Blooming in the Dark (Flora Weasley and Elwin Malfoy romance)

25. Than Anything in Sight

The moment Dumbledore reappeared in the Hospital Wing with Elwin and Flora, Mrs Weasley, Ron, and Bill instantly rushed toward Flora, but before they could ask her anything, Dumbledore said firmly, "No one is to speak to either of these two or Harry until they have all slept." 

"But, what happened?" Molly asked. "Where have they been?" 

"I will explain it to all of you later, but as Flora and Elwin have just had to relive the last thirty-six hours for me, I have no wish to do so again," Dumbledore said firmly. This, at last, subsided Mrs Weasley. Almost mechanically, Flora sank into the first bed she found. There she sat, frozen by shock until Madam Pomfrey, to whom Dumbledore briefly explained the situation, gently helped her under the covers before giving her a dreamless sleep potion. 

Elwin stood completely still for several minutes, looking at nothing in particular as his mind, overwhelmed with the events of the last several hours, shut down. He too was led to a bed by Madam Pomfrey and soon was fast asleep. Azar perched on the rail above his head, her great eyes fixed on those around him, looking much like some kind of guardian. 

The moment he had drifted off, Molly asked, "Albus, what is the meaning of all this?" 

"I promise you I will explain. For now, I must ask one of you to take a quick trip to Diagon Alley," Dumbledore replied. 

"For what?" Bill asked, his brows furrowed. 

"Unless I am much mistaken, inside Elwin's store you will find a very distressed bowtruckle." 

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A deafening bang startled Flora from sleep. Blinking to clear her vision, she looked toward the doors to see Fudge storming into the Hospital Wing, closely followed by Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. Elwin had woken at the same time, surprised to find Finn on the bedside table closest to him while Azar was perched above his head. As they were both sound asleep, however, his attention was quickly brought back to the ensuing shouting match. 

"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded the moment he caught sight of Molly. 

"He's not here," she said angrily. "This is a hospital wing, Minister, don't you think you'd do better to-" 

Before she could finish her sentence, the door opened again, announcing the arrival of Dumbledore himself. 

"What happened?" he asked sharply. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch-" 

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked, her nostrils flaring. "The Minister has seen to that!" 

"When we told Mr Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," Snape began in a low voice. "He seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch-" 

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall fumed. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but-" 

"My dear woman!" roared Fudge. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-" 

"The moment that - that thing entered the room," McGonagall screamed, her voice drowning out Fudge, "it swooped down on Crouch and - and-" She could not finish her sentence. 

"By all accounts, he is no loss!" blustered Fudge. "It seems he has been responsible for several deaths!" 

"But he cannot now give testimony, Cornelius," Dumbledore retorted. "He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people." 

"Why he killed them? Well that's no mystery is it?" Fudge countered stupidly. "He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions!" 

"Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore corrected. "Those people's deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body." 

Sputtering, Fudge goggled, "You-Know-Who...returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore..." 

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," Dumbledore resumed, "We heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort return." 

"See here, Dumbledore," Fudge said, beginning - none of them could quite believe - to smile. "You - you can't seriously believe that. You-Know-Who - back? Come now, come now...certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders - but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore-" 

"When Harry touched the Triwizard's Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," Dumbledore said steadily. "He, as well as Miss Weasley and Mr Malfoy, witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office." Glancing back to see all three awake, he shook his head, adding, "I cannot permit you to question any of them tonight." 

"You are - er - prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?" Fudge remarked, giving Harry a curious look. Sirius, positioned at the foot of Harry's bed in dog form, began to growl. Even Azar and Finn had woken up now and were watching the interaction with vapid attention. 

"Certainly, I believe Harry," Dumbledore replied, his eyes blazing. "I heard Crouch's confession, I heard Harry's account of what happened after he touched the Triwizard Cup, and I heard brief accounts from Miss Flora and Mr Elwin. The four stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer." 

Glancing briefly at Harry, Fudge said, "You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who...well..." He glanced at Harry again. 

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr Fudge," Harry remarked quietly.