Girl Who Escaped {Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire} [BEING EDITED]

[20] The Parting of Ways.

[Chapter 20: The parting of ways.]

Dumbledore stood up. He stared down at Barty Crouch for a moment with disgust on his face. Then he raised his wand once more and ropes flew out of it, ropes that twisted themselves around Barty Crouch, binding him tightly. He turned to Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, could I ask you to stand guard here while I take Harry and Acacia upstairs?"

"Of course," said Professor McGonagall. She looked slightly nauseous, as though she had just watched someone being sick. However, when she drew out her wand and pointed it at Barty Crouch, her hand was quite steady.

"Severus" - Dumbledore turned to Snape - "Please tell Madam Pomfrey to come down here; we need to get Alastor Moody into the hospital wing. Then go down into the grounds, find Cornelius Fudge, and bring him up to this office. He will undoubtedly want to question Crouch himself. Tell him I will be in the hospital wing in half an hour's time if he needs me."

Snape nodded silently and swept out of the room.

"Harry? Ash?" Dumbledore said gently.

Harry got up and swayed again; He was shaking too. Dumbledore gripped his arm and helped him out into the dark corridor.

I had enough strength to walk now that the curse had wore off a bit. I clinged to Harry, however.

"I want you two to come up to my office first," he said quiedy as they headed up the passageway. "Sirius is waiting for us there."

Harry and I nodded. A kind of numbness and a sense of complete unreality were upon me, but I did not care; I was even glad of it. I didn't want to have to think about anything that had happened since since I first saw Cedric's clouded eyes. I didn't want to have to examine the memories, fresh and sharp as photographs, which kept flashing across my mind. Mad-Eye Moody, inside the trunk.

"Professor," Harry mumbled, "Where are Mr. and Mrs. Diggory?"

"They are with Professor Sprout," said Dumbledore. His voice, which had been so calm throughout the interrogation of Barty Crouch, shook very slightly for the first time. "She was Head of Cedric's house, and knew him best."

"No she didn't." I spat quickly, "And I want to meet them."

"And you shall, Ash..."

We had reached the stone gargoyle. Dumbledore gave the password, it sprang aside, and he Harry, and I went up the moving spiral staircase to the oak door. Dumbledore pushed it open; Sirius was standing there. His face was white and gaunt; In one swift moment, he had crossed the room, pulling both Harry and I into his arms.

"Harry, Acacia, are you two all right? I knew it - I knew something like this - what happened?"

His hands shook as he helped Harry into a chair in front of the desk, then I beside him.

"What happened?" he asked more urgently.

Dumbledore began to tell Sirius everything Barty Crouch had said. I was only half listening. I wanted nothing more than to sit here, undisturbed, for hours and hours, until I fell asleep and didn't have to think or feel anymore. I was leaned over, hugging Harry's side, my face lay on his broad shoulder.

There was a soft rush of wings. Fawkes the phoenix had left his perch, flown across the office, and landed on Harry's knee.

"'Lo, Fawkes," said Harry quietly. He stroked the phoenix's beautiful scarlet-and-gold plumage. Fawkes blinked peacefully up at him. There was something comforting about his warm presence.

I snuggled deeper into Harry's side, and sighed, fighting off the tears again. I was glad for the closeness of mine and Harry's friendship. If we were not as close as we are, I'd probably still be crying.