Crouch suddenly raised his head, staring coldly at Amos.
"What do you mean by that?"
Amos froze for a moment, not grasping the meaning.
Crouch took a step forward, his voice deep: "Are you implying that I taught my own servant how to cast the dark mark?"
Amos's face instantly went white, and he desperately waved his hands:
"No, no, no, Director, that's not what I meant..."
"Then what *did* you mean?" Crouch interrupted him, his tone growing colder.
"House-elves usually only stay in their master's home. Besides me, who else could teach it the dark mark?"
He paused, speaking mockingly.
"By that logic, I must be a Death Eater too. You should arrest me along with it."
The surrounding Ministry of Magic officials exchanged glances, and the air suddenly went silent.
Cold sweat broke out on Amos's forehead, and his voice was trembling slightly.
"Director, you must be joking. How could you be a Death Eater? You have always abhorred the Dark Arts; you even personally sent your own son away during the Death Eater trials back then."
The veins on Crouch's forehead bulged. It looked like if the place wasn't so crowded, he would already be looking for a spot to bury Amos.
Mr. Weasley helplessly rubbed his forehead. Couldn't this guy just speak properly?
Crouch ignored Amos and turned to walk toward Winky.
"Where did you pick up the wand?"
Winky drew in her neck and whispered.
"In... in the bushes over there, sir. Winky thought someone dropped it, so Winky picked it up..."
Crouch straightened up and glanced at the surrounding woods.
"It's obvious," he said, his tone returning to his usual calmness.
"The person who cast the dark mark fled long ago. He used someone else's wand to avoid identification. After casting the spell, he threw the wand away, and Winky happened to pick it up."
The surrounding Wizards nodded thoughtfully; this explanation certainly made sense.
Amos hesitated, then questioned Winky again.
"Did you see what the person looked like? Height? Clothes?"
Winky shook her head desperately, her ears flapping loudly. Of course, she wouldn't betray her little master, so she lied.
"Winky didn't see anything. Winky just picked up the wand and then Winky was knocked out."
Amos sighed and looked at Crouch.
"Director, according to normal procedure, I should take Winky back to the department for investigation..."
"That won't be necessary," Crouch interrupted coldly.
"Winky is my House-elf, and I will handle her personally."
Amos opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but meeting Crouch's cold eyes, he ultimately swallowed his words.
"Y-yes, Director."
"Rest assured, she will be punished."
Crouch walked up to Winky, looking down at her.
Winky looked up pleadingly.
"Master, Winky was wrong..."
Her voice was choked with sobs, her face smeared with snot and tears.
Crouch looked down at her, his expression icy.
"Ineffective service, and you almost brought shame upon the Crouch family."
He raised his hand and slowly removed his white glove.
Winky widened her eyes, and her body began to tremble. She knew what this meant.
The glove was thrown to the ground, lightly landing in front of Winky.
"From now on, you are free."
"No!"
Winky let out a scream of despair, collapsing onto the ground.
"Master doesn't want Winky anymore... Master doesn't want Winky anymore..."
She sobbed heartbreakingly, her tiny body convulsing.
For a House-elf to be abandoned by its master is a complete negation of its reason for existence. This is more cruel than killing them.
"Master... please..." Winky scrambled up and lunged at Crouch's leg again.
Crouch's face darkened, and he kicked her away.
Winky rolled several meters like a rag doll before falling to the ground.
Hermione couldn't bear to watch anymore.
"That's too much! How can he treat her like that!"
House-elves serve their masters for life, never asking for anything in return, and remain loyal even when suffering injustice.
But when the master is displeased, they are simply kicked away without even a chance.
Charlie looked at Winky and suddenly spoke.
"Mr. Crouch, are you sure you don't want this House-elf anymore?"
"Of course."
"Then if you don't mind, I'll take her."
House-elves are hardworking, enduring, and fiercely loyal.
Charlie had tried many times to lure away the House-elves from the Hogwarts Kitchens, but they were unmoved.
Now that he had finally caught an unclaimed House-elf, he naturally couldn't miss the opportunity.
Charlie turned to look at Winky, who was still sobbing on the ground.
"Do you want a new master?"
Winky froze. Her eyes were red, and her voice was still catching in sobs.
"You... you are willing to take Winky, this useless House-elf?"
Crouch's expression instantly changed.
No, absolutely not.
Winky knew the secret that Barty Crouch Jr. was still alive.
If others knew this secret, he would be completely ruined.
The reason he dared to ruthlessly drive Winky away was that he was certain she had nowhere to go.
After a House-elf is abandoned by its master, it will not actively seek a new one.
He planned to wait until Winky had suffered enough and tasted despair before pretending to be merciful and taking her back.
By then, Winky would only be more grateful and more tight-lipped.
But Charlie's appearance completely ruined his plan.
Crouch's face darkened, and he flatly refused: "Absolutely not."
Charlie raised an eyebrow: "Didn't you say you didn't want her?"
"Although I freed Winky, she still belongs to the Crouch family," Crouch said coldly.
"She will not obey the commands of others."
Charlie tilted his head.
"Is there any law stating that a House-elf cannot accept an invitation from a new master?"
Crouch opened his mouth, momentarily speechless.
Hermione suddenly jumped forward.
"No! I've read the agreements concerning House-elves!" Her voice was clear and held a hint of excitement.
"It explicitly states that a freed House-elf can enter into a contract with a new master, and that contract is protected by the Ministry of Magic."
Crouch's face instantly turned ugly.
He stared intensely at Hermione, his gaze terrifyingly gloomy.
Hermione flinched under his gaze but still bit the bullet and added.
"This is Clause Three of Article Seven of the House-Elf Relocation Act, passed in 1863..."
"Enough." Crouch interrupted her.
Charlie did not back down.
"Since the law permits it, let Winky decide for herself."
He squatted down, looking Winky in the eye: "Do you want to come with me?"
Winky's eyes darted back and forth between Crouch and Charlie.
Crouch was the master she had served since birth.
Although she was often hit and scolded, that loyalty was ingrained in her bones.
But there was an indescribable feeling about Charlie that made her inexplicably want to be close to him.
This made Winky feel very conflicted.
Just then, Winky suddenly noticed Harry behind Charlie.
"Are you Harry Potter?" Winky's eyes widened.
"The great Harry Potter who defeated the Dark Lord?"
Harry froze, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face. This feeling of being worshipped always made him uncomfortable.
"Uh... that's me." Harry scratched his head, his voice slightly nervous.
Dobby looked exactly the same the first time he met him, so excited he wanted to put him on a pedestal.
It seems House-elves hold those who defeat the Dark Lord in particularly high regard.
Harry looked at Charlie and suddenly had an idea.
"That's right, I'm Harry Potter." He cleared his throat.
"But honestly, I wouldn't dare call myself great in front of Charlie."
Winky's ears perked up, and she watched him eagerly.
"Charlie has thwarted the Dark Lord's schemes twice already, just during his school years," Harry continued, his tone serious.
"Even tonight's dark mark incident was solved by Charlie. If it weren't for him, who knows what chaos would have broken out in the camp."
Charlie gave Harry a look of approval.
The kid is smart; it wasn't for nothing that I saved him tonight.
Ron nodded vigorously beside them, and Hermione chimed in.
"Harry is right!"
Winky's eyes lit up.
Anyone the great Harry Potter praises so highly must also be a truly remarkable Wizard.
Moreover, when Charlie asked if she wanted to go with him, his tone was one of inquiry, not command. What a kind and great Wizard!
Winky's body stopped trembling.
She took a deep breath and looked up at Charlie.
"Winky... Winky wants to follow the new master."
Crouch's face instantly turned ashen.
"Are you insane?" His voice was suppressed, and his gaze was chilling.
"Do you know what you're saying?"
Winky flinched but did not change her mind.
Crouch was so furious that the veins on his forehead pulsed, and his fists cracked as he clenched them.
He wanted nothing more than to strangle Winky right there, but with so many people watching, he couldn't do anything.
He was regretting it bitterly; he shouldn't have driven her away in public.
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