LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Sixteen

Lyra hadn't been sure what to say to make Harry, Ron and Hermione realize just how horrible life had been during the war. She had suppressed a bit of the fear and pain they'd all felt, all the tension she was surrounded by. She knew it wasn't easier for anybody else, either. Actually, she'd had it quite easy compared to many others.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, seeing that Sirius didn't seem sure of what to say yet. The three teenagers were all looking at them quite expectantly, wanting to know what they were in for if things would continue like it had been during the Quidditch World Cup.

"It was a dark time," Lyra started hesitantly. "There was a lot of pressure on everyone from the Dark Side. People were dying and being tortured. A lot of people who were raised in the same community as Sirius and I didn't have much of a choice to join them. I never did, not officially. Got to know a lot about it though, tried to stay out of it but the war didn't let anybody stay innocent."

"That's how it was for you," Sirius nodded. "It was a bit different from me after I left home. Imagine that Voldemort's powerful now. You don't know who his supporters are, you don't know who's working for him and who isn't; you know he can control people so that they do terrible things without being able to stop themselves."

"You're scared for yourself, and your family, and your friends," he continued. "Every week, news comes of more deaths, more disappearances, more torturing. the Ministry of Magic's in disarray, they don't know what to do, they're trying to keep everything hidden from the Muggles, but meanwhile, Muggles are dying too. Terror everywhere... panic... confusion... that's how it used to be. Well, times like that bring out the best in some people, and the worst in others."

"No one's a better example of that then Crouch," Lyra added. "He used to be like any one of us, trying to do good and with strong morals. But he was so against the Dark Side that he lost all of them. Those around me weren't scared of a lot of people, but a few were scared of him. He was the one who went to the most extreme measures against them."

Sirius nodded grimly. "The Aurors were given new powers. Powers to kill rather than capture, for instance. And I wasn't the only one who was handed straight to the Dementors without trial. Crouch fought violence with violence, and authorized the use of the Unforgivable Curses against suspects. I would say he became as ruthless and cruel as many on the Dark side."

"There were a lot of mixed emotions about Crouch," she said. "A lot of people thought he was the only one who had the guts to do what was needed to stop the war. It had been going on for years, people were sick and tired of having to look over their shoulders and sleep with one eye open."

"There were a lot of witches and wizards clamouring for him to take over as Minister for Magic. When Voldemort disappeared, it looked like only a matter of time until Crouch got the top job. But then something rather unfortunate happened," Sirius said. "Crouch's own son was caught with a group of Death Eaters who'd managed to talk their way out of Azkaban. Apparently they were trying to find Voldemort and return him to power."

Lyra looked away, knowing exactly who those Death Eaters had been. She had watched one of them run off to do it after all and hadn't seen him since. "Good old Barty Crouch Jr. Two years below us at school. Slytherin, of course."

Sirius threw a chicken bone to Buckbeak, grabbing a loaf of bread instead. "Nasty little shock for old Barty, I'd imagine. Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family, shouldn't he? Ought to have left the office early once in a while, got to know his own son."

"Was his son a Death Eater?"

"Definitely. There's no doubt in my mind. Was taken under the wing of Sirius's brother, Regulus, at school. Was introduced to it there. Regulus is long dead now, but..." Lyra trailed off, exchanging saddened glances with her cousin.