"I infiltrated through the window then and watched as they processed her body. I never thought..." Sirius's voice trailed off, deeply moved.
There was no doubt that Barty Crouch Jr.'s mother had done something extraordinary, sacrificing herself to save her son. It was hard to fathom how someone like Barty Jr. could become such a twisted and fanatical Death Eater in such an upstanding family. Voldemort's influence was certainly a factor, but the misguided upbringing provided by Barty Crouch Sr. was undoubtedly a major contributor.
"After your father took you home, what happened?" Dumbledore inquired calmly.
"He used my mother's appearance to stage her death and arranged for a secret burial site. The grave was unmarked, and Winky, the house-elf, cared for me during my recovery. My father had to hide me while keeping me under his control, using various spells to bind me. Once my physical strength was restored, I only wanted to find my master and work for him again," Barty Crouch Jr. explained.
"How did your father control you?" Dumbledore asked.
"The Imperius Curse," replied Barty Crouch Jr. in his monotone voice. "I was under my father's control, forced to wear the Invisibility Cloak from dawn till dusk. I stayed hidden with Winky as my caregiver. She sympathized with me and sometimes convinced my father to treat me better, offering me rewards."
"Master Barty, Master Barty, you mustn't say more! We'll be in trouble!" Winky sobbed, covering her face.
"But Winky doesn't know the whole story," Barty Crouch Jr. continued. "She encouraged my father for months, saying I hadn't been outside for years. I loved Quidditch and wanted to watch the World Cup. She convinced him I should go, saying it was my mother's dying wish to see me free, not confined to our home. She argued with my father for a long time until he finally agreed."
"The plan was carefully thought out," Dumbledore remarked. "Your father woke you up early in the morning and led you to the top-tier box at the stadium. Winky kept your seat, pretending to save it for your father. You sat there, invisible to everyone else. After the event, you left the box when the place was nearly empty. It seemed as though Winky was alone, and no one noticed you."
"But Winky didn't know that I was growing stronger, slowly breaking free from my father's control," Barty Crouch Jr. explained. "Sometimes, I almost regained my natural disposition, momentarily shaking off his influence. It happened in the top-tier box as if I had awakened from a dream. I suddenly found myself sitting among the crowd, watching the event. My wand was in my hand, and I hadn't touched a wand since entering Azkaban. I had stolen this wand, and Winky didn't know about it. She has a fear of heights and was always covering her face."
"Master Barty, you stole a wand?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," Barty Crouch Jr. confirmed. "I had planned to use the wand to break free from my father's control. But then the Vampires launched their attack, and chaos ensued. Everyone fled the top-tier box, and Winky led me away. Amid the wreckage, I saw a boy named Evan Mason and the leader of the Vampires fighting. I sensed my master's aura from that Vampire leader, but I couldn't locate him. I used the wand to conjure the Dark Mark into the sky, wanting my master to know I was there."
Clearly, the Dark Mark had worked, and both Voldemort and the Vampires had noticed it, which was why they had retreated. Voldemort didn't want news of his return to spread before he was ready.
"After altering the Dark Mark, Ministry of Magic wizards arrived, casting Stunning Spells everywhere," Barty Crouch Jr. continued. "One spell hit the area where Winky and I were standing, severing our connection and leaving us unconscious."
"Winky was discovered once she was separated from me. My father realized that she must have known I was close by. He dismissed her, blaming her for not taking better care of me and allowing me to obtain a wand. He nearly punished her and almost let me escape," Barty Crouch Jr. recalled. "I was brought back home, and my father cast the Imperius Curse on me again, regaining control."
At this point, Winky let out a despairing cry.
"Currently, it's just my father and me at home," Barty Crouch Jr. said. "Then, my master found me!"
"He had found me among a group of Vampires. My master knew I was still alive. He captured Bertha Jorkins in Albania and interrogated her. She told him everything. She mentioned the Triwizard Tournament and that the retired Auror Moody was going to teach at Hogwarts. After further torture, Bertha revealed that I had escaped from Azkaban. Still, my father kept me at home, not letting me seek out my master. So, my master knew I was still his loyal servant, perhaps the most loyal one. Using the information Bertha provided, my master formulated a plan. He needed me, and that night, close to midnight, he came to find me, and my father opened the door for him."
A look of extreme satisfaction spread across Barty Crouch Jr.'s face as he recalled that moment, which he considered the happiest time of his life.
Winky's trembling hands revealed a terrified brown eye. She appeared too frightened to speak.
"My father had been subjected to the Imperius Curse by my master," Barty Crouch Jr. continued. "He is currently under house arrest and controlled. I was set free to recover and regain my natural disposition. I gained unprecedented vitality over those years. I used Polyjuice Potion to take on my father's appearance. I incapacitated Moody with the Vampire leader, turning him into Moody and sending him to Hogwarts."
The intricate web of deception and manipulation had allowed Barty Crouch Jr. to escape his father's control and serve his master once again.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Everyone was now aware of the events involving Barty Jr. Crouch. He had impersonated his father to place Ron's name into the Goblet of Fire. At the same time, Kreshkov had taken on the role of Moody to attract attention at Hogwarts and assist Ron during the Triwizard Tournament. However, Barty Jr. Crouch sensed something was amiss, perhaps suspecting that the traitorous Durand had leaked information to Voldemort, prompting him to hurriedly return to Hogwarts. He had escaped along with Barty Jr. Crouch through the latrine pit.
Dumbledore inquired, "Your father ran away afterward?"
"Yes," Barty Jr. Crouch confirmed, "My master informed me about it. He believed that the group of Vampires was untrustworthy and had alternative plans. To fulfill my master's plan, I came to Hogwarts and personally exchanged roles with the Vampire leader, Kreshkov. After he returned, he intentionally let my father escape. Kreshkov believed this would effectively demonstrate his loyalty to my master, but he didn't know my master's true plans. My father wanted to inform Dumbledore about everything and confess my role in secretly leading him out of Azkaban."
"Upon learning that my father had escaped, my master ordered me to intercept him at any cost. I remained vigilant, guarding the Forbidden Forest, knowing he would likely emerge from there. I waited for my father to arrive at Hogwarts, which took about a week. Finally, one night, I encountered him in the forest. My initial plan was to seize the opportunity to abduct Harry Potter directly. My master was growing anxious, and I had to act swiftly. I concealed a portkey underwater in the lake, ready to transport him away."
"Within the castle, Dumbledore kept a close watch on that boy. I had no opportunity to act. Evan Mason also became suspicious of me, and I sensed it. That child is incredibly intelligent and powerful. I had never seen such a young wizard. He posed a significant challenge. That night in the forest, I nearly lost to him. Fortunately, my father intervened at a critical moment, and I pursued him."
Dumbledore questioned further, "What did you do to your father?"
"I killed him," Barty Jr. Crouch replied, a strange and cruel smile crossing his lips.
"No!" Winky/glittering wailed. "Master Barty, what are you saying?"
Dumbledore maintained his gentle tone and inquired, "You killed your father. How did you dispose of his body?"
"In the woods, I covered him with an Invisibility Cloak and used Viktor Krum under the Imperius Curse for convenient control. I informed Dumbledore to search for my father in the Forbidden Forest. Still, after he left, I transfigured the corpse into skeletal remains. Then, I donned the Invisibility Cloak and buried the remains near Hagrid's hut."
A heavy silence fell over the room, with only Winky/Glittering continuing to sob. Barty Jr. Crouch had been devoted to Voldemort and had taken this drastic step, as Voldemort had also killed his father. This act emphasized the depth of his loyalty to the Dark Lord.
Barty Jr. Crouch described how he had used Krum to attack Ron underwater during the Triwizard Tournament's second task and attempted to abduct Harry.
Dumbledore eventually stood up, his expression filled with loathing as he looked down at Barty Jr. Crouch. "The matter is now clear," he said calmly. He turned to Evan and Harry, acknowledging their bravery and courage in facing Voldemort and Death Eaters, which exceeded his expectations. "Given today's unfortunate events, I believe it is best for both of you to proceed to the school hospital, where you can rest and take a calming draught. Sirius, would you accompany them?"
Sirius nodded and stood up, ready to accompany Evan and Harry.
"I also have some matters to discuss with you, Professor," Evan said, addressing Dumbledore regarding the issue of Kreshkov and the Vampires. Evan was concerned about Kreshkov's intentions, especially since Cedric had not yet returned.
Dumbledore agreed to discuss the Vampire matter later and asked Evan to wait in his office. He and Sirius would first escort Harry and Moody to the hospital wing. Snape was tasked with guarding Barty Jr. Crouch.
As Evan and Snape waited in the office, an awkward silence filled the room. Snape appeared uneasy, his Dark Mark causing him pain. Evan wondered about Snape's future, as Dumbledore would likely send him back to Voldemort as an undercover agent. It was evident that Voldemort was determined to eliminate any potential threats.
Evan felt compelled to offer a word of caution to Snape, urging him to be cautious. "After Voldemort's resurrection, his first order will be to summon the Death Eaters," Evan suddenly stated, observing Snape's reaction. "Compared to our meeting thirteen years ago, this time, many are absent. They didn't die but were imprisoned in Azkaban."
"Quiet, Mr. Know-it-all," Snape responded sharply. "I have no interest in hearing that story again."
Evan continued, undeterred. "In addition, three individuals have not been accounted for. First, Barty Jr. Crouch, who had no means of leaving Hogwarts after Harry and I sent him off. Another is likely Karkaroff."
"Karkaroff fled shortly after the Dark Lord's resurrection," Snape interjected coldly.
"Without a doubt, he is now a prime target for the Death Eaters. He would not dare to stay at Hogwarts. Voldemort anticipated this and likely has a plan to locate him," Evan explained. "As for the last person..."
"Please, Mason, let me concentrate!" Snape interrupted. "I must discern the Dark Lord's intentions and know what he is thinking."
At that moment, the office door swung open abruptly, and dementors entered, dragging Barty Jr. Crouch into the room, bound and incapacitated.