Chapter 44
A/N Thank you Maria for taking the time to beta this. As always, I made numerous changes and additions after Maria was sent a copy so any errors remaining are entirely the author's fault.
When it is said in this chapter that a wizard's word is binding, it isn't talking about things unintentionally said in everyday conversation. It is referring to something more deliberate, like a muggle attempt at an oral contract.
Standing at the castle doors, Robert Binns clutched his cloak tightly about himself, trying to keep the wind and the rain from penetrating through to his robes beneath.
"Miss Grindelwald, get inside this instant!"
The girl made no effort to follow his direction. Reluctantly, Binns made his way out into the downpour.
"What are you doing out here? You are going to catch your death standing out here."
The girl's robes had long since soaked through. Her teeth were chattering as she replied. "If I catch a cold I will have more bogies and maybe then my puffskein will come back."
Since her beloved pet had 'gone missing' several days ago the girl had been inconsolable. Though what had really become of it was quite obvious to everyone involved, no one spoke of it openly. Instead they all played along with the story that the puffskein had 'disappeared.'
With a sigh Binns removed his cloak and draped it around the girl.
"It doesn't work that way. He isn't coming back."
Her eyes were filled with such sorrow as she looked up at him. "Why not? What did I do?"
Again Binns sighed. That was a question he himself had asked many a time. Over the years he had had countless familiars. While he had never lost one by eating it, some had inexplicably died and others had run off, discontent to stay with him.
"It's what they do. They run off or they die or they run off and then die. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It can't be helped. There is nothing you can do to prevent it, it simply happens. They are beasts, it's just what they do."
They remained for a time standing, silently and solemnly, in the rain. His words appeared to have gotten through to her. At last she allowed him to guide her back into the castle. After casting a drying charm upon her, he sent her on her way back to her rooms.
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The past few days Armando Dippet felt he had been making progress with the girl. There had been a remarkable improvement in her disposition. Without the influence and encouragement of that wretched puffskein, she had become quieter, much more docile, and easily managed. The past few days she had even taken the mandrake potion without her usual antics. However, today she had not arrived for their usual tea appointment. As she would need her mandrake potion shortly, he decided to stop in the dungeons to see the girl.
Entering her dungeon rooms he found her still laying on the bed. Not asleep, but not dressed for the day yet either. Now instead of being wrapped round her puffskein, her arms were pulled round one of her pillows.
"Why are you not dressed yet? It is nearly two o'clock."
He sighed as the girl wordlessly shrugged in response. As he transfigured her nightdress into day robes he questioned her. "Why didn't you come to my office today?"
The girl again shrugged. "My Tom did not come for me and anyway I want to be here in case my puffskein comes back."
Dippet frowned and took out the mandrake potion. He held it out to her insistently until she reluctantly drank it.
"Actions have consequences. The puffskein isn't going to be coming back."
The girl titled her head down towards her lap before responding. "But I want him to come back. I miss him."
Of all the cheek! To have done what she did and then to be looking for sympathy for having done it. This was really getting to be too much. Dippet responded, perhaps a bit more harshly than he intended. "Then you shouldn't have eaten him."
The girl buried her face into her pillow and made a weeping sound.
Dippet had never had anyone cry before him before. Uncertain of what to do, he simply stared for a moment. She was facing away from him so it seemed clear that she wanted to be left alone. He backed out of the room quietly so as not to further disturb her.
On his way back through the common room, he caught sight of Mr. Riddle conversing and laughing with a group of his housemates. He beckoned him over.
"Mr. Riddle, I think perhaps you should go and check in on Miss Grindelwald. She seems a bit… distraught. I would stay myself, but I need to go prepare for the meeting with some of the Masters that I have scheduled for later this afternoon. After all, it is imperative that we find a way to thwart Governor Malfoy's efforts remove the girl from Hogwarts."
He immediately realized his error by the look of alarm that suddenly crossed Mr. Riddle's face.
"What are you talking about? You said she was going to be staying here. Who is Malfoy and what meeting?"
The error had already been made. Short of obliviating the boy, there was no way out. "Governor Malfoy, one of the school Board of Governors, is petitioning the Ministry for custody of Miss Grindelwald as payment of the wergild for his brother's death."
'Payment of the wergild' had several different possible interpretations and when Mr. Riddle came to the same erroneous conclusion that others had come to before him, Dippet saw no reason to correct him.
"Well, he can't adopt her! I won't let him! Kitten was given to me!"
"Yes, yes, but be that as it may, there is still the Ministry and the Minister to be dealt with so if you will excuse me."
Mr. Riddle was really growing quite presumptuous. "When is the meeting? I want to come."
Dippet gave a sigh of resignation. "In my office, shortly after dinner, now if you will excuse me."
Returning to his office, Armando Dippet was unpleasantly surprised to discover the Minister of Magic waiting for him. By the man's smirk it was clear he knew something Dippet didn't.
"From what I hear, you have been looking for someone to contest Mephistopheles Malfoy's wergild claim for the Grindelwald girl. I wanted to offer my congratulations; your efforts have been quite successful. The Ministry has received two other petitions for custody of the girl."
Dippet had known Minister Augustus for many years. Obviously congratulating him was not the actual purpose of Augustus's presence here. Taunting him, perhaps? Yes, from the Minister's next words that seemed clear enough.
"I find it very amusing to see you proven so very wrong. What was it you told me? 'It is hardly as if anyone else is going to want her?' Well, it certainly seems you have been proven wrong."
It was clear that the Minister intended for him to inquire regarding who else was petitioning for custody of the girl. More than a little apprehensive, Dippet did. "And who might these other two interested parties be?"
"You know the Black family? Mrs. Black is one of the interested parties. Of course hers is just a nuisance petition, no real validity to it. The other party, now that one has validity to it, but I'm not sure if you have ever personally met the other interested party."
Dippet sighed. Did they really have to play this game? "And the second party might be?"
"Well, the second party is more of a group of people…well, 'people' actually isn't the best of words to describe the second party. You know a wizard's word is binding and a contract is a contract no matter how long ago it was made."
"Get to the point, Augustus."
Augustus grinned. "If you insist, Armando. The Dementors of Azkaban have expressed a very keen interest in the girl. They claim that once, a very long time ago, they were promised two souls. Only one soul was ever delivered and now that the opportunity has presented itself, they would really like to get that second soul."
Involuntarily, Dippet's mouth opened, despite his inability for speech. It irked him to no end to see Augustus' smile in response to the action.
"Of course, there is a way to put an end to all this right now…"
Augustus trailed off into a moment of silence to allow Dippet an opportunity to speak if he so desired. When Dippet did not, Augustus continued. "I'm sure you won't mind, I thought we could have the hearing here at Hogwarts on Wednesday."
Augustus touched the brim of his hat almost in a salute before sweeping back out of the room.
The Dementors of Azkaban.
Just when Dippet was finally beginning to get a sense that he was making a difference, that he was having some effect on the girl, now the Minister wished to expose her to the horrors of Azkaban and undo all that progress.
The Dementors of Azkaban removed from an individual all feelings of contentment and hope; they caused a person to remember, to relive their most painful experiences. All this time Dippet had been diligently working to not refresh the girl's memory, to allow her memories of her father and the skills he taught her to remain forgotten. With just a few minutes in the Dementors' presence, all that work would be undone.
If the Minister were truly to send the girl to live with the Dementors, all his efforts would have been for naught. He would no longer have need to wonder about 'why' the girl would grow up to commit such heinous acts. Just the Dementors' influence would be 'why' enough.
With a Wednesday deadline there was not much time remaining. He hoped that one of the others would arrive at the meeting later today with a solution. While he still did have the one alternative that Minister Augustus had alluded to, he would greatly prefer to first see if one of the others could think of a substitute.
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His portrait might be hung in the Slytherin Head Boy's room, but he had no desire to inhabit it. For the past few days, he had instead taken up residence in an empty landscape hung in the Slytherin Head Girl's room.
There, he had been able to almost completely avoid the presence of the perfidious young man.
The young man had escorted the girl back to the entrance of her rooms after her meeting with the Headmaster that first afternoon, but with a smug expression had left her alone to discover the lack of her beloved. Having eliminated the other object of the girl's affection, the young man had been content to leave her behind, while gallivanting with the friends he had long neglected in deference of the girl. Absent much of the last few days, the young man had been entirely missing the past day. He had not been around to see the full effects of his vindictive action, as the girl began to finally come to understand that her puffskein was in fact not going to be returning.
To have him now enter the room, and seeing the effect approach in an effort to comfort her, seemed absurd. His words, though spoken softly, had only the effect of making her bury her face further into the pillow.
"Kitten, why are you crying? It was just a stupid puffskein."
Even with the young man stroking her hair in a clumsy attempt to comfort her, the muffled cries did not abate.
"Kitten, please stop crying. You're getting yourself all worked up over such a silly thing. It was only a puffskein."
He looked to be growing frustrated and impatient as his words had no effect, but for once the young man managed to keep his temper in check. He continued stroking her hair. Eventually the sobs subsided once the girl cried herself to the first sleep she had had in days.
Later when she stirred slightly, the young man made an attempt to coax her to the Great Hall for an early dinner, but wordlessly the girl refused. Growing more and more alarmed by her conduct, when the girl gave the appearance of again drifting to sleep, the young man departed.
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Kevric Kettleburn cautiously greeted Tom Riddle as the boy entered his office. After the 'disappearance' of the puffskein, Binns had repeated to him a few choice words that Tom had said to Kitten about both Kevric and the eating habits of cats. While certainly he had considered the possibility that somehow Kitten might learn the truth about cats and puffskeins, he hadn't expected that it would be Tom Riddle deliberately telling her.
"Tom."
While he was disappointed with the boy for telling Kitten those things, he was far more angry with himself. He really should have known better than to give the girl a puffskein and allow her to stop taking the mandrake potion that prevented her from transforming. Certainly he had foreseen that the girl could learn that cats do indeed eat puffskeins, and he already knew she wasn't always willing to listen to instructions, like not to transform even though she could. He realized now that it had been foolish of him, but he had sincerely believed that even if she had found out and she had transformed, after having grown so attached to the puffskein, her affection for it would have outweighed any other instincts she might have towards it.
Kevric harbored no ill feelings towards the girl over it. It was his own fault really. He had been too idealistic and forgotten the foremost rule in animal handling; animals have instincts that could overrule the best of intentions.
"Professor Kettleburn, something's not right with Kitten. She doesn't want to leave her rooms and she won't eat or drink or do anything. I think she must be sick again."
Kevric sighed. "No, Tom there isn't anything physically wrong with her. She's depressed. She misses her puffskein and I'm sure she is feeling guilty about what she did to it."
Even before Tom spoke, just by the look of guilt that crossed his face it was clear that the boy now regretted telling her that cats eat puffskeins. "She keeps asking for it and waiting for it to come back."
"Tom, I don't think she is necessarily lying about it. I suspect she doesn't consciously remember doing it."
Tom grimaced. "You don't really know what happened to the puffskein. I mean, no one saw her do anything to it. Maybe it did run away."
"That's where you're wrong, Tom. I do know what happened to it. Kitten's puffskein had some…let's just say unique features. It wouldn't be the best of ideas for it to be wandering around producing more puffskeins, so when it went missing I cast a spell to try to locate it. If the puffskein was still alive I would have been able to find it."
"Okay, so maybe something did happen to it, but that doesn't mean Kitten harmed it. Maybe a real cat got a hold of it. She isn't a real cat, she wouldn't have eaten it. That's even more disgusting than the puffskein eating snots."
"Tom, she is an animagus and animagi take on some of the aspects of the animal they transform into. Haven't you ever noticed the way she looks at Dippet's toad or even Hagrid's mice?"
"But that's revolting. Alright, maybe she likes to chase things, but she wouldn't really eat them."
"Tom, I don't think it's even entirely about the puffskein. I think its possible the loss of the puffskein has brought back to mind the loss of her father. She lived as a cat for a long time after he was taken from her, and as a cat she didn't have to experience the emotions surrounding it as fully as she otherwise would have. I think now she is. You just have to give her a little time."
After Tom left, Kevric thought about going to check on Kitten himself. In the end, he decided Dippet was right; he had already caused enough damage.
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Albus Dumbledore quietly entered the open door of Miss Grindelwald's chambers. At first, the way she was curled up on the bed, he thought she was sleeping. It was only as he went to leave that he discovered otherwise. In turning, the heel of one of his boots squeaked. At the sound, Minerva immediately turned round. The look of disappointment on her face to see it was him, or rather that it was not her puffskein, was heartrending.
"Hello."
She turned back to face in the other direction.
"I'm was very sorry to hear about your puffskein."
The way she was laying gave him more than ample room to sit next to her on the bed.
Dumbledore had of course heard a version of what had supposedly happened to the puffskein. While not one himself, he was well aware that Animagi often carried over certain characteristics, including eating habits, from the animal they transformed into. It was quite possible the girl had transformed and eaten the puffskein. Still, absent some real form of proof, he was quite willing to withhold judgment on what exactly had happened to the puffskein. After all, Hogwarts had many real cats in residence and was it not equally likely to have been one of them?
"Would you like to talk about it?"
She still didn't speak, but she did give a little shake of her head.
"Would you like some company, but no talking about your puffskein?"
Again she gave a little shake of her head. Though she couldn't see it, Dumbledore nodded. "Alright. If you change your mind and you would like to talk or even not talk, you can come see me anytime."
As he rose from the bed she did finally speak, still facing away from him. "Your watch is in the table drawer."
Pulling out the drawer to the nightstand he could indeed see his watch. Taking it out of the drawer, he decided Kettleburn be damned. By the chain he lowered it onto the bed by the girl's hands.
"It is your watch now. Remember, I gave it to you."
Taking one last glance backward as he headed out the door, though there was no happy smile to accompany it this time, Dumbledore saw the watch again enclosed in her hands.
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Armando Dippet noticed more than one eyebrow go up as Tom Riddle joined the assembly. With the additions of Mr. Riddle and Master Shackleton, the earlier quartet of Dumbledore, Binns, Kettleburn and Dippet had grown to six.
Deputy Headmaster Shackleton made the poor choice of attempting to begin the conversation with a bit of ill placed humor. "I have the perfect solution of what to do with the girl."
With all eyes excitedly concentrated on him, Shackleton offered up his punch line. "Transfigure her back into a cat and send her to live with those muggles again."
Seeing four pairs of irritated eyes and one pair of outraged eyes fixed upon him, Shackleton attempted to defend himself. "Oh come on, it was funny! You people are getting too uptight; lighten up! I don't reply to them, but you should see some of the letters that muggle woman sends me demanding her cat back. She has got to have the foulest temper that I have ever seen. Why if they were howlers-"
Mr. Riddle's sense of humor was apparently so underdeveloped as to not even be able to ascertain that Master Shackleton was jesting. "-Thomas McGonagall gave Kitten to me, he said I could have her. He gave his word, his blessings even, and I will not release him from it. I won't ever give her back!"
Dippet sighed. Why ever had he allowed Mr. Riddle to come along? "Mr. Riddle, a wizard's word can in some cases be considered a binding contract, but Mr. McGonagall was not a wizard. Besides he had no standing to make any such offer. You can purchase a cat, but you cannot purchase a child."
Considering the reason for this meeting, Binns countered that last statement. "Well, except for dowries and the wergild, but those are entirely different matters. The McGonagall family never had any real claim to the girl."
Dippet nodded. "Now, enough of this childishness. The situation has grown even more serious since we last spoke. In addition to Governor Malfoy's petition on the basis of the wergild, it would seem the Dementors of Azkaban have also expressed interest in the girl."
"On what grounds? She has committed no crime. Well, that they know of."
Binns snorted. "Really Kettleburn, did you never pay attention in my class? The race of Themis are partially descended from the Dementors, who through the years have also been referred to as the hell feonds or the hell fiends, not to mention the soul devourers, and Nefarius Atrox. Legend tells us that hundreds and hundreds of years ago, in the First Age of Wizardry, in a time before rampant Muggledom, during the Great Wizard Purge, when most of the last of the true pure-blood witches and wizards were destroyed, but not all of the true pure-blooded witches and wizards, just most of the pure-blooded witches and wizards, because attempts were made to save some for use in forced breeding programs, which never quite managed to work out well for anybody and of course is looked back upon now by many of our historians as one of, if not the darkest spot in Wizarding history, right along with-"
Wondering if Binns went on like that in his classes, Dippet interrupted. "A long time ago the Dementors were promised two Themis souls. They only ever got one and now they want the other."
Shackleton looked quite puzzled. "But she doesn't have a soul. She is a Themis."
"Be that as it may, they would still like to have the girl." Answered Dippet.
Binns sank into his chair, resentful at the interruption.
"Master Dumbledore given the change of circumstance do you think it possible the Bones family might reconsider helping?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't believe so. Amelia is of age. Susan Bones allowed her request to return to Hogwarts, but she kept her two younger children home."
Shackleton spoke confidently. "Well, it seems there is only one solution left."
Apprehensively, Dippet regarded his second in command. "And that would be?"
"Armando, you should take the girl, leave Hogwarts at once, and never return."
"Oh, of all the…"
"Armando, I am serious. At least think about it. Please."
Dippet again sighed. "You are never to be Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Now, does anyone have any serious suggestions?"
When Master Binns snorted, Master Kettleburn questioned him on it. "Why do you keep doing that, Robert? Do you have some kind of nasal problem or is there something you would like to add to the conversation?"
Binns again snorted. "No one wants to hear what I have to say. People only want to interrupt and talk over me when I am-"
Now that he thought about it, Dippet realized Binns had been wearing quite the smug, condescending expression the past few conversations about the girl. "-Oh, for the love of Merlin, would you just say whatever it is!"
Now that it was clear Binns had no way out other than to speak, he didn't look so confident. He was positively squirming in his chair. "There is someone who has a claim on the girl that would supercede all others."
Binns was truly infuriating today. Having said that, he just sat there, saying no more. Kettleburn again needled him. "So are we supposed to just try to guess or do we get to ask you yes and no questions along the way?"
Binns crossed his arms in front of him. "It's someone in this room and that's all I'm going to say!"
"Armando, I know we aren't allowed to strike the students, but what about Robert? Can I slap him?"
Binns' expression in response to Shackleton's words was quite the cross between a scowl and a pout. "I'm not going to say it because I know what it is you people will think of me for saying it, the same thing we all thought about Malfoy."
All still wore a puzzled look. Kettleburn made a suggestion. "Shackleton, would you like me to hold him while you hit him?"
Binns sighed. "You people are all thinking about it the wrong way. You are trying to find someone with a greater wergild claim than Malfoy, which the way it is structured isn't going to happen.
Now, if the Minister is going to decide what to do with the girl based on a clause of the wergild so outdated that it hasn't been used in centuries or an agreement made with the Dementors so long ago that it is only spoken of in legends, then Dumbledore could make a request for the girl based on Geras - a prize of honor. Prize of honor is awarded before any other considerations are made. And after all, didn't Grindelwald himself state that it was Dumbledore who defeated him?"
'Prize of honor' was a very ancient custom whereby those noted to have fought the most valiantly in a triumphant campaign were rewarded. From amongst the captive enemy's women, the greatest of the battle's heroes were allowed to take what could only be described as a souvenir. A woman retained as a 'prize of honor' was quite literally a possession. She had not the status of a wife or even that of a concubine; she was considered merely a toy, a sexual plaything. The custom had gone out use at about the time of the fall of Troy.
All assembled wore a look of utmost revulsion, but none so much as Dumbledore himself.
Well, perhaps Mr. Riddle. "You would do that? You would do that to a child! You sick de-"
Oddly enough, though the idea had been suggested by Master Binns, it was Master Dumbledore who bore the brunt of Mr. Riddle's outburst. "-Tom! Sit down! I would never!"
Thinking it was directed at him, Binns was beginning to panic. "I don't mean to suggest really doing it. I only meant to say he could end this all by asserting his right to…to…" Master Binns gave into the panic and stopped speaking.
While the idea left quite the sickly taste in his mouth, Dippet found it to be a slightly more agreeable idea than the alternative he himself had come up with as a last resort. "Does anyone have any other ideas in mind?"
A long moment of silence followed that question.
"That settles it then. Dumbledore can write a declaration to the Ministry of his intentions regarding the girl. The girl will remain here and that can be an end to the matter."
Dumbledore didn't seem to agree. "Armando, you can't be serious. The very idea is obscene!"
Dippet directed his response not only to Dumbledore, but also to the still fuming Mr. Riddle. "While I agree it certainly isn't the most seemly of solutions, no one else has offered a better one. Naturally it is to be a pretense. You would certainly never actually put the girl to such a use, however a claim for a prize of honor is predicated on the condition of usage, so we must give the appearance of such. We just have to hope no one tries to call us on it."
Seeing that Dumbledore still did not look at all onboard, Dippet asked of him a rhetorical question. "Would you rather she go to Azkaban or leave with Malfoy?"
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She had been in the room all day today again. Though she seemed to now accept that the puffskein would not be returning, she still had no desire to leave her rooms. She had neglected her classes for several days now. Attempts to coax her to the Great Hall had been unsuccessful. As a result, meals were brought to her room for her, but they were left untouched. Were it not for the mandrake potion preventing her, he was certain she would have transfigured into the form of a cat given the way her small form was curled upon the bed.
The young man approached the bed almost tentatively. He laid down beside her and after kissing her cheek began to gently stroke her hair. His voice was quiet and more than a bit guilt ridden.
"I'm sorry about the puffskein."
After a moment of no response, the young man made a suggestion.
"Let's get another puffskein. This one will be our puffskein and we can take care of it together."
The girl's lower lip trembled slightly, but her voice was rather firm. After that one time, she hadn't again resorted to crying.
"I do not want another puffskein."
The young man tried again. "What about a kitten of your own or some other creature? We can get whatever you want and I will help make sure nothing bad ever happens to this one."
Her tone in response was far more disillusioned than befitted one her age. "Why bother? Another one will just do the same thing. It will just run off or die or run off and then die. It can't be helped. It's just what they do."
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Albus Dumbledore looked up as a smiling Mephistopheles Malfoy entered his empty classroom. Just the way Malfoy was looking him up and down disgusted him.
"So, Dumbledore what is this I hear about you looking for a new plaything? I must admit, I never took you for the type, what with all the high minded talk you are usually spewing. It seems we are not so different, you and I."
"Malfoy," just saying the word made his mouth feel foul. "You and I have nothing in common and I have nothing to discuss with you."
Malfoy shrugged. "Oh, but I think we do. You see, you and I are both after the same thing."
Dumbledore's outrage was such that he responded without thinking. "She isn't a thing, she is a little girl!"
Malfoy's mouth widened further. "That opinion, my dear Professor Dumbledore, is where you and I differ. And why your request is to be dismissed. You can't claim a prize if you have no intention of using it. I, on the other hand, have every intention of using it."
Malfoy's eyes were sparkling as he continued. "Of course, if you actually were to…put the girl to use, that would be another matter. A child that young, it will be easy enough for your school nurse to find evidence. Then I would stand corrected and your claim could proceed."
Dumbledore sighed after Malfoy had left the room. Certainly he had no intentions of ever doing such a thing so it appeared Dippet's bluff had been called.
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The hour was quite late and the castle mostly darkened when the girl finally ventured out of her room. From the landscape, through the chalk drawing in the common room, to his usual frame, he followed her. While brushing the chalk of the last frame off of his garments, he watched as she climbed up on the bed. The young man awoke and smiling, he pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. With her arms wrapped around his neck, he carried her out to the common room. Watching her fall asleep curled against him, the young man seemed quite pleased to again have his Kitten back.
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The Minister had assigned Alastor Moody the task of monitoring the girl until he returned for her. Two chairs had been left in the entrance hall for their use. The girl was using one, but Moody's was empty. He preferred to stand, to be ready should the need for action arise.
He noticed the girl was much quieter than last time he had been this close to her. She had been so energetic and excitable that time that he hadn't really believed the story of her being sick. Today, if the Magical Creatures Professor had tried the same story, he might have believed it. Moody didn't quite know how to describe the change that had come over her, but if he had to pick one word, it would be 'diminished'.
As the minutes ticked by, she did seem to grow a little restless. First, she started kicking her feet against the legs of her chair. Then she started trying to turn around in her chair to look back at him.
He didn't take his wand out, but he did put his hand in his pocket to reassure himself it was there.
She did that a few times, twisting her body to look at him standing behind her. When she started doing her malevolent head tilting thing, he knew trouble was coming. When she spoke, she stated the words so calmly, he could almost call her tone conversational.
"Give me candy or I will scream."
"What?"
"Give me candy or I will scream."
What she said, it was so unexpected that he told the truth rather than just tell her no.
"I don't have any candy."
"Oh." The girl looked mildly surprised, as if that possibility hadn't occurred to her. She again faced forward in her seat.
He was still watching her a few minutes later when an older girl who was walking by got called over. Moody's breath caught as he saw the Head Girl badge and realized it was Minister Bones' daughter, Emily.
"Excuse me."
Hearing the little voice, Emily Bones paused. From the uncertainty showing on her face there was no doubt that she knew who the little girl was.
The little girl again called out to her, "Excuse me."
Emily Bones slowly approached. Very tentatively, she spoke. "Hello."
"Hello. Do you have any candy?"
Still staring at the girl, Emily shook her head slightly. From behind, Moody couldn't see the girl's expression, but he could tell that she was staring at her feet and had again started hitting them against the chair.
Emily remained, looking uncertainly at the little girl.
Moody straightened as Millicent Bagnold, the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement, entered. Bagnold gave him a nod, but paused by Emily Bones.
"Amelia Bones? I almost didn't recognize you. How are you dear?"
Moody made a mental note in case the need to know ever arose again. 'Amelia, not Emily.'
Once Amelia walked away that deceptively sweet voice started again.
"Excuse me. Do you have any candy?"
Bagnold turned towards the Grindelwald girl with a slight smile. She began to rummage through her robes.
"Hello. I think I might have some gum. Would you-"
Again came the demand in a tone not at all demanding.
"-Give me candy or I will scream."
Shocked, Bagnold stopped rummaging in her pockets. "You won't be getting any candy from me or anyone else asking like that!"
Bagnold waited a moment, but nothing happened. "I didn't give you candy. Aren't you going to scream?"
The girl shrugged her shoulders. "I just wanted to see if you would give it to me or not."
Throwing a confused look at the girl, Bagnold walked past her to speak to Moody. "I cannot believe Augustus went around me to do this. He tried to get me to sign an order of removal when the Quibbler article came out, but I absolutely refused. It wouldn't surprise me if he suggested the idea of petitioning to the Dementors. What is he thinking? Sending a child to Azkaban!"
Not having much to say, Moody merely nodded while remaining focused on the back of the girl in front of him. Millicent Bagnold had apparently been seeking more of a response. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him.
"Moody, why are you standing behind Miss Grindelwald?"
Moody thought the answer to that should be obvious. Though it was long before he was even born, Millicent Bagnold had been an auror for many years.
"It's best to keep out of the object of surveillance's line of vision."
To Moody, Bagnold seemed to be misplacing her anger and frustration at the Minister onto him.
"-Really, Moody! I would have expected more sense from you than this. What-"
The heel banging had started up again. Bagnold took a deep, calming breath before turning to the girl. Moody found it more than a bit unfair that while she had scolded him, Bagnold only presented herself to the girl as firm.
"Stop that kicking. You're going to scuff the chair."
Moody was surprised to see the girl do as she was told. Still, he wasn't at all unhappy with the diversion of Bagnold's attention away from him. Bagnold moved closer to get a better look at the girl.
"The Minister will be back from the Headmaster's office in a few minutes. You are supposed to be ready to leave when he does. Why aren't you packed?"
The girl didn't seem too concerned.
"We should go get your belongings. You won't be coming back…well, for a while."
"I do not have any belongings."
Bagnold frowned slightly. "I mean your things, like your toys and the things you play with."
The girl just gave a half-hearted shrug. "I used to have a tail that was good for chasing, but it is gone now. I had a toy mouse that I liked it, but I am not supposed to play with it anymore. There was a box and a puffskein, too, but I do not know where they are now. I might have eaten the puffskein, but I cannot remember."
"Well…" Bagnold clearly didn't know what to make of all this. "…then let's at least go get your clothes."
"I am wearing my clothes."
"I mean your other clothes. The ones you aren't wearing right now."
"I do not have any other clothes."
Frown deepening, Bagnold snapped slightly. "Of course you do. You can't have been wearing that same set of robes all the time you have been here. Tell me, do you sleep in them at night as well?"
The girl seemed to be getting a little bothered by all the questions. She stopped answering.
From behind her, Moody couldn't see the girl's face, but he could see Bagnold's eyes searching it. Her voice was much softer as she again asked, "Do you sleep in them at night as well?"
The girl nodded. "And I take my baths in them, too."
When Bagnold looked to him for corroboration, Moody shrugged. "They transfigure it into a nightdress at night and robes for during the day."
He didn't see what the big deal was, but Bagnold looked horrified.
Binns, the Magical History Professor passed by. Concerned, he paused by the girl to question them. "Meeting still going on upstairs?"
Bagnold nodded before stepping closer to Moody. Moody could see the girl tugging on the Professor's sleeve, trying to get his attention. He couldn't hear what she was saying to the Professor, but he had a pretty good guess. A panicked look transfixed Binns' face. He turned from side to side, as if looking for an escape.
As the Professor hastily dropped a bag of candy into the girl's lap, the sound of some of the flavored beans spilling out onto the floor caused Bagnold to turn. The Professor knocked over the extra chair in his haste to scurry away. From the disinterested way the girl pocketed the treats without eating even one, Moody got the impression she was just going through the motions.
Watching it all, Bagnold's jaw dropped . "Moody, what exactly has been going on here?"
############################################
Armando Dippet frowned watching Minister Augustus hold up the first of the petitions.
"So Mr. Riddle is petitioning on the basis that a muggle told him he could have her."
He crinkled the parchment into a ball without even the appearance of considering it. He picked up the next in the stack before giving Mrs. Black an odd look.
"Mrs. Black, am I to understand your petition is based on, and please do correct me if I am wrong, your family being so heavily inbred with the Malfoy's that you believe you should share equally, if not doubly in any claim the Malfoy's might have to the child?"
Pursed lips and a moment of awkward silence followed Mrs. Black's affirmative nod. Dippet noticed Mephistopheles Malfoy hardly looked scandalized by the statement, he merely rolled his eyes.
"All right then." The Minister filed Mrs. Black's petition in the same manner as Mr. Riddle's.
"Headmaster Dippet has also filed a petition for the girl, but he too has no real standing in the case. Professor Dumbledore's claim has been found lacking, which leaves us with Mr. Malfoy and the guards of Azkaban, both with very relevant claims."
The numerous condescending looks that the Minister sent his way while continuing to talk did not escape Dippet's notice.
"After reviewing all of the available information and weighing the various considerations, I have come to my decision. Custody of the girl shall immediately be turned over t-"
Rising from his seat, Armando Dippet interrupted. "-Minister Augustus, might I speak to you a moment in private."
The Minister, rather than look displeased at the interruption, seemed amused. "Certainly, Headmaster."
Riding the staircase down from his office Dippet clenched his teeth. How he had hoped it would not have to come to this!
"What is it now, Dippet? I had just gotten to the good part!"
Holding in the sigh that sought to escape, Dippet spoke quickly before the other man's smugness could alter his resolve. "I apologize. I apologize for the things I said to you before and for having misled you."
As the Minister made no attempt to interrupt him, Dippet continued speaking. "You have every right to be angry with me. However, what I did was my decision. The girl should not be punished for it and you know it."
A look that was a cross between self-righteousness and disappointment graced Minister Augustus' face. "And?"
"And you are a far better man than I am."
"And?"
Dippet could hold back his sigh no longer. "You are a far better man than I could ever dream of being."
As he continued speaking, Dippet knew there was no way the Minister could miss the irritation and insincerity in his voice. "You are noble and kind. Generous of the heart and the spirit. Wise and -"
"-Now was that so very hard to say? You have to admit, I had you on this one, Armando. I had you." Augustus sighed petulantly. "All right fine, you can keep her. But this isn't necessarily my final word on the matter. I am reserving judgment for the moment. But Armando, I warn you, you had better keep her in line."
##############################
It was late and Robert Binns was more than ready for bed, however before he retired to his own chambers he had one last task for the night. He made his way to the Slytherin common room to ensure Mr. Riddle and Miss Grindelwald were there and not together in either's room.
That the pair had reverted back to their earlier habit had not completely escaped his attention. He knew he should put an end to it. There would be trouble were it to ever get back to Dippet, but really, why should he have to be the one to deal with it? Besides, as long as they were in the common room he really didn't see the need.
Entering the common room he noticed it was darker than usual, the fire had almost died out. In the little light left, he looked to the couch Riddle and the girl usually slept in. The girl was asleep, but Riddle's eyes were open, staring rather intently at something. Binns turned to himself look in the direction Tom faced.
################################
Albus Dumbledore was conversing with Kettleburn and Shackleton outside the Great Hall when it first started. The screaming was coming from the dungeons and the voice sounded unmistakably like that of a little girl.
The three men sprinted all the way to the dungeons. The door to the Slytherin common room was already open. Entering they found Robert Binns, hands covering his eyes, screaming as loud as he could.
"Oh Merlin, it was horrible!"
Dumbledore waved his wand to light the room while Binns continued moaning.
"I saw them! Right here! It was horrible! Horrible, I tell you! Horrible!"
As the light spread, Dumbledore could have sworn he saw a figure dart down the corridor towards the dormitories. Looking around the room Tom Riddle, a just waking Minerva Grindelwald, and a very disheveled, mottled looking Barty Crouch remained.
Shackleton reprimanded Binns. "Robert, get a hold of yourself!"
Dumbledore too tried to get the older professor to speak coherently. "Robert, what did you see?"
Binns took a deep breath. When Shackleton slapped his colleague across the face, Dumbledore suspected it was more because he wanted to rather than a wish to be helpful. Either way it didn't seem to have much effect.
"Oh Merlin, it was horrible! I want to be obliviated!"
With a suspicious look to a slightly flustered looking Riddle, Dumbledore tried again. "Robert, what happened? What did you see?"
"There were two of them. It was him…" Binns pointed to the Crouch boy. "…and there was another one. A girl…that Perkins girl. And…and they were in the house common room. They were desecrating it!"
"Desecrating it? What Perkins girl? We don't have a Perkins girl. What the devil are you talking about, Robert?" Shackleton seemed to want to again slap Binns.
"I want to be obliviated!"
Kettleburn was looking back and forth between Binns and the Crouch boy with an amused expression. "Perkins is the name Robert gives to anyone whose real name he can't remember. Robert walked in on a snog session."
Binns grew, if possible, even more incensed. "You think this is funny? And you…you…" Disgusted, Binns turned to face Riddle. "…you were just sitting there watching them!"
Tom shook his head adamantly. "I was asleep until I heard the screaming start."
"I saw you! Your eyes were open!"
Again Tom shook his head.
Binns grew more and more flustered. "Are you calling me a liar?"
Tom's attempt to remain calm seemed to be agitating Binns. "No, sir. I'm just calling you mistaken."
Binns looked to his colleagues for support. "Who are you going to believe? Me or a student?"
Shackleton was the first to answer. "Robert, do you really want us to answer that question?"
Even Dumbledore had to admit, were it any other student but Tom, he would have supported the student's version.
Dumbledore wondered why exactly it was that Tom seemed to be trying to salvage the situation by giving Binns a way out. "Sir, you were standing over there." Riddle pointed a finger towards the door. "You didn't have a very good view of the couch."
Binns stared at Riddle's outstretched finger for a moment. And then, right before the Headmaster arrived Binns leaned forward and as hard as he could, bit Tom Riddle's outstretched finger.
######################################
"-You bit me!"
"-Don't try to tell me what I did or didn't see!"
"-Oh for the love of Merlin!"
"-Binns!"
Armando Dippet had also heard the high pitched screaming and had come to investigate. "What on earth is going on here?"
His Deputy seemed far too delighted as he rushed to answer. "Binns bit a student!"
"Tattletale!"
"Silence! Robert, we have spoken about this before. No biting the students!"
Dippet interrupted Dumbledore as he began to speak.
"Armando -"
"-Dumbledore, how many times do I have to tell you, stay out of this! This matter does not concern you; return to your own house immediately."
Kettleburn spoke up next to try to explain. "Apparently Binns walked in on Crouch and some girl having a snog session."
"And the girl would be?"
"Perkins! It was the Perkins girl!"
Dippet frowned and turned to his Deputy. "Do we have a student named Perkins?"
"No, it's just something Robert made up."
"Master Shackleton, please find the girl in question. Escort her to Madame Griselda's office so that we may find out whether Mr. Crouch will be spending this summer celebrating not only his graduation, but a wedding as well."
Master Binns again spoke up. "Riddle was sitting there! Watching them!"
Appalled, Dippet turned to regard Mr. Riddle and for the first time noticed Miss Grindelwald. "Robert, why isn't the girl in her rooms? It is nearly midnight."
Dippet wasn't really sure why Binns told him, perhaps he thought by getting someone else in trouble it would spread around the blame, perhaps he was too excited to realize that what he said was an admission against not only Mr. Riddle, but himself as well, perhaps he simply disliked Mr. Riddle enough for it to be worth it.
"Mr. Riddle and Miss Grindelwald have been sleeping together in the house common room all along!"
Further appalled, Dippet turned to Mr. Riddle in time to see the look of wrath he directed at the History of Magic Master. "You mean the girl was here and saw as well?"
Apparently his question momentarily threw Mr. Riddle far enough off guard to get an unchecked response. "Of course I didn't let her watch! She was asleep the whole time they were-"
Just as Dippet was about to begin an outraged tirade, Miss Grindelwald interrupted with a question that immediately silenced everyone in the room.
Pointing to the marks on Mr. Crouch's neck she asked, "What are those? Did something bite you?"
Well, it silenced everyone in the room except Mr. Crouch. "They're just snog marks."
"What is a snog?"
For a moment no one said a word. Then Binns, starting to panic, spoke. "It…it's a fifty legged creature that lives in the forest and it has little suckers at the ends of each of its legs and it tries to suck your face off!"
The girl's eyes grew quite wide.
Dippet rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Mr. Crouch, return to your dormitory immediately. I will see you in my office first thing in the morning. Master Dumbledore, why are you still here? Mr. Riddle, I cannot begin to express to you how disappointed I am in your conduct. I can assure you, there will be fallout from this evening."
Master Kettleburn tried to escort the girl back to her own rooms, but she attempted to resist him. "I want to sleep with my Tom. I do not like to sleep alone."
"Outrageous! Simply outrageous!"
Kettleburn attempted to side with the girl. "Armando, I tried to tell you before, she is too young to be left alone all night."
Rather than continue the discussion, Dippet acquiesced. "Fine. Robert, I take it there is an opening in the first year girl's dormitory?"
At Binns' nod Dippet stepped forward to personally ensure the girl ended up there. Grabbing hold of her wrist, he attempted to lead her away.
"I am not tired. I want to stay here with my Tom."
"Certainly not. I will put an end to this nonsense once and for all."
Reaching into the folds of his robes, Dippet extracted a vial. The girl attempted to move away, but he persisted until he succeeded in getting her to drink half. Immediately the girl lost consciousness. Still grasping her by the wrist, Dippet held her up.
He handed the remainder of the vial to a gap mouthed Master Binns. "You will administer a sleeping draught to her every evening at eight o'clock. Half of one of those vials should be more than sufficient to keep her asleep until morning. Tomorrow I will speak to Master Pomfrey regarding the regular brewing of a supply for her. That should preclude anymore of these midnight wanderings."
tbc