[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring":3,"chapter-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-246":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Starting at Hogwarts, Logging into Elden Ring",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1496370,1944,"Chapter 246: The Real and the Fake Moody, and Muggle Hypnosis","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-246",246,"\u003Cp>Arthur had only just reached Dumbledore's side when the equally shocked Fudge whirled on him and demanded, \"You! Why did you attack your Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a former elite Auror of the Ministry, Moody's relationship with Fudge wasn't exactly warm—different beliefs, constant friction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fudge was still willing to speak for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, half of Azkaban's inmates had been dragged in by Moody's hand. His record was practically a monument to \"hard work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone like that retired and even the Minister offered no support—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Fudge's position as Minister really would be hanging by a thread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur didn't bother answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he looked at Dumbledore and said, \"Headmaster, has Professor Snape not returned yet? If he doesn't hurry, I'm going to be accused of assaulting a professor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur clearly knew exactly why Snape had left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore also knew Arthur was joking. \"Assaulting a professor\" was nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the first person to notice \"Moody\" was off had been Arthur himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore certainly didn't believe Arthur didn't know the \"Moody\" in front of them was fake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Dumbledore seemed to sense something. He smiled and glanced past Arthur's shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't he here already?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur turned—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the stunned silence of the crowd, Snape walked steadily toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the shock wasn't because of Snape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because standing beside him… was another Moody.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one was noticeably thinner than the man Arthur had frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just thinner—he was practically skeletal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he'd been starved in darkness for a year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore stepped forward and embraced him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My old friend,\" he said warmly. \"It's wonderful to see you alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moody's mouth twisted into something that almost resembled a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not until I've had my revenge,\" he rasped. \"I'm not closing this eye.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore nodded, then turned to Snape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Severus… where did you find Alastor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape replied flatly, \"In the impostor's office. He kept the real Professor Moody locked in a trunk—one that had been expanded with an Undetectable Extension Charm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur couldn't even begin to imagine what it looked like—eating, drinking, sleeping… living inside a box for a full year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, forcibly tossing the image out of his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a casual flick of his hand, Arthur summoned the frozen \"Moody\" over to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at the real Moody and said, \"Professor Moody. Your enemy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moody tore the magical eye off the impostor's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he fitted it back into his own socket, his voice turned cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me see who you are… daring to ambush me and wear my skin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moody's magical eye could see through illusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course it could see through Polyjuice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant the eye locked onto the impostor's true form, Moody's expression snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's you!\" he barked. \"You should be dead!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the way he spoke, he hadn't even known who had attacked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, until now, he hadn't even realized his captor had been Barty Crouch Jr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fudge, hovering nearby, asked uneasily, \"Who is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Dumbledore's eyes sharpened. He'd known Moody was a fake… but he hadn't known the identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur pulled out a small vial of clear liquid and splashed it across the impostor's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An antidote to Polyjuice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The false features melted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man standing there was revealed at last—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty Crouch Jr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His appearance made both Dumbledore and Fudge stiffen in shock… and then, strangely, everything clicked into place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Crouch Sr. died, Fudge had worried about Barty Crouch Jr. possibly returning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd never imagined the man had been inside Hogwarts all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, thinking back…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crouch Sr.'s death almost certainly had something to do with his Death Eater son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fudge's face darkened as he stared at Barty, fury boiling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Barty only curled his lip, eyes bright with fanatic hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't move his body—Arthur's binding held him like iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't even move his lips to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a snap of Arthur's fingers, the binding loosened—just enough to let Barty's head and mouth move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty gasped as control returned—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And immediately tried to speak, tried to taunt, tried to twist the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's binding didn't just lock muscles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It locked magic too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty's core was sealed—his magic couldn't circulate, no matter how violently he strained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur didn't bother listening to the man's venom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped back and let Dumbledore take center stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Crouch Sr.'s death, Dumbledore cared about one thing more—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Voldemort was planning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore stared at Barty, his eyes like ice behind half-moon spectacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked question after question, trying to pry open the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, Dumbledore regretted it now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had known something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had set the trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet… the fish had slipped the hook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry—the bait—was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty, however, wasn't going to hand over the answers that easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He twisted his expression into something smug, and when Dumbledore attempted Legilimency—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty resisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not completely. Dumbledore was too powerful for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Barty controlled what surfaced—steering the memories toward useless fragments, meaningless images, anything that wasted time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore withdrew, disappointment flashing across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he looked to Arthur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A silent request for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur shrugged like it had nothing to do with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you looking at me for?\" he said lazily. \"Snape has—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough—cough—cough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore abruptly coughed, cutting him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes flicked toward the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur followed that glance and immediately saw Fudge standing right there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veritaserum was tightly regulated by the Ministry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape's stash definitely wasn't \"officially declared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plenty of potion masters ignored that regulation in practice…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But saying it out loud in front of the Minister would only cause trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur smoothly changed direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn't Snape complain to you about Muggle hypnosis?\" he said instead. \"Why not try that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore blinked. \"Ah… you know I'm not skilled in that field.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with perfect calm: \"Could I trouble you to help?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur rolled his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So in the end, it did fall on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good thing he'd studied mental techniques before—back when he'd been researching applications of spiritual power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, hypnosis required cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Barty Crouch Jr. was about as cooperative as a rabid wolf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Arthur thought for a moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then picked up a small wooden rod and casually tapped Barty on the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just enough to rattle him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he tapped again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty's expression began to blur—anger, hatred, resistance… all disrupted into dazed confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a crude method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physical \"emptying\" was still a kind of emptying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Barty's mind slipped into that stunned, drifting blankness, Arthur pulled out a pocket watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chain swung. The watch face gleamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur murmured a few simple words—nothing magical, nothing that sounded like a spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rhythm did the work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The watch's swing became a steady pull, dragging Barty's scattered focus into a single line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, Barty's pupils went slightly unfocused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His breathing slowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shoulders slackened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked… hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur snapped the watch shut and stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can ask now,\" he said to Dumbledore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore stared, fascinated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's it? It's that simple?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur shot him a flat look and nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore turned back to Barty and began questioning immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to his astonishment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barty answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not with riddles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not with defiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with clear, direct words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truth spilling out, one line at a time, as if the fanatic's will had been peeled open and laid bare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore clicked his tongue softly in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't expected Muggle hypnosis to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not on someone like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the back of his mind, a thought quietly formed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When this was over…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might need to study the Muggle world a little more closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advance Chapters Available on Patreon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FWhiteDevil7554\u003C\u002Fp>",1301,"2026-06-06T04:19:46.381Z",1,"novelbin.me","248e0f4fdc8411e04d5a32c44746750c0ce5a7986847d81b6f07a89223bd5a79","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-247","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-245",281,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-cover.jpg"]