310 Chapter 309 When Did I Participate in the Triwizard Tournament?

Just by reading the headline, Jon could not help but feel a strong sense of admiration for the person who had written this article.

Not to mention the fact that Dumbledore had been called a "dark wizard", it was not something that an ordinary thick-skinned person could write.

Continuing to look down at the news article, Jon was even more impressed by the author of the article.

"...The Lestrange couple's death at the champion selection site was on the surface the work of a rebellious chosen mudblood, Jon Green. However, after extensive follow-ups, combined with the Ministry of Magic's investigation, it appears that these were in fact nothing more than rebels' flimsy deception."

"Mr Campas, the third Auror squad leader under the Ministry of Magic, said: 'We encountered that boy when we were chasing a wanted man, yes, it was all a fake, he was just a normal kid who only dared to hide behind others at that time. Why am I so impressed, you ask? Oh, it was because he was so good at acting, I could tell from the first moment I saw him that he is a natural actor, and it was by virtue of that they sent him out yesterday.' "

"Mr Weasley, Department of Magical Law Enforcement Division The Improper Use of Magic Office Head, said: 'I came back to the right side because I couldn't stand the darkness and the oppression there, he's very good at pretence and very much favoured by Dumbledore for it; many people have fallen for his tricks, I knew him for a long time now, he couldn't have done it this time. Dumbledore must have had an ulterior motive, he has no talent for anything other than acting.' "

"Mr Malfoy, Head of Auror office, said: 'We investigated the bodies of Bella and Rodolphus, they were not killed by magic, but by the fang of a very dangerous dark creature. This is obviously suspicious, as a wizard no one would think of wielding a cold weapon and fighting like a troll, Bella and the others' death by such an end was deliberately caused by someone, since the boy couldn't have used a high-level magic spell, even a fool wouldn't believe he killed them by magic then, that's why Dumbledore used such a tactic to blame such an atrocity on him.' "

"We have interviewed many people in the know and have finally come to the conclusion that the boy selected for the Triwizard Tournament did not have the strength to kill the Lestrange couple in any way whatsoever and that the scene that took place at the selection dinner was an outright hoax! Dumbledore intended to trick wizards all over Europe to create momentum for Jon Green, and the conspiracy was directed at the upcoming Triwizard Tournament!"

"Dumbledore caught the Lestrange on a mission that was a trap arranged by him from the very beginning, where someone sneaked up on them and proceeded to hold them captive until the commencement of the Triwizard Champion selection! Finally, upon selecting the outlaw student, Jon Green was asked to shock all the other participants by making a brutal entrance by killing the Lestrange couple with the venomous fang."

"With such a move they wanted to cause an impact on the Triwizard Tournament, which had not yet begun, and increase their own chances of winning. Fortunately, the Ministry of Magic has investigated everything, and we have been informed that Mr Malfoy and Mr Lestrange, who will be representing Great Britain in the tournament, are in good shape and are not confused by their opponents and are confident of their ultimate victory."

At the end of the article, a picture of Dumbledore occupied almost the entire page. It was unknown what kind of means the Daily Prophet had used to make this picture show Dumbledore with a particularly sinister smile as if he was really a dark villain who was planning some big conspiracy.

Jon read the whole article, and a very odd expression crept over his face.

It wasn't anger, but a sense of incomprehensible absurdity.

"Would someone really believe them when they say something like this? And, the Triwizard Tournament? Why would such a tournament be held? And they're saying I'm a participant?"

Jon had only just now learned about the Triwizard Tournament, still from foe newspapers.

It made him feel like he had been in the Arctic for what seemed like two or three years, and he didn't know anything that had transpired outside during that time!

"Of course, there will be, and there will be plenty of them." Dumbledore was certain, answering Jon's first question first, "A lot of people didn't even see what happened last night with their own eyes, all the portrayals are only through the mere words that have gone out, and the Daily Prophet's article contains a valid reasoning that a number of wizards within Britain would certainly believe."

"Won't they go and read the news circulating abroad? There were quite a few other magical Daily newspapers present, surely they all wouldn't make such outrageous reports?"

"In times like these, wizards still living within Britain are bound to believe the Ministry of Magic when two different pieces of information are put before them." Dumbledore said softly.

Jon thought about it for a moment and then said.

"I'm still a little confused. Does that mean that the Dark Lord has the Daily Prophet reporting such articles just to fool the wizards within Britain? What is he doing this for? Anyone who was there that night would have known that this rhetoric of theirs was full of holes, and those people were basically diplomats from the various ministries of magic, and they certainly wouldn't report a lie when they got back, so what impact could he possibly make by spreading such a lie."

Dumbledore, who had obviously thought through the reason for this, poured Jon a cup of tea and guided him to contemplate the matter on his own.

"We first need to understand what the consequences would have been in Britain if he hadn't covered up the news that you had killed the Lestrange's."

Jon replied.

"It would shake the trust of the half-bloods who make up the vast majority of wizards in the British Ministry of Magic? Two of their greatest gentleman's right-hand men were actually killed by a teenage boy like me."

"That's only part of it." Dumbledore said calmly, "It is something that will shake his personal prestige, but it will only be like a breeze blowing the grass and making them sway gently. What will really be shaken is actually their confidence in the Triwizard Tournament to be held next."

"You single-handedly killed Bella and Rodolphus and will be representing us afterwards, and the outcome of this tournament is the key to determining the final fate of France."

"If everyone knew that you have such strength, they would be in an extremely pessimistic state of mind about the next Triwizard Tournament that will take place, knowing that there is no doubt that they will lose. The Dark Lord is trying to use this fake news to confuse and fool the wizards of Britain into thinking that you are just an ordinary student, and the underlying reason is to give them hope for the next tournament."

"And the Triwizard Tournament is the tournament that the Dark Lord proposed to host to determine the ownership of France when you set out from Durmstrang to the Arctic, on his own."

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