Chapter 285

At this very moment, Dumbledore suddenly felt that Voldemort might not be a very big threat. He was too simple, acted simply, and was easy to predict.

But Murphy...

"Professor," Murphy looked at him, full of worry. "If you have any difficulties, you can say it. We will all understand you. We have always believed in you."

"Believe... is it?" Dumbledore even felt a trace of fear vaguely.

Murphy Darkholm, what is it that you believe in?

Finally, he sighed. "Because of my mistake, a student died. I should take responsibility for this. I will resign as Headmaster and leave Hogwarts."

After speaking, he prepared to leave. He had too many things that needed to be investigated clearly.

"Wait, Headmaster," Murphy called him. "The Sorcerer's Stone... is something the teacher gave to me, are you..."

"Oh, sorry, Murphy." Dumbledore looked at him. "Temporarily no, I need to temporarily investigate these things, I can't be sure of the authenticity of that will yet..."

"Professor Dumbledore," Winston Robinson said very dissatisfied. "We have already verified it, please return the Sorcerer's Stone to Mr. Murphy."

"I'm afraid I can't, everyone." Dumbledore said.

He didn't know Murphy's purpose for the Sorcerer's Stone yet, but he had already regarded Murphy as an enemy at this moment, and what the enemy wanted could not be easily given to him.

"Professor," Murphy's expression also turned cold. "You can investigate, but at least, the Sorcerer's Stone as evidence should also be kept by the Aurors or Watchers, you can't take it away!"

Following his words, several Watchers blocked Dumbledore's way.

"I'm afraid I won't be captured without a fight." Dumbledore said.

"Are you going to defy the law? Professor?"

Dumbledore looked at him. "You are not the law yet, Murphy."

Murphy frowned, drew his wand and pointed at the ground. "Space Anchor!"

However, in the next instant, a high-pitched bird cry appeared out of thin air above everyone's heads, followed by a bang.

In the dazzling flash, Dumbledore disappeared.

Dumbledore not being captured without a fight was also in Murphy's expectations.

And killing him in front of so many professors was not very realistic—not to mention that it was probably impossible to do.

Let him go, not hindering was also not bad.

It was just a pity about the Sorcerer's Stone, but fortunately he had already obtained Nicolas Flamel's notes, and he could study and make it himself later.

However, Dumbledore's sudden disappearance still surprised many wizards. In any case, this could be considered Dumbledore interfering with law enforcement, although it was not enough to issue a wanted warrant for him because of this, it also made the School Governors have no hesitation when dismissing his position.

Thus, Albus Dumbledore officially became the "former headmaster" of Hogwarts. As for the candidate for the new headmaster, the School Governors had no conclusion for the time being, only with Murphy's support, letting Professor Flitwick act as the headmaster.

As for Tom's death event, because the facts were clear, plus the main culprit Quirrell had died, the Aurors and Watchers all agreed to close the case, and no longer pursued other professors and students involved in the event.

A few days later, the *Daily Prophet* published a report on "Voldemort's Conspiracy to Resurrect", revealing to the public the fact that Voldemort had not died yet and was still lurking in the dark and ready to move.

The Ministry of Magic also issued a statement, deciding to expand the law enforcement power of the Ministry of Magic to deal with this situation, recruiting a large number of fresh and past graduates into the Ministry of Magic, and training them.

At the same time, the Ministry of Magic would also conduct internal investigations, draw a team of wizards from the Watchers to establish a "Picketing Force" to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the Ministry of Magic's internal staff to avoid the infiltration of Death Eaters.

That was what was said, but in fact, this was Murphy's means to rectify the Ministry of Magic and turn it into his puppet government.

He would reshuffle the real power departments in the Ministry of Magic, support the obedient ones to important positions, and throw all those dissidents, including Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix members, to places like the Centaur Liaison Office.

After this year, Barty Crouch, as well as Murphy's two major violent forces—the Auror Command and the Watcher Force—had also stood firm, enough to execute such a purge operation.

On Murphy's side, after taking the Immortality Potion, his physical symptoms were greatly relieved again. According to the doctors, one bottle of Immortality Potion should be able to extend life by about a year, and he still had four bottles of Immortality Potion in his hand, so at least in the next few years, he didn't have to worry too much about sudden death.

Although the problem of genetic disorder was still there, with time to breathe, these could be solved slowly.

Therefore, Murphy ended the task of "Hogwarts Teaching Investigator" and left the school.

One day in July, a funeral was being held in a cemetery.

Murphy watched the coffin being buried and laid down the last bouquet of flowers before the grave.

After the crowd dispersed, Murphy looked at a tree behind him. "Since you are here, don't you want to say goodbye?"

A figure gradually emerged under the shade of the tree, and the white-haired wizard walked out slowly. "I don't want to disturb Flamel's funeral."

"You won't," Murphy said. "Now people have dispersed, and I haven't prepared any traps here. For the time being, I don't have the certainty to kill you."

"Is that so?" Dumbledore smiled. "Then that is really an honor."

He stepped forward and placed a small bouquet of flowers in his hand before the grave. "I thought this day would be a little later. I know he left enough Immortality Potion for himself. Perhaps he was prepared, but for the living, it is still inevitable to feel a trace of regret."

"Yes, so, I don't want to die." Murphy said. "I don't know if the so-called world after death really exists, so I will cling to life. For this, I can be unscrupulous. Seriously, if you return the Sorcerer's Stone to me, I will be very grateful."

"Sorry, Murphy, although I know that the will is real, I can't be sure under what circumstances Flamel made that decision. I would rather be a robber who snatches other people's heritage than dare to hand it into your hands. Perhaps, you can tell me what you want to use it for?"

"Do some experiments, just like I did before, explore the uses of the Sorcerer's Stone, and then use it to become stronger, probably something like that."

"Power, is power what you want?" Dumbledore asked.

"You could say that." Murphy said. "But power is only a part of it. I want to live comfortably, and I also want to find more like-minded people to explore some interesting things with me."

"Even if doing so will expose the wizarding world? Even if this might bring huge trouble to wizards?"

"Utopia is a fairy tale, Professor. Are we going to live in a fairy tale forever?"

(End of chapter)