The Prophecy
The next meeting with Lucius had been a fiasco. I had come to Lucius's manor expecting some report on Dumbledore's whereabouts, but instead received orders to kill the Death Eater who had just been captured. I left, angry with Voldemort and Lucius for making me do things that anyone could do. Therefore, it was that I had one last mission before approaching Dumbledore and trying to get a job. My intended victim was safely ensconced in St Mungo's, so I took Polyjuice containing the hairs of Crouch Jr.
I Apparated right in front of the ugly mannequin and stepped through the glass, feeling a cold touch up my spine. The line was short, and the blonde receptionist was soon greeting me.
"Hello, Mr. Crouch, what brings you here?"
I smiled. "I'm here to see the captured Death Eater. Where is he?"
"Spell damage, fourth floor, third door to the left." It seemed that she was trying to catch my eye so I quickly started towards the stairs. As I came to the third floor, checked that no Aurors were about who might impede my escape, if something went wrong. I finally reached the fourth floor, and was walking to the third door when I saw Lily with a Healer inspecting the Death Eater lying bandaged on the bed. Lily was speaking.
"He's in a coma; he really got a beating this one. Keep me abreast of how he's doing, and when he wakes up, I want you to call me immediately." The Healer left the room, nodding at me as he passed. I stepped into the room.
"Crouch, what are you doing here?" said Lily, surprised.
"Oh, I came here to see the Death Eater."
"Really, Coursy is a dangerous prisoner, not a freak-show attraction," she said in a no-nonsense tone, taking me by the arm. "Have you seen enough?"
She did not know who I really was so I could tell what I had wanted to tell ever since I saw her pregnant. With no Black or Potter to intervene, I could. say it.
"Oh yes, congratulations on your baby by the way, I hope it's a boy"
"Ah…T- thanks."
With a jolt, I realized that it have seemed odd to receive congratulations from a sixteen year old boy. Lily was starting to stare at me suspiciously, so just as she took out her wand to secure the straps on the Death Eater, I quietly took out the potion, retreated from the room, threw it in, and closed the door. I waited for a few seconds and then entered the room just as Lily started to fall; I ran up to her, took her in my arms, and put her gently on the floor.
"I'm sorry, but I had to do that on order to finish my mission," I muttered to her unconscious body.
I walked up to the Death Eater, tilted back his head, and then slowly poured the poison into his mouth. The Dark Lord had specifically said that he must die slowly, but I did not want to do that as they might get some answers out of him or might find an antidote
I left the building, making sure that no one saw me modifying the memory of the blonde witch. They would find the body soon enough when Lily woke up. The Healer will would probably think that Crouch Jr. did it, but no one would be able to prove it as he was in that moment under his father's watchful gaze.
----
I was at home the next day making a complicated potion when the Daily Prophet arrived bearing a headline, which caught my attention. I gave the owl a Knut and stared at the front page.
DAILY PROPHET
MURDER AT ST. MUNGOS
By special correspondent Bill Stimpson
A captured Death Eater, who was badly injured during a battle between trainee Aurors and a band of Death Eaters working for You-Know-Who late last year, has been killed in his bed at St Mungo's. Lily Potter, a well known Unspeakable, was at the scene when the murder took place.
The Death Eater was an excellent potential source of information for the Ministry, and was believed to be in You-Know-Who's inner circle. Potter, whose memory was erased, is able to recall little of what occurred. In her report, she says:
"I was talking to a person, but I can't remember who. I turned to make sure that the Death Eater was securely strapped down, and I heard him leaving the room. He threw something in, a potion of some sort, which exploded, and… I can't remember anything else."
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement had this to say:
"We believe that You-Know-Who did not want us to learn anything important from the captured Death Eater," says Amelia Bones of the Ministry. "We suspect Polijuice was involved."
There are rumors that Bartemius Crouch was spotted in the hospital during the time of the murder, but Crouch Sr. provided proof that his son was with him during that time. (Where will they strike next? Page 12-20. When will the war end? Page 22-25)
I read it and then threw it into the fire, watching it blacken.
----
I Apparated into Hogsmead and was taking a stroll towards the Three Broomsticks to catch what people were saying about the St Mungo's Murder, when I saw Dumbledore stroll by. I quickly changed my plans and decided to take this chance to observe the target of my next mission. I hid behind a large barrel and swiftly put on my hood; making sure my face was in darkness, I walked out from behind the barrel and followed Dumbledore. He walked into a dirty looking bar called the Hogs Head, bending down to enter through the short door. I followed suit.
I entered just as he said to the barman, "She's here, isn't she? I hope she has the same talent as her great-great-grandmother, because if she doesn't, I'll have to drop the subject." The barman gave him a wink.
I was interested. Dumbledore had a job opening, and I really wanted one. Just as the barman went into the kitchen, I went upstairs and found the room into which Dumbledore had gone. I pressed my ear to the door. A woman was speaking.
"Yes, I am the great-great granddaughter of Cassandra Trelawaney."
"Ah, wonderful, wonderful! Will I be lucky enough to hear an actual prediction?"
"Um— My inner eye does not see anything—wait! Someone will interfere with your business today; you will have to make a choice."
"Thank you for your time," said Dumbledore, polite, but unimpressed. "I'll contact you after I have made my decision."
Suddenly, the woman spoke in a deep, loud voice.
"THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES…BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM, BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES... THE DARK LORD WILL MARK HIM AS HIS EQUAL—"
So intent was I on what was going on in the room, I did not hear the barman approach until he had grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me from the door towards another room. I had escaped his grip and run towards the stairs, when he tackled me, causing me to fall and hit my head hard on the dirty floor. Then he yanked my up by the hood and took me into the room where the Seer had finished the prophecy and Dumbledore was talking to her. The barman explained where he had found me and what I'd been doing. Dumbledore looked at me in surprised, and the usual senile twinkle in his eyes was replaced with something serious and dangerous. "How much did you hear?" he asked in a commanding voice.
"T-the fir-s, first bit," I stammered, prepared for the Killing Curse. Instead, Dumbledore motioned for the barman to take me downstairs, where the thug threw me bodily from the pub. No sooner was I out, than I Disapparated to my master's side.
Voldemort looked livid as I approached his 'throne' as we call it. I kissed his robes and waited in silence to be allowed to stand. I had only to wait a moment.
As I stood up, I saw him giving me a calculated look. Without waiting to be told what to tell, I started my story.
"Master, I followed Dumbledore as you commanded me. He went to a bar in Hogsmead today, and I followed. There I came to hear a prophecy about you, my Lord." I said this so fast that by the time I had finished, Voldemort had barely raised his wand to curse the daylights out of me for ruining my chances with Dumbledore.
"What did you say?"
"I heard a prophecy about you, my Lord."
"Look me in the eye!" Voldemort commanded. I knew he was using Legilimency to make sure I was telling the truth. Then after a minute, he said, "What did it say?"
"I did not hear the whole prophecy," I told him, and repeated word for word what Cassandra Twelawney's great-great granddaughter had said.
"You have done well to tell me this, Severus. W have to find who this boy is before he grows up. We will eliminate him before he becomes a threat. Well done, Severus, well done!"