Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

"—With the strong support of both the British and German Ministries of Magic, as well as Vice President Vipor Dreghorn of the International Confederation of Wizards and Mr. Gerson Barnah from Gringotts headquarters, this evil organization that has parasitically existed in the shadows of European magical society for countless years, committing countless crimes against both wizarding and Muggle communities, has finally been destroyed and brought to justice.

For those innocent Muggles who died at the hands of these dark wizards, I sincerely suggest that we observe three minutes of respectful silence here in this hall to express our deepest condolences and to mourn for their tragic fate!"

Dead silence fell over the crowd, as a mournful atmosphere enveloped the reception hall of the British Ministry of Magic.

At the very front of the packed crowd stood exactly those distinguished individuals whom Bryan had just mentioned—the Ministers of Magic from both Britain and Germany, along with the figure of Vice President Vipor Dreghorn and the goblin Gerson Barnah.

These powerful figures who normally attracted attention and respect wherever they went also maintained perfect, respectful silence at this solemn moment. However, how much of their complex and somewhat unnatural facial expressions was truly them feeling grief for those brutally murdered Muggles versus political calculation was genuinely difficult to determine.

Kingsley stood behind Amelia, and despite lowering his tall head, he still stood a head above even the tallest of the wizards gathered around him. He glanced around the crowd from the corner of his eye, and he felt momentarily dazed.

In his memory, the last time the reception hall had been packed wall-to-wall with so many eager, aggressive reporters and their magical recording equipment was when Bryan Watson had held a press conference after killing the notorious werewolf Fenrir Greyback in that spectacular confrontation that had become the stuff of legend throughout the wizarding world.

Suddenly, as his gaze swept across the faces in front of him, Kingsley's eyes sharpened focusing on the right front section of the crowd where Dolores Umbridge stood in her typical bright pink professional suit.

What truly caught Kingsley's attention, however, and made his heart grow cold with uneasiness, was the expression of cold, calculating malice behind her calm face.

Once the respectfully observed three minutes of silence had passed, the reception hall which had earlier been so quiet that one could have heard a single pin drop onto the floor, suddenly exploded into chaotic activity as if a powerful explosive curse had detonated in the very center of the crowd.

The loud roar of voices erupted instantly from hundreds of throats, and intense blinding camera flashes from photography equipment completely occupied Bryan's entire field of vision.

When the increasingly desperate reporters quickly discovered that they couldn't physically break through the solid wall of professionally trained Hit Wizards who were positioned to protect the high platform where the speakers stood, they began shouting at the absolute top of their lungs desperately trying to make their questions stand out above the noise of their competitors' equally frantic attempts to gain attention.

"Mr. Watson! Mr. Watson!" came the repeated calls from dozens of voices simultaneously.

A muscular male reporter used his physical strength to physically push his way through the densely packed crowd of his professional colleagues, and finally managed to push himself to the front of the crowd. His face was flushed red from exertion and excitement as he shouted with all the power his lungs could muster.

"Do you support sentencing those dark wizards to death?"

"Regarding this question—" Bryan began, raising his hand in a calm gesture that immediately began to settle the overly excited male reporter and the surrounding crowd.

His presence attracted respect and attention and the subtle aura of power that surrounded him helped restore some facade of order to the chaotic scene.

"In my earlier statement, which I delivered at the beginning of this press conference, I have already provided a detailed general explanation of our approach to this matter. Now, however, I am perfectly willing to emphasize and clarify these points once more for the benefit of all those present and for the wider wizarding public who will be reading your reports.

The question of how to appropriately sentence these dark wizards is absolutely not something that any single individual, regardless of their position or authority, can or should decide on their own. In the coming weeks and months, the various Ministries of Magic from all the countries where this organization managed to establish bases will work together with the International Confederation of Wizards to form a special temporary tribunal.

The selected tribunal members, chosen for their expertise, wisdom, and moral authority, will examine the severity of each arrested dark wizard's crimes, taking detail of not only the magnitude of their actions but also their level of involvement, their leadership roles within the organization, and any justifying circumstances that may exist. Only after this thorough examination will they impose what they determine to be the most appropriate and just punishments for each case."

"What specific kinds of punishments are being considered? Are we talking about life imprisonment, or something even more severe?" another reporter shouted from somewhere in the middle of the crowd.

"Regarding this question, I must be completely honest and acknowledge that all the various parties involved have not yet reached complete consensus on every detail. The complexity of these cases, combined with the international nature of the crimes, makes this a delicate matter requiring longer consultation.

Currently, the preliminary agreements that have been reached state that wizards found guilty of the most serious crimes, those who were directly involved in the torture and murder of innocent people, those who held leadership positions within the organization, those who actively participated in the horrific experiments conducted on victims will be separately imprisoned in Erkstag and Azkaban prisons. The specific length of their sentences and the exact conditions of their imprisonment are still under discussion by legal experts and Ministry officials.

However, I want to be absolutely clear that we do not rule out the possibility of death sentences for some wizards whose crimes are deemed extremely serious. The international magical community cannot and will not tolerate such brutality against innocent people, whether they be wizard or Muggle.

Those individuals found to have committed lesser offenses like perhaps those who were coerced into participation, those who provided only minimal support to the organization will face different consequences. Besides paying massive financial fines that will help compensate the families of victims, they will be legally restricted to living only in specifically designated fixed geographical areas under constant Ministry supervision.

They will be required to report regularly to Ministry of Magic officials and will essentially live the rest of their lives under a form of house arrest."

Bryan delivered this explanation solemnly.

"Oh, Merlin's beard, would you stand steady for just one moment! Bozo, you're blocking my view completely!" came a familiar, sharp voice from somewhere in the chaotic crowd.

In the densely packed mass of reporters and photographers, Rita Skeeter's elaborate makeup was now a complete and utter mess. Being naturally petite in figure, she couldn't gain any significant advantage among her much larger and more physically strong colleagues, and in desperation, she had been forced to have her resigned assistant lift her up above the crowd level in order to catch Watson's attention.

Despite her disheveled appearance and undignified position, her journalistic instincts remained as sharp as ever, and her question:

"Mr. Watson, in your expert opinion, should wizarding society bear some moral and ethical responsibility for allowing this organization to operate undetected for so many years? Are we, as a magical community, partially to blame for these tragic deaths?"

The question successfully achieved its intended effect, causing several of the high-ranking leaders of wizarding world who were present on the platform to break out in cold sweat.

"An absolutely excellent question, Miss Skeeter—" Bryan responded with what appeared to be genuine appreciation, nodding approvingly in her direction while maintaining his serious, professional demeanor throughout the conversation.

"Regarding this extremely important question, I believe we need to approach it with complete rationality and careful consideration of all the complex factors involved, rather than rushing to simple judgments or easy blame.

First, my personal opinion and I want to emphasize that this is my personal perspective based on my involvement in this investigation which is that regarding the grieving families of those deceased Muggles who lost their lives in such a senseless and brutal manner, we need to work with the various Muggle governments to provide reasonable explanations for what occurred and, more importantly, to offer appropriate compensation for their losses.

After all, these innocent people lost their lives at the hands of wizards and they and their surviving family members deserve an explanation and meaningful compensation.

As for the question of whether the various Ministries of Magic around the world, and even the International Confederation of Wizards itself, should bear significant responsibility for what could be characterized as oversight failures that allowed this organization to operate undetected for so many years, I believe we shouldn't be overly harsh in our judgments.

As I explained in detail during my earlier remarks, this organization's formation and continuing existence has deep, complex historical roots with certain specific historical factors involved that made their detection and elimination extremely difficult.

Moreover, in order to successfully conceal themselves from magical law enforcement for decades, they had developed and maintained a very sophisticated, multi-layered internal security system."

Hearing Bryan Watson speak so eloquently and persuasively in defense of the official Ministries of Magic of various countries, even Vipor Dreghorn secretly breathed a deep sigh of relief.

The political consequences of this entire affair were overwhelming, and the potential for international magical cooperation to be damaged by blame and allegation was very real.

In this delicate matter, involving as it did questions of governmental competence and international security, only someone with Bryan Watson's unique combination of heroic reputation, investigative credentials, and moral authority was truly qualified to speak credibly in their defense.

Sharp, probing questions continued to be thrown out one after another by the reporters, each one designed to provoke information or controversial statements.

Topics ranged from the specific magical techniques used by the dark wizards to the potential political factors in forming the international tribunal, from questions about magical security protocols to inquiries about the relationship between the wizarding and Muggle worlds.

But throughout this continuous bombardment of professional interrogation, Bryan remained calm and composed. He responded to each question in an orderly, precise fashion, providing answers that were carefully controlled.

"...The formation and operation of the temporary tribunal will be presided over by the highly respected Vice President Vipor Dreghorn, who will serve as Chairman due to his experience in international magical law and his reputation for fairness and integrity.

The various Ministries of Magic from the affected countries, the Order of Merlin Review Board, the Anti-Dark Arts League, and several other relevant magical organizations will each appoint one qualified member to serve as tribunal judges.

Additionally, we plan to invite some of the most prominent and respected figures in the magical world to serve as advisory members or special consultants to the tribunal. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that this process is conducted with complete transparency, fairness, and attention to both justice and mercy.

We strive to complete all individual case assessments and deliver final judgments before the Easter holiday."

Bryan delivered this final summary.

But the gathered reporters below were still far from satisfied with the information they had received. They continued to press forward aggressively, desperately trying to dig deeper into the secrets and mysteries that they sensed were still hidden behind the official narrative of this extraordinary affair.

For example, many of them were burning with curiosity about the exact nature of the "historical factors" that Bryan Watson had mentioned regarding this organization's existence and longevity.

What specific events in magical history had contributed to the formation of this group? Were there connections to previous dark wizard movements? Did the organization have ties to that notorious person from the past?

Another major point of intense journalistic interest was the confrontation that had taken place in the outskirts of Berlin, an event that had caused such a significant commotion that it had been detected by Muggle authorities and required wide-ranging memory modification operations to cover up.

Bryan had stated straightforwardly that he had been forced to kill some dark wizards who had violently resisted capture during the raid, but he had provided no specific details.

Exactly how many dark wizards had died in that confrontation? What specific spells and curses had been used? Why had both the German Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards found it necessary to jointly seal off and place powerful protective enchantments around that concentration camp that Muggles called Sachsenhausen?

And then there was the disturbing claim that Bryan had made about these dark wizards using innocent Muggles for magical experiments. What kind of experiments had been conducted and what methods did they use?

Bryan had intentionally avoided providing detailed explanations for many of these sensitive questions, citing ongoing investigations, international security concerns, and the need to protect the privacy of victims' families.

However, Ministry employees, following instructions that Bryan had provided them prior to the press conference, immediately swarmed forward in a coordinated movement and began to half-push, half-invite the still-questioning reporters toward a banquet hall that had been magically expanded in size specifically for this occasion.

The banquet hall had been prepared with tables filled with fine food and expensive wine, along with carefully selected small gifts of modest but thoughtful value that would serve as both hospitality gestures and subtle reminders of the Ministry's appreciation for fair and accurate reporting.

"I still believe—" Vipor Dreghorn began, his voice carrying a note of uncertainty as he watched the crowd of reporters being tactfully escorted away to their banquet.

Vipor approached Bryan with a complex, conflicted expression written clearly across his face. He looked at Bryan, whose usually bright and alert eyes showed clear signs of slight fatigue from the long and emotionally draining press conference, the international travel, and the stress of managing such a sensitive international incident.

"It would be far more appropriate for you to serve as Chairman of the temporary tribunal yourself, considering—"

Bryan raised his hand, stopping Vipor from continuing.

"I am a professor first, Vipor, my essential work is teaching young witches and wizards. Moreover, there are many urgent matters currently awaiting my attention back at Hogwarts, I simply don't have the time or energy to devote what would inevitably be a full-time commitment lasting several months."

Vipor fell silent for a moment, clearly weighing Bryan's words and considering the sense behind them, he finally nodded.

"I must humbly apologize to you, Mr. Watson—" The goblin Gerson Barnah interjected as he approached Bryan showing discomfort and regret on his face.

"Regarding that unreasonable and suspicious wager that was placed under our supervision, the goblins at Gringotts should have taken the initiative to inform you upon recognizing the unusual nature of the bet.

Perhaps then Miss Hermione Granger could have avoided the terrible harm that was inflicted upon her. If convenient for you, and if you believe it would be appropriate, I sincerely hope that you can help convey the goblins' deepest and most heartfelt apologies to Miss Hermione Granger when you next see her.

I have heard that she is a witch of absolutely excellent character and remarkable academic achievement. If she would be interested, and if her future career plans might align with such an opportunity, I want you to know that Gringotts would be genuinely honored to open its doors to her after she graduates from Hogwarts."

The sincerity in the old goblin's voice was obvious, and his offer was far more than simple political courtesy.

These high-ranking officials who had significant power and influence in the magical world were aware of confidential information and sensitive intelligence and understood the true scope of this entire affair far better than the general public could possibly imagine.

"Don't blame yourself too much, Barna. Even if ten Dumbledores' wisdom were combined, it would be impossible to see through every conspiracy in this world."

Bryan paused thoughtfully before adding: "I was already planning to visit Hermione at St. Mungo's Hospital after concluding this press conference. I'll certainly convey your invitation and your heartfelt apologies when I see her."

Everyone present seemed to want to engage in personal conversation with Bryan. Cornelius Fudge also approached Bryan after crossing through the crowd of officials and bigwigs and exchanged a few words with him, though...

Looking deeply at Cornelius's leaving figure, after handling only a few basic pleasantries, he had quickly excused himself to engage in what appeared to be more urgent conversation with the German Minister of Magic about various political and diplomatic matters.

Cornelius Fudge's wariness of him had grown even deeper.

"Mr. Watson," Kingsley said as he approached Bryan's side.

Having been close enough to overhear Bryan's conversation with the goblin Barnah about visiting Hermione Granger, Kingsley quietly reminded him:

"Before you go to St. Mungo's to visit Miss Granger perhaps you should first... I mean, Miss Louise Williams is still waiting for you."

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