Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 79

Jenna felt unable to move. It felt as if long hours had passed that she remained at the edge of the forbidden forest, her head hurting like never before. Although after a long while, she was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Dumbledore approaching her.

     "How's Harry feeling?" Jenna asked immediately the moment Dumbledore reached her.

     "I sent him to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey gave him a Dreamless Potion, and now he's resting. Sirius, Molly, and Bill are with him at the moment, along with Ron and Hermione," he said, the usual glimmer in his eyes gone. "I asked Madam Pomfrey to go down to the kitchen and tend to Winky; Barty Crouch's house elf. She's rather shaken. In the meantime, you may come to the hospital wing as Madam Pomfrey, if you wish to see Harry."

      Jenna nodded weakly, but soon transformed into the Healer, following Dumbledore back toward the castle. Jenna was surprised she could walk at all, because she felt too sick and anxious that she could barely feel her knees.

      They were making their way up the ward, but that was when they heard the sound of people arguing from inside. A frown appeared upon Dumbledore's face, and so he strode on, quickly opening the doors and entering the hospital wing.

      Jenna followed after him in silence, finding the ward rather crowded; there stood Professor McGonagall and Snape, both glaring at Cornelius Fudge. Meanwhile, Mrs. Weasley and Bill were around Harry's bed, all three of them looking confused at all the yelling. Ron and Hermione were present, too.

      Jenna sighted Sirius as well, sitting beside Harry's bed in his dog form. Jenna tried to catch his eyes, and when she did so, she gave him a meaningful nod, as if to tell him who she really was, which he realized it after a short pause.

      "What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you — I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch —"

     "There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" McGonagall shrieked. "The Minister has seen to that!"

     There were angry blotches of color in her cheeks, and her hands were balled into fists; she was trembling with fury.

     "When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, in a low voice, "he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch —"

     "The moment that — that thing entered the room," McGonagall shouted, pointing at Fudge, trembling all over, "it swooped down on Crouch and — and —"

      Jenna felt a chill in her stomach. She understood that the dementor must've given Crouch the kiss. This meant that the biggest living evidence for Voldemort's return was now gone.

      Madam Pomfrey was standing frozen on her spot, her hands over her mouth. Mrs. Weasley was still standing over Harry, her hand on his shoulder to prevent him from rising. Bill, Ron, and Hermione were staring at Fudge.

      But no matter how much Dumbledore tried to reason with Fudge, he didn't seem to agree. He had closed his mind on this matter and nothing Harry said to describe what had happened that night could convince him.

      "Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore repeated. "If you accept that fact straightaway, Fudge, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the dementors. The second step you must take — and at once," Dumbledore pressed on, "is to send envoys to the giants."