Chapter 174: Inhumanity of the Veritaserum

The dining hall wasn't bustling with patrons by this time. From afar, Sherlock could spot Amy, a newly grabbed bottle of wine in tow under the guidance of a waiter as she cheerfully hopped towards him. Her countenance was decidedly more exquisite than a typical human child. As per Sherlock's knowledge, women with a Veela lineage bore silver hair, yet Amy sported golden locks.

Eddie was a black-haired individual; initially, Sherlock had assumed that Amy had inherited her hair color from her mother. However, now it seemed more plausible that Eddie had utilized some means to alter Amy's hair color, as an attempt to protect her identity. Upon Amy's return, Eddie and Sherlock seamlessly transitioned the topic of their conversation.

"You can report to the Ministry tomorrow morning," Eddie informed, handing a cup of juice to Amy while addressing Sherlock. "Mrs. Selwyn appears to harbor a keen interest in your wand-wielding techniques; this, too, is a reason for her agreement to your induction to the Department of Mysteries."

The surrounding crowd seemed unbothered by their conversation. Utilizing a control spell, Sherlock manipulated the wine bottle Amy had just brought over. He popped open the lid and then filled Eddie's glass to the brim.

"It's not necessary to conceal this magic. It indeed is exceptionally unique, but it's not something everyone can pick up, or rather, it isn't a spell that could be commonly learned. The reason I'm adept at it is that it has been passed down to me from my mother."

"Just be careful," Eddie cautioned, "The Ministry isn't entirely filled with good-hearted people. Although Mrs. Selwyn has publicly clarified her stance, stating no allegiance to the Dark Lord, her surname insinuates that her husband is from the Selwyn lineage — a historically noteworthy pure-blood family."

As to what kind of superior he'd have in the future, Sherlock wasn't particularly curious. After all, he had no intentions of lingering at the Ministry of Magic for long.

[If there's a clue or method to take me back, I swear I'll leave this timeline with Snape in a heartbeat] Sherlock declared to himself, his resolve clear. [Even if such an option escapes us, I've no plans to linger and work in the Ministry of Magic indefinitely.]

He paused, then asked aloud, "The turncoat we nabbed, he was named Argus, wasn't he? Has he been sentenced yet?"

Eddie shook his head, an icy smirk adorning his face. "Argus' tribunal at Wizengamot isn't scheduled until three days hence. You'll probably be called up to testify. It seems like his family's pulling strings behind the scenes, attempting to exonerate him under the pretense of him being under the influence of the Imperius Curse."

Sherlock frowned, visibly troubled. "Such a preposterous lie... and people would believe it? Weren't there four other Death Eaters captured alongside him? Can't we use Veritaserum to coax the truth from their lips?"

"There's been a long-standing debate about using truth serum on witches and wizards," answered Eddie, a sly smile playing upon his lips. "A significant portion opposes employing Veritaserum for interrogation, calling it inhumane. The four Death Eaters weren't even tried – they were sent directly to Azkaban after their capture."

"Employing Veritaserum is inhumane," Sherlock scoffed, "but throwing a prisoner to Dementors in Azkaban is humane? How ridiculous!"

Eddie appeared relaxed about the verdict. "Given Minchum's temperament, it's highly unlikely that Argus will be acquitted. However, with the influence exerted by his family, his term in Azkaban might be cut short."

"Anyways Argus is just the tip of a much bigger iceberg," Eddie's expression turned sombre, "I suspect that many more traitors lurk among Barty's Auror squad and the rest of the Ministry for that matter, lying low, their deception still undisclosed."

Sherlock's eyebrow arched at the revelation. "Do you have someone in mind who could be suspected?"

Eddie shook his head. "Not anyone in particular. However, based on what's been going on, of the four members that remain in the arrogant lot's squad, three come from families who have always held ambiguous positions towards the Death Eaters. Only the Crouch family has resolutely stood against the Dark Lord. So, Barty Jr. is essentially off the hook. If there is a traitor, probability suggests, it's likely one of the other three."

Sherlock, however, displayed less interest in the traitor than he did in the Death Eaters, or more specifically, Voldemort. What he was particularly keen to uncover was the object that Voldemort sought after so desperately, the object that had prompted his break-in at the Department of Mysteries. It wouldn't be anything ordinary if the Dark Lord himself desired it so badly.

Nevertheless, such mysteries were elusive and Sherlock knew he had little chance of accessing such a thing until he himself joined the Ministry of Magic.

"There's something else I wanted to ask you for help with," Eddie said, patting Amy on the head. Sherlock gestured for him to continue, "The current situation in the wizarding world is increasingly tense, and I can hardly get away from the Ministry because of my work. The Death Eaters have already noticed Amy, I can't leave her alone out in the world anymore. So, I hope you could help me look after Amy whenever I need to go out for another mission.."

Sherlock hesitated before replying, "I would be more than willing to help you with this, Eddie. After all, Amy and I get on well.", he paused briefly, "However, I'll also be joining the Department of Mysteries soon and may not be able to look after her during work.."

"Well, if you're willing," Eddie responded, "I could apply to Mrs. Selwyn - employees are few in the Department of Mysteries, so each person gets an individual office, and the work is mainly administrative -  it should be no issue for you to take her with you. I really don't want you to pressure you into this though."

Having heard his friend's plan to convince the Ministry to accept him caring for family while at work, Sherlock, indeed, saw no reason to refuse. With a knack for intuition, especially for the mysterious, Amy may indeed be of help at the Department of Mysteries.

"If Mrs. Selwyn allows it, of course she can join me," Sherlock conceded. The night after dinner, Eddie ventured off alone. Amy would continue to lodge with Sherlock until the following day, when Eddie finished organizing matters at the Ministry of Magic. Then, he would return to the Leaky Cauldron to guide Sherlock through the hiring process. The ensuing night passed in calm silence.

With the break of dawn, Sherlock passed on the news to Snape. As the morning clock chimed ten times, Eddie arrived punctually, as promised.

"I've made things smooth with Mrs. Selwyn. If anyone inquires about Amy's situation, state the simple truth— you're looking after a friend's child," Eddie instructed.

Despite having established a plan, the weight of Sherlock's first day at his new post naturally meant that he couldn't bring Amy along. Entrusting Amy to Snape's care for the day, Sherlock and Eddie set forth towards the Ministry of Magic. Their approach mirrored Sherlock's previous path when he had been escorting Harry, making use of the visitors' passage. Contrasted with the scene from more than a decade later, the Ministry hadn't evolved much. However, the staff now seemed embroiled in a whirl of busyness, their faces largely devoid of mirth. Given the grim state of affairs at hand, such a scenario was hardly astonishing.