Emma Potter

120: PRIORI INCANTATEM

Dumbledore  stood up. He stared down at Barty Crouch for amoment with disgust on his face. Then he raised his wandonce more and ropes flew out of it, ropes that twisted themselvesaround Barty Crouch, binding him tightly. He turned to ProfessorMcGonagall. 

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

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

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

 Snape nodded silently and swept out of the room. 

"Harry? Emma?" Dumbledore said gently.

 Harry and I got up and swayed again; I also realized that I was shaking. Dumbledore gripped my arm and helped me and Harry out into the dark corridor."I want you to come up to my office first, Harry, Emma" he said quietlyas they headed up the passageway. "Sirius is waiting for us there."

 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 happenedsince Harry had first touched the Triwizard Cup. I didn't want tohave to examine the memories, fresh and sharp as photographs,which kept flashing across my mind. Mad-Eye Moody, inside thetrunk. Wormtail, slumped on the ground, cradling his stump of anarm. Voldemort, rising from the steaming cauldron. Cedric . . .dead . . . Cedric, asking to be returned to his parents. . . . 

"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 BartyCrouch, shook very slightly for the first time. "She was Head ofCedric's house, and knew him best." 

We had reached the stone gargoyle. Dumbledore gave thepassword, it sprang aside, and he and Harry and I went up the movingspiral staircase to the oak door. Dumbledore pushed it open. Sirius was standing there. His face was white and gaunt as it had beenwhen he had escaped Azkaban. In one swift moment, he hadcrossed the room. 

"Harry, Emma, are you all right? I knew it — I knew something likethis — what happened?" 

His hands shook as he helped Harry and me into a chair in front of thedesk.

 "What happened?" he asked more urgently 

Dumbledore began to tell Sirius everything Barty Crouch hadsaid. I was only half listening. So tired every bone in my bodywas aching, I wanted nothing more than to sit here, undisturbed,for hours and hours, until I fell asleep and didn't have to think orfeel anymore.There was a soft rush of wings. Fawkes the phoenix had left hisperch, flown across the office, and landed on Harry's knee. 

" 'Lo, Fawkes," said Harry quietly. He stroked the phoenix'sbeautiful scarlet-and-gold plumage. Fawkes blinked peacefully upat him. Dumbledore stopped talking. 

He sat down opposite Harry and me, behind his desk. He was looking at Harry and me, who avoided his eyes.Dumbledore was going to question us. He was going to make us relive everything.

 "I need to know what happened after you touched the Portkeyin the maze, Harry,Emma" said Dumbledore. 

"We can leave that till morning, can't we, Dumbledore?" saidSirius harshly. He had put a hand on each Harry's and my shoulder. "Let them have a sleep. Let them rest." I felt a rush of gratitude toward Sirius, but Dumbledoretook no notice of Sirius's words. He leaned forward toward Harry and me.