Barty Crouch Returns
Even though Harry's cloak was way too big for Lucius, it served its purpose, allowing him to pass through the streets of Hogsmeade, into Honeyduke's and one of the secret entrances into Hogwarts unseen. He had to wait inside Honeyduke's until the proprietor needed to go to his stock room. The entrance to the basement was behind the counter. He slipped through the door before it closed. Down a flight of wooden stairs. The basement was filled with boxes stacked along the walls. The floor dusty, he had to magick away his footprints lest they betray the location of the trap door that blended seamlessly with the floor.
Down a flight of stone steps, at least a couple hundred or more, to the passage itself. It was far underground, a winding, earthen tunnel like a large rabbit burrow. Finally, the passage seemed to be going up at a gentle incline. The end, another set of stone steps up to a ladder that led to the third floor of Hogwarts. The Hogwarts end exited at the statue of a hunch backed witch whose hump opened. He put the Cloak back on before exiting, seeing the corridor was thankfully deserted.
There was no way he could reach the pear that opened the door to the kitchen, but Fred was there, waiting. He stuck his head out.
"I'm here", he said.
"Right on time".
It was no imposition as Fred and George were frequent visitors. The Twins kept their younger brother in the dark about how they were always coming up with extra treats. He could always use some extra food, especially desserts.
"Master Fred", one of the elves greeted. "We have some eclairs, and Yorkshire pudding".
"That would be fine, thank you".
"Will you have some tea as well?"
"Certainly"
Lucius noticed Winky sitting, as usual, by the fireplace. She was staring into the fire, ever more filthy. The finery she got from Crouch was so dirty she almost blended into the background of fire blackened brick. She was already half out of it when he stunned her and levitated her across the floor. The elves were too busy, setting up for the evening meal, to notice her sudden disappearance. He doubted they'd notice Winky's absence for a good long while, if at all. They had no use for an elf who wasn't doing her job.
"Thanks again", Fred said as he took his leave.
"Any time, Master Fred, you is always welcome".
Lucius slipped out with him, and set off for the Room of Requirement. Forch, it wasn't in use. He paced back and forth, saying what he needed, and the door appeared on the thrid pass.
"Enervate", he cast the reversal spell.
Winky, bleary-eyed, looked around: "Where is I?"
"Where you house elves call the 'Come and Go Room'. I'm Lucius Lutra, by the way. Pleased to meet you".
"Who is you? What do you want with Winky?"
"The first order of business is you're going to take a bath. You stink".
"I is not! You is letting Winky go!"
"Yes, you is!"
She began to scream, run around looking for an exit.
"Scream some more, no one can hear you. No one cares, and they'll won't be missing you. The other house elves think you're useless, and they're right. So we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Your choice, Undress and get in the bath".
Lucius had a nice, warm, bubble bath waiting. He waited.
"OK, the hard way", he said as he hit her with the Body Binding and Silencing spells.
He tore off the filthy clothes, made a pile, and burned them to ash with a Confringo. Next, into the bath water for a good scrubbing. He had to change the water twice before he got her clean enough to stand to be around her. He conjured a tea towel to make her a poncho.
"Next, you're going to sleep it off, sober up and we'll have a nice conversation about your x-boss".
Lucius settled in for a long night. Winky was up early. Lucius popped off the top of a bottle of butterbeer and handed it to her. She took it with shaky hands and gulped it down.
"More please", she requested.
"Just a little hair o' the dog that bitcha, no more", he said as he was setting up. "You're gonna be in for a rough couple of days. I hope you realize how futile it is to drown your sorrows: the damn things can swim.
"Do you know what this is?", he indicated what looked like old fashioned rabbit ears he'd unpacked and placed on the desk top.
"Will you please be letting Winky go?", she pleaded.
"As soon as we clear up a few things. This is a Secrecy Sensor, he explained, "it will tell me if you're lying or being less than honest with me. Tell me about Barty Crouch and the secrets you said you were keeping".
"You nosin'! Just like Big Hair Bushy Head! Winky is good elf. Winky not betray Master's secrets!"
"Barty Crouch isn't your master anymore. You have no obligations to him after he broke your binding enchantment. You owe him nothing".
"Master trusted Winky with his secrets. Winky promised to never tell, and I is not saying nothin' to you or anyone else!"
"Did you know that no one has seen your Master since November? That he hasn't been to any of the Triwizard events he, himself, made possible? Did you know that no one from the Ministry, not even that suck-up assistant of his, Percy Weasley, has bothered to check up on him? I dropped by the house you and he lived in and it doesn't look like anyone's been there in three months? Did you know that, Winky?"
"Poor Master! No Winky to take care of him. Master is needing his Winky..."
"I need to know what he's been hiding from everyone. You know..."
"You is nosin! I keep Master's secrets!"
"Then you aren't a good elf at all. In fact, you're a bad elf, a very bad elf".
"I is good elf!"
"We don't know whether or not he's alive or dead. He's in some serious trouble, and you can help us help him. If you were a good elf, you'd want that. Perhaps you don't care? You want to see him harmed for giving you the boot?"
"NO! Winky would never..."
"You say you're a good elf. THEN ACT LIKE IT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!"
She sat there, balling up the hem of her poncho in her fists.
"Master… master… is in big trouble… He done something very bad and say Winky must never tell..."
"Go on, what did he do?"
"It was his missus… When the call came that young Barty was dying in Azkaban, she begged Master to let her trade places because she didn't have long to live. That's what he done, used Polyjuice to make her look like young Barty, and Barty to look like her. She stayed behind. He made young Barty wear an invisibility cloak all the time, and he put Winky in charge of taking care of him. That's what I did, helped him regain his health".
"Extraordinary, I'd never suspect he'd do something like that", Lucius said. "Doesn't fit his reputation, or the one he cultivated. Go on".
"He used the Imperious to make sure he behaved, and for a good while it worked. Young Barty stayed in the house, and kept quiet when there were visitors, so no one knew nothing. Then that Ministry bitch came nosin around. Said she had something for Master to look at, and she heard Winky talking to young Barty in the kitchen. She came nosin, but didn't see no one but Winky there".
"That would be Berta Jorkins?"
"That's what Master say. He used some memory magick on her so's she wouldn't remember what she seen. He said she wasn't quite right in the head after that, but she couldn't remember to tell".
"That would explain why he wasn't so eager to find her after her disappearance. They might find the memory modifications. Go on".
"It not right, that young Barty be inside all the time, no different from Azkaban. Winky knew young Barty loved Quiddich, and so when the World Cup came, Winky begged Master to let him go. He could stay under the cloak, and no one would notice, and young Barty could be out, watch the game. Master sent Winky to the Top Box to hold a seat for him, say it was for Master".
"He agreed to this? To take that chance even when all the Ministry officials were there?"
"Winky can be persuasive, and it's what his Missus would've wanted. We didn't count on the bad wizards. Young Barty was breaking the Imperious, and tried to flee. Winky used elf magic to bind him to me, but he was too strong. He stole a wand and conjured the Dark Mark. Then we was hit by Stunners, and the binding failed. They found me with the wand young Barty used to conjure the Dark Mark, but they didn't sees him under the cloak. Winky failed Master..."
Her eyes were tearing up.
"That's why… that's why… he give Winky clothes and say he doesn't need his Winky no more..."
All Lucius could do was hug her and let her cry it out. It was amazing that the Inspector Javert of dark magi would aid the escape from Azkaban of Barty Jr. The hard-ass still had some fillial love left after all. Or was it guilt over how the career obsessed Minister wannabe neglected his own family?
"One more thing, how did Barty Jr. strike you?", he asked when Winky recovered s measure of composure.
"How… how… do you mean?"
"Did he talk? Did he ever talk about his case? He ever mention Whatshisname?"
"Not at first, but later, when he began to defy Master's Imperious… He said he wanted to go look for him. He bragged about being his most faithful servant. He said any Death Eater that wasn't in Azkaban was a traitor".
"Did he do it? Take part in the attack on the Longbottoms?"
"He never said".
"Thank you, Winky, you did the right thing".
"Will this help Master?"
"I don't know, and I can't promise, but there's a chance it will. There's just one last thing before you go", Lucius said. "Stupify", he stunned her for a memory wipe.
"Tippy!", Lucius called out, and the elf promptly appeared.
"Don't worry, she is unharmed and will recover on her own. Would you see Winky back to the kitchen? I'd also appreciate it if you told Dumbledipshit what's been going on with Winky. He needs to have a long talk with her to make her understand Barty Crouch isn't her master, and she's not going back to him, and that she should take advantage of this opportunity to get a new life. And no more butterbeer. Go easy on her for a couple of days, until she's over the withdrawal".
"Yes, Mas… Lucius".
"What do you remember about Barty Jr.?", Lucius asked of Sirius when he got back to the cave. "When you were in Azkaban together?"
"As I said before, we were in the same cellblock, and I watched him being brought to his cell. He looked young, almost too young to be in Max, and sickly: pale, painfully thin. Before the day was out, he was crying for his mother. Why do you ask?"
"He doesn't strike you like the hardened criminal type?"
"Certainly not! Anything but that".
"Could he have been faking it?"
"I don't see how, or even why he would. He wasn't getting any special treatment, I can tell you that. Old Barty could have seen him sent to a juvenile lock-up, or minimum security at the fortress, He didn't. That crowd was distinctly lacking in any sort of empathy".
"How did he get along with the other Death Eaters?"
"He didn't".
"Could his being in there have hardened him?"
"Hell, I don't know. I didn't see him again after his arrival, but I could hear him, his incessant crying for the first couple of days, then nothing. Just the usual screams in the night".
"When his parents came to visit..."
"Why are you asking?"
"I have received some new information from Crouch's house elf. It would seem the tales of young Barty's demise have been greatly exaggerated".
"You mean… he's alive!"
"Very much so".
"All I recall is that their last visit was a death bed courtesy. Mrs. Crouch wasn't looking too well herself. She looked pretty much the same as they were leaving. I thought nothing more of it besides feeling sorry for her, losing her son like that".
"It would seem that our straight arrow candidate for Minister and the famous chaser of dark magi was not what he seemed. Mrs. Crouch was dying herself, and Barty Sr. arranged for her to take her son's place with the help of Polyjuice. He kept his son concealed in the house under invisibility cloaks, controlled by the Imperious. Winky tells me that he spoke of seeking Voldemort, bragging about how he was his most loyal servant because he risked Azkaban and his father's imprisonment.
"This doesn't square with the Mama's boy you just described. It was his attempts to break his father's Imperius, to return to his Dark Lord, that got Winky sacked. Everyone thought it was because she associated his good name with the Dark Mark, but it wasn't. She failed to keep young Barty under control".
"I don't know what to tell you. I honestly thought he'd gotten himself involved in a situation by accident or happenstance. Like being in the wrong place at the wrong time, everybody did".
"So if Barty's son is still alive, that could explain Barty's Sr's sudden disappearance: he's done a runner to protect his son".
"Maybe, I hope that's all there is to it, but now we have a completely unknown variable added to the equation".
"Then what do we do? Tell Dumbledore? Moody? Harry also needs to know".
"I agree, we owl them what we learned. It probably won't do any good without Amelia, but Pius Thicknesse needs to know as well. Then we best be getting back to Owlery Holt".
"Not before Harry sends more Hogwarts goodies, I hope".
"I can see my way clear for that".
Hogwarts: Dumbledore's Office
"What do you make of this?", Dumbledore asked Mad Eye after showing him the letter the morning owls brought to the staff table.
"Got my own copy", he explained. "I never figured… Barty Crouch sure had everyone fooled, the two-faced bastard. I'm beginning to wonder if we're not barking up the wrong tree?"
"How do you mean?"
"What if Hogwarts and the Triwizard Tournament isn't the target, but a diversion? If Crouch and his son are working to aid the Dark Lord's return, it would make sense to get us believing there is a plot against Potter while the real business is going on elsewhere. Or that these letters are the diversion to send us chasing after wild geese".
"We don't know that he is involved. Barty is, after all, as human as the next guy, and as the saying goes, blood is thicker than water. What concerns me is how was this discovered?"
"I'm still trying to work that out, who would know in the first place?"
"One possibility: Barty's house elf showed up here at Hogwarts just before the Christmas break. However, she hasn't been very co-operative, I'm afraid. She hasn't shown any interest in engaging in work".
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Care of Magical Creatures
As soon as Hagrid brought out a large box, everyone became distinctly anxious. The last time he did this, he announced that the class project was raising Blast Ended Skrewts. He had dug up a plot of earth near the cabin, and most assumed he was getting ready for the spring planting of a new garden.
"Gather roun", he announced. "T'day's lessin is on nifflers. I figgured this would be a fun lessin. I have a niffler for everyone, so take your pick".
The nifflers were gray, furry animals that looked a lot like common moles: the same powerful front legs with spade-shaped paws ideal for digging and burrowing, the same undersized eyes, and pointy noses. They looked to be bright and alert, all eyes and noses, examining these strange critters.
"Ye commonly find nifflers in mines as dey like innyting shiny".
Pansy saw that, as her niffler was taking quite the interest in her watch.
"Ye might wanna take off inny jewelry", Hagrid said.
"Dere's boud a hunnerd gold coins buried here", he indicated the freshly turned earth, "Let 'em loose an we sees which one brings back the most gold. Ah have a special prize fer the mos' coins. Everbuddy ready? Let 'em go!"
The nifflers headed into the patch, diving underground as easily as aquatic animals dived in water. The nifflers moved with unexpected speed, some porpoising above, then below ground. Soon, the nifflers brought back gold coins, dropping them in front of each student who released it, as they returned with the coins in their mouths. Soon, everyone was cheering on their nifflers. Within minutes, it looked like the nifflers found all the gold.
"Count your coins, less see who got the most. Doan be pocketin none of dem coins: is's leprechaun gold, an it vanish beferr the day's out".
Ron and Greg Goyle emptied their pockets. Hagrid inspected the counting.
"Looks like Ron's niffler won thuh contess", Hagrid announced.
Hagrid handed him a large piece of chocolate from Honeyduke's.
"Where do you get nifflers?", Ron asked.
"Yer mum wouldn'a like dat", Hagrid explained. "Dey doan make good pets, an' dey wreck houses. Be gittin interr mos' inniwares, drawers, cupboards, desks, book shelves. Dey kin wreck a home in no time.
"Sides ter neighbors woan 'preciate yer niffler's swiping dere stuff. Persistant lil devils, dey are".
Harry thought they sounded a lot like otters and ferrets in that regard.
"Do prospectors use them?", Hermione asked.
"Ain innyone been able to dermesticate 'em, so's dey not like truffle pigs, fer instance. Sometimes, prospectors see what dey have in dere dens. Thah'll give 'em idears as to what's close: gold, coloured stones, an so forth", Hagrid explained.
"I still wish I had a niffler", Ron said. "I hate being poor, f'kin leprechaun gold". He thought he'd struck it rich during the World Cup when the leprechauns dropped gold coins on the audience.
Today's lesson was typical Hagrid: long on the fun of a contest, but way short on details such as what nifflers eat, how long they live, how they are able to find gold underground. How they use their senses.
There was no news concerning the Crouch's. Finally, the Ministry was taking seriously the cases of their missing officials. Percy was brought in for interviewing, and received a reprimand for not alerting the DMLE about Barty Crouch, or for trying to see if he was at home.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
With the upcoming Easter break, came the mid-terms that had everyone on edge with pre-exam studies in addition to the latest homework and class study. It was after Transfiguration that McGonagall handed Harry an excuse slip that said his presence was requested down by the Quiddich pitch at 8:00 that evening. Too bad it didn't get him out of any classes.
"Hell'd they do to the Quiddich pitch?", Cedric greeted Harry's arrival. The stands were gone; the whole field criss-crossed with low, green walls.
"They're hedges", Harry said. "Been lots of rumours going around. The other day, Fleur was saying the next task involved going underground. Wouldn't mind that, I could borrow one of Hagrid's nifflers".
"Right-o!", Ludo Bagman greeted all the assembling Champions. "Don't worry, Mr. Diggory, you will have your Quiddich pitch back, good as new, after the final task".
He'd overheard.
"Give it a month and Hagrid'll have 'em twenty feet tall", Bagman continued his explanation. "Does anyone have an idea as to what we're building here?", he asked.
"Maze", Viktor said.
"That's right, it's a maze. The final task is straight forward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of this hedge maze. The first one who finds it and takes it, wins. As for the previous tasks, you've been working for your position to enter the maze. Everyone will, however, have a fair chance to get to the Cup first. Harry will go first, then Viktor, Cedric, and Fleur. There will be a number of entrances, and you'll get to choose. How you choose will have a lot to do with how difficult the passage will be".
"So that's all we have to do? Get through the maze?", Cedric asked.
"Of course, there will be obstacles: spells and enchantments to overcome, and Hagrid is providing some creatures as well. There's a bit more involved than just working out the maze itself".
"Of course", Harry said.
"Don't suppose you'd give us a leetle 'int?", Fleur asked.
"No, sorry, I can't do that. It would spoil the surprise", Ludo said. "Right-o, then, until next month".
"Zat's eet?", Fleur asked.
"You were expecting more?", Ludo asked her.
"You could 'ave owled us eef zat's all you 'ave to tell us".
"May I 'ave a vord?", Viktor asked Harry after Bagman dismissed them. "Vill you valk vith me?"
"Sure, what's on your mind?", Harry asked. Viktor wasn't leading them towards the Durmstrang ship, but past the airlines, Hagrid's cabin, and into the forest.
"Why here?", Harry asked.
"The valls 'ave ears and eyes, an' Mr. Dumbledore doesn't seem able to keep out nosy reporters. 'Ere vee can 'ave privacy".
"Good point", Harry agreed.
Out of sight of the castle and the cabin, Krum got to his point: "Vhat is there between you and Hermi-own-ninny?"
"Well, we're friends. Have been since we first met on the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley to pick up school supplies. Not that we're boyfriend/girlfriend, we're friend friends… and classmates".
Harry thought the jealous boyfriend routine was amusing. Here the eighteen year old Quiddich pro was thinking that thirteen year old Harry was a possible rival and an equal.
"Den vhy does she talk about you all the time?"
"As I said, we're friends, and that's what friends do".
"Den you haff not… you never..."
"No, we haven't. I already have a girlfriend, Pansy, so you have nothing..."
They were interrupted by the sound of someone on the move, behind the trees. Harry pulled Viktor out of sight, motioning him to remain quiet. A rather disheveled man stumbled out of the woods. It took Harry a minute or two to recognize him.
"Mr. Crouch?", he asked, as he stepped forward..
"The Triwizard judge?", he asked. "Isn't he viff your Ministry?", Viktor asked.
"Yeah, but what's he doing here?"
The last two times he saw Barty Crouch he was wearing a pin striped suit with polished shoes, looking like a respectable muggle businessman at the World Cup. His hair neat, and his toothbrush mustache looking like he trimmed it with a micrometer, his hair parted as though by straight edge. Unlike most wizards, he knew how to dress muggle style without making a fool of himself, or standing out. He could wear muggle clothing with an ease that appeared natural. At the first task, he wore robes, but still kept his hair and mustache trimmed. Now it looked like he hadn't washed or trimmed his hair and mustache in weeks. He hadn't shaved in days, and that wasn't like the Barty Crouch Harry knew. His robes were dirty, and with rips and the knees worn out. There were cuts and scrapes on his face, arms, and his knees were bloody. He looked like he'd been on the move for days.
"Good job with the report on cauldron standards, Weasley", he was talking to thin air. "Have you gotten off those owls to Karkarov and Maxime to finalize their plans for the Tournament?"
"Mr. Crouch?", Harry asked again. "We've been so worried about you. Everyone has".
His eyes were popping and unfocused. He couldn't see straight, and was barely able to stand. He was still talking to the voices in his head, though his lips moved silently.
"Vot is drong vith him?", Viktor asked.
"No idea", Harry said to him.
"Mr. Crouch", Harry approached the confused man.
"Be careful", Krum called out.
Crouch seemed to notice Harry's presence for the first time: "Miss… I thought this was Hogwarts?", he asked, very confused.
"Potter, Harry Potter, Sir, and this is Hogwarts..."
Crouch grabbed Harry's lapels, sank to his knees, pulling Harry down with him: "Dumbledore… must… see… Dumbledore… Must warn..."
"If you let go, I'll take you to the Professor", he tried prying Crouch's hands from his jacket. He couldn't loosen Crouch's grip.
"I got away… Must warn… Dumbledore… Did a… foolish thing… a terrible thing… My son… Berta Jorkins: dead… My fault… All my fault". It appeared as though Crouch was struggling mightily just to get every word out.
"Look, if you let me go, I can take you to Dumbledore, or I can bring him here".
"...Voldemort… growing stronger… Not much time… Coming after me… Must warn Dumbledore..."
"How is Voldemort growing stronger? How do you know Berta's dead, and that he did it? Who's coming? If you just let me go, I'll get Dumbledore; you're safe here"
Crouch let Harry go, and was having another imaginary conversation.
"He's insane!", Krum observed. "Completely mad". Viktor was backing away, looking like he would run at any moment. Harry didn't need that.
"I'm going to be needing some help here", Harry reminded.
"I'll have a spot of tea before I get ready. My wife and son should be here soon, then we're going to the concert with Mr. and Mrs, Fudge…
"That's right, Barty Junior just earned twelve OWLs… Yes, we are proud of him… he has a great future ahead of him… I'll take care of dealing with the Andorran Minister of Magic myself"
"Stay here with him, and don't let him wander off, I'll get Dumbledore"
Harry side stepped as Crouch tried grabbing him again, sending Crouch to the ground.
"...Voldemort… getting stronger… coming back..."
"Just keep him here", Harry ordered as he headed for the castle. "Don't let him wander off. Not in his condition".
"Don't be too long", Krum called out.
Harry ran as fast as he could, to the gargoyle that guarded the spiral staircase.
"Lemon sorbet!", he tried the last password that worked. Nothing happened.
"Lemon drops… Sugar Quills… Chocolate Frogs… Drooble's Best Blowing Gum! ..."
The gargoyle stepped aside, but not because he guessed the right password. It was Snape's leaving the stairway.
"Pot-ter. What are you doing here?"
"Professor! I have to see Dumbledore. Mr Crouch from the Ministry is here. He's asking for Dumbledore..."
"What nonsense are you talking, Pot-ter? The Headmaster is busy, and you should be back with the rest of your school".
"You don't understand! It's Mr. Crouch! He's here! But there's something wrong with him, he's talking all sorts of nonsense..."
"Didn't you hear me, Pot-ter? Now be on your way".
"Professor! Mr, Crouch, needs our help..."
The gargoyle stepped aside again.
"Professor Dumbledore! Barty Crouch… in the woods..."
"Lead the way", Dumbledore said as he followed Harry, leaving Snape behind. He was afraid the Professor would ask questions, giving Snape more opportunity to delay him. He left the Potions Master standing beside the gargoyle, looking just as ugly.
"He's not making much sense", Harry explained, "says he did something foolish, said something about Voldemort's getting stronger. He said something was all his fault. Left him with Viktor Krum".
"Did he say anything else?"
"Mostly nonsense, like he believes his wife and son are still alive, a conversation from long ago. That Percy Weasley is here. Looks like he hasn't slept a wink in days".
There was no one in sight as Harry arrived: "This has to be the right place, right behind Hagrid's cabin… Viktor!", he called out. No answer.
"Lumos", Dumbledore lit his wand. He scanned around with the light until they spotted a pair of feet. They belonged to Krum, who was lying on the ground, flat on his back.
"What happened to him? Is he alright?"
"Looks like he's been stunned. Go get Hagrid, let him know Viktor's been stunned. We may have an intruder".
"Enervate", Dumbledore cast the reverse charm. Krum tried getting up" "Must warn..."
"Just lie still, help's on the way. You've been stunned. You'll be disoriented for a few moments".
Harry arrived with Hagrid and Fang. Hagrid had his crossbow.
"Rubius, I need you to go to the Durmstrang ship. Let High Master Karkarov know one of his students was attacked and stunned".
"Aye, Ah'll leave Fang with ye".
"Fang", he addressed the boarhound, "stay".
"It vass that crazy old man… hit me from behind", Krum said.
"We need Alistair, would you get him?", Dumbledore told Harry.
"That won't be necessary", came a slightly wheezing breathe. "Damn leg, I'd've been here sooner", Moody complained. "Snape said I'd find you out here".
"Viktor Krum was attacked, and Harry said Barty Crouch was here".
"Did he now?", Moody asked himself.
"Yes, but he looked like he was out of his mind", Harry explained. "Sometimes he was having imaginary conversations with Percy, talking about cauldron reports and asking about owl posts to Karkarov and Madam Maxime. He seemed to believe his wife and son were still alive. He also said something about Voldemort and getting stronger".
"I'll have a look around", Moody said, "he can't have gotten far", as he headed into the woods as he lighted his wand.
Hagrid was returning with Karkarov who was wearing his silver fur robes.
"Viktor! What has he done to you?!"
"It vass that old man...", Krum started to explain.
"What old man, Viktor?"
"Mr. Crouch, the judge from the Ministry. He vass here, acting all crazy..."
"Treachery!", Karkarov complained. "One of your own Ministry officials attacks my school's Champion to take him out of the running. Dumbledore! You and your Ministry sneak a second champion into the Tournament to disadvantage Durmstrang, and now I find you've attacked my student! All your sweet words about better international co-operation, better relationships, and setting aside old differences, and you just demonstrated how empty they were! I have a good mind to pull Durmstrang out right now, and I assure you: we won't be coming back. Here's what I think of you!", he said as he spat at Dumbledore's feet.
Hagrid grabbed him by his fur robes, slammed him into a tree. He held Karkarov, feet off the ground, with a hand around his throat.
"Apologize!", he demanded.
"Hagrid! No!", Dumbledore called out.
Hagrid let go, and Karkarov slid down the tree to sit on the ground.
Moody was coming back.
"Anything?", Dumbledore asked.
"If he was here, he isn't here now".
"He didn't look like he was in any condition to travel", Harry explained. "I don't see how he could get very far".
"That may be so, but sometimes you can't judge a man's real condition by appearance alone. Who knows what he could do? There's nothing more we can do here. It's in the Ministry's hands now", Moody explained.
"He seemed to be very concerned that he see the Professor. I find it hard to believe he would just take off".
"He vass totally insane, so who knows what he really vants. I don't think he ever knew", Viktor added.
"Would you see Harry back to the airliner", Dumbledore requested of Hagrid.
"And Harry, I want you to stay there for the night. There's nothing more that you can do to help Mr. Crouch. Understand?"
"Understood, Professor".
"Karkarov talkin' like thah ter thuh Perfesser. Dese damn ferriners", Hagrid was complaining, "can't trust a one uvum. Goin off with Krum, Harry! He could'a jinxed ye! Ah'll be glad when the whole lot uvem are gone".
"Krum's OK, he just wanted to ask me about Hermione in private. He knows about the portraits, and we have Rita Skeeter and her eavesdropping. He was right to be concerned with privacy. What about Madam Maxime?", Harry objected, "you seemed to be getting along at the Ball".
"Maxime! Doan be talkin ter me boud her! She been tryan ter get in me good books, but Ah got her number awlrye…
"Innyways, we're here. You do like thuh Perfesser says an doan be wand'rin". He waited until Harry climbed the airstair and closed the hatch behind him.
"Barty Crouch, here?", Hermione asked.
"He sure was, if only Snape hadn't delayed me, we could have gotten back in time. But, no, the greasy git just had to play childish games. He knew I urgently needed to see the Professor, but was determined to deny me what I needed the most.
"Percy said he wasn't feeling well, and he didn't look well at all. He was talking to people who weren't there, like Percy. Then he was reliving an old conversation about his son's OWLs and going to the concert with the Fudges. He seemed most lucid when talking about Voldemort".
"What did he say?"
"Said he was getting stronger. Dumbledore never got the chance to ask him about it. When I returned with the Professor, he was gone. Moody said he didn't see him, but how could he get away that quickly? How did he get the drop on Krum in his condition? He couldn't apparate, so portkey?"
"Or he's been kidnapped, got away to come here, but was caught again. He could have been flown away by broom...". She was giving him a reproving look, as she did when she knew he broke the rules.
"What?"
"What were you doing in the woods?"
"It was Viktor, said he wanted to talk without being overheard".
"You went with him? Just because he asked when you hardly know him? Harry!"
"What?"
"Whoever was out there, they could have attacked you!"
"If anyone was out there, assuming there was someone, they were right there, feet away, and I wasn't attacked. No one's tried attacking me all year".
"To make you complaisant and do something like what you just did, walk straight into a trap".
"I highly doubt that. If anyone wanted me dead, that would have been a perfect opportunity. Attack me and Viktor, make it look like we killed each other in a duel over a girl or something. Probably get away with it too, but that didn't happen. You're worrying over nothing".
"It's not 'nothing' (finger quotes) especially if it involves Whatshisname".
"OK, OK, I'll promise not to do it again".
He had another owl post to write for Hedwig to take to Owlery Holt in the morning.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Today was Double Divination, and Harry wasn't looking forward to that at all. Trelawney was sure to predict his death yet again. Trelawney's classroom was illuminated only by the fire, as she insisted in drawing all the curtains. She burned way too much incense in the fire, making the whole room very stuffy and so over scented he knew he'd be smelling her incense all the rest of the day.
He made sure to grab a seat close to a window. When she wasn't looking, he opened the window. At least that might make it not so hot, and get some fresh air into the room. This time, Trelawney had something interesting to show them. A model of the solar system contained in a glass globe. All the planets and their moons in orbit about the sun, the motions of the planets adjustable.
He noticed some sort of bug that had landed on the window sill, briefly wondering how it got up so high. Did it ride an updraft? Trelawney was going on and on, about the relationship between Mars and Neptune, and what that meant in astrological terms. His eyelids were getting heavy…
Was it a dream, or something else? Harry saw that he was riding on an eagle owl, or was that just the point of view? He was skimming over a landscape of rolling hills, not the mountains as seen from Hogwarts. The owl gradually began its descent towards a house on a hill. The house looked as though it had been a magnificient manor, but that was a long time ago. The house was in a state of sad decay, most of the windows boarded up, slate tiles missing from the roof, the ivy long untrimmed. The owl headed for one of the broken windows, and flew down a long corridor, to a room at the end of the hall. The owl perched on the back of a wing chair. Now Harry's point of view was inside the room.
There was an enormous snake curled up by the fireplace. A small man groveled by the hearth.
"Wormtail", a high, cold voice was saying, "your screw-up nearly ruined everything. However, my faithful servant has been able to undo most of the damage. He assures me that our way to Potter is clear, that the Triwizard Tournament will go forward".
Then Harry recognized that the figure was, indeed, Wormtail.
"Master! That is good news".
"Perhaps you need another reminder to take your duties more seriously?"
"Master, please… I tried to stop him..."
"Try, Wormtail? I don't need try. I need results, I demand results. Fortunately despite your latest fuck-up, he is confirmed dead. Sorry, Nagini, but I won't be feeding you Wormtail just yet".
The tip of a wand appeared around the back of the chair.
"Crucio!"
Wormtail writhed on the floor, screaming his head off. Harry felt in his scar, Cruciatus-level pain. He couldn't help but scream himself. Voldemort was certain to hear, to know he was standing right behind him.
"Let that be a reminder to treat your duties with more diligence in the future. It would pain me to have to feed you to Nagini..."
"Harry! Harry!", someone was calling his name. He looked around, but where was Wormtail? He was flat on his back, with Professor Trelawney, Hermione, Draco, and Neville looking down at him.
"You suddenly dropped to the floor", Trelawney explained, "clutching your scar with both hands. Don't you remember?"
He got to his feet: "I need to see Madam Pomphrey..."
"Don't go now!", Trelawney begged, "what was it? A vision, apparition, a premonition? You have been stimulated by the clairvoyance of my room. You've seen farther than you ever did before. If you leave now, you could miss the opportunity to farther than any student has seen before".
"The only thing I want to see is one of Pomphrey's headache potions".
"Harry?", Pansy asked.
"It's OK", he reassured.
Harry headed, not for the infirmary, but the owlery. He needed to send another letter to Owlery Holt. Hedwig wasn't back yet, so he sent one of the school's owls. Maybe Lucius would have some ideas? So far, neither Professor Dumbledore nor Alistair Moody were being forthcoming with news. He knew that Minister Fudge, himself, had come to Hogwarts. At least the Ministry was finally taking the matters of their officials, Barty Crouch and Berta Jorkins, seriously.
A few days after Harry's incident in Divination, Rita Skeeter struck again:
HARRY POTTER: DEEPLY DISTURBED AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS?
It has come to the attention of this reporter that the Boy Who Lived has frequent episodes of collapse in his classes. Once again, we see that Albus Dumbledore has covered up for Mr. Potter, as he has failed to report said incidents to the Ministry or to the mind healers of St. Mungos.
The latest episode where Mr. Potter fainted was during Sybil Trelawney's divination class. It was said he suddenly dropped to the floor, clutching the scar he received the night Hewhomustnotbenamed murdered his parents. He was witnessed rolling around the floor, totally unresponsive, while crying out about how Hewhomustnotbenamed was torturing someone. When he finally revived, he seemed to have no recollection of what he said, insisting that it was "only a headache".
"There is the possibility", said an anonymous source at St. Mungos, "that the night he received his scar from a backfiring curse, that there was brain damage. It could also just be in his head, unconscious memories of that terrible night coming to the surface. I can't rule out another possibility: that he's faking this to seek attention, or that it's a cry for help. Of course, without an actual examination of the patient, I can draw no conclusions".
There are also questions raised by Mr. Potter's being a fluent Parseltongue. The ability to speak to snakes has long been a hallmark of a dark wizard. An anonymous source inside the Ministry has confirmed that the former Directorix of the DMLE called on Potter specifically for this ability to open the Chamber of Secrets. As we all know, the most famous Parseltongue of our time is none other than the Dark Lord himself. Snakes and serpents have a long association with evil and black magick.
One would think that Harry Potter, having been illegally entered into the Triwizard Tournament, would have more than enough attention to satisfy him? Is this a case of Headmaster Dumbledore's ignoring a suffering student's desperate cries for help to further his own ambitions? Does it seem that Mr. Potter is in any condition to compete in the task coming in a few days? Is he planning on using black magick to win the Tournament? Could these spells be a prelude to more dangerous behaviours, behaviours Mr. Potter may not even be aware of, let alone able to control?
This reporter leaves that to you to decide
– Rita Skeeter
"How the HELL did she find out about that?!", Harry asked Hermione. "She wasn't there!"
"She had to be. There's no other way she could have known. I was there, and she's describing everything in too much detail to have heard it second hand. Somehow she's getting by the wards, undetected".
"I opened a window, and there was some kind of bug buzzing around".
"At the top of the North Tower?!"
"Yeah, I thought it was just caught in an updraft".
"There's something I need to check out if we ever get a chance to visit the library".
Harry,
The sudden reappearance of Barty Crouch and the just as sudden disappearance at Hogwarts is most disturbing indeed. It would seem he was being held against his will somewhere, likely the abandoned house on the hill you described from your vision. That he seemed so insane looks like the effects of memory modification, and/or fighting against the Imperious. It would explain why he was doing Ministry business via owl. Of course, we know what he wanted to confess to Dumbledore already. As for his claim that Voldemort is gaining strength, this is an all too real prospect that ties in with the disappearance of Crouch's subordinate: Berta Jorkins. Crouch's curious lack of curiosity over Berta's disappearance would be explained by his not wanting to reveal his aiding and abetting his son's escape from Azkaban.
We know she disappeared somewhere in central Albania, a known hiding place. If she came across Voldemort, or what's more likely, Wormtail, he could have done to her what he attempted to do to Ginny: steal her life force to rematerialize in some form more substantial than the wraith you saw at Hogwarts. That he didn't have a memory from which to rebuild his material form, it's likely he's still relatively weak.
As for how Barty Jr. fits in, I do not know. I wish you hadn't given up the Marauder's Map. If he does show up, you would know it. As for Moody, I hope he's been paying attention. I suggest you keep a low profile until the final task is complete. I know you want to win, I know how competitive you are, and would like to see Beaux Batons take down the prize. However, I remind you: survival is the whole point, even if that means letting one of the others win. I still have a deal with Tippy: he's on alert to apparate you from Hogwarts should something go wrong. Do not hesitate to call on him if you find yourself in a sticky situation.
Lucius
PS: Sirius says to say thanks for the Hogwarts food.
The morning of the final task was a meet and greet for the famiilies.
"So Smeltings sprung ya?", Harry asked of Dudley.
"Father said it was a special occasion, it's not a prison, yannow".
"I'm sorely disappointed to see you here, Harry", Vernon was saying. "I'd hoped that we'd seen the last of Hogwarts. Wasn't that the whole point in enrolling you in Beaux Batons? As if that weren't bad enough, your being entered against your will in a Tournament you have no business even being in, and they still let that man back in charge! It's outrageous!"
"How're you doing?", Petunia asked. "They treating you well?"
"Sure thing. It's not so bad, after all, I got through the two previous ordeals OK. I'm even point leader, so I might actually win this thing. Wouldn't that be something? Beaux Batons hasn't had a Triwizard winner in many a dog's ages".
"You keep your head down, you hear me?", Vernon reprimanded.
"Always, I always do", Harry agreed. "Just sayin', wouldn't it be great if I could do both, win, I mean?"
"I still don't like it. You shouldn't even be in this contest in the first place. How is it that this incompetent excuse for a Ministry can't even abide by its own rules?"
"That's what I've been asking myself ever since my name came out of the Goblet of Fire".
"Keep kickin'… you know what", Dudley said.
Viktor was talking with his parents in rapid fire Bulgarian. It was obvious where he got his hooked nose: inherited it from his father. Fleur and Gabrielle were discussing in French with their parents. Neither her mother nor father had her platinum blond, veela hair. That must've come exclusively from her veela grandmother.
Cedric's father broke away: "So, Harry, ready to lose to Cedric again?"
"Excuse me, Sir?"
"I'm talking about the Quiddich match, where Ced beat you to the Snitch. Denied Slytherin the Quiddich Cup".
"That was two years ago", Harry reminded, "I haven't been attending Hogwarts since".
"Damn shame, leaving Hogwarts for an inferior school. Cedric wouldn't go anywhere else..."
"Father!", Cedric reprimanded.
When it came to being socially inept, Mr. Diggory could give Ron a run for his money. Either that, or he was playing mind games, trying to rattle Harry before the task that evening.
"I'll do my best to win, and you're on alert Harry", Cedric said. "I don't think Harry will be a push-over. I'm sure he'll give me a run at that Cup. He did when we were playing for the Quiddich Cup".
Cedric led Fleur, Viktor, and their parents on a tour of Hogwarts. Vernon and Petunia, having attended orientation Harry's first year, went to the Beaux Batons airliner.
"So you arrived in this?", Dudley asked, "Coolies!"
"That's what makes Beaux Batons unique, they aren't afraid to modernize. We have everything muggle schools have, a computer lab..."
"With video games?"
"Yes, but Madam Maxime makes sure we don't waste all our time on them. When I'm fifteen, we'll have driving lessons, though the French drive on the wrong side of the road, so I'll have to remember that when I'm back home".
The interior wasn't like any airliner they'd been on.
"Seems much larger inside?", Dudley remarked.
"There are charms that can warp space", Harry explained. "That's how the Express always has enough seats, and the Ministry's limos are treated the same. It's how Arthur can get all the Weasleys into one Anglia".
Harry showed them the classrooms, explaining how they took classes in rotation between Beaux Batons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts.
"The whole point of the Tournament is to get to know wizards from abroad".
"Just like foreign exchange", Dudley observed, "except you never have to leave home".
"Exactly", Harry agreed. "We can take our schools with us".