Chapter 29: THE MADNESS OF MR. CROUCH
Actually hitting single digits of how many chapters are left, we're getting close guys!
To xiaoweisan: Something I plan on bringing up in the fifth book
Sirius still didn't really look like himself as he collapsed back into his seat, there wasn't enough energy around him like there should have been. It was clear to all, that the more that was shown of this after Azkaban Sirius, their Sirius would continue trying his very hardest to act in as exact opposite as possible in his efforts to prove it wasn't going to get to him. In fact, just to put himself in even a slightly better mood and keep as much attention off of him as he could for a time, he exclaimed "I think we should give Lily a Marauder's nickname!"
"Why?" Remus chuckled, not knocking the idea, but laughing that this came out of the blue.
"I like it," James said at once, taking no time to warm to the idea. "She's been unofficial since her and I got engaged, this would make it official."
"And what would you suggest?" Lily wrinkled her nose at the boy's, feeling beyond flattered that they were doing this, but never missing a chance to tease them. "Mrs. Prong's? I think not."
"No, no, it's got to be better than that," James sighed, running his hand through his hair in thought. "What about Willow?"
"Isn't that a tree, why would you go with that?" Sirius snorted in surprise.
Quickly moving past, he kept shooting off, "What about Petal, she is my Lily flower."
"What about Doe." Harry offered with a faint smile, trying to restrain how immeasurably happy it made him to witness this. When he received a few blank looks, he shrugged and said, "What, it's a female deer, and you guys all got named for your animals, shouldn't she be the same?"
"Yeah, but that's not very subtle, "Sirius said, his head cocked to the side in thought.
James snorted, "like Padfoot is? Or Prongs? Remus' is practically smack you in the face obvious."
"Well If I get one then so does Harry." Lily quickly shot off.
"What, no," he automatically tried to protest, going beat red in the face, but James waved him off at once saying, "but of course, I would have said something sooner, but I can't come up with a good one for him either."
"You really don't like Bambi?" Remus wheedled, a smirk still threatening to show.
"What's that got to do with a deer?" Sirius demanded.
Several other things got circulated, and Sirius sat back in satisfaction his plan had obviously worked, now trying to hide his own amusement at Lily correcting.
"-we are not calling him PJ, or MJ for that matter, come up with something more original."
"If you like referring to a baby deer so much, let's call you Fawn," Remus shot at her.
"That's as ridiculous as you trying to call James Comet, or Prancer. What's with all the deer themes?" Sirius insisted. "What about Wildfire, or Brighteyes. Both compliment her physically, and you know those would translate into her animagus."
"I like Roan, as my actual guess for the deer she'd turn into would be a red deer," James offered. "And what about Fleetfoot for Harry? Deer's run on their toes, it fits." *
Sirius was clearly fixing to return with something else, but then Lily finally cut across and insisted, "I was going to serve lunch after this next chapter, if you actually want to eat why don't you get along to the book mister."
Sirius pouted at her for ruining his fun, but the hold of food over his head finally won out and he forcefully started his chapter with only a bit of unease still lingering in him.
"You'd think she'd enjoy the time off," James rolled his eyes.
Lily was beaming with pleasure, so proud of her boy for turning around and giving Dobby back something for all the help he'd given.
"Nah, he deserved them," Remus smiled, "otherwise it really did seem like you weren't going to be doing that task."
Harry didn't disagree, but still he asked, "How do you think Dobby even knew to grab that for me?"
"He mentioned he heard the teachers talking about it," Lily reminded, "so he probably got the idea from them and filched it from Snape. Does not seem out of character for him to do anything to help you."
Harry agreed, but still couldn't quite erase that nagging feeling he had that he was missing something from this exchange.
"Maybe literally," Sirius muttered to himself, none of them still wanting to think what would have happened to Harry if he hadn't completed that stupid task.
"And why should that stop him?" James demanded of no one. "Are you telling me she doesn't eat dessert after every meal?"
"Yes," everyone but Sirius instantly agreed, while he honestly looked disappointed at Harry.
"A little conspicuous don't you think? Food isn't usually sent to the mountains."
"Shut it and say thank you," Remus snapped instantly, squirming in unease that Sirius was starting to act as paranoid as he was in the future.
"Even Hermione can't argue with the good of that," Lily smiled.
"Eesh," James muttered in disgust. House-elves were normally very clean creatures, it was in their nature, and the thought of one falling this far really boggled his mind.
"Is she actually getting drunk off of it?" Harry asked in surprise, thinking there must be something really odd for house-elves to be having reactions to a nonalcoholic drink.
"I honestly have no clue," Sirius raised a brow in surprise, "I've never known one to drink it. They usually just eat whatever they're masters say they can, and I've never known one to allow them to have a butterbeer."
Lily gave a pitiful sigh for the poor thing, also wondering on if Dumbledore knew how bad she was? She liked to think he wouldn't really leave her down in the kitchens to mope all day like that, but then again, what else would he be expected to do with her? He'd hardly kick her back to the streets.
"I can't see how she would," Remus said in surprise, the former house-elf of the guy had never even crossed their mind. "Crouch only started acting like this loony self after he sacked her."
"I'm sure Hermione would just love to point out how much he deserves this just for that," Sirius smirked.
Further talk of Crouch was not making anyone better, and though it wasn't the elf's fault at all, they were all desperately hoping Harry would drop this very soon so they could move away from this.
"Well sure, but magic just can't do everything," James sighed, his mind flickering back sadly to his mum always giving him chores on his holiday. Now that she was gone, he was surprised how much he missed the menial tasks, and her lectures that elbow grease was as good as any spell he would try using.
Sirius rolled his eyes in derision at the idea of, "who confides anything in a house-elf? I can't imagine Crouch using her like a diary. Sure he'd talk openly with her around since she couldn't go spreading whatever he told her not to, but I think she's exaggerating her own worth now."
Lily gave him a hateful look for that, he still somehow managed to sound far to condescending of the house-elf kind.
Harry was on his mum's side, there was something very ironic in Sirius thinking house-elves shouldn't be bothered with secrets and tasks...
"Well this is certainly interesting," Remus couldn't stop a curious smile lighting him. "House-elf versus house-elf, against two people who aren't even technically their masters."
"I'm sure you'd just love to do a whole study over this," James snorted.
"I'll admit, this is fairly unique," Sirius agreed.
Despite his own blushing at the praise, even Harry couldn't stop a light laugh along with the others at that last trait he'd own up to.
Sirius was going cross eyed with annoyance at having to read so many hic's. Couldn't someone shout boo at her already and scare that off, Winky was certainly tipsy enough she'd fall for it.
"Or that," Sirius said aloud with a happy little laugh, refusing to explain himself to the others just to annoy them.
"I'm sure that's their favorite part of the day," James shook his head, "when they can put her in her place."
"You two are depressing me," Lily scolded them both, still trying to find the sweetness in the gesture they were putting a blanket over her even when they didn't like her.
"Hermione's the only one who's trying to," Remus had an odd look in place, "which is ironic, considering she's trying to force them all to act that way and not acknowledge they all have rather unique personalities."
"Honestly hoping you two have a discussion about this someday," Sirius told him honestly, if only for the fact that would mean Remus was back in the picture at all.
"Well that was just depressing," Lily sighed, having finally admitted that though house-elves seemed to live for their work by their very nature, couldn't they at least have a side hobby or something. They shouldn't have to live for their work twenty-four seven, and should be allowed to grieve or other instances when the time came. Then she honestly wondered if, like Dobby's unique reaction in being happy of his freedom, was Winky even having these emotions at all just as circumstantial? Had studies ever even been done to show the emotional range of these creatures? She'd never heard of one, and now added it to her list of growing projects.
Sirius sighed and rolled his eyes, wishing he'd taken the time in that cave to talk about house-elves with Hermione rather than Crouch.
"I don't blame him," James was surprised at himself how upset he felt on Dobby's behalf, the poor guy was already an outsider by his kind, Hermione was only making it worse just then.
"From their perspective, she is," Remus agreed.
Despite the paranoia ringing in the back of Sirius' mind, he wasn't going to deny how warmed he was at Harry considering him like that, ham always sounded better than rat.
"Wow, George's prediction came true, Hermione did start a riot in the kitchens," James raised a brow.
"Just in the opposite way of how she meant to," Remus shook his head.
"Credit, we've never been thrown out before, so you did something else we never have," Sirius couldn't stop a bit of laughter.
"And why would that stop you coming back?" Sirius asked. "You can still pop in and visit, they'd just be a little more bitter about being polite. It's still in their nature to serve you though."
"I don't see that happening though," Remus disagreed.
"Yes, and?" James asked, wondering what other reason there was.
"Here I thought you said you were used to it," Lily sighed.
"Doesn't mean I always enjoy hearing it," Harry shrugged.
Sirius still couldn't stop a grimace, the more owls the more obvious the delivery and only proving his point further.
"Wouldn't be that surprised," Lily smiled happily, thinking she'd have loved nothing more than to listen to Harry simply watching the going on's of the grounds for hours from his perspective, it would have been far more enjoyable than half the death defying stunts he was usually in otherwise.
They all got a haughty look about them for that at once, none of them wanting to hear from her after the way she treated Hagrid, and honestly half convinced it was still her fault he'd ended up in the papers like that.
"I'm loving all the colorful things he could have said to her," Sirius gave a not so happy smile.
Lily liked to think Hagrid would have been a bit more of a gentleman and just kindly told Maxime to move along, but honestly she wouldn't put it past him to say something worse either, she sort of deserved it.
"I could have told you that," James chuckled happily.
Sirius groaned and rubbed at his stomach, food had been mentioned far too often already for his stomach's liking.
Lily sighed, she knew that was coming, and decided she really would start thinking about lunch after this chapter.
"Honestly I'm stunned it's taken her this long to do so," Remus agreed, "I'd half expected her to do it back in first year when she first found out about them."
"And there's that," Sirius nodded along, thinking it was poor form on Harry's part to always have to wait on his enemies to find out these important things going on.
"Err?" Lily said in surprise.
"Did Hermione subscribe to a few other papers as well," Sirius tried to say before trailing off in confusion.
"That's not an encouraging start," James winced.
"Ouch," all five of them winced for poor Hermione.
"I can't believe this," Lily snapped, "people are actually sending her hate mail? Because they think they have the whole story when they've never even met her."
"Welcome to the media," Remus reminded bitterly, "where people will instantly believe the worst."
"What the bloody-" James began in outrage, thinking if someone had actually sent Hermione a cursed letter for this mess Skeeter had started than someone was really going to have a problem from him.
"Oh that poor thing," Lily crooned, already having to fight down the urge to shield Hermione and rush her off for help, she could only imagine how painful that was.
"I'm going to hex someone's brains out," Sirius growled at anyone doing that to a kid. Hermione hadn't always been the top of his favorite people, but even he'd never disliked her this much, and all over a stupid article!
Harry was starting to go red with rage that someone had caused that kind of pain in his friend, when she hadn't done anything to deserve it, and this was all Skeeter's fault!
"Is now really the time for I told you so's?" Remus demanded.
"He's paying back Hermione for all the times she's done it to them," Sirius sighed.
"Or just not open any mail any time soon," Lily agreed through gritted teeth.
"I for once actually wish Hogwarts would screen these kids mail or something," James shook his head with depression. "Even Death Eaters never sent cursed mail to students."
"I don't believe Pansy's ever had the pleasure of knowing what bubotuber pus can do to you," Remus began pleasantly enough.
"There's an egregious lapse on her part," James agreed with a heavy smile, "I do hope someone passes along the message to a set of twins. She really needs to be set right."
Sirius thought that was being too kind, he wished he could be the one to set the lot of those Slytherin's right, but it was a good starting point.
"Err oh," Sirius hummed, fear that the skrewts had somehow created another clutch of eggs. They'd all really been hoping Hagrid had learned his lesson before.
"Nifflers," Remus beamed at the admittedly adorable mole like creatures of havoc. "I've always loved the root word of them, niff, which means to pilfer. They were originally bred by Goblins to help them in their search for-"
Lily reached over and placed her hand over his mouth with an obvious look, while he pouted and jerked away.
Sirius wasn't even bothering to hide his laughter, they'd all told Remus more than once not to go spouting off those kinds of facts until after Hagrid had explained whatever so that they wouldn't have to hear repeat information.
All five of them laughed at that, it was small payback but dearly loved.
"Never let anyone say Hagrid doesn't do interesting lessons," Sirius vowed, his eyes shining with light at this. "All Kettleburn did was a demonstration for us, had a gold coin being moved around while the creature followed it."
Lily giggled childishly, at the image.
James couldn't resist making the crack, "good luck of it finding anything in there."
"Gee thanks," Harry laughed.
"No we're not getting one Lily," James said at once when she looked to asking. "Ask him why not," gesturing at Remus to continue.
He crossed his arms and gave them all a look that plainly said, 'oh, now you want me to talk?'
"Well, just take my word for it then," James concluded.
"Guess I'm just happy she didn't witness it," Lily sighed, "it would only make things worse."
"Good for him," Sirius beamed, thinking as small as it was, it was good for him to have even this small little win.
James was all the more pleased Ron had now asked, since Moony was giving them all the silent treatment.
"He could have gone into a lot more detail," Sirius said, giving Remus an obvious look, "but picture that thing going into every corner of your house collecting anything it wanted and tucking it away. You can't really train them either."
Lily deflated on the idea, even if she did still want to see one in person eventually.
"Why am I not surprised?" James rolled his eyes in disgust.
"I'm actually not surprised by that," Sirius agreed, it didn't seem like Hagrid to be playing around with real money.
"Best prize he could get," Sirius smacked his lips in appreciation.
"Serves her right," Lily huffed, she hoped Maxime regretted this forever.
"What is wrong with people?" Lily flushed anew with hatred. "He didn't ask for his parentage, Hermione never got to tell her side, but these people can just send those terrible, possibly dangerous things. What if Hermione hadn't been able to go to the hospital wing?"
"I wonder if that pus would even have any effect on Hagrid's skin," James scratched absently at his face in thought, then flinched away from his wife who was sending him a very obvious 'that wasn't my point'!
"Oh that's right Harry, just rub it in," Sirius rolled his eyes.
"No such thing," James shook his head at once.
"Why would Harry tell Ron about the leprechaun gold?" Lily asked in surprise.
"Harry didn't even know," James suddenly recalled telling him this back at the Cup.
"Was Ron planning on stealing some?" Sirius asked redundantly.
"Uh oh," the five of them muttered, even Remus involuntarily as they all realized this was coming pretty late after the fact, but it still might upset Ron.
Harry opened, then quickly closed his mouth sheepishly. Truth be told, the thought never had crossed his mind again, as he'd just defended he'd been far more concerned about his wand, and then after the whole event seemed spoiled.
"Ron's just being too sensitive," Remus sighed, breaking his silence, he was getting bored anyways. "I doubt he would have noticed either if it had been his wand."
"It speaks," Lily grinned.
"Apparently about anything other than Magical Creatures," he rolled his eyes at the lot of them.
"Oh come on, don't tell me Ron's really going to linger on this," Sirius pouted.
"It really was just an unfortunate happenstance," James winced in agreement.
"How do you even respond to that," Lily muttered to herself, keeping her voice low enough Remus wouldn't hear as he'd clearly realized he'd chosen a poor moment to speak up again, he knew better than anyone this wasn't a feeling you ever really just got over.
"Would not make his situation any better," Remus sighed, "not all the shiny things they find are worth money."
"There's the bright side," James tried for a winning smile.
"She should have just had soup that night," Sirius winced.
"I don't think curling her fingers around a spoon would be any better," Lily sighed.
"Can not wait to hear that," they all agreed enthusiastically, Harry more than anyone with utter conviction it would happen.
"Still infuriating they believe it at all," Lily snapped.
"Hopefully something illegal enough Skeeter won't ever be able to write again," Sirius grumbled.
Harry had an absent smile of agreement in place, thinking on how right Sirius was.
"What on earth is the point of that spell?" Harry muttered in agitation. It was certainly annoying, but hardly the best tool he'd heard of for Defense.
"Some spells are created for the sole purpose of not actually having a bad impact when landed," Remus happily answered, and Harry had a flashback to Professor Lupin now more than ever. "When you learn a shield charm and such, you only hope if the spell doesn't work, it won't leave you harmed as much."
Harry nodded in understanding, knowing he'd never have asked Moody such a question, he was too afraid to ask the old Auror what the point of any spell was the way he went on.
"Why would she?" Sirius asked, aghast with once at Ron.
"So she doesn't get even more hurt," Lily sighed, some lingering fear for Hermione still there she could be getting in over her head, going after such a powerful woman with such a following. There was always the chance even if Hermione did find something out, it had to be something so irrefutable Skeeter couldn't write it off as the payback of a 'silly little girl.'
Harry felt his tongue curling in his mouth, his jaw doing a wonky number in regret of himself saying that for some reason... and was thankfully distracted from his own dilemma by his dad cocking his head to the side in confusion.
Sirius said back, "I'll explain if the book doesn't in a second," thinking Ron wouldn't know any better than Prongs.
James gave a happy little laugh, both that he hadn't been the only one to not get it, and that had been what he was thinking.
James pouted, but admitted he was fine with the answer for now even if he was interested for more.
"Why would they?" Remus smirked, "she clearly has it memorized, they can just go to her for it."
"Shut it Padfoot," Remus said instantly before Sirius could mock him.
"Is that why Hogwarts doesn't have phones?" Harry asked in surprise. He'd always thought the castle was just being traditional with the owls and such, not that there was an actual reason for them.
"Yep," Lily agreed, "even outside of Hogwarts, in just plain wizarding houses, anything that relies too heavily on electricity won't work. It's why purebloods are so unaware of them in general, it's not that they refuse to learn about them, they've just never come across them."
"I can vouch for that," James nodded along.
Harry did honestly feel bad for her, he knew he and Ron would have tried to help if they could, but they were a little too worried about the payback Rita had already done. That's all they needed was for even more bad things to arise and hit them, but clearly Hermione cared nothing for the consequences.
"I agree," Remus chuckled.
"I'd wear that prouder than a S. P. E. W. badge," Sirius said with chipper.
"IHRS actually sound pretty cool anyways," James agreed.
"I'd rather find ways of revenge than focus on homework," James scoffed.
Sirius couldn't stop a little hitch of gratitude in his throat for that no matter how much he insisted it was unnecessary aloud to him.
Harry just gave him a challenging look back, stating, "If you're going to be sticking around me at your own risk, the least I can do is help however I can."
Sirius could have kept arguing, but he was so touched, and honestly it was a moot point as of right now, he didn't, for now.
Lily shivered slightly as she avoided looking at both boys for a moment, growing more and more wary the longer the parallels between those two boys continued. She'd never wish anything remotely like Sirius' life on Harry, yet that's what seemed to keep happening.
"Oh she didn't!" Lily burst, turning the growing worry she had for Sirius into outrage on this. "Molly did not really believe this of Hermione!"
"I'm not that surprised," James crinkled his nose up in agitation, "if she believed that tosh about Harry the first time, she'll believe anything."
"I do not understand this woman," Sirius shook his head sharply, "she knew what was written about her own family wasn't true, but readily believes the same woman about kids she should know better!"
Remus shook his head pitifully at Ron not taking a bleeding hint, he really thought that the friend should have offered his own egg in compensation for his mother acting like a prat.
"It takes talent to make a letter irritated," Sirius agreed.
"A very happy holiday to you to," James huffed, even with Percy gone he'd still managed to be an irritation to them all with his unhelpfulness.
"Don't remind me," Sirius groaned like he had a bad stomach ache, missing that sport ever more with all the stressful things they'd been dealing with lately.
"Why?" James narrowed his eyes, with some excitement and some worry he wasn't even sure himself.
"It's a big, obvious place the foreigners can find?" Lily offered, though honestly the Entrance Hall would make more sense if that was so.
"Anybody else wondering why all the events are on the 24th of their month?" Remus asked to try and change the subject.
"To be extra cruel, leaving them at the end of the month," Sirius muttered belligerently.
"Why did it have to be him?" James huffed, this night getting worse and worse as that's all he wanted, more paternal advice from Bagman.
"Wonder where she pulled that from?" Remus asked in surprise.
Lily had a little vindictive smile in place as she said, "I think Maxime's making up some tosh, claiming she spoke to Hagrid because that's what she saw him working on."
"If the only reason she ever liked him was because of his dragon help in the beginning, then I'm all the more happy it's been broken up," James scowled.
Sirius straightened up in agitation at once, his eyes narrowing viciously. Even if he didn't currently like Cedric, he was a Quidditch fan, and on the Quidditch field making that kind of exclamation was not a good thing!
"They didn't!" James spat in disgust.
"How could they," Harry bemoaned, thinking if this was the result of their not being constant practices on it, he'd ask his team to go down there at once even on top of their homework.
Then something snaked down Harry's spine, wrapping tight around his lungs and suddenly leaving him breathless with fear. The impact of the third task suddenly being all too real were making spots appear in his line of vision, insisting something truly awful was going to happen in the thick of those hedges, something about him and Cedric...
"There's the bright side of that task," Sirius said with absolute chipper, still agitated enough about his pitch he didn't notice Harry's internal dilemma. "Fleur doesn't see you as some little kid anymore."
When Harry didn't respond, Sirius just put it down to him being too flustered to say otherwise.
"When is he ever not?" James huffed.
"Joyful," Lily sighed without emphasis, her mind already offering up a few horrid plants from Herbology she remembered that she was sure was now going to feature in this thing. All not even seen by Harry until he reached the highest greenhouse levels.
"Oh just kill me now," Remus blanched in horror at once, anything Hagrid would be providing would leave anyone but the man himself running for the hills.
"Not happening Moony, I'd miss you too much," Sirius sighed as he fidgeted uneasily with the pages, honestly agreeing with his friend anyways.
"I guess that's a slight advantage," James sighed absently, he'd honestly been wondering what the point of those points were.
"Really says something about Harry that he's tied for first place," Lily gave her son a warm smile, even as unprepared as he'd been for all of this, he was still managing to hold his own in this competition.
Harry gave her a lackluster smile back he in no way felt.
"I am going to strangle him," James emphasized every word, he couldn't have been more clear if he'd tried how much this bloke was annoying him with his constant enthusiasm for all of this.
"At least Harry agrees with us," Sirius gave him a wane smile, for the first time noticing Harry wasn't exactly paying too much attention. Still, if he didn't want to speak up, he wasn't going to force him to.
All five of them groaned in annoyance at this. Even if it was part of the Tournament, and it really wasn't feeling like that since they hadn't found a single hint he was doing this for the others, it was never not annoying from the man.
"Timing," Remus grinned absently, suddenly as on edge as everyone else what Krum could be up to.
"Are you sure?" James eyed his son critically, "because I sometimes get worried about that."
"I'm sure I can ask directions from Krum if not," Harry said back solemnly, the joke losing something in the delivery because he was still so distracted by whatever horrid thing was going to come up in the last task, but trying his hardest to ignore it for now.
"What's he up to?" Sirius narrowed his eyes at the pages and alternately giving Harry a scrutinizing look.
Harry shrugged without too much concern, and Sirius decided he'd been harping on Harry enough about safety lately, he didn't really think Krum would do something in front of the castle...right?
"That's not ominous at all," James murmured, suddenly right in line with Sirius' thinking.
All four of those around Harry cracked up laughing, while he glared at nothing in particular. He was just so happy for them thinking this was funny, while he was honestly even more annoyed Krum thought that was as true as the rest of the world.
"You think he'd punch you out if you said otherwise?" Sirius asked in an almost conversational tone.
"I wouldn't have thought he'd really like Hermione that much," Remus returned.
"And never will be," Harry added on meaningfully, unable to picture her as anything but a sister.
"Because we're friends," Harry said in exasperation, the memory of telling all of Hogwarts this making him think he was probably being too harsh on Krum as he cracked.
"Well you certainly are on the field," James said pompously, all of Harry's Quidditch wins swimming to the surface, "it's not that surprising off."
Harry didn't agree, on either front, but wasn't going to argue either.
Harry blinked in surprise, somehow a world renowned Quidditch player saying that still didn't feel as big as his dad saying that, though both equally went over his head as he still wasn't sure why they thought that.
"Poor guy could be in for some real trouble," Remus agreed at once, suddenly wishing he could shoo the two out of there.
"Err," they muttered in surprise, but it was better than a beast.
"It was what now?" Sirius yelped, looking suddenly likely to chuck the book in the flames the moment that name came back up. The residual hatred of what he'd done, or was going to do and not the point, to him leaving Sirius with a nasty curse on the tip of his tongue.
Still, the moment was truly odd enough that he pushed past his own vile at his abrupt entrance and read on to hear why.
While Lily could not garner up much sympathy for a man who gave people to dementors like it was nothing, she still couldn't help the edge of curiosity in her voice rather than wanting to scream it, "what happened to him?"
"Sounds like he was attacked," James raised an almost triumphant brow, "maybe he was on the grounds snooping around again and something in the forest got him." He did not sound the least bit concerned, if anything the opposite that Crouch had gotten away.
"I have never in my life wanted to hear Vernon's opinion on any subject," Remus scowled hatefully, "but even I won't deny I'd hand Crouch over to Vernon like that." At least Vernon would be inflicting the pain on someone who deserved it.
A few creatures came to the boy's mind of something that could have possibly bitten Crouch to cause him to be so delusional, at least one of them big and nasty enough they hoped Crouch wet himself before he was bitten and somehow managed to escape.
"Sadly," Lily hissed with disgrace.
That was so unexpected Sirius involuntarily laughed that Crouch was still calling Percy that, which quickly fizzled out as his mind quickly realized he was supposed to be plotting imminent death for the guy.
"More than I care to list at the moment," James snapped instantly.
"Or did he mean in the moment?" Lily scowled, "because that I have no clue, and no real care."
Sirius felt a guttural noise escape his throat in protest of that guy grabbing hold of Harry like that, he was suddenly wishing Padfoot had been on the grounds this night, not only was he owed some payback, but he hated the idea of Harry being out there at this moment in time.
Lily was finally starting to feel a wisp of unease for the man, side along with her hatred of him. She was getting very concerned at his actions, and did not want Harry around him any more than could be helped in case he somehow got worse, like violent.
Under any other circumstances, Harry would have laughed, as he loved nothing more than to not be recognized, but as memory of this was being replaced, he'd never found anything less laughable.
"Some backup," Remus grumbled, Krum not exactly endearing himself further to them.
Harry looked around hopefully, but either they were still too angry at Crouch to consider what he could mean other than a madman's rambling, or they had no idea and Harry wasn't in the mood to ask which.
Sirius shook his head pitifully as he got all that out, unable to decide which he was more maliciously happy for, Crouch's moments where he tried to beg forgiveness from Dumbledore for all the things he'd done, or these moments of delusion where he still seemed convinced he had a good life. Both would snap eventually and he'd turn back into the heartless monster he really was.
"There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear," Remus shook his head.
Lily bitterly turned that in her mind, wondering just how proud Crouch really was, or if he even cared above the achievement and not the boy himself getting the marks and making his father look good.
"I'd just leave him there," Sirius said in no uncertain terms.
Harry gave him a wayward look, but didn't respond. No matter how angry he himself was at the man, he'd never just leave someone in that kind of situation.
Sirius sensed someone was about to interrupt him in confusion, this didn't feel as comical or lording anymore, there was something almost sinister in that wording, but Sirius ignored and didn't let the comment rise nor did he allow himself to stop in confusion until he got it all out.
Sirius finally looked up, blinking in shock to indicate he was done.
"Did he say he knew Bertha was dead?" Remus narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "why on earth would he know about that? The only ones who should..."
He trailed off, either because it was obvious or he was too appalled to say one of the names was anyone's guess, but James had a much more important question, "what's this about you?"
"Don't know," Harry practically whispered back, hearing the truth in his own words, "nothing good."
Sirius felt chills tracing his skin, he didn't find this nearly as funny or pleasurable at Crouch's expense anymore, the venom had actually dripped right out of his voice in his fearful curiosity to read what Crouch was on about.
"No, he's going to take his bleeding time," James huffed through his nose, starting to feel twitchy at all the bad this could be. Nothing was adding up with this man lately. There was just no way he could really be a Death Eater, but then how else would he know about Bertha? He'd been acting off since the beginning of the Tournament, and it wasn't just them, everyone had been saying so. James honestly wished Harry had stuck around and tried to ask him some of these questions, Crouch seemed out of it enough they may have even gotten an answer.
"Oh crap," Remus winced, clearly Harry didn't know that changed every year, and Harry didn't know the new password.
"Wasn't a bad start pup, but now go for McGonagall," Sirius quickly agreed, then turned back to the book in hopes Harry would do just that.
Lily felt a bubble of laughter wanting to erupt up her throat, nothing magical had ever just moved because you shouted at it, but the humor quickly died as she realized how panicky Harry was.
"Even better," Remus agreed, "there's almost always a teacher in there, and just as close as McGonagall's office which she might not be in right now."
They all startled a bit at Sirius shouting that, but no one rebuked him, too busy hoping Sirius would get a move on and show it was Moody or something, he was the most likely to shout they supposed.
"Argh!" James snarled in outrage. "Why is it every single bleeding time something goes wrong around that place, Snape is always the one to show up and make it worse!"
Lily was surprised her first instinct was still to defend, say Snape hadn't done anything wrong yet and instead could just as easily tell Harry the password as any teacher, but the moment was kicked away in seconds as she agreed with James, she had no delusions this was going to go well.
"He's not speaking Mermish you imbecile," Remus snapped at once, "pull your arse out of your ears and listen for once."
James had a brief flare of regret Remus wasn't at the castle, again, not only because he knew Harry could have instantly gone to him, but just to be telling Snape something like that.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Lily was already half shrieking in frustration. "What about that was funny? Any part of that should have sent a decent teacher running for the Forest while telling you the password so you could get Dumbledore to do the same!"
"You said it yourself dear," Sirius bitterly reminded, "Snape has never been anything decent in his life."
"Clearly you're not hearing him," James seethed back.
Remus had his fingers pressed against his temple to try and suppress his urge to keep shouting about this lunatic, who in Merlin's pants enjoyed watching a child clearly frightened except the most sadistic of people?
"I'm surprised half the castle couldn't hear me shouting and come running," Harry muttered bitterly.
"I'd have just shoved him out of the way," Sirius snapped.
Lily sighed in relief, for all of Dumbledore's ever growing shortcomings, at least the man was still springing into action now.
James gave a bitter laugh he wished he could indulge in more.
"He's spryer than you'd expect for a man his age," Remus muttered absently.
"Why would he be worried about that?" Lily asked uneasily, starting to feel a little jittery. She didn't particularly like Krum, but why would he be in danger at the moment, which was the only reason she could think of Dumbledore hurrying along even faster?
Sirius couldn't help the worry starting to creep up in him, suddenly more thankful than he could put into words Harry had run off for Dumbledore instead of the other way around. This was stupid of course, Krum was fine, Crouch was acting like a lunatic and they were going to find him in moments...
Harry bemoaned his life that always, at the most crucial times, he seemed to come across as a lunatic.
Lily was biting her tongue to stop herself demanding of nothing what was going on. They weren't even dealing with a task right now, yet they were more wound up than if they were. This was by far one of the creepiest things to happen on Hogwarts grounds.
James honestly disagreed, he'd love nothing more than for Harry to go running into the safety of the castle, he wasn't even sure if he trusted Dumbledore enough anymore to keep Harry's safety in mind with whatever was going on, and just knew one thing for certain. He wished Sirius were there.
The blatant but odd use of whatever magic that was hardly distracted any of them from their scattered thoughts.
Sirius was so surprised by that, he just sat there for a moment with his mouth flopped open. Harry had to give him a hard nudge to get him to keep going, resisting the temptation himself to wrench the book away and read it.
Lily had half been convinced Krum must be talking about some other 'he,' because there was just no way he could mean Crouch. For all his horrible faults and deeds, it just didn't feel possible he was actually a Death Eater.
"Why's Hagrid there?" James yelped in surprise, not unhappy at his arrival, but the timing.
"You think it was that thing Dumbledore sent?" Remus asked. "A new way to summon someone to you?"
"If so, I kind of like it," Sirius muttered before pushing on and hoping Dumbledore or Hagrid would actually explain it later.
"Now this one I'm culling bull on," Sirius narrowed his eyes curiously. "Why would he know to come down there?"
"One of his detectors he didn't disable went off?" Remus offered without any real hope, it was still too odd a coincidence.
"Now he's lying as well," Remus balked. "There's no way in hell Snape went and told Moody anything."
"I'll worry about Moody later," Lily hissed, trying to wave them all down, "for now let's see the rest of this play out.
"We'd all like to know that," James rolled his eyes sourly.
"That's his first conclusion?" Lily looked aghast. "That Dumbledore did this. I've called him a lot of things recently, but I can not see him attacking Krum, or in any way setting this up."
"Can't see Karkaroff himself doing it either, and trying to push blame," James agreed. "Krum should be the last person he'd want to attack for any reason."
James nor Sirius looked the least bit impressed with this act of defiance. Dumbledore was at the top of their list of someone they needed to have a very heated conversation with, but for all his underhanded and seemingly cruel moves towards Sirius of late, even this still didn't feel in the headmaster's style. They'd give him that much at least.
"Now see, why couldn't he have done that to Vernon?" Remus grinned victoriously. "I'd have loved nothing more than for that first visit to end with Hagrid chucking them all into the sea, the pigtail clearly didn't do any lasting damage."
"Reason number seven why I think Hagrid should be around all the time," Sirius nodded along.
"What are the first six?" Lily giggled.
"I'm compiling a list," he waved her off, "I'll let you know when I'm done."
"Dumbledore never lets anyone have any fun," James pouted, he rather enjoyed this mental image.
Despite the seriousness of Harry's situation, that didn't stop anyone giving a nice laugh at Karkaroff's misfortune.
"Hey, leaving me out of the loop like this," Sirius yelped in protest.
Honestly, the others were almost relieved. Now that there was no doubt Harry was out of danger, being with Hagrid and heading back to his tower, they didn't want Sirius anywhere near this. If Harry sent him a letter now, he'd be on the grounds of the castle to investigate before you could finish the first reason of why it was a bad idea.
"Because Dumbledore is a Legilimens," Remus sighed, "something he doesn't usually use on students, but I guess he made an exception on you to see if you missed any details."
Lily tisked, wishing he'd asked permission.
"So am I," James had jumped slightly at Hagrid turning his attention on Harry. What had he done wrong to deserve this?
"I think Hagrid's taking Maxime's spurn a little too personally," Remus sighed, "now he hates all the foreign people."
"Though with good reason from that school," Sirius scowled at Harry as well, "I wasn't any happier when you went off with him," still, he smoothed out his face and finished, "but Hagrid is in the wrong this time, Krum wasn't the problem."
Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather, and Hagrid, acting so paranoid when Krum had never done a thing wrong to him.
"Moody isn't exactly one I'd be taking life advice from," Lily shook her head.
"Well he has kept himself alive long enough to be some credibility," James couldn't help but poke back.
"After gaining himself how many enemies?" Lily challenged right back.
James let it drop.
"Be afraid for Hermione," Remus said, in almost close to amusement. Cleary Hagrid had taken on an almost paternal roll for all of the kids, which was honestly adorable, the most of which for Hermione. Krum now had Hagrid to fear if things got serious between them.
"You know why that changed," Sirius looked at Harry in disbelief, "why would you bring that up?"
"My point still stood," Harry defended, "he was just fine with it when it was him."
"I honestly forget how scary he can be," Harry said a little faintly, not used to seeing such a lovable man in an apron look ready to use that crossbow any second. Last time had been his first trip into the Forest, and that hadn't been pleasant either.
"That is so depressing," Lily sighed in sympathy for the poor guy.
"Least you can tell them," Sirius was still pouting he was being left out of the loop till the very last as he passed the book to Harry.
*I've mentioned that I would love nickname suggestions, now you know why. The ones I last used are the ones I like most, but really they're not sitting right with me as they just don't seem to fit the pattern. The Marauders gave themselves nicknames based on the actual animal's parts, whereas Roan and Fleetfoot just don't fit the pattern as well...
Finally saw Fantastic Beasts, just in time to further appreciate the adorableness of the nifflers in this chapter. I know I've failed as a fan, especially a Hufflepuff at that, by not having seen it long before now but stupid college life crap stopped me. Still, the movie was as beautiful and wonderful as everything with the HP name attached to it, especially for me as I freaked out every five seconds at getting to see all of those beautiful creatures. Let me know which one was your favorite from the movie! Mine was the occamy, kept whispering I want one under my breath in the theater and pissing off those around me, most beautiful gorgeous thing I've ever seen!
Also let me know what beast's you're hoping to see in the following movies, my fingers are crossed for a Horned Serpent like my Ilvermonry house!
In order of the nicknames appearing, suggested by:
MelodyGirl239- Willow/ Petal
MelodyGirl239/ Shakira94- Bambi
