Chapter 411
"I can spot someone under the Imperius!" Moody said indignantly.
"The same name." Harry blurted out, dragging the information from his lesson
with Moody. "If someone is polyjuiced and they have the same name…"
"Crouch's son had the same name!" Remus said, breathlessly.
Snape scowled. "My memories…"
"There is no other secret LeStrange paramour!" Sirius said. "It's the one they
kept hidden back then that we knew about now; Crouch Junior!"
"But he's dead!" Professor Sprout spoke up.
Everyone looked at her.
"I mean," Sprout said wringing her hands, "isn't he?"
"Maybe not as dead as we thought." Sirius snapped. "Where is he, Albus?"
"I will check the wards." Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly before they flew
open again and he started for the door. "He is almost at the Forbidden
Forest."
The door slammed shut of its own accord halting Dumbledore's progress. A
shimmer of red rolled over the room.
"What's going on, Dumblydoor?" asked Madame Maxime worriedly.
"I do not know," Dumbledore said, his wand moving gracefully as he
attempted to find out what was going on, "a ward has been raised preventing
our exit and Fawkes's entry, but it is not of Hogwarts." His eyes widened. "It is
the Goblet!"
There was another blinding stab of pain and Harry clutched at his head as it
wrenched him from Sirius's grasp and sent Harry to his knees.
"Harry!"
Sirius made to take hold of him but Harry pushed him away weakly, driven by
some instinct that told him it was a bad idea.
"No, stay back!" Harry felt his magic rising to meet the threat of whatever was
causing him pain. He held his hand up in front of him shakily. His skin glowed
gold; silver rippled over the surface.
"Oh Merlin!" Remus said. "Lily's protection has activated!"
"What does that mean?" Madame Maxime asked plaintively.
"The one who tried to kill him cannot touch him!" Remus kneeled beside
Harry. "The Goblet binds the Champions. Since Barty Crouch Junior acted in
Voldemort's name in entering Harry's name into the Goblet…"
"Dear Merlin!" Minerva said horrified.
"The Goblet can't bind with him because of the protection." Dumbledore
determined. "That is why it has locked us in here; to prevent Harry from
escaping. It doesn't truly understand why it cannot bind."
"Isn't this a good thing?" Cedric asked tentatively. "If the Goblet can't bind with
him, he can't be in the tournament."
"Unfortunately, it is not that simple, Mister Diggory." Dumbledore said urgently.
"The last time Harry's protection was activated to defeat Voldemort, Voldemort
was ripped from his body and the cottage around Harry almost destroyed. If it
attempts to destroy the Goblet to defeat the threat to Harry…"
"You need to get us out of here, Dumbledore!" Karkaroff snapped angrily.
There was another stab of searing pain; gold flickered all around Harry as he
fought for breath as the shield around him flared.
Sirius kneeled beside Harry; he raised a hand to place on his back and
lowered it again without touching him. "Harry, you need to control the
protection."
"How?" asked Harry, struggling to focus.
Remus snapped his fingers. "The spell is powered by your family magic,
Harry. Call it up and talk with the snake!"
Harry raised his trembling hand as pain lanced through his head. "Familius
magicus!"
Gold and silver rushed out of his hand, pooling on the floor beside him into the
totems' distinct forms. Immediately the griffin moved to surround him again,
wrapping its wings tightly around Harry. He slumped into its embrace and
closed his eyes, shivering with reaction.
The feel of the griffin changed a touch and Harry whimpered.
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Chapter 412
"Lily!" breathed Snape.
Harry's eyes snapped back open. It was his mother holding him, Harry
realised; her golden spirit form and where the griffin's wings had encased him,
her arms now held him. He swallowed on a lump of emotion.
"Mum?" Harry struggled to shift position so he could drink in her features, look
into her eyes.
"Rest, my Harry." Lily's spirit whispered. "You are safe."
"Who dares threaten he who is shielded with my blessing!" A voice thundered.
Harry tore his gaze away from his mother. Merlin! He'd called Morgana again,
he thought slightly hysterical.
She stood as a silvery shield in front of him, her long old-fashioned robe
swirling about her, her hair streaming.
"My Lady, the Goblet is attempting a binding on my son after his enemy
placed his name within it." Sirius explained hurriedly as everyone else gaped
on.
Morgana's hand snapped out. "Spiritus manifestus!"
Instantly, Harry felt the pain go away and he took a deep breath, soaking up
the feeling of his mother's love surrounding him.
The Goblet glowed. The blue and white flames flared and suddenly streamed
out of the Goblet to land on the floor in front of it. They rose and shifted until
the body of an old woman took shape.
Moody stumbled back from her. Madame Maxime pushed Fleur behind her
and Karkaroff moved to do the same with Viktor. Professor Sprout tugged
Cedric back. Minerva, Remus and Sirius surrounded Harry in a loose circle.
Harry tried to ignore how Snape's focus was affixed to the spirit of his mother.
"You will explain yourself!" Morgana directed imperiously to the old woman.
"I owe you no explanation." The Spirit of the Goblet proclaimed.
Morgana bristled, the silver rippling furiously. "I am Morgana of the line of Le
Fey! You are attempting to bind a child shielded by me!"
The Spirit of the Goblet frowned. "He has been chosen."
"My Lady Morgana, if I may?" Dumbledore said diplomatically.
Morgana stared at him for a long moment. "You may speak, Albus of the line
of Dumbledore."
Dumbledore bowed his head to her before turning to the Spirit of the Goblet.
"Spirit," he said, "you have chosen four Champions for a Tri-Wizard
Tournament. Someone has magically confused you into doing so. There
should only be three Champions."
"I am not confused. The initiation parameters for this tournament were clear;
four Champions were to be chosen." The Spirit replied.
Remus cleared his throat. "Is it possible to see the parameters of this
tournament?"
"Excellent question, Remus!" Dumbledore said.
The Spirit of the Goblet held out her hand and a parchment formed within it.
Dumbledore removed it from her hand, frowning at the charred edges as he
read the contents. "It is as I feared; these are not the parameters we agreed
for the tournament."
"Shouldn't the tournament be voided then?" Professor Sprout asked bravely.
"If the parameters for the tournament have been altered from what was
agreed previously?"
"Is there a way to void the tournament?" asked Dumbledore of the Spirit.
"No." The Spirit of the Goblet said. "Once the tournament has been initiated,
the tournament must proceed to its end."
"Bloody Crouch must have initiated the tournament when he had the Goblet to
himself!" Moody snarled.
"Then what was the piece of paper he submitted during our Initiation
Ceremony?" Madame Maxime demanded.
"Potter's name presumably." Snape said. "It would satisfy his sense of
arrogance to do such a thing right under our very noses."
Madame Maxime cleared her throat. "What are the new parameters?"
"The tournament schedule remains the same." Dumbledore said. "But there is
a fourth Champion to be chosen for 'The Light.' One assumes that Harry was
the only entrant. The number of judges has been reduced to four but it is no
longer specified whether they are to be from the schools, the Ministry or
elsewhere. Some part of the tasks we agreed remains but they have been
altered."
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Chapter 413
"Dear Merlin!" Professor Sprout muttered.
"What about the age rule?" asked Sirius gruffly.
"The age rule was not part of the parameters but a conceit of our ability to
prevent anyone under-aged from entering." Dumbledore admitted with
chagrin.
"It's likely if it had been, it would have been changed anyway." Remus glanced
at the Spirit. "What about the rule that they must enter their own name?"
Dumbledore perked up. "Traditionally, candidates submit their own names as,
I believe, like in a normal magical contract, it provides the permission for the
binding to form. Spirit, Harry did not enter himself and therefore should not be
bound as he didn't give his permission."
"The original spells which created me did not restrict others from entering the
names of the candidates. The rule of which you speak is usually spelled out in
the initiation parameters." The Spirit replied. "It matters not who entered him
to me, only that he was entered."
"Bloody idiocy! Anyone could enter anyone else!" Moody snarled.
"Probably the rule was added to the initiation after someone entered someone
else maliciously!" Remus guessed.
"Alas it has been removed from the original wording of initiation in this
document allowing Harry to be chosen." Dumbledore waved the parchment he
held.
"Enough!" Morgana snapped angrily, silver swirls of magic surrounding her.
"You will not bind the one I protect!"
"It is the bargain." The Spirit of the Goblet replied evenly. "Each Champion is
bound to me to renew my flames with their magic. If they do not perform a
task, their magic becomes mine. If they die, their magic becomes mine."
"And if they refuse to be bound?" Sirius asked harshly.
"They will be bound." She answered implacably.
"Then you will be destroyed." Morgana said and raised her hand.
"No!" Harry said, some instinct nagging at him.
Morgana paused.
"What happens when the, if the Goblet is destroyed, Spirit?" Harry asked.
"Good question." Sirius said quietly and Harry flushed with praise.
"At the moment of my destruction my magic would call to those who are
promised or bound to me."
It was the price of being a Champion, Harry surmised. To have the glory and
the respect given to a Champion, the individual risked their life and their
magic. There was always a price to pay. And there were now four Champions,
one promised but three already bound…
"All those bound?" checked Harry, with a sinking heart. "You would take those
already bound with you at the last?"
"Mon Dieu!" Fleur muttered.
Sprout had her hand over her mouth, Cedric pale and unmoving beside her.
Viktor looked grim; his dark eyes gleaming.
Harry closed his eyes briefly before he reopened them and slowly got to his
feet, his mother's spirit supporting him as he got upright. "I'll accept the
binding."
"My son." His mother stroked his hair, gold drifting over him. "The binding is
tainted with the touch of the one who tried to kill you."
"We will never allow it to touch thee." Morgana turned to him.
"But the binding isn't him, it's not really Voldemort." Harry argued. "Just the
instrument of his evil. And…and you protect me but if we destroy the Goblet to
prevent the binding, I may be hurt worse than accepting the binding." He
looked into his mother's eyes deeply. "And even if you do somehow prevent
the Goblet from taking my magic and life when it's destroyed, it's not just me. I
can't…the other Champions shouldn't die or lose their magic. That's not fair or
right. I won't let them be sacrificed for me."
He glanced at Sirius who looked at him with wet grey eyes but who nodded
slowly, understanding his decision.
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Chapter 414
"I'm very proud of you, Harry." Sirius said softly.
"And this, thy great heart and shining spirit, this is why thou carry my
blessing." Morgana leaned forward and kissed his forehead, disappearing in a
shimmer of silver.
Harry wanted to hold onto his mother's spirit, to beg her never to leave him.
His throat closed up and her golden hands tightened on his. "Your father and I
have never left you, Harry, and we never will." She kissed his forehead and
was gone in a fall of golden dust.
Harry felt drained of all energy; bone tired and weary.
"You, Harry James Potter, of all who entered, deserve your place as
Champion." The Spirit of the Goblet moved forward and held out her hands.
"You have resisted me so I warn you, this may hurt."
He remembered the stabbing pains and grimaced. Still, Harry nodded and slid
his hands into hers…
Heat suffused him…
Flames surrounded him…
Pain everywhere…
And Harry slipped into unconsciousness with a grateful moan.
.....
The Spirit of the Goblet transformed in front of their eyes, her essence
changing from an old woman to a young girl such was the renewal prompted
by her binding with Harry. She let go of him and shifted into flames, pouring
back into the Goblet.
Sirius didn't watch; he was too busy, jumping forward just in time to catch
Harry before he hit the floor. It was becoming too much of a regular
occurrence, Sirius thought wildly as he cradled Harry against him and felt for a
pulse.
It beat out a pattern under his fingers. He breathed out in relief, ignoring the
rest of the room and the pounding on the door of the antechamber.
Remus crouched down beside him, waving his wand to assess the damage.
"His hands are burned."
Sirius's eyes were drawn to them. He swallowed hard at the sight of Harry's
beautiful hands, curled in on themselves, red raw.
Snape was suddenly on the other side of Harry. "I can perform a mild healing
spell for the burns with your permission?"
"I will perform any healing, Professor Snape." Doctor Jordan suddenly
appeared, and Sirius belated realised the door must have opened allowing
others entry. She pushed Remus aside as Poppy did the same to Snape.
Jordan's wand weaved authoritatively over Harry filling Sirius was confidence.
"We need to get him to the infirmary." Jordan stated briskly, conjuring a
stretcher.
"I'll carry him." Sirius adjusted his hold very carefully in anticipation of picking
Harry up.
Jordan slapped Remus's wand away as he made to do a featherlight charm.
"No magic. This is why I conjured the stretcher. Sirius, be sensible and for
Harry's sake use it. It'll be quicker so we can start treatment sooner."
Sirius hefted Harry into his arms but resisted his desire not to let go of his son
and transferred him as Jordan had instructed to the stretcher. He had to do
what was best for Harry.
"Thank you." Jordan took control of the stretcher with her wand.
It floated out of the door and beyond where Dumbledore was discussing the
unmasking of Crouch Junior as their mystery rogue with Moody and Amelia.
Sirius ignored them and kept pace with the healers. Minerva fell into step
behind him as did Remus.
The corridors were thankfully empty. The students nowhere in sight which was
something Sirius knew Harry would be thankful for when he woke up.
Jordan hurried down another flight of stairs, Poppy bustling along beside her.
Another corridor and another and they were suddenly there…the doors of the
infirmary in front of them.
They headed straight through the main ward to a private room, and Harry was
transferred manually from the stretcher to a bed. Poppy and Jordan began
stripping Harry of his clothes without using magic and Sirius's concern rose
even as he moved to help them, quickly getting him down to his boxers.
Jordan motioned for them to stand back; green healing energy poured from
her wand over Harry's body. "His core is unstable thanks to the binding.
It…Sirius, do you remember that Harry's core healed of its childhood binding
but there was some scarring that Noshi wasn't able to prevent or mitigate?"
"Yes," Sirius nodded, "I remember."
"The new binding is irritating the scars along his core and his core is unhappy
for the want of a better word. I'm wrapping it in healing energy like Noshi did in
the Summer." Jordan explained as she continued to work. "I may need to
consult with Noshi to understand what this binding is going to do to his power
and his control of it."
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Chapter 415
"Anything you need to do just do it." Sirius managed to croak out.
"OK," Jordan said, "on the minor side; Harry's hands are burned but easily
fixed once I've got his core wrapped up like a Mummy. He's also suffering
from severe magical exhaustion. I don't expect him to wake up until tomorrow
night at the earliest."
Sirius breathed a little easier. He was going to be fine. "When can I take him
home?" Because he wanted Harry home where Sirius could hide him away
from the rest of the world and keep him safe.
"Sirius…" Minerva murmured warily, presumably anticipating his decision.
Jordan didn't look at him. "I want to keep him overnight; assess his core
tomorrow. If his core is…not unhappy then I'll allow him to recuperate at home
with the understanding that Poppy and I will pay regular visits."
"I can live with that." Sirius said.
"Wouldn't it be better for him to remain here?" asked Minerva pointedly.
Jordan shook her head. "It would be better for Harry to be at home in a
familiar bed with people who love him taking care of him. It's medically proven
to have a beneficial effect. However, he won't be moved until I'm certain his
core won't object to magical transportation." She stepped back. "Poppy, if you
can take over, do his hands and get him settled?"
"Of course, Doctor Jordan." Poppy said briskly, moving into position, a jar of
ointment flying towards her from the potion stores.
Jordan rolled her neck tiredly. "He's all bandaged up now." She reached out to
Sirius. "You can stay here. I'll get another bed put in the room for you."
Sirius nodded, more thankful than ever that he and Harry had gone to the
Valley Clinic, that Helen had taken up the opportunity at Hogwarts and
understood his need to be with Harry.
She glanced at Remus and Minerva. "You can both stay or visit if you wish.
But I don't want students in here; any immature magic could destabilise the
healing energy which would be very bad for his core right now."
Minerva nodded. "Thank you. All students were ordered to the Common
Rooms after the Goblet selected the Champions. Once Poppy is done I'll
update his friends."
"I'm going to go talk to Noshi." Jordan left swiftly.
Sirius walked over to the free side of the bed and conjured a chair to sit down.
He watched as Poppy competently smothered Harry's hands in ointment and
wrapped them in bandages, as she set the monitoring and body maintenance
spells that would ensure Harry's bodily functions would be immediately taken
care of without any intrusive interaction for as long as he slept. She covered
him in a blanket and got him comfortable. She gave Sirius an encouraging
nod when she was done.
"He's a strong boy, Sirius." Poppy said. "He'll come through this."
"Thank you, Poppy." Sirius said, reaching out to hold Harry's arm. He waited
until she was out of the room. "Dobby!"
The house elf popped in, saw Harry and his overlarge eyes filled with tears
and distress immediately. "Harry Potter is injured!"
"Healing." Sirius said succinctly. "Get Harry's things from Gryffindor tower and
take them to Griffin House. We'll be coming home tomorrow; get everything
ready."
"Yes, Harry Potter's Paddy, sir." Dobby popped away again.
Minerva gave a sigh. "I should get to Gryffindor tower before Dobby creates
panic." She regarded him compassionately. "You're not intending for Harry to
return, are you?"
"Would you?" Sirius asked brusquely.
"I'll leave Remus to argue about it with you." She sniffed and marched out.
Sirius cocked his head in Remus's direction. "Are you planning to argue me
out of going ahead with plan A again?"
Remus conjured a second chair and sank into it. He rubbed his forehead.
"No," he admitted, "wrapping Harry in cotton wool and hiding him away from
the rest of the world seems imminently preferable to me right at this moment."
"Oh bugger! We need to contain what was seen." Sirius said, his mind starting
to process and assimilate everything that had happened now it wasn't
preoccupied with Harry's survival. "Remus…"
"I'll see to it." Remus left without another word, the conjured chair
disintegrating in his wake.
Sirius kept his hand around Harry's arm and scanned the pale face. "I am so
very proud of you, Harry, and what you did today. You have no idea. And I
know this, being in the tournament, isn't ideal and pretty much what we were
trying to avoid, but you're not alone and we will beat the son of a bitch. He
may put you through nine months of trials but he still has to get you for the
ritual and that part…that part I fully intend to screw with."
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Chapter 416
A gentle cough at the doorway had Sirius immediately turning to assess the
threat.
Albus's eyes fell on Harry. "How is he?"
"He's magically exhausted, his hands are burned but they're healing now, and
the Goblet binding is chafing against the scar tissue your binding left behind
on his core." Sirius said harshly before taking a calming breath and reminding
himself it wasn't Albus's fault that Harry had been entered into the tournament.
"He'll recover."
Albus moved into the room and shut the door behind him. He glided up to the
other side of the bed.
"There are many things I would change, Sirius, if I had the chance to do it
over." Albus said softly. "When I…at the end of Harry's first year, when I
realised Voldemort's ruse and returned, when I found Harry unconscious and
exhausted and dying in front of the shattered Mirror of Erised…I hated myself
in that moment in a manner that I have only once felt before when my sister
died." He said. "I watched over him in the infirmary and…I swore I would
protect him from Voldemort as much as I could for as long as I could. You
brought home my failures in that regard this Summer. I pledged to do better,
and yet here we are once more."
"What happened at the end of Harry's first year…that was your fault. This…"
Sirius sighed heavily. "This isn't your fault as much as I…as much as I want
someone to blame." He shook his head. "In many ways I have a greater
understanding of the difficulties of the decisions you faced before I assumed
Harry's guardianship than I did when I confronted you at the beginning of the
Summer. It's…it's not easy to make the right decision; to get the balance right
between protecting him and letting him live his life." His lips twisted. "I still
think the decisions you made were wrong but…" But he understood that they
hadn't been made easily. It soothed something of the hurt that learning Albus
wasn't infallible, that Albus's decisions had hurt Harry, had inflicted. He
motioned vaguely in Albus's direction. "This isn't something either of us could
have anticipated."
"If that is your view then I admit I am confused." Albus said hesitantly. "On my
way here, my path crossed with Minerva's and…"
"And Minnie hinted that I'm taking Harry home and probably not coming back."
Sirius concluded with a sigh. He glanced over at the old wizard. "Honestly,
Albus, I don't know what I'm going to do." He felt a bubble of hysteria rising
and pushed it down ruthlessly. He took a calming breath. "All I know right now
is that I want Harry home where I can protect him best."
"I can certainly understand that sentiment." Albus said, not without kindness.
"But I would caution you not to make the same mistakes I made. For all his
time here at Hogwarts has been and is filled with challenge, it does provide
him with much happiness."
"I'm sure Harry will argue the same when he wakes up." Sirius admitted. He
sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly. "I'll not do a formal withdrawal until
I've spoken with him, Albus, but apart from my…," wanting to lock Harry up for
the rest of his natural life, his mind supplied, "my concern, I'm not sure how
this will work now he's bound to participate in the tournament against the
Hogwarts' Champion? And we still have to discuss his schooling in general.
He's way ahead on a practical level," he gave a short laugh, "which
considering what he's about to face is just as well but…"
"But he will need an independent lesson structure either way." Albus agreed
sagely. "You are also correct that we will need to review how the Goblet is
likely to interpret Harry's position, although I will say that if Harry becomes
home-schooled, if the Goblet believes that constitutes 'The Light' within the
initiation parchment, you will be subject to quite limiting rules on how you may
help him with the tournament as a Professor."
Sirius nodded. "I'd like a copy of the original spell rules."
"I will arrange it, Sirius." Albus slid his hands into the sleeves of his orange
robe as there was a soft knock and Amelia entered without waiting for an
answer.
"Sorry, but I'd thought you'd want to know immediately." Amelia said briskly,
brushing back a stray hair that had escaped her efficient bun. "It looks like
Crouch Junior apparated but the magic in the Forest corrupted the trail. The
Auror team can't get a lock to trace and follow." She nodded at the bed. "How
is Harry?"
"He'll be alright." Sirius said succinctly.
"The Rat Squad and about half of the Auror force should be raiding Crouch's
house shortly." Amelia continued. "It's more than probable if that's where they
were that they've moved on but we have to try." She grimaced. "Rufus and I
are agreed that the likely switch-over must have happened during the week
Crouch sent word he had wizard flu."
"He never had it." Sirius corrected brusquely. "Crouch Junior must have taken
his father hostage."
"Yes." Amelia nodded. "And no doubt he's been impersonating his father ever
since. I feel so stupid. I should have realised something was amiss in
Crouch's behaviour but frankly, I put his oddities since his return from the flu
down to having to live with your presence and the very visible reminder of his
making a mistake."
Sirius understood. He hadn't thought anything of Crouch's behaviour too
caught up in his own anger about the role his former boss had played in
sending him to Azkaban without a trial. "Why would we suspect Crouch? He
was fanatical in pursuing Death Eaters and fighting against Voldemort, and his
son was dead."
"Yet in hindsight I see every clue that is now apparent that he wasn't Crouch
Senior." Amelia sighed. "He forgot names, he dodged meetings and
responsibilities, he took additional time off sick…he left the World Cup
early…obviously to change into the appearance of Auror Hollins."
"You're not the only one who missed clues." Sirius pointed out. "We've known
it was someone connected to the LeStranges; we just didn't think it was him
since he was, you know, dead."
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Chapter 417
"I want to know how he escaped Azkaban and survived." Amelia admitted
sharply. "Crouch claimed the ashes and had them interred with his wife…" her
eyes widened as she made the connection.
"His wife who died a mere day after visiting her son?" Albus sighed. "I fear we
have found out the means by which young Bartemius survived. She was
devoted to her son. Knowing she was dying, I am certain she would have
taken his place eagerly in Azkaban."
"How he survived doesn't really matter," Sirius pointed out, "finding him now
does." He paused, a germ of an idea forming in his head. "Kreacher!"
Kreacher popped into the room and his eyes immediately went to Harry.
"Dobby informs Kreacher Master Harry is to come home?"
Sirius nodded. "Tomorrow, when the healer releases him. Kreacher, the
Crouch family is part of the House of Black." There was no primacy though
since the Ancient and Noble House of Crouch had equal standing – or it had
had equal standing at the time the two Houses had been joined by matrimony.
"Can you find Bartemius Crouch Junior?"
"He has no Black blood and his elf bond prevents it." Kreacher replied.
"Could you find his elf then?" Sirius asked.
Kreacher frowned. "Kreacher is uncertain but Kreacher can try to find Winky."
"Lock down Black Manor first," Sirius ordered, "send word to the other house
elves to do the same on all Black properties; entry only for you, me, my Heir,
the steward, Penny and Dobby. I won't be displeased if you can't find Winky
but try and bring her to me if you manage to secure her."
"Do you wish her dead or alive?" Kreacher asked.
Sirius blinked at Kreacher's enthusiastic tone and knew if he ordered the
house elf to bring Winky back dead he'd do it with no hesitation. "Alive."
Kreacher popped away.
"Ingenious." Albus praised him warmly.
"Maybe." Sirius muttered. "Let's see if it works."
Amelia scratched her forehead. "I'd forgotten about the elf." She sighed
heavily. "Dear Merlin, Junior's had foreknowledge of every security measure
we've taken even if we hadn't confided all the reasons why we were taking
them."
"And poor Percy Weasley has been keeping him informed of all Ministry
business." Albus sighed heavily. "He will be most devastated to know he
helped to assist the man who attacked his family."
"We're going to have to do a full audit of the last four months in that
department." Amelia grimaced again. "I suppose I'll be the one to break the
news to Cornelius."
"I'm sure you'll do a fine job." Albus grimaced and pinched the bridge of his
nose. "Ah, I had forgotten. We have members of the press sequestered into
the Charms classroom. I shall have to speak with them."
"Speak to Cornelius first and get his view about what should be released to
the media." Sirius advised. "He's much better at spinning a news item than we
are."
"What do you want to say about Harry?" Amelia said gently.
"That the person who issued the death threats has succeeded in entering him
into the tournament." Sirius had to fight against the lump in his throat to
continue. "That because he initially resisted being bound, he was injured
when he finally acquiesced and is undergoing healing. That I am taking him
home and will be debating the repercussions with Albus and other advisors in
the near future."
Amelia nodded. "The vultures should be satisfied with that." She made a face.
"Can you imagine if they'd been present when the various spirits showed up?"
"Remus went off to make sure nobody talked." Sirius stated tiredly.
"Bertie was already on it although I'm certain he'd be grateful for Remus's
help." Amelia smiled at Sirius's surprise. "You were rather preoccupied with
getting Harry to the infirmary, Sirius. Karkaroff is going to be obliviated; Bertie
didn't want to risk his keeping any memory of the event since he's a former
Death Eater; the others including the Champions have agreed to take vows to
keep the existence of Harry's protectors secret and to only share that Harry
was forced into the tournament."
"We should go and call Cornelius now, Amelia." Albus said. "The sooner we
speak with him, the sooner we can talk with the press."
"Will you be alright here alone, Sirius?" Amelia asked.
Sirius wondered what he must look like to have prompted the question but he
nodded. "I'm not alone, Amelia. I have Harry."
"Yes, you do," she said pointedly and patted his shoulder, "keep that in mind,
Sirius."
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Chapter 418
Sirius's hand tightened on Harry's arm as Albus and Amelia hurried out. He
welcomed the silence; his mind churning.
Bartemius Crouch Junior.
There was no doubt at all in his mind that the Rat Squad would find the
Crouch residence abandoned. He believed that they'd find Crouch Senior
dead. With the ruse discovered there was no way that Voldemort would let
him live; no way that Junior would let him live either.
He remembered Barty; handsome, charismatic, and popular. He'd played
Quidditch; gained a position as a prefect if not as a Head Boy. He'd joined the
Auror Academy right out of school with a set of Outstandings on his NEWTs,
and yet his performance there hadn't indicated any particular prowess. But
then, Sirius considered gravely, it was all too possible that Barty hadn't
wanted to draw attention. Better to make people think that he'd been
academically perfect but struggled in real life than for people to pick up on
how powerful he was.
Cunning.
The death threats had been Barty, Sirius deduced. Barty had the house elf;
she would have followed orders and sent the letter, written the words during
the Longbottom party. Sirius was suddenly very angry and regretting his
decision to have Kreacher bring her back alive if he caught her. The elf was
bound to follow Barty's orders, he knew that, but…she had been a major part
of events that had terrorised his son.
Still, he'd made the right decision. They needed intel. Whatever the elf
revealed would be useful. Not that an elf would reveal much without coercion
because of their bonds, but his grandfather had taught him a Dark spell that
somehow usurped the elf's ownership for a brief time. Maybe it wasn't ethical
to use it but Harry's safety was more important.
Which reminded him…
"Cally!"
A female house elf popped in wearing a fastidiously clean tea-towel
embroidered with the crest of the House of Black.
"Master." She bowed to him.
For once, Sirius didn't correct her and urge her into less subservient
behaviour. "Bring me the files on the LeStranges, and Bartemius Crouch and
his son from the cabinet in my…my study."
She nodded and popped away again.
He'd rarely used the information locked away in his grandfather's cabinet.
He'd hated how he'd boxed the Malfoys in using the primacy threat to force
them into compliance, although it had been necessary, and he had hoped that
he wouldn't have to resort to blackmailing or bribing or engaging in dubiously
ethical behaviour ever again. But knowing his enemy was necessary, Sirius
thought determinedly, and Barty Crouch Junior had been his enemy from the
moment he had been Marked by Voldemort.
He was almost startled when the elf returned with the requested files. "Thank
you, Cally."
Cally's eyes opened in her usual astonishment at being appreciated. She
popped away.
Sirius looked at the weighty stack of files with foreboding but he reached for
the top one with his free hand. He flipped it open and started reading.
o-O-o
Hermione felt a shiver of alarm go through her as she pushed her way
through the crowd of students returning to Gryffindor tower and tried to find
Ron or Neville or, even better; Harry. But she wasn't really expecting Harry.
Sirius had told her to stay in the tower; that he and Remus were en route to
the school. She had gotten up from her place in the Common Room to go
back to the Great Hall anyway a dozen times, and a dozen times talked
herself out of disobeying the Head of the House of the Black who was
effectively her wizarding guardian regardless that Andy was the one who
sponsored her formally. Her lower lip throbbed with pain and Hermione was
aware that she had bitten it to pieces during the excruciating wait. Finally, she
spotted a head of familiar red hair.
"Ron!"
Ron's face wasn't encouraging, neither was Neville's as he followed Ron
towards her.
"Where's Harry?" demanded Hermione.
"They kept him back with the other Champions." Ron said disgusted. "Did you
get hold of Sirius?"
"He's on his way, Professor Lupin too." Hermione bit her lip again, unaware of
the slip in how she referred to Remus.
"Good," Ron rubbed his nose, "bloody incompetents! How could they let
someone enter Harry?!"
"That's what I'd like to know." Neville said, folding his arms and his chin jutting
out defensively. "They should have let us guard the Goblet!"
Hermione pushed her hand through her hair. "I think I should go and wait with
Harry until Sirius gets here."
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Chapter 419
"McGonagall's with him. She gave her word she wouldn't leave him." Ron
sounded as unhappy as Hermione felt.
"We tried to stay with him," Neville said, "but they weren't having it." He
tapped his feet impatiently. "I think I'm going to go write to my Gran. As soon
as Harry gets back I can sneak out and send it with Hedwig."
"Beats hanging around here." Ron confirmed, waving a hand in irritation at the
gossiping crowd around him.
Lavender materialised in front of Ron as if by magic as they moved to the
boys' staircase. "You're not leaving are you, Ron?" She smiled at him. "I
thought you were brilliant back there."
"You and Neville." Parvati said, smiling at Neville.
"Thanks but we still had to leave him." Ron muttered, sidestepping them.
Hermione was too distracted by her worry for Harry to think about offering
Lavender another 'I'm sorry he's so dense but he will get that you like him
eventually' look. She followed the boys up to their dorm room. It seemed
natural for her to sit cross-legged on Harry's bed while Ron threw himself on
his own, and Neville dragged out his parchment and quill.
"I don't know what to tell her," Neville admitted, "I mean, I assume Sirius will
send all the alliance a message tomorrow anyway."
"Just tell her that Harry's in the tournament and we're all standing beside him."
Ron suggested without raising his head, his gaze fixed on the top canopy of
his bed.
Hermione nodded briskly. "Ron's right. Just keep it simple and…and I'm sure
your Gran will like that you've taken the time to write to her whether Sirius
contacts her before you or not."
Neville sent a grateful look. "Thanks."
For a while, they sat in silence together, the only sound the scratch of Neville's
quill against the parchment.
"I just don't see how it happened!" Hermione burst out, unable to keep the
thought that had been whizzing through her head silent any longer. "Sirius
would never have allowed anyone who shouldn't have been near to the
Goblet to get near to it and we know that Moody did the same here so where
does that leave us?"
Ron sat up to stare at her. "So you're saying if everyone who touched the
Goblet was meant to touch the Goblet…"
"Then whoever entered Harry was meant to touch the Goblet." Neville
concluded.
"Who was meant to touch the Goblet then?" Ron questioned, excitedly.
Hermione shifted position, thinking over what Harry had told her about the
Goblet's security procedures. "The Goblet is kept locked up in the DOM.
Director Croaker was scheduled to handle the retrieval overseen by Director
Bones and Sirius though so I don't think there was an opportunity to tamper
with the Goblet then."
"So not Croaker or Bones." Ron said, stabbing a finger through the air.
"There was a small ceremony where the Ministry representatives, Mister
Crouch and Mister Bagman, entered their names as the officials so the Goblet
would recognise their authority during the Initiation Ceremony when the
tournament details are entered." Hermione recalled.
"But they had the chance to enter Harry's name instead of their own." Ron
said.
"No," Hermione shook her head, "only after the Initiation Ceremony are
candidates for Champions entered."
"So it was probably someone at Hogwarts then," Neville pointed out, "because
the Initiation Ceremony only happened once the Goblet got here."
"Unless…" Hermione grabbed her hair. "Crouch! Crouch was the one to bring
the Goblet to Hogwarts! What if he…what if he performed the Initiation
Ceremony when he was alone with it?! He would have plenty of opportunity to
enter Harry's name then!"
"But wouldn't the Goblet get confused having two Initiation Ceremonies?"
asked Ron, bewildered.
"Well, we don't actually know what the Initiation Ceremony is." Hermione said.
Neville raised his quill. "Gran said it was a fancy name for putting a piece of
paper with the agreed dates and tasks in the Goblet."
"So it would be possible," Hermione said, "Crouch just had to do the latter,
bring the Goblet here and then…enter Harry's name under the ruse of
entering the details of the tournament!" She bit her lip. "Presumably nobody
checked the parchments he was entering because they all trusted him!"
"Doesn't it have to be Harry's name in Harry's handwriting though?" Ron
asked. "How would he have that?"
"I don't know." Hermione said. "But it makes sense."
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Chapter 420
"We should tell someone!" Neville scrambled off his bed, almost upending the
bottle of ink. "Crouch could get away otherwise!"
"Right!" Ron made for the door and stopped, whirling around. "Who do we
tell?"
Hermione frowned. "We should find a professor. Maybe Professor Flitwick?"
They'd just turned for the door again when there was a popping sound behind
them.
Hermione's head whipped around at the familiarity of it. "Dobby!" Her eyes
widened hugely as she took in the house elf's frantic packing. "What are you
doing?"
"Nasty Goblet binding hurts Harry Potter!" Dobby said, not pausing in his task.
"Harry Potter is injured! Harry Potter will be going home tomorrow!"
"Harry's injured!" cried Hermione in alarm. How had that happened? God, she
knew it had been a mistake to leave him alone.
"But why are you packing all his things?" Ron questioned the elf brusquely.
"He'll be coming back here when he's healed, right?"
Dobby pulled on his ears. "Harry Potter's Paddy ordered Dobby to pack all of
Harry Potter's things."
It wasn't quite an admission of Sirius's intent but Hermione was smart enough
to understand the implication; Sirius intended to keep Harry home after he
had healed. And who could blame him? She sat down abruptly on the nearest
bed.
Neville placed a hand on her shoulder and patted her awkwardly. "Hermione,
we still have to tell someone about Crouch…"
"And Sirius is bound to be in the infirmary with Harry," Ron chimed in quickly,
"we can talk him out of taking Harry home!"
Suddenly, Dean entered the dorm at a run. "Guys! McGonagall's downstairs!"
They all quickly made their way out, running down the staircase, and pushing
past people standing in the doorway and in the Common Room until they
were in front of their stern looking Head of House.
Professor McGonagall stood in front the portrait and nodded sharply at the
sight of Ron, Hermione and Neville as they stopped, breathless in front of her.
"I assume that's everybody?"
There was a murmur of agreement.
"We have identified who entered Mister Potter into the tournament and Aurors
are presently trying to apprehend the perpetrator." Professor McGonagall
informed them briskly. "Some of you may be aware that the Goblet binds the
Champions who participate in the tournament into a form of magical contract,
and unfortunately when it did this with Mister Potter, because of the
circumstances and Mister Potter's…resistance, it has led to Mister Potter
being injured. He is currently magically exhausted and will shortly leave to
recuperate at his home. Do not attempt to sneak in tonight to see him.
Students are currently banned from visiting Mister Potter in the infirmary as
any immature magic may negatively disturb his healing. Am I understood?"
Hermione's heart sank but she nodded. She wouldn't do anything to harm
Harry or put his healing at risk no matter how much she wanted to see Harry
and convince Sirius to let Harry stay at Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall's gaze swept across the room and settled on Ginny,
Lydia and Jessica for a long moment, making Hermione wonder if she knew
about the locker room incident. McGonagall drew in a long breath and her
eyes moved on, softening as she took in the faces in front of her.
"In all my days in this school, I have never been so proud to be the Head of
Gryffindor as I was tonight. Your unequivocal support for Mister Potter, a
fellow Gryffindor was…" she paused, seemingly overcome, "inspiring." She
concluded. "One hundred points to Gryffindor." She smiled at the cheers and
held up her hand. "Curfew begins now for all students for your protection while
Aurors are on Hogwarts' grounds." She gave a sharp nod and turned to leave.
"Professor, may we speak with you quickly?" Neville said immediately. "It's
about who put Harry into the tournament."
"Let's go to your dorm, Mister Longbottom." Professor McGonagall ushered
them through the crowd and up the stairs. She shut the door and erected a
privacy bubble. "You wished to speak with me?"
"We think it's Crouch!" blurted out Ron.
"He had the only opportunity to interfere with the Goblet before the Initiation
Ceremony." Hermione explained, nervously wringing her hands.
Professor McGonagall's expression softened. "We came to a similar
conclusion except we have also determined that the perpetrator is likely to be
Bartemius Crouch Junior."
"Isn't he dead?" Neville asked shocked.
"Everyone thought so but the evidence would suggest otherwise." Professor
McGonagall said dryly.
Hermione shook her head dismissing the matter of resurrected Death Eaters
for the time being as unimportant if everyone already knew who had entered
Harry in the tournament. "How's Harry really?"