GOF: Part 15
Millicent had something on her mind. They were in the library, reading anything that could possibly help them with the last task. Hermione and Ron had a copy of Tournament Tricks: The Ultimate Cheaters Guide to the Triwizard Tournament open in front of them seeing if they could decipher any news about the grand and final task.
But Millicent was pacing.
“Anything particular on your mind, there Millicent?” asked Blaise, who was pretending to do his Herbology assignment.
“Of course not,” Millicent said, shaking her head in a rather irritated fashion.
“Hmm,” said Blaise. “It almost looks as if you’re looking for someone.”
Millicent stopped then.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Zabini, I was merely warming up. It’s blasted cold in this castle.”
Blaise chuckled under his breath, something that sounded a lot like, “Sure” before Millicent sat beside him, brushing him harshly with her shoulder.
“Ouch, Bulstrode, no need to attack me. I was merely attempting to calm you as you seem to be concerned about something.”
Clearly Blaise knew something that Harry didn’t. But as the dark skinned boy didn’t seem to be letting up, Millicent sighed only for Dobby to pop into existence right beside Blaise.
“Mr. Zabini,” said Dobby then spotting Harry. “Oh, Harry Potter, sir, hello.”
“Hey, Dobby, how are you?”
“Good, sir, very good sir, just come to thank Mr. Zabini for his gift again sir.”
“Gift?” Harry asked, eyeing the brightly colored blue sweater Dobby was sporting along with the gift that Harry had given Dobby for Christmas.
Blaise blushed, something Harry had never seen the handsome boy do.
“Don’t mention it, Dobby, it was merely a present for the work you do for the school,” Blaise added, sounding a bit rehearsed.
“Okay then, sir, but Winky is wanting me to tell Mr. Zabini that she is still loyal to the Crouch’s sir, but that she will gladly wash Mr. Zabini’s new robes in the periwinkle soap as that is his new signature scent. She doesn’t cry nearly as much as when she washes Mr. Zabini’s robes special.”
“What?” Hermione shouted, breaking the cardinal rule of the place she loved most in the world.
“Oh no, mate,” said Ron, as Millicent laughed devilishly beside a now white faced Blaise.
“Thank you, Dobby,” said Hermione. “Please do tell Winky that she has no obligation to wash Blaise’s robes separate from the others.”
Dobby looked confused between Hermione and her righteous anger and Blaise and his rather impressive impression of a kicked puppy.
“I better be getting back to the kitchens. Good day, Harry Potter,” then he blinked out of the library.
Hermione wasted no time.
“I can’t believe you.”
“What?” Blaise said, straightening in his seat. “I was merely trying to give her a present. It’s not my fault she couldn’t be swayed alone by Honeyduke’s finest.”
“Yeah, Hermione,” said Harry. “I don’t get it.” “Oh, I do,” replied Millicent, seemingly ready to pay Blaise back for whatever the two had been on about before. “He’s trying to win your little elf’s loyalty, Potter.”
“Oh no,” said Blaise. “Dobby is too far gone. He doesn’t want to be house elf anymore, but Winky’s just lost her family, I’m merely looking out for her best interests. And my mother is extraordinarily kind to loyal house elves like Winky.”
“Her best interests?” said Hermione, voice still a little too loud for the library. “You mean trying to get her to come and work for you and your mother for free instead of staying at Hogwarts?”
Harry looked confused. He was clearly missing something.
Hermione took pity on him.
“On the rare, and I mean, very rare occasion that a house elves family is dismantled or the last living relative dies, or a house gets abandoned then that elf is essentially a free agent, and can be won to a new house with favors.”
“Gifts,” Harry supplied.
“Yes,” said Millicent. “But it’s different for house elves especially for one who is just newly separated from her family. A wrecked house elf will want to feel useful which is why Blaise is… “having her wash his robes. Do you even like Periwinkle?”
Blaise nodded sheepishly.
“I was just trying to help her. Winky is clearly lost without Crouch, and my mother happens to always be in need of a new elf.”
“How many does she need?” asked Millicent. “She already has enough to furnish my family’s mansion and hers.”
“Yes,” said Ron, “but it’s like a status symbol isn’t it among purebloods?”
Blaise and Hermione nodded.
“A sick tradition,” Hermione said. “And one that you are unlikely to win. If even one of Mr. Crouch’s relatives are alive, Winky will more than likely feel that she owes her loyalty to them.”
“Aw,” said Blaise. “But I can be quite convincing, Granger.”
“As long as you stay away from Dobby. He’s free and I want him to stay that way,” said Harry.
Blaise nodded.
“Of course.”
“Then why did you get him that sweater?”
Blaise shrugged.
“Everyone looks good in blue, Potter. Besides, I wanted to prove I was a better knitter than Granger over here.”
Hermione’s eyes went wide, choking on what she was going to say next.
***
The Quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been growing long walls all over it that twisted and criss-crossed in every direction. Harry heard footsteps behind him. He stood and looked.
“It’s a maze,” said Krum, looking out over the hedges. Harry saw it too then.
“Vill you walk with me?” Krum asked Harry. Harry nodded. Krum let them to a quiet stretch of ground a short way from the Beauxbaton’s horses’ paddock.
“I vont to know,” Krum said. “Is there anything going on between you and Milly-cent?”
“Are you interested in Millicent then?”
Krum looked around as if he was concerned they were being listened too.
“I am merely concerned that you do not hurt her. She is an incredible person and rumors are that you are also with this Hermy-own-ninny Gr….”
“No,” said Harry. “I’m not, nor have I or will I ever date either Hermione or Millicent. We’re just friends.”
“You haff never…you haff not…”
“No,” said Harry very firmly and Krum seemed to visually lighten.
“Besides,” said Harry. “I think they’re both a little too good for me on just about every level.”
As they started to walk back Harry noticed the scarf wrapped around Krum’s neck. “That’s funny, my friend Blaise has one just like that.”
“It is hiz. Not entirely varm, but Blaise says its in the fashion. He says I lack in that area. No pizazz, vhatever that means. It is just that people where I’m from do not concern themselves with such things. But school vont last forever and I vill soon be gone.”
Krum looked out over what was the pitch.
“You fly very well. I vas watching at the first task. Perhaps you vill be the one to beat me.”
“Thanks, but I doubt the second part,” said Harry, grinning broadly. “I saw you at the Quidditch World Cup. The Wronski Feint you reall….”
Something moved behind Krum in the trees.
“Vho is it?”
Harry was reaching for his wand when suddenly a man staggered out from behind a tall oak tree. Harry almost didn’t recognize the man then he realized it was Mr. Crouch.
He looked as though he had been traveling for days. His robes were ripped and bloody. His face was scratched. He was unshaven and grey with exhaustion.
He was muttering and gesticulating like he was talking to someone only he could see.
“Vosn’t he a judge?” said Krum, staring at odd Mr. Crouch. “Isn’t he vith your Ministry?”
Harry nodded.
“Mr. Crouch?” Harry said loudly. “Are you all right?”
Crouch didn’t or couldn’t’ answer. His eyes were rolling in his head, unable to focus.
“Vot is wrong with him?” Harry shook his head. “Listen, you’d better go and get someone…”
“Dumbledore!” gasped Mr. Crouch. He reached out and seized a handful of Harry’s robes, dragging him closer though his eyes were staring over Harry’s head.
“I need….see…Dumbledore…I’ve done….stupid..thing….Must tell….D….” Crouch muttered something about “escaped……must warn…..my fault….Bertha…dead…Dumbledore…Harr Potter….the Dark Lord…stronger…Harr…”
“Keep him here,” said Harr, pulling himself free of Mr. Crouch.
“I’ll be back with Dumbledore.”
“Hurry, von’t you?” Krum called after him as Harry sprinted toward the castle. Halfway to the castle, Harry stopped. Of course, he’ll just send his patronus.
After conjuring his stag and sending it off with a message, Snape and Dumbledore were there and together they quickly walked back to the woods.
“They were here,” Harry said to Dumbledore as they looked out over the now empty area.
“Lumos,” Dumbledore said, lighting his wand, sweeping it until its beams fell on a pair of feet. Krum was sprawled on the forest floor, stunned. There was no sign of Mr. Crouch at all. Dumbledore pointed his wand at Krum and uttered, “Rennervate.”
Krum opened his eyes, he looked dazed.
“He attacked me!” Krum muttered. “The old crazy man attacked me.”
“Lie still for a moment,” Dumbledore said. Harry looked to the hill behind them where Karkaroff was running toward them with alarming speed, clearly having been summoned by Dumbledore.
“Oh, Viktor,” Karkaroff said, ushering Krum back toward the castle.
Harry was released after they were all safely back indoors.
Stronger. Bertha Jorkins. Warn. Escape.
It was clear who Crouch had been talking about.
Voldemort.
