On Tuesday, January 23rd, 1995, Harry was enjoying a breakfast of pancakes, sausage patties, and Sunny Delight with Neville, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna when a barn owl dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet onto Hermione's lap and took off again as soon as the paper was delivered.

Hermione unfurled it, it had a headline that read:

Head of International Magical Cooperation Still Missing From Work.

Hermione read the article out loud, and it said:

The Ministry of Magic confirmed to the Daily Prophet on Monday evening that Barty Crouch, Head of the Department International Magical Cooperation, is still not coming to work.

"Mr. Crouch continues to write letters to the Ministry informing us that he is too ill to come to work," said a Ministry spokesman Monday night, "Mr. Crouch hasn't been seen since November. How serious his illness is is unclear. Mr. Crouch has asked for privacy in these troubled times and doesn't wish to disclose the nature of his illness lest it lead to awkward questions or give political opportunists a chance to pounce. Mr. Crouch has left his assistant Percy Weasley in charge during his sabbatical."

"Mr. Crouch is suffering from overwork and is taking a well-deserved break," an irritated Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet Monday Night, "Mr. Crouch has chosen not to disclose specifics of the situation but I'm sure he'll be back with us before you know it. Don't pester me again unless it's about something important."

As rumors of critical illness swirl, Mr. Crouch's situation leaves the future of the Department of International Magical Cooperation uncertain.

The nanosecond Hermione had finished reading, Harry burst out, "This is really fishy. If he has a critical or serious illness, why hasn't he either died yet or stepped down from his position permanently to focus on his health? If his illness is minor or medium, why is the recovery process taking so long?"

"You're right, Harry," said Luna in what was for her, an unusually serious voice, "There is something going on with Crouch behind the scenes that either he or someone else doesn't want us to know about."

"It has to be serious," agreed Neville, "There's an evasiveness here that oozes the fact that something is happening."

"Percy should be smart enough to know something is amiss," piped up Ginny sharply, "But he won't because he's delighted that Crouch has left him in charge. Percy is extremely ambitious, and he wouldn't mind if Crouch snuffed it if that led to his advancement."

"Ginny?" asked Harry matter of factly, "If Percy noticed something odd about Crouch's behavior, would he realize Crouch was behaving in a weird way and inform a superior?"

'Not if he thought doing so decreased his own prospects for advancement," replied Ginny wryly, "The only thing in the world Percy Weasley genuinely cares about is Percy Weasley."

"Something is not adding up here," said Harry firmly, "Percy certainly can't be trusted."

"There's really nothing we can do at this point," said Hermione bluntly,

There were several minutes and several nanoseconds of uncomfortable silence as they took in what they had read. They all suspected that something very dark would be revealed in time as more of this story came out.

Taking advantage of their silence, Ron stopped by and looked at Harry.

"Harry, mate," said Ron in a patronizing voice, "You are the best champion and-'

"Fuck off, Ronald, " spat Harry bitterly, "Our friendship is over. You proved to be a disloyal fair weather friend who didn't deserve my friendship by not standing by me 1000% after my name came out of the Goblet of Fire. There's a better chance of freezing to death in the core of the sun that of me ever being friends with the MoRon again. You're just trying to suck up to me now and I'm not taking it. Abandoners don't deserve mulligans."

"Truer words have never been spoken," agreed Ginny, "Abandoners don't deserve mulligans."

Enraged, Ron pulled his wand out of his right hand pocket with his right hand and pointed it directly at Harry.

"Crucio!" cried Ron.

Next nanosecond, Harry felt intense extreme pain as he had never felt before engulfing his body. It was like being stabbed by a thousand sharp knives at once while standing in Antarctic cold.

Harry, however, determined not to give Ron any satisfaction, gave no outward response and pretended as though he hadn't noticed anything.

"Mr. Weasley!" called out the voices of several teachers.

"I think," spoke up Professor Sprout, "We need to consider whether Mr. Weasley should remain at this school."

"He is a minor," piped up Professor Flitwick, "But I think we should look into whether legal action can be taken."

"At the absolute least," said Professor McGonagall, "He needs to be isolated until such time as we figure it all out."

"I don't think Mr. Weasley should be expelled or have any legal action taken against him, " interjected Dumbledore, "Mr. Potter, you need to learn how to forgive people. Forgiveness is good for the soul."

"You need to learn how to hold people accountable," Harry spat back at Dumbledore, "Your ridiculous attitude of undeserved forgiveness is why abusers like Draco Malfoy, Argus Filch, and Severus Snape are able to thrive as abusers at Hogwarts."

"People can change, Harry," insisted Dumbledore, "It's common decency to give people second and third chances."

"It's common stupidity to let people walk all over you and take advantage of you," replied Harry fiercely.

"Hopefully, you will reconsider once you've calmed down and cooled off, Harry," suggested Dumbledore.

As that conversation ended, Sprout, Flitwick, and McGonagall were leading Ron out of the Great Hall.

Harry, Neville, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna didn't know what would happen to him, but they were confident they wouldn't have to deal with the MoRon again.

"Harry, I'm impressed that you don't scream or anything," said Neville admiringly.

"I didn't want to give Ron the pleasure of knowing he had made me yell," said Harry proudly.

"The Cruciatus Curse is a sensitive topic for me," said Neville matter of factly, "For very personal reasons."

"Then we will respect your privacy and not ask you about it," promised Harry, "But I think we're shot of the MoRon now."

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