The headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards was located in France.
When Charles received the messenger from his Xatu, Dumbledore arrived at almost the same moment—holding a letter in hand. And so, the two of them set off together for France.
"Are you ready?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye, pretending to be completely unaware of what awaited them.
"I've made some preparations," Charles replied calmly. "But whether I can convince them—that's another matter."He had done everything necessary to speak properly with these people. If, after that, they still refused to see reason… then he'd have no choice but to make an example of someone.
After all, there were still plenty of villainous organizations in the Pokémon world that hadn't made their appearance yet.
"Charles! Dumbledore!"
From afar, Cornelius Fudge spotted them and hurried forward with open arms.
"It's so good to see you both!" he exclaimed loudly. "If only the time and place were a bit more appropriate!"
His boisterous greeting drew awkward glances from several members of the International Confederation.
At that moment, another group approached—led by an elderly, dark-skinned witch who carried herself with commanding dignity.
"It's been a long time, Dumbledore," Seraphina Picquery greeted with a polite smile. "Nearly half a century, I believe—since you defeated Grindelwald."
"Yes, quite a long time indeed," Dumbledore replied mildly, offering the sort of pleasantry that meant little and revealed less.
Picquery's gaze then shifted toward Charles.
"So, you are Charles Gold—the one accused of violating the International Statute of Secrecy?"
"Whether I've violated the Statute or not remains to be seen, madam," Charles said coolly. "At least, I'd think the verdict comes after the trial.But as for you—" He met her eyes sharply. "If the American wizarding community has so much free time, perhaps they should spend it dealing with Voldemort. Or is it that you only pick fights you can win?"
Picquery's expression darkened instantly, though she refused to back down.
"We are simply upholding due process. The Statute of Secrecy affects the entire wizarding world," she said crisply. "As for the Dark Lord, that is not our concern. And your accusation of cowardice is baseless—the MACUSA contributed greatly in the fight against Grindelwald."
"Is that so?" Charles sneered. "Funny—I heard most of the real work was done by Mr. Newt Scamander. And the one who finally defeated Grindelwald was Dumbledore himself.Would you care to remind me what exactly the American Ministry achieved during that time?"
He didn't even give her the chance to answer before continuing:
"Let me refresh your memory. You nearly executed Mr. Scamander, let Grindelwald slip through your fingers, and—best of all—sought help from a Muggle. Impressive. Tell me, when you begged that Muggle for assistance, did you remember the Statute of Secrecy then?"
Picquery's face turned almost black with fury.
Charles's words had hit home. Every accusation was true, and she had no defense.
"Then we'll settle this in the courtroom, Mr. Gold," Picquery said coldly, turning on her heel without another word for Dumbledore.
Charles nudged Dumbledore with his elbow, smirking. "Doesn't look like she's feeling very grateful, huh? If it weren't for your help, the American wizarding world would've fallen apart long ago."
"I didn't intervene out of gratitude," Dumbledore said softly, shaking his head.
He had faced Grindelwald not for glory, but for guilt. The ideals that fueled Grindelwald's movement were his own creation.Every death at Grindelwald's hands weighed on him as though he had committed the murder himself.
It had always been his responsibility.
And yet, somehow, the world had come to expect him to stand against every dark wizard who rose thereafter.
In truth, even Voldemort's existence, in some twisted way, traced back to him.It was Dumbledore who had shown Tom Riddle that magic could be a form of power—and that power ruled all.
Sometimes he wondered…If, back in that orphanage, he hadn't used his own magic to force Tom to apologize, but instead had patiently guided him—would things have turned out differently?
But on the other hand, Riddle had been born from potion and manipulation. He was never capable of understanding love.
The three of them walked into the courtroom.
The walls were built of cold, black stone, and the flickering torchlight made the chamber feel more like a crypt than a hall of justice.Charles stepped into the center—the defendant's platform. Rising on both sides were tiered benches, and directly before him, at the highest row, sat the dark silhouettes of the judges.
The setting was eerily similar to the Wizengamot of the British Ministry of Magic.Charles stood at the lowest level, surrounded by those perched high above—a deliberate design meant to crush the spirit of the accused.
He wasn't frightened—but he found the setup insulting.
Rotten cowards, he thought, his eyes narrowing. And yet they look down on me as if they're gods.
The sheer arrogance of it made his blood boil.
Without hesitation, Charles released his aura. His two newly mastered Abilities—Intimidate and Pressure—activated simultaneously.
An invisible wave of psychic force exploded outward from his body, sweeping across the chamber.
The judges who had intended to intimidate him suddenly felt their own minds assaulted, a crushing presence bearing down on them.
The young man below—calm, slender, almost delicate—seemed to transform before their eyes into something monstrous, vast, and unstoppable.
For a fleeting instant, Seraphina Picquery thought she saw Grindelwald again—the same unshakable poise beneath that handsome face, the same dreadful certainty of victory, even in defeat.
In that moment, she realized: Charles Gold was a terrifying man.
But not everyone grasped that truth as quickly as she did.
"The defendant has arrived. Let us begin," someone finally said, forcing authority back into their voice.
"Trial dated June 15th. Defendant: Charles Gold of Great Britain, current instructor of the Pokémon Mastery course at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.You stand accused of violating the International Statute of Secrecy. Evidence has been presented and verified."
As the accusers, defense, and witnesses entered one by one, Charles merely smiled, watching their petty theatrics unfold.
The presiding judge was not Dumbledore—likely because his ties to the defendant were deemed too close. Instead, a different wizard, one Charles didn't recognize, took the chair.
The man drew a parchment from the stack before him, took a deep breath, and read aloud:
"The accused is hereby charged with the following crimes—"
(End of Chapter)