Chapter 3 – May your enemies scream in agony
Cyrus asked Daphne to spy on Mad-Eye Moody, who passed the request along to Harry, minus any implications of planned abductions. Which is how they ended up looking at the map together, and how Daphne ended up volunteering to spend a day 'ill', looking at an old piece of parchment. Harry gave her the map with frightful naivety.
It took three days for Harry and Daphne to conclude that Bartemius Crouch was impersonating Moody, at the end of which they could only laugh bashfully at their former confusion.
At this point they contacted Cyrus, who discussed it with Skinner, who came up with the quite ludicrous theory that Barty Crouch Junior survived and escaped Askaban, and now imprisoned his own father. Harry bet on time-travel, Daphne suggested an elaborate scheme in which Crouch employed a body-double so that he could himself body-double Moody, whilst Cyrus hypothesised that the old egomaniac had somehow cloned himself. Barty Crouch senior at this point was already 'ill' and 'unable to attend the Ministry in person', leaving the team with one fewer avenue of investigation.
Though it was a difficult decision, they decided to leave 'Moody' in place until the planned weekend.
Lucius Malfoy disappeared around the start of the Christmas holidays, whilst trying to bribe Lord Greengrass regarding the upcoming trial of Sirius Black.
With hindsight, he had perhaps been a bit careless. Not putting together that Lord Greengrass was working to oppose him on this matter until after he woke up in a cell. But on the other hand, it really was quite impossible for a public figure to protect himself against abduction in Wizarding Britain. Portkey traps, ritual stun circles hidden underneath tavern tables, a simple stunner in the back followed by side-by-side apparition, potioned food or drink; a determined attacker would always find a way. Something Lucius had only been too happy to exploit.
Lord Malfoy was annoyed, especially when he confirmed he'd been stripped of all his emergency portkeys and other gadgets, and dressed in (only) a fishnet/chainmail overall on his bare skin. But he wasn't frightened. He knew the rules of the game. Lucius got dressed in the clothes that were left for him and waited with all the dignity he could muster.
...
Lord Greengrass entered, sat down outside the cell, and the two lords had themselves a staring match. After ten minutes Lord Malfoy won, for Lord Greengrass spoke the first words. "Do you know why you're here?" he asked.
...
Introductions completed, Lord Greengrass introduced Lord Malfoy to the little game they would be playing. The rules of the game were simple:
1. They were both in a space in which they could not speak lies.
2. If Lord Malfoy refused to answer a question, Lord Greengrass would cast heat metal on Lucius' chainmail undershirt until he did answer the question.
Lucius initially had a little trouble understanding the rules. Fortunately he learned quickly.
...
When he could stall, Malfoy strategised and reflected on how the rules of the grand Game were being violated. As a Pureblood Lord of the Wizengamot it should have been impossible to place truth compulsions upon him, and cursing him should have alerted the arbitrators (vow-bound Aurors and the vow-bound Chief Warlock) immediately. Which other Rules of the Game would Lord Greengrass subvert?
...
There were breaks, when Cyrus would stalk out of the room without comment. Then Lucius was watched only by a bald mean-looking man, who would hurt Lucius often enough to keep him off-kilter, and would otherwise look at places Lucius wasn't and ignore everything the Lord did or said. It was infuriating.
Cyrus meanwhile would go to a soundproofed room and yell, scream and break stuff. This helped him preserve his calm facade for his illustrious and accomplished colleague.
…
When night fell Skinner took over. Whether he was more interested in getting information out of Lucius or in causing him pain wasn't clear. Lucius quietly swore revenge.
Moody, whilst walking to Hogsmeade, was tapped on the shoulder by someone with a portkey ring, and disappeared.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Moody had actually had a gadget that would have saved him from this scenario and deliver him to a Moody safe-house. But it had buzzed annoyingly under the Hogwarts wards, and the imposter had taken it off.
A/N:
I know what made Cyrus so mad, but I'm not sure yet how I'll reveal it to the readers.
Next chapter: the Yule ball