Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any character of the series.
What if Barty and Wormy Were No Match for Moody
At the Burrow, Harry Potter a.k.a. the Boy-Who-Lived is getting ready for his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he notices Arthur Weasley talking to his fireplace. Harry is surprised since he didn't know wizarding fireplaces could be used as means of communication. Only of transportation.
"Amos, I know Mad-Eye is paranoid but did he really claim that two supposedly dead wizards invaded his home last night?" Arthur asks.
"Yes, Arthur." Amos Diggory answers.
"One of them must be Peter Pettigrew!" Harry suddenly exclaims, making the adults present aware of the fact he's eavesdropping on the conversation.
"Harry!" An exasperated Molly Weasley exclaimed. "You shouldn't be eavesdropping. Or ill-speaking of the dead!"
"But he must be a top Divination student." Amos replies. "In fact, Mad-Eye claims one of his attackers was Peter Pettigrew."
"Who is Mad-Eye?" Harry asks.
"Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody is a retired Auror famous for having captured half of Azkaban's inmates." Arthur Weasley exclaims. "Unfortunately he became so paranoid he's seeing enemies everywhere. It'd be no surprise if the two 'dead wizards' were just two muggles walking in front of his house."
"And that's what I called you for, Arthur." Amos says. "We must find a way to make Mad-Eye walk of this with something minor enough not to keep him from starting his new job."
"Honestly, I'd not keep up my hopes unless they're indeed the two dead wizards he claims them to be." Arthur sadly replies.
"Who's the other anyway?" Harry asks out of curiosity.
"Barty Crouch."
"Is Mr. Crouch dead?" Harry asks/yells in surprise.
"Amos was talking about Barty Junior, Harry." Arthur replies.
"Barty Junior had been caught associating with known Death Eaters." Amos explains. "Barty Senior, who was head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time, gave him a trial just to disown him and show his hatred of the Dark Arts. The scandal cost him his chances of becoming the Minister of Magic. Soon after that, Barty Junior died in Azkaban and was buried there since his father never bothered to take his body from there."
"Anyway, how long until I can send Sirius an owl with the good news?" Harry eagerly asks.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER! YOU'RE NOT CALLING TRAITOROUS MURDERERS!" An enraged Molly Weasley yells.
"Mrs. Weasley, didn't Ron tell you about Scabbers being Peter Pettigrew on his animagus form?" Harry asks.
"Yes but, you were all confounded back then." Molly replies. "Professor Snape…"
"…wasn't willing to listen!" Harry yells. "And, because of him, Sirius couldn't keep me from having to return to the Dursleys!"
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, please make sure Pettigrew won't escape again." Harry pleads. "He's the only way for Sirius to be cleared at a retrial."
" 'Retrial' isn't the right word, Harry." Arthur replies. "Sirius Black has never been tried in the first place."
"WHAT!" Harry is outraged. "SIRIUS BLACK SPENT TWELVE YEARS IN AZKABAN AND ALMOST GOT A DEMENTOR'S KISS FOR CRIMES HE'S NEVER BEEN TRIED FOR? HADN'T ANYONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT?"
"People were so sure Sirius was guilty we didn't care about it." Arthur sadly admits.
"What was all of this yelling?" Hermione asks as she and the Weasley kids show up.
"Did you know Sirius Black never got a trial?" A still angry Harry asks.
"First slaveholding and now this?" An outraged Hermione asks. "What else is wrong with the Wizarding World?"
"Isn't there anything we can do for poor Sirius?" Ron asks.
"Don't worry, Ron." Harry replies. "Pettigrew got caught invading the house of an Alastor Moody."
"Mad-Eye?" Hermione and the Weasley kids ask.
"It's a long story, kids." Arthur replies.
Please review. This prologue was roughly based on Chapter eleven of the fourth book.