Part 57
Dorian Tylor-Lupin hated when people interrupted his sleep, especially when he had Remus cuddled against him. But when that stupid knocking didn't end Dorian had no choice but waking up. He groaned when Remus left his embrace and hurried over to the door. Remus wrapped his gown around himself and opened the door to reveal Mr. Filch.
"Good evening Mr. Filch", Remus said way friendlier than Dorian would have done. "What can I help you with?"
"Dumbledore needs you and your… partner to come down to the Forbidden Forest", Mr. Filch said and then hurriedly left.
"How rude", Remus joked but started to get dressed. "So, love, what do you think He Who Must Not Be Named wants with us?"
"Probably wants us to sort out a mess he has created", Dorian said and got up. "Oh! Or he wants to bring us down there and murder us because we are on to him!"
"Well I am pretty sure he won't be able to lay a finger on you", Remus teased and put on his shoes.
"And he better not lay a finger on you Remy or he will be sorry." Dorian pulled his jeans on. "But then again he would not send Filch to fetch us if that was the case would he?"
"I don't think so", Remus replied and waited for Dorian to get his shoes on. Then they headed down together. On the way down they met up with Sinistra and Vector who had also been woken by Mr. Filch. The four of them hurried down to the woods and found Dumbledore there with most of the other professors, Bagman, Maxime and Karkaroff. Dumbledore looked at everyone assembled and explained what had happened. Harry and Viktor had walked to the forest edge to discuss something and then Mr. Crouch had appeared. He had acted out of the ordinary and Harry had hurried to fetch Dumbledore while Viktor guarded Crouch. During that time Crouch either attacked Krum or both of them got attacked. The point of it all was that now Crouch was missing again.
"So why did you ask us to come down here?" Vector asked. "Do you want us to search the Forbidden Forest?"
"Yes", Dumbledore said. "I need you all and myself to search the Forest and… I need you two", he turned to Remus and Dorian. "To sniff him out."
"Excuse me", Remus said dryly.
"What Dumbledore is trying to say is for you two to transform and act as dogs for the night Lupin", Snape said with malice. "Not too uncommon for you I guess."
"Severus", McGonagall hissed at him. "I know it is very unpolite to ask this of you Remus and you Dorian", she looked at them. "But we are out of options. Could you please offer you our services?"
"For you Minerva", Remus replied calmly. "Always."
"Hey!" Jem said as she came waddling up to them, looking like a big ball of yarn with all the knitted things she was wearing. "Don't you go running around in there without me boys."
"Of course not ma'am", Dorian said and stretched. "So where did Couch and the boys stand?"
"Crouch and the boys stood over here", Dumbledore said and pointed. Dorian, Jem and Remus shared a look before they nodded. Minerva jumped in surprise when the three of them turned into wolves. She marvelled at them in the moonlight. Dorian's honey-coloured fur looked so soft. He was a bit bigger than Remus and Jem. He looked more agile as well. Minerva figured it was because he spent so much time in his wolf form. Remus fur was darker, but not by much and his face looked softer. Dorian's face looked playful and happy whereas Remus' looked more soft and gentler. He was a bit smaller than Dorian, but his legs were a bit longer so he was shorter in length but higher. Jem surprised her. Minerva figured she would be smaller than both of them but she wasn't. She was about Remus' size and her fur was a mixture of greys, just like her hair. She was skinner than the younger wolves but she still seemed fit and strong. All three wolves hurried over to the place where Crouch had been and sniffed.
"While they search the rest of us should spread out", Madame Hooch said and pulled on her gloves. "Vector, Sinistra with me if you please." The three of them headed into the woods as did the other professors. McGonagall stayed behind. Remus seemed to have the better sense of smell because he took the lead. McGonagall followed him while Dorian and Jem headed of in another direction. She figured they were following the trail to see where Crouch had come from. McGonagall sighed and rolled up her sleeves slightly. This would be a long night.
"As I see it, it comes down to two theories", Remus said as he paced in his office the next morning. Dorian was sitting at his desk trying, and failing, to stay awake. Harry, Hermione, Neville and Blaise sat in four of the desks listening to Remus talk. Harry had his mirror active so his dad, Sirius and his mum could listen as well.
"One: Crouch attacked Viktor or two: someone else attacked both of them."
"But it must have been Crouch", Neville said. "Why else would he be gone when Harry and Dumbledore came back?"
"I don't think so," said Harry, shaking his head. "He seemed really weak – I don't reckon he was up to Disapparating or anything."
"And we all know you can't Disapparate on the grounds", Blaise said and Remus nodded, as did Hermione. Harry and Neville looked sheepish. "You guys honestly didn't know?"
"Neither does the lumps you call friends Remus", came Lily Potter's voice from the mirror.
"We do too!" was the objection she was met with.
"Just go through it again, Harry," said Hermione. "What did Mr. Crouch actually say?"
"I've told you, he wasn't making much sense," said Harry. "He said he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she was dead. He kept saying stuff was his fault... He mentioned his son."
"Well, that was his fault," said Hermione testily.
"He was out of his mind," said Harry. "Half the time he seemed to think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking to Percy about work and giving him instructions."
"And… remind me what he said about You-Know-Who?" Neville asked.
"I've told you," Harry repeated dully. "He said he's getting stronger."
"Do you think it could have been crazy ravings da-Remus?" Blaise asked and looked at the pacing professor in front of them.
"Not necessarily", Remus said. "Harry you said that when he talked about old Mole' n Warts-"
"Get your own name for him", Dorian grumbled in his half-asleep state.
"-he seemed almost sane?"
"Yeah", Harry said. "He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort. He was having real trouble stringing two words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was and knew what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore. And if Snape hadn't held me up we might've got there in time. 'The headmaster is busy. Potter… what's this rubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"
"Maybe he didn't want you to get there" Neville asked uncertainly. "You don't reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"
"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said Harry.
"Wouldn't put it past him," Sirius muttered.
"You didn't find anything Moony?" James' voice asked.
"Nothing", Remus said. "If someone attacked them they disappeared before we got there. Well the three of us found traces of his scent but the forest itself seemed to work against us here. We did however ask Jemima to take a look as well during the day. Jem is too old to…" he hurriedly shut his mouth and looked around to make sure she was nowhere near. "She is getting on and needs rest", he then said. "I have to work and Dorian…" Dorian snored loudly. "Needs a little rest as well."
"I could go and-" Blaise began.
"No!" the grownups said sharply.
"It's too dangerous Blaise", Lily said soothingly. "If whoever took Crouch is still about in the woods we will not risk your safety."
"But I could really help…"
"I know cub", Remus told him. "But leave this one to the professionals. Jemima is looking and Moody is looking. Alastor may not be high on my list of trustworthy people right now but he is phenomenal at what he does… did."
"Yeah and I have a question", Sirius' voice said.
"What?"
"Harry, what do you think you are playing at, walking off into the forest with Viktor Krum? I want you to swear that you are not going to go walking with anyone else at night. There is somebody highly dangerous at Hogwarts. It is clear to me that they wanted to stop Crouch from seeing Dumbledore and you were probably feet away from them in the dark. You could have been killed. Your name didn't get into the Goblet of Fire by accident. If someone's trying to attack you, they're on their last chance. Stay close to Blaise, Neville and Hermione, do not leave Gryffindor Tower after hours, and arm yourself for the third task. Practice Stunning and Disarming. A few hexes wouldn't go amiss either. There's nothing you can do about Crouch. Keep your head down and look after yourself. If by chance you figure out more about this let Moony, your father or myself know about it at once."
"Like you're one to talk", Harry protested. "Who're you to lecture me about being out-of-bounds? After all the stuff you guys did at school!"
"We're just worried about you Prongslet", James cut in. "Listen to us. We know that we aren't exactly the prime example of good behaviour while at school but when it comes to serious matters we know what we talk about. You could have gotten killed."
"But dad no one's tried to attack me all year," said Harry. "No one's done anything to me at all!"
"Except put your name in the Goblet of Fire," said his mother dryly. "And they must've done that for a reason. Harry. As much as it pains me to say it but Sirius and your father are right. Maybe they've been biding their time. Maybe this is the task they're going to get you."
"Look," said Harry impatiently, "let's say you are all right, and someone stunned Krum to kidnap Crouch. Well, they would've been in the trees near us, wouldn't they? But they waited till I was out of the way until they acted, didn't they? So it doesn't look like I'm their target, does it?"
"They couldn't have made it look like an accident if they'd murdered you in the forest!" said Hermione. "But if you die during a task-"
"They didn't care about attacking Krum, did they?" said Harry. "Why didn't they just polish me off at the same time? They could've made it look like Krum and I had a duel or something."
"Harry, I don't understand it either," said Hermione desperately. "I just know there are a lot of odd things going on, and I don't like it… Your parents are right – Sirius is right – you've got to get in training for the third task, straight away."
"And promise us to not sneak out on your own again", Lily cut in.
"But… mum", Harry began.
"Harry."
"Yes ma'am… I promise."
"Remus."
"No fingers crossed or shifty eyes Lily", Remus replied.
"Oi!" Harry said. "Whose side are you on?"
"Your safety's side", Remus said. "Blaise."
"Yes da-Remus", Blaise said and got up.
"Keep an eye on Harry, make sure he does not sneak about... alone."
"Yes sir."
"Remus!" his friends objected.
"Lily, Padfoot, Prongs we always say Harry is his father's son", Remus added. "So if we told James to stay put and he said he promised he would… would we believe it?" The other grownups were quiet.
"Point taken", James said. "In that case, Neville, Hermione keep an eye on Harry too."
"Yes sir", they said.
"And keep us posted… all of you."
Harry, Neville, Hermione and Blaise headed for the Great Hall to eat breakfast. On the way there they discussed how to help Harry train for the third task. They decided to make sure Harry was comfortable using Stupefy, Expelliarmus, Depulso, Flipendo, Epsikey, Locomotor Mortis, Rictusempra, Meteolojinx, Incendio, Immobulus, Petrificus Totalus, Finite Incantantem, Diffindo, Confringo, Bombarda, and Protego. They also decided to make sure he was up to speed on various magical creatures out there. So after lunch they would head to the room Blaise and Flitwick used to train. When they rounded a corner though they noticed Fred and George walk towards them, heads close together and whispering.
"That's blackmail, that is", they heard one of them say. "We could get into a lot of trouble for that-"
"- we've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did-"
"I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, it's blackmail!"
"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?"
The duo didn't notice the others until they nearly bowled Hermione over. She squeaked when Fred stepped on her foot and both twins jumped back in shock.
"Where are you going?" Hermione and Fred said at the same time.
"Sending a letter", George replied to Hermione.
"Breakfast", Neville replied to Fred.
"I see" said Hermione and Fred.
Fred grinned.
"Fine – we won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us," he said.
He was holding a sealed envelope in his hands. Harry glanced at it, but Fred, whether accidentally or on purpose, shifted his hand so that the name on it was covered.
"Well, don't let us hold you up," Fred said, making a mock bow and pointing down the hallway. Neville, Hermione and Harry hurried along but Blaise stayed put.
"Who're you blackmailing?" he asked curiously.
The grin vanished from Fred's face. Harry saw George half glance at Fred, before smiling at Blaise.
"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," he said easily.
"I might have believed it if I was your brother Ronald", Blaise said and crossed his arms. "Now. Who?"
Fred and George looked at each other. Then Fred said abruptly:
"What's with kids theses days? Can't you keep your nose out it, it's none of your business."
"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone and they find out I knew about it," said Blaise. "George's right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."
"How did you see the difference?" George asked shocked then waved his arms around. "Anyway I told you, I was joking!" He walked over to Fred, pulled the letter out of his hands, and stuffed it into his pocket. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Blaisey. Carry on like this and you'll be made a prefect."
"Not likely", Blaise scoffed.
"Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."
He and Fred hurried down the halls towards the Owlery while Blaise turned to the other three Gryffindors.
"Is this a Gryffindor thing?" he asked and Harry swatted his arm while Neville sniggered. Hermione though looked a bit worried.
"You don't think they know something about all this, do you?" she whispered. "About Crouch and everything?"
"No," said Harry. "If it was something that serious, they'd tell someone. They'd tell Dumbledore."
"Are you sure?" Neville asked. "Ron told me that they are obsessed with making money lately. He said he noticed it before the first task. When none of us were really talking."
"Sure they are a bit eager to make money but blackmail?" Harry asked.
"Maybe it's this joke shop idea they've got," said Neville. "I thought they were only saying it to annoy their mum, but they really mean it, they want to start one. They've only got a year left at Hogwarts, they keep going on about how it's time to think about their future. Their parents can't help them the starting capital for a shop…"
Hermione was looking uncomfortable now.
"Yes, but. . . they wouldn't do anything against the law to get gold", she said firmly.
"I agree with Granger", Blaise said. "Sure they don't mind breaking rules but neither did Harry's dad, Sirius or da-Remus and now they are all quite successful in their various fields."
"I agree", Hermione said and smiled at him. "This isn't some silly school rule. They'll get a lot more than detention for blackmail! Maybe… maybe we should tell Ron so he can tell Percy?"
"Are you mad?" said Neville. "Tell Percy? He'd probably do a Crouch and turn them in… no wait he wouldn't but he would do something stupid." He sighed. "Let's just leave them at it for now… if something more happens we'll tell Professor Taylor-Lupin or McGonagall. Come on, let's get some breakfast."
"D'you think it's too early to go and see Mister Moody?" Hermione said as they went down the spiral staircase.
"Yes," said Harry. "He'd probably blast us through the door if we wake him at the crack of dawn; he'll think we're trying to attack him while he's asleep. Let's give it till break."
"Why are we talking to that asshat", Blaise asked them. "I mean, no offence, but Remus trusts him about as far as he can throw him, without magic, after what happened in your class."
"But Moody is the best at what he does", Neville objected. "And since he's not a professor he might tell us what he knows."
"I don't trust the guy", Blaise said. "There's just something… off about him."
"It's his paranoia", Harry said and gripped Blaise's hand. "Don't let that get to you."
"Fine", Blaise said and squeezed his hand. "But if he hurts you somehow I own the right to tell you 'I told you so'." Harry laughed and kissed his cheek.
History of Magic had rarely gone so slowly. Harry, Hermione and Neville were so tired they could happily have put their heads down on the desks and slept; even Hermione wasn't taking her usual notes, but was sitting with her head on her hand, gazing at Professor Binns with her eyes out of focus. When the bell finally rang, they hurried out into the corridors toward the guest quarters and found Moody leaving his. He looked as tired as they felt. The eyelid of his normal eye was drooping, giving his face an even more lopsided appearance than usual.
"Mister Moody?" Harry called as they made their way toward him through the crowd.
"Hello, Potter," growled Moody. His magical eye followed a couple of passing first years, who sped up, looking nervous; it rolled into the back of Moody's head and watched them around the corner before he spoke again:
"Come in here."
He stood back to let them into his study, limped in after them, and closed the door.
"Did you find him?" Harry asked without preamble. "Mr. Crouch?"
"No," said Moody. He moved over to his desk, sat down, stretched out his wooden leg with a slight groan, and pulled out his hip flask.
"So he did Disapparate?" Neville asked.
"You can't Disapparate on the grounds" said Hermione. "There are other ways he could have disappeared, aren't there, sir?"
Moody's magical eye quivered as it rested on Hermione.
"You're another one who might think about a career as an Auror," he told her. "Mind works the right way. Granger."
Hermione flushed pink with pleasure.
"Well, he wasn't invisible," said Harry. "Remus and Dorian would still have smelt him if he was. He must have left the ground some other way."
"But under his own steam?" said Hermione eagerly, "or because someone made him?"
"Yeah, someone could've – could've pulled him onto a broom and flown off with him, couldn't they?" said Neville, but sounded a bit uncertain. There was a knock on the door.
"Enter Zabini!" Moody hollered and Blaise entered. "Looking for something?"
"Nope", Blaise said and stood beside Harry. Harry noticed a familiar rat on Blaise's shoulder. So that's where he went before coming here… Harry felt a little put out that Blaise would bring Peter here as if to show how little he trusted Moody who Harry trusted a lot. Moody looked at Blaise curiously, then shrugged.
"We can't rule out kidnap," he then growled.
"So," said Neville, "d'you reckon he's somewhere in Hogsmeade?"
"Could be anywhere," said Moody, shaking his head. "Only thing we know for sure is that he's not here."
He yawned widely, so that his scars stretched, and his lopsided mouth revealed a number of missing teeth. Then he said:
"Now, Dumbledore's told me you three fancy yourselves as investigators, but there's nothing you can do for Crouch." Then he looked at Zabini. "Neither can you wolf boy." Blaise bristled at that. "The Ministry'll be looking for him now, Dumbledore's notified them. Potter, you just keep your mind on the third task. Leave this to your dad and godfather."
"Yeah…" said Harry.
"Should be right up your street, this one," said Moody, looking up at Harry and scratching his scarred and stubbly chin. "From what Dumbledore's said, you've managed to get through stuff like this plenty of times. Broke your way through a series of obstacles guarding the Philosopher's Stone in your first year, didn't you?"
"He had help from Nev, Granger and Weasley", Blaise interjected. "Friends can take you a long way."
Moody grinned.
"Well, help him practice for this one, and I'll be very surprised if he doesn't win," said Moody. "In the meantime. . . constant vigilance, Potter. Constant vigilance." He took another long draw from his hip flask, and his magical eye swivelled onto the window. The topmost sail of the Durmstrang ship was visible through it.
"You two," counselled Moody, his normal eye on Neville and Hermione, "you stick close to Potter, all right? I'm keeping an eye on things, but all the same… you can never have too many eyes out."
Later that day Harry and Blaise had been practicing different spells in the duelling classroom Flitwick had set up for him and Blaise. Harry was now pretty good at using the stunning spell and they were going to start looking at hexes in the evening. When the bell rang Blaise and Hermione set off for Arithmancy, while Harry and Neville headed toward North Tower, and Divination. Broad strips of dazzling gold sunlight fell across the corridor from the high windows. The sky outside was so brightly blue it looked as though it had been enamelled.
"It's going to be boiling in Trelawney's room, she never puts out that fire," said Neville as they started up the staircase toward the silver ladder and the trapdoor. He was quite right. The dimly lit room was swelteringly hot. The fumes from the perfumed fire were heavier than ever. Harry's head swam as he made his way over to one of the curtained windows. While Professor Trelawney was looking the other way, disentangling her shawl from a lamp, he opened it an inch or so and settled back in his chintz armchair, so that a soft breeze played across his face. It was extremely comfortable.
"My dears," said Professor Trelawney, sitting down in her winged armchair in front of the class and peering around at them all with her strangely enlarged eyes, "we have almost finished our work on planetary divination. Today, however, will be an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of Mars, for he is placed most interestingly at the present time. If you will all look this way, I will dim the lights…"
She waved her wand and the lamps went out. The fire was the only source of light now. Professor Trelawney bent down and lifted, from under her chair, a miniature model of the solar system, contained within a glass dome. It was a beautiful thing; each of the moons glimmered in place around the nine planets and the fiery sun, all of them hanging in thin air beneath the glass. Harry watched lazily as Professor Trelawney began to point out the fascinating angle Mars was making to Neptune. The heavily perfumed fumes washed over him, and the breeze from the window played across his face. He could hear an insect humming gently somewhere behind the curtain. His eyelids began to droop…
He was riding on the back of an eagle owl, soaring through the clear blue sky toward an old, ivy-covered house set high on a hillside. Lower and lower they flew, the wind blowing pleasantly in Harry's face, until they reached a dark and broken window in the upper story of the house and entered. Now they were flying along a gloomy passageway, to a room at the very end… through the door they went, into a dark room whose windows were boarded up… Harry had left the owl's back. . . he was watching, now, as it fluttered across the room, into a chair with its back to him. There were two dark shapes on the floor beside the chair… both of them were stirring. One was a huge snake, the other was a wearing a black cloak that hid their face.
"You are in luck, woman," said a cold, high-pitched voice from the depths of the chair in which the owl had landed. "You are very fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. He is dead."
"My Lord!" gasped the woman on the floor. "My Lord, I am… I am so pleased and so sorry."
"Nagini," said the cold voice, "you are out of luck. I will not be feeding this woman to you, after all. But never mind, never mind, there is still Harry Potter."
The snake hissed. Harry could see its tongue fluttering.
"Now," said the cold voice, "perhaps one more little reminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you…"
"My Lord no I beg of you!"
The tip of a wand emerged from around the back of the chair. It was pointing at her.
"Crucio!" said the cold voice.
The woman screamed, screamed as though every nerve in her body were on fire, the screaming filled Harry's ears as the scar on his forehead seared with pain; he was yelling too. Voldemort would hear him, would know he was there.
"Harry! Harry!"
Harry opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor of Professor Trelawney's room with his hands over his face. His scar was still burning so badly that his eyes were watering. The pain had been real. The whole class was standing around him, and Neville was kneeling next to him, looking terrified.
"You all right?" he said.
"Of course he isn't!" said Professor Trelawney, looking thoroughly excited. Her great eyes loomed over Harry, gazing at him. "What was it. Potter? A premonition? An apparition? What did you see?"
"Nothing," Harry lied. He sat up. He could feel himself shaking. He couldn't stop himself from looking around, into the shadows behind him; Voldemort's voice had sounded so close. "You were clutching your scar!" said Professor Trelawney. "You were rolling on the floor, clutching your scar! Come now. Potter, I have experience in these matters!"
Harry looked up at her.
"I need to go to the hospital wing, I think," he said. "Bad headache."
"My dear, you were undoubtedly stimulated by the extraordinary clairvoyant vibrations of my room!" said Professor Trelawney. "If you leave now, you may lose the opportunity to see further than you have ever-"
"I don't want to see anything except a headache cure," said Harry.
He stood up. The class backed away. They all looked unnerved.
"See you later," Harry muttered to Neville, and he picked up his bag and headed for the trapdoor, ignoring Professor Trelawney, who was wearing an expression of great frustration, as though she had just been denied a real treat.
When Harry reached the bottom of her stepladder, however, he did not set off for the hospital wing. He had no intention whatsoever of going there. He was going straight to Remus' office. He marched down the corridors, thinking about what he had seen in the dream. It had been as vivid as the one that had awoken him at the World Cup. He ran over the details in his mind, trying to make sure he could remember them. He had heard Voldemort accusing a woman of making a blunder… but the owl had brought good news, the blunder had been repaired, somebody was dead. Which meant that woman was not going to be fed to the snake. But instead Harry would be fed to it. Harry shuddered and hurried to the DADA classroom. When he got there he noticed some first years leaving. As soon as they were gone he headed inside.
"Harry", Remus asked worriedly and got up. "What are you doing here?" Harry overwhelmed by the horror of the dream ran to him and threw himself into Remus' arms. Remus held him close and rocked him gently. Something bad had happened, but what? Remus sat down and conjured up a chair for Harry to sit on. Harry sobbed into Remus' shoulder. Just as Remus was about to ask Harry more he could hear voices outside of the room.
"Dumbledore, I'm afraid I don't see the connection, don't see it at all!" It was the voice of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. "Ludo says Berthas perfectly capable of getting herself lost. I agree we would have expected to have found her by now, but all the same, we've no evidence of foul play, Dumbledore, none at all. As for her disappearance being linked with Barty Crouch's!" Why were they talking here and not in Dumbledore's office? Remus got suspicious at once and held Harry a little closer. Harry could hear the voices as well but ignored them.
"And what do you thinks happened to Barty Crouch, Minister?" said Moody's growling voice.
"I see two possibilities, Alastor," said Fudge. "Either Crouch has finally cracked – more than likely, I'm sure you'll agree, given his personal history – lost his mind, and gone wandering off somewhere-"
"He wandered extremely quickly, if that is the case, Cornelius," said Dumbledore calmly.
"Or else – well…" Fudge sounded embarrassed. "Well, I'll reserve judgment until after I've seen the place where he was found, but you say it was just past the Beauxbatons carriage? Dumbledore, you know what that woman is?"
"I consider her to be a very able headmistress – and an excellent dancer," said Dumbledore quietly.
"Dumbledore, come!" said Fudge angrily. "Don't you think you might be prejudiced in her favour because of Hagrid? They don't all turn out harmless – if, indeed, you can call Hagrid harmless, with that monster fixation he's got-"
"I no more suspect Madame Maxime than Hagrid," said Dumbledore, just as calmly. "I think it possible that it is you who are prejudiced, Cornelius."
"Can we wrap up this discussion?" growled Moody.
"Yes, yes, let's go down to the grounds, then," said Fudge impatiently.
"No, it's not that," said Moody, "it's just that Potter is really upset about something… he's inside this room with Professor Lupin."
"Jemima curse you Moody", Remus muttered to himself and glared at the door when it was thrown open.
"Hello, Potter," said Moody. "Everything okay?"
Remus glared at him so forcefully that Moody actually took a step back.
"As you can see clearly not", Remus spat. "Now if you gentlemen could give me and Harry here a second we'll be with you shortly."
"No sadly we do not have time", Fudge said and looked at his watch. "I must soon return to the Ministry."
"Ah so that is why you are discussing Crouch out in a hallway where anyone could hear you?" Remus questioned.
"I… we… Oh! Harry it was you who found him was it not?"
"Yes," said Harry weakly without looking at them. "I didn't see Madame Maxime anywhere, though, and she'd have a job hiding, wouldn't she?"
Dumbledore smiled at Harry behind Fudge's back, his eyes twinkling.
"Yes, well," said Fudge, looking embarrassed, "we're about to go for a short walk on the grounds, Harry, if you'll excuse us. . . perhaps if you just go back to your class-"
"I think it better for Harry to go to my office and wait for me there", Dumbledore said. "Something has happened that has truly upset him."
"Which is why he is with me", Remus growled.
"But Remus we need you down at the grounds as well", Dumbledore said kindly. "I need you to help show the Minister what we found." Remus growled. "Please."
"Fine", Remus replied. "but I am meeting up with harry in your office afterwards." Remus got up and pulled Harry with him. Harry wiped his eyes. He listened and Dumbledore gave him the password and then headed off. He felt something nudge his hand and smiled when he noticed Dorian there. When did he get here? Harry wasn't sure, but he was happy to not be alone. He and Dorian entered the office and looked around.
TBC