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Harry Potter: The True Lord- Chapter 22: Barty Crouch Sr.
🕑 Added 2025-07-08 16:53:55 +0000 UTCWhen the duo reappeared, Alastor and Antonio were standing just outside the Ministry building.
This was the closest anyone could apparate to the Ministry. Wards prevented anyone from coming close.
In times like these, when the Wizarding Britain was riddled with violent attacks, security at the Ministry was heavily reinforced, and no carelessness was tolerated. Any kind of breach or attempt to undermine the security of ministry was met out with a very heavy hand.
Alastor led Antonio inside. Not many people paid them any attention. The news of the attack and what Antonio had done afterward had not yet spread, so for now, it was business as usual.
"You know, lad," Alastor said as he guided Antonio toward the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, "by bringing you here like this, with your wand and not like a prisoner, I am taking a huge risk."
"If you were to do anything untoward, I would shoulder all the blame. I am overlooking the protocols for you."
Antonio chuckled as he responded, "The Ministry is at ease with so many Death Eaters working among them. I am sure they would not mind an innocent civilian like me. Whatever I did was an act of pure self defence."
Moody's steps halted at those words, and he almost snapped toward Antonio, who wore a mocking smirk. Death Easters in the ministry. There were quite a few of them and one or two were being identified almost routinely. And this was a sore topic especially for people like Moody. He held his glare for a few moments before resuming his pace.
"You know too much for someone who is supposedly not involved in all this," Moody muttered.
"That I do," Antonio said. "I have a habit of gathering information."
"Having a lot of information can sometimes be really dangerous," Moody muttered.
Antonio did not respond. No more words passed between them.
Moody led Antonio deeper into the building and finally into the DMLE. As they walked through the department, wizards and witches dressed in auror robes or even simple robes were working round the entire department. It was like a flurry of activity all happening at once.
Many greeted Moody, and the respect they held for him was genuine. It was no surprise. Alastor Moody was one of the best Aurors in the Ministry. Though not the Head Auror, he commanded no less respect.
Moody brought Antonio to a small cabin and gestured for him to sit.
"Amelia will be returning shortly. When she comes, give her the full account of what happened," Moody instructed.
Antonio gave him a strange look. It said, 'I have to wait?'
"What?" Moody frowned. "You do not expect me to slog through all that mess of recording statements and drafting official documents, do you? That is hardly my forte."
"Once you are done here after Amelia arrives, we have something to discuss," Moody added before striding out of the cabin.
Antonio let out a sigh and settled in to wait for Amelia's arrival. Through the small glass window in the cabin door, he could see much of the department outside.
He was idly passing the time watching people come and go when he spotted someone marching toward his cabin with a fierce expression.
Antonio recognized the man immediately. Barty Crouch Sr., the current head of the DMLE.
From his expression and the aggression in his stride, Antonio could tell something was wrong.
His wand slid smoothly into his hand from its holster as he prepared himself. But thankfully, no confrontation came.
Barty had not gotten far when Moody intercepted him. Antonio could not hear their words, but he could see their expressions and gestures.
Moody initially looked confused, as though unaware of whatever had riled Barty up. Meanwhile, Barty was visibly livid and furious. His expression and animated hand movements made that plain.
Was his son, Barty Crouch Jr., one of the two I killed? Antonio wondered. He did not know and he did not particularly care.
As the conversation progressed, it grew heated. Moody, though not as visibly aggressive as Barty, was clearly firm about something.
After a couple of minutes, it seemed Moody raised his palms, firmly denying Barty whatever he wanted. Barty shot Moody one final look of anger and dissatisfaction, muttered something, and then stormed off in a rage.
Moody shook his head, looking almost regretful, before he too disappeared from Antonio's line of sight.
Antonio was certain whatever had just transpired had to do with him. He wondered if Alastor would come back to inform him of the details. But that didn't happen. Moody did not return to the cabin.
He did not have to wait too long when the gate of his cabin was pushed open and the red head, he had been waiting for finally arrived. She looked serious and there was not a trace of smile on her face.
"Lord Olario," Amelia muttered as she arrived and took her seat in front him.
"Miss. Bones," Antonio greeted back. "I must thank you for easing out the situation at that time."
"I thought you were not afraid at all of going against the Aurors," she replied with a chuckle.
"I was not," Antonio responded. "But your alternative solution was far better than what I had in mind and far better than what could have happened."
Amelia smiled. “Then I must accept your thanks.”
Antonio nodded, then asked, “If you do not mind, may I ask, how do you know me?”
“Oh!” Amelia raised her eyebrows. “After what you did to Rodolphus Lestrange, there are not many people who do not know about you.”
“Fortunately, I had a friend present at that gathering, and she was kind enough to share a copy of her memories,” she said.
“And I must say, you are a truly powerful wizard not that it needs to be said after what you did to those Death Eaters.”
“Thanks,” Antonio replied a bit awkwardly.
Amelia then opened a small bag which she had been carrying and took out a dicta-quill from it.
“Lord Olario,” she said. “I want you to narrate the entire incident, from the very beginning with all the possible details you could muster.”
“And though it is not necessary, but it you agree you can also handover a copy of your memories.”
“I have no problem in providing a copy of my memories,” Antonio replied as he begun his narration of the events.
Comments
Marco Bertin
real good story so far
