Chapter Eighty-Eight - The Beginning
Harry stayed in the hospital wing the following day. He passed the time with Sirius, talking about anything other than the Triwizard Tournament or Lord Voldemort. He was not in the Great Hall when Dumbledore announced Professor Moody's death to the rest of the school.
Only Blaise and Millie were permitted to visit him in the hospital wing. They told him that everyone knew something was wrong, even before Dumbledore's announcement. Harry had disappeared immediately after the tournament. There had been no award ceremony. The other champions were being questioned by the judges. Rumors had begun to circulate that Harry had been very injured in his quest for the Cup.
No one had been prepared for the truth. When Dumbledore revealed that Professor Moody had died, the news was met with shock. Dumbledore had described Moody's death as a tragic loss, but had not stated how he died. He had merely asked that they leave Harry in peace.
This request worked better than anticipated. After Sirius left to prepare Grimmauld Place for their return, Harry finally emerged from the hospital wing. He was not pestered by curious students or mobbed by enthusiastic crowds. Instead, the students adopted the tactics of avoiding him in the corridors. Thanks to Dumbledore's cryptic statement, the Hogwarts rumor mill blamed Harry for Moody's untimely death.
They weren't wrong, Harry thought bitterly to himself. If he hadn't shielded Harry from Crouch's curse, Professor Moody would still be alive.
Only his fellow Slytherins were still delighted with him. Their blind adoration was hard for Harry to deal with in the wake of such a tragedy, but it was still preferable to the suspicion from the other three houses. It helped that he had either Blaise or Millie constantly by his side. They had witnessed the confrontation with Fudge, and Harry assumed they had spoken to Mrs. Zabini while he slept. They asked him no questions, and were content to pass their time with Harry without speaking of what he had been through. What's more, their intimidating presence was an effective deterrent for the other members of his house who might think to approach him.
Draco was one of the few Slytherin students who was not courting Harry's notice these days. The others were Crabbe and Goyle. The three of them were usually secluded in their dormitory, whispering to each other furtively. At times Harry would walk in on them suddenly and they would fall silent, glaring at him until he either left the room or drew the curtains of his four-poster around him.
Harry considered asking for a new room assignment. Draco and his goons were children of Death Eaters, after all. But then he thought about Snape. The Potions Master had returned quietly to Hogwarts, as if Dumbledore had never sent him on a perilous mission in the first place. He said nothing to Harry of his meeting with Voldemort, but his presence at the school was proof enough that he was in the position of a trusted servant once again. If he'd been unsuccessful, he would be dead. Harry reasoned that if Snape could lie to Voldemort's face with a calm, passive air, then he could keep an eye on Draco and his friends.
Outside of Blaise and Millie, the only person Harry felt he could talk to was Hagrid. He spent the few remaining afternoons of the term in Hagrid's cabin, where he was served tea and treated much the same as always. But where Sirius, Blaise, and Millie had all carefully avoided any talk of Voldemort in Harry's presence, Hagrid was not afraid to talk openly.
"Knew he was goin' ter come back," he said during Harry's last day at Hogwarts before the summer holiday, "Only a matter o' time. Now we'll jus' have ter get on with it! We'll fight, and 's long as we've got Dumbledore an' Harry on our side, I reckon we'll win."
Harry wished he could share Hagrid's optimism and ceaseless faith in the headmaster, but Hagrid had not been in the graveyard. He hadn't been there when Moody, once a great Auror, had been struck down like it was nothing.
Hagrid must have read the expression on Harry's face, because he suddenly announced that he was proud of Harry's courage.
"Dumbledore told me what you did, Harry," he added, "It was more'n even yer father could have done! I won' lie to you, there 'ave been times when I thought that old hat made a mistake sortin' you into Slytherin. You've got the bravery of a Gryffindor, you have! An' I'll tell you this… I reckon yer stronger than You-Know-Who. Stronger then maybe you know yerself!"
Harry shook his head at Hagrid's praise, but he found himself smiling for the first time in days.
"What are your plans for the summer, Hagrid?" Harry asked, trying to change the subject.
"Oh, well I've got plenty o' work to do fer Dumbledore, don' I?" Hagrid said evasively. Harry knew he must be referring to the request Dumbledore must have made of Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Harry wondered if the Beauxbatons headmistress had agreed to join their cause, but was not able to ask before Blaise volunteered information about their own summer plans.
"I've had a letter from mum," he announced, "She says we're to meet her and Sirius at the station. We're going to Grimmauld Place first thing."
"She's not staying with us?" Harry asked, impressed. Mrs. Zabini had become a regular visitor at Sirius's home over the previous summer, but she had never once consented to stay the night.
Blaise shrugged his indifference to her apparent change of heart and simply stated, "I suppose a lot of things will be different now."
"What abou' you, Millie?" Hagrid asked, "Goin' ter stay with Harry this summer?"
"I'll need to see my parents first," said Millie. To Harry, she added, "They have to know what's happened. They'll believe you, Harry. They owe you my life, you know."
Harry was dreading the leaving feast. Since leaving the hospital wing, he had avoided the Great Hall at all costs, preferring to take his meals in the kitchen with Dobby and the rest of the house elves. Dumbledore must have broken the news to Winky regarding her former masters. She looked sad whenever Harry saw her, but somehow resigned, as if she had been prepared for something like this for a long time.
One night, shortly before his final day at Hogwarts, Winky brought Harry a pint of butterbeer while he was seated by the massive kitchen fire. She said nothing to him, but placed the cup in his hand and patted him gently on the knee.
Harry had broken down then, sobbing into the mug of butterbeer like a child while Dobby did his best to comfort him. He was glad that Blaise and Millie were not there. They had taken their meal with Neville and Hermione that night. But it felt good to cry, and he was glad he'd gotten his tears out of the way before the end-of-term feast. It could not be avoided.
As soon as he walked into the Hall with Blaise and Millie, he noted the black drapes on the wall behind the teacher's table. He knew they were a mark of respect for Professor Moody. Hagrid and Maxime seemed to have put their differences aside. They were now sitting next to one another, talking pleasantly at the head table. Karkaroff's chair was empty. Harry knew that the Durmstrang headmaster had been removed from the hospital wing. There had been talk of transferring him to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Harry wondered if he was still there and where he would go next. Would he return to Durmstrang? Go into hiding? Or would Voldemort eventually catch up to him?
Thinking of the punishment Karkaroff might face for his disloyalty, Harry's gaze slid to Snape. The Potions Master no longer avoided him. He returned Harry's stare as he took his place at the Slytherin table. Eventually he turned away, his face never betraying a sign of emotion. Harry was still angry at Snape for ever being a Death Eater, but he had no lingering doubts about Snape's allegiance. It wasn't just Snape's patronus that convinced him, but his actions ever since Harry first came to Hogwarts. Harry chose to trust Snape, just as he trusted Dumbledore. But that didn't mean he had to like him.
Dumbledore did not wait for the end of their meal to commence his speech. He rose from his throne-like chair soon after everyone settled down. There were a few moments of silence while everyone stared, waiting for him to speak.
"The end of another year," he said solemnly, "There is much I would like to say to you all, but first I must acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here tonight."
He gestured toward another empty seat at the staff table, where Professor Moody used to sit. Harry stared hard at the table in front of him.
"I would like you all to please stand and raise your glasses to Alastor Moody."
Though their plates were still empty in anticipation for the feast, their goblets were full. Benches scraped across the floor as the students from all four houses rose as one, raising their cups in their air. Together, they echoed in one loud voice, "Alastor Moody."
Dumbledore took a drink from his own raised glass, then continued, "Professor Moody was an excellent Auror, teacher, and friend. He was a former student of Hogwarts, and an exemplary member of Slytherin house. Yes, he was ambitious and cunning, but he also united the best qualities of each of the houses. The resourcefulness of a Slytherin. The courage of a Gryffindor. The clever mind of a Ravenclaw, and the loyalty and diligence of a Hufflepuff. As your teacher this past year, his death has affected you all. I think you have the right, therefore, to know how exactly his death came about."
Harry's head snapped up. He stared at Dumbledore in disbelief. Was he seriously going to reveal the truth? And would he tell everyone about Harry's involvement? The students around him were also staring, both excited and scared to hear what Dumbledore would say next.
"Alastor Moody was murdered by Bartemius Crouch Junior, a Death Eater in service to Lord Voldemort."
A panicked whisper swept through the hall. Some had continued to stare at Dumbledore in horrified disbelief, while others seemed to think it was a tasteless joke. Harry heard more than one voice break out into hysterical giggles before they were silenced by those around them.
Dumbledore remained calm while he allowed the whispers to die out. Eventually, they fell silent once more, and he continued, "The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. They do not wish to acknowledge that Lord Voldemort, with the aid of his old servants, has returned once more. It is my belief, however, that the truth is preferable to lies. To pretend that Alastor Moody died by accident, or by some blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory.
"The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to promote understanding and friendship within our magical community. In light of what has happened… of Lord Voldemort's return, such ties are more important than ever before."
He paused then, his gaze sweeping over every student in the hall, before coming to linger on the students of Slytherin and Durmstrang. Harry found himself glancing down the length of the table, where he met the eye of Viktor Krum. Curiously, Viktor nodded toward him before looking back at Dumbledore.. Harry wondered vaguely how the students of Durmstrang were getting along without their headmaster.
Dumbledore had continued speaking. "We are only as strong as we are united. As weak as we are divided. It is my belief that we are facing dark and difficult times. Some of you have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort and his supporters. Many of your families have been torn asunder. Only a week ago, a beloved professor was taken from our midst.
"Remember Alastor Moody. If given a chance to do what is right and what is easy, remember a man who never backed down from a challenge, who fought for justice and against the dark forces that would have us live in terror. Remember that he died in defense of this school and its students. Remember Alastor Moody."
Harry's trunk was packed. Hedwig was once again nestled comfortably in her cage. Millie had Mammon shut away in a wicker basket, while Blaise had draped his snake, now rather alarmingly large, around his neck and shoulders. They were all waiting on the platform at Hogsmeade station, watching the line of students before them board the scarlet Hogwarts Express.
Harry was looking forward to seeing Sirius again. It had only been a week since his departure, but Harry was missing his godfather terribly. Dumbledore's speech had struck a chord with him, and he wanted to know more about the man Professor Moody had been when they were all younger.
His thoughts were disturbed by a voice calling his name. It was Cedric. Despite losing the Triwizard Tournament to Harry, he had lost none of his former popularity. The waiting students milling about the platform parted easily for him, some of them clapping him on the shoulders as he walked by.
"Alright, Harry?" he asked, his gaze darting to the imposing figures of Blaise and Millie, who flanked Harry's sides.
"Yeah, fine," Harry replied shortly. He didn't mean to be rude, but he hadn't spoken to Cedric or any of the champions since the end of the Tournament, and he was sure that the Hufflepuff only wanted to interrogate him now.
"I never got a chance to talk to you about…" Cedric began, confirming Harry's suspicions. But his gaze once more drifted to Blaise and Millie. It seemed as though he wanted to speak to Harry privately, but his friends weren't going anywhere.
"What's there to talk about, Cedric?" Harry asked.
The train let out a whistle. It would soon be time to depart. Seeing that the opportunity for answers was slipping by, Cedric adopted a direct approach.
"I just want to know what happened," he said in a rush, "I don't blame you for hexing me. I really don't! But when you touched the Cup and disappeared… Where did you go, Harry? You were gone way longer than you should have been. And then when you came back and left with Professor Moody…"
Cedric trailed off. Harry already knew the question he wasn't asking. He'd left with Moody… And then Moody died. Cedric wasn't outright accusing Harry of murder, but he knew that Harry was involved somehow.
When Harry remained silent, Cedric added, "What did Dumbledore mean? When he said that You-Know-Who returned?"
For a moment, Harry considered telling Cedric everything. He thought of telling him that he'd been transported far away, that he had witnessed Voldemort's return, that Moody had died protecting him… But he couldn't.
"I don't know what Dumbledore was talking about," Harry replied with forced impassivity. "Have a good summer, Cedric."
Cedric looked at him oddly, but Harry was already moving off with Blaise and Millie. They found an empty compartment to themselves, where they could finally talk freely. The train was already pulling from the station as Millie pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet, scanning the headlines for any indication of Voldemort's return. Harry watched her eyes flying across the pages. She answered his unasked question.
"Nothing. Not a word. Just a small article saying you won the tournament. They didn't even mention Moody. Fudge must be forcing them to keep quiet."
"But he'll never keep Rita Skeeter quiet," Blaise commented.
Millie smiled as she folded up the paper and put it to the side, "Oh, I don't think we'll be hearing from her for a while."
"What are you talking about?" asked Harry.
"I got Draco to tell me how he and his friends had been giving her interviews when she's banned from the grounds," Millie replied smugly, "Turns out, she's an animagus!"
"What?" the boys exclaimed in unison before Blaise quickly asked, "What can she turn into?"
"Remember that big, fat beetle I saw in the hospital wing?"
"Hang on…" said Harry slowly, recalling Millie's odd actions that night, "Didn't you crush it?"
Millie rolled her eyes, "Of course not, Harry! I'm not a murderer! I only wanted to scare her a little. Now she knows how easily she might have been killed if she'd been spotted by someone who didn't know what she was. She won't be eager to try that again!"
"I doubt it," replied Blaise, "She'll just pick a better hiding spot next time."
"If she gets the chance," Millie said, "I turned her over to Nell and Hermione. I figure they have more reason to get even than I have. They'll know what to do."
"Since we're sharing news," Blaise said after praising Millie for capturing Skeeter, "It looks as though I won't be getting a new step-father, after all."
"What happened to Bagman?" asked Harry. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't seen the minister at all since the end of the Triwizard Tournament.
"You were right about him, Harry. Turns out Ludo was a degenerate gambler. He was only courting mum for her fortune! But she found out that he owed a lot of money to some goblins after losing a bet during the Quidditch World Cup. But then you were entered into the Triwizard Tournament, and he placed another bet on you to win. I guess he won, but rather than pay off the goblins, he took off with his winnings!"
"That explains why he was so keen to know if I had a plan before each task," Harry said mildly, "But what about your mum? Isn't she upset?"
"To tell the truth, she'd gone off him a bit, even before the tournament. I think she's rather keen on Remus, actually. But that's not going to happen so long as Sirius is in the picture."
Harry, whose imagination was already running wild at the idea that Mrs. Zabini might have a crush on one of his father's best friends, stopped to look at Blaise curiously.
"What has Sirius got to do with it?"
Blaise returned his question with a knowing smirk as he said to Millie, "Should you tell him, or should I?"
Before Millie could respond, their compartment door slid open, revealing Draco Malfoy and his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Blaise and Millie both reached for their wands, immediately poised for attack, but Harry waved them down. He turned to Draco, curious to know what his old nemesis would say after remaining silent for so long.
"I warned you, didn't I?" Draco said nastily, "I told you to choose your company carefully when we first came to Hogwarts. But you didn't listen to me. Now look where it's got you. You've picked the losing side."
Crabbe and Goyle were both chuckling thickly. On the seat across from him, Harry could feel the force of Millie and Blaise's stares. They were waiting to see how Harry would respond to this challenge. But Draco did not intimidate Harry. He never had. Harry merely looked at him impassively. When he spoke, it was in a very calm voice.
"Are you sure about that?"
Clearly, Draco had been expecting a fight. Perhaps he thought Harry would hurl an insult at him or sick Millie against his friends. Harry's calm demeanor and cool stare left him fazed for a moment. When he failed to respond immediately, Harry continued in the same impassive tone.
"Did you ask your fathers what they saw in the graveyard that night? Did they tell you I was there? I saw him, you know. I saw Voldemort return. He tried to kill me. And he failed. Again."
It was the first time Harry had spoken of his experience, barring that night in Dumbledore's office. Even Blaise and Millie had refrained from asking about it, and they continued to stare as Harry finally broke his silence on the taboo subject. Draco's face had gone rather pale, and Crabbe and Goyle were no longer chuckling.
"I'll ask you again," Harry continued, "Are you sure you're on the winning side?"
"You're insane if you think you're stronger than the Dark Lord," Draco muttered, though he was clearly shaken, "Mark my words Potter. You'll regret not joining me when you had the chance!"
He retreated. Crabbe and Goyle could barely get out of his way fast enough as Draco hurried back toward their compartment. Harry rose from his seat to close the door they had left open. When he turned back to his friends, they were still looking at him with wide eyes.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Blaise breathed, "That was bloody scary, mate."
Harry shrugged and took his seat once more. Hoping to avoid further questions from his friends, he stared steadfastly out the window. He had been thinking a lot about what Hagrid had said to him, about how they would all fight Lord Voldemort. He was still scared of the changes that were sure to come and the dangers they would have to face. But at the same time, he recognized that he had faced Voldemort alone in a duel, with no magic from his mother to protect him. And he had survived.
He had been holding his wand in his hand without realizing it. He wondered when he pulled it out. He twirled it around between his fingers, thinking of the twin core he shared with Voldemort. He wished he'd had a chance to talk to Professor Nobilis before he left.
When they finally reached Platform 9 ¾, Harry found Hermione, Neville, and Nell waiting for him.
"Heard you got a new pet," Harry said to Nell by way of greeting.
Nell looked confused for a moment, then realization dawned. She reached deep into a large bag she wore over her shoulder. From it, she pulled out a sealed glass jar. Inside were a few twigs, leaves, and one large, ugly beetle. It had some rather distinct markings around its antennae. They looked a lot like Rita Skeeter's glasses.
"There's an unbreakable charm on the jar," Nell explained before she added, "Hermione's idea."
Hermione beamed at the acknowledgement from Nell, but Harry couldn't mask his worry.
"Isn't it dangerous, keeping her around?" he asked them both, "When she gets out, won't she tell everyone you held her hostage?"
"What do you mean, Harry?" Nell replied innocently, "It's only a beetle."
Harry understood instantly. Rita Skeeter could certainly try to kick up a fuss whenever she was released, but Hemione and Nell could simply claim ignorance. Skeeter would only be exposing herself, and the lawsuits she could face for spying on the subjects of her articles over the years would surely do more damage than attacking Hermione, Nell, or Millie openly.
Hermione and Nell were preparing to leave the platform together. Both of their parents were Muggles, and were likely waiting for them on the other side of the platform. Stuffing the beetle back into her bag, Nell gave Harry a hug.
"I'll keep an eye on her for a while," Nell whispered to him, "At least for the summer."
Hermione hugged Harry as well, and even surprised him with a quick kiss on his cheek. His face was burning bright red as she hurried away. Blaise and Millie both smirked at him.
Soon Millie spotted her parents on the platform. Eager to tell them of everything that happened, she said her goodbyes and flew to their side, but not before stopping to give Harry a strong hug. The gesture was uncharacteristic of her, but it was appreciated all the same. Harry told her in a rush that she would have to come back to Grimmauld Place that summer, as soon as she could. Then she was gone.
Neville was the last of their group to say goodbye. His grandmother was waiting. There was so much Harry wanted to say to him, especially now. But it wasn't the time. Harry satisfied himself with shaking Neville by the hand, then watching as he made his way across the platform to an older woman wearing a strange hat.
At last, they found Mrs. Zabini and Sirius waiting for them.
"Remus wanted to be here," Sirius murmured to Harry as he helped him with his trunk, "But he had work to do."
Harry understood. From now on, things would be very different. It was like Hagrid had said, it was only a matter of time before Voldemort returned. Now they would fight him. They would win. And they all had plenty of work to do.
Hello Everyone!
Congratulations on making it to the end of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts! I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for reading this far, and a special thanks to those of you who have left kudos and comments along the way!
I plan to take an extended hiatus from this story in order to draft Harry's fifth year. Fear not, for Harry and his friends will return! Thank you in advance for your patience, and in the meantime, I'd love to hear from you all where you see this story going next!
Will Harry ever tell Cedric what happened in the graveyard? Will Blaise ever get a new step-dad? Will Draco ever stop being a giant arsehole?
Stay tuned for the next installment of Harry Potter and the Spiteful Sorting Hat!
Best,
Evening Ego