Neville Longbottom and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter 23: What is Right and What is Easy

While in the middle of a Wizard's Chess game the next day, Neville decided it was time to start talking about things.

"I should have used the Marauder's Map," he said abruptly. "I could have seen that it wasn't the real Moody."

"That's pretty silly," Luna said, yawning, "trying to take blame for something that wasn't your fault. . . Besides, you did look at it - I remember you telling me. You said there wasn't anybody that wasn't supposed to be there."

"But I could have figured out that it was showing Barty Crouch wherever Moody was."

"That's funny," she said, "but interesting funny, not 'ha ha' funny."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, even though you kept up on your classes, and were entered in a dangerous Tournament, and studying Spells for Tasks you knew nothing about, and getting bullied by jealous classmates, and helping with H.E.L.P., and –"

"Okay, I get it," he interrupted. "What's your point?"

"Like I was saying, even with all that going on, you still think you should have done more. How could you have done more even if you knew there was more to be done?"

She often had a way of setting him straight without making him feel bad about it.

* * *

The Great Hall was decorated in black to honor Cedric during the Leaving Feast. There was less chatter than usual, and the nervous energy felt very different from the usual Spring Fever. The Teacher's table had three empty spots where Snape, Karkaroff and Crouch had sat all year. Moody's seat was occupied by the real Moody who looked very tired and a bit jumpy.

With the meal finished, Dumbledore stood up and all became quiet.

"Another year at its end," he said solemnly. He looked over the Hufflepuff table with sorrow before continuing. "Before anything else, I would like us all to raise our glasses and pay tribute to one who was taken from us." Benches scraped and everyone stood, holding their glasses high. "To a fine person who exemplified the qualities that distinguish a Hufflepuff - loyalty, hard work, and fair play. . . Cedric Diggory!"

"CEDRIC DIGGORY!" repeated everyone. Neville tried to say his name, too, but no sound came out.

Once everyone was seated, Dumbledore resumed his speech. "His death has affected us all, and so you have the right to know how he died." In the moment of Dumbledore's pause, Neville felt countless eyes glance at him and then look away. "He was murdered by Voldemort and his followers!"

Dumbledore waited for the gasps and murmurs to settle down. He remained calm despite the looks of disbelief and horror before him.

"The Ministry of Magic would like to deny it - to sweep it under the rug, as they say - but this cannot happen. I must confess to you now that I am, in part, responsible. A man that I hired to teach you was kidnapped and replaced by one of Voldemort's Death-Eaters." The real Moody flinched at this. "I also put my trust in another teacher, who taught here for years, and he turned out to be a Death-Eater as well. I tell you this, not only to apologize for having put you all at risk, but also that you will know how subtle and far-reaching Voldemort's influence can be. And if the Ministry of Magic refuses to shine a spotlight on what has happened, then we all must remain alert. Let Cedric's death serve as a warning to us all - and if we do not, then he has died for nothing.

"Three of Voldemort's Death-Eaters were captured and are now secured in Azkaban Prison, but many more are still out there. Several were positively identified, yet the Ministry refuses to take action without more evidence."