BOOK 2: TOURNAMENT DRAMA
Chapter 37
A Broken Vow
Book 2: Tournament Drama
The Yule Ball is over, but the Drama continues as the Triwizard Tournament comes back into focus. New problems arise, not just for our heroes, but for others, including the other Champions of the Triwizard Tournament.
Albus Dumbledore is still around, and plotting against Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, even though Amelia Bones is doing all she can to investigate him, before she can finally arrest him and bring him to justice – which she is restricted from doing until the Tournament ends.
But as the days, weeks and months pass and the Tournament continues, a Darkness is looming and coming ever closer, and the Tournament will come to a dramatic conclusion that brings forth new Drama in the lives of our heroes!
Unspeakables! Metamorphmagus and Animagus Training! Veela-Mermaid drama! A long awaited Wedding! Smut! Snape! Malfoy! Krum! And more… coming to you in Book 2: Tournament Drama!
Author's Note: Welcome to the first chapter of Book 2! This chapter is nearly as long as Chapter 36! Speaking of Chapter 36, it is now the highest reviewed chapter in this story, with over 100 reviews on FFN! Once again, thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story! For information regarding future updates to this story, please read the "Important Note" in the Author's Note at the end of the chapter.
In Fleur Delacour's PoV, imagine the characters are speaking French. I didn't want to do accented and broken English.
Warning: Ginny and Ron Bashing. Not all warnings listed here. There are a couple I am not listing for shock factor alone. More info in bottom Chapter's Note.
(Saturday, December 26th, 1994 – 7:10 AM)
Harry Potter opened his eyes and nearly jumped when he saw Hermione in his bed! He was about to ask her how and why he was in her Private Quarters, when it all came back to him. It was the morning after the Yule Ball, and he wasn't in his bedroom in his Private Quarters. He and Hermione had fallen asleep, in the Private Common Room, on a bed, which had been transfigured from the two couches in the room, by Dobby and Winky. Hermione was currently sitting up against the backboard of the bed and smiling at him. She shoved his glasses in his hand, and he mumbled a thanks as he put them on.
"Good morning," Harry murmured, smiling at the perfect image of the angel next to him.
"Morning, Harry," Hermione said, "Do you know you look very adorable when you're sleeping? You look so innocent and peaceful, like nothing in the world can bother you while you sleep."
"That might be have been the best night of sleep I ever had," Harry said.
"I hope so," Hermione said, raising an eyebrow, "Given that I was sleeping in your arms. It was a wonderful night of sleep for me too."
"I would give anything to be able to sleep beside you every night for the rest of my life and wake up like this," Harry said.
Hermione smiled softly. "As much as I would love that, it would be impossible for now. But I do agree. I haven't felt that wonderful sense of security while I slept since I was little and Mum and Dad let me sleep in their bed whenever I had nightmares, or I was afraid of particularly bad thunderstorms."
Harry felt quite envious, more than he wanted to admit, that Hermione had been able to have such wonderful memories like that. He could remember when he'd wake up in his cupboard under the stairs, crying about nightmares – mostly involving bright green lights and cackling; when it wasn't a nightmare about his relatives, that is – and nobody there to comfort him. If his relatives heard him crying, they would usually pound on the cupboard door with their fists, telling him to shut up. Or worse. He didn't want to say anything like this to Hermione, so he said the first thing that came to mind.
"Well, I eagerly wait for the day where we're not restricted from being able to sleep next to each other every night," Harry said.
Hermione smiled, and leaned toward him and kissed him on the lips. But before he could do more than feel her lips linger on his, she backed away. She grabbed her wand from the coffee table that was near her side of the bed, and cast a 'Tempus' in the air.
"Seven-fifteen," Hermione said, "We have to be in a carriage by half-past-nine. Do you want to ask Dobby and Winky to bring us breakfast here, or go down to the Great Hall?"
"If we go down to the Great Hall, we might be swamped with questions from everyone about what happened last night," Harry said. "The only students we have told are the other Children, but I am sure the news about what happened last night with Ginny and Ron has gotten around the castle by now. I know we might have to deal with it on the train, but…"
"But it would be easier to avoid on the train," Hermione said. "We also still need to pack."
Harry's eyes widened, and he chuckled. "You know what I didn't realize until right now?"
"What?" Hermione asked.
"This is the first time I am leaving Hogwarts for a Break, before the final Leaving Feast of the year," Harry said, "I have no idea what I am supposed to do here. Do you usually pack everything? Or just take a travel bag full of stuff?"
"Well, since we're going back to my home, it is kind of different for you and me," Hermione said. "I have clothes at home, so I don't have to bring any home if I don't want to. You, on the other hand…"
"I see what you mean," Harry said. "Luckily I have that Undetectable Extension Bag I found in my Vault, so I don't have to bring my trunk. I can bring the bag, and also a traveling bag too."
"Why both?" Hermione asked.
"For the train ride," Harry said. "I can put a few books in it, like the books I received for Christmas. I can do some reading on the train. You're rubbing off on me – in more than one way, it seems."
"Oh, you," Hermione said, smiling, "How about this? We ask Dobby and Winky to fix this room back to the way it should be, and prepare us some breakfast. While they do that, we go back to our Quarters, and go through our morning routines. After breakfast, we can pack our things, and be on our way."
"I like it," Harry said, "Dobby! Winky!"
The two house-elves appeared.
"Thank you both for making this bed for us last night," Harry said. "We're going to go do our morning routines. Can you fix this room and prepare us breakfast here in the Common Room for us?"
"Yes, Great Harry Potter!" Dobby said, happily.
"We be happy to do this!" Winky said.
"Thank you, both," Harry said; Hermione thanked the elves as well.
The couple got out of bed, left the Common Room and returned to their own Quarters. Half-an-hour later, after their morning ablutions were finished, they were back in the Private Common Room, dressed in a warm outfit that was comfortable for the long train ride.
As promised, the two house-elves had an assortment of breakfast foods, with jugs of water and orange juice, waiting for them on the table between the two couches, which were back to normal.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, as they began eating, "How much casual Muggle clothing do you own?"
"Not much, if I don't count the stuff I wore at my relatives' house," Harry said, "Why?"
"Well, I was already considering asking my parents to take you shopping for a new formal outfit," Hermione said. "You see, on New Year's Eve, my parents and I – when I am home, that is – attend a New Year's Eve party that is hosted by some of my parents' friends."
"I remember you mentioning that during our first dancing lesson with Professor McGonagall," Harry said. "I also remember you mentioned dancing with other boys."
"Yes, well, now I have a date this year," Hermione said. "Which means my parents are definitely planning on taking us to the New Year's Eve party, just so they can introduce their daughter's new boyfriend."
"Really?" Harry asked.
"My mother's a bit of a gossip about me when it comes to her friends," Hermione said. "Obviously, she can't tell her friends about my education and stuff. But this…. you, being my boyfriend, is something she can talk about."
"Well, this New Year's Eve Party does sound fun," Harry said, "And it gives us another chance to show off our dancing skills. Especially if it means I can show off those talents with you in front of all those boys you used to dance with. These boys will be there, won't there?"
"Maybe," Hermione said, "But I'm not going to dance with any of them, of course. So don't go start getting jealous and possessive."
"Jealous, no," Harry said, "Possessive, though? You're my Betrothed. The future Lady Potter. The future mother of my Quidditch team full of children. I think I have a right to be a bit possessive."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine… be possessive, but not overly so. To these people, you're just my boyfriend. They can't know we're Betrothed, or that we're of noble peerage."
"Fine," Harry said. "I won't be too possessive. I'll just make sure no other boy believes you're available for them to dance with."
"I am quite sure you don't have to worry about that," Hermione said, "But we've gone off topic. You need a new formal outfit for the party. You also need a new wardrobe of clothing… Muggle clothing. Winter and Spring for now. Clothing you can wear when you're not wearing your school outfits. We can do Summer shopping when we return to England at the end of June."
"Alright," Harry said. "When we go shopping, I can get Dobby to transfer some of my Galleons into Muggle money."
Hermione agreed with this. Suddenly, Harry felt a vibration in the pocket of his jeans, and realized it was the mirror Sirius had given him. He removed the compact mirror from his pocket, and opened it. Sirius' face was in the mirror.
"Good morning, Sirius," Harry said, "Hang on a moment, Hermione's with me. We're in the Private Common Room."
Sirius merely nodded. Harry stood and placed the mirror on the couch on the other side of the table, then made it grow bigger. Then he sat back down on the couch.
"Good morning, Sirius," Hermione said, "Something come up you couldn't tell us last night?"
"Good morning, you two," Sirius said, "Yes, it did. Have you read today's edition of the Daily Prophet yet?"
"Hasn't arrived yet," Harry said.
"Then you haven't heard," Sirius said. "Bartemius Crouch – one of the Triwizard Tournament judges – was found dead in his home last night."
"Oh, Merlin, how horrible!" Hermione gasped.
Harry frowned. "Any word on cause of death?"
"Not yet," Sirius said, "But between Ronald and Ginevra Weasley, and now Crouch's death, Amelia is going to be very busy today. Therefore I am going to be meeting Susan at Platform Nine and Three Quarters and taking her back to Bones Manor. Amelia's speaking to Susan now about this."
Harry nodded. Having met Sirius twice – in Hogsmeade celebrating Sirius and Amelia's engagement, and at the Yule Ball the previous evening – Susan was quite familiar with Sirius now. In fact, she had gotten to know her soon-to-be Uncle better when she was taking breaks from dancing with her boyfriend, Terry Boot.
"Well, since you're going to be there," Hermione said, "We can introduce you to my parents on the Platform too then."
"I'd be happy to meet my godson's future in-laws!" Sirius said, grinning, making Harry and Hermione blush.
"Please don't embarrass me in front of Hermione and her parents," Harry said.
"I will be a perfectly serious godfather," Sirius said, "Or is that Sirius godfather?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "So did Amelia talk to Ron and Ginny last night?"
"Nah, she didn't want those two ruining the rest of our Christmas," Sirius said, "It didn't start off so bad, don't get me wrong. We celebrated at a fancy Muggle restaurant. Thankfully we were able to get through the meal, before Susan contacted Amelia. Anyway, Amelia will interrogate them today when she's not investigating Crouch's death. She did tell me that Ron and Ginny are definitely having a trial this time, and that there is a possibly you two will have to be witnesses."
"I suppose this will happen before we come back to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Very likely," Sirius said.
"We'll let my parents know," Hermione said. "Just keep us up-to-date."
"Right, speaking of your parents, Hermione," Sirius said. "When I heard you and Harry were spending a week at your parents, I got to talking to Amelia about it. We believe that you should hire Gringotts to place some protective wards on your parents' residence. As you are the Heiress of a Noble House, you have that right."
"I live in the middle of a Muggle neighborhood, Sirius," Hermione said.
"No big deal," Sirius said, "Gringotts will be able to put wards on your house anytime – even overnight – without any Muggles knowing."
"We can speak to Keeper Ragnok about it, and see what he suggests," Harry suggested to Hermione.
Hermione nodded. "We're already planning on doing some shopping in Muggle areas. We can go to Diagon Alley on the same day."
"Muggle shopping?" Sirius asked, interested.
Sirius' interest piqued when Hermione explained about the New Year's Eve party they would likely be attending, and the need for Harry to get a formal outfit for the party.
"So we're making a whole shopping trip out of it and getting some Muggle winter and spring clothing for Harry too," Hermione finished.
"Sounds fun!" Sirius said, "I'm sure you'll enjoy yourselves, and it will give you some good practice when it comes to social parties you'll attend in magical society."
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Oh, yes," Sirius said, "Maybe even as soon as next summer. Hell, you've already decided to return to Potter Manor next summer right?"
"I was thinking I might check it out during Easter Break," Harry said, "When we're not busy with your wedding."
Sirius nodded. "A fine suggestion. Means you can have it ready to move into by this summer."
"True," Harry said.
"Well, that is all on my end," Sirius said, "I know you probably need to get ready to get onto the Hogwarts Express. So I'll see you tonight at the train station."
"Thanks for letting us know about Mr. Crouch," Harry said.
Sirius grimaced. "I might not have liked the man. But I didn't want to see him dead. He's the last of the Crouches."
"No children?" Hermione asked.
"Bartemius Crouch, Junior," Sirius said, grimacing. "Was a Death Eater. One of the Death Eaters who attacked the Longbottoms a few days after that Halloween. He was in Azkaban, a few cells away from me. He never left."
"You mean he's dead?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Sirius said, "Died in his cell. Not surprising. If you're weak-minded like he was, you don't last long in Azkaban, especially from Dementor Exposure. Better death though when compared to those who live in Azkaban for a long time. They go mad. Insane. Worse than they were when they entered. You heard what it did to me, and I knew I was innocent. Padfoot helped me a lot too. Anyway, ol' Bartemius' wife died around the same time. She was quite ill, as I hear it. And now ol' Bartemius is dead too. End of another Noble House, though in truth it was dead when the son went to Azkaban. Senior wasn't going to take another wife after his own wife died. Even if it meant the end of his House. Such a shame."
"That's so horrible," Hermione said. "Even if the son was a Death Eater. The end of a House is so terrible."
"Happened a lot during the last war too," Sirius said, nodding, then snorted, "Ironic, when you think about it, given that it was Voldemort who was mostly responsible for it all. Can't believe the Death Eaters were so supportive of what that bastard was doing, since prime Pureblood families were dying out, even if they were 'blood traitors'.
"Surely they must have realized what they were doing?" Hermione asked.
"Of course, they did," Sirius said, "But Voldemort's influence was too great. Mostly, I suspect they were too afraid of him once they realized what was happening, and then it was too late for them to back out. You don't stop being a Death Eater. You're in for life – whether it be a short one or a long one. Well, with that grim thought, I must be off."
"We'll see you tonight, Sirius," Harry said.
The three said their farewells, and Sirius disappeared from the mirror.
"I hope he doesn't embarrass us – or himself – when I introduce him to your parents," Harry said, grinning.
"Knowing Sirius, that is exactly what is going to happen," Hermione said, smiling. "Just to make a good first impression or something."
"And this is probably going to be right after you formally introduce me as your boyfriend and Betrothed to your parents," Harry said, "And you wonder why I am so nervous about the entire thing?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It will be just fine, Harry. Mum will love you. Dad might try to do his whole 'tough-father-meets-daughter's-new-beau' routine, but I imagine Mum has already predicted such a thing and has warned him off. It won't be as bad as you think it will. Especially as you are spending the next week with us. I doubt Dad wants you to be terrified of him during the next week. Unless…"
"Unless what?" Harry asked warily.
"Unless he plans to use that as a way to keep us from snogging too much over the next week," Hermione said, then she shrugged. "It is possible. Just be polite and on your best behavior, and by the time he's saying goodbye to us when we have to get back on the Hogwarts Express, he'll have no choice but to realize you are the perfect candidate for my future husband."
"Yes, dear," Harry said smiling.
Hermione smiled and gave him a peck on the lips. The pair continued eating their breakfast and talking about inconsequential things as they ate. When they were finished, they returned to their Quarters to pack their belongings that they wanted to bring with them.
As he packed, he once again couldn't help but think about how strange it was that he was leaving Hogwarts for Christmas Break, whether shortened or not. The thought that he had someone to spend Christmas Break with, away from Hogwarts, made him smile all throughout the time it took for him to pack his belongings.
(Saturday, December 26th, 1994 – 10:30 AM)
Harry and Hermione were relaxing on separate seats in the same carriage of the Hogwarts Express, as the train made its way down the tracks on its long journey toward London. Hermione was reading through a copy of the Daily Prophet, and Harry was reading through the "Legends of the Magical World" book Hermione had given him for Christmas.
They were the only two occupants currently in the carriage, though a few of their friends had come by already, and more were expected during the long ride to London. Harry and Hermione just hoped Draco Malfoy decided not to have his 'traditional' visit he usually did with his minions during every train ride.
Earlier, Neville, Luna, Padma and Ivan had come by, curious as to why they had not come to the Great Hall that morning for breakfast. Their fellow Children were all understanding when Harry and Hermione explained why. They also confirmed that the news about what happened with Ginny and Ron Weasley had indeed gotten out around the castle.
Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet had also come by and had thanked Harry and Hermione for helping them the previous evening. The girls said they had planned to get in contact with Fred and George Weasley within the next few days to make sure the Weasley twins – and their brothers – were alright. Harry and Hermione asked the girls – if they did see the twins – to give them their best wishes, and that they hoped the twins returned to Hogwarts at the beginning of the new term. Angelina and Alicia promised to pass on their wishes, then thanked them again and left them alone.
Hermione's huff of annoyance made Harry look up from the chapter on Shadow Panthers he was reading.
"There's absolutely nothing in here about the incident with Ginny and Ron," Hermione said, "nor with their father and brothers. There's a whole lot of talk about the rest of the happenings at the Yule Ball. We star in a lot of it. There are even a lot of images of us, along with the other Champions, and everyone else. But… you'd think…"
"We were in the center of what happened to Ginny and Ron," Harry said, "And since it involves me, it would be something that someone would report, even if it wasn't Rita Skeeter. Do you think Dumbledore somehow stopped the media from reporting anything about it?"
"It is possible," Hermione said, "Either that or – well, maybe Amelia or someone else at the DMLE is stopping them. Ron and Ginny are minors, after all. I don't recall reading anything about their other arrest in the Daily Prophet either, do you?"
Harry shook his head. "No, there was something about their mother, but not them."
"Maybe it is because they're minors," Hermione said, "and something like this can't be reported without express permission from… well, either the DMLE, or the parents and guardians… or both? It is different than gossip about us being a couple and stuff. This is more serious."
"True," Harry said. "Hermione? Do you think Ron and Ginny will end up in Azkaban this time?"
"Yes," Hermione said. "Their mother isn't around any longer to make deals for them. Dumbledore won't dare make a deal with Amelia, given her interest in him. They'll be going to trial, and will likely end up in the Minimum Security cells of Azkaban where the Dementors don't venture. I read about Azkaban Prison after Sirius escaped, and it said the Minimum Security cells – cells not guarded by Dementors - are used for the less dangerous prisoners. They're just guarded by wizards and witches specifically trained for that role."
"I suppose they should consider themselves lucky they won't be in the cells near the Death Eaters, where Sirius was," Harry said, "And as Sirius said, we'll probably have to be witnesses at their trial."
"Good," Hermione huffed. "They were planning on raping us, and Ginny tricking you into impregnating her. They deserve Azkaban, and we deserve to be part of the reason they're put there! We deserve to be done with them, Harry."
Harry smiled at the passion in his girlfriend's voice. "Yes, love. I completely agree. We were completely wrong about them, weren't we?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"The first time we spoke about them to Amelia," Harry said, "We said they were pawns. Willing pawns, but pawns just the same."
"They were pawns when their mother was still alive," Hermione said, "Ginny took her place, it seems. Ron still seems to be a pawn, the way Ginny spoke of him. A willing pawn. The bastard willingly went along with everything, just so he could rape me."
"Hey," Harry said, "Don't think like that. It didn't happen, alright?"
Hermione smiled and nodded. "I know, Harry. It's just… a girl's first time is supposed to mean something, you know. He would have taken that from me. From us, really. Bastard deserves everything he is getting for even thinking of doing that to me."
"I completely agree," Harry said.
"Harry?" Hermione asked. "Even if they were simply posing as our friends for their own endgame or not, Ron and Ginny were still our friends for a while. I cared about them in one way or another. Which means, I'm probably going to need a good cry after they end up in Azkaban. I might hate them now, but… we still had some good times with them, you know? The Quidditch World Cup was great, aside from the riots. We had fun with them. I want to remember them like that. I am probably going to cry for that Ron and Ginny, the friends we thought we had. Not for those monsters we'll never see again."
"You're a good person, Hermione," Harry said, "Not very many people would want to think about the good in a person who did so much bad to them. And if you need a good cry, I'll be a shoulder for you to cry on. And anything else you need me to be. I promise."
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said. "You are the greatest and sweetest boyfriend in the world. No matter what my father might think."
Harry laughed, and returned to his reading. He didn't know when he was going to be able to complete his Animagus transformation, but he was looking forward to it. Everything he read about Shadow Panthers told him he was going to have a lot of fun as an Animagus. Especially if he could do everything one of these beasts of legend could do!
(Saturday, December 26th, 1994 – 11:15 AM)
Director Amelia Bones stared in disbelief at the piece of parchment in front of her. It was the initial results of the investigation surrounding the death of Bartemius Crouch.
"Cause of death," Amelia said, "Shock resulting from an empty magical core, leading to his body shutting down completely. Well, I'll be buggered!"
"Pardon?" Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Senior Auror who had delivered the results of the investigation to Amelia himself, asked.
"It would seem that Albus Dumbledore knew what he was talking about," Amelia muttered. "The reason I cannot tell you and a group of Aurors to march to Hogwarts now and arrest Dumbledore, is because he got a brief pardon from Minister Fudge. The pardon lasts through the end of the Triwizard Tournament, apparently because if Dumbledore isn't involved in the running of the Tournament, if he doesn't turn up at a Tournament event as a judge, or official representative, if he misses important meetings preparing for certain parts of the Tournament, the Goblet of Fire – a representative of magic - could cause him to break whatever vow is binding him to the Contract. He would lose his magic, and very likely die because of it."
"And this is what happened to Crouch?" Shacklebolt asked.
"It would seem so," Amelia said. "He didn't show up at the Yule Ball last night, and magic saw that as him breaking the Contract."
"Even though he was ill?" Shacklebolt asked. "He was taking sick days off until the new year."
"Maybe it was already affecting him," Amelia said, "Giving him some kind of warning. Maybe that is how the Contract works. That settles it then. Bartemius Crouch's cause of death is a broken Vow."
Amelia Bones could not believe it. She had been spending days trying to figure out how to circumvent Albus' temporary pardon, trying to prove that Dumbledore was lying. And apparently, here was proof that the bastard actually might have been telling the truth!
"There was nothing suspicious found at the scene?" Amelia asked. "No signs of intruders? Nothing like that that?"
"No, boss," Shacklebolt said, "His assistant Percy Weasley was reported to have found his dead body. He had gone to Crouch's residence after making sure his family was okay and safe in St. Mungo's. He says he wanted to give Crouch a Christmas gift, and found the man dead in a chair in his sitting room. Weasley then alerted the proper authorities. Weasley was the only known witness, and had a solid alibi. Why do you ask?"
"My initial belief was he was murdered by whoever cast the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup Campgrounds last summer," Amelia said. "After all, it was Crouch's old house-elf that had apparently stolen the wand that cast the Mark."
"What happened to the elf?" Shacklebolt asked.
"Crouch dismissed it," Amelia said, "I don't know where it is now. I can't even remember the elf's name – or gender. I don't even recall who owned the wand that was stolen. There wasn't any Aurors on the actual scene, so there were no reports."
"Auror Scrimgeour is still a bit displeased with that whole fiasco," Shacklebolt said. "Any Aurors on the scene were too busy looking for the rioters, while the rest of the Ministry representatives on the scene went to where the Dark Mark was. Even with all the Aurors there, none of the culprits of the riot have been apprehended. Not a one."
"Yes, I am aware of this, thank you, Auror Shacklebolt," Amelia said.
She didn't need to be reminded that the culprits in the riot, and the culprit who cast the Dark Mark, were still out there somewhere. It was still considered an open case.
"Thank you for this report, Senior Auror Shacklebolt," Amelia said "I have another job for you. Please escort Ronald and Ginevra Weasley to two separate, and neighboring, interrogation rooms. I am going to speak to them soon, and you are going to be assisting me. I will meet you there. I assume Rookie Auror Tonks is on duty today?"
"Yes, ma'am," Shacklebolt said. "She had the last two days off, and came back today."
"Have her assist you," Amelia said.
"Yes, ma'am," Shacklebolt said. "By your leave."
Amelia nodded, and her gaze dropped back down to the parchment, as Shacklebolt left the room.
"Why does this seem a little too convenient?" Amelia muttered, as she rubbed her forehead; then she shook her head. "No, Bones, do not go there. Not everything leads to Albus Dumbledore. Broken Vows have happened before. Death by Unbreakable Vow is one of the top ten leading causes of death amongst magic users.
"Crouch missed the Yule Ball, a scheduled and traditional event of the Triwizard Tournament. It wasn't as if the Ball was pulled out of a hat of suggestions for the Tournament. This was an event that happened with every Triwizard Tournament. The Goblet of Fire – a representative of magic – decided Crouch had broken the Vow he made. Ergo, he died due to a broken Vow."
Amelia snorted. "Technically, it could be called suicide. After all, if Crouch hadn't been one of the fools to bring back this cursed Tournament, then he wouldn't have lost his life last night. Also, his illness could be argued as a way to warn him to keep to the Vow, and he ignored it."
Deciding she would come back to this later, she placed the parchment back in the folder it had come from. She placed it in one of her desk drawers, which were enchanted so only she could open them, and stood up. She made her way out of her office, and passed the vacant desk of her secretary Samantha. Samantha was not at work today – having had the last couple of days off for Christmas. She wondered if Samantha was spending time with her girlfriend, Isabella, and hoped – whatever the girl was doing – she was having a lot more fun than Amelia currently was.
Amelia had been having a very enjoyable evening the night before, with her fiancée Sirius Black. Sirius had taken her out to a very fancy Muggle restaurant for dinner the previous evening. Even though it had been Christmas, the restaurant was open and packed with patrons who had decided to celebrate the holiday the same way she and Sirius did – with a romantic dinner.
Luckily, Amelia and Sirius had been able to finish dinner before her niece, Susan, had mirror-called her saying there was an emergency at Hogwarts. Amelia had contacted Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks, then she and Sirius had headed off to Hogwarts last night. She couldn't believe it when she heard Ron and Ginny Weasley had invaded Hogwarts, trying to target Harry Potter and Hermione Granger again. They had used Polyjuice Potion, impersonating their twin brothers, Fred and George, and had been able to remain as the twins for well over twenty-four hours, using multiple doses of Polyjuice Potion.
Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George Weasley were still in St. Mungo's recovering from the ordeal of being in a brief coma-like state from a mixture of overly strong Sleeping Draughts among other things. Muriel Prewett had been ill for a few days – apparently nothing to do with Ron and Ginny, and more due to grief over the loss of her great-niece – so she hadn't attended the Christmas celebrations at the Burrow. Lucky for her, or she might have been dosed with the Draught as well. And with her being around one-hundred years old, who knows whether or not she might have survived from the dose of Draught mixture!
These thoughts, and others, ran through her mind as she made her way toward the Interrogation Rooms. When she arrived, she found Auror Shacklebolt, Rookie Auror Tonks, and a couple other Rookies - whom she was hard-pressed to remember their names – standing near two of the Interrogation Rooms. Through the one-sided glass windows, Amelia could see Ginny Weasley sitting at a table in one room, and her brother, Ron, sitting at a table in another room.
"They say anything yet?" Amelia asked.
"Ronald said he was hungry, but he was given breakfast a couple hours ago," Shacklebolt said.
"Ginevra kept muttering on about how she couldn't believe she had done it for nothing," Tonks said, "I have no idea what she was talking about. I thought it was the whole Polyjuice Potion thing, or maybe poisoning her family, but I don't know."
"I suppose that will be something I'll ask her then," Amelia said, "We'll speak to her first. Aurors Shacklebolt, Tonks, you're coming in with me. You two –" she nodded to the other two Rookies, "—stay out here and make sure Ronald Weasley doesn't do anything stupid."
"Yes, ma'am," "Yes, boss," the two Rookies said, clearly.
Amelia led Shacklebolt and Tonks inside Ginny's interrogation room. Auror Tonks walked over to the wall behind Ginny and stood there, while Auror Shacklebolt stood at the door.
Amelia placed a large bag on the table and opened it. She removed her notepad, a roll of parchment, and Dictation Quills with Self-Inking Charms. She set the Quill on top of the parchment.
"Test," she said clearly.
When the Quill confirmed it was working, Amelia vanished the word with her wand. Amelia removed her pocket-watch from her pocket and opened it up, then glanced at it.
"It is eleven thirty-five in the morning of the twenty-sixth of December in the year nineteen hundred and ninety-four," Amelia said. "Interrogation Room B. Interrogator: Director Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Prisoner is Ginevra Molly Weasley – also known as Ginny - of the Minor House of Weasley. Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt and Rookie Auror Nymphadora Tonks –" Tonks winced at the mention of her first name, "- are witnesses of the Interrogation.
"Miss Weasley. Your mother's not here to make a deal, so –"
"No, she's not, is she?" Ginny muttered, staring at Amelia, "She's not here. She's dead, because of you. She wouldn't have been in that Courtroom, she wouldn't have been hit with a Killing Curse, if you didn't arrest her."
"Miss Weasley, I am truly sorry for your mother's death," Amelia said. "We're still trying to figure out what happened that day. However, she was breaking the law, so I had no other choice but to arrest her. As I was saying, however. She's not here to make a deal for you. So you're probably going to end up in Azkaban, right along with your brother. Where, in Azkaban, you end up, however, is entirely your choice. Be it the maximum security cells near the convicted Death Eaters –"
"Are you sure they're all convicted?" Ginny asked. "No more Sirius Blacks? No more innocent people wasting away in Azkaban? No more… mistakes? You seem to make a lot of mistakes these days. Sirius Black's false imprisonment. My mother's death. Who will be next, Director Bones? Me? Ron? Harry? Hermione? Your niece? Maybe you should investigate yourself instead of someone like me, my brother and Albus Dumbledore."
Amelia ignored her. Not even the mention of her niece would make her lose her nerve.
"Be it in the maximum security cells, or in the minimum security cells," she continued, "where only Auror guards make the rounds, and you feel very little of the Dementor Exposure. If I have to force you to take Veritaserum, Miss Weasley, the chance of you occupying a cell near Death Eaters goes up. Alright?"
"It isn't like I have a choice," Ginny said, dully. "I've already explained my plans to Harry and his Mudblood whore. I am sure they're going to be witnesses at mine and my brother's trial. So at least I'll get to see my Harry one last time, while he betrays me for a life with that bitch who doesn't deserve him."
"I don't think you told them everything last night, Miss Weasley," Amelia said. "But you're going to tell me. For example, my Aurors tell me you were talking to yourself earlier. You were saying something about how you had done it for nothing. Done what? Poison your brothers and father? Impersonate your brothers?"
"I am sure you're wondering how Ron and I were able to convince everyone in Hogwarts we were Fred and George, for twenty four hours," Ginny said. "How we even convinced their girlfriends. While I was putting together my plan to impersonate my brothers, I overheard Fred and George bragging to Bill and Charlie about their girlfriends."
"Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet," Amelia said.
"Whatever," Ginny said. "I had no idea the girls were their girlfriends. I thought they were just their dates to the Yule Ball. My brothers bragged about how they impressed their girlfriends with their snogging skills. Whatever rumors and gossip you might have heard about me being sexually active, or a whore, or whatever, at Hogwarts, I'll tell you this. None of it is true. I had never even been kissed."
"Had?" Amelia asked.
Ginny glared at her. "Obviously, my kissing abilities needed to be up to par. As did Ron's. The moron had been dreaming and wanking off to the thought of kissing the Mudblood, but he didn't have any idea how to kiss anyone either."
Tonks snickered behind Ginny and Amelia looked up at her.
"Do you have something to say, Rookie Auror Tonks?" Amelia asked.
"I believe what the prisoner is saying is that, in order to make it convincing that she and her brother were actually her twin brothers," Tonks said, "She and her brother had to… practice their kissing skills, since it was apparent they would have to kiss their brothers' girlfriends. I believe the prisoner, here, had to practice kissing with her brother, Ron, so as make sure they could do it right."
Amelia raised her eyebrow and looked at Ginny, who was looking rather green in the metaphorical gills.
"Is this true, Miss Weasley?" Amelia asked. "Did you have to practice kissing with your brother, Ron, in order to make it convincing when you had to – as your twin brothers – kiss their respective girlfriends?"
"Yes," Ginny growled. "It is true, no matter how much I might regret doing it. I had to do it, because I needed to be able to kiss well enough to fool Spinnet. You can't imagine what it is like having to kiss your brother. Especially someone like the Moron. His breath was horrible. He was horrible at kissing. It took forever for him to figure out how to do it convincingly enough. We must have kissed several dozen times for him to get it right. Frankly, I am surprised – and impressed – he was able to convince Johnson. She must be a dunderhead. Either that, or Fred isn't as good a kisser as he bragged he is. Course the Moron had to mess the entire thing up."
"According to what you told Lord Harry Potter and Heiress Hermione Granger," Amelia said, "You were planning for Ron to sexually assault and rape Hermione while she was knocked out from – a dosed lipstick, was it? Is this true?"
"Yes," Ginny said, "The Mudblood would have deserved it. She is a whore, and believe me, she was begging for it. Ron was just too stupid to realize what she wanted from him. And I can hear the question you haven't asked me. No, I did not do something like that with him to make sure he knew what he was doing."
"Why not?" Amelia asked, "you were planning on doing the same to Lord Potter. You practiced kissing. Why not this? If you believe Hermione Granger is a whore as you say, surely she must have some experience with sex. Didn't you believe you needed to be experienced too, to impersonate her well enough?"
"I wasn't going to shag my brother – I wasn't going to go that far," Ginny said. "Besides, Lord Potter's a virgin. He wouldn't have realized whether or not I was experienced. All that mattered was that he finished inside me while I was dosed on the Fertility Draught."
Amelia spent the next several minutes asking questions and getting answers from the girl. Much to Amelia's surprise, Ginny didn't need Veritaserum to admit everything. She must have realized it was inevitable that she'd be going to Azkaban, and didn't want to end up near in a cell near the Death Eaters.
Amelia was surprised by how Ginny and Ron dealt with the complexity of the plan. They didn't use magic or wands – even though they had taken Fred and George's wands to make their impersonations look more convincing. They didn't know what kind of magic they could pull off with four bindings on their core. So they simply used Potions – which they had found in a hidden cupboard of their mother's, that John Dawlish hadn't found through the first sweep through the Burrow. What Potions their mother didn't have, they bought in Knockturn Alley with money from the moneybags they stole from their father and eldest brothers.
As they didn't dare sleep in Fred and George's dormitory, where Lee Jordan might find them in their normal appearances, they spent the night of Christmas Eve in one of the Prefect Bathrooms, sleeping on the cold tile floor. Ginny went green in the gills again, as she described remembering waking up to Ron spooning her for warmth, his arms wrapped around her waist and feeling his 'morning wand' – as she called it -against her bum, through their clothing.
"You wanted me to be thorough, didn't you?" Ginny asked, after mentioning that part, "There you go. Fred and George's friends didn't notice anything wrong with us. I suspect they blamed our behavior on the grief we were still experiencing over our mother's death."
Amelia nodded. She could understand that. Grief made everyone act uncharacteristic of themselves.
"How were you able to use Polyjuice Potion – every hour – without anyone noticing anything was off?" Amelia asked.
"Ron and I explained that we had hit each other with experimental prank charms we had created," Ginny said. "My idea. Anyway, the 'prank charm' made us have to pee constantly. So if we wound up going into a bathroom randomly to take the Potion, we had an excuse."
"So why did Ron miss his last dose?" Amelia asked. "If you had such a good plan?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Ginny asked. "Moron got caught up in snogging a girl who was willing to snog him. He was enjoying himself too much. I also imagine he was thinking about what he'd be doing later with the Mudblood – if our plan had worked – and he had gotten distracted by everything. So he was in the middle of snogging Johnson, when the Polyjuice wore off, and the idiot ruined our plan."
"Your plan wouldn't have worked, Miss Weasley," Amelia said. "It would have gone downhill the moment you tried to kiss Heiress Granger using that lipstick. She has a Betrothal Ring on her finger that stuns anyone – who isn't her Betrothed - who tries to touch her."
Ginny snorted. "The Betrothal Contract. That is what made me do it all, you know? Seeing Rita Skeeter's article about Harry's Betrothal Contract with the Mudblood. That stupid Proviso about nefarious influences, and needing to be checked with Goblin Healers, before they could break the Contract. That is why I planned to impersonate the Mudblood and end up pregnant with Potter's baby. Why I planned for Ron to rape her."
"You wanted to ruin them both when it came to intimacy," Amelia said, "While also getting your wish of becoming pregnant with Lord Potter's Heir. You believed their love wouldn't last after something like this."
"I wanted what was owed to me!" Ginny growled. "What was promised to me since I was a little girl! I was supposed to be Lady Potter! The wife of the Boy-Who-Lived. The Mudblood stole him from me! She insinuated I was a whore! I wanted to punish them both, but especially that dirty-blooded bitch! You believe she is an Heiress! Are you stupid?! She manipulated the Goblins, just like she manipulated my Harry! How can a Mudblood be an Heiress?!"
"Thank you, Miss Weasley," Amelia said, "Interrogation complete… for now. I'll speak to you again after you calm down. Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Tonks, we can leave now. She can remain here for a little while, so she can cool off."
Ginny was glaring at Amelia, but she didn't say anything else. She merely watched as Amelia, Shacklebolt and Tonks left the room.
"That girl is grade-A mental, Boss," Tonks said. "I'm not sure whether or not we can blame it on her mother anymore. She definitely deserves to go to Azkaban, however. If she gets another chance at Lord Potter and his Betrothed, something bad might happen before it can be stopped."
"I agree with the Rookie, boss," Shacklebolt said.
"Yes," Amelia said, "I'm in complete agreement as well. Come on, then. While I doubt we're going to get anything new from Ron that his sister hasn't told us yet, I still need to speak to him."
She was right. She got nothing new from Ronald Weasley except for the fact that he was hungry. Again.
She stepped back into her office ten minutes after she finished her very brief interrogation with the youngest Weasley son. Ronald and Ginevra were still sitting in the Interrogation Rooms cooling off before they would return to their Holding Cells.
As she walked over to her desk, she saw a small piece of parchment in the center of it that hadn't been there before. She recognized the signs of a Notice-Me-Not Enchantment on it, but it was apparently directed to anyone that wasn't her. Even then, she waved her wand over the parchment. Samantha wasn't on duty today, but obviously someone had gotten into her office and placed this piece of parchment here. So it was more than suspicious. She didn't find any enchantments on it besides the Notice-Me-Not that apparently everyone but her was subject to. The letter was obviously meant for her eyes only.
She sat down at her desk and picked up the parchment then read its contents.
Bones,
I know what you want to talk to me about. You have my permission. If you can get Lord Potter to the Ministry on Monday, you can bring him to the Department of Mysteries, so he can retrieve his property from the Hall of Prophecies.
Maybe Potter should be here for a different reason altogether, so he isn't just here to go to the Department of Mysteries – which might make people suspicious. How about a trial in which he is a witness, hmm?
See you on Monday,
Toad
Amelia raised an eyebrow. Toad. The Unspeakable code-name for Algernon Croaker. She had been trying to get in contact with the Unspeakable for the past few days, so she could speak to him about the Hall of Prophecies and Harry Potter. There was a Prophecy directed at Lord Potter, and she needed to schedule a day when Lord Potter could remove it from the Hall of Prophecies, so others couldn't do it.
Amelia snorted. "You don't need to give me such an dragon-sized hint, Toad. Ronald and Ginevra Weasley will have a trial on Monday. I'll ask Lord Potter and his Betrothed to be witnesses. After the trial, I'll take Potter to the Department of Mysteries. His Betrothed will likely be coming with us, as will his Godfather."
Amelia raised an eyebrow as a new line appeared on the letter.
P.S. This is agreeable with me, Bones. See you after Ronald and Ginevra's trial. Good luck with those two.
Amelia narrowed her eyes. Was Toad eavesdropping on her?
"I will find out how you are doing that, Toad!" Amelia growled.
Amelia gasped as the parchment set aflame and burned to ashes. Then the ashes formed into three words before they vanished:
Good luck, Bones.
(Saturday, December 26th, 1994 – 1:30 PM)
While most of her fellow classmates – and former hopefuls for Beauxbatons Champion – had to remain at Hogwarts during Christmas Break, much to their chagrin, Fleur Delacour was able to spend time with her family for one particular reason. Her family had a residence in London, England.
Well, the Manor didn't actually belong to her family, but it had been an option for residence for the past seven years, ever since her father, Pierre Delacour, became the French Ambassador to the British Ministry of Magic. Every French Ambassador to the British Ministry of Magic, and their family, used this house as residence whenever they stayed in Great Britain.
She had used the Floo Network in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade Village to travel to the Manor earlier that afternoon. Now, upon request of her mother, Apolline Delacour, she was making her way to her mother's study.
When she arrived, she stepped into the study, where she found her mother sitting at a desk, writing on a piece of parchment. Apolline Delacour was the Ambassador of the French Veela Colony, one of the very few Veela – residing in France - who didn't live in the Colony. This was mostly because of whom her chosen Mate was. Pierre Delacour was a successful businessman and politician, that he was a central face in the French magical society. Therefore, he couldn't just join the Colony like other chosen Mates. Apolline had become Ambassador when she had become pregnant with Fleur. This had given Apolline permission to spend the majority of her time – when she wasn't summoned to the Colony – to spend time with her husband and Veela daughters.
"Sit down, daughter," Apolline said, not looking up at Fleur, as she continued writing.
Fleur sat down at the lone chair on the closest side of the desk. Apolline finished the line she was writing, then set the Quill down and looked up at her daughter.
"Madame Maxime recently wrote me about the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament," Apolline said, "Under her direction, I was not to speak of it to you, until you figured out the Egg's clue. I trust you have?"
"The British newspaper, the Daily Prophet, had an article with the clue in it, Mama," Fleur said. "I am lucky it did, because the clue was sung by a Mermaid's Voice. I could not bear to listen to it."
"Yes. Mermaids," Apolline Delacour snarled the second word in disgust, "Madame Maxime told me that, at the moment, the Second Task would pit you and your competitors in the Hogwarts Lake, where you would swim to a Mermaid Village and rescue an object you 'would sorely miss'. Until recently, it was going to be person, but thankfully that has been averted. Otherwise I might have gone to the British Ministry of Magic and made those foolish Englishmen change their minds."
"Excuse moi, Mama for my interruption," Fleur said, "But did you say 'at the moment'?"
"I did indeed," Apolline said, smiling. "I have discussed the Second Task with your father, and voiced my displeasure about it with him. He has agreed with me that it is problematic. So, in his role as French Ambassador to the British Ministry of Magic, your father, after the new year begins, will be meeting with Albus Dumbledore and the other Tournament Officials – perhaps even Cornelius Fudge – and will voice our displeasure for the Second Task. He will… implore them… that they change the Second Task and change it to a different kind of Task.
"He will, of course, tell them about the dangers between the Veela and the Mermaids, and why this silly Task should be changed, so the British Ministry of Magic is not the cause of breaking the current truce between the two peoples."
"Is there anything you want me to do, Mama?" Fleur asked.
"There is," Apolline said, with a smile, "I want you to write to one of your fellow competitors. This… Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. I hear he has become a recent Lord of two Houses, and has brought a powerful Alliance in the British Wizengamot back into full force. It is known as the Great Alliance. I believe with the help of Lord Potter and his Alliance, we can succeed to change the Second Task."
"I do hope you're not asking me to seduce him, Mama," Fleur said, disapprovingly. "The boy is deeply in love with his Betrothed, the Heiress Dagworth-Granger. He is immune to my Allure as I discovered during the Yule Ball. He only had eyes for his Betrothed."
"Yes, I saw the pictures of Lord Potter and his Betrothed in this morning's Daily Prophet," Apolline said. "She is a very beautiful girl. No, I do not want you to seduce Lord Potter. Merely gain his trust. Your father has heard rumors of Darkness spreading in Great Britain. Rumors that this Dark Lord of theirs – the one with that silly French moniker - is not at all dead as was assumed. Rumors this Dark Lord is actually growing in strength, and is in the process of returning.
"There are also rumors that this Dark Lord will target Lord Potter more than anyone else – aside from, perhaps Dumbledore – due to the defeat he had been served back in '81 when Lord Potter became the Boy-Who-Lived. If Lord Potter agrees to help us with the Second Task, and this Dark Lord does return – then our young Lord may just have some unexpected allies to help him get rid of the pest with the French moniker. Let him know this, daughter."
"Do you want me to contact him now via Owl Post?" Fleur asked, "Or speak to him when we return to Hogwarts?"
"Now," Apolline said, "If he does not respond to a letter, then you can speak to him at Hogwarts about it. Though we should not expect a letter of complete acceptance or denial back immediately. I am sure he will want to speak to his Alliance about this. If we do receive an immediate reply back, it is more than likely we will hear exactly that. And daughter? I suggest you use the French-to-English Translation Quill."
Fleur blushed at her reminder that her English – whether it be speaking or writing – wasn't the best. The Translation Quill was a nifty little object. It would hover over a piece of parchment, while the writer wrote on a different parchment. Whatever the writer wrote in French, it would translate to English on the other piece of parchment.
"Yes, Mama," Fleur said.
"You're excused, daughter," Apolline said. "Welcome home."
"It is good to be home, Mama," Fleur said.
Fleur stood up and left the office. She was very nervous about writing to Lord Harry Potter. The last time they had interacted was the night before, and most of the time, her 'interactions' were to glare at Harry Potter's Betrothed. She couldn't help it. The Muggleborn Heiress looked so much more beautiful than she did. The girl had stolen her spotlight. Hers! The boys were all supposed to be watching her during the night. Admiring her beauty, even without her having to use the Allure. She didn't want to use her Allure, because she knew it would make the Davies boy worse!
She still couldn't believe how that had turned out. Roger Davies was a very handsome boy, and she thought he would be a wonderful date to the Ball. But that had been a disaster. He was drooling all over himself, nearly stupefied half the night because of her, and he could hardly dance! She had appreciated how he was so dedicated to her – but only at first. After about an hour or so, it just got overwhelming, even for her, a Veela! She had made mistakes with boys before, but Roger Davies was her biggest mistake.
Even worse, Lord Potter and his Betrothed had stolen her spotlight. All the boys and girls had been watching them, not her. She couldn't help but be envious and jealous of them.
No, she was not interested in the boy, when it came to romance. Any fool could see that Lord Potter and his Betrothed were very much in love. She knew she couldn't interfere with that. The best she could do was earn his friendship. Maybe he could introduce her to a friend of his that she could seduce or – would she dare? – fall in love with. But she wouldn't dare try to seduce him. No, she would be his friend, without trying to seduce him. A difficult task, since, as a Veela, every man – and some women – should be someone she should seduce for her own pleasures.
But not this one. On her mother's orders, he was to be a friend and possibly Ally, so as to help her change the Second Task, so she wouldn't have to deal with Mermaids. She shuddered at the very thought of Mermaids. She had been raised to hate, loathe, and even fear the Merpeople, just because of a long civil war between their two species. And now, if the Second Task wasn't changed, she'd be forced to swim into the center of a Mermaid Village! She shuddered again at the very idea.
She needed to write this letter to Lord Potter, and it needed to sound good. And she had to do it without seducing him.
"Why me, Mama?" Fleur said, "I am going to make a fool of myself."
Fleur blinked as thought crossed her mind. Could it be? Was her mother training her to be the future Ambassador of the French Veela Colony? Was this her first role as Ambassador's Apprentice? She wanted to be the future Ambassador, like her mother. Because otherwise, she had a good chance of having to go to the Colony and live there for the rest of life, even if she found herself a Chosen Mate.
"I'll do it, Mama," Fleur said, resolutely. "If this is what I think it is, then I'm going to do it, and I'm going to make you proud."
(Saturday, December 26th, 1994 – 2:30 PM)
Bartemius Crouch, Jr – in his disguise as Alastor Moody – cursed the fake leg he had been forced to use over the past few months, as he limped up the pathway toward the Hogwarts Gates. He had left the castle, to confirm that his father had been found dead overnight, like the Daily Prophet had reported.
It was true. His father was dead. That was the good news. The bad news: he hadn't been responsible for the bastard's death. So who was responsible for it? One of the rotten scum who dared call them followers of his Master? He didn't know, and he had tried to find out. Because he wanted to kill the bastard who took away his revenge for what his father had done to him. He hadn't found any answers, so his plan was to go back to Hogwarts and find out if Dumbledore knew anything about his father's death. After all, Moody and his father had been great friends. Why shouldn't he be concerned about it? Why shouldn't he ask questions? Why shouldn't he want to know who killed his friend?
Suddenly, as he walked toward the Hogwarts Gate, his body felt weird. As if something was stopping him. Then… pain! But it wasn't unbearable pain. He could fight through it for the moment. He took Moody's wand out and used silencing spells around him, so nobody would hear him screaming. It was a close call though. He groaned and screamed as he realized what was happening. The Polyjuice Potion was wearing off! How? He had taken a new dose just fifteen minutes ago!
Then he realized… Polyjuice Prevention wards! That bitch McGonagall had been concerned about them, and had started raising questions about putting them up around the castle, after those Weasley brats had decided to impersonate their twin brothers! He thought he would have more time! In fact, he was planning on escaping Hogwarts, but only after he killed the real Alastor Moody, so the old Auror wouldn't blab! The Auror knew who he was, after all!
"No!" Barty screamed, as he realized his plans – his Master's plans – were now in great risk!
He screamed and fell to the ground as another wave of pain hit. He tore at the magical eye in his eye socket and barely forced it out before his good eye came back. He then tore off his pants, and removed the peg leg before his began growing back. He screamed as his real appearance started coming back. Before he had gone to Azkaban, he was good with pain. He was getting his tolerance for pain back little by little, but this! This forced flushing of the Polyjuice Potion, and his body returning to his true form, all thanks to the Prevention wards, was terrible!
Miraculously, it only lasted for five minutes. He was still cursing and panting as the pain began to recede, but he needed to fight through it. He needed to get away from Hogwarts and Hogsmeade before he got caught. He grabbed Moody's wand, stood up and – fighting through the pain – ran off back down the road. He didn't dare Apparate yet. With the pain breaking his concentration, he'd likely Splinch or kill himself!
He was halfway in between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, when he finally risked Apparation. But he didn't Apparate to his master's residence. Not yet. He needed to prepare himself. His Master would likely be angry with him. He would surely be the target of many Cruciatus Curses. He needed to recover from his ordeal, before he returned to his Master to give him some very bad news.
He cursed that McGonagall bitch. She was definitely going to pay for this!
(Saturday, December 26th, 1994 – 3:15 PM)
Minerva McGonagall made her way to Alastor Moody's office. Albus had asked her to check on his old friend, and see why he hadn't attended the latest staff meeting. The staff meeting had been about the aftermath of Ron and Ginny's invasion the previous evening. Albus had announced that he had already placed temporary Polyjuice Prevention enchantments around the castle, and would seek to make them permanent in the wards before the students returned for the new term.
Minerva wasn't sure whether to be impressed with the Headmaster, or find humor in the situation. Obviously this was a preventative measure of some sort, but not toward those who might use Polyjuice Potion. No, this was a preventative measure for Albus himself, so Amelia Bones wouldn't come back to Hogwarts and ask why nothing was being done to prevent what had happened last night from happening again.
She made her way into the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom, and crossed to the back of the room, where the Defense Professor's office was located up a staircase. When she arrived at the door, she knocked on it. When there was no response, she took out her wand, just in case. She was about to enter the office of a paranoid man. She opened the door and stepped into the room, pointing her wand around the room.
"Alastor?" Minerva called out, "Alastor, it is Minerva."
Suddenly, she heard a loud, vibrating sound and she pointed her wand toward the direction of the sound. There, in the corner of the office, was a large trunk – Alastor's trunk, she realized. It had seven compartments. It started shaking and vibrating.
"Mallory!" Minerva called.
Mallory appeared a moment later.
"Mallory, use your special magic on that trunk and tell me what is causing it to shake," Minerva said.
Mallory held both hands up in the direction of the trunk. Then she gasped and cried out.
"There is an injured human inside the largest compartment, Mistress!" Mallory said.
Minerva's eyes widened. "Open the trunk, Mallory!"
Mallory snapped her fingers, and the trunk opened to the biggest compartment. Minerva pointed her wand toward the trunk as she waked toward it.
Her eyes widened as she looked into it. She was looking down into a kind of pit, an underground room, and lying on the floor some ten feet below, thin and starved in appearance, was the Alastor Moody. Minerva's eyes widened as the implications of what this meant started going through her mind.
"Alastor?" Minerva asked.
"Who – who is it?" Alastor's voice grunted, hoarsely.
"It is Minerva McGonagall, Alastor," Minerva said.
"Minerva," Alastor said, "Get Albus. Barty Crouch, Junior… he's alive… he's been… using my hair and Polyjuice Potion. What's the date?"
"Day after Christmas," Minerva said, "How long…?"
"August," Alastor said, "Last few days of August."
"Merciful Merlin!" Minerva gasped.
An escaped Death Eater – long-thought dead – had been posing as Alastor Moody for the entire term! Students had been taught by a Death Eater!
"I'm going to get my house-elf to take you to Poppy Pomfrey, Alastor!" Minerva said; she turned to Mallory, who looked ready for commands, "Mallory! Go down into the trunk compartment, and take Alastor to the Hospital Wing. Tell Poppy he's been a victim of long imprisonment, and that the Moody we knew these past few months was not him! Then go to Albus and explain everything! I'll be heading for the Hospital Wing soon. First I need to get in touch with Amelia Bones!"
Mallory nodded, then vanished. She appeared next to Alastor, and both wizard and house-elf vanished. Suddenly another revelation came to Minerva.
"Oh, Merlin," Minerva said; "It was Crouch, Junior. Posing as Moody. He was the one who put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire!"
Then yet another revelation crossed her mind. "Alastor Moody is one of Albus' greatest friends. How did he not know his good friend was being impersonated… for nearly five months?"
And so ends the thirty-seventh chapter, and the first chapter of Book 2: Tournament Drama!
I almost begin Book 2 off with a scene showing Bartemius Crouch's death, but I wanted to leave a bit of mystery to it. Did Snape do it on Dumbledore's orders – was that why he was not at the Ball? Did something else happen to him? I wanted that left wide open.
The last two scenes of this chapter almost didn't happen this early on in Book 2. It would have happened before Harry and Hermione returned to Hogwarts, but not this early. But I decided there was real reason to delay it. Besides, it gave Crouch a good reason to be out of the castle, come back and run into the temporary wards.
A lot happening in this chapter. Plots beginning, others continuing. Like the chapter with Molly Weasley's death, I chose not to have a warning for Character Death. I also chose not to have one for "Mention of Sibling Incest (Kissing)" because it would impact the shock factor of Ginny's interrogation.
Next Chapter: Albus finds out the news about Moody. Amelia comes back to Hogwarts again! Moody tells a story, and a new Defense Professor – not Moody – is decided!
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I am not going to be doing daily updates for a while. Unfortunately, I didn't get a great backlog of chapters during my break. So for a while – until I say differently - I am going to be once a week updates – every Saturday is my current plan.