Chapter 4

Compared to manipulating people's hearts...

The Imperius Curse is ultimately a bit lacking.

Just as Vayson Wright was about to act, old Barty Crouch placed his hand on Vayson's arm, shook his head, and whispered, "Let me handle it..."

"Please."

Vayson Wright politely stepped aside.

The house-elf Dobby couldn't help but wipe his eyes, bowing to Vayson Wright with a sobbing voice, repeatedly expressing his gratitude: "...Thank you... Thank you... Thank you for agreeing to persuade the master to spare the young master..."

Dobby had personally witnessed the tragic family drama of the Crouch family.

As a female elf, she carried a maternal glow, which made her always sympathize with the young master who was controlled by the Imperius Curse and had no will of his own.

"You're welcome."

Vayson Wright smiled and nodded, softly saying, "Young Mr. Barty might have a temper when he regains consciousness, and there will be many things to trouble you in the future..."

"That's my duty."

Dobby's hands were clasped in front of her.

As old Barty Crouch raised his wand at his son, a light flashed from the tip of the wand, and his arm then fell limply.

Because old Barty Crouch knew...

His son, who hated him, was about to return.

Sure enough.

Young Barty Crouch looked at his father, his eyes slowly recovering from confusion to clarity, and then instantly filled with hatred!

Young Barty Crouch slowly clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "I thought you would control me with the Imperius Curse until I die!"

"..."

Old Barty Crouch remained silent.

"Perhaps he should have done that..."

Vayson stood to the side and chuckled, then explained, "But, that would be too inhumane, so Mr. Crouch decided to give you another choice..."

"What choice?"

Young Barty Crouch turned his head instinctively.

But when he saw Vayson, he sneered, "I've seen you, you little brat... He really has the nerve, not joining the master or Dumbledore, and now he's joined a kid..."

"It's not joining."

Vayson interrupted Young Barty Crouch, spreading his palms to explain, "I am in a cooperative relationship with your father, at least for now..."

"I don't care about that nonsense."

Young Barty Crouch's face was still full of disdain. He looked up at his aged father, unwilling to communicate with this detested biological father.

Young Barty Crouch then turned back to Vayson Wright, his voice hoarse, "Tell me, what do you plan to do to me..."

"Ha, alright..."

Vayson couldn't help but chuckle, raising his head to look at Young Barty and said, "You're an adult now, you should have your own thoughts, so we will give you two choices..."

"First, your life will continue as before, and your father will regularly cast the Imperius Curse on you to control your mind."

"Second, you can choose to live in the safe house in this building, and from now on, he will no longer control your mind..."

"I choose the second one, let me see where you're going to lock me up!"

Without waiting for Vayson Wright to finish, Young Barty Crouch quickly made his choice, his eyes shining with anticipation!

There is nothing more painful...

Than being controlled by someone else's mind!

Young Barty Crouch didn't care where he would be imprisoned. Could it be worse than Azkaban, where he had been held before?

"...Alright."

Vayson slowly nodded.

It seems that anyone in the world is accustomed to acting within a framework.

Hearing that he had two choices for the future, Young Barty naturally chose the one he thought was beneficial to himself, rather than raising any objections...

Third Area.

In the dark basement.

The house-elf Dobby waved her small hands, casting a Lumos spell to illuminate the entire basement room.

On the surface, it looked like a wizard's laboratory.

"Do you plan to let me live in the laboratory?"

Young Barty looked around the laboratory, unable to resist having some thoughts, as the laboratory appeared to be very well-equipped.

If he could live here in the future...

He might find a chance to escape!

"Don't move around here!"

Old Barty Crouch sternly stopped his son from entering the basement, saying in a deep voice, "If you move around, every floorboard here will kill you!"

At this point, old Barty Crouch turned to Vayson Wright, "Where is the safe house we prepared? Only you, the Secret-Keeper, can see its location..."

"Go to the left cabinet."

Vayson Wright stood at the entrance of the laboratory, not taking a step forward, and instructed, "Do you remember the safest path here?"

"Um."

Old Barty Crouch nodded solemnly.

After saying that, old Barty Crouch led the way into the underground laboratory, moving three floorboards to the left, then two forward, one to the right, two forward, and two more to the left...

"..."

Young Barty watched this scene, feeling a bit speechless as he looked at his biological father. This bizarre path made his father lose his usual stern image.

"Can I test the traps?"

Young Barty couldn't resist wanting to step down.

Vayson Wright watched his movements and said softly, "The only thing I can do for you is to clean up your remains and feed them to the dogs."

"No!"

Dobby was frightened and quickly grabbed Young Barty's arm.

"..."

Young Barty's left foot immediately stopped.

If it was just a matter of endangering his safety, Young Barty wouldn't really care, but using his body to feed the dogs was really insulting...

And...

Perhaps this place was really dangerous.

Because the little brat Vayson Wright didn't dare to enter the basement at all!

Old Barty Crouch, who was leading the way, stopped in front of the left cabinet, waiting for his son to catch up, and turned to look at Vayson Wright.

"Where should we go next?"

Old Barty Crouch frowned and asked in a deep voice, "I remember that all the potion bottles in this cabinet are Muggle gadgets..."

"No, there's also a bucket."

Vayson Wright stood at the entrance, giving technical guidance.

Old Barty Crouch opened the lower cabinet door and saw a bucket inside, which looked like an ordinary iron bucket.

In reality, it was a means of transportation in the wizarding world.

Old Barty Crouch looked at his son and the house-elf who followed, and after a moment of silence, extended his hand.

"Grab my hand."

"..."

Young Barty's eyebrows furrowed.

This rebellious young man didn't want to heed his father's request and quickly switched places with Dobby, as he preferred to hold Dobby's claws.

Old Barty Crouch held Dobby's other claw and stepped into the iron bucket. Their figures quickly distorted and entered the iron bucket!

The iron bucket in the left cabinet disappeared from its original place!

Suddenly, there was a metallic clanging sound from the right cabinet!

To move from the left cabinet to the right cabinet, they could only rely on this magical means of transportation, as everything in between was a trap!

The floor, tables, chairs...

The lab bench, the beakers on the bench...

Everything could be a trap that could destroy the basement.

Old Barty Crouch opened the right cabinet door, revealing himself, his son, and the house-elf.

Young Barty's face showed impatience, and he couldn't help but complain, "It's just a prison, harder to find than the safe house of James Potter..."

"..."

Old Barty Crouch ignored his son and turned to Vayson Wright, "What should we do next?"

"Move aside."

Vayson Wright raised his finger, and a bit of magic flew out from his fingertip, slowly landing inside the cabinet.

The magic awakened, and the barrier quietly appeared.

The barrier of the safe house quickly dissipated.

Inside the cabinet, a sturdy steel round door was revealed.

Old Barty Crouch stood in front of the steel round door, forcefully turned the iron door, and the lights of the underground fortress were revealed inside.

"This outer door can only be opened from the outside."

Old Barty Crouch looked at his son and said solemnly, "There is another door inside that can be controlled from the inside to ensure your safety. It contains enough supplies for two years of life, as well as some Muggle books..."

"Mr. Barty."

Vayson Wright stood at the entrance of the basement and smiled, "I specially selected them for you, including many books on treating depression..."

This is being prepared for the future.

Vayson Wright believed that Young Barty, who would be imprisoned in the underground fortress, would definitely read those psychological books.