– Chapter Thirty –

Blessings of Foresight

"It comes down to this," said Hermione, rubbing her forehead. "Either Mr Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody else attacked both of them when Viktor wasn't looking."

"It must've been Crouch," said Ron at once. "That's why he was gone when Harry, Romi and Dumbledore got there. He'd done a runner."

"I don't think so," said Harry, shaking his head. "He seemed really weak – I don't reckon he was up to Disapparating or anything."

"You can't Disapparate in the Hogwarts grounds, haven't I told you enough times?" said Hermione.

"Okay… how's this for a theory," said Ron excitedly. "Krum attacked Crouch – no, wait for it – and then Stunned himself."

"And Crouch evaporated did he?" Romi said dryly.

"Oh, yeah…"

It was daybreak. Harry, Ron and Hermione had crept out of their dormitories very early, and hurried up to the Owlery together to send note to Sirius. Romi was awake in the Common Room when they had got up and invited her to go with them. Now they were standing looking out at the misty grounds. All four of them were puffy-eyes and pale, because they had been talking late into the night about Mr Crouch. Romi hadn't had a chance to talk to Neville or Ginny yet, she was having a very twisty feeling in her stomach – she knew which horseman was next, even if none of the rest of the world did. She was grateful for the distraction into Harry's problems.

"Just go through it again, Harry," said Hermione. "What did Mr Crouch actually say?"

"I've told you, he wasn't making much sense," said Harry. "He said he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she was dead. He kept saying stuff was his fault… he mentioned his son."

"Well, that was his fault," said Hermione testily.

"He was out of his mind," said Harry. "Half the time he seemed to think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking to Percy about work and giving him instructions."

"And… remind me what he said about You-Know-Who?" said Ron tentatively.

"I've told you," Harry repeated dully. "He said he's getting stronger."

There was a pause.

Then Ron said in a falsely confident voice, "But he was out of his mind, like you said, so half of it was probably just raving…"

"He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort," said Harry, ignoring Ron's wince. "He was having real trouble stringing two words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was, and know what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore."

"He's dead," Romi said softly. She was leaning on the sill of the Owlery, with her hands pressed into her eyes.

"Who? Voldemort?" Harry asked, looking at her.

"See, even Romi knows it!" Ron said jumping in quickly.

"No," Romi answered with a sigh. "Mr Crouch. He's dead." She couldn't explain how she knew it, but she suddenly just knew it.

"You can't know that for sure, Romi," Hermione said slowly. Romi removed her hands from her eyes.

"Yes, I can," replied Romi, resting her chin on her hands. "But I can't tell you how, cause I have no idea. I know that Mr Crouch is dead, and I don't think he'll be the last one before this is done."

There was silence after Romi's proclamation, the other three had no idea what to say to that.

"Maybe you're wrong," Hermione said, trying to sound bright.

"If Snape hadn't held me up," Harry said, changing direction. "We might've got there in time. 'The headmaster is busy, Potter… what's this rubbish Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"

"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" said Ron quickly. "Maybe – hang on – how fast d'you reckon he could've got down to the Forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"

"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said Harry.

"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron muttered.

"We need to see Professor Moody," said Hermione. "We need to find out whether he found Mr Crouch."

"If he had the Marauder's Map on him, it would've been easy," said Harry.

"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds," said Ron, "because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't –"

"Shh!" said Hermione suddenly.

Somebody was climbing the steps up to the Owlery. Romi could hear two voices arguing, coming closer and closer.

"That's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that–"

"– we've tried being polite, it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did–"

"I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, its blackmail!"

"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?"

The Owlery door banged open. Fred and George came over the threshold, then froze at the sight of Harry, Ron, Romi and Hermione.

"What're you doing here?" Ron and Fred asked at the same time.

"Sending a letter," replied Harry and George in unison.

"What, at this time?" said Hermione and Fred. Romi couldn't resist a giggle and all five of them stared at her. Fred grinned.

"Fine," he said. "We won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us."

He was holding a seal envelope but when Romi glanced down to it, saw 'Mr B', before Fred shifted his hand over top of it.

"Well don't let us hold you up," he said, making a mock bow and pointing at the door.

Ron didn't move. "Who're you blackmailing?" he said.

The grin vanished from Fred's face. Romi saw George half glance at Fred, before smiling at Ron.

"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," he said easily.

"Didn't sound like that," said Ron.

Fred and George looked at each other.

Then Fred said abruptly, "I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would but–"

"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone," said Ron. "George is right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."

"I told you, I was joking," said George. He walked over to Fred, pulled the letter out of his hands, and began attaching it to the leg of the nearest barn owl. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made a Prefect."

"No, I won't!" said Ron hotly.

George carried the barn owl over to the window and it took off.

He turned round and grinned at Ron. "Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."

He and Fred left the Owlery. Harry, Ron, Romi and Hermione stared at each other.

"You don't think they know something about all this, do you?" Hermione whispered. "About Crouch and everything?"

"No," said Harry. "If it was something that serious, they'd tell someone. They'd tell Dumbledore."

Ron, however, was looking uncomfortable.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked him.

"Well…" said Ron slowly. "I dunno if they would. They're… they're obsessed with making money lately, I noticed it when I was hanging around with them – when – you know –"

"We weren't talking," Harry finished the sentence for him. "Yeah, but blackmail…"

"It's this joke-shop idea they've got," said Ron. "I thought they were only saying it to annoy Mum, but they really mean it, they want to start one. They've only got a year left at Hogwarts, they keep going on about how it's time to think about their future, and Dad can't help them, and they need gold to get started."

Hermione was looking uncomfortable now. "Yes, but… they wouldn't do anything against the law to get gold. Would they?"

"Wouldn't they?" said Ron, looking sceptical. "I dunno… they don't exactly mind breaking rules, do they?"

"Yes, but this is the law," said Hermione, looking scared. "This isn't some silly school rule… they'll get a lot more than a detention for blackmail! Ron… maybe you'd better tell Percy…"

"Are you mad?" said Ron. "Tell Percy? He'd probably do a Crouch and turn them in." He stared at the window through which Fred and George's owl had departed, then said, "Come on, let's get breakfast."

"Do you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?" Hermione asked, as they went down the spiral staircase.

"Yes," said Romi. "He'd probably blast us through the door if we wake him at the crack of dawn. He'll think we're trying to attack him while he's asleep. Let's leave it til break."

Romi had sat with Neville and Ginny during breakfast, telling them what had happened, specifically the disappearance, and most likely death of Mr Crouch. Ginny had started to say something but then cut herself off, staring into her porridge. She didn't have to say what the three of them were thinking.

"We just had one," Neville said finally.

"He may not be here yet, just almost," Romi answered.

"I think you should go with Harry, Ron and Hermione to talk to Moody," whispered Ginny. "You might hear something important for us."

Romi nodded in agreement.

History of Magic had rarely gone so slowly. Harry, Ron, Romi and Hermione were so tired they could happily have put their heads down on the desks and slept. Hermione wasn't even taking her usual notes, but was sitting with her head on her hand, gazing at Professor Binns with her eyes out of focus.

When the bell finally rang, they hurried out into the corridors towards the Dark Arts classroom, and found Professor Moody leaving it. He looked as tired as they felt. The eyelid of his normal eye was drooping, giving his face an even more lopsided appearance than usual.

"Professor Moody?" Harry called, as they made their way towards him through the crowd.

"Hello, Potter," growled Moody. His magical eye followed a couple of passing first-years, who sped up, looking nervous; it rolled into the back of Moody's head and watched them around the corner before he spoke again. "Come in here."

He stood back to let them into his empty classroom, limped in after them and closed the door.

"Did you find him?" Harry asked, without preamble. "Mr Crouch?"

"No," said Moody. He moved over to his desk, sat down, stretched out his wooden leg with a slight groan and pulled out his hip-flask.

"Did you use the map?" Harry said.

"Of course," said Moody, taking a swig from his flask. "Took a leaf out of your book, Potter. Summoned it from my office into the Forest. He wasn't anywhere on there."

"So he did Disapparate?" said Ron.

"You can't Disapparate in the grounds, Ron!" said Hermione. "Right Professor Moody?"

"You're another one who might think about a career as an Auror," he told her. "Mind works the right way, Granger."

Hermione flushed pick.

"Well, he wasn't invisible," said Harry, "the map shows invisible people. He must've left the grounds then."

"You're assuming, of course, that Mr Crouch took himself quietly off," said Romi quietly leaning on another desk. Both of Moody's eyes turned sharply to Romi, she held his gaze.

"Yeah, someone could've – could've pulled him onto a broom and flown off with him, couldn't they?" said Ron quickly, looking hopefully at Moody, as if he, too, wanted to be he told had the makings of an Auror.

"We can't rule out kidnap," growled Moody.

"So," said Ron, "d'you reckon he's somewhere in Hogsmeade?"

"Could be anywhere," said Moody, shaking his head. "Only think we know for sure is that he's not here."

"He's in the ground," said Romi firmly, looking straight out the window.

"If he's in the grounds, he would show up on the map, Romi," Harry told her patiently as though she was a little girl that he had to repeat many things too.

"Dead men don't show up on maps, Harry," Romi answered looking back at him. Moody was staring at her. "I said he is in the ground."

"What motive would someone have for murder?" he growled.

"What motive would someone have for kidnapping?" Romi answered. "Mr Crouch has a lot more enemies that would rather kill him and then kidnap him. He is dead." Moody watched for a little bit longer and then looked to the other three.

"If she's the brains" – indicating to Hermione – "he's the brawns, and Potter's the wit – what do you do?" Moody asked looked to Romi with a smile. "What's your speciality?"

Romi shrugged, "I'm a Healer."

"Shouldn't a Healer want to look at all of the options before pronouncing death?" Moody questioned. Romi watched him for a long time, his face twitched.

"Not in this case," Romi replied, finally.

"Well, you'll excuse me if I don't take your word for it and I keep looking," Moody said finally.

"You're welcome to keep looking, but you find anything," answered Romi.

Moody yawned widely, so that his scars stretched and his lopsided mouth revealed a number of missing teeth.

Then he said, "Now Dumbledore's told me you three fancy yourselves as investigators," he said, pointing to Harry, Ron and Hermione. "I don't even need to be told what you think of yourself after that suspension," he added, glancing at Romi, "but there's nothing you can do for Crouch. The Ministry'll be looking for him now, Dumbledore's notified them. Potter, you just keep your mind on the third task."

"What?" said Harry, "Oh yeah…"

"Should be right up your street, this one," said Moody, looking up at Harry and scratching his scarred and stubbly chin. "From what Dumbledore's said, you've managed to get through stuff like this plenty of times. Broke your way through a series of obstacles guarding the Philosopher's Stone in your first year, didn't you?"

"We helped," Ron said quickly. "Me and Hermione helped."

Moody grinned. "Well, help him practise for this one, and I'll be very surprised if he doesn't win," he said. "In the meantime … constant vigilance, Potter. Constant vigilance." He took another long draught from his hip-flask, and his magical eye swivelled onto the window. The topmost sail of the Durmstrang ship was visible through it.

"You three," – his normal eye was on Ron, Hermione and Romi. "You stick close to Potter, all right? I'm keeping an eye on things but all the same… you can never have too many eyes out."

His magic eye switched back to Romi and she held its gaze.

"Anything?" Ginny asked as Romi sat down with her, Neville and Luna for lunch.

"Nope," Romi replied, "I didn't really want to get into with him in front of the other three, but he seemed pretty determined to think Mr Crouch was alive."

"Are you sure he's not?" Neville asked.

Romi just nodded, "I'm sure," she replied. "What did Elyssa say – where War goes Death follows. He'll be here before we know it, though hopefully no one else drops dead before we can deal with him."

"You mean, before you can deal with him?" asked Neville tentatively. "Are you sure you're up to it? Isn't he like the worse one?"

"I dunno," answered Luna, "living with disease, or hunger or in war isn't exactly pleasant."

"Yeah, at least after Death, there's something else, a ghost or otherwise," Romi replied. "I've had enough times being almost killed, maybe that's why he's all mine."

"Maybe," Ginny replied. They were silent for a while. "Are you going to help Harry practice?" asked Ginny, finally.

"Yeah," Romi said, "might as well be productive while I still can."

For the next few days Romi, Hermione, Ron and Harry spent all of their free time either in the library, looking up hexes, or else in empty classrooms, which they sneaked into to practise. Harry was concentrating on the Stunning Spell, which he had never used before. The trouble was that practising it involved certain sacrifices on Ron, Romi and Hermione's part.

"Can't we kidnap Mrs Norris?" Ron suggested, during Monday lunchtime, as he lay flat on his back in the middle of their charms classroom, having just been Stunned and re-awoken by Harry for the fifth time in a row. "Let's Stun her for a bit. Or you could use Dobby, Harry, I bet he'd do anything to help you. I'm not complaining to anything" – he got gingerly to his feet, rubbing his backside – "but I'm aching all over…"

"Well, you keep missing the cushions, don't you!" said Hermione impatiently, rearranging the pile of cushions they had used for the Banishing Spell, which Flitwick had left in a cabinet. "Just try and fall backwards."

"Once you're Stunned, you can't aim too well, Hermione!" said Ron angrily. "Why don't you take a turn?"

"Well, I think Harry's got it now, anyway," said Hermione hastily. "And we don't have to worry about Disarming, because he's been able to do that for ages… I think we ought to start on some of these hexes this evening."

She looked down the list they had made in the library.

"I like the look of this one," she said, "this Impediment Jinx. Should slow down anything that's trying to attack you, Harry. We'll start with that one."

The bell rang. They hastily shoved the cushions back into Flitwick's cupboard, and slipped out of the classroom.

"See you at dinner!" said Hermione, and she set off for Arithmancy, while Harry, Ron and Romi headed towards North Tower and Divination. Broad strips of dazzling gold sunlight fell across the corridor from the high windows. The sky outside was so brightly blue it looked as though it had been enamelled.

"It's going to be boiling in Trelawney's room, she never puts out that fire," said Ron as they started up the staircase towards the silver ladder and the trapdoor.

He was quite right. The dimly lit room was swelteringly hot. The fumes from the perfumed fire were heavier than ever. Romi began to feel extremely dizzy as she walked over to Neville's table.

"How's it going?" Neville asked as Romi sat down.

"I think he could Stun anything now," replied Romi with a yawn. "You don't mind if I nap do you?"

"My dears," said Professor Trelawney, sitting down in her winged armchair in front of the class, and peering around at them all with her strangely enlarged eyes. "We have almost finished out work on planetary divination. Today, however, will be an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of Mars, for he is placed most interestingly at the present time. If you will all look this way, I will dim the lights…"

She waved her wand and the lamps went out. The fire was the only source of light now. Professor Trelawney bent down and lifted from under her chair, a miniature model of the solar system, contained with a glass dome. It was beautiful thing; each of the moons glimmered in place around the nine planets and the fiery sun, all of them hanging in thin air beneath the glass.

Romi leaned back in her chair, against one of the wings and actually closed her eyes. She could hear Professor Trelawney pointing out the fascinating angle Mars was making Neptune. The heavily perfumed fumes washed over her, and she resisted coughing.

"There you are!" said a girl's voice. Romi opened her eyes to see a girl with strawberry blonde hair plop into the empty chair across from her. Romi glanced around the room. She was still in the Divination classroom, but the fire and all the lights were out, the windows were open with bright sunny light coming inside. Romi looked back to the girl.

"It's Nia… right?" Romi asked. "I met you at the Three Broomsticks before Pestilence."

Nia frowned for a moment, and then smiled, "oh yeah! I forgot the last time we talked that timeline got destroyed…"

"Okay," Romi said finally, staring at her. "Could you try and keep yourself in my timeline, cause you're just making me confused."

"I will try," replied Nia. "You haven't seen my Aunt lately, have you?"

"I don't even know who that is," Romi replied.

"Oh, uh, Diomeda Odessa?" said Nia.

"Nope," answered Romi, "definitely haven't talk to her lately."

"I don't think she knows what you're doing," Nia said, pulling a cup of tea towards, "I'm not allowed to help, the Old Ones are banishing me from your timeline. For a little while at least, they do it all the time, but give them a couple of years and they always get distracted and I can travel again."

Romi just made an affirmation noise.

"Never mind that right now, have you figured out who the False Prophet is?" Nia asked. "Cause Death is coming – but if you don't get rid of her, then she'll just bring them all up again."

"No, I've been kinda busy dealing with the horsemen and the Triwizard Tournament," answered Romi, "I haven't had much time to figure it out."

"The Triwizard Tournament?" Nia asked confused, "which year?"

"This year!" Romi answered, "They started it up again."

"Oh, that one!" replied Nia, "yeah, don't worry too much about that – they aren't going to have it again after that one."

"Oh, that so makes me not worry about it," answered Romi sarcastically. "Are you here for some useful reason?"

"The False Prophet, you have to defeat her with hellfire," Nia explained, "sooner rather than later is always best."

"Where are we supposed to get hellfire?" Romi asked.

"Good question," said Nia, scratching her cheek, "I'll ask Captain."

"Okay… then who is she? This False Prophet," Romi asked.

"I don't know – but I do know!" Nia added quickly, when Romi gave a huff, "you've already met her, she'd be at Hogwarts often through the year. It would appear like she has the Sight, but whatever she Sees, it doesn't come from Captain, so it's not the True Sight. That doesn't stop people from liking her though."

Romi sat up a little, "would I like her?" she asked slowly, thinking hard.

Nia shrugged, "not likely," she answered, "You're born from the Sight, so you would hate all false manifestations of it."

"So I wouldn't like her," Romi said.

"You wouldn't like her," Nia agreed, "and she'd be very good at making people believe she has the Sight. Think about someone who suddenly came into the public eye, probably a very sweet and nice person… might refer to the Horsemen as her brothers."

"Are you sure is a girl?" Romi asked. Nia nodded. Romi sat back in her seat. "I think I know who it is."

"Well, you better get to her, before she gets to you," answered Nia. She looked over Romi shoulder to an empty chair. "You should go – you're brother's having a vision of Voldemort again. Good luck."

Screaming pierced the air and Romi's eyes snapped open. She turned around to look.

"Harry! Harry!" Ron was kneeling beside Harry who had slid off his chair onto the floor. His eyes were wide and they sought Romi's. Something told her that Nia was right, Harry had seen something to do with Voldemort.

The whole class was standing around him, looking terrified.

"You all right?" Ron asked.

"Of course he isn't!" said Professor Trelawney, looking thoroughly excited. Her great eyes loomed over Harry, gazing at him. "What was it, Potter? A premonition? An apparition? What did you see?"

"Nothing," Harry lied sitting up. Romi could see him shaking.

"You were clutching your scar!" said Professor Trelawney. "You were rolling on the floor, clutching your scar! Come now, Potter, I have experience in these matters!"

Harry glanced at Romi.

"He needs to go to the Hospital Wing, Professor," Romi said standing up, and pulling her bag onto her shoulders, "a headache and with old head injuries should be checked out. I'll take him."

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll fine once I get to the Hospital Wing," Harry said, shakily grabbing his bag and books.

"But!" Professor Trelawney said, looking between the two of them.

"I insist, Professor," Romi said, taking Harry's arm and guiding him towards the ladder. She passed Neville's chair, and bent down to whisper in his ear.

"Meet me in the Study Hall after dinner, bring Ginny and Luna," Romi whispered. "I think I know who the False Prophet is."

Neville looked at her with wide eyes, but nodded. Romi then left quickly following Harry out of the room.

"Did you see it?" Harry asked the minute they were down.

"No," Romi replied starting to follow him, Harry was walking at such a fast pace that she had almost run to keep up. "But I was told you were seeing it."

"By who?" asked Harry, pausing his stride and looking confused.

"Never mind that now, tell me what you saw," Romi said quickly. Harry started walking again quickly.

"Voldemort was telling Wormtail that his blunder has been fixed," Harry said, pressing a finger to his scar.

"Okay," Romi answered.

"Voldemort said that Nagini – his snake – wasn't going to eat Wormtail – but that she would be able to eat me… later…"

Romi didn't answer and the twins just hurried down the stairs of the North Tower.

"I take it that you are not going to the Hospital Wing?" Romi asked as Harry detoured away from the stairs that would take him down from the seventh floor.

"No, I'm going to see Dumbledore," Harry replied. "And I sort of want you to come with."

"Sort of?" Romi asked.

"Just, please come," he said, looking at her pleadingly.

"Of course, I will," Romi replied.

They walked in silence towards Dumbledore's office. Harry walked right past the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office without even noticing it.

"Uh, Harry," Romi called him back. He stopped and turned around then with a shake of his head walked back to where Romi was standing.

"Uh – Sherbert Lemon?" Harry asked the gargoyle.

"Cockroach Cluster," Romi answered when the gargoyle didn't move. At her word, the gargoyle jumped aside to reveal the staircase.

"How did you know that?" asked Harry as the two hurried up the stairs.

"I was with him only last night," replied Romi.

"Oh, yeah," Harry answered as they hurried to the stairs.

There were voices from inside the office. Romi and Harry stepped off the moving staircase and without a word, stopped to listen.

"Dumbledore, I'm afraid I don't see the connection, don't see it at all!" It was the voice of the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. "Ludo says Bertha's perfectly capable of getting herself lost. I agree we would have expected to have found her by now, but all the same, we've no evidence of foul play, Dumbledore, none at all. As for her disappearance being linked with Barty Crouch's!"

"And what do you think's happened to Barty Crouch, Minister?" said Moody's growling voice.

"I see two possibilities, Alastor," said Fudge. "Either Crouch has finally cracked – more than likely, I'm sure you'll agree, given his personal history – lost his mind, and gone wandering off somewhere-"

"He wandered extremely quickly, if that is the case, Cornelius," said Dumbledore calmly.

"Or else – well…" Fudge sounded embarrassed. "Well, I'll reserve judgement until after I've seen the place where he was found, but you say it was just past the Beauxbatons carriage? Dumbledore, you know what that woman is?"

"I consider her to be a very able Headmistress – and an excellent dancer," said Dumbledore quietly.

Romi tried to repress giggles and Harry glared at her.

"Dumbledore, come!" said Fudge angrily. "Don't you think you might be prejudiced in her favour because of Hagrid? They don't all turn out harmless – if, indeed, you can call Hagrid harmless, with that monster fixation he's got–"

"I no more suspect Madam Maxime than Hagrid," said Dumbledore, just as calmly. "I think it possible that it is you who are prejudiced, Cornelius."

"Can we wrap up this discussion?" growled Moody.

"Yes, yes, let's go down into the grounds, then," said Cornelius impatiently.

"No, it's not that," said Moody, "it's just that Potter and Black want a word with you, Dumbledore. They're just outside the door."