Saviour of Magic

The Aftermath

Levitating him from the stretcher, Elizabeth Greengrass and Madam Pomfrey placed Harry on the bed in the hospital wing as two more specialised healers from St Mungo's came through the Floo to help.

"Oh, Sweet Merlin!" breathed one of the Healers as he scanned the boy. "How is he even alive?"

"What's wrong with him?" asked Sirius worriedly.

"He's been tortured, Minister, very, very badly," muttered Healer Thomson. "Multiple counts of Cruciatus and other torture curses, broken bones, internal bleeding, trauma to the nerves, deep cuts on the upper torso with a knife, and he seems to have been whipped, too many times to count. His injuries are severe."

"Can you treat him?" asked Amelia desperately.

"We'll do our best, but we can't guarantee anything," he said gravely, conjuring privacy screens. Vanishing the boy's torn clothes, they began the long process of healing him.

"Who?" asked Amelia through gritted teeth, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Voldemort," spat Sirius. "He's back."

"Right under our noses," she said furiously, nails digging into her palm. "This was why the Death Eaters had been quiet. They had been planning this moment to the letter."

At that moment, Cyrus Greengrass entered, along with Daphne, Dylan, Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"Sirius, how is he?" inquired Dumbledore.

"This is the result of Voldemort's torture, so what do you expect?" snapped Sirius. "Cyrus, could you stay here with Harry? We need to take care of this. If Voldemort has indeed regained a body –"

He stopped mid-sentence when Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt entered the room, interrupting him. "Minister, Director Black," said the Auror in his deep voice. "Barty Crouch has been captured. You wouldn't believe this, but it's his own son! Barty Junior is alive and has been using Polyjouice Potion to act like his father."

"Mother Magic, be merciful!" Amelia exclaimed in alarm. "There is no telling how much information he might have gained from the Ministry archives! Barty Crouch Senior was the Head of the Department of Internation Magical Cooperation. He had access to classified information and if his son has someone coerced his father into giving him the passcodes to access them ..."

"Place the Ministry under lockdown! No one enters or leaves the building without my express authorization. Tell Head Auror Scrimgeour to meet me at my office. I'll contact Director Croaker and be there soon," ordered Sirius.

"Yes sir," said Kingsley briskly as he quickly walked out.

"We need to contact the old guard," said Dumbledore firmly. "Sirius, the Order –"

"I am the Minister of Magic, Albus," said Sirius, annoyed. "I don't have time to play errands for you. I know the Order is important and I will support it but I also have a country to run. Do what you can and I'll meet you later to discuss this. I do not want the Ministry compromised. Cyrus –"

"Don't worry, Sirius," Cyrus assured him. "Elizabeth and I will remain here until Harry recovers. We won't leave his side."

"Thank you," said Sirius gratefully. With that, he and Amelia quickly made their way out of the hospital wing. Dumbledore seemed to be thinking hard about something but nodding to himself in determination, he too walked out. Daphne and Dylan were sitting together, leaning against the other as they stared into the distance, lost to the world. They had not forgotten the sight of Harry's beaten and bloody body that was on the grounds ... the stark contrast of him smiling and laughing just several hours before brought tears to Dylan's eyes. The fact that his father, uncle and aunt could have been responsible for this was too much to bear.