Crouch confirmed that his son, Barty Crouch Jr., was not among the fallen Death Eaters, and while relieved, he also felt a pang of anxiety.
He wondered if Winky had completed the task he had assigned her.
Just then, Amos Diggory, Cedric's father and an employee of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, ran breathlessly from the edge of the forest.
"Mr. Crouch," his voice sounded a bit awkward.
"I found the launch point of the dark mark deep in the woods, and... there's a suspect at the scene."
The surrounding Wizards instantly stirred.
The Ministry of Magic officials exchanged glances, and several Aurors tightened their grip on their wands.
"Where?" Crouch's voice was urgent.
"Follow me!" Diggory turned and ran deeper into the forest.
The Ministry of Magic personnel immediately followed.
Charlie watched this scene, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Anyone capable of casting the dark mark at this time must be a core loyalist of Lord Voldemort.
So, he decided to go and investigate as well.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione also followed suit.
Mr. Weasley reached out to stop them: "Children, you can't go—"
Before he could finish, Charlie had already run far ahead.
Mr. Weasley opened his mouth, looked at Charlie's determined back, and finally sighed helplessly, following after them.
Seeing this, the Aurors didn't dare to say much and could only quicken their pace.
A clearing deep in the forest soon appeared before everyone's eyes. The aura of Dark Arts here was very strong.
Amos stood in the center of the clearing, his wand pointed at a curled-up dark shadow on the ground.
"Only it was left at the scene."
Everyone approached and saw, and they were all stunned.
Lying on the ground was a House-elf wrapped in a tea towel.
The Ministry of Magic officials instantly fell silent, their gazes unanimously turning to Crouch.
They all recognized this House-elf—Winky, the Crouch family's House-elf.
Crouch stood rooted to the spot, as if struck by a Petrificus Totalus Spell.
His face instantly turned pale, but his eyes blazed as he stared at Winky.
"Impossible…" Crouch muttered, then suddenly bent down and began frantically pushing aside the surrounding grass.
"Impossible… he must be here…"
Amos shouted at Crouch:
"Don't look, Mr. Crouch. There's only this House-elf at the scene, no one else."
But Crouch ignored him, continuing to search.
"I never would have thought,"
Amos said somewhat seriously.
"That the one who cast the dark mark would be the Crouch family's House-elf!"
Mr. Weasley secretly glanced at Crouch, and seeing that he was still busy rummaging through the bushes and hadn't noticed their conversation, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He quickly lowered his voice and said to Amos.
"Don't talk nonsense. How could a House-elf cast the dark mark? They don't even have wands."
As he spoke, he frantically winked at Amos, the meaning obvious—don't embarrass Crouch at a time like this.
"Besides, how could Death Eaters allow House-elves to join?" Mr. Weasley added.
"They discriminate against Muggles, let alone House-elves."
Amos, however, bent down and picked up a wand from beside Winky, holding it up for everyone to see.
"Isn't this a wand?"
Mr. Weasley looked at Amos's serious expression, speechless, and sighed.
It's hard to advise a stubborn person.
The situation hasn't even been thoroughly investigated, and you're already quick to accuse your superior.
Now you've done it; just wait for your superior to make things difficult for you.
Just then, with a loud bang, Ludo Bagman Apparated next to Mr. Weasley.
Bagman was panting, looking disoriented.
"What happened? What was that dark mark just now?" Bagman's voice was still trembling.
Charlie glanced at him sideways, feeling a bit speechless.
The child is dead, and you're only showing up now. And this is the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.
Crouch returned from behind the bushes, empty-handed.
His face was still pale, and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
Amos looked at Crouch.
"Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what this House-elf has to say in its defense."
Bagman paused, his gaze moving back and forth between Winky and the crowd.
"Wait, you mean… Winky is the suspect?" He gestured with his hand to clarify his meaning.
"That's impossible, how could a House-elf cast the dark mark? It doesn't even have a wand."
But no one paid him any attention.
The surrounding Ministry of Magic officials all stared at Crouch, waiting for his reaction.
Bagman awkwardly lowered his hand.
Crouch stood still, showing no reaction. Amos took his silence as acquiescence.
He raised his wand and pointed it at Winky.
"Rennervate."
Winky's body twitched.
She slowly opened her eyes, her expression blank.
Her eyes darted around, and when she saw the dense crowd of Wizards, they instantly widened.
When she saw Crouch, her body stiffened, and she began to cry in fear.
Amos took a step forward, looking down at Winky.
"I am a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." His tone was stern.
"Just now, someone cast the dark mark here. And you were found directly beneath the mark. A wand was also found beside you."
He paused, pointing his wand even closer.
"Explain what happened."
Winky shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face.
"Winky didn't do it… I didn't cast the dark mark, and I don't know how to cast it… That wand… I picked it up." Her voice was broken by her crying.
Amos stared at Winky, his gaze growing sharper.
"Still trying to argue?" A cold sneer twisted his lips.
"I have a way to verify if you're telling the truth."
With that, he raised his wand and pointed it at the wand picked up from the ground.
"Prior Incantato."
A thick cloud of mist instantly spewed from the wand's tip. The mist swirled and rose into the air, slowly coalescing into a skull—exactly like the dark mark that had been in the sky earlier.
Green light flickered through the trees, and a snake's tongue flicked from the skull's wide mouth.
The surrounding Wizards gasped.
Several Ministry of Magic officials instinctively took half a step back.
Amos turned to Winky, his face full of triumph.
"Well? That's the last Spell cast by this wand." He paused, raising his voice a few octaves.
"Do you still dare to say you didn't do it?"
Winky's eyes widened, almost falling out of their sockets. She shook her head desperately, her ears flapping back and forth.
"Not Winky, really not Winky!" Her voice was tearful.
"Winky wouldn't cast such a Spell, Winky is a good House-elf!"
"Don't try to argue, I've seen through your lies." Amos said with a triumphant smile.
"Confess honestly, where did you learn the dark mark!"
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