The Forbidden Forest stretched beneath a vast, darkened canopy, with faint stars scattered across the black expanse like pale blue gems adorning exquisite silk.
Augustus gazed at Moody, emerging from the shadows. His expression was enigmatic; Moody's timely appearance here, of all places, seemed too coincidental, especially given his other concealed identity.
"Blasted leg," Moody grumbled irritably. "I should've been here sooner... What happened? Snape mentioned something about Crouch—"
Casually mentioning Snape to imply he'd only just heard the news? A clumsy cover. Augustus chuckled softly.
Dumbledore glanced briefly at Augustus, puzzled by his smile, before turning to Hagrid. "Hagrid, quickly, fetch Karkaroff!"
"I don't know where Bartemius Crouch is," Dumbledore said to Moody, his voice steady, "but we must find him."
"I'll start looking," Moody said gruffly, raising his wand and limping into the forest.
"Professor, if there's nothing else, I'll return to the castle," Augustus said lightly.
Dumbledore offered a small smile. "Very well. Thank you for your assistance tonight. Go and rest."
With a nod, Augustus turned and made his way back to the castle, his tall figure soon vanishing into the night.
The following evening, after dinner, Augustus and his friends were on their way to the North Tower for Divination. Golden sunlight streamed through the high corridor windows, casting wide beams of light. The sky outside was a vivid blue, as if freshly glazed.
"You ran into Crouch in the Forbidden Forest last night?" Lilian's deep crimson eyes shimmered with surprise.
"And he even attacked Krum? That's unbelievable. Why would a Ministry official assault a student?" Draco asked, utterly bewildered.
"The key point is that he mentioned the Dark Lord," Lilian speculated with a furrowed brow. "If Augustus's account is accurate, it seems Crouch was likely held captive at one of their secret hideouts. Repeated use of the Imperius Curse to extract useful information must have left him in his current state."
"That's impossible," Draco scoffed, waving dismissively. "The Dark Lord was left a mere wisp of a soul after his duel with Augustus two years ago. How could he possibly infiltrate the Ministry and capture Crouch as you suggest?"
Lilian shot Draco a withering look. "The Dark Lord earned his title not just for his immense power, rivaling Dumbledore's, but because of his legion of loyal Death Eaters. With their pervasive reach, capturing Crouch—who often operates alone—wouldn't be difficult."
As the two argued, Augustus remained silent, recalling Crouch's erratic behavior the previous night. He sighed quietly. The tranquil days seemed numbered. No matter how turbulent the future storms, he would face them as they came.
The dim Divination classroom was stifling, the air thick and difficult to breathe. The smell of incense was even more overpowering than usual.
"My dears," Professor Trelawney said from her winged armchair, her enormous eyes sweeping over them, "we've almost completed our study of planetary divination. Today is an excellent opportunity to study the influence of Mars, as it's currently in a fascinating position. Look this way; I'll dim the lights…"
With a wave of her wand, all the lamps extinguished, leaving only the fireplace as a light source. Bending down, she pulled a small, glass-enclosed model of the solar system from beneath her chair. The miniature system was stunning, with a glowing sun, nine planets, and their moons floating in delicate orbits, sparkling in their respective positions.
Augustus gazed at the rotating solar system, his eyes growing unfocused. Planes, worlds, galaxies—the legendary Mage, who once ruled with iron will for decades, now viewed his own past as if it were an unreal dream. Political upheavals, old friends who stood atop the peaks of power—all seemed like illusions in hindsight. What remained enduring and true was only magic.
Professor Trelawney began explaining the intriguing angles formed by Mars and Neptune. The incense clouded the air, and a gentle breeze from the window caressed Harry's cheek. He could hear the faint chirping of an insect behind the curtains. His eyelids drooped...
Harry was no longer on the owl's back. He watched it fly toward a chair that was facing away from him. Three dark figures surrounded the chair, shifting ominously.
One was a massive snake. The other two were people—a short, balding man with a pointed nose and watery eyes, and a young man clad in golden armor, his handsome face serene despite his closed eyes.
"Lucky for you, Wormtail," an icy, high-pitched voice emanated from the chair, "you're extraordinarily fortunate. If it weren't for our friend's intervention at Hogwarts, Crouch would now be standing before Dumbledore, revealing every aspect of our plans."
"Master!" the balding man whimpered. "Master, I'm so grateful… so sorry…"
"Nagini," the cold voice continued, "unfortunate for you. I won't be feeding you Wormtail tonight. But don't worry… there's always Harry Potter…"
The snake hissed, flicking its tongue.
"Now, Wormtail," the chilling voice said again, "I must remind you that I don't tolerate further mistakes…"
The boy in golden armor, as if sensing something, turned his face directly toward Harry. Beneath his closed eyes, his serene expression curved into a strange, unsettling smile.
"Master… no… please…"
A wand tip emerged from the side of the chair, aimed at Wormtail.
"Crucio!" the voice snapped.
"Harry! Harry!"
Harry opened his eyes to find himself lying on the classroom floor, his hands clutching his face. His scar burned fiercely, tears streaming from the pain. It was real.
The entire class stood around him in shock, Ron kneeling beside him, looking pale with fear.
Breaking through the crowd, Yang Fan and his group of five approached Harry.
Without waiting for Professor Trelawney to speak, Yang Fan helped Harry to his feet, his expression stern.
"We're taking him to the hospital wing," he said before leaning closer to Harry and murmuring, "Potter, I think we need to talk."
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