Lucius and Karkaroff were deeply worried.
Setting Kyle up and getting him expelled from Hogwarts was the first task Voldemort had assigned them after his resurrection. They had believed it was foolproof and accepted the mission without hesitation.
To ensure success, Lucius had invested heavily, pouring gold into Fudge's coffers to concoct an absurd pretext to summon Kyle to the Ministry. They had hoped to catch him off guard and secure an easy victory.
But everything was going wrong.
How could there be no record of the Fiendfyre Curse in Kyle's wand? It didn't make sense. Was it a mistake? Or perhaps the Fiendfyre Curse would appear later in the inspection.
They couldn't allow the investigation to end prematurely, so they insisted on continuing.
Kyle seemed unbothered by their desperation, making no move to stop them.
After the Firestorm Charm, a dozen more spells emerged, but they were all common, everyday charms.
Karkaroff's face grew increasingly pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Continue! Continue!" he shouted, his voice strained.
At this point, Kyle pressed his wand to his forehead, instantly terminating the effect of Prior Incantato.
"Headmaster Karkaroff, you're embarrassing yourself," Kyle said slowly. "If you can't find the spell you're looking for, we could sit here all day—or even a month."
"I wouldn't mind. There's still over half a month until the start of term. I have plenty of time."
"But the problem is, the rest of you are busy people with important responsibilities. It's a bit much to ask you all to waste your precious time playing these silly games with me."
"You're guilty!" Karkaroff exclaimed. "The next spell would've been the Fiendfyre Curse. You're just afraid to continue because you know you're guilty!"
Before Kyle could respond, Amelia Bones, seated in the center of the room, spoke coldly.
"Please be quiet, Mr. Igor Karkaroff. The evidence we've seen so far is sufficient to show that no illegal dark magic has been used."
"If you cannot produce any further evidence—"
"Veritaserum!" Macnair, who had been silent until then, suddenly interjected. "Just make him drink Veritaserum, and the truth will come out!"
"I see no problem with that," Umbridge said quickly, her eyes narrowing. She turned to Kyle with her usual fake smile. "If you didn't kill Mr. Nott, surely you wouldn't refuse to take Veritaserum to prove your innocence."
"No, I refuse," Kyle replied with a calm smile. "In 1975, the International Confederation of Wizards determined that memories could be altered. At that time, they abolished the use of both Legilimency and Veritaserum in interrogations."
"But in special cases—such as a prisoner refusing to confess—it can still be used," Umbridge said sharply. "The Ministry of Magic has the authority to administer it."
"That's not quite accurate," Kyle said, his expression unchanging. "Veritaserum can only be used for final confirmation when there is sufficient evidence to warrant its use."
"And do you have sufficient evidence now? The testimony of a few individuals? That's hardly convincing."
"In fact," he continued, "I have reason to believe they are conspiring together—motivated by resentment after I won the Triwizard Tournament against Durmstrang."
"I propose that they, too, take Veritaserum to confirm the truth of their statements."
Amelia Bones tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her expression thoughtful as she considered Kyle's suggestion.
Macnair, sensing the shift in atmosphere, instinctively stepped back.
It was clear to everyone in the room that he was afraid of drinking the Veritaserum himself.
Umbridge ignored Macnair's retreat and kept her gaze fixed on Kyle, her voice dripping with feigned civility. "May I take it, then, that you are rebelling against the Ministry of Magic?"
Bang!
The door to the room burst open, and Professor McGonagall stormed in, brushing past a few Aurors who tried to block her way.
"You still do not represent the Ministry," she snapped at Umbridge, her tone sharp and unyielding. She turned to Kyle, her expression softening.
"I'm sorry, Kyle. Twenty minutes ago, someone informed me the location had changed. I waited in an empty room for ten minutes before I realized something was wrong. Thanks to…"
She paused briefly before continuing, "…someone's help, I found out you were here."
"That's all right, Professor," Kyle said, offering a reassuring smile. "Perhaps someone didn't want you to come."
"I think you're quite right," Professor McGonagall said, her lips pressing into a thin line as her gaze swept over the platform. Her eyes lingered on Macnair, Malfoy, and Karkaroff, her expression one of barely restrained fury.
"I had no idea the Ministry could change the content of an interrogation at the last minute," she said, her voice brimming with contempt. "This is preposterous!"
"I must remind you, Minerva McGonagall, that this has been approved by the Minister," Umbridge said, her smile tightening.
"And I must remind you," McGonagall countered, her voice icy, "that the Minister for Magic does not have the authority to unilaterally alter Wizengamot procedures. But no matter. Dumbledore is in the building, and I'm certain he'll be here shortly to clarify this for us."
Kyle felt a wave of relief wash over him at the mention of Dumbledore's name.
"Mr. Scrimgeour," Kyle said suddenly, his tone calm and almost amused, "I think Headmaster Karkaroff made an excellent point earlier. Perhaps the next spell we check will reveal the Fiendfyre Curse. Why don't we continue the inspection?"
Karkaroff stiffened, his face turning ashen. The last thing he wanted was for Dumbledore to arrive. Even if Dumbledore couldn't directly harm him, the memory of that night on the mountaintop was enough to make his legs feel weak.
Macnair was in even worse shape, visibly trembling and barely able to stand.
Lucius Malfoy, however, maintained his composure. He saw through McGonagall's tactic—it was a bluff meant to intimidate them. He reasoned that Harry Potter's hearing wouldn't be resolved so quickly, and Dumbledore would likely remain occupied with that. Unless Dumbledore was willing to abandon The Boy Who Lived, he wouldn't arrive anytime soon.
"Blood Debt!" Malfoy declared suddenly, his voice sharp. "Prior Incantato can be manipulated, but not a Blood Debt. If we use the Sphinx Mirror, we can determine whether he has killed any wizards."
Malfoy's move was calculated. Dumbledore might be terrifying, but he wasn't lethal. If they failed to complete their mission, however, Voldemort would punish them mercilessly. Death—or something worse—was certain.
Kyle frowned. Sphinx Mirror? Blood Debt?
He was now certain Diana had anticipated this plan all along. Her insistence that he visit the Ministry early had been no coincidence.
Before Kyle could dwell on this, Chris stood and spoke firmly. "Madam Bones, I believe the first order of business should be confirming the integrity of their testimonies."
"Precisely," McGonagall said without hesitation. "It was already a grave breach of procedure to alter the interrogation's content at the last minute. I will not stand by while Hogwarts students are framed without cause."
Her fierce determination radiated from her, like an angry lion ready to defend its pride.
"I don't agree either," Kyle added with a firm nod.
Though Diana's assistance had eased his immediate concerns, Kyle had no intention of allowing Malfoy or anyone else to dictate the situation. Being passive was not an option.