𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 | ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚 𝕠𝕗 ' 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕙𝕖 ' HIATUS

xxvi

After the whole Crouch and Pensieve thing Harry wasn't too keen to dive deeper into the increasingly horrific past that was Voldermort. He told Eurielle, Ron, and Hermione what he had seen in the pensieve but had left out the last thing that he had saw, what was the point in telling Eurielle when he knew it would hurt her? It wouldn't do her any good.

" Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?" Ron whispered.

"And he trusts Snape?" Ron said. "He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"

"Yes," said Harry.

Hermione had not spoken for ten minutes. She was sitting with her forehead in her hands, staring at her knees. Harry thought she too looked as though she could have done with a Pensieve. "Rita Skeeter," she muttered finally.

"How can you be worrying about her now?" said Ron, in utter disbelief. "I'm not worrying about her," Hermione said to her knees. "I'm just thinking . . . remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? 'I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl.'

This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember . . . 'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."

"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?" Hermione shrugged.

"And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?" Ron said, turning back to Harry.

"Yeah," said Harry, "but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage."

"We never thought of her, did we?" said Ron slowly. "Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it —"

"Of course she doesn't," said Hermione sharply, looking up. "Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth."

Eurielle nodded and looked around, " You were at Crouch's trial?" she asked Harry lowly, and he nodded, " You heard his charges?"

Hesitantly Harry nodded again as he watched Hermione and Ron bicker back and forth paying the two no mind, " So you know about Neville," she said softly.

Eurielle's eyes seemed to become empty as she became lost in thought, probably thinking of her own mother, " Those were the only trials you saw?" she asked, her eyes piercing his own.

He fidgeted under the stare, " Yes, Dumbledore pulled me out while the dementors took Crouch away,"

And just as he thought she was going to call him out on his lie she nodded and turned back to her bagel, " Alright,"

The mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end of term. Harry was practicing hexes at every available moment. He felt more confident about this task than either of the others. Difficult and dangerous though it would undoubtedly be, Moody was right: Harry had managed to find his way past monstrous creatures and enchanted barriers before now, and this time he had some notice, some chance to prepare himself for what lay ahead.

The three before him should have been studying for exams but were putting in the effort to help Harry with the third task. They had agreed to practice a variety of curses as they still didn't know what Harry would go up against.