Soon, the time came for the last feast before the Christmas holidays.
Albus Dumbledore, as usual, gave a brief speech before the dinner and then promptly departed.
Below the dais, Cassandra watched Dumbledore, who didn't even stay for the feast, turn to leave, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety.
Cassandra had been waiting for Dumbledore for a long time. She had been eager to ask him for any news of Wentworth, but ever since their last meeting, every time Cassandra tried to find Dumbledore, she had been unsuccessful.
Considering that tonight was the final feast before the holidays, and Dumbledore would surely be present, Cassandra had arrived early and waited in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
Cassandra scurried after Dumbledore, drawing many curious glances along the way, but she paid them no mind.
Finally, when Cassandra caught up with Dumbledore from behind, he clearly had no intention of conversing with her. He simply said, "Miss Cassandra, if there's nothing particularly urgent, perhaps we can discuss it after the holidays!"
With that, Dumbledore was about to leave again, but Cassandra resolutely stepped in front of him, slightly out of breath, and asked, "Headmaster Dumbledore, I wanted to know if you've heard anything about Wentworth recently?"
Hearing Cassandra's question, Dumbledore looked at her deeply, then shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not, Miss Cassandra. I haven't heard from Wentworth lately. If that's why you stopped me, then you may return to enjoy the feast now. I truly have important matters to attend to."
Before Cassandra could speak again, Dumbledore stepped past her and swiftly disappeared down the Hogwarts corridor, his steps hurried.
"Don't bother, if Headmaster Dumbledore really wanted to tell us, he would have by now!"
At that moment, Luna's voice drifted from behind Cassandra. Evidently, Luna had followed Cassandra the moment she saw her chasing Dumbledore.
Hearing Luna's words, Cassandra nodded noncommittally, but her lips parted to say, "Headmaster Dumbledore's eyes tell me he knows something, but he's hiding it from me. In fact, I think he's avoiding me!"
Cassandra gazed in the direction Dumbledore had vanished, her heart heavy.
Dumbledore was indeed concealing information about Wentworth from Cassandra, but he wasn't avoiding her. Dumbledore's hasty departure was genuinely due to pressing matters, for the International Confederation of Wizards investigation team had arrived!
Dumbledore met the so-called International Confederation of Wizards investigation team in a disused, empty classroom at Hogwarts. The leader of the team was a man named Bruce Fontaine, from America.
In truth, it was exceptionally rare for the International Confederation of Wizards to dispatch an investigation team for certain specific matters. For instance, in 1926, due to a series of unexplained explosions in New York, the International Confederation of Wizards suspected a connection to Gellert Grindelwald's attacks in Europe and sent an investigation team to America.
However, sending an investigation team into a school to investigate a student was unprecedented in history.
When Dumbledore entered the abandoned classroom, the first person to greet him was Bruce Fontaine, the head of this International Confederation of Wizards investigation team.
Speaking of Bruce Fontaine, his background was truly extraordinary. He was a direct descendant of Theodard Fontaine, one of the twelve original Aurors who founded the Magical Congress of the United States of America, and Theodard Fontaine was one of only two Aurors among those twelve to live to old age.
Thus, the Fontaine family could be said to hold a significant portion of influence within the Magical Congress of the United States of America. His cousin was Agilbert Fontaine , the current Headmaster of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Bruce Fontaine walked directly towards Dumbledore, speaking with a hint of sarcasm: "It seems Headmaster Dumbledore is truly a busy man. We've been waiting here for an hour, and finally, we have the pleasure of seeing you, Headmaster Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore remained unfazed by Bruce Fontaine's seemingly ill-tempered words. Although Dumbledore was the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, the International Confederation of Wizards was far from his personal domain.
Like the Ministries of Magic in many countries, the International Confederation of Wizards was rife with factions, often bickering fiercely over various proposals.
Within the International Confederation of Wizards, there were many powerful members, and their influence largely stemmed from the power of the Ministry of Magic they represented.
Dumbledore's ability to rise above these individuals and become the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards was solely because he was Albus Dumbledore.
Now, facing the somewhat aggressive Bruce Fontaine, Dumbledore responded with impeccable composure: "Indeed, as I hold several positions, I am naturally quite busy!"
Hearing Dumbledore's reply, Bruce Fontaine choked slightly. He knew Dumbledore was reminding him not to forget that he was not only the Headmaster of Hogwarts but also his Supreme Mugwump.
Bruce Fontaine's face instantly flushed red. He gestured to the dilapidated tables and chairs around them and loudly demanded, "Then, Headmaster Dumbledore, surely you can find us a suitable common room?"
Dumbledore, however, responded with a look of regret: "I apologize, Hogwarts is a school of magic, not the British Ministry of Magic. We don't have rooms like 'foreign guest reception rooms' here!"
Upon hearing Dumbledore's words, even the well-travelled Bruce Fontaine was momentarily at a loss for a response.
At that moment, an Asian member of the International Confederation of Wizards approached.
Compared to Bruce Fontaine, this Asian member was much more humble. He first bowed to Dumbledore, then spoke: "Mr. President, it has been a long time since the Uesugi family of our Japanese wizarding world was almost entirely massacred. Our Japanese Ministry of Magic urgently hopes that the International Confederation of Wizards can bring justice for the Uesugi family!"
In fact, the International Confederation of Wizards had already passed the proposal to send an investigation team to Hogwarts, thanks to Bruce Fontaine's lobbying.
However, Dumbledore had rejected it, citing that it would disrupt the normal teaching order at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had insisted that even if an investigation team were to be sent, it should wait until the Hogwarts holidays.
This was precisely why they had arrived at Hogwarts at this time; today's feast marked the official start of the Christmas holidays at Hogwarts.
Hearing what the man said, Dumbledore nodded slightly and replied, "Mr. Sakurai Nanakawa, I deeply regret what happened to the Uesugi family. However, I do not believe that the 'justice' you speak of is to be found at Hogwarts."
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