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Chapter 120: Verdict
Chapter 120: Verdict
Chapter 120: Verdict
"Is it a Two-Faced Mirror?" Felix Harp inquired with interest.
"No, Felix, I don't think so," Flitwick pondered.
Professor McGonagall offered her own speculation, "Perhaps it's a magical newspaper?"
"A newspaper?" Felix looked at her, the idea hadn't crossed his mind before.
"Exactly, I remember the Daily Prophet had a similar technique. If news changed, the content of the newspaper changed as well," Professor McGonagall added, "Although this situation is quite rare now; they prefer to move such things to the evening edition of the day."
She reminisced, "During the times of war, the Ministry of Magic used the Daily Prophet for emergency notifications..."
Felix was somewhat surprised. In his impression, the Daily Prophet wasn't particularly known for journalistic integrity; they were probably more concerned with their circulation.
Hence the separation between the daily and evening editions, as well as the Sunday edition, "The Sunday Prophet."
The overall viewpoint of the Daily Prophet leaned towards the Ministry of Magic, so... was this cooperation established a long time ago?
"Did they use synchronous magic as well?" He wanted to know more.
"I believe so—there might be various charms used on the newspaper. It's their exclusive technology not seen in other publications," Professor McGonagall replied.
Felix contemplated; so, they were somewhat similar to his answering parchment, perhaps even more sophisticated. Their newspapers covered the entirety of Britain.
Except for the lack of interactivity.
"Not exactly," Flitwick said, somewhat puzzled, "Odd, I shouldn't have forgotten...".
Professor McGonagall widened her eyes, stuttering as she interrupted him, "C-could it possibly be that person's mark, Felix?"
"Oh, heavens, no, of course not!" Flitwick's voice turned sharp.
Felix listened quietly, were they talking about the Dark Mark?
He hadn't studied it, but from what he remembered, it was a kind of patterned magical contract, with abilities for tracking and summoning. Maybe Voldemort added his personal touch?
Bellby, who had been silent on the side, suddenly spoke up, "Speaking of which, I've seen something similar in the Muggle world..."
"Exactly, that's it!"
Bellby's words sparked an idea in Flitwick; he exclaimed with surprise, "I remember now, I heard about it from Professor Cuthbert Binns."
Cuthbert Binns?
The History of Muggle Studies professor?
Felix recalled; he hadn't met this professor many times, she seemed to reside mostly off-campus.
"Cuthbert showed me pictures of it, all square and neat. I can't recall its name," Flitwick looked at Bellby, hoping for a response—
"Oh, I remember, it's called a mobile phone," Bellby said, "I saw someone using it at a Muggle theater. I asked them about it; I said I'm from the countryside."
He grinned at Felix; this was a passage Felix had mentioned in his work, "Interacting with Muggles: A Guide."
Flitwick gave Bellby an affirmative look, "That's the thing—mobile...phone? They say Muggles can have conversations across vast distances. Cuthbert complained to me that her paper on it got outright ignored; they thought it was some sort of fantasy—just a bunch of old-fashioned notions."
Professor McGonagall wasn't well-versed in Muggle artifacts; she asked in puzzlement, "Has the Muggle world really advanced this much? What do they rely on for long-distance communication?"
Now, Flitwick and Bellby couldn't come up with an answer; their knowledge in this area was quite limited.
Felix let out a gentle sigh.
Felix Harp knew what kind of book he should write this year—a guide to Muggle world technology. However, Professor Binns' experience provided him a good counterexample; if he presented something beyond wizards' imagination right from the start, it might not make much of a splash.
His previous two books had covered the development history and thought processes of ordinary people, which wizards could understand. Moreover, he intentionally included numerous examples of social interactions, making them quite practical—useful for public officials who needed guidance in dealing with Muggles.
This was why his books received professional recognition.
It also allowed him to sneak in some of his genuine personal viewpoints...
How should he structure the new book? Felix contemplated.
"It has to be simple, clear, and straightforward. Not too much, just enough," he thought.
Some basic mechanical components, prototypes of energy utilization, even simple and repeatable physical experiments...
He suddenly recalled his conversation with Miss Granger about Lockhart, where he mentioned that he admired how Lockhart incorporated knowledge into his stories. "Maybe I'll imitate that in the future!" he had told his assistant.
Now, it seemed like he could write a fairy tale version of "Adventures of a Young Wizard"?
"Felix?" Flitwick looked at him.
"Just thinking about some interesting things," Felix said.
He added visiting Professor Binns to his schedule.
As for improving the answering parchment, he had many brainstormed ideas from young wizards that he hadn't yet tapped into. Along with the Two-Faced Mirror, magical newspapers, Dark Marks, and mobile phones, these things were sparking his inspiration and direction.
Midway through, several professors finalized their collaboration plans. Bellby felt somewhat regretful, as he wasn't skilled in this area at all.
After the dinner, the young wizards left in pairs, their understanding unspoken. Some male and female wizards quietly vanished from the main group, seeking secluded spots for their rendezvous.
'I wonder how many couples Fleur Delacour will catch tonight?' Felix's mind entertained random thoughts.
Back in his office, he perused the evening edition of the Daily Prophet. The front-page headline caught his attention—
"Gilderoy Lockhart Faces Seven-Year Imprisonment; Fans Criticize the Ministry."
This intrigued Felix. According to the newspaper, Lockhart deeply regretted his actions and was willing to heal and compensate those he had harmed—hoping to avoid severe punishment.
He had also donated a substantial 20,000 Galleons to various reputable magical organizations. Yet, Wizengamot still sentenced him to seven years—the way Felix saw it, this punishment was noticeably lenient.
Moreover, the Dementors that ordinary wizards dreaded weren't as fearsome for a Memory Charmer like Lockhart.
But for Lockhart, losing his brilliant reputation and future seemed to be the most dreadful punishment, right?
However, that wasn't the most surprising news of the day. In a corner, he found a seemingly insignificant piece—
"Former Chief Editor of the Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter, Faces Long-Term Charges of Concealing Animagus Status and Illegally Gaining Others' Secrets for Personal Gain. However, recently, the Ministry abruptly revoked all charges, instead sentencing her to a fine of two thousand Galleons. It's been reported that more than one high-ranking Ministry official stated there was no direct evidence of Rita Skeeter's guilt..."
Felix suddenly chuckled, "Rita, oh Rita..." He truly felt enlightened.
Gilderoy Lockhart and Rita Skeeter were, in a way, remarkably similar—they both achieved fame through illicit means as prominent male and female wizards.
Lockhart even obtained a prestigious Order of Merlin, Third Class badge as a symbol of honor.
Nevertheless, when their wrongdoings came to light, their fates were entirely different—Lockhart received leniency but still went to prison, while Skeeter's punishment was virtually inconsequential.
Felix's light blue eyes reflected the Hogwarts night scene as he wondered, "Just how many secrets of the high and mighty do you know, Rita Skeeter?"
A string of controversial names of high-ranking Ministry officials flickered through his mind—
Cornelius Fudge, Barty Crouch, Ludovic Bagman, Dolores Umbridge, Pius Thicknesse...
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