167 Chapter 167: New Resolutions

If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

I would like to thank my beta, Akisu, for his help in this chapter.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

5 November 1993, Hogwarts

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office and contemplated the happenings of the recent attack on Hogsmeade. It was a perplexing issue, whose outcome was not one he would have expected. He knew that a few inmates had to have escaped. They would have found the bodies by now if they had perished in the attack. Some of the inmates with small sentences actually willingly surrendered to the ministry, who offered them either reduced sentences or outright pardoned them if their crimes were minor. It wasn't something the DMLE wanted, but they had quickly run out of space in their holding cells.

As for the rest, Amelia Bones had done a good job leading her department in tracking them over the months and had discreetly arrested every prisoner that was unaccounted for. Except for three. Rosier, Rookwood, and Dolohov. These were three high-priority prisoners who were amongst Voldemort's inner circle and had committed heinous crimes in his name.

Albus expected them to get impatient and move to Albania to help their precious Lord, but they decided to attack one of the most famous settlements in magical Britain. Those three men were amongst the smartest of Lord Voldemort's inner circle. Dolohov was a duelling champion, patient and with a tactical mind, and Rookwood was a former Unspeakable for Merlin's sake. He expected that behavior from Rosier who often acted like a brute during the last war. Yet the man was the only one who hadn't participated in the attack, and his fate was still unknown. For Rookwood and Dolohov to attack a settlement like Hogsmeade just didn't make sense. Diagon Alley was less protected and would have ended with more damage. There were more people and thus the possibility of more victims. It didn't make sense at all.

In his office, he pondered the issue with a few colleagues. Alastor Moody stood there, his eyes constantly looking franticly for one spell or another. Severus Snape sat down with his usual scowl of his, and so was his deputy Headmistress. On the other side was Amelia Bones, who was there as a liaison to the ministry as well as giving him the results of her department's investigations about the attack. They stood silent until Alastor seemingly lost patience, "Are we getting started or what?"

Albus pretended to be surprised, "Ah, yes. My apologies. My mind was slightly distracted. As we said before, we're here to speak about the attack on Hogsmeade that occurred a few days ago. While I am glad that the final inmates have finally been captured, I can't help but feel that we don't have the full picture of their motivations or goals for the attack."

Bones was the one to speak up this time, "The only people who talked didn't know anything. They were either mercenaries or members of Greyback's pack. They were hired using gold, which we have no idea how Rookwood and Dolohov got their hands on. Greyback didn't do anything except for making threats and growling. Rookwood just kept giggling for some reason, and Dolohov, who seemed to be the only one to keep his sanity refused to say anything out of fear. The only relevant thing that we got out of it was that Evan Rosier was dead."

"Did you try Veritaserum?" Severus asked while sneering at her.

"We're not incompetent, Snape. We know that it's not admissible in court, but we do have a batch ready for cases like this. It's how we verified the confessions of the mercenaries. Greyback was able to resist it fully, something that was unprecedented. We knew that werewolves had an innate resistance to mind-altering potions, but their effects were always diluted, not fully negated. Greyback seems to be some kind of exception. Rookwood was useless, whatever happened to him completely warped his mind and Dolohov wasn't any better; all we got from him was a deep fear of not ending up like Rosier which overwhelmed the potion. I've never seen anything like it."

Severus' eyes widened and he hummed, "There were theories that intense emotions could warp the subconscious enough to create blockades of some sort that could affect the faint hypnotic trance that comes with Veritaserum, but to see concrete proof of it... How interesting…"

"I don't care if it's interesting," Alastor growled, "All I'm hearing is that we don't have shit."

"There's no need to be crass, Moody," the head of the DMLE answered back, "but yes, we don't have shit, other than that they had a benefactor of some sort. Not that we'll be able to speak with them anytime soon with Fudge being so insistent that we give them the kiss. He also has been trying to get Macnair released on the Imperius defense again, since he wants no talk of the ministry harboring Death Eater sympathizers. But I personally think he's planning something to get rid of him quietly later."

Ah, yes. The capture of the last few inmates was great news to Cornelius, who actually seemed like a competent leader. If one ignored the fact that he literally did nothing, that is. The man capitulated on the situation as soon as he could and refused to entertain the idea that there might be any additional danger out there. Now that all Azkaban inmates were accounted for and even Greyback's pack was finally in their custody, all that remained was for a new prison to be built and the dementors to be appeased. Offering them Dolohov, Greyback, and Rookwood would be enough for them to wait until Albus finally finished building their new feeding ground.

The project was far more expensive than he thought it would be, and that was mostly because of the raw materials he needed to add in the enchantments necessary so that no magic could affect them afterwards. Every brick had to have those enchantments and the price added up to an insane degree. But in the end, it would be worth it. Fudge had literally given him command over Britain's wizarding prison, which he could add anything he wanted to it. He had so many ideas…

Alas, it was not the time to think about that, he had other problems to handle, "What about the fog and the petrifications, did you have any leads?"

"Not really. The fog had lifted by the time we arrived, so we didn't get a sample, and the petrifications didn't have any magical signature. We thought that it was some kind of ward but there were no signs of anchors. Considering that a few innocent visitors to the village were also petrified. We think it was some kind of large-scale spell that attacked everyone who wasn't a resident of Hogsmeade or a student. We're not sure how they managed it, but it seemed to have worked."

"But that would also mean that whoever it was knew that the attack was coming and prepared for it. Concerning… As for the fog, I think it was some kind of areal potion. From people's descriptions, I think that it resembles the properties of Instant Darkness powder from Peru. Check if there have been any large imports to Britain, even if I think whoever was responsible wouldn't have made such a careless error."

Alastor nodded, "I'll talk to a few smuggler friends of mine. Fletcher might finally be of some use."

"Now, onto our most pressing matter the identity of the attacker's benefactor. This attack must have had a purpose of some sort. Even if it was halted in its track, there had to be some sort of hidden motive."

"And how do you know that Dumbledore?" Bones asked briskly.

"Well, for one, our esteemed defence professor was found half-dead on the school grounds, wounds that our resident Mediwitch recognized to be made using a silver blade."

It didn't take long for the head of the DMLE to make the connection, "You employed a werewolf in your school?"

"Don't worry, my dear, I have followed the ministry regulations and filed the paperwork. Remus Lupin is on the Wolfsbane potion and during his transformation, he stays far away from any students. No one is in any danger… But the fact remains, he was attacked by someone who knew he was a werewolf and was prepared for it. Considering that he ended up on the castle grounds, I believe that the ultimate purpose of the Hogsmeade attack involved the school in some way. Thankfully, the man just woke up before this meeting, and I have asked him to come here."

"And how can we trust that the beast wasn't just part of the attack?" Severus answered while sneering.

"Because I would have been petrified like the others, not end up half-dead trying to protect my students," a voice at the back of the room spoke up.

Just like that the entire room shifted in one motion towards the man who just entered. He was obviously limping and had bandages around his gut, an unexpected sight of the man who always dressed sharply. His hair was shaggy, making Albus reminiscent of how he looked as a teenager, only with more expensive robes.

Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously as Lupin approached, but it was Amelia Bones who spoke first in a professional voice. "Professor Lupin, can you tell us exactly what happened during the attack?"

"I was in the Shrieking Shack," Lupin began, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "As you all know, the full moon approaches, and I was reinforcing the wards for my transformation. It's a precaution I take each month to ensure no harm comes to others, or myself."

There was a palpable tension in the room as he paused, gathering his thoughts. "That's when I encountered the intruder. He was trying to navigate through the secret passage that leads to the Whomping Willow. He called himself the Smiling Killer, so understandable, I was on guard immediately."

Amelia Bones immediately stiffened, "The Smiling Killer, the serial killer that killed dozens of wizards and witches in their home? He was the one behind the attack?"

"I assume so. He said that it was some kind of distraction. I caught him trying to access the secret passage under the Whomping Willow. I did my best to fight him off and did manage to drive him away, but I didn't really come out of our encounter unscathed. He was quite the infuriating opponent, I must say."

Severus Snape's expression turned into one of disbelief, his sneer more pronounced. "A smiling killer? Lupin, do you expect us to believe such a fanciful tale? You and your friends did always have a history of bending the truth…"

Lupin's gaze met Severus', unwavering. "I understand your scepticism, Severus, but this is not a schoolyard scuffle anymore. I am responsible for ensuring that my students are safe, as are you, in fact. I would not jeopardize their safety on some made-up tale about I fight that almost took my life."

"Don't tell me that the Butcher of Frankfurt is scared of a single wizard?" the potion master asked while sneering.

Ah, that was a low blow on Severus' part. What happened in Frankfurt, and the rumours about Remus' actions especially, were horrific. Remus Lupin had earned his title as a butcher that night, and the werewolf's brutality was one of the main reasons Albus was very hesitant to hire him.

Lupin didn't seem to appreciate the comment, "Do not speak of things that you do not understand, Severus. And yes, I have fought many men in my time but there was very little humanity in my opponent a few nights ago."

Amelia Bones, her expression a mix of concern and excitement, leaned forward. "Can you provide a description of the Smiling Killer?"

"I can't give you much, I'm afraid. He wore a mask with a smiling face drawn on it with what I assume is blood. He was wearing old and tattered robes. He had a soft voice, almost androgynous, probably designed that way to hide his gender. During our struggle, I felt his physique. It was definitely a man, though with Polyjuice Potion being a thing, one can never know for sure."

He paused, a frown creasing his forehead. "The most peculiar aspect was his fighting style. He didn't use magic. Instead, he had enhanced strength, speed, and reflexes. He wielded a knife, but what was most alarming was his ability to phase through attacks. I think it's how he ignores wards, but I'm not sure. The biggest weakness he had was the fact that he had to anticipate them to phase. I had to literally let him stab me to take him by surprise."

This was news of Albus. He had never heard of such magic, but he had learned long ago that very few things were impossible. He could tell that while this was not the full story, Remus seemed to tell the truth for the most part. There was definitely more than the man shared, but he had all the time in the world to get the man to slip up, "Thank you, Remus. You should return to the infirmary to rest."

As the door to Dumbledore's office closed behind Lupin, Moody exclaimed, "Are you really taking him at his word, Albus? You do remember how he abandoned you during the war, right?"

"While his tale is fanciful, I believe that he was truthful for the most part. Still, we will need to verify these claims, and I will personally research the abilities of the Smiling Killer. That monster being interested in the school is a worrying prospect, especially if his ability could in fact go through the castle wards unimpeded."

That and the fact that Albus couldn't really verify using Legilimency. It wasn't like Remus was a skilled Occlumens, but ever since he left the school, the man's mind just worked in such an alien manner that the headmaster simply couldn't translate properly. The only person who had a similar condition was Fenrir Greyback and even then, his mind wasn't as alien as young Remus'. There was a reason that Albus didn't even try to trust Remus Lupin after his return, after all.

Amelia Bones adjusted her spectacles, her tone measured, "This is the first lead we had on the Smiling Killer. We can't dismiss his testimony, and we can have something to pressure Rookwood and Dolohov with."

"Yes, and I will personally see if there are any protections, I might add that would circumvent such issues. My priority will always be the safety of my students."

Before she could leave, he asked, "By the way, is Cornelius still pushing for the Tri-wizard tournament to be reinstated?"

"Yes. Crouch's idea was already ambitious, but the minister wanted to make it the event of the century like we didn't have already so much on our plate with the Quidditch match. He wants to rebrand it to the European tournament. I have to say that the finance department was looking very nervous after he presented a few of his ideas. Why do you ask?"

There was an idea he had, an idea that he scrapped because he wasn't really certain that the ministry would be stable enough for the Tri-Wizard tournament to actually take place. But with how things were stabilized so quickly, it was feasible. The school needed more gold, and well, he needed more gold. The building of the new wizarding prison had cost him a fortune, even if it helped him get a lot of goodwill from the residents of magical Britain. He was sure without this project, the scandal during the Potter brat's hearing would have genuinely hurt his standing.

"Well, I was thinking about making a smaller school tournament to fine-tune the selection of champions, let's say from third years and above, shall we? It would help distract the populace about what happened, assure that our inevitable champion will get some practice, and it would be a good way to raise some gold for more scholarships. I will design the tasks myself to make sure that there won't be any true danger of the students getting hurt. I was thinking about asking Cornelius to help sponsor the project to generate some good publicity for the European tournament. It's just an idea, for now, but it could be very fruitful in the long run."

And it could also help get more information about the Potter brat. Lupin was obviously obsessed with the boy for some reason and Albus did have to repay him for what happened in that courtroom a few months back. After all, he had a very long memory and if there is something he did not lack in his old age, it would be patience.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.