"George, Fred? What are you doing?"

Before the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic's Auror Office could even ask, a red-haired man quickly stepped forward from the back of the crowd. He glanced at the adult wizards sprawled on the ground and looked at the two boys leading the Gryffindor students in surprise.

Immediately after, Arthur Weasley turned swiftly and waved at Delores, who was about to draw her wand.

"Wait a minute, these are my sons! Minister, I told you about them... Hey, you two."

The worry and gloom that had been etched on Mr. Weasley's face began to dissipate after witnessing his sons' impressive performance. He turned back to a curious Cornelius Fudge and quickly explained.

Unfortunately, Fudge was not in the mood to focus on the impressive spells of some young wizards. With his arrival, the wizards gradually shifted their attention to him, crying out as if they had found hope.

"Minister, will we really get our money back?"

"A whole one hundred and thirteen Galleons, Mr. Fudge! Please, think of a way! Surely, we can get it back?!"

"Say something, Minister..."

Cornelius Fudge frowned involuntarily as he looked at the middle-aged wizards wailing on the ground.

The truth was, Fudge's entire fortune was now missing. Compared to those down-and-out wizards who had lost only a hundred or so Galleons, who could understand the anger in his heart? He had come here today precisely to resolve this matter.

After a few moments of thought, he gave a simple instruction and then strode past the crowd without changing his expression.

"Delores, take the Aurors from the Auror Office and handle the situation here as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Minister."

"Minerva, I would appreciate it if you could work with the Ministry of Magic Aurors to resolve this conflict."

Dumbledore smiled and nodded to Professor McGonagall.

With the arrival of Ministry officials and professors, the conflict in front of the Quidditch pitch quickly vanished without a trace.

Experienced Ministry of Magic Aurors quickly took control of the situation, restraining the wizards who were slightly out of control and leading them to a designated area in the stadium for temporary placement... of course, the students temporarily held onto their wands.

These served as collateral for trampling the potato field and would be returned after everything was settled and compensation was paid.

Since experiencing the garden wars with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, even the simple-minded Gryffindor cubs had begun to learn to demand spoils of war, or, more accurately, compensation for emotional and property damage.

"The lingering shadow of the Dark Lord, Peter Pettigrew... it's truly terrifying."

Cornelius Fudge looked at the wizards being led away, sighed, and said with heartfelt resentment.

These down-and-out wizards who had been knocked down for storming the Hogwarts student gardens were merely a fraction of the thousands upon thousands of unfortunate individuals in the wizarding world who had been ruined overnight. The same feeling pervaded almost every adult wizard present.

The only difference was the amount lost...

"I don't understand what you're saying? Minister Cornelius."

Albus Dumbledore's eyes flickered, and he looked at the Minister of Magic beside him with a puzzled expression.

"These wizards... aren't they here to commemorate Lily and James, and to witness how Peter Pettigrew, who illegally mortgaged Hogwarts, is finally brought to justice... is there something else I don't know about? Frankly, the number of people here far exceeds my expectations."

"This is another extremely complex case, Professor Dumbledore."

A look of intense murderous intent appeared on Cornelius Fudge's face as he gritted his teeth and said in a rough voice, "Compared to betraying James and Lily, mortgaging Hogwarts, this damned bastard may have done things ten times, a hundred times worse!"

Cornelius Fudge didn't have much suspicion about Dumbledore's confusion.

After all, in his memory, this old wizard, far away in Hogwarts Castle, never paid attention to financial matters. Furthermore, the document regarding the signature of the "Knockturn Alley Mystery Company" registrant was an important clue only discovered by the Aurors this morning. Dumbledore couldn't possibly know the extent of Peter Pettigrew's terrible deeds.

"I still find it hard to imagine that there's anything worse than plotting to destroy Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, betraying one's friends and allegiance... Peter Pettigrew, after all, is just one person..."

Albus Dumbledore's face showed just the right amount of confusion as he walked towards the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, which had been temporarily transformed into a giant public trial site, while questioning Cornelius Fudge beside him.

The old man's voice wasn't loud, but at this distance, it was enough for the core Ministry of Magic officials around Fudge and the news media on the outer perimeter, equipped with magical devices to record the events, to hear clearly.

For the news media workers of the wizarding world, a "hero" who had risen from the dead and had his case overturned after ten years, causing a huge case in the wizarding world and becoming a true rat on the streets, was simply more explosive news than the Minister of Magic kissing a pig's rear – if they hadn't suffered economic losses as a result, that might have been even better.

At the invitation of Mr. Lovegood, editor of *The Quibbler*, *The Daily Prophet*, *Witch Weekly*, "The Wizarding Wireless Network," "Wizarding Radio Live"... the majority of the news media industry in the British wizarding world had arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in advance, waiting for the start of this unprecedented public trial.

In addition to the designated personnel arranged around the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore, and others, dozens of reporters and radio personnel holding magical shorthand notebooks and magical quills frequently shuttled among the wizards seated in the Quidditch pitch, recording people's moods and the sad stories happening in each family.

And when the magical conflict broke out in front of the Gryffindor potato field, and the Ministry of Magic officials, Dumbledore, and others appeared in the wizards' field of vision, at least twenty magical radios and cameras were aimed at them, carefully recording every word and deed of these "judges" of today's public trial.

"One person? Perhaps there is only one 'person,' but whether there are more accomplices is what we need to ask today..." Cornelius Fudge shook his head with a gloomy expression.

Undoubtedly, Gringotts Wizarding Bank may have played a very important role in the whole affair.

According to the Aurors' inquiries and investigations, more than one wizard had clearly testified that they had seen goblins in that "fraudulent company." The majority of the remaining goblins in the wizarding world were under the control of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, but now they were temporarily split into two groups, but...

Cornelius Fudge raised his voice, looked at the surrounding media and wizards, and said with unwavering determination.

"No matter how long it takes, no matter what means we take, the Ministry of Magic will get to the bottom of everything today! No force can withstand the wrath of the entire wizarding world, none..."

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Chapter Two! Oh my!!