The Alexander Chronicles Year 4: The Return of Darkness.
Chapter 36: Back at Hogwarts.
Alex felt himself slam flat into the ground; his face was pressed into grass; the smell of it filled his nostrils. He had closed his eyes while the Portkey transported him and it was hard to breath. In fact, all the pain in his body had returned and he was exhausted once more. The pain and exhaustion kept him on the ground, breathing in the smell of the grass, waiting…waiting for someone to do something…something to happen. Maybe to pass out because of the pain or the grief or the guilt.
A torrent of sound deafened and confused him; there were voices everywhere, footsteps, screams…Alex remained where he was, his face screwed up against the noise, as though it were a nightmare that would pass; he wondered what Harry was feeling, if he was feeling the same. Then he heard a familiar voice.
"Harry! Harry! - Harry where have you been?"
Alex lifted his heard slightly. He was back. Back at Hogwarts. He was outside the maze. Dumbledore was standing over Harry and there were other people moving in.
"He's back," Alex head Harry whisper. "He's back. Voldemort's back!"
"What's going on? What's happened?" The face of Cornelius Fudge appeared near Alex, Harry, and Cedric.
"My God - Diggory!" Fudge whispered. "Dumbledore - he's dead!"
The words were repeated, the shadowy figures pressing in on them gasped it to those around them…and then others shouted it - screeched it - into the night –
"He's dead!"
"He's dead!"
"Cedric Diggory! Dead!"
"Harry, let go of him," Alex heard Fudge's voice say. Alex used all his strength and struggled to his feet, looking over at Harry who refused to let Cedric go. Then Dumbledore's face came closer.
"Harry, you can't help him now. It's over. Let go."
"He wanted us to bring him back." Harry muttered. "He wanted me to bring him back to his parents…"
"That's right, Harry…just let go now…"
Dumbledore bent down, and with extraordinary strength for a man so old and thin, raised Harry from the ground and set him on his feet.
"What's happened?"
"What's wrong with him?"
"Diggory's dead!"
"Alex are you alright?" Someone asked, but Alex didn´t hear it. He need to get away, as he felt like he couldn't breathe, and all they cared about was Harry.
"He'll need to go to the hospital wing!" Fudge was saying loudly. "He's ill, He's injured – Dumbledore, Diggory's parents, they're here, and they're in the stands…"
"I'll take Harry, Dumbledore, I'll take him -"
"No, I would prefer-"
"Dumbledore, Amos Diggory's running…he's coming over…Don't you think you should tell him - before he sees -?"
But Alex didn't hear anymore as he weakly pushed through the crowd. He needed to get out and make his way towards Madam Pomfrey or the Hospital Wing or to somewhere else.
"Alex!" the voice asked again.
"Alex, are you alright?" A new voice asked.
"Alex, what happened?" sounded a third voice.
"Alex wait up." The first voice said again. "Alexander!"
Alex stopped as Daphne´s voice went through his heard. He turned to see not just Daphne, but Blaise, Tracey, Neville, and Draco. Alex walked up to the group, not noticing how worried they looked.
"Hey guys." Alex breathed out, and then smiled. "I – But he never finished as all the pain and exhaustion, he couldn't handle it anymore. He had used up too much magic and it finally took a turn on him and he fell to the ground.
….
Daphne knew that something was wrong as she saw Dumbledore hurry away from the podium where the other judges sat; apparently, Harry Potter was missing. Her suspensions had confirmed when Dumbledore finally had come to his senses and decided to cancel the tournament. Only to see that either Alex or Cedric was in the maze. Daphne´s heart has skipped a few beat when she leaned that the boy she loved were missing.
Finally, what seemed like hours something happened, three figures appeared right outside the maze. Daphne was on her feet in an instant. "It have to be them."
Daphne could see that Dumbledore, Fudge and other adults were already near them. The students were also coming closer. As Daphne came closer, she could hear someone say, "He is dead!"
Those words made Daphne´s world fall apart. Dead? Her Alex? No that couldn't be happening. Alex couldn't be dead. Daphne paled stopped in her tracks, and then she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Daph you don´t know if it is him." Tracey said.
"But it - then who?" Daphne whispered.
"It is Diggory." Draco said who had passed Daphne to see what had happened. He had a sad and pale expression on his face. "It is Cedric Diggory that has died." He said in low voice.
"And Alex?" Daphne asked.
"He is alive, but that all I know."
Daphne pushed through the crowd of students "let me though." She said. "Please, it is my friend that is laying there." She could hear a crying Harry telling that Cedric had wanted him to take him back, and Dumbledore trying to comfort him. Then she finally got though and she saw Alex. He was on his feet and looking at Harry and Dumbledore. Alex was a mess; he was covered in dirt and blood. His hair was sticking in all directions. His clothes in tatters and shredded. He had several bruises and his left arm looked like it was broken. He was deadly pale and he had a haunted lost look in his eyes.
"Alex are you alright?" Daphne asked taken a step towards him.
Alex didn´t react. Instead he just begun walking away pushing though the students.
Alex!" Daphne said again.
"Alex, are you alright?" Blaise asked.
"Alex, what happened?" Draco added.
"Alex wait up." Daphne said as she began follow her boyfriend. "Alexander!"
Alex stopped and turned to look at her.
"Hey guys." Daphne frowned at how strange he sounded. "I – "Before he could say anything else he fell to the ground.
"Alex!" Daphne was at him with two quick steps. "Someone call for help!" She yelled as she knelled next to Alex and held his heard gently. "It will be okay." However now that she was close see just how bad a condition Alex was in. He had serval dark purple bruises on his skin and he was missing his index finger on his right hand and it was covered in blood.
"D-Daphne?" Alex whispered in a hoarse voice, as he torched her cheek "there i-is."
"Alex, save your strength."
"No, it it is important." Alex sounded like that his was using all his strength to talk so Daphne moved closer. "Vo-Voldemort is back an-and t-there." Alex paused. "He-he h-has a ma-man at the scho- someone that put my name in goblet - there is a trai-" Alex didn´t finished the sentence as he fell unconscious.
"Alex"
"Miss Greengrass," sounded Dumbledore´s voice from behind her.
"Sir?" Daphne was surprised that she was crying. "He just lost consciousness."
Dumbledore nodded as he bent down checked Alex´s pulse before he waved his wand over him. "We need to him to the Hospital Wing quickly Poppy Filius can you?"
Dumbledore had barely asked the question before the charm master flicked his wand and begun levitating Alex towards the castle while Madam Pomfrey was following taking care of her pupil.
"Miss Greengrass did Mr. Black say anything? About where he have been? About what happened to Harry and him?" Dumbledore asked laying a hand on Daphne´s shoulder, stopping her from follow Alex and making her look at the headmaster.
"He uh he mentioned uh You-Know-Who t-that he have come back. But he can´t can he?" Daphne panicked.
"Miss Greengrass! Try to remain calm - just take a deep breath." Daphne did as intrusted and looked at Dumbledore. "Did Alexander say anything else?"
"Yes, that there was someone working for Voldemort inside - here at Hogwarts"
"Did he say who?
"No, I don´t even know if he knows. Sir will Alex be okay?
Dumbledore didn´t answer the question, instead he signed in defeat. "Minerva Severus I am afraid that we have one of Voldemort´s spies our midst."
McGonagall looked shocked "Albus surely there cannot."
"Have you any idea of who headmaster." Severus asked.
"Mr. Black´s uncle perhaps. He is nowhere to be seen."
"You think he took Harry with him." McGonagall asked stepping closer to the Headmaster.
"I know he did. Harry told me. You are sure that Mr. Black didn´t mention his uncle Miss Greeengrass?"
"No" Daphne repeated getting slightly frustrated. "He didn´t mention his uncle. He just said that there was a traitor at the school and that he were the one that got is name in the Goblet of Fire. So it can´t have been him."
"Minerva please find Alastor, and sweep the castle and make sure that Harry is taken to my office." Professor Dumbledore asked making McGonagall give him a strange look.
"Albus, Alastor has already taken Harry as you asked."
"I did not-"Dumbledore looked slightly shocked, which make Daphne feel very nervous. "It cannot have been him." In the next second, Dumbledore had turned on his heel and headed towards the castle closely followed by Professors McGonagall and Snape.
"Wait Sir, you never answered my question." Daphne said running after her professors. "What about Alex?"
"Miss Greengrass I afraid that I do not have time right now." Professor Dumbledore said not stopping up. "I have made a terrible mistake. Please go back to the Quidditch pitch."
"No! Alex is my b- my best friend! I want to know if he is okay."
"Miss Greengrass, watch you tone." Daphne turned and looked at her head of house.
"I want to know about Alex." Daphne repeated, for once not caring if she would get a detention for speaking out of tone. "So please just tell me."
"We don´t know." Professor McGonagall said.
"I believe young Alexander will survive. You and your friends are welcome to join the Tonks family in the hospital wing. Now if you excurse us, there is something we need to take care of."
Daphne stopped up, "Right thank you sir!" It didn´t take long for Daphne to find Tracey, Blaise and Draco and convince them to follow her to the Hospital Wing.
"I am telling you Daphne; we will be thrown out." Blaise said as the entered the castle. "Beside Snape ordered us to go back to the common room."
"I know what he said to the prefects, but Professor Dumbledore gave me a permission in front of our head of house."
"Fine, but why do we need to risk detention?"
"I am sorry Blaise, so you don´t want to check up on you best friend? I got permission for all of us."
"Uh, well then never mind then."
The four Slytherins didn´t speak until they reached the Hospital Wing. Inside Daphne could see that Madam Pomfrey was working on a patient, as she took a step forward she could see it was Alex. Daphne gasped at the sight, Alex was deadly pale, the clotheshe still had on were covered in blood and he had IV´s giving him potions. The Tonks family was already sitting there all of them looking worried.
"You have to wait I am a bit busy right now." The school nurse said not looking away from the treatment she was giving Alex. "It will be a moment, so just take a seat."
"I just wanted to check up on Alex. I don´t need help"
Madam Pomfrey briefly looked up from Alex, "Okay then just take a seat Miss Greengrass." She said before turning her attention back on Alex and casted a few spells at him, and setting up a new potion IV.
Daphne nodded and the four Slytherins sat next to the Tonks family. Neither of them spoke as they watched the school healer work on fixing Alex up. As time passed Daphne, felt more and more tense. Alex had to pull though. He just had to. After some time Madam Pomfrey looked at them. "Well he will make full recovery."
"Thanks Merlin," Daphne whispered.
"I have fixed the most serious injuries. He had lost a lot blood. So he need some blood replenish potion for a while. There was some internal injuries, like a punctured lung - they are healing now. So now, his bones just need to heal and that will take some time." Madam Pomfrey said looking at Daphne and the Tonks family.
Daphne shuddered at healer's words on how injured Alex had been what if he hadn´t gotten home when he did? Would he had died?
"When will he wake?" Nymphadora asked.
"In an hour, but he has to stay here for the rest of the week."
"Okay, but he will be fine?"
The healer nodded, "yes you are welcome to sit with him, as long as you all are quiet."
Daphne didn´t need to be told twice as she quickly walked over to a small chair next to Alex´s bed, sat and grabbed his hand.
He still looked very pale but he was he breathing. As they sat in silence, Professor Snape entered the room, glancing at Alex looking relived and then went over to Madam Pomfrey and the Tonks family and whispered something to them. The healer nodded and in the next second, she and Nymphadora hurried away. The potion master followed seconds later after ordering his students stay where they were.
"You know, you should tell him how you feels." Tracey said who was sitting next to Daphne.
"He already knows." Daphne whispered as she stroked Alex´s hand with her trump.
"Wait you been dating? Since when?" Tracey asked obviously forgetting that Alex´s family was in the room.
"Since he was introduced to the third task," Daphne whispered blushing slightly.
"Ha I knew that he was keeping something from us." Draco exclaimed.
"Well, we wanted to keep it a secret." Daphne said, minutes later the school healer along with Nymphadora retuned with a tried looking Professor Moody. "It is okay sir Madam Pomfrey will patch you up."¨
Moody nodded, as he sat on a nearby bed "aye thanks Tonks."
Just as Madam Pomfrey had finished giving Moody his potions the Hospital Wings doors was opened with a loud bang and Hermione Ganger, Ron Weasley, and Ron´s older brother and mother walked in.
"How are they?" Hermione asked.
"Well Alex will be okay. I don´t know about Harry though." Tracey said.
"Madam Pomfrey, how are Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
The healer signed, "He is with the headmaster."
"Yes, but how is he? And what happened to him?"
Before the healer could answer, the doors opened once again revealing Harry, Professor Dumbledore and a strange black dog.
Mrs. Weasley let out a kind of muffled scream and started to hurry toward Harry, but Dumbledore stopped. "Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight. He has just had to relive it for me. Now he needs to rest, but you all are welcome to stay with if he wishes. But I do not want you questioning him until he is ready to answer, and certainly not this evening." Dumbledore paused and looked at Alex, whose hand Daphne still were holding. Madam Pomfrey walked over to him and whispered something. Dumbledore nodded looking relived at the healer´s words. "The same goes for young Alexander when he wakes up, he needs friends not questions."
Everyone nodded.
"Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey said now staring at the great black dog. "If I may ask why there are a dog in here?"
"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while," said Dumbledore simply. "I assure you, he is extremely well trained." The headmaster paused and looked at Harry. "Harry — I will return as soon as I have met with Fudge, and I want you to remain here at least until tomorrow."
Dumbledore left as Madam Pomfrey led Harry to a nearby bed it was near the bed where Alex lay. Harry looked at Alex with a worried expression. "I-is he o-okay?"
Daphne nodded, "yes, Madam Pomfrey fixed him up."
"That is good. He pretty much saved my life." Daphne could see that both Weasley and Ganger wanted to ask what had happened. She wanted to ask as well, but they all accepted that he needed peace. "And uh what about you?" Harry asked, making Daphne look at him again. She was touched that he cared.
"I will be, thanks Harry." She said giving Harry a small smile as Madam Pomfrey, gave him some pyjamas and pulling screens around him. Then she focused on Alex and removed the IV´s that had given him blood-replenishing potion.
Daphne didn´t listened as Harry begun talking with his visitors and when Harry had gotten his dreamless sleeping potion and fallen asleep, everybody sat in silence watching their friends.
….
Alex slowly started to regain consciousness. He wasn´t laying outside anymore, that much he knew. He was in a warm bed, properly in the Hospital Wing. Slowly Alex opened his eyes. The room was still dimly lit; he was sure it was still night-time, so he couldn't have been out that long.
"You are awake!" a feminine voice said. Alex turned and saw it was Daphne. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was a mess, she had properly wrapped it around her fingers as she always did when she was nervous.
"Y-yeah I-"Alex paused as it was hard to speak, his body were hurting and his throat was so dry. "H-How long was I uh was I out?"
Daphne checked her watch, "almost three hours."
"Daphne you got to get Dumbledore! Something terrible has happened! Voldemort is back!"
"He knows, you told me earlier, and I think Harry told him as well."
"Harry? How is he?" Alex tried sitting up, but Madam Pomfrey was over him in a second.
"No, Mr. Black you have to lie still." She said pushing him down. "You were badly hurt, and your body needs rest."
"Harry is fine," Daphne, said, "he is just sleeping."
"We were more worried about you." Hermione asked stepping in to Alex´s view.
Alex tried giving a reassuring smile, but whined in pain instead. "I just need to get some rest. Everybody nodded and Alex slowly drifted back to sleep.
However, he had just slept for a few minutes when he heard whispering around him.
"They'll wake them if they don't shut up!"
"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?"
Alex looked around seeing Harry nearby, but his head was turned, and he didn't know if he was awake. He continued to look around. He could see the dark outlines of Nymphadora, Mr. and Mrs. Tonks, and the familiar faces of Mrs. Weasley and Bill close by. Daphne, Draco, Tracey, Blaise, Ron and Hermione were also there. Mrs. Weasley was on her feet.
"That's Fudge's voice," she whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"
Now Alex could hear them too: people shouting and running toward the hospital wing.
"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.
"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled Professor McGonagall. "When Dumbledore finds out -"
Alex heard the hospital doors burst open. Unnoticed by any of the people around their bed, all of whom were staring at the door; Alex quietly sat up ignoring the pain. He noticed Harry did as well.
Fudge came striding up the ward. Professors McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs. Weasley.
"He's not here," said Mrs. Weasley angrily. "This is a hospital. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"
But the door opened, and Dumbledore came sweeping up the ward.
"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch -"
Barty Crouch? Had they found him? However, why should McGonagall keep guard him? He was a Ministry official after all. Alex looked at Harry trying to read his expression. He looked worried, but that didn´t make Alex any wiser.
"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked. "The Minister has seen to that!"
Alex had ever seen Professor McGonagall lose control like this. There were angry blotches of colour in her cheeks, and hands were balled into fists; she was trembling with fury. But why had the Minister killed Crouch? But he was his heard of international cooperation. Just what had happened while he had been unconscious.
"When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, in a low voice; "he seemed to feel his safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch -"
"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall fumed. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but -"
Wait! Crouch was a Death Eater? The old grumpy old man that had fried his house elf, because she was found with a wand that had been used to cast the dark mark. The man that had thrown his own son in Azkaban. The biggest hardliner against Death Eaters, was one himself?
"My dear woman!" roared Fudge, who likewise looked as angry Alex as had been when Alex had talked back at him, when the Minister had told Alex that his mother had been arrested, "as Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous -"
But Professor McGonagall's voice drowned Fudge's.
"The moment that - that thing entered the room," she screamed, pointing at Fudge, trembling all over, "it swooped down on Crouch and - and -"
Alex felt chills in his stomachs as Professor McGonagall struggled to find words to describe what had happened. He did not need her to finish her sentence. He knew what the dementor must have done. It had administered its fatal kiss to Barty Crouch. It had sucked his soul out through his mouth. He was worse than dead. Crouch was bad, but didn´t deserve that.
"By all accounts, he is no loss!" blustered Fudge. "It seems he has been responsible for several deaths."
"But he cannot now give testimony, Cornelius," said Dumbledore. He was staring hard at Fudge, as though seeing him plainly for the first time. "He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people."
"Why he killed them? Well, that's no mystery, is it?" blustered Fudge. "He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions!"
"Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. "Those people's deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body."
Fudge looked as though someone had just swung a heavy weight into his face. Dazed and blinking, he stared back at Dumbledore as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard. He began to sputter, still goggling at Dumbledore.
"You-Know-Who… returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore…"
"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," said Dumbledore, "we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry and Alexander. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."
Wait smuggled out of Azkaban - Freed from his father. Who were they talking about? The only Crouch that had been in Azkaban had been Crouch Jr., but he was dead. Or at least that was what Alex had heard.
"See here, Dumbledore," said Fudge said and interrupted Alex´s thoughts. He was astonished to see a slight smile dawning on his face, "you - you can't seriously believe that You-Know-Who - back? Come now, come now… certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders - but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore…"
"When young Alexander touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," said Dumbledore steadily. "Harry was also transported there by means of another Portkey. They witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office."
Dumbledore glanced around at Harry and Alex and saw that they were awake, but shook his head and said, "I am afraid I cannot permit you to question them tonight."
Fudge's curious smile lingered. He too glanced at Harry, then looked back at Dumbledore, and said, "You are - er - prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?" Then he glanced at Alex, "and don´t get me started on that boy and his well let us just say unbalanced behaviour."
There was a moment's silence, which was broken by a dog growling. Alex looked over by Harry's bed and saw a very familiar black dog. His hackles were raised, and he was baring his teeth at Fudge.
"Certainly, I believe Harry," said Dumbledore. His eyes were blazing now. "I heard Crouch's confession, and I heard Harry´s account of what happened before and after he had been transported to the graveyard; the two stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer."
Fudge still had that strange smile on his face. Once again, he glanced at Harry and Alex before answering.
"You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who… well…is friend with another boy…who's…you know…"
Fudge shot Alex and Harry another look, and Alex suddenly understood.
"You been reading Rita Skeeter, hasn´t you Fudge." Alex said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "and you believe every word don´t you."
Ron, Hermione, Daphne, Blaise, the Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, and Bill all jumped. None of them had realized that Alex or Harry were awake.
Fudge reddened slightly, but a defiant and obstinate look came over his face.
"And if I do?" he said, looking at Dumbledore. "If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about these boys very quiet? Parselmouths, eh? Black is the Heir of Slytherin? Potter having funny turns all over the place."
"I assume that you are referring to the pains Harry have been experiencing in his scar?" said Dumbledore coolly.
"You admit that they have been having these pains, then?" said Fudge quickly. "Headaches? Nightmares? Possibly - hallucinations? And Black´s actions are even worse his eh well let us just say violent tendencies has proven that he that can´t be trusted. I mean I a mental stable kid wouldn't attack his own cousin like that."
"Listen to me, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, taking a step toward Fudge, and once again, he seemed to radiate that indefinable sense of power that Alex had never felt on Dumbledore. "Harry and Alex are as sane as you or I. That scar upon Harry's forehead has not addled his brain. I believe it hurts him when Lord Voldemort is close by, or feeling particularly murderous."
Fudge had taken half a step back from Dumbledore, but he looked no less stubborn.
"You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've never heard of curse scars acting as an alarm bell before…"
"Look, we saw Voldemort come back!" Harry shouted. He tried to get out of bed, but Mrs. Weasley forced him back. "We saw the Death Eaters! We can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy -"
Snape made a sudden movement, but as Alex looked at him, Snape's eyes flew back to Fudge.
"Malfoy was cleared!" said Fudge, visibly affronted. "A very old family - donations to excellent causes -"
Yeah, in your eyes a man are innocent when you get a bribe, Alex thought will eyeing the Minister.
"Macnair!" Harry continued.
"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"
"Avery!" Harry said. "Nott! Crabbe! Goyle! Alex´s Uncle Adrian! He was the one that kidnapped me."
"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago! And as for Adrian Ambrosius, well he isn´t a problem anymore right?" said Fudge angrily. Alex looked away at the last word, knowing that it was because he had killed him.
He looked up again as the minister continued. "Besides you could have found those names in old reports of the trials! For heaven's sake, Dumbledore - this boy was full of some crackpot story at the end of last year too - his tales are getting taller, and you're still swallowing them - the boys can talk to snakes, Dumbledore, and you still think they are trustworthy?"
"You got to be the stupidest man on the planet! I mean just how draft are you?" Alex, and stood out of bed, nearly stumbling to the ground had it not been for Blaise who caught him. "Why would Harry lie like that? Well I saw it as well Voldemort is back. It is the truth, no matter how much I wish it wasn´t. You'd have to be the most stupid idiot to not believe us listen to Harry Potter when it comes to Voldemort!" Alex lifted his right hand that was bandaged and took off the bandages, showing that his index finger was missing. "Listen here Minister! My finger was cut off and used for Voldemort's purposes. I lost a finger, but not just a finger! My grandfather was murdered right in front of me in the graveyard by Voldemort."
Everyone looked at Alex in surprise. "I was there, and so was Harry. We saw Voldemort come back, and if you don't believe us, then you are such an arse and a…a…daft pigheaded, dung of a troll!"
"How dare you talk to me like that!" Fudge said, appalled, taking a step towards Alex. "As the Minister, I deserve the upmost respect -"
"You fool!" Professor McGonagall cried as Blaise helped Alex to the bed. "Cedric Diggory! Mr. Crouch! These deaths were not the random work of a lunatic!"
"I see no evidence to the contrary!" shouted Fudge, now matching her anger. His face was purpling. "It seems to me that you are all determined to start a panic that will destabilize everything we have worked for these last thirteen years!"
Alex growled and glared at the Minister of Magic, ever since his mother arrested he had hated the man. This just proved how stupid and arrogant he was.
"Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore repeated. "If you accept that fact straight away Fudge, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the dementors -"
"Preposterous!" shouted Fudge again. "Remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of office for suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!"
"The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put Lord Voldemort's most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him the instant he asks them!" said Dumbledore. "They will not remain loyal to you, Fudge! Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard-pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!"
Fudge was opening and closing his mouth as though no words could express his outrage.
"The second step you must take - and at once," Dumbledore pressed on, "is to send envoys to the giants."
"Envoys to the giants?" Fudge shrieked, finding his tongue again. "What madness is this?"
"Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late," said Dumbledore, "or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!"
"You - you cannot be serious!" Fudge gasped, shaking his head and retreating further from Dumbledore. "If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants - people hate them, Dumbledore - end of my career -"
"You are blinded," said Dumbledore, his voice rising now, the aura of power around him palpable, his eyes blazing once more, "by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! Your dementor has just destroyed the last remaining member of a pure-blood family as old as any - and see what that man chose to make of his life! I tell you now- take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers of Magic we have ever known. Fail to act - and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!"
"Insane," whispered Fudge, still backing away. "Mad…"
And then there was silence. Madam Pomfrey was standing frozen at the foot of Harry's bed, her hands over her mouth. Mrs. Weasley was still standing over Harry, her hand on his shoulder to prevent him from rising and Blaise stood next to Alex who was back sitting on his bed. Bill, Ron, Hermione, Daphne, Mr. Tonks, Mrs. Tonks, and Nymphadora were all staring at Fudge. They all seemed to have lost all remaining respect they had for the Minister.
"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, "we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I - I shall act as I see fit."
Dumbledore's voice carried no hint of a threat; it sounded like a mere statement, but Fudge bristled as though Dumbledore were advancing upon him with a wand.
"Now, see here, Dumbledore," he said, waving a threatening finger. "I've given you free rein, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid, or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me -"
"The only one against whom I intend to work," said Dumbledore, "is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side."
It seemed Fudge could think of no answer to this. He rocked backward and forward on his small feet for a moment and spun his bowler hat in his hands. Finally, he said, with a hint of a plea in his voice, "He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be…"
Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.
"There," said Snape harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year; Karkaroff's too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold."
Fudge stepped back from Snape. He was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled by the ugly mark on Snape's arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered, "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry."
He had almost reached the door when he paused. He turned around, strode back down the dormitory, and stopped at Alex´s bed.
"Your winnings," he said shortly, taking a large bag of gold out of his pocket and dropping it onto Alex´s bedside table. "One thousand Galleons to you. There should have been a presentation ceremony, but under the circumstances we rather keep the fact that you won quit."
He crammed his bowler hat onto his head and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The moment he had disappeared, Dumbledore turned to look at the group around Harry's and Alex´s beds.
"There is work to be done," he said. "Molly, am I right in thinking that I can count on you and your husband?"
"Of course you can," said Mrs. Weasley. She was white to the lips, but she looked resolute. "We know what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride."
"Then I need to send a message to Arthur," said Dumbledore. "All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as short-sighted as Cornelius."
"I'll go to Dad," said Bill, standing up. "I'll go now."
"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "Tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry -"
"Leave it to me," said Bill.
He clapped a hand on the Harry's shoulders, kissed his mother on the cheek, pulled on his cloak, and strode quickly from the room.
"Andromeda, Ted, Miss Tonks, can I count on you as well?"
"Yes, of course," Andromeda said, as her husband and daughter nodded in agreement.
"Minerva," said Dumbledore, turning to Professor McGonagall, "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she will consent to come – Madame Maxime."
Professor McGonagall nodded and left without a word.
"Poppy," Dumbledore said to Madam Pomfrey, "would you be very kind and go down to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her, and take her back to the kitchens. I think Dobby will look after her for us."
"Very - very well," said Madam Pomfrey, looking startled, and she too left.
Dumbledore made sure that the door was closed, and that Madam Pomfrey's footsteps had died away, before he spoke again.
"And now," he said, "it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what they are. Sirius…if you could resume your usual form."
The great black dog looked up at Dumbledore, then, in an instant, turned back into a man.
Mrs. Weasley screamed and leapt back from the beds. The Tonks and Alex´s friends from the Slytherin house was surprised to see him there in that room, but not as surprised as Mrs. Weasley.
"Sirius Black!" She shrieked, pointing at him.
"Mum, shut up!" Ron yelled.
Snape had not yelled or jumped backward, but the look on his face was one of mingled fury and horror. "Him!" he snarled, staring at Sirius, whose face showed equal dislike. "What is he doing here?"
"He is here at my invitation," said Dumbledore, looking between them, "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."
Alex doubted that would ever happen, all though Alex liked them both he could see that they were eyeing each other with the utmost loathing.
"I will settle, in the short term," said Dumbledore, with a bite of impatience in his voice, "for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth do not stand united, there is no hope for any us."
Very slowly - but still glaring at each other as though each wished the other nothing but ill - Sirius and Snape moved toward each other and shook hands. They let go extremely quickly.
"That will do to be going on with," said Dumbledore, stepping between them once more. "Now I have work for each of you. Fudge's attitude, though not unexpected, changes everything. Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher - the old crowd. Lie low at Remus's for a while; I will contact you there."
"Wait," Alex said. He didn´t want his father to leave, he needed him. Harry looked like he wanted the same.
They wanted Sirius to stay. They did not want to have to say goodbye again so quickly.
"You'll see me very soon, Harry and Alexander," said Sirius, turning to them. "I promise you. But we must do what we can, you understand, don't you?"
"Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah…of course we do."
"But…but dad," Alex said, standing up, his eyes brimming with tears. "You can't…."
Sirius grasped his son's shoulders. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I will be back, this time, I promise," he said.
"Bu-but I n-need y-you." Alex whispered as the tears went down his cheeks.
"I am sorry!" Sirius said again then nodded to Dumbledore, transformed again into the black dog, and ran the length of the room to the door, whose handle he turned with a paw. Then he was gone.
Alex stood there, staring at the spot where his father stood. How could he leave when Alex, his own son, needed him the most? But then, he felt a pair of arms hug him. It was Daphne, and he hugged her back, surprised a few of the people around them.
"Severus," said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready… if you are prepared…"
"I am," said Snape. He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely.
"Then good luck," said Dumbledore, and he watched, with a trace of apprehension on his face, as Snape swept wordlessly after Sirius.
It was several minutes before he spoke.
"I must go downstairs," he said finally. "I must see the Diggorys. Harry,- take the rest of you potion. And Alexander you should get one as well. I will see all of you later."
Alex watched as Harry slumped back against his pillows as Dumbledore disappeared. Hermione, Ron, Daphne, Blaise, the Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley were all looking at them. None of them spoke for a very long time.
"You've got to take the rest of your potion, Harry" Mrs. Weasley said at last.
"You too Alexander," Mrs Tonks said, her hand nudged the sack of gold on Alex´s bedside cabinet as she reached for the bottle and the goblet, that the school healer had come with mere seconds ago. "You have a good long sleep. Try and think about something else for a while…think about what you're going to buy with your winnings, Alexander!"
"I don't want that gold," Alex said in an expressionless voice as he sat back down in his bed. "You have it. Anyone can have it. I shouldn't have won it. It should've been Cedric's. He deserved it more than I did," he finished in a whisper.
"It's not your fault, my love," Daphne whispered to Alex, but he ignored her. She was wrong it was his fault.
Then he heard sobbing. Harry had begun to cry.
Mrs. Weasley set the potion down on the bedside cabinet, bent down, and put her arms around Harry, like a lovingly mother. Alex watched them hug, feeling envious, wishing his mother could be here and hug him like that. Both of his parents, leaving him; his grandfather died, who did he have now? Silently, tears flowed down Alex´s eyes. Once again, Daphne had put her arms around him. He had Daphne. She was all he had, for now.
"Your potion, you two," said Mrs. Weasley quickly, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.
As Daphne let go of Alex, and kissed him gently on the lips, once again surprising those around them, before she handed him his potion. He and Harry drank it in one gulp. The effect was instantaneous. Heavy, irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over Alex; he fell back onto his pillow and thought no more.
…
Chapter end