"A Howler? What on earth is happening?"

Barty Crouch frowned, pushed open the window, and took the letter from the owl's leg.

As if a fuse had been lit, the red Howler rapidly contorted and smoked after landing in Mr. Crouch's hand. It looked like it would explode in the bedroom within three seconds. House-elf Winky had even covered her bat-like ears in advance, retreating two steps in fear.

However, before the Howler could spontaneously combust, Barty Crouch swiftly drew his wand and softly chanted:

"Silencio, Glacius!"

The letter, which had been about to burst into flames, was as if doused with a large bucket of cold water, instantly quieting down.

"The British Ministry of Magic broke into France in the dead of night? British Aurors blitzed Armenia? Or is the British Minister of Magic leading the charge himself?"

Barty Crouch unfolded the "calmed" Howler, his eyes scanning the letter with lightning speed, and his expression changed abruptly.

As a former first-in-line contender for Minister of Magic, and currently the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Barty Crouch instantly pieced together an expanding Floo Network route in his mind after reading this "old man's roar" from the French Ministry of Magic: France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Armenia—if Fudge and his group wanted to reach Armenia via fireplace, they would have to pass through at least five magical government lobbies.

Unless the officials of those magical governments had all turned into trolls overnight, no one would ignore nearly a hundred foreign wizards "borrowing" their Floo Network for an expedition.

And that also meant that he and his Department of International Magical Cooperation would soon face an unimaginable mess.

"Has Cornelius Fudge's brain been eaten by Flobberworms? Personally leading Aurors on an expedition to the Armenian magical community? Winky, immediately prepare my cloak, hat, and shoes—I must go to the Ministry of Magic—as for things here at home, well… Winky?"

Barty Crouch glanced at the house-elf standing beside him, uttering a meaningful nasal sound.

"Rest assured, Master, I will take good care of youn—"

"There will be no one here after I leave! Tell anyone who comes looking—if there is anyone—to find me at the Ministry of Magic. Don't say or do anything else, understand?" Barty Crouch interrupted Winky somewhat harshly, his tone icy.

A few minutes later, Barty Crouch was fully dressed, casually glanced at the room next to the kitchen, and stepped into the green flames.

"Ministry of Magic."

…………

In fact, as Barty Crouch feared, the European magical community was in chaos.

Before he woke up from his sleep, the Departments of International Magical Cooperation of most European magical governments were, without exception, in a state of mixed shock, anger, and extraordinary confusion. They hurriedly questioned the illegally entering British, while urgently contacting their respective Aurors.

Most importantly, the British wizards' air and reasons were truly bluffing:

A large-scale international "peacekeeping" secret mission, led by the British magical community, with the participation of multiple magical governments.

As the Minister of Magic for Britain, Cornelius Fudge's personal leadership was quite convincing, not to mention that he was surrounded by nearly a hundred fierce and capable Aurors. Nearly a hundred foreign wizards pouring into government lobbies in the middle of the night. Even if some magical governments had wizards on duty, no one dared to draw their wands to stop them. Moreover, some of the Ministry of Magic staff on duty tonight were already there as emergency backup.

The only thing the Departments of International Magical Cooperation of various countries could do was vent their anger on their British counterparts, and frantically contact their respective ministers and Aurors.

And outside the sight of the Ministry of Magic officials, most of the mainstream newspapers in the European magical community had already opened their eyes.

Even though the cross-border Floo Network was not open to ordinary wizards, this obstacle could not stop the top publications' reporters.

After simply verifying that there was indeed big news in Armenia, these "wizard paparazzi" gathered even faster than Cornelius Fudge and his group. Reporters on broomsticks were already searching for the battlefield above the Armenian forests, and some magical reporters with many connections even directly ambushed the Aurors who were "lying in wait" in taverns near Armenia, seizing every second to begin "battlefield" interviews.

As magical newspaper reporters ambushed Aurors in magical taverns, the last domino quietly fell into place.

A magnificent midnight song and dance officially began.

…………

Kars, a major defense town in northeastern Turkey near Armenia.

The atmosphere in the Leaky Cauldron's 17th branch was particularly stiff.

Atif, the head of the Turkish Ministry of Magic's Auror Office, looked as if he had just swallowed a fly, and the Aurors in the tavern who had been chatting and laughing also stopped talking, looking at their boss with bewilderment, hesitation, and trepidation, as well as the few unexpected guests who had suddenly broken in.

Lokana, the editor-in-chief of *The Magical Age*, as well as two magical photographers and three magical reporters.

"So, Director Atif, when do we start the operation?"

Lokana smiled and rubbed his bald head, seemingly not worried that the opposite wizard would suddenly cast a spell on him.

"Don't worry, everyone who came with me this time is an elite from *The Age*. Perhaps we are not as powerful as you gentlemen, but we will never cause trouble. If there are any additional combat deployments, we can supplement them—I can reserve the first three pages for you. The only small wish is that, in addition to the written interview report, you can put a few real-time combat photos reflecting your heroic posture."

"Listen, I'll reiterate! This is a top-secret operation! You shouldn't be inquiring about this. For the sake of our friendship—"

Atif frowned deeply, glared fiercely at the bald wizard, and said in a low voice.

"Inquiring about what? Multiple countries' Aurors are gathering in the Armenian forest tonight? Most of the European magical community is secretly besieging werewolves?"

Lokana waved his hand and said nonchalantly, "Oh, come on—the British don't think this is a secret. Their flamboyant, transnational itinerary is just short of having people use the Sonorus charm to publicize it everywhere. Of course, this is not surprising, after all, this joint action is led by those British fellows, but I think that in the subsequent publicity, at least we, the Turkish magical community, can—"

"Wait, what did you just say? Led by the British? What does this have to do with the British?"

Just then, Ballard, who was sitting next to Atif, coughed lightly and interrupted Lokana with a strange expression.

"Jointly besieging werewolves, don't pretend—this is an action first proposed by the British Ministry of Magic. They had good results in their previous actions, so they pulled in the Turkish magical community and most of the European magical governments to jointly besiege werewolves. This is what their Minister of Magic said, they just left the Turkish Ministry of Magic lobby. Although we are responsible for the cleanup, at least you have to give us a departure time…"

"Responsible for the cleanup? The British Ministry of Magic… leading?! That's bad!"

Lokana was stunned for half a second, then instantly reacted, slamming the table in fury.

"Bastards, those despicable British, too shameless—they've already entered the forest? Everyone, set off immediately!"

Although he didn't know where the British Ministry of Magic had heard the news, it was obvious that if they waited until dawn to enter the Armenian forest to search for werewolves according to the original plan, they might not get anything but werewolf fur.

The Turkish Ministry of Magic is responsible for the cleanup?

Ptooey!

At the same time, the same story almost happened in every temporary gathering place of Aurors of the magical government.

And just like the Aurors of the Turkish Ministry of Magic, all Auror commanders unanimously issued an order—immediately enter the forest and block the British before they steal the credit for "besieging the werewolves" in the Armenian forest, even if it might be a little dangerous.

No one wanted to work hard for several months to be a wedding dress for those despicable foreigners from Great Britain.

————

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Yay!