Chapter 393: Qualified sparring partner, Crouch may be out of luck
After confirming Crouch's disappearance, Dumbledorenotified the Ministry of Magic, and Fudge immediately dispatched people to launch an investigation.
Harry received a reply from Sirius, who criticized him for meeting Krum alone outside Hogwarts Castle and instructed him to practice a few practical magic spells for the third task.
Not only did his godfather say so, but Moody also gave the same advice, so he could only selectively forget about Crouch's disappearance; after all, even if he wanted to intervene, he wouldn't know where to start.
Hermione and Ron were good teammates for once, taking him to the library every day to look for useful spells, and then finding empty classrooms to practice.
During Divination Class, Aaron sat next to Harry and Ron.
He looked at their tired faces and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you two? You look much more haggard than usual!"
"Ask him." Ron pointed at Harry, his eyes full of helplessness.
"I've been practicing magic spells a lot lately, so I'm a bit tired."
"You're tired? I'm the one who's tired, alright?" Ron said grumpily, "Only I'm willing to be your sparring partner. I get hit by Stupefy dozens of times every day, and I'm sore all over from falling."
"Hiss!"
Aaron couldn't help but gasp, looking at Ron with a mix of admiration and concern for an idiot.
Using a living person as a sparring partner, he must have a lot of guts.
If Harry accidentally cast a Blasting Curse instead of Stupefy, Ron might have to lie in the Hospital Wing until the holidays.
"Aaron, can we borrow Abe for a bit?"
"What do you want to do?"
"Find Harry a perfect sparring partner!" Ron said as a matter of course, "It's a dragon, so its magic resistance and agility are very high, right?
Plus, it's thick-skinned, so it won't feel much pain when hit by magic spells."
"Heh heh!" Aaron sneered, "You're not it, so how do you know it doesn't hurt when hit by magic spells?"
Abe also nodded seriously. It wasn't even considered in its youth yet. Although its magic resistance was maxed out, it still felt pain.
"If you want to kill me, just say so." Harry said speechlessly, "What if we anger Abe and it swats us with a claw?"
"This..."
Ron looked at the harmless Abe, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
His understanding of Abe was still from his first year, but even then, one swat from its claw was more than Harry's small frame could handle.
"I take it back."
The class bell rang, and Professor Trelawney came down the stairs.
The fire in the hearth was particularly strong today, and the incense on her quickly filled the classroom, making everyone's head feel stuffy.
"Harry." Ron pursed his lips, "Maybe we should open a window!"
Harry nodded, opening the window a crack. He felt a bit more comfortable with the cool breeze from outside.
"My dears," Professor Trelawney said mysteriously, "we've almost finished discussing planetary divination, but today is a great opportunity to study the influence of Mars, as it is currently in a very interesting position.
Please look this way, I'm turning off the lights."
Professor Trelawney waved her wand, and all the lights went out, leaving the fireplace as the only light source.
She took out a miniature model of the solar system; the nine planets and their satellites shimmered in their respective positions, and Mars formed a peculiar angle with several other planets... Ah!
Just as everyone was admiring the sight of the planets in motion, Harry suddenly let out a scream.
He clutched his face, the scar on his forehead glowing faintly red in the dim light of the Professor, and tears streamed down his cheeks.
"Harry, Harry..." Ron hurriedly helped him up, asking worriedly, "Are you alright?"
"Of course, he's not..." Professor Trelawney seemed incredibly excited, and was about to say something when Aaron interrupted her.
"Professor, I think we should take him to the hospital first."
"Gaius." Professor Trelawney was a bit reluctant, "He's clearly affected by the supersensory perception in the classroom. If we miss this opportunity..."
"I just want to know how to stop the pain." Harry said quickly.
"Professor, I'll take him to Madam Pomfrey. I'm afraid we'll have to miss this class." Aaron said, helping Harry out of the classroom, leaving behind a disappointed Trelawney and a group of confused students.
The two left the trapdoor via the stairs, and after reaching the next floor, Aaron looked at him seriously, "What did you dream about?"
"Lord Voldemort." Harry gasped nervously, "He was with Wormtail, and there was a large snake."
"What did they say?
I need Lord Voldemort's exact words, not your retelling."
Harry thought for a moment, trying to imitate a cold, sharp voice, "Wormtail, you are very lucky; your mistake didn't mess things up. He's dead.
Nagini, uh... that should be the name of that big snake."
"The exact words." Aaron reminded him.
"Nagini, you're out of luck. I'm not going to feed you Wormtail, but it's alright, there's still Harry Potter."
"It seems Lord Voldemort plans to kill you and then feed you to the snake."
Harry shivered with a bit of panic, "That's not funny at all."
"This dream of yours... confirms my previous suspicion.
Crouch was most likely controlled by Lord Voldemort, but Wormtail's momentary lapse allowed him to escape to Hogwarts."
"So that means Mr. Crouch is already..."
"Dead." Aaron took a deep breath, "Lord Voldemort must have other servants, and he's hiding in Hogwarts. That night, while you were looking for Dumbledore, he stunned Krumand killed Crouch.
As for how the body was disposed of, I don't know, but there are too many ways for us not to find him."
"Karkaroff or Snape?" Harry asked, frowning.
"I'm warning you for the last time, don't doubt Professor Snape." Aaron said displeased, "Even though his attitude towards you hasn't been good these past few years, he's protected you more than once or twice, otherwise you would have fallen off your broomstick in your first year.
It's not necessarily Karkaroff either. You heard his conversation with Professor Snape that day. That Principal is just a paper tiger and a coward, otherwise Professor Snapewouldn't have advised him to run away."
"Not this one, not that one, then who could it be?" Harry was distraught, at a loss for a while. After a good while, he calmed down, "Let's go to the Principal's office, we have to tell Dumbledore."
Aaron didn't object either. This had already resulted in a death, indicating that the person hiding in the school would stop at nothing to achieve their goal, and he definitely wouldn't mind killing.
The two quickened their pace and arrived at the Principal's office, but the gargoyle at the door wouldn't let them pass easily.
"I don't know the password." Aaron said very directly.
"Ice-cold lemonade." Harry tried tentatively, the statue didn't move, "Pear drop, Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frog..."
A string of snack names tumbled from his mouth, dozens of them, all different.
Aaron was a bit dumbfounded. He wouldn't believe that this skill of rattling off names hadn't been specially practiced.
"I need to see him, it's urgent." Harry angrily kicked the statue, then cried out in pain and sat down clutching his right foot.
"Why don't you rest for a bit!" Aaron handed him a bottle of water, "Get your energy back and keep trying. I'm sure you can move this statue."
Harry took a confused sip and continued, "Bubblegum, Sugar Quills, Cockroach Clusters..."
Crack!
The statue moved, slowly rising, revealing a spiral staircase.
"Cockroach Clusters." Aaron said speechlessly, "What kind of password is that!"
"I just made that up." Harry's expression was also a bit unnatural.
"Never mind that, let's go in first!"
The two walked up the stairs and straight to an oak door.
"Measures must be taken, Fudge."
"I cannot act rashly. At a time like this, the magic world needs strong leadership, Dumbledore."
"Then don't disappoint them."
"But I haven't found any signs of foul play, not a single one. Bertha's disappearance and Barty's disappearance are completely unrelated.
So the Triwizard Tournament will absolutely not be canceled. I cannot be seen as a coward."
"A true leader is wise and decisive, and doesn't care what others think."
"I don't quite agree with that statement." Aaron said in a low voice, "Personally, I think a wise leader needs to care more about the opinions of the public."
"Excuse me, gentlemen." Moody's voice came out, "It seems your conversation is no longer private."
As his voice fell, the oak door slowly opened.
Aaron immediately stepped back a few paces, standing behind Harry Potter.
"Harry." Fudge showed a kind smile, "It's good to see you again.
And Aaron, say hello to your sister for me."
"I will." Aaron replied with a smile, "Professor Dumbledore, we have something we'd like to discuss with you."
Dumbledore paused, then turned to look at Fudge and Moody, "You might have to wait a bit. We need to go inspect the site for the third task."
Aaron's eyebrows instantly shot up, and he exchanged glances with Abe in his arms, suppressing the excitement in his heart, "It's alright, the Triwizard Tournament is more important. Take your time, we're not in a hurry."
The three exchanged glances, then quietly left past Aaron and Harry, closing the door behind them.
Hearing the footsteps fade into the distance, Aaron immediately gave Abe a look.
The Holy Dragon instantly understood, leaping from Aaron's arms to the ground, its clear eyes fixed intently on the Phoenix Fawkes on the golden perch, then it ungracefully drooled.
Fawkes instantly shivered, letting out an unnatural cry.
But Dumbledore had already left, and the door to the Principal's office was closed. Its situation was one where no one would hear its cries, no matter how loud.
"What is it trying to do?" Harry looked at Abe with some nervousness. It had a harmless appearance, yet it inexplicably made his heart pound.