𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 ; harry potter

viii.

CHAPTER EIGHT
as mad as a hatter, as dangerous as a dagger

—

"rennervate."

madison blinked her eyes open, seeing the dark trees and the pale moonlight. the first thing she heard was krum's voice.

"he attacked me!" krum muttered, putting a hand up to his head. "the old madman attacked me! i vos looking around to see vhere potter had gone and he attacked from behind!"

"lie still for a moment," dumbledore said. madison groaned, slowly sitting up as dumbledore approached her.

"miss riddle, are you okay?" madison was confused, but nodded nonetheless. "i..i vas attacked first!" krum says. dumbledore raised a hand to him, indicating to shut up.

"miss riddle, did you see your attacker?" dumbledore asked. madison shook her head. "i.. i don't know. i don't remember anything."

dumbledore was about to speak but the sound of thunderous footfalls had interrupted them, and hagrid came panting into sight with fang at his heels. he was carrying his crossbow.

"professor dumbledore!" he said, his eyes widening. "harry — what the — ?"

"hagrid, i need you to fetch professor karkaroff and professor snape," said dumbledore. "karkaroff's student and snape's student has been attacked. when you've done that, kindly alert professor moody —"

"no need, dumbledore," said a wheezy growl. "i'm here."
moody was limping toward them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit.

"damn leg," he said furiously. "would've been here quicker..what's happened? snape said something about crouch —"

"crouch?" said hagrid blankly.
"karkaroff and snape, please, hagrid!" said dumbledore sharply.

"oh yeah...right y'are, professor..." said hagrid, and he turned and disappeared into the dark trees, fang trotting after him. "i don't know where barty crouch is," dumbledore told moody, "but it is essential that we find him."

"i'm onto it," growled moody, glancing at madison for a moment before pulling out his wand. and off he went limping deeper to the forest.

neither dumbledore nor harry spoke again until they heard the unmistakable sounds of hagrid and fang returning. karkaroff and snape was hurrying along behind them.

"what is this?" he cried when he saw krum on the ground and dumbledore and harry beside him. "what's going on?"
"i vos attacked!" said krum, sitting up now and rubbing his head. "mr. crouch or votever his name —"

"crouch attacked you? crouch attacked you? the triwizard judge?"

"miss riddle." snape hurried over to his student, pulling her up. madison staggered slightly and snape made sure to have a tight grip on her.

"igor," dumbledore began, but karkaroff had drawn himself up, clutching his furs around him, looking livid.

"treachery!" he bellowed, pointing at dumbledore. "it is a plot! you and your ministry of magic have lured me here under false pretenses, dumbledore! this is not an equal competition! first, you sneak potter into the tournament, though he is underage! now, one of your ministry friends attempts to put my champion out of action! i smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences — here's what i think of you!"