, cheers erupted in the auditorium.

Money moves people's hearts.

Moreover, five hundred Galleons is no small sum.

Cedric paused for a moment, then stood up and walked over to Fudge, taking the bag of Galleons from his hands.

After that, Fudge's speech officially ended.

Compared to the awkwardness at the beginning, the atmosphere has eased considerably now.

He bowed to everyone, sat down again, and secretly glanced at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore acknowledged him and stood up again, and the Great Hall fell silent once more.

His gaze swept across the entire room, his tone more serious than before:

"Minister Fouché's plan laid the foundation for us, but we must be clear—darkness never retreats because of preparation."

In the coming semester, Hogwarts will significantly increase the intensity of courses such as Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms, not only teaching theory but also emphasizing practical training.

At the same time, we will invite wizards with extensive experience in combating Death Eaters, such as Mr. Moody, to conduct regular special lectures.

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of excited discussion arose from the audience.

The vast majority of young wizards' eyes lit up.

Professor Lupin's Defense Against the Dark Arts course was originally both engaging and practical.

Now, Mad-Eye Moody, the most powerful Auror in the Ministry of Magic, has also joined the fray.

Just thinking about it is incredibly exciting.

Finally, Dumbledore raised his goblet, the liquid inside gleaming warmly in the lamplight:
"I know the days ahead will be challenging, but please remember:"

As long as we trust each other and fight side by side, darkness can never devour the light.

Now, let's continue enjoying this dinner!

When they left the school, Holmes and his wife went to Sherlock's dormitory.

Mrs. Holmes was very pleased to help Sherlock and Harry pack their trunks.

He also helped Ron out—which made him very happy—this was the part he hated most every year.

The next morning, everyone waited together in the crowded hall for the carriage to take them to Hogsmeade Station.

It is another beautiful and pleasant summer day.

“Dear Apollin, you must bring Fleur and Gabrielle to my house this holiday.”

Mrs. Holmes said with reluctance as she held Mrs. Delacour's hand.

“I will, Varita.”

Mrs. Delacour smiled and said to Mrs. Holmes.

Next, Mrs. Holmes hugged Fleur and Gabrielle and said the same thing to them.

After embracing Mrs. Holmes, Fleur did not immediately leave with her mother and sister, but instead went to Sherlock's side and extended a hand to him:

"Holmes, thank you for your help this time. It's really nice to meet you."

After that, she shook hands with Harry, Hermione, and Gemma, expressing her gratitude in the same way.

Seeing this, Ron quickly came over, his face full of anticipation.

Ginny frowned.

Hibiscus didn't notice this, and when she saw Ron come over, she shook hands with him in a very natural and generous manner.

At this moment, Ron's face was as red as his hair.

Furong was about to leave when she suddenly stopped, as if she had thought of something.

"By the way, can I call you Sherlock from now on?"

After receiving Sherlock's approval, Fleur gave a radiant smile:

"That's great! I think we'll see each other soon. Have a great holiday."

After saying this, she hurriedly ran along the lawn toward Ms. Maxim, her silver hair swaying like waves in the sunlight.

At the other end of the field, Hagrid was helping Ms. Maxim put harnesses on two giant horses.

It was obvious that Beauxbatons' carriage was about to depart.

"I'm wondering if you're planning to stop washing your hands altogether?"

Ginny looked at Ron's perverted expression with annoyance and said.

Actually, she didn't want to ridicule her brother in public.

The problem is that Ron's performance was just too embarrassing.

He scrutinized the hand that Fleur had just held, looking at it over and over again. "Look at Sherlock and Harry, who looks like him?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ron realized that what he had done was inappropriate and quickly changed the subject:
"I wonder how Durmstrang's classmates will get back. Do you think they can still steer that ship without Karkaroff?"

“Kakarov doesn’t steer,” a hoarse, deep voice said. “He stays in the cabin almost the whole time; we do all the work.”

It was Krum who spoke. He came to the front of the group, looked at Hermione, and said:

Can I say a few words to you?

Everyone looked at Hermione with surprise.

Hermione glanced at Sherlock.

Even though she knew she had promised Krum, Sherlock wouldn't misunderstand.

However, considering Fleur's attitude towards Sherlock, and Gemma's decision not to return to Romania, Hermione firmly shook her head.

She wanted to express her immediate feelings more firmly.

Then, under Krum's sorrowful gaze, he said:

"Say what you have to say here."

Krum: (;Д`)
(End of this chapter)