Tom found himself back in the Ministry well after normal closing hours in Madam Bones’ office. Tom was here with his son, their lawyer Lawrence Justin whom represented most of the Dark Factions’ Lords and Ladies, Amelia Bones, Charles, Percy and William Weasley. Hadrian was at his Tom’s right as was his rightful place whilst Justin was to his left. Meanwhile Cursebreaker Weasley sat in the middle with the Junior Undersecretary to his right and the Dragon a to his left opposite to the Dark siders. Madam Bones stood in the middle of her desk giving the Weasley brothers a piercing look.
The Weasley brothers had just arrived and sat down opposite the Dark siders. The younger Weasley looked as stuck-up as some of his followers whilst the older brother just looked curious and speculative towards Tom. That meant the Cursebreaker must have at least a small suspicion that Dumbledore was telling the truth. Luckily whilst he looked curious he did not look openly hostile. The middle brother meanwhile seemed more interested in Hadrian.
‘Hi, Bill, Charlie, Percy,’ Hadrian smiled trying to hide his nervousness.
‘Harry,’ William Weasley’s smile did not reach his eyes.
‘I just want to say that I do not support not condone my mother or sibling’s treatment towards you or Lord Slytherin,’ Percy Weasley said quite pompously.
‘Thanks,’ Hadrian said quietly.
‘What Percy said,’ grinned Charles. ‘I have to say your new looks suit you.’
Tom cleared his throat not wanting another grown man to have any romantic interest in Hadrian. True Charles was much closer in age than Lucius but he was a bloody Weasley. And Tom had enough with Weasleys trying to force themselves on his son with Ginevra Molly Weasley and her manipulative bitch of a mother attempting to woo Hadrian with love potions.
‘Now let’s get down to business,’ the eldest Weasley brother said sharply.
‘Yes, lets,’ agreed Tom.
Tom gave Hadrian a sharp look at his unprofessional behaviour and gave the Dragon Tamer a furious glare for daring to so much as look at his son like that. Tom knew that Hadrian knew he had been acting completely unprofessionally. Tom supposed it was nice to know that not all of those who he had thought of as his surrogate family had been using him. However, he should know that he no longer need his surrogate family.
He had Tom now.
‘I know you want justice for what was done to your family,’ the Cursebreaker began calmly. ‘I do not blame you for that, at all, and know my family have dug their own graves. However, I cannot stand by as they are executed.’
‘I understand,’ Tom said calmly. ‘I would feel the same.’
Tom knew that he would feel the same from painful personal experience of having been in the same shoes as the five elder Weasley brothers. Tom had thought for many years that James had betrayed him to the Light side and the Mudblood whore Lily Evans. He had been so angry and hurt by what he thought James had done to him - to them - to what they had.
Yet at the same he would never have hurt James no matter what many of his Inner Circle Death Eaters had thought about leaving the traitor alive and unpunished. It was part of the reason he had gone after Evans and Hadrian that night. Tom knew that there were several Death Eaters who wanted to teach the traitor a lesson themselves if the Dark Lord was not willing to.
Tom had hoped that they would be satisfied with having the traitor watch as his whole family was destroyed but not be allowed the mercy of death. Plus, Tom had wanted James to hurt as much as Tom did. Destroying James’ happiness would have been just desserts in Tom’s opinion but even at his lowest moment Tom would have never stood by and watched James be killed.
If Tom had had a body when Dumbledore came he would have destroyed Dumbledore rather than let James be killed. Hell, if he hadn’t fled soon as his body been destroyed he could have at least distracted Dumbledore long enough for James and Hadrian to get to safety. It wasn’t like he could have been killed. But he was hurt, angry and weak so had fled leaving James to be murdered.
Yes, it was different because the Weasleys had actually committed the crimes they were accused of without any controlling spells or potions. Yes, it could be argued that Ron and Ginny were indoctrinated by their mother and Dumbledore. However, that didn’t excuse them of their behaviours considering Hadrian too was indoctrinated and even before finding the truth he would never have opted to blame a child for their parentage. Or raise a child as a weapon and sacrifice. Nor hurt a child in a bid for controlling. And he definitely would not spend fifteen years plotting said child’s murder.
‘I know that my family are not the one that you really want,’ the elder Weasley said succinctly. ‘That honour belongs to Dumbledore.’
‘No, they are not,’ agreed Tom calmly.
‘Lord Slytherin may be more interested in Albus Dumbledore but that does not mean your family are absolved of their crimes,’ Amelia said coolly.
‘Nor are we willing to leave them unpunished,’ Hadrian said sharply.
Anger shone in Tom’s son’s chocolate coloured eyes. Anger that echoed in Tom but it was so much worse for Hadrian than Tom. The Weasley matriarch had been the mother he had never had. Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger had been his brother and sister – his best friends. And they had been lying, ticking, poisoning, stealing and plotting his death the whole time.
They had broken his heart when Hadrian had found out the truth. Yet they still thought that they were in the right because they were the so called Light. Yet despite all that Hadrian still was absolutely devastated by what he had to do to the Granger girl. Tom wished there had been another choice but there was no ritual to resurrect him that could be done.
And whilst luckily Hadrian hadn’t known the Weasley girl enough to actually be betrayed by her. The Weasley bitch's crimes against Hadrian were the worst out of the lot of Dumbledore's fools. The girl had wanted to rape him and steal his free will from him. She wanted to take his children and twist them to her own purposes just as Dumbledore had done to Hadrian for thirteen years.
Tom wanted the three of them to suffer for both what they had done and what they planned to do to his son. Tom wanted them to know in the moments before they faced the Dementors for the last time that it was Lord Voldemort sentencing them to a fate worse than death for what they had done to his Heir. It was no less than they would have done to Hadrian.
However, Dumbledore was the one who had orchestrated the whole plan against him and Hadrian. The old fool was at the end of the day was the one who had kidnapped Hadrian from his father and killed his James destroying Tom's happiness. The Headmaster was the one who had made Hadrian’s first eleven years of his life a living hell by sentencing him to the Dursleys.
It was Dumbledore that the Dark Lord wanted to suffer more than anyone else for taking James and Hadrian from him! For depriving Tom of a body for almost fourteen years! From manipulating him into attempting to kill his own son! There wasn't a day that went by that he wasn't thankful that his magic recognised Hadrian as his son even if Tom himself did not.
‘Nothing will be able to absolve of them of their crimes to you,’ the Cursebreaker said apparently calmly.
‘However, I think you would be amenable for them serving a shorter sentence,’ Percy appealed. ‘In return for our testimonies. We all know that with Dumbledore’s popularity and cunningness that he will do everything in his power to escape justice.’
‘I have reviewed the case personally,’ Lawyer Justin said. ‘The case is airtight.’
‘Yet Dumbledore has always been very slippery,’ the young politician smiled a crocodile’s smile. ‘There is a reason that he managed to get away with his crimes for so long. And we have seen first-hand what his plans regarding Heir Slytherin are. Our testimonies would prove invaluable to make sure that Dumbledore gets the Kiss!’
Tom knew that the two of them were right even if he did not like the idea of mercy being shown to the Weasels. Dumbledore was the far bigger threat who needed to be removed if their plans were to advance. Dumbledore would be a hindrance even if his reputation was shot and he was removed from his positions of power. Too many people were devoted to him to let him remain free or even alive.
‘Lord and Heir Slytherin would be willing to drop the charges against Mister Ronald Billius Weasley and Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley due to their age and possible indoctrination,’ Justin said calmly.
Not that the two of them would likely be sentenced to Azkaban due to the fact that they were underaged at the time the crimes were committed. Most people would see that as their mother and the Headmaster indoctrinating them from a young age. They would be likely right to as the two Weasleys had never stood much of a chance with Molly Weasley as their mother. How the older five were so sane was anyone's guess.
Anyway dropping the charges against Ginny and Ron would be seen as the merciful thing to do. It would gain them a lot of support with the Neutrals and the non-Dumbledore following Light siders. And those who were on the fence about whether or not Foma Slytherin was Voldemort would see Lord “Foma” Slytherin’s mercy as proof he was not Voldemort. Lord Voldemort’s thirst for vengeance was legendary after the last few mad years of the war.
But they would get revenge in time!
When it came out that the Weasleys and Dumbledore had committed line theft against Marcus and tried to commit line theft against Hadrian even the youngest Weasleys would be Kissed. And that was worth waiting for justice to come to them. To see their faces when they realised it was the Dark who had held the cards the whole time. Revenge was after all a dish best served up cold.
‘That is acceptable,’ Percy Weasley agreed.
Clearly this was what the three Weasleys had been hoping for. Tom did not mention that by blaming Ronald and Ginevra Weasley’s actions on indoctrination then their mother would be viewed even more harshly. Not that that mattered to Tom as the bitch could burn in hell for all he cared. However, Tom was sure it would matter to the young Weasleys.
‘Good,’ Madam Bones said beside him. ‘Would you be willing to write and sign your statement today.’
The three Weasley brothers looked at each other and nodded a little unwillingly. They knew by doing this that they were betraying the Order once and for all. Knew that they were selling out the great Albus Dumbledore! There would be no going back after this. Their parents, Dumbledore and the Order would never forgive them for what they were about to do.
Yet despite knowing that they were betraying their family and Dumbledore by doing this all three of the eldest Weasleys began to write their testimonies on the parchment before them. And once they were finished signed them with the blood quill provided which meant even if they backed out of testifying later their written testimonies could still be used as evidence. Madam Bones then collected the three scrolls.
‘Thank you,’ Hadrian said quietly. ‘It’s nice to know not all of you just like me for my money and fame.’
Charles laughed, ‘there are things I like much better about you than your money, Harry.’
Hadrian blinked surprised, ‘err right. Well, Bill, Percy thank you anyway.’
‘I shall see you at the trial,’ Tom said. ‘And if Charles I am sure that you did not just act so familiarly with Hadrian without requesting to Court him. I may just have to defend my son’s honour.’
Tom smiled a cruel smile itching to be able to curse one of the man who wanted his teenaged son without Harry stopping him. Tom could finally take all his anger he felt at Lucius out on someone deserving. Torturing Wormtail had not been enough to calm the rage he felt at the man who had stolen Hadrian’s virginity from him especially as Hadrian insisted on waving Lucius in front of his face constantly.
Charles Weasley looked more than a little bit unnerved and gulped audibly at the murderous look on Tom’s face. A look that likely made the Dragon Tamer think of the rumours about Foma Slytherin. Clearly the second Weasley did not believe Tom was Lord Voldemort. If he had Tom was sure he would never have flirted with Hadrian so boldly right in front of the Dark Lord's face.
'Dad,' groaned Harry. 'Leave Charlie alone. He didn't mean anything by it.'
'I'll be the judge of that,' Tom said icily.
‘I am sorry if my comments caused offence,’ the Dragon Tamer said voice a little higher than normal.
‘Yes, well it’s been a long day for my brother and I,’ the Cursebreaker said.
The eldest Weasley practically dragged his younger brother out of the room with the youngest Weasley trotting after the older two. Tom knew that the twenty-two-year-old would be getting an ear full when they left likely from both brothers although for very different reasons. Tom did not feel sorry for him wanting to give him much more than a lecture for his inappropriate comments to Hadrian.
*.*
The morning after the three Weasleys had agreed to testify against Dumbledore Amelia once again found herself back at Hogwarts. Just when she had believed that everything was fairly stable at the ancient school something else came up. And Amelia could just guess who it would lead back to. Amelia was just glad that Susan was out for the summer and was seriously considering sending Amelia to another school next year. Susan might hate her for the rest of her life but at least she would be safe.
‘Show me,’ Amelia instructed the Headmaster.
Dumbledore lead Amelia down to the Defence Professor’s classroom. Soon as she entered Amelia could see the destroyed and knocked over furniture. Then there were the curse marks marring the floors and walls. Most telling of all was the pool of blood in the middle of the room and the drag marks which ended at the door to the Defence classroom. The whole room was giving Amelia the oddest sense of deja vu.
‘Who discovered this?’ demanded Amelia.
‘I did,’ Dumbledore said calmly. ‘I came down to talk to him about some things regarding Voldemort’s rise.’
Amelia sighed, ‘if you are trying once more to convince me that the Dark Lord has risen and is Lord Slytherin please don’t. Do you really think that if You Know Who was back he’d choose a title with such known associations with his past?’
‘Tom has always had a strong connection with the Slytherin family,’ Dumbledore said calmly. ‘Who do you think killed Alastor?’
Amelia gave Albus an ice cold look, ‘let me and the Auror department do the detecting before leaping to conclusions.’
‘Now when did you find him?’ demanded Amelia.
‘Eight-thirty,’ replied Albus calmly.
‘And it took you almost half an hour to contact me?’ demanded Amelia harshly.
‘I was questioning my staff and portraits,’ Albus said simply. ‘And investigating the crime scene.’
‘That is our job,’ Amelia said harshly. ‘And if I find you have tampered with any evidence I will have you down for obstruction! Do you understand?’
Dumbledore scowled for a second revealing his true feelings for Amelia to see. Before he once more let a placid submissive look cross his face and nodded. Amelia hated this about Dumbledore and all politicians in fact. Dealing with criminals was dirty but they were at least honest about what they were. Dumbledore and his ilk dressed up their criminal intent with pretty words.
‘When was the last time you saw Moody?’ asked Amelia.
‘Last night at dinner,’ Dumbledore replied.
‘And how did he seem?’ demanded Amelia.
‘As he usually is,’ Dumbledore replied. ‘He had left to pack as he was going to go home in the morning. I wanted to talk to him before he left so I went to visit him and found this.’
Amelia nodded, ‘Healer Coote I want a full report on the crime scene whilst I speak to the staff.’
An hour later Amelia was seated in her office looking at an old case file from the war. It was a kidnapping and murder that Barty Crouch Junior was found to have committed in 1990. The crime scene looked almost identical to the crime scene in Moody’s office. It was what had given Amelia the deja vu at the crime scene. Amelia was just lucky this was the first case she had worked with Alastor as it made it easier to find than had it been a later one where she would have had to go through a ton of old case files.
Amelia had finished talking to the Hogwarts staff who were able to tell her a grand total of nothing. That was Coote came in looking unhappy. Amelia sighed knowing that whatever Coote had discovered was not good. Maybe because her suspicions about the scene being faked were true. The only thing was that Amelia could not figure out why her formed mentor would have done such a thing.
‘Healer Coote, what did you find out?’ demanded Amelia.
‘I have to say that I suspect the scene is a fake,’ Coote said.
‘Why?’ Amelia asked tiredly.
‘Many reasons,’ Coote said grimly. ‘First let’s start with blood. I have analysed it and there is almost exactly one pint of blood that has previously had storing spells placed on it for at least a week. That means that somebody took a pint of Moody’s blood, stored it and used it to coat the room in.
‘Secondly, all the blood stopped at the door. Unless they had a gurney or a trolley of some sort to transport Moody it should not have stopped so neatly at the door. And I am sure one of the portraits would have been awoken at the sound of a trolley coming wheeling around the corner.
‘Thirdly, I had one of the wardmaster consultors look at Hogwarts wards. The wards have not been touched so that means that this was not done by anyone outside. I’d suggest just in case they are still inside that you have a flight patrol circling to keep anyone from escaping the wards.’
Amelia nodded, ‘yes, I think that will be a good idea.’
‘Fourthly, Moody is cripple without his wooden leg or eye he would be exceptionally vulnerable. So why then are they nowhere to be found. If Moody was already dead, then the wooden leg at least would add a lot of weight. And they weren’t concerned about tidying up after themselves so I can’t imagine they’d want to take the leg with them.’
‘Finally, along with Moody’s leg and eye his wand is also missing. It’s true that there have been individuals in the past who have collected the wands of their victims as trophies. However, considering what else he took I do not believe that to be the case!’
‘Have you assessed the spell damage residue?’ asked Amelia.
‘Yes,’ Coote said. ‘Whoever did it masked their signature so I can’t tell who or how many people did this.’
Amelia nodded unsurprised as both Alastor and Dumbledore were nothing if not geniuses in their own fields. They wouldn’t have left their magical signature all over the crime scene. Still it did look like Moody was not as dead everyone thought he was. Unfortunately, Moody was the best of the best and Dumbledore an expert wards crafter which meant Moody would not be found until they wanted Moody to be found.
‘So you are suggesting that the crime scene is a fake?’ demanded Amelia.
‘Yes,’ Coote replied resolutely.
‘Well what do you make of this?’ asked Amelia.
Amelia pushed over the crime scene photo of Auror Chloe Johnson’s kidnapping. Johnson unlike Moody had really been kidnapped and subsequently tortured for hours for information on the Minister’s details. Before being brutally murdered in a shack in the middle of nowhere. Her body hadn’t been found until after Bagnold’s attempted assassination.
‘The crime scene matches almost perfectly,’ murmured Coote.
‘It was one of my first investigations as a Junior Auror,’ Amelia explained. ‘The investigation was led by Senior Auror Alastor Moody.’
‘That can’t be a coincidence,’ Coote said.
‘I know,’ sighed Amelia.
Alastor had been a friend and a mentor to Amelia. Someone whom Amelia had looked up to and greatly admired. Amelia knew that the older man’s mind had become slightly unhinged in his later years as evidenced by his paranoia that hinted at PTSD. Amelia had tried to convince him to see a Mind Healer but had been continually unsuccessful. Yet even she could never conceive that her friend would do this!
‘Are you okay, Amelia?’ asked Coote.
‘Don’t mind me Rafe,’ Amelia said shaking her head. ‘Alastor was a friend. I respected him a great deal. I know his mind was heavily affected by what he saw and he refused to see a Mind Healer but I just can’t believe he would go so far as to fake his death!’
‘Because Dumbledore has convinced him it’s for the greater good,’ Rafe said simply. ‘You know why he’s doing this!’
‘Yes,’ Amelia said grimly.
Amelia remembered Albus’ words pinning the blame on Lord Slytherin whom the old man wanted everyone to believe was the resurrected Lord Voldemort so he could go back to controlling Harry Potter. Dumbledore, Moody and the rest of their conspirators were using Moody’s death to make it look like Voldemort had killed Moody. It was to try and prove their lies were true.
‘He’s trying to make the world think that He Who Must Not Be Named is back,’ Amelia said stubbornly.
*.*
‘Welcome to the Ministry of Magic,’ the familiar cool expressionless female voice sounded that had not changed in the fourteen years since Barty had been arrested. ‘Please state your name and business.’
‘Balthazar Casimir Erebus Crouch,’ Barty said calmly. ‘Here to claim my Lordship.’
Barty had had the chance to choose his own name now instead of carrying his cursed father’s name throughout his life. He didn’t even have a middle name that he could choose instead. If Barty had he would have certainly have used it. He had half thought of doing what the Dark Lord had done and create his own name but feared that the Dark Lord would see that as him trying to take over.
His first name meant protect the King which he meant to mean that he would protect and serve the Dark Lord and Prince. He had chosen Casimir as his first middle name which meant “to destroy peace or the world” because they would destroy the old order and rebuild it better than ever before. Plus, it had been the name of several European Magical Kings in the past. The perfect name for a young Lord. And Erebus the personification of Darkness in Greek Mythology cementing the fact that despite his family name he was Dark.
Yesterday after returning from setting up the crime scene that Amelia Bones would recognise as fake. That was of course the plan as it would make Dumbledore look bad. Hence, the reason why Barty had chosen to set it up to look like a crime only three people could know of - himself, Amelia and Moody as Amelia didn't do it and Barty was apparently dead it had to have been Moody. Naturally Moody would never be found but that wasn’t surprising as Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody had been the best of the best.
Snape had brewed him a potion that would permanently change his looks to that of one of his ancestors. All he needed was one of their hairs to complete the potion. That had been the far hardest part as he was not going to be stuck looking like his father for the rest of his life but already looked the spitting image of his mother. In the end he had found an old hairbrush of his paternal grandmother Charis Black.
Along with that there was a permanent deaging potion that had turned back the years so that he looked like he had twenty-three in March. Of course, it didn't change the age of his cells so whilst a eighty year old could look twenty it would not make a wizard immortal. It had also been on the list of banned potions since the sixteenth century when a criminal had used it to escape detection as her daughter for thirty years. It was only discovered when the apparently healthy forty-nine year old had had a stroke. Previously it had been used as a cosmetic potion for the vane witch and wizard who wanted to look twenty eternally. Barty found that creepy personally.
Barty now had thick, curly black hair that fell to his shoulders so different from his thin straw coloured hair. His dark brown eyes had paled to grey-blue eyes. His skin was still pale but he now had slight freckles. His nose and chin were the same but his harsh features had been softened by the potion. He looked absolutely nothing like Barty Crouch Junior now.
‘Thank you,’ the voice chimed out. ‘Visitor, please take your badge and attach it to the front of your robes. Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium.’
Crouch picked up the silver badge proclaiming “Balthazar Crouch – Lordship Claim”. Barty placed his badge on the front of his blue robes just as the lift whirred into action. Barty had always hated the lift that appeared to be unable to go anywhere smoothly. As a child when his mother had taken him to visit his father it had caused him to be sick mortifying his father. Barty's father had told him that day that he was an embarrassment to the name of Crouch although that wasn't uncommon. Still they'd show him now everyone would think of him as a cheating scumbag who had impregnated an American Muggle whilst he had a teenaged son.
A few seconds later and the lift sprung open revealing the constantly full atrium that was milling with people. Luckily it wasn't the beginning or the end of the day because otherwise you would be barely able to move. Barty approached the wand weighing station with his brand new wand. The security guard had the morning edition of the Daily Prophet open proclaiming:
WAR HERO FAKED OWN DEATH
‘Wand,’ grunted Munch having somehow seen Barty approach.
Barty handed over his new wand over to the security guard. Barty had bought it from Ollivanders yesterday afternoon after gaining his new appearance. Ollivander had somehow known it was him although didn’t seem to perturbed about an apparently dead Death Eater in his shop. His new wand not unlike his original wand was a hornbeam wand with a heartstring from a Hebridean Black which was very unlike his original wand which had been a hair from a unicorn mane.
‘Eleven inches, dragon heartstring, been in use one day,’ frowned Munch. ‘That right?’
Barty nodded speaking with a fake American accent, ‘my wand got broken on the Portkey trip here.’
Munch snorted, ‘that’s the thing about these transatlantic portkeys. I keep this.’
Munch indicated the parchment as he impaled it on a spike and handed Barty is wand back. Barty pocketed the hornbeam wand and placed it in his inner robe pockets. He made his way up to the Wizengamot administration services. Barty was greeted by an older man with a sickly look about his waxy face and off white hair. Barty couldn’t help the sneer that graced his face at the look of this half-alive thing. Most likely an old Squib who hadn’t been disowned if he was here.
‘I would like to claim my seat on the Wizengamot,’ Barty said calmly.
‘Place a drop of blood on the parchment,’ instructed the old man.
Barty did as instructed and was unsurprised to see the black and white stripped crest of the Ancient and Noble House of Crouch appear on the parchment. Barty passed the parchment back over to the old man. The old man surveyed the results looking a little surprised at the results as Barty and his father were well known to be the last of the Crouch line.
‘Lord Crouch,’ the old man said. ‘Thought they were all gone. You don't look much like Barty.'
'I look like Mom,' shrugged Barty. 'Didn't even know my father's name until the letter came in from Gringotts saying I was the Heir to the House of Crouch. It was more of a surprise to me than you. I always just thought that my father was some Squib that I inherited magic from. Never knew he was a rich scumbag who hid all evidence of his dalliances with Muggles.'
'Anyway, name?’ the old man asked sounding awkward.
‘Balthazar Casimir Erebus Crouch,’ Barty said calmly.
‘Date of birth?’ asked the old man.
‘Eighth of March 1972,’ Barty said calmly.
‘Place of birth?’ asked the old man.
‘New York,’ Barty replied.
‘Alright that’s all settled,’ the old man said. ‘You’ll be notified by owl of the next date of the Wizengamot session.’