Malfoy had until now been practically non-existent for Harry in their fourth year at Hogwarts. He hadn't even appeared in their compartment on the train for his usual greeting. Thus, it was kind of a surprise when he started to pick on Ron and Ginny's dad, who was mentioned in Skeeter's latest scandalous article about him putting the Ministry into an awkward situation by following Moody's false alarm on the break-in. Harry was caught by surprise when Crouch appeared and transfigured Malfoy into a ferret and questioning Harry whether he was hit. The sight of Malfoy being juggled in ferret was not something he would forget anytime soon.
"I don't like people attacking others when their back is turned!" 'Moody' growled as he let Malfoy float up and down in the air.
Harry raised a brow. There was no doubt Crouch was doing a very good impression, but Harry wasn't sure whether the real Mad-Eye Moody would transfigure a student just for bullying.
"Professor Moody!" Professor McGonagall's shrill voice echoed in the Entrance Hall. Harry turned to see her on top of the marble staircase. "What – what are you doing?" she demanded, her eyes following the ferret up and down.
"Teaching," Moody said calmly.
"Teach – is that a student?"
"Yep," Moody said unconcernedly.
McGonagall whipped out her wand as she ran down the staircase towards them. She waved it at the ferret, which turned back into Malfoy with a loud snapping noise. He landed sprawling on the floor, his usually well-groomed hair falling wildly around his face, and his cheeks pink with humiliation.
"Professor Moody, we never use transfiguration as punishment!" Professor McGonagall said sternly, "hasn't Dumbledore told you?"
"He might've mentioned it," Moody said, scratching his cheek calmly, "but I thought a sharp shock – "
"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House," she informed him.
"I'll do that, then," he said and watched her walk away.
Malfoy was still sitting on the floor muttering darkly about something involving his father.
"Oh yeah?" Moody said quietly, limping over to Malfoy, "I know your father of old boy… You tell him that Moody's keeping an eye on his son… you tell him that from me… your house's Snape's house, isn't it?"
Malfoy nodded mutely.
"Another old friend I'd be delighted to share a word with!" Moody said and stomped away, the clunks of his wooden leg echoing in the hallways as he disappeared. The crowd around then dispersed, and even Crabbe and Goyle didn't stay around for very long when Harry approached Malfoy with confident steps. Malfoy's grey eyes snapped up at Harry's face, which displayed every ounce of anger that Harry possessed for him. His cheeks lost the little colour that he had achieved in his embarrassment, and he backed away quickly, scooting across the floor. Harry followed.
"You don't get the point, do you, Malfoy? Both you and your father were trembling with fear at the World Cup. What's now? Suddenly think you're so brave? You listen, and you listen well, because I will tell you only once. Bullying my friends, my family or my friends' families is not going to win you in with me, Malfoy, in case you're so dim-witted that you haven't realized it yet," Harry said softly, watching as Malfoy eyed the small flashes of coloured magic that appeared around them, and then looked back at Harry with surprise.
"H-How do you – "
"I know, Malfoy. I know of you and your father's scheme. Not so great a man after all, is he? Running away from his old master with his tail between his legs? Then again, Slytherins aren't known for courage," Harry said slyly, observing with a smile how Malfoy's cheeks once again flushed. "What you are know for, though, is narrowmindedness and arrogance. Tell your father that I will not let any filthy pureblood racists on my side!"
Then he turned around and strode up the marble staircase for lunch, leaving behind Malfoy shaking in fear by the wall.
The first class with Moody was tense for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville, now that they knew who Moody really was. It became difficult for them to play ignorant, but it didn't seem as though Crouch noticed. They were lectured in the Unforgivable Curses, and Crouch began the class by demonstrating them all on spiders, to Ron's horror. Neville looked both pale and sick when Moody demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse. Harry knew why. Neville had told them about his parents fate after the World Cup and their confrontation of Mr. Crouch, and Harry knew that Crouch enjoyed doing it; the glee of seeing the son of those he once tormented into insanity hurting, at least indirectly, by the same spell. Harry's blow to the stomach came by watching Crouch using the Killing Curse.
And afterwards an apprehensive Neville was pulled back to Moody's office. He later told Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron about the book he'd gotten. Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean.
"Why would he give you that?" Hermione asked confusedly, leaning over to peer at the book.
"He said it was because he'd heard from Professor Sprout about my… err… aptitude in Herbology," Neville said hesitantly, "although I rather think this is not it. Harry, you told us about the second task, didn't you? In the Great Lake for an hour?"
Harry nodded, wondering where this was going at.
"Well, you've got to be able to hold your breath or something for an hour, don't you?"
"Gillyweed!" Ginny exclaimed suddenly, pointing at the book.
"Yes, that's what I thought too," Neville said, smiling.
"For those of us not so knowledgeable…" Ron urged, looking hopefully from Ginny to Neville to Hermione.
"Gillyweed is a magical Mediterranean seaweed that allows you to breathe under water for about an hour, though there's a slight debate on that," Neville said. "Harry and Ginny already has this book. I've read it twice. It's really one of the better ones when coming to magical aquatic plants," he explained to Hermione's questioning look.
"Oh. I haven't gotten to the Herbology section yet," Hermione admitted.
"Only because you insist on reading every book twice," Ron muttered under his breath.
She shot him a glare, which he ignored completely.
The next Tuesday Harry was met by a very enthusiastic Hermione when he reached the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, waving the Daily Prophet excitedly, "It worked! The safe areas are open!"
"Huh?" Harry sat down and looked at her confusedly.
She shoved the paper into his face, so he had to push it away to be able to see. A large picture of some enormous gates covered the front page. Inside were hooded people, talking and apparently waiting for something.
WEREWOLF SAFE AREAS OPEN
Harry immediately took the paper out of her hands and begun reading.
For the last few weeks the Ministry of Magic has been working on a project pushed through following the acceptance of the Werewolf Safety Act with the Wizengamot a month ago. For a long time the Ministry has been under pressure from the public to do something about the increasing numbers of Werewolf attacks. Finally, to the credit of two young bright minds whose names have been requested to remain anonymous, a safe haven for Werewolves was opened last night, in time for yesterday's full moon.
Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures Atticus Moore has been in charge of the project.
"It is supposed to be a place for werewolves to be safely confined during the full moon. The project does not only serve as a safety for the public. As any other victims of an illness, be it spattergroit or dragon pox, the suffering do not want to infect others as well. Within the wards and fences werewolves can safely transform, reassured that they will not unwittingly harm an innocent human being," he says and further explains that the wards are keyed into people with the illness lycanthropy. They will in addition be blocked totally from the moment the full moon rises until it disappears. Mr. Moore thus encourage all werewolves to get inside the wards before the full moon, because anyone that are not confined within a safe place during full moon, be it the official safe area, or a private space that are sufficiently warded, are breaking the Werewolf Safety Act, and may face a trial. Unless they have a very good explanation for their being outside of wards during full moon, they can be sentenced to a three years long stay in Azkaban.
Upon questioning, Mr. Moore says that last night's number of visitors of the safety area weren't very big, but that it was to be expected.
"Naturally, with all the prejudice around, there is no question that the werewolves are hesitant to show up. We hope that as words spread of last night's success, more will take advantage of the safe areas," he says.
To make things clear, the journalist points out that the safety area is located at an old mansion's forest and grounds, a couple of miles east of Pencarreg, Wales. For those still hesitant, we would like to notify our readers that the visibility into the area is blocked, and no-one can be ousted as werewolf to the public, as the area is banned for the general public, for the matter of privacy and for safety.
"I think it's really great," says an anonymous werewolf that the Daily Prophet spoke to this morning, "I'm definitely going to spread the information."
All the others that we have spoken to agree with our werewolf. One even states that "There should be at least one of these in every country with werewolves", while another claim that "It's the best thing that the Ministry has done in a long time."
This may be the start of a less prejudiced and brighter future for all of us.
Corresponding journalist Robert Alcock.
"Awesome!" Harry said, feeling elated. "I wonder if Remus went."
"He'd be a little hesitant, wouldn't he?" Hermione said as she emptied her glass of pumpkin juice.
Harry scribbled a letter to Remus and tucked it in his bag to send with Hedwig after classes. Ginny leaned over and gave him a kiss before she ran off to get to Arithmancy in time, which had the four others hurrying out of the Great Hall for their Defence Against the Dark Arts class.
Crouch had barely checked off absent students before he called Harry up his desk. Feeling apprehensive, Harry slipped inside Crouch's mind to find out what he was up to. What he discovered put him even more on edge, and he drew his wand.
"Today I have been given special permission by Dumbledore to practice the Imperius Curse on you students, so you can experience how it feels and learn to counteract it. Now, Potter, according to Lupin you did well in this subject, so you will be first," Crouch said gruffly and raised his wand. "Impe – "
Harry reacted instinctively, blasting Crouch backwards so he hit the blackboard with a solid thud. "No! I won't have it!" he shouted, his hand shaking a little as he held it aimed against Crouch, who groaned as he pushed himself up from the floor.
"Well done, lad! CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked and raised his wand again. "Again; Imperio!"
Once more, Harry was on the move before Crouch was done with the spell, throwing a rather nasty hex back, which was blocked, although the shield broke. Crouch returned with a conjunctivitis curse, which Harry blocked with a mirror shield which sent it straight back at Crouch, who blocked it.
"Oho! A duel, Potter?" Crouch challenged, grinning menacingly.
"Get the hell away from me!" Harry snapped angrily and retreated back towards his desk. However, Crouch didn't listen. He fired a bone-breaking hex towards Harry, causing the students near him to dive and dodge as it missed Harry by an inch and hit the chair that Neville had sat on less than a second ago. It filled Harry with anger. Putting his friends in danger was crossing the line.
In a flash, the room was filled with shifting air and uncontrolled magic roaming around, causing havoc. Harry managed to put up a large bluish transparent shield in front of the students, protecting them against any stray spells and then focussed all his attention at Crouch.
He fired stunners, Full Body Bind Curses, Freezing Charms and Severing Charms in quick succession, more or less trapping Crouch, who got desperate. His face turned redder and redder, and sweat started to break on his forehead within no time.
The other students peered nervously out from behind desks and chairs, and sat back up on their chairs when they realized that Harry's wards kept the stray spells out. After a minute there was a click as the door to the classroom opened. Crouch reacted to the sound by sending a spell towards Ginny, who entered. She had been in Transfiguration when she'd sensed his rage and magic going out of control. Professor McGonagall had fortunately heard her whisper "Harry" and let her run without a word. The spell hit the shield and was absorbed harmlessly. Crouch was visibly becoming more desperate, being visibly strained under the attacks of a fourth year who wasn't even doing his best. And then of course Crouch's anger at the kid who vanished his master once. Harry felt the man's horrible thirst for revenge. So he resorted to the Unforgivables.
Knowing that Ginny was in the room as well, Harry barricaded her with an extra layer of shields. If she was hurt because of him, he wouldn't be able to live with himself, and she knew it, so she accepted it. It didn't mean that she approved, only that she too wanted it, if not to avoid being hurt herself, but to avoid seeing Harry in psychic pain.
Harry heard Hermione shriek when the first Cruciatus Curse was fired from Crouch. It was widely known that there were no magical defences to the Unforgivables. But Harry being Harry, always did what should be impossible. Guided by his instincts, he erected a totally transparent shield that flashed mustard yellow at the impact of the spell before fading to the invisible barrier again.
Crouch tried again. The shield changed again, to the mirror shield that Harry had used before. The Cruciatus Curse made an invisible hit – and bounced straight back at Crouch, who collapsed on the floor, screaming in pain.
"Are you done?" Harry shouted furiously, his wand still raised, watching Crouch intently as he waited for the next move.
The curse lifted within seconds, and Crouch pushed himself up on his arms and peered at Harry, his normal beady eye filled with fury. His magical eye swirled until it found Ginny.
It happened in a flash; the beam of green light left Moody's wand and hurdled through the air towards Ginny. Students shouted and screamed. It impacted on Harry's shield with a loud bang and was blocked. It didn't even come near Ginny, who was located at the other end of the room.
Harry felt all his control shatter like glass. His magic unleashed to grab hold of everything nearby, but he barely noticed. His mind filled with a fog-like fury, his hands were shaking, and he couldn't think more than one thought; get rid of Crouch. He stepped forward and grabbed his robes. Later on Harry might've realized that magic had helped him a little when he lifted the Moody-imposter off the floor and flung him into the wall with a shout of outrage.
"Leave my wife alone, you good-for-nothing coward!" he roared. He was about to follow to beat Crouch up, but then a pair of small, familiar arms wrapped around his waist.
"Harry," Ginny's voice penetrated his cloudy mind, and his struggling stilled somewhat.
Her petite hands moved up to grasp his cheeks. "Harry, he didn't get to me. I'm unharmed, and so is everyone else. He isn't worth it, love. Come." She gently pulled him out of the classroom and smiled as she felt him calm down.
With Crouch out of eyesight, Ginny managed to calm him completely, and he was rewarded with a hug.
"I'm still furious at him, though, for trying to kill you."
"You should be," she agreed.
He bent down a little and kissed her, feeling her body arch against him as she stretched to reach him, who had grown quite a lot at his last growth spurt and towered over Ginny.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Transfiguration?" Harry asked.
"Well, I felt you losing control, so I ran to help you. And good thing I did, or you'd have killed the man we depend on to kill Tom," she replied lowly, pressing her lips against his once again.
Harry let himself get lost in her scent, getting slightly dizzy.
Harry…Ginny's voice penetrated the fog in his mind.
He managed to pull slighly away only to see the door to the classroom open and Terry Boot, Lisa Turpin and Anthony Goldstein staring at them. Apparently, the class had been dismissed, because once given a glare from Ginny they moved on down the corridor. Hermione, Ron and Neville soon emerged, throwing looks over their shoulders at Crouch, who Harry spotted through the open door, hobbling painfully over to his chair.
"Did you have to react so violently, Harry?" Hermione asked as she shut the door.
"By no chance in the world am I letting him put an Imperius Curse on me!" Harry snarled.
"What are we going to do now, though?" Ron asked.
"Moody only thinks Harry misunderstood the order of fighting the curse," Ginny said, "and it was Moody himself who initiated the duel. Harry only beat him up because he tried to kill me."
"I should have killed him too," Harry grumbled, "one time is one too much; once this is done, he is going to be dead."
"Well, at least you got him wary of you," Ginny pointed out. "I've got to go back to Transfiguration."
"Alright. I'll be on the Quidditch Pitch. And if Professor McGonagall asks, just tell her about Crouch, alright?"
Ginny nodded and gave Harry a kiss before running off.
What families do ∙ What families do ∙ What families do
The weeks passed until October. Hermione had taken Winky's case to the heart and started an organization to promote welfare for house-elves, and Harry and Ginny had decided to learn French in addition when they learned that one of the participating schools were French now that Quidditch practice didn't take as much of his free time as it did the last three years. Not that he didn't play at all; the remaining team still practiced a little, but Harry practiced even more with Ginny, Ron and Neville. Since they usually had only one keeper, the opposite goalposts were mostly open, and often not used.
One afternoon after classes they were in the middle of the game when Harry, who was mid dive at the moment, spotted Angelina, Alicia and Katie with Fred and George swaggering in tow.
"Nice dive, Potter!" Fred yelled as Harry pulled up, his feet skimming the grass before he spiralled away.
"Get on your brooms!" Ginny yelled, "we need some challenge!"
"Oi!" Ron shouted, "what am I? Malfoy?"
"Well, you don't exactly try to take the Quaffle mid-pitch!" Ginny called back.
Having Angelina, Alicia and Katie as opponents regularly, forced Ginny and Neville to their outmost. But them having trained together all summer worked miracles; Alicia, Angelina and Katie won their one-hour match, but only by fifty points, despite being one more player. Harry caught the Snitch, but with the deal being one hour of playing, he released it three times.
"That's just a school Snitch!" Angelina said when he told the others, "I'd bet you anything you'd use far more time catching an international standard Snitch, like the one at the World Cup."
"Well, I don't have one of those to practice with, so I wouldn't know, would I?" Harry said.
Mock matches with Alicia, Katie and Angelina happened every once in a while, but mostly, Harry, Ron and Ginny, and occasionally Neville, played for themselves. Ginny practicing with enchanted hurdles, and trying to get past Ron, and Harry doing more and more daring stunts on his Firebolt in attempt to catch the Snitch against an illusional competitor.
On an early day of October Harry and Ginny decided to tell Snape about the threat that "Moody" was. So it was in the evening, after dinner, that Harry knocked on the door to his office.
"Yes?" sounded an annoyed voice from inside.
Harry pushed the door open. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor, but we would like to inform you of something," Harry said.
Snape's brows shot up in interest. "Is that so? Come in, then, and close the door."
Harry and Ginny did as they were told, and added an Impertubable Charm in addition, for safe measure before they told him the whole story of how they had discovered that Moody was Crouch jr.
Snape was baffled. At first he held an uncharacteristically passionate monologue about how Dumbledore could've been fooled. Then he went on talking about what he wanted to do to Crouch himself, and stopped only when Ginny told him of the necessity to keep him alive and go through with his plan.
"It's the easiest way to get to Tom and his snake as we see it now. Attacking the Riddle house is foolhardy – not that this isn't, but it's our only option," she said.
"Of course." Snape nodded in agreement.
"And we were to ask from Remus how your Mark is right now?" Harry asked.
Snape answered by pulling back the sleeve to his left arm. "It is clearer now," he said, staring at a red version of the Dark Mark that looked as though it had been tattooed and faded over many years.
Harry and Ginny leaned over to see. "How will it look like when he's finally back?"
"Black. Jet black like ink."
Harry studied the Mark for a while. "I… I think I can remove it. If I manipulate my magic just right," he muttered.
Snape's jaw dropped, and he stared at Harry with eyes that showed the white all the way around the iris. "You – you cannot mean that! It is not possible!"
"There are no spells created to counteract it, sir," Harry began, "but it doesn't mean it's not possible to remove it."
The office was dead silent for another long time, except for the Pygmy Waterfuds, which blew bubbles in the water in their small tank every once in a while. Snape watched Harry contemplatingly, as if considering whether he was telling the truth or not.
"Then you must do so. Once the Dark Lord is dead," he said at last. "Your plan might be working, but it also might not. If it is not, I will become a spy."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, sir," Harry said.
"So, I should just act as normal, do you think?" Snape looked from Harry to Ginny and back.
"Yes, we think that's best. If Crouch gets suspicious, it might mess up everything. I nearly did today. Crouch was going to make us resist the Imperius Curse, and I refused to, and defended myself. He twisted it into a duel, and I really didn't want to reveal too much of what I know, but he got desperate, and fired a Killing Curse at Ginny. So… I lost it completely. Would probably have killed him if Ginny hadn't intervened. Luckily, he mistook my reaction to the Curse as my misunderstanding of 'fighting the Curse'."
"I suggest you watch him for a while and see if he really just misunderstood, or if he's getting suspicious. At least now I know why he looked so beat up when he came to the staffroom a few weeks ago. He refused to say how he got hurt," Snape said.
Small talk with Severus Snape was as good as useless, so Harry and Ginny left soon after.