After breakfast on Sunday, Hailey, Ron, Hermione, Michael, Mandy, and Malachi went up to the Owlery. Ron, Hermione, Hailey, Mandy, and Michael wanted to ask Percy whether he had seen Crouch lately. Malachi was asking his mother if she had seen Crouch lately, just to see how he was doing after his mysterious bout of illness.
The five used Hedwig since it's been a long time since she went out on a job. Malachi used his own family's owl and Hailey kept noticing that Michael kept giving the fifth-year dirty looks.
After Hedwig was gone, the fourth years went down to give Dobby the new socks. The house-elves gave them a very cheery welcome, bowing and curtsying and bustling around making tea again. Hailey gave Dobby the socks.
"Hailey Potter is too good to Dobby!" Dobby squeaked, wiping large tears out of his enormous eyes.
"You got me up for the second task," Hailey said. "So you deserve something nice."
"No chance of more of those éclairs is there?" asked Ron, looking around at the beaming and bowing house-elves.
"You've just had breakfast!" admonished Hermione, sounding irritated. A silver platter of éclairs zoomed over to Ron, supported by four elves.
Hailey wanted to tell Hermione that Dudley always got hungry after eating breakfast. She looked at her friends, "We should get some stuff to send up to Snuffles."
"Good idea," said Ron. "Give Pig something to do." He looked at the four elves, "You could give us a bit of extra food, could you?" The elves bowed delightedly and hurried off to get some more.
"Dobby, where's Winky?" asked Hermione, looking around.
"Winky is over there by the fire, miss," replied Dobby very quietly. His ears drooped slightly.
Hermione spotted Winky, "Oh, dear."
Hailey looked at the fireplace. Winky was sitting on the same stool as last time, but she was now so filthy, she blended in with the somke-blackened brick behind her. Her clothes were ragged and unwashed. She was holding a bottle of butterbeer and swaying on the stool, staring at the fire, and gave an enormous hiccup.
"Winky's going through six bottles a day," Dobby whispered to Hailey.
"Well, it's not strong, that stuff," Hailey replied.
Dobby shook his head, sadly, "'Tis strong for a house-elf, miss."
Winky hiccupped again and the elves who brought the éclairs gave her disapproving looks and went back to work.
"Winky is pining, Hailey Potter," Dobby whispered, sounding sad.
"Pining?" Michael asked.
"Winky wants to go home. Winky still thinks Mr Crouch is her master, sir, and nothing Dobby says will persuade her that Professor Dumbledore is her master now," Dobby explained.
Hailey had an idea at the mention of Crouch. She walked over to Winky, "Hey, Winky. You don't know what Mr Crouch might be up to, do you? Because he's stopped turning up to the judge the Triwizard Tournament."
Winky's eye flickered, and focused her enormous eyes on Hailey. She swayed again, "M-Master is stopped—" she hiccuped, "coming?"
"Yeah," replied Hailey. "We haven't seen him since the first task. The Daily Prophet's saying he's ill."
Wink swayed some more, staring at Hailey. "Master—" she hiccupped again, "ill?" Her bottom lip began to tremble.
"But we're not sure if that's true," Hermione added quickly.
"Master is needing his—" Winky hiccupted, "Winky!" She whimpered, "Master cannot—" another hiccup, "manage," she hiccupped, "all by himself…"
"Other people manage to do their own housework, you know, Winky," Hermione said harshly.
"Winky—" Winky hiccupped, "is not only—" she hiccupped again, "doing housework for Mr Crouch!" She sounded indignant, swaying worse than ever. She slopped butterbeer down her heavily stained blouse. "Master is—" another hiccup, "trusting Winky with—" another hiccup, "the most important—" another hiccup, "The most secret—"
"What secret?" Mandy asked.
Winky shook her head very hard, spilling more butterbeer down herself. "Winky keeps—" there was another hiccup, "her master's secrets." She was swaying heavily and she was frowning up at Hailey, cross-eyed. "You is—" she hiccupped, "nosing, you is."
"Winky must not talk like that to Hailey Potter!" Dobby yelled angrily. "Hailey Potter is brave and noble and Hailey Potter is not nosy!"
"She is nosing—into my master's—private and secret—Winky is a good house-elf—Winky keeps her silence—people trying to—pry and poke—" Winky said through hiccups. Her eyelids drooped and she slid off her stool into the hearth. She was snoring loudly. The empty bottle of butterbeer rolled away across the stone-flagged floor. Six house-elves came hurrying forward, looking disgusted. One picked up the bottle and the others covered Winky with a large checked tablecloth and tucked the ends in neatly, hiding her from view.
"We is sorry you had to see that, sirs and misses!" squeaked a nearby elf. He was shaking his head and looking ashamed. "We is hoping you will not judge us all by Winky, sirs and misses!"
"She's unhappy!" replied Hermione sounding exasperated. "Why don't you try and cheer her up instead of covering her up?
"Begging your pardon, miss," said the male elf, bowing deeply, "but house-elves has no right to be unhappy when there is work to be done and masters to be served."
"Oh for heaven's sake!" Hermione cried. "Listen to me, all of you! You've got just as much right as wizards to be unhappy! You've got the right to wages and holidays and proper clothes, you don't have to do everything you're told—look at Dobby!"
"Miss will please keep Dobby out of this," Dobby mumbled, looking terrified.
The cheery smiles had vanished from the faces of the house-elves around the kitchen. They were looking at Hermione as if she was mad and dangerous.
"We has your extra food!" squeaked a elf at Hailey's elbow. He shoved a large ham, a dozen cakes, and some fruit into Hailey's arm. "Good-bye!"
The house-elves crowded around the five fourth years and began shunting them out of the kitchen, many little hands pushing in the smalls of their backs.
"Thank you for the socks, Hailey Potter!" Dobby called miserably from the hearth, where he was standing next to the lumpy tablecloth that was Winky.
"You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you, Hermione?" said Ron angrily as the kitchen door slammed shut behind them. "They won't want us visiting them now! We could've tried to get more stuff out of Winky about Crouch!"
Ron and Hermione were busy sniping at each other, so the three Ravenclaws had gone up to the Owlery to send the food to Sirius.
Michael's and Mandy's owls looked odd carrying an entire ham up the mountain.
Hailey leaned on the windowsill, looking out at the grounds. It seemed almost beautiful with the dark, rustling treetops of the Forbidden Forest, and the rippling sails of the Durmstrang ship.
"Is Hagrid digging a new garden?" Mandy asked.
Hailey looked down to see that Hagrid was looking energetic as he dug.
"There's Madame Maxime," Michael said. Madame Maxime emerged from the Beauxbatons carriage and walked over to Hagrid. It looked like the woman was trying to engage Hagrid in a conversation, but Hagrid didn't look keen as he leaned on his spade, because the woman turned and went back to the carriage.
The next morning seemed like hell. The only upside was that Ron's prediction that the elves won't make food appear because Hermione insulted them didn't happen. What surprised them was a bunch of owls landing in front of Michael.
Hailey turned to look at the Gryffindor table, to see if Hermione and Ron noticed, but it looked like a group of owls came to Hermione. Hailey noticed that Malachi got a cluster of owls came to him.
He wasn't the only one, because Hermione, Malachi, and Aileen suddenly got a bunch of owls too.
"Whoa, that's really harsh…and violent," Michael said. He had opened a letter and was gaping at it.
Mandy took it and looked it over. She winced at what she read.
"What does it say?" Hailey asked and reached it for it.
Mandy sat on it, "You could live your life without knowing what it said. Trust me."
Hailey glanced over at the Gryffindor table and saw that Malachi, Ciera, and Corey were looking at the letters. Malachi seemed really confused and he kept looking over at the Ravenclaw table. Hailey looked away as Mandy started looking through the letters.
"They're all the same," Mandy said and Hailey looked over the Gryffindor table.
Hermione was wiping her hands off on a napkin and ended up leaving. Aileen ended up leaving the Great Hall in tears.
After breakfast they headed down to Herbology.
"I warned you two!" Ron said. "I warned you two not to annoy Rita Skeeter. Now Hermione's in the infirmary because of undiluted bubotuber pus!"
After that, they headed to Care of Magical Creatures.
Hagrid had said that they were finished with unicorns last lesson, was waiting for them outside the cabin. There was a fresh supply of open crates at his feet.
"Oh, no, more skrewts," Mandy muttered.
When they got close enough to look in the crates, they were pleasantly surprised. There was numerous of fluffy black creatures with long snouts. Their paws were flat and they were blinking up at the close. They seemed puzzle at the attention. They were nifflers, Hailey recalled. They loved sparkly things and had pouches that can hold a lot of stolen things.
"Hey, I think one of my distant relatives had been with Newt when he was trying to stop a niffler from robbing a bank and a jewelry store in New York during the 1920s," Anthony said, looking down at the nifflers. "At least, I think there was. I can't recall it."
"Yeh find 'em down mines, mostly. They like sparkly stuff…There yeh go, look," Hagrid said as one of the nifflers poked its head of the crate. It leapt up and attempted to bite Pansy Parkinson's watch off her wrist. She shrieked and jumped backward.
"Useful little treasure detectors," said Hagrid happily. "Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?" He pointed at the large patch of freshly turned earth, the Ravenclaws had seen him digging from the Owlery window. "I've buried some gold coins. I've got a prize fer whoever picks the niffler that digs up most. Jus' take off all yeg valuables, an' choose a niffler, an' get ready ter set 'em loose."
Hailey took off her watch, which she wore out of habit, even though it didn't work. She picked up a niffler, which in return but it snout in her ear, and sniffed enthusiastically. It was surprisingly cuddly.
Hagrid look down in the crate, "Hang on. There's a spare niffler here…who's missin'?" He looked over the class, "Where's Hermione?"
"She had to go to the hospital wing," Ron stated.
"We'll explain later," Hailey muttered to Hagrid, because Pansy Parkinson was listening.
They carried the nifflers to the holes, and released them. Michael's niffler decided that it taken a liking to him, decided that it would rather cuddle with him instead.
"Just my luck, I get a lazy one," Michael said as the happy niffler sniffed his ear.
The nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as if it was water. They scurried back to the student who had released it and spat gold into their hands.
Ron's was particularly efficient, because it was filling Ron's lap with coins. Ron asked, "Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?" His niffler dove back in the soil, splattering Ron's robes.
Hagrid was grinning, "Yer mum wouldn't be happy, Ron. They wreck house, nifflers.I reckon they've nearly got the lot, now. I on'y buried a hundred coins." He was pacing around the patch of earth while the nifflers dive. Hailey watched as Michael's niffler was touching his face with its snout. Hailey couldn't help but think that it was rather an adorable scene.
Hagrid said, "Oh, there y'are Hermione!"
Hermione was walking toward them across the lawn. Her hands were heavily bandaged and she looked more miserable than Myrtle.
"Well, let's check how yeh've done!" called Hagrid. "Count your coins! An' there's no point trying ter steal any, Goyle." Hagrid narrowed his eyes at Goyle. "It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours."
Goyle removed the leprechaun gold, in a sulky manner.
Ron's niffler had been the most successful, so Hagrid gave him an enormous slab of Honeydukes chocolate as a prize.
"Are you going to share?" Mandy whispered to Ron.
The bell rang for lunch. Ron, Hermione, Michael, Hailey, and Mandy stayed behind as the rest of the class made their way up to the castle. They were putting the nifflers back in the crates.
Hailey noticed Madame Maxime was watching from the carriage window.
"What yeh done ter hands, Hermione?" asked Hagrid, looking concerned.
Hermione told that she had receiving hate mail from Krum's jealous fan girls, and one envelope had been filled with bubotuber pus.
Michael ended up explaining that he got hate mail to, "One even said, 'You deserve to have your—" He winced, "I'm not going to finish that one."
"Aah, don't worry," replied Hagrid, gently, looking at Hermione and Michael. "I got some o' those letters an' all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou' me mum. 'Yeh're a monster an' yeh should be put down.' 'Yer mother killed innocent people an' if you had any decency you'd jump in a lake.'"
"No!" said Hermione, looking shocked.
"They told you to jump in a lake?" Michael asked, looking horrified.
"They're jus' nutters, yeh two. Don' open 'em if yeh get any more. Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire."
With that, they headed up to the castle.
"Yeh missed a really good lesson," Hailey told Hermione. "They're good, nifflers, aren't they. Ron?" Ron was frowning at the chocolate Hagrid had given him. He looked put out about something. "What's the matter? Wrong flavour?"
"Can I have it, if it is?" Mandy asked.
"No," said Ron shortly.
"Well, then," Mandy muttered.
Ron looked at Hailey. "Why didn't you tell me about the gold?"
Hailey was confused, "What gold?"
"The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup," stated Ron. "The leprechaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?"
Hailey had to think for a moment, before realizing what Ron was talking about. "Oh…" the memory came back. "I dunno…I never noticed it had gone. I was more worried about my wand, wasn't I?"
They climbed up the steps to the castle. "Must be nice, to have so much money you don't notice if a pocketful of Galleons goes missing."
Hailey was impatient, "Listen, I had other stuff on my mind that night! We all did, remember?"
"I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes," Ron said. "I thought I was paying you back. You shouldn't've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas."
"Forget it, all right?" replied Hailey.
Ron glared a hole in his robes. "I hate being poor."
The others looked at each other, not sure what to say.
"It's rubbish," Ron continued, glaring at the hole. "I don't blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. Or Eva. Wish I could. Wish I had a niffler."
"At least we know what to get you for next Christmas," Mandy said.
"Come on, Ron, it could be worse. At least your fingers aren't full of pus," Hermione said, holding up her hands. She looked at them, "I hate that Skeeter woman!" She looked at Michael, "We'll get her back for this if it's the last thing we do!"
Over the past week, the hate mail kept coming. Michael and Hermione had stopped opening them. However it didn't stop Howlers from shouting at them for the entire hall to hear.
The people who never heard Witch Weekly had heard about the supposed torrid affair, and the Hailey-Michael-Malachi love triangle. Hailey was getting tired of saying that she and the two boys were never in a relationship, and that Malachi is not her boyfriend.
"It'll die down, though," Hailey told Hermione and Michael. "If we just ignore it…People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time—"
"I want to know how she's listening into private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!" said Hermione angrily.
After Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson where they had to go through a rigorous test that consisted of hex-flection. It resulted in many nursing small injuries. Hailey had a bad case of Twitchy Ears and she had to cover her ears with her hands.
Hermione and Ron caught up to them. She pulled Hailey's hands away from her one of her wiggling ears, "Well, Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak!" Hermione panted. "Moody says that he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!"
The Gryffindors had Defense before the Ravenclaws.
"Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?" asked Ron.
"No!" Hermione responded, sounding stubborn. "I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! And how she found out about Hagrid's mum!"
"Maybe she got you bugged," Hailey joked.
"Bugged?" asked Ron sounding confused. "What…put fleas on her or something?"
Hailey started explaining to Ron about hidden microphones and recording equipment. Ron seemed fascinated, but Hermione interrupted, "Hailey, you know that electricity goes haywire when near Hogwarts. To much magic."
"It was a joke," Hailey replied.
"Rita has to be using magic," Michael said.
"If I could just find out what it is…ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her…" Hermione muttered to herself.
"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron asked. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"
"I'm on board of having a vendetta against her," Michael said.
"Me too," Mandy said.
Hermione marched up the marble staircase without looking back. Hailey was sure that Hermione was going to the library.
"What's the betting she comes back with a box of I Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" Ron asked.
The workload was building when the Easter holidays approached.
Hailey had marveled at the fact that Hermione, Michael, and Mandy could research magical methods of eavesdropping as well as everything else they had to do. Hailey was working on the homework and made a point of sending regular food packages to Sirius. After last summer, Hailey had not forgotten what it felt like to be continually hungry. She had enclosed notes to Sirius, telling him that nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and they were still waiting for Percy or Malachi's mother's responses.
Hedwig didn't return until the end of the Easter holidays. Percy's letter was enclosed in a package of Easter eggs that Mrs Weasley had sent. Hailey's and Ron's were the size of a dragon egg that was filled with homemade toffee, while Hermione's turned out to be smaller than a chicken egg, and she had seemed saddened by the size. Malachi had walked by the Ravenclaw table with Ciera and Corey with him. He tossed a letter onto Hailey's lap and Michael was giving a dark look at the fifth year as he passed. After that Ron and Hermione met up with the three Ravenclaws outside of the Great Hall.
Hailey unfolded the letter to read it over.
Mal,
I don't know why you want to know if I had seen Mr Crouch around the Ministry, but as we work in separate departments and the fact that he isn't fond of me, I can't truthfully answer that. As to your question regarding him, I haven't see him around as much as I think I used to. Now that you mentioned it, I do find it uncharacteristic of him to seemingly vanish, especially when I know that he comes in when he's ill. Maybe he's in the Himalayas, just like your dad.
I would ask around, but you know how much work I get.
Happy Easter.
Love you
Hailey looked at letter, "Well, she seems…nice."
"Have you seen Percy's response?" Ron asked handing Hailey the letter and taking Malachi's.
As I am constantly telling the Daily Prophet, Mr Crouch is taking a well-deserved break. He is sending in regular owls with instructions. No, I have actually seen him, but I think I can be trusted to know my own superior's handwriting. I have quite enough to do at the moment without trying to quash these ridiculous rumours. Please don't bother me again unless it's something important. Happy Easter.
"At least Malachi's mother is nicer when she's busy," Hailey said.
"What Department does she work in that she's busy with work?" Hermione asked.
"The Department of Mystery," Hailey responded.
"At least she's more helpful than Percy," Ron responded.
At the start of summer, Hailey realized that she needed to prepare for the third and final task, but she doesn't know what that would be.
On the last week of May, Professor Flitwick held back in Charms. "At nine o'clock, you have to go down to the Quidditch field. Mr Bagman will be tell telling the champions about the third task."
At half past eight, Hailey left Mandy and Michael in the Gryffindor Tower and went downstairs. As she crossed the entrance hall, Cedric came up from the Hufflepuff common room.
"What d'you reckon it's going to be?" Cedric asked Hailey as they went together down the stone steps and out into the cloudy night. "Fleur keeps going on about underground tunnels; she reckons we've got to find treasure."
"That wouldn't be too bad," stated Hailey. She would ask Hagrid for a niffler. "What does Eva say?"
"Eva?" Cedric asked, "Sinclair?"
"Yes," Hailey responded.
Cedric said, "She's saying something about it involving a hedge maze and something about a cemetery. I don't know where she gets these ideas."
"I don't know, either," Hailey lied. It wasn't her place to tell him that Eva sometimes has dreams that come true.
They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field.
Cedric stopped walking and indignantly said, "What've they done to it?"
There were what looked to be long, low walls that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction.
Hailey crouched down to examine the nearest wall. "They're hedges!"
"Hello there!" called a cheery voice.
Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Krum and Fleur. The two Hogwarts students walked over to them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur smiled at Hailey as she came closer. Her attitude toward her had changed completely since she had saved her sister from the lake.
"Well, what d'you think?" asked Bagman happily as Hailey and Cedric climbed over the last hedge. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high." He noticed the less-than-happy expression on Hailey's and Cedric's faces, "Don't worry, you'll have you Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"
No one answered and then Krum said, "Maze."
"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straight forward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."
"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" asked Fleur.
"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures…then there will be spells that must be broken…all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman smiled at Hailey and Cedric. "Then Mr Krum will enter…then Miss Delacour. But you'll be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"
Hailey knew only to well the kind of creatures that Hagrid was likely to provide for an even like this. She thought it was unlikely to be any fun at all. She nodded along with the other champions.
"Very well…if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly…"
They started to make their way out of the maze and Bagman hurried alongside Hailey. Hailey was sure that Bagman was going to offer to help again, but Hailey spotted two dark figures run by the opening of the field, right towards the forest. That was highly suspicious looking. Hailey turned to Bagman, "Excuse me, Mr Bagman. I think I have to go."
She made her through the field and ran for the dark figures. She kept them in her eyesight as the two figures headed right by the paddock with the Beaubatons Abraxans.
They made to a tree in the shade and stopped.
Hailey recognized them immediately. She rolled her eyes and walked up to Eva and Ivy.
"What are you two doing?" She asked.
The two jumped and turned around.
Eva and Ivy were paler than usual.
"We—we were just…" Eva started.
"Running around suspiciously?" Hailey asked.
"You do it, too!" Eva accused. "You get my cousin grounded and almost killed!"
Damn, she had a point there.
"But you're running towards the Forbidden Forest. Do you know what's in there?" Hailey asked.
Ivy and Eva nodded.
"There's these pink and purple berries in there that you can add in potions to dye something," Eva said.
"That…that's not what I'm talking about," Hailey said. "There's a centaur colony—"
"We met them," Ivy said.
"And Acromantula," Hailey added.
Ivy and Eva looked at each other.
"Oh," Ivy responded.
"We heard that a sentient Ford Anglia is in there, too," Eva said.
"What do you need berries for?" Hailey asked.
Eve suddenly looked guarded. "Well, I know that you're going to tell Mike—"
Something moved behind Eva in the trees. Hailey grabbed Eva's and Ivy's arms, pulling them away.
"What is it?" Ivy asked, looking a little distressed.
Hailey grabbed her wand that was in her robes and a man staggered out from behind a tall oak.
"Who is that?" Ivy asked.
Hailey didn't know either.
He looked as if he had been traveling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody. His face was scratched and he was unshaven and grey with exhaustion. His hair and mustached looked like it needed a wash and trim. He was muttering and gesturing, as if he was talking to someone that he alone could see.
"That's Mr Crouch," Hailey said. She remembered that she once with shopping with the Dursleys, and there was an old tramp that had once been conversing wildly with thin air. Aunt Petunia had grabbed Dudley's hand and pulled him across the street to avoid him. Uncle Vernon had treated the family with a long rant about what he'd like to do with beggars and vagrants.
"Isn't he a judge?" Eva asked, stepping back.
Hailey nodded and considered what would happen if she walked up to Mr Crouch, who was talking to a nearby tree. She walked up to him, who didn't seem to notice her presence, as he was saying, "…and when you've done that, Weatherby, send me an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just send word there will be twelve…"
"Mr Crouch?" Hailey asked, cautiously.
"…and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen…do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will…"
Mr Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. He staggered sideways and fell to his knees.
"Mr Crouch?" Hailey repeated loudly. "Are you all right?"
Crouch's eyes were rolling around in his head. Hailey turned to Eva and Ivy. They were holding each other's arms, looking more and more terrified.
"Don't go near him," Eva said. "He might be rabid."
"What's wrong with him?" Ivy asked. "Is he mad?"
"No idea," Hailey muttered. "Listen, you two better go and get someone—"
"Dumbledore!" gasped Mr Crouch. He reached out and grabbed a handful of Hailey's robes, dragging her closer. His eyes seemed like they were focused above Hailey's head. "I need…see…Dumbledore…"
"Okay," replied Hailey, "if you get up, Mr Crouch, we can go up to the—"
"I've done…stupid…thing…" Mr Crouch breathed. He did look mad. His eyes were rolling and bulging, and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin. Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a lot of effort. "Must…tell…Dumbledore…"
"Get up, Mr Crouch," said Hailey loudly and clearly. "Get up, I'll take you to Dumbledore!"
Mr Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Hailey and he whispered, "Who…you?"
"I'm a student at the school," Hailey replied. He looked around to Ivy and Eva. They were still standing there, looking nervous and scared.
"You're not…his?" Crouch whispered, his mouth sagging.
"No," said Hailey, confused. What did Crouch mean by that?
Crouch said, "Dumbledore's?"
"That's right," replied Hailey.
Crouch pulled her closer. Hailey was trying to loosen Crouch's grip on her robes, but it was too strong. "Warn…Dumbledore…"
"I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me," stated Hailey. "Just let go, Mr Crouch, and I'll get him…"
"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tear. My wife and son will be arriving shortly, we are attending a concert tonight with Mr and Mrs Fudge."
"Fudge is married?" Ivy whispered, a little too loudly.
Crouch had gone back to talking to a tree, which seemed more fluently than when he was speaking in broken sentences. He seemed completely unaware that Hailey was there, which surprised Hailey.
"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O.W.L.s, most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minster of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response…"
"You stay here with him!" Hailey said to the two Hufflepuffs. "I'll get Dumbledore, I'll be quicker, I know where his office is—"
"B-but he's mad!" Ivy said, looking at Hailey.
Crouch was still talking to the tree, apparently convinced that it was Percy.
"Just stay with him," said Hailey, moving. The movement triggered a change in Mr Crouch, who seized her hard around the knees, pulling her down to the ground.
"Don't…leave…me!" Crouch whispered. His eyes were bulging again. "I…escaped…must warn…must tell…see Dumbledore…my fault…all my fault…Bertha…dead…all my fault…my son…my fault…tell Dumbledore…Hailey Potter…the Dark Lord…stronger…Hailey Potter…"
"I'll get Dumbledore if you let me go, Mr Crouch!" exclaimed Hailey. She looked at Ivy and Eva. "Help me, will you?"
The two looked apprehensive and moved forward, crouching down next to Crouch.
"Just keep him here," said Hailey, pulling herself free of Crouch. "I'll be back with Dumbledore."
"Please hurry," Ivy said as Hailey started sprinting away from the forest and up through the dark grounds. Cedric, Fleur, Krum, and Bagman were gone. Hailey ran up the stone steps, through the oak front doors, and off up the marble staircase, towards the second floor.
Five minutes later, she ran up toward a stone gargoyle standing halfway along an empty corridor. "Lem—lemon drop!" she said through pants.
The gargoyle didn't spring to life and jump aside. So the password from two years ago wasn't the same. The gargoyle seemed to glare at Hailey in a malevolent way.
"Move! C'mon!" Hailey shouted at it.
It didn't move. Nothing moved because she shouted at it. She looked up and down the dark corridor. Maybe he was in the staffroom. She ran as fast as she can to staircase—
"Potter!"
Hailey stopped and turned around. Snape emerged from the hidden staircase behind the stone gargoyle. The wall slid shut behind him as he beckoned Hailey back toward him. "What are you doing here, Potter?"
"I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" said Hailey as she ran back up the corridor and stopping in front of Snape. "It's Mr Crouch…he's just turned up…he's in the forest…he's asking—"
"What is this rubbish?" asked Snape. His eyes seemed to be glittering. "What are you talking about?"
"Mr Crouch!" Hailey shouted. "From the Ministry! He's ill or something—he's in the forest, he wants see Dumbledore! Just me the password up to—"
"The headmaster is busy, Potter," said Snape, beginning to smile unpleasantly.
"I've got to tell Dumbledore!" Hailey yelled.
"Didn't you hear me, Potter?" Snape replied.
Hailey could see that Snape was enjoying himself, by denying Hailey what she wanted when she was panicking.
"Look," said Hailey angrily. "Crouch isn't right—he's—he's out of his mind—he says he wants to warn—"
The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing green robes. He looked curious. "Is there a problem?" he looked between Hailey and Snape.
"Professor!" Hailey said, sidestepping Snape. "Mr Crouch is here—he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!" She said it quickly, before Snape can even speak.
Hailey expected Dumbledore to ask questions, but instead, Dumbledore said, "Lead the way." He swept off along the corridor behind Hailey. Hailey glanced back to see that Snape was standing next to the gargoyle looking uglier than the statute.
"What did Mr Crouch say, Hailey?" questioned Dumbledore as they walked swiftly down the marble staircase.
Hailey said, "said he wants to warn you…said he's done something terrible…he mentioned his son…and Bertha Jorkins…and—and Voldemort…something about Voldemort getting stronger…"
"Indeed," said Dumbledore. He quickened his pace as they hurried out into the dark grounds.
"He's not acting normally," Hailey said, hurrying along beside Dumbledore. "He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keeps talking like he thinks Percy Weasley's there, and then he changes, and says he needs to see you. I left him with Eva and Ivy."
"You did?" asked Dumbledore sharply. He began taking longer strides so that Hailey was running to keep up. "Do you know if anybody else saw Mr Crouch?"
"No," said Hailey. "Ivy, Eva, and I were talking, Mr Bagman had just finished telling me and the other champions about the third task. I ran into Eva and Ivy by the forest. We saw Mr Crouch coming out of the forest—"
"Where are they?" asked Dumbledore as the Beauxbatons carriage emerged.
"Over here," said Hailey moving in front of Dumbledore and leading the way through the trees. She couldn't hear Crouch's voice anymore, but she knew where she was going; it hadn't been much past the Beauxbatonss carriage…somewhere around here…
"Ivy? Eva?" Hailey shouted. She didn't get any reply. To Dumbledore, she said, "They were here. They were definitely somewhere around here…"
"Lumos," said Dumbledore, lighting his wand and holding it up.
The narrow beam illuminated the ground. It fell upon a strawberry blonde head.
The two hurried forward. Ivy was sprawled face-down on the forest floor. She seemed to be unconscious. Eva had been somewhere where Hailey had been standing. She was on her back, face frozen in a look of surprise. There was no sign of Crouch.
Dumbledore turned Ivy over, her face seemed panicked. Dumbledore bent over Ivy and gently lifted one of her eyelids. "Stunned," he said. He went to Eva and gently lifted one of her eyelids as well. "Stunned, too."
"Should I go and get someone?" said Haily, "Madam Pomfrey?"
"No," said Dumbledore swiftly, "Stay here." He raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Something silvery darted out of the wand and streaked away from the trees, like it was a ghostly bird. Dumbledore bent over Ivy and pointed his at her. He muttered, "Rennervate."
Ivy opened her eyes, and looked dazed. When she saw Dumbledore, she tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put his hand on her shoulder and made her lie back down.
"He attacked us!" Ivy exclaimed. "That old man attacked us! Eva had turned around to see what was taking Hailey so long, and turned around. He attacked her and then I was running to get Hagrid, but then I'm falling forward onto my face."
"Lie still for a moment," Dumbledore said and went to revive Eva, who said that Crouch attacked her as well, she turned to him.
Thunderous footsteps reached them and Hagrid came panting into sight with Fang at his heels. He was carrying his crossbow. "Professor Dumbledore!" His eyes widened, "Hailey—what the—?"
"Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Moody," said Dumbledore.
"No need, Dumbledore," said a wheezy growl. "I'm here." Moody was limping toward them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit. "Damn leg," he sounded furious. "Would've been here quicker…what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch—"
"Crouch?" said Hagrid blankly.
Hailey was confused. Why was Snape talking about Crouch to Moody? Snape didn't believe her when she told him about Crouch being in the forest. So, why was Snape telling Moody about it? Was Snape saying something about how Hailey had gone of the rails and started saying something about Crouch?
"I don't know where Barty Crouch is, but it essential that we find him," Dumbledore told Moody.
"I'm onto it," growled Moody and limped off into the forest.
Dumbledore turned to Hagrid, "Kindly escort Hailey back up to the castle, Hagrid."
Hagrid gave Dumbledore a glowering look, "Maybe I'd better stay here, Headmaster…"
"You will take Hailey back to school, Hagrid," Dumbledore repeated firmly. "Take her right up to Ravenclaw Tower. And Hailey—I want you to stay there. Anything you might want to do—any owls you might want to send—they can't until morning, do you understand me?"
"Er—yes," said Hailey, staring at him. How had Dumbledore known that, at that very moment, she had been thinking about sending Pig straight to Sirius, to tell him what had happened? "What about Michael? Wouldn't he like to know about what happened to Eva?"
"He'll find out in the morning," Dumbledore said.
"I'll leave Fang with yeh, Headmaster," Hagrid said. "Stay, Fang. C'mon, Hailey."
They marched off to the castle in silence and past the Beauxbatons carriage. They headed up the stone steps when Hagrid finally spoke, "what were yeh three doin' by the forest?"
"Ivy and Eva said something about berries that are good for potions," Hailey said. "I followed them to the forest and was trying to talk them out of going, but Crouch interrupted me."
"So, that's where those berries are going," Hagrid said, sounding thoughtful. "I noticed that they have been disappearing. No creature would go near them because they emit a really awful smell that drives them away. I haven't seen any on the ground and the lack of rotting ones too…"
"What exactly are they doing to make them get so much money?" Hailey wondered.
Hagrid had left Hailey at the Ravenclaw spiral staircase. She climbed up the staircase and made it to the door. She knocked on the knocker and answered the riddle. She went in and headed straight for Michael and Mandy who were sitting in a corner. She told them what happened and tried to calm Michael down when he started worrying about Eva. She had to tell him that she was okay and was with Professor Dumbledore, who was still outside. Michael had gone to a window that overlooked the forest and looked out.
Mandy and Hailey had gone to look. It looked like Dumbledore, Ivy, and Eva was still talking. Eva looked tearful.
"Poor Eva," Mandy said. "Her second year is just not her year. First attacked by Death Eaters and now attacked by an old, mad man."
"What exactly is she doing out there anyway?" Michael asked.
Hailey wearily told him about what Eva and Ivy were doing.
"What are they doing where they need to get berries like that?" Mandy wondered.
"Something about potions," Hailey said.