Dumbledore had great confidence in Wayne, but when it came to Voldemort, what he needed wasn't confidence, but a guarantee to keep him gone forever.
"Before escaping, Voldemort issued you a challenge. He will challenge you to a duel in one month," Dumbledore said.
"That's perfect." Wayne was very pleased. It was rare for Voldemort to muster such courage and actually take the initiative to cut things short.
"I think..." Dumbledore hinted wildly, "When dealing with a Dark Lord like Voldemort, we don't need to follow any duelling rules. When the time comes, I'll hide near the duelling location in advance and seize the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow."
"Of course, you needn't worry about damaging your reputation. Afterwards, I'll take full responsibility for everything. All the blame will fall on me, and you'll know nothing about it."
The young man stared in astonishment at Dumbledore, whose eyes were gleaming with intensity, completely unable to believe these words had come from his mouth.
If outsiders were to find out, many would likely have their faith shattered.
At the same time, Wayne also realised... ever since accepting the fact that he had been forced into retirement, Dumbledore's actions had become increasingly without bottom line.
In the past, even if Crouch and the others had killed so many people, even if they were Death Eaters, he would have intervened.
But now he merely watched coldly from the sidelines, neither approving nor opposing, as if it had nothing to do with him.
"Um... Professor." Wayne was also startled by this version of Dumbledore, carefully choosing his words: "I think... no matter how angry or foolish Voldemort is, he wouldn't simply ignore a threat like you and proceed to duel me."
"The reason he set a one-month deadline is certainly because he needs to make some preparations. I believe it would be better for you to remain at Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic when the time comes."
Dumbledore fell into deep thought. He couldn't refute Wayne's speculation. Someone as afraid of death as Voldemort would undoubtedly become even more cautious after this defeat.
"Then it's all up to you." Finally, Dumbledore sighed helplessly, "Why didn't he invite me instead?"
"Because Voldemort understands that if he gives me more time, even defeating you would be meaningless."
The young man's words revealed immense confidence, and Dumbledore deeply agreed. Time was on Wayne's side.
Glancing at Harry, Dumbledore knew it was time for him to leave. He stood up and used a spell to make Harry float, preparing to take him to the hospital wing.
"Professor."
"Hmm?" Hearing Wayne call him, Dumbledore turned back questioningly from the doorway.
"Nothing." Wayne's smile was particularly bright: "I just wanted to remind you that the weather has turned colder recently. You should wear an extra layer."
Dumbledore felt a warmth in his heart and nodded with a smile, "Thank you, I'll be careful."
...
The long night had finally passed. The storm had been brewing and arrived with the dawn.
Bringing dozens of corpses and the few Death Eaters who had narrowly survived, Crouch returned to the Ministry of Magic.
He deliberately chose the time when regular employees arrived for work, placing them all in the Great Hall where everyone would see them immediately upon entering the Ministry.
Faced with the fierce Aurors and the floor covered with bodies, the more timid employees fainted on the spot.
Soon, Fudge arrived with several of his close aides.
Upon seeing the dead Death Eaters, he knew he was finished. Among the testimonies of dozens of witnesses, the great battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore was vividly described.
The news could no longer be concealed. Everyone understood—the one whose name must not be spoken had returned.
After the initial panic, Fudge actually calmed down.
When dozens of Death Eaters had broken out of prison earlier, he had already anticipated this day would inevitably come.
"Arrange a press conference. We have an obligation to inform the public of the truth."
Crouch said nothing, turning immediately to make the arrangements.
"I must regrettably inform you that the wizard who calls himself the Dark Lord—you know who I mean—has returned."
Facing the reporters, Fudge appeared weary and uneasy. "The Dementors of Azkaban have staged a collective rebellion. They have betrayed our society."
"We strongly urge members of the wizarding community to remain vigilant. The Ministry of Magic is publishing a Family and Personal Defence Guide, which will be distributed free to all wizarding households next month."
"Through our own investigation, we discovered that the former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and Head of the Department of Education, Dolores Umbridge, was one of them. It was she who used her authority to obscure the truth, causing the Ministry—and myself—to misunderstand Dumbledore."
Fudge bowed deeply to the reporters. "As Minister, I bear undeniable responsibility. Therefore, I will resign as Minister for Magic and fully cooperate with the investigations by the Wizengamot and the Department of Magical Integrity."
Having said this, Fudge walked dejectedly off the stage amidst a flurry of camera flashes.
The era of the Ministry under his leadership had come to an end. Who would take the stage next remained unknown to the public.
...
That evening, the students of Hogwarts learned everything that had happened.
Setting aside raw power, in terms of sheer intimidation over Britain's young witches and wizards, there was a Dumbledore-sized gap between Voldemort and Grindelwald.
The entire castle was plunged into panic. Everyone shifted uneasily in their seats, glancing repeatedly at the empty chairs at the High Table, with no appetite for the feast before them.
The door of the small chamber where the champions had once gathered opened, and Wayne stepped out. Behind him followed Dumbledore and the Heads of all four Houses.
The noise in the Great Hall quickly died down. The students looked at the two leading figures with hopeful eyes.
Reaching the central position, Dumbledore stood to Wayne's left. The young man scanned the room, finally winking at Cho before speaking.
"Voldemort has returned. Now will you believe it?"
Silence still reigned. Wayne then looked towards the Slytherin table. Unlike the panic on others' faces, theirs showed more fear.
Fortunately, none of their immediate family members had perished the previous night.
Unfortunately, pure-blood family connections were complex and tangled; many aunts, uncles, and cousins had been lost.
"The war has begun." Wayne's words, spoken as he withdrew his gaze, made everyone's expression turn grave.
"Unlike Grindelwald, Voldemort clearly lacks his rationality. What he pursues is diametrically opposed to what most of us stand for. In the coming period, the British wizarding world will enter its most dangerous time."
Fear and unease began to spread, but seeing Wayne and Dumbledore beside him brought a measure of reassurance.
"A proper degree of vigilance is necessary, but excessive worry only leads to internal exhaustion," the young man said. "Hogwarts remains the safest place in the world; you won't come to any harm here."
His words gave everyone great confidence, and what followed next lifted everyone's spirits even more.
"One month. During last night's battle, Voldemort issued me a challenge – we will duel in one month. When that time comes, I will settle this with him once and for all. It will be a fight to the death.
"For this one month, all open days at Hogwarts are cancelled. No one is permitted to leave the school, and entry into the Forbidden Forest is strictly prohibited."
Wayne's gaze lingered meaningfully on the twins for two seconds. They were still reeling from the news of the duel, but feeling his stare, they immediately straightened up and nodded solemnly.
They had never paid much attention to Dumbledore's warnings in the past, but with Wayne, this particular friend had a hundred ways to make them regret any disobedience.
"Alright," Wayne withdrew his gaze. "Let us applaud Professor Dumbledore's return."
Hearty applause echoed through the Great Hall. Wayne sat down, and after the feast ended, he asked Malfoy to stay behind.
"Tell your parents to take shelter in Hogsmeade for a while. Bring the Selwyns along, too. They can return home after Voldemort's... cooled down in a month."
The Malfoy family and the Selwyns hadn't participated in last night's battle. Voldemort would soon notice something amiss. Since they had pledged themselves to him, Wayne saw fit to remind them.
Malfoy nodded repeatedly and hurried off to write to his family.
Dumbledore stood watching from a distance until Wayne approached him. "Your spy is Lucius?" he asked.
"Correct."
"I don't believe his Occlumency is strong enough to deceive Voldemort," Dumbledore remarked curiously.
"In dreams, anything is possible," Wayne replied with a mysterious smile, and explained the effects of his modified Oneiromancy Charm.
Understanding dawned on Dumbledore's face, followed by sincere admiration. The young man's mind was far more agile than his own old one, brimming with ingenious ideas one after another.
"Did you need something from me?" Wayne asked.
"I'd like you to invite Slughorn to return. You likely know who he is," Dumbledore said.
"The former Slytherin Head of House, Potions professor."
"Indeed. But most importantly, he was Tom's professor and held him in very high regard." Dumbledore glanced towards the main entrance. "From various clues and Slughorn's behaviour, I suspect... He was probably the one who told Tom about Horcruxes, and he might even know exactly how many Horcruxes Tom created."
"Slughorn is a competent professor. His only flaw is his excessive favouritism towards outstanding and famous students."
Dumbledore looked at Wayne, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "If you were to extend the invitation, your chances of success would undoubtedly be far greater than mine."
Wayne thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, I'll go and see him in a few days."
Although Wayne was already certain of the outcome, to set Dumbledore's mind at ease and to secure another excellent professor for the school, he decided to make the trip.
"Best of luck with your endeavours." Having said this, Dumbledore departed; he still needed to return to the Hog's Head.
The wizarding world remained in a state of intense turmoil over the following days.
Although Voldemort had been driven back that night and the Ministry of Magic had eliminated numerous Death Eaters, a small number of remnants had still managed to escape.
The Dementors had also rebelled, allowing all prisoners there to break free. People felt as though they had returned to the era once shrouded by the Dark Mark.
The Ministry had been working diligently on this, distributing Defence Manuals and instructing the public on how to protect themselves, but with limited success.
Most crucially, the Ministry urgently needed to select a new Minister for Magic.
In the vast conference room, all current Department Heads, Deputy Heads, and directors of key divisions were present – even Arthur Weasley had come, making a total of several dozen people.
They represented the Ministry's highest-ranking officials today.
Among them, Bones, Crouch, and Madam Greengrass stood out most prominently, forming what many considered the three main contenders.
Many believed the position of Minister for Magic would most likely be filled by one of these three.
"We must reach a decision quickly," said Bones. "Within forty-eight hours, there have already been eighty-six incidents of Muggles being affected by magic. The Memory Charm teams are run off their feet."
"The Ministry must have a competent Minister to prevent this chaos from continuing."
Madam Greengrass remained expressionless, instead turning her gaze towards Crouch. Her gesture made the underlying meaning clear to many.
Lawrence's mother-in-law had no interest in the Minister's position.
"Madam Bones is correct," said Crouch, with his usual sternness. "We should indeed elect a Minister to handle the current situation."
"I recommend Mr Crouch. He performed exceptionally well in the operations against You-Know-Who." Bones similarly withdrew from contention.
She was not someone obsessed with power. With Lawrence's support, Crouch could certainly do better than she would.
However, to everyone's surprise, Crouch shook his head despite facing what appeared to be a certain victory.
"I am not suited to be Minister. As you all know, my son was once a member of the Death Eaters. For that, I bear undeniable responsibility."
As he spoke, Crouch produced a document. "However, a wizard more qualified than myself has submitted a self-recommendation to me."
Crouch pushed the document forward.
"Dumbledore has expressed his willingness to become Minister for Magic and stand at the forefront of the resistance against Voldemort."