Jughead stared at the pieces of parchment he just untied from Hootie – pun intended – and he read over the note that Albus Dumbledore sent him. Bellatrix Lestrange was not talking in Azkaban and proving to be more troublesome for Dumbledore than the older man really had expected her to be. Her loyalty to Lord Voldemort knew now boundaries. That was okay though; Jughead's loyalty to Dumbledore knew no boundaries, either. He sighed softly. It still didn't exempt the fact that Bellatrix was proving to be a problem.
He grabbed his feathered quill and responded immediately, per Dumbledore's request, and he answered the letter. Sealing it with magic, he attached it back to his pet. "Go find him, girl. Make sure no one sees this." He rubbed his knuckle alongside her feathers and Hootie – true to her name – hooted happily, dipped her beak into his soup, and took flight out the window. Jughead turned and faced his fire, mind straying to Betty Cooper.
Next to Sweet Pea, she was his best Auror and had high hopes that she would climb the ranks. She was ruthless when it came to catching dark wizards and knew her trip to Azkaban to question Bellatrix Lestrange would prove to be no different. He knew that Betty could handle her own in the wizarding prison but he would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about her. He didn't want to send one of his top best Aurors to Azkaban, especially to go question a ruthless hunter for Voldemort. He was at least, infinitely grateful that magic couldn't be performed in the prison; that the inmates were prohibited from using their magic.
Just then, there was a knock on his office door. "Enter."
Sweet Pea walked in, looking at Jughead. "I hear you're sending my best recruit onto a trip to Azkaban."
"I'm not happy about it, but Betty can handle it," Jughead said firmly.
"I know she can," Sweet Pea conceded. "I just don't want any of my Aurors talking to Lestrange, especially one I've taken such a strong liking to."
"As her boss, are you supposed to play favorites, Sweets?" Jughead asked.
"Please, you play favorites with me and give me more lax than you give, oh I don't know, Andrews," Sweet Pea snorted.
Jughead chuckled in amusement. "That is very true. Either way, Betty will be fine. We've got a lot riding on this trip to Azkaban."
"Bellatrix won't roll over on Voldemort," Sweet Pea said.
Like Betty and Jughead, Sweet Pea believed Voldemort was still hiding out there somewhere, bidding his time, and he wasn't afraid to use his name. Sweet Pea didn't fear anything and that made him one of Jughead's best assets when it came to training his incoming Aurors. He also knew the taller harbored a secret soft spot for Betty Cooper and didn't want to see anything bad happen to her.
"I know," Jughead sighed. "Bellatrix won't do a damn thing that will help us. I'm afraid Azkaban has already rattled her less than there sanity."
"Woman is insane," Sweet Pea denied flatly. "She always has been."
Jughead barked out a laugh. "That's a given. Usually, followers of Voldemort don't have sanity about them."
"How is Malfoy capable of having Fudge eat out of the palm of his hand?" Sweet Pea asked, and Jughead sighed.
"He's blinded by his power and the money Malfoy donates to the Ministry and other affiliations alike. But Sweets, you can't walk around the Ministry and be asking questions like that. We live in dark times and we don't know who's friend or foe."
"I know," Sweet Pea replied. "Okay, I have to go talk to Veronica and Toni about something but let me know when Betty gets back from Azkaban. I'll have some chocolate for her."
"Of course," Jughead agreed, and the taller left his office as Jughead went back to thinking about all the tasks he had to accomplish before he could go home that night.
XXX
Betty Cooper came back from Azkaban a little over three hours later, blonde hair duller than normal and eyes less bright. When she walked into Jughead's office, he hurried over to her, pushing her in front of his fire. "Come to the warmth, Betty." His voice was quiet but urgent and he stood her in front of the flames that licked at the crate, wondering what best question to ask first. He started with the most important after sending his Patronus down to Sweet Pea's office. "Are you okay?"
She took in a steadying breath, fingers clenching around one another, and she took her time in responding. Jughead gave her all the time she needed. Finally, she began speaking. "Azkaban is one of the darkest parts of magic. It was soul-sucking there. I always feel like I'll never have a hope of being happy again."
His door just opened then and Sweet Pea bustled in like a mother hen, moving her to a chair and easing her down. "Sit, Betty." He then handed her a slab of chocolate. "Eat it. You'll feel better."
With fumbling fingers, she broke off a chunk and bit into it, closing her eyes the next moment. She nodded her head a few beats later and ate another bite. Opening her eyes, she looked at Sweet Pea. "Thanks."
Jughead felt like it was safe to ask her more questions just then. "How was Bellatrix?"
"That woman is so far removed from sanity and society, it's scary," she murmured, swiping at a piece of chocolate remnant on her lip with her tongue. "She was cackling the whole time I was there, tears of mirth streaming out of her eyes. She's gone."
"She always has been," Jughead mused. Then – "Did she say anything that we can give to Dumbledore?"
"She just said her master was coming back for her one day," Betty sighed. "But she didn't actually give up any information that would help, no."
"Okay," Jughead nodded his head. "Thank you, Betty. For going. You did good." He turned to Sweet Pea just then. "The third task is in a month's time. Dumbledore has asked me to be there and to bring a few people I trust. I want you and Betty there, along with Ronnie."
"Noted," Sweet Pea replied as Betty finished off the last of her chocolate. She turned to Jughead.
"I'll be there," she said. "Does Dumbledore think something is amiss?"
"He's not sure," Jughead murmured, mind recalling all the information Dumbledore had told him in private. "He's got Alastor Moody watching over Harry Potter, mentoring him through the tournament; and he's got him watching over Karkaroff."
"He doesn't trust him," Betty murmured.
"No, he's just weary of him," Jughead replied. "And for good reason. Igor Karkaroff is another Death Eater saying that he's seen the error of his ways and has come back to our side. It's honestly a surprise no Death Eater that isn't in Azkaban has murdered him yet. I'm just waiting for the day we hear that news."
"And Dumbledore?" Sweet Pea asked just as their was another knock on Jughead's door.
"He's apprehensive," he replied, going to see who was standing on the other side of the door. Archie and Veronica were waiting, and Jughead granted them entrance to his office.
Veronica walked over to Betty and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "How are you?"
"I'm good," Betty promised. "Better now that I'm not at the prison anymore."
Archie smiled at her smally before turning to look at Jughead. "Bellatrix give us anything?"
"No more than we've already suspected," Jughead sighed heavily. "She won't turn over on Voldemort."
Veronica shuddered delicately. "You-Know-Who hasn't been heard from much. Dumbledore still think the attack on the Philosopher's Stone was orchestrated by him?"
"He thinks that it was a version of him, yes," Jughead replied. "Attached to Quirrell's head. And now Quirrell is dead and there are Death Eaters at large once more. Something is happening in the wizarding world."
"Maybe it's just that," Archie said. "Maybe it's just Death Eaters acting up."
Jughead bit back an impatient sigh. Archie could be thick sometimes, and wanting to accept the fact that Voldemort was slowly gaining power was no exception. "They're acting one someone's orders. Whether or not it's Voldemort or another Death Eater, we have a problem on our hands."
"Well, it's not like You-Know-Who even has a body to come back to. Didn't he all but vanquish that night at the Potters? Because of Harry?" Archie asked.
"Dumbledore said he was a shell of his former self, so yes, I suspect that means he doesn't have a body right now," Jughead replied patiently. "It's why he latched onto Quirrell."
"But Fudge doesn't think that happened," Archie argued. "Perhaps he's right? Dumbledore isn't exactly young."
"Careful, Andrews," Sweet Pea said calmly, before turning to Veronica. "You and Toni get anymore information on Bertha Jorkins?"
Veronica shook her head. "No. It's like she just vanished. Her head of department hasn't seen or heard from her in months. She hasn't answered any calls, and the mail is piling up at her house."
"We need to send people out to search for her," Jughead said firmly. "She's a member of this staff and by such, we need to be doing everything we can to look for her."
"Do you think she'll be found, Jughead?" Betty asked, looking towards him, and Jughead bit his lip.
"I don't know," he replied. "She was last seen – where – Albania? That's a long way for a vacation to last this long."
"Wasn't – wasn't there rumors of Voldemort once knowing that area?" Betty asked quietly. Archie interrupted with a skeptical laugh.
"Betty, You-Know-Who isn't back! You guys are wrong," he snapped.
"Andrews, whether or not you want to face what's happening is up to you," Sweet Pea glared, "but as Aurors, it's our job to catch dark wizards. There are still wizards out there, waiting for Voldemort's return, and those are the people we need to be putting in Azkaban."
"Bellatrix is already there, and everyone said she was You-Know-Who's biggest supporter," Veronica commented fairly.
"Yes, but there are still others out there who are of the same mind as her," Betty said. Veronica turned to look at Jughead.
"What do you need from us?" Veronica asked, and despite his look of wariness, Archie listened too. It was the most Jughead could hope for.
"I need you and Toni to keep looking into Bertha," he said quietly. "Something isn't adding up there. Archie, look past your fear about Voldemort returning and try to get as much information on Malfoy as you can. Don't tip off Fudge that you're looking into him."
Archie and Veronica nodded their understanding and then the two of them went on their way. Jughead turned to Betty and Sweet Pea. "I have an assignment for you two."
"What is it?" Betty asked.
"We're not through with Bellatrix," he said decisively. "Betty, I want you to go back to Azkaban, if you can, and get as much information on her out of the guards. They'll be able to tell you more than she'll ever be willing to divulge."
Betty nodded grimly. "You got it."
"And me?" Sweet Pea asked him.
"You're going to be my inside man," Jughead replied firmly. "I need you to look into the happenings at Hogwarts and then report them back to me. Betty and I will be at the school with you for the final task but I need you to go in as a Ministry official and see how Dumbledore needs you to help."
"Consider it done," Sweet Pea replied.
"And one more thing," Jughead said after a moment of contemplation. "Guard your trust around others. No one outside of the three of us should know how hard we're looking into Voldemort's return. No one but Dumbledore. And Fudge can't know."
"Of course," Betty murmured, sharing a look with Sweet Pea, and the taller nodded his head.
"Do you want me to come back Thursday for the meeting with the Order, Jughead?" Sweet Pea asked.
Jughead thought about it for a moment. "No. I'll have Betty take notes for you but pack your bags and stay up at Hogwarts til the third task. We'll meet you there."
With that, the three of them went their own ways, and Jughead was left with more questions than answers.
