DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
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A/N: Sorry for the delay. No electricity, no water supply the past few days due to the typhoon but now, all is well.
Stay safe, everyone!
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Chapter 34: Whatever Happened to Barty
"If it hurts again, go straight to Dumbledore - they're saying he's got Mad-Eye out of retirement, which means he's reading the signs, even if no one else is." -Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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August 1994
(Cedric and Hermione's past)
Hermione, Cedric, Susan, Ian, and Terrence were all sitting in the living room in the Diggory residence.
No one was in the mood to talk. Terrence was drinking tea, watching the roaring fire in the fireplace. Susan was half-asleep (or maybe trying to sleep) on a wingback chair, and Ian was playing with the Viktor Krum figure he brought in the Quidditch Cup.
Hermione and Ced were on the couch. He was lying, and her back was resting on his chest. They looked cosy, but actually, they were still worried and thinking about what happened earlier.
During the Quidditch game, they were all cheerful, and the boys even won the bet - Ireland would win but, Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker, would catch the Snitch. Ian and Terrence told their parents they wanted to stay the night at the Diggory tent, so the five Hufflepuff friends were inseparable again.
Hermione and Susan fell asleep in their room while the boys stayed in the living room and talked about Quidditch until Merlin knows what time. Mr Diggory left the tent to patrol - he volunteered to join Madam Bones. Mrs Diggory stayed with them, the teenagers, in the tent.
And then, the next thing Hermione knew, Mrs Diggory was waking her up, and she heard screams and commotion outside the tent. Mrs Diggory made an emergency Portkey and told the five of them to go to the Diggory residence, and she would send a Patronus to Ian's and Terrence's parents and then look for her husband.
So without their stuff, the five teenagers travelled to Ottery St. Catchpole.
They were still waiting for Cedric's parents and Madam Bones to know what happened.
She prayed that the adults were safe, especially Cedric's parents. At the thought of Mr and Mrs Diggory, she reached for Ced's hands that were clasped on her stomach and squeezed them.
She felt him lean forward to kiss her forehead. If the situation was different, Hermione reckoned, she would feel the strange tingling in the lower part of her body.
"I'm fine," he assured her. "You?"
She forced a smile. "I'm good. Just thinking about your parents."
"I'm worried as well, but I know Mum and Dad are capable of protecting themselves."
"Someone screamed earlier... they said 'Death Eaters'," she muttered to him, shifting a bit to face him. "Do you think it's true?"
Ced sighed and shook his head. "I hope it's not. Well, there was no Dark Mark, right? That's a good thing?"
"Why is it a good thing?" quipped Susan.
Hermione turned to their friends. Susan was now fully awake, looking at them. Terrence and Ian turned their attention to them as well.
Ced turned to his cousin reluctantly.
"Ced..." Susan called firmly.
"A Dark Mark means they killed someone... When your house was attacked... a Dark Mark was hovering the house. I was with Mum when she went to your place and we found your parents..." Ced spoke so softly and carefully.
"And you found me inside the cupboard..." Susan stated.
Ced nodded. "The Silencing and other protective charms faded..."
"When they breathed for the last time..." Susan realized. "But why cast a Dark Mark in the air?" she asked in a normal tone this time.
"Because they want to show off," commented Terrence in an unhappy tone. "They want to tell the world that they've murdered someone. Psychopaths."
"If the Death Eaters were there earlier, do you think You-Know-Who is back?" she asked them.
"Maybe," replied Ced. "Or maybe not. Perhaps they just want to send a message that they are still out there. Maybe they're trying to impress him, wherever he is."
She snorted. "You-Know-Who will not be happy."
Four pairs of eyes turned to her questioningly. "Oh, come on. Professor Snape even said that Death Eaters hated him for throwing himself at Dumbledore's feet again when their Master disappeared. And when You-Know-Who comes back, he will be displeased - for he would prefer that his loyal followers went to Azkaban instead of walking around freely, telling everyone they were Imperiused."
"Like the Malfoys," quipped Ian. "But he didn't say he was Imperiused. Professor Snape, I mean."
"Yeah, but how did he manage to convince Dumbledore to vouch for him if he is a real Death Eater? Not just an undercover?" That was Susan, not Hermione.
"You're right, of course!" agreed Terrence.
"Hang on, when did Professor Snape tell you that?" Ced asked her.
"Just during one of our brewing sessions."
They heard cracks of Apparition. Hermione and Ced quickly stood on their feet and waited for the front door to be unlocked. After a few seconds, Mr and Mrs Diggory came in, looking very tired, with some luggage.
Hermione sat down while Ced went to approach his parents. "Dad, what happened?"
Mr Diggory sat on the nearest chair and bent to remove his boots, then gave Mrs Diggory his travelling cloak.
"Death Eaters," he told all of them.
"Where's Auntie?" asked Susan anxiously.
Mrs Diggory stood near Susan and gave her a comforting touch on the shoulder. "She's fine, dear... still working at the Ministry."
"Masked Death Eaters went to torture Mr Roberts and his family," whispered Mr Diggory. The Aurors were not able to catch them, but someone had cast the Dark Mark. Someone who wasn't with them. Someone they didn't know still alive..."
"Who?" The five teenagers asked both in fear and confusion.
"Barty Crouch Junior."
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August 2020
(the present)
"Hang on... so Barty Crouch Jr never had the chance to impersonate Alastor Moody?"
Albus looked utterly surprised. Cedric frowned slightly. "That's right. Alastor Moody was a highly-skilled Auror. I doubt a Death Eater - who was out of practice, if I may add, would be able to kidnap him."
"But... he did, in my parents' time," Al sighed. "Crouch Junior impersonated Moody, and the former was the one who taught D.A.D.A., not the latter."
He wanted to snort. "But Dumbledore was in the castle, wasn't he? And Severus? I doubt a person constantly drinking Polyjuice Potion near a skilled Potions master would go unnoticed."
Al shrugged. "But he wasn't discovered until June, the day of the Third Task. He was the one who helped Dad secretly to win the tournament... and the reason why Dad and the other Cedric Diggory made it to the graveyard..."
"But those things didn't happen here. Moody was at the Quidditch World Cup with Dumbledore. He spotted Crouch Junior under the Invisibility Cloak because of his magical eye. Crouch Senior was sacked after the investigation."
Albus stared as if Ced had grown four ears. "Flesh of the enemy forcibly taken... If Crouch Junior didn't make it to Hogwarts, how did Voldemort manage to have a body again?"
"His people kidnapped Harry Potter... when everyone thought he was safe... You see, Dumbledore hired not just one but two D.A.D.A. professors in 1994."
Albus quirked an eyebrow. "Moody and...?"
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1994
(Cedric and Hermione's past)
"Professor Lupin!" Cedric exclaimed.
Hermione smiled but Professor Snape's reaction was still the same.
"I quite like the bloke," he said.
"I can see that, but Lupin will be teaching lower grades. Alastor Moody will handle O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s students," Professor Snape informed them.
He visited the Diggory residence to personally ask Hermione if she was still interested in extra credits because he would require her assistance again in Potions brewing this coming term.
Hermione quickly agreed. She knew that Professor Snape would have to brew potions again for Professor Lupin. There would be a lot on his plate. As always, Hermione thought sadly.
Professor Snape had something else for her and Ced: Hogwarts list of school supplies, and Ced's O.W.L. results. Then, he left after speaking briefly to Mrs Diggory.
When the professor left, Ced opened his O.W.L. results rather anxiously, then he showed it to her with a grin.
Hermione gasped and hugged her boyfriend. He managed to get Outstanding in Charms, Transfiguration, Divination, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Astronomy. He got Exceeds Expectations in Potions, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, History of Magic, and Ancient Runes.
"I can have a high position at the Ministry," he grinned.
Hermione hugged him once again. "I'm happy for you."
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It was Hermione's last full day at the Diggory residence. Tomorrow, she would be leaving for Hogwarts.
She woke up rather late that day. After discarding her pyjamas and putting on her usual shirt and jeans, she went down for breakfast.
She heard familiar voices and ran excitedly when she realized her other best friends were here.
True enough, Susan, Ian, and Terrence were in the dining room, already helping themselves to breakfast. Ced was also seated already.
"I want a bit of that apple pie!" Susan insisted, but Ced grabbed the tray of apple pie away from his cousin.
"Cedric Diggory!" Mrs Diggory scolded her son. "Where are your manners? Didn't you learn how to share?"
"Not this one!" Ced told both his mum and Susan.
"Why? Because Hermione made it?" asked Mrs Diggory.
"Oi! You're being selfish," teased Ian.
"Let him be... You know him when it comes to Hermione," said Terrence.
Hermione smiled and joined the group and approached Ced, giving him a kiss on his temple. "Morning. I'll make another one for you later if it's possible," she promised.
Ced gave her a sheepish look before letting go of the apple pie.
Mrs Diggory laughed and patted Hermione's head affectionately. "Thanks, dear. You're an angel."
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A/N 2: There you go. Cedric's flaw. Haha. Of course, he isn't perfect. Thanks for the reviews!