"Oh, Voldemort. He and I seem destined to keep crossing paths."
Liam closed his book and looked at Kingsley.
"If you ever discover where he's hiding, let me know—assuming circumstances allow it. I won't bother with the Ministry's procedures or their idea of justice. The next time I see him, I'll destroy his soul."
His tone was calm, as though he were discussing the weather.
The last time he had faced Voldemort directly, he had held back primarily because Cassandra had been nearby. There had also been dozens of first-year students in the classroom.
The situation had been far too dangerous.
But if Kingsley ever managed to locate Voldemort while the Dark Lord was in hiding, things would be different.
A fugitive could not afford frequent contact with others.
That isolation would give Liam room to fight without restraint.
Besides, he was curious.
He wanted to test the true power of his Patronus Charm.
The improved spell he had developed possessed genuine offensive capabilities. His Guardian Dragon was formed entirely from magical energy, making it extremely difficult for conventional spells to obstruct or damage it.
Hogwarts offered few opportunities for a proper test.
Voldemort, however, would make an excellent target.
Kingsley suddenly drew his wand.
"Expecto Patronum."
A brilliant silver lynx burst from the tip of his wand.
The enormous creature landed gracefully in the compartment before pacing through the air like a living guardian.
"This is my Patronus."
Kingsley pointed toward the silver lynx.
"If I ever need to send you a message, this is how I'll contact you."
Since discovering that Aurors within the Ministry had secretly assisted Voldemort's escape, Kingsley no longer trusted many of his own colleagues.
At least Liam was reliable in one regard.
If twenty Aurors couldn't stop him, neither could most Death Eaters.
"I understand."
Liam glanced at the lynx briefly before returning to his book.
Kingsley didn't disturb him again.
The rest of the journey passed quietly as both watched the countryside race by outside the windows.
Several hours later, the Hogwarts Express arrived in London.
Together, Liam and Kingsley entered the Ministry of Magic.
The Ministry was as busy as ever.
Wizards hurried through the vast atrium in every direction.
The moment several Ministry employees recognized Liam, excitement spread through the crowd.
People began approaching him one after another.
Some wanted handshakes.
Others wanted photographs.
A few simply wanted to thank him.
To the public, Liam Hale was the young hero who had exposed Voldemort's conspiracy and helped bring down a group of Death Eaters.
Faced with so many smiling faces, Liam could only maintain a polite expression and shake hands mechanically with strangers he had never met.
"Gentlemen, please."
Kingsley quickly stepped forward.
"I know you'd all like to meet him, but Mr. Hale has official business with the Wizengamot."
Using his large frame like a shield, he gradually forced a path through the crowd.
The enthusiasm didn't surprise him.
Most of these people believed their nightmare had ended.
Only a handful knew the truth.
Voldemort had escaped.
The real nightmare was still waiting.
After considerable effort, Kingsley finally escorted Liam into one of the Ministry elevators.
The golden cage descended through the Ministry's levels before stopping near the Wizengamot chambers.
As they approached the courtroom doors, Kingsley lowered his voice.
"Be careful in there."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Meaning?"
"Watch what you say. Don't provoke anyone. Most importantly, don't start any violent confrontations."
Liam shrugged.
"That depends entirely on whether the judges say something stupid."
Without waiting for a response, he pushed open the doors and walked inside.
The Wizengamot courtroom was already full.
Rows of witches and wizards sat in elevated seats arranged in a semicircle.
At the center stood the defendant's chair.
Liam walked directly to it.
Then, completely ignoring the atmosphere of solemn authority, he sat down in the most comfortable position he could find and casually rested one arm on the armrest.
The courtroom immediately became quieter.
This wasn't Liam's first time sitting in a Wizengamot hearing.
Several months earlier, he had faced questioning here as well.
He simply hadn't expected to return so soon.
At the highest seat sat Cornelius Fudge.
The Minister for Magic frowned as he looked down at Liam.
For a brief moment, he experienced an odd sensation.
Technically, Liam occupied the lowest position in the courtroom.
Yet somehow it felt as though the boy was the one judging everyone else.
The feeling irritated him.
"Mr. Hale."
Fudge cleared his throat.
"This is the Supreme Court of Wizarding Britain. Please show proper respect and sit correctly."
Liam looked up.
His expression remained perfectly calm.
"Are you asking me to model proper posture, or are you trying to gather information about the Death Eaters?"
Several members of the Wizengamot exchanged glances.
Liam continued before Fudge could answer.
"I would assume our time is valuable. Spending it on seating etiquette seems rather pointless."
His silver eyes remained fixed on the Minister.
"Besides, I'm only nine years old. If you're planning to spend the afternoon correcting my manners, I suspect we'll be here for quite a while."
A few members struggled not to smile.
Fudge's expression darkened slightly.
After a moment, he reluctantly moved on.
"Very well."
He shuffled through several documents.
"Mr. Hale, I'd like to ask whether you were responsible for killing Mr. Kurat Vannier in the Hogwarts grounds using exceptionally powerful magic."
The accusation immediately caught everyone's attention.
Liam leaned back slightly.
"The man you call Kurat Vannier was actually the Death Eater Mulciber using Polyjuice Potion."
His voice echoed clearly throughout the courtroom.
"Didn't Evan Rosier confess that information already?"
Fudge frowned.
"We cannot guarantee that every statement made by Mr. Rosier is accurate."
"Why not?"
Liam's tone sharpened.
"The prisoner's emotional condition during questioning was highly abnormal," Fudge continued. "We have reason to question what methods were used during the interrogation."
Liam laughed.
The sound carried no warmth whatsoever.
"That's absurd."
Several judges shifted uneasily.
"If I hadn't questioned him, would the Ministry have learned anything at all?"
His gaze swept across the courtroom.
"Do you honestly believe Death Eaters are harmless rabbits? That they'll reveal every secret if you ask politely enough?"
The question landed like a slap.
Fudge's face became noticeably darker.
After all, Voldemort's escape had happened under his leadership.
Many of the Ministry's failures could ultimately be traced back to his own poor judgment and misplaced trust.
Liam had no intention of pretending otherwise.
And if Fudge intended to place Mulciber's death on his shoulders, he certainly wasn't going to sit quietly and accept it.
....
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