Evan and Harry took a few steps forward, trying to glimpse the four Death Eaters as the dementors led away, but they vanished into the shadows. Behind the iron gate was darkness, and Dumbledore's memory didn't extend that far. It was a pity that Evan couldn't see the moment when Sirius was sent to Azkaban.
"Found you here!" Sirius's voice suddenly echoed from behind, surprising both Evan and Harry. "Good morning, Evan! Good morning, Harry!"
"Sirius!"
Evan turned around to see Sirius standing there, a smile on his face as he greeted them.
"Sirius, how did you get here?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Hogwarts is dealing with a big issue, so I couldn't stay away," Sirius explained. "I came with Rufus Scrimgeour and Kingsley Shacklebolt after hearing about your experiences last night. Fudge thought he needed protection, so Scrimgeour and Shacklebolt went to the Forbidden Forest. I came looking for you."
"What did they find in the Forbidden Forest? Did they find Mr. Crouch?" Harry inquired.
"They found nothing. Crouch has disappeared without a trace. Fudge doesn't believe Dumbledore's words, but the evidence of the battle can't be denied. I believe what you've said," Sirius replied. "But things are dire. There are some dangerous characters at Hogwarts under these circumstances."
"Do you think..." Harry began.
"Harry, let's not discuss that right now. You need to understand that, given the current situation, you shouldn't leave the castle tonight. It's too dangerous!" Sirius interrupted, his expression stern. "Regardless of who is hiding in the shadows, they want to prevent Crouch from seeing Dumbledore. Perhaps you'd be outmatched in the darkness, and your life could be in danger."
"But..." Harry started to protest.
"You must promise me that until the Tournament is over and you're on your break, you won't go to secluded places or even leave Gryffindor Tower," Sirius insisted.
Harry was deflated, feeling that staying cooped up in the common room was ridiculous. He wanted to investigate, find out who was hiding behind the plot, and was about to voice his objections when Sirius continued.
"Given the current situation, I'm preparing to protect Hogwarts," Sirius revealed.
"What? You're coming to Hogwarts?!" Harry exclaimed, shocked.
"Sirius, you should know that..." Evan began.
"Don't worry. I'm sneaking in secretly. No one will discover me," Sirius assured them. He gave them a reassuring smile and patted their arms. "According to the plan, after leaving Hogwarts, I'm supposed to go straight to Albania to deal with the vampire situation. But that's what they all think. In reality, I'll be staying at Hogwarts."
"You'll be discovered!" Evan warned.
"Relax, my ability to transform into an Animagus is a secret. No one knows my Animagus form, and even if they saw me, they'd just think I'm a stray dog. I'm staying at Hogwarts to assist in future actions and to investigate the person behind all of this. And, of course, to protect you," Sirius explained. "Oh, by the way, I need a code name. If you need to mention me, call me 'Catching Cold.'"
Sirius seemed quite enthusiastic about this and was clearly taking a great risk. But that was Sirius for you, always willing to go the extra mile. Evan couldn't help but feel a mixture of annoyance and gratitude. Just as Harry was about to voice his protests, Sirius continued.
"For now, let's focus on this matter," Sirius said. "Harry, you must understand that, under these circumstances, you shouldn't leave the castle in the evening. It's too dangerous. Stay within Gryffindor Tower, and don't venture out."
Harry felt his spirits sink. He had been planning to investigate, to find the person behind all this. He didn't want to stay cooped up in his dormitory. Before he could voice his objections, Sirius added, "Considering the current situation, I'm preparing to protect Hogwarts.
"What? You're coming to Hogwarts?" Harry asked, stunned.
"Sirius, you should know that..." Evan began, but Sirius interrupted him.
"Don't worry. I'll be sneaking in secretly. No one will discover me," Sirius assured them, his eyes filled with determination. He gave them a reassuring smile and patted their arms. "According to the plan, after leaving Hogwarts, I'm supposed to go straight to Albania to deal with the vampire situation. But that's what they all think. In reality, I'll be staying at Hogwarts."
"You'll be discovered!" Evan warned.
"Relax. My ability to transform into an Animagus is a well-kept secret. No one knows my Animagus form, and even if they saw me, they'd just think I'm a stray dog. I'm staying at Hogwarts to assist in future actions and to investigate the person behind all of this. And, of course, to protect you," Sirius explained. "Oh, by the way, I need a code name. If you need to mention me, call me 'Catching Cold.'"
Sirius seemed quite enthusiastic about this and was clearly taking a great risk. But that was Sirius for you, always willing to go the extra mile. Evan couldn't help but feel a mixture of annoyance and gratitude.
As they continued discussing their plans, a group arrived, engaged in a heated argument. Moody and Scrimgeour were arguing about Crouch's whereabouts. Scrimgeour believed that Crouch had not left the Forbidden Forest, while Moody was convinced, he had.
Fudge, on the other hand, had a different perspective. He seemed unwilling to accept that Crouch might be missing or have any connection to Voldemort. Instead, he leaned towards the theory that Madam Maxime had attacked Crouch, as the Beauxbatons carriage was conveniently close, and she had a giant heritage.
Ultimately, Fudge decided not to publicize the situation and announced that Crouch was on leave due to illness. The Aurors would secretly investigate, and Fudge would temporarily replace Crouch as one of the Triwizard Tournament judges.
Fudge left the office somberly, holding onto the hope that Crouch would reappear. The best-case scenario was that Crouch had gone mad due to long-term stress and pressure but was not dead or missing.
Evan watched as Sirius waved goodbye to them and left with Fudge. In the eyes of others, he would be heading to Albania, but in reality, he would be returning to Hogwarts.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In the room, only Dumbledore, Evan, and Harry remained. Harry appeared cautious, Dumbledore seemed tired, and dealing with Fudge was proving to be a challenge. Evan understood that while Dumbledore could ignore the Ministry of Magic's opinions, he usually tried to avoid doing so unless necessary. Going against the Ministry could have severe consequences, so he often sought their support and cooperation, even if it proved difficult, with Fudge becoming increasingly stubborn.
Dumbledore, however, began the conversation on a lighter note. "What brings you two here?" he asked, turning his attention to Evan and Harry. "I suggested earlier that you might want to have something to eat. I assume you haven't had breakfast yet."
With a wave of his wand, a table appeared with a spread of sandwiches and milk. Dumbledore sat down and gestured for Evan and Harry to do the same.
As they began eating, Dumbledore's gaze drifted toward the partially open cabinet door as if he had already guessed something was on their minds.
"Professor!" Harry blurted between bites, "We came in, and the cabinet door was open..."
"And we couldn't help but notice the Pensieve inside!" Evan added, "And your memories!"
"I understand," Dumbledore said calmly, his eyes resting on the two of them from above his half-moon glasses. "Curiosity is not a crime, but I must reiterate we must be cautious in our curiosity. Especially you, Evan, you have encountered things you do not yet understand, and that can be..."
Dumbledore left the sentence unfinished, leaving Evan to wonder what he was referring to. Was it the dangerous dark magic, the demons in the basement, or perhaps the menacing evil gods? Dumbledore's cryptic warning left Evan perplexed.
"I understand," Evan nodded, still curious about what exactly Dumbledore was alluding to.
"Very well," Dumbledore smiled. He moved to open the cabinet door and retrieved the Pensieve, placing it on the table before them. The silvery substance inside began to ripple.
"I believe you should be familiar with this Pensieve," Dumbledore said as he sat back down. "Sometimes, when my mind becomes too cluttered with thoughts and memories, I find it helpful to sort through them with its assistance. Pouring memories into the Pensieve is quite a soothing process. It allows me to see their shapes and connections more clearly."
Under the watchful gaze of Evan and Harry, Dumbledore inserted the tip of his wand into his silvery hair and approached the Pensieve. When he withdrew his wand, a small silvery strand, similar to the material inside the Pensieve, clung to its tip. Dumbledore added this strand to the Pensieve and held it with both hands, giving it a gentle swirl.
It was like watching a wizard's version of a sand timer. As the Pensieve spun, the image of Severus Snape's face began to materialize within the silvery substance. Snape spoke, but his voice echoed as if it were coming from deep within the stone basin.
"He's back, and Karkaroff as well, more clearly than ever before..."
"He has returned, and his presence is more obvious than ever. I didn't even need your help to notice that..."
Dumbledore frowned slightly and stirred his thoughts in the Pensieve with the tip of his wand. The silvery substance in the Pensieve swirled, and a human form emerged—an image of a 13 or 14-year-old boy with pale skin covered in freckles.
"That's Mr. Crouch's son, right?" Harry asked, looking at the young boy.
"Yes," Dumbledore replied. He continued to stir the Pensieve, and Barty Jr. Crouch sank into it, causing the silvery substance to become opaque. "This is Barty Crouch Jr. during his school years. He was a very intelligent and polite young boy. Believe me, there aren't many students his age who study advanced spells like he did. Old Barty had high expectations for him."
"He was studying his own spells at the age of 14?" Evan inquired.
"A very interesting young wizard," Dumbledore said. "He excelled in all subjects and achieved top scores. He was second only to Tom Riddle, the most outstanding graduate Hogwarts has ever seen. I believed he would go on to work at the Ministry of Magic, following in his father's footsteps."
"Professor, when I saw the trial memory, Barty Jr. Crouch seemed different from the other Death Eaters," Harry pointed out hesitantly. "It's possible that he accidentally ended up there..."
"Nothing happens by accident, Harry," Dumbledore said, his eyes closed briefly. When he opened them again, he wore a self-reflective expression. "I later discovered that shortly after that conversation, he likely joined Voldemort's ranks, becoming the youngest Death Eater and quickly rising in importance. I should have been more observant, taken steps to prevent it..."
The silver light in the Pensieve cast an ethereal glow on Dumbledore's face, making him appear older than ever.
"Sometimes, I wonder if our approach to education is flawed," Dumbledore mused slowly. "We teach students magic but don't always emphasize the importance of cultivating good character and morality. This leads to the emergence of many dark wizards, especially among those in Slytherin. They are talented, but that also means they face greater temptations. We must be careful in guiding them..."
Dumbledore was different from other professors. He cared deeply about his students' character and values, striving to set them on the right path. He believed it was his responsibility to do so.
It was a noble idea, but Evan realized that, at times, even the best intentions could have unintended consequences. Voldemort, for instance, had grown up under Dumbledore's watchful eye and yet had become the darkest of Dark Lords. In the world of magic, the more talent one has, the greater the ambition and the stronger the temptations.
Sometimes, it seemed that following the right path could be the most challenging thing.