Selena Black

Chapter 34: Parting of the ways.

Chapter 34: Parting of the ways.

Chelbell2016:

Selena's POV:

Dumbledore stood up. He stared down at Barty Crouch for a moment with disgust on his face. Then he raised his wand once more and ropes flew out of it, ropes that twisted themselves around Barty Crouch, binding him tightly. He turned to Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, could I ask you to stand guard here while I take Harry and Selena upstairs?"

"Of course," said Professor McGonagall. She looked slightly nauseous, as though she had just watched someone being sick. However, when she drew out her wand and pointed it at Barty Crouch, her hand was quite steady.

"Severus" - Dumbledore turned to Snape - "please tell Madam Pomfrey to come down here; we need to get Alastor Moody into the hospital wing. Then go down into the grounds, find Cornelius Fudge, and bring him up to this office. He will undoubtedly want to question Crouch himself. Tell him I will be in the hospital wing in half an hour's time if he needs me. Ana you can come with us."

Snape nodded silently and swept out of the room.

"Harry?" Dumbledore said gently. "Selena?"

I got up and swayed again; the pain in my leg, which I had not noticed all the time I had been listening to Crouch, now returned in full measure. I also realized that I was shaking. Dumbledore gripped one arm and my mum the other as they both helped me out into the dark corridor.

"I want you to come up to my office first. You two," he said quiedy as they headed up the passageway. "Sirius is waiting for us there."

Harry and I nodded. A kind of numbness and a sense of complete unreality were upon me, but I did not care; I was even glad of it. I didn't want to have to think about anything that had happened since we had first touched the Triwizard Cup. I didn't want to have to examine the memories, fresh and sharp as photographs, which kept flashing across my mind. Mad-Eye Moody, inside the trunk. Wormtail, slumped on the ground, cradling his stump of an arm. Voldemort, rising from the steaming cauldron. Cedric. . . dead . . . Cedric, asking to be returned to his parents. . . .

"Professor," Harry mumbled, "where are Mr. and Mrs. Diggory?"

"They are with Professor Sprout," said Dumbledore. His voice, which had been so calm throughout the interrogation of Barty Crouch, shook very slightly for the first time. "She was Head of Cedric's house, and knew him best."

We had reached the stone gargoyle. Dumbledore gave the password, it sprang aside, and the four of us went up the moving spiral staircase to the oak door. Dumbledore pushed it open. Dad was standing there. His face was white and gaunt as it had been when he had escaped Azkaban. In one swift moment, he had crossed the room.

"Harry, Selena are you all right? I knew it - I knew something like this - what happened? Selena what happened to your face? What happened?"

His hands shook as he helped Harry and I into a chair in front of the desk.

"What happened?" he asked more urgently.

Dumbledore and mum began to tell dad everything Barty Crouch had said. I was only half listening. So tired every bone in my body was aching, I wanted nothing more than to sit here, undisturbed, for hours and hours, until I fell asleep and didn't have to think or feel anymore. I bet Harry felt

There was a soft rush of wings. Fawkes the phoenix had left his perch, flown across the office, and landed on my knee.

"'Lo, Fawkes," said Harry quietly. we both stroked the phoenix's beautiful scarlet-and-gold plumage. Fawkes blinked peacefully up at us. There was something comforting about his warm weight.