Chapter 628: I Will Bring Them Back
"After that, Old Barty went to The Hog's Head," Sirius Black said, hanging his Communication Pea and leaning against the cabinet, frowning. "I thought he was meeting someone. But Outcome just drank alone and left straightaway."
"Did he spot you?" Wade asked sharply from the other end.
Sirius Black paused, then shook his head. "Not likely… I don’t know… It felt… strange."
Wade pressed, "Because he let Bagman go?"
"Exactly," Sirius Black sneered. "Crouch was known for his unyielding integrity. Even under Fudge’s pressure, he’d never swallow back a promise he’d made. Sure, he was cynical toward Bagman, but letting him go so easily? That’s not like him."
"Maybe something else distracted him," Wade mused. In the original timeline, wasn’t Crouch already overwhelmed by the disappearance of his son? Now, Little Barty Crouch had escaped his father’s confinement even earlier. Old Barty had searched for ages without success, too afraid to tell anyone—no wonder he was on edge.
But if, like in the original story, he’d been under the Imperius Curse… that would be dangerous.
Wade added, "Leave this for now. I’ll look into it."
Sirius Black raised an eyebrow. "You’re at Hogwarts. What kind of investigation can you possibly conduct? Planning another sneaky escape from school?"
"Of course not," Wade said. "Directly asking him won’t work. But we could start with the House-elf at Crouch’s home."
"A House-elf?" Sirius Black frowned thoughtfully.
"I’ve heard Crouch had a House-elf named Shiny," Wade continued. "She’s the one closest to the young master. If her master changed, she’d be the first to notice."
Sirius Black asked, "And who would you send to investigate this?"
"Who else?" Wade replied. "Dobby."
...
Dobby seized the task immediately, abandoning half-finished chores and Apparating to Hogwarts in under three seconds.
"Wade Gray, sir! Trust Dobby! Dobby will complete the mission!" His ears quivered with excitement, his large eyes shining. "Dobby already knows Shiny! Dobby knows where to find her!"
"Beyond gathering information," Wade said, crouching down gently, "the most important thing is secrecy. I don’t want Shiny’s old master—or the young master—to learn about this. Can you convince her to stay silent?"
"Don’t worry, Mr. Gray," Dobby bobbed up and down. "Very few wizards treat House-elves with respect like you do. To them, we’re just dust—unworthy of notice. Shiny’s master is the same. Dobby will make sure she doesn’t tell him. And he won’t be able to press further."
"Then I’ll rely on you, Dobby," Wade smiled. "This is vital. Take your time. Don’t panic. If you see Shiny’s young master—the little Barty Crouch—don’t hesitate. Come back immediately. Understand?"
From Kreacher, Wade had learned that for a House-elf, the drive to obey their master could grant them power beyond death—though only in the rarest cases of absolute loyalty.
"Little Barty Crouch?" Dobby’s eyes flickered with fear, then he forced a firm nod. "Dobby knows. Dobby will remember."
"Did you know him, Dobby?" Wade asked curiously.
"I heard Malfoy’s old master—no, Lucius Malfoy—mention him once…" Dobby shuddered involuntarily, then continued, "That young man… he was a devoted follower of the Dark Lord… a terrifying man."
...
The round-faced couple strolled hand in hand up the hill, sunlight glinting on their faces, illuminating their identical gentle smiles.
The elderly woman in the vulture hat stood nearby, watching, her eyes filling with tears.
She stepped forward, just as a sudden jolt ran through her body.
The bright sky instantly darkened. Clouds rolled in, and the sunlight turned a sickly, ominous green.
Madam Longbottom whirled around—and saw a pale, gaunt young man standing not far away, his face twisted into a cruel, bloodthirsty smirk, wand raised, expressionless.
"Cruciatus Curse!"
"No—no—!" Madam Longbottom screamed, throwing herself in front of them—but the spell’s blinding light passed through her without resistance.
"Aaaaaaaah—!" The couple’s smiles twisted into agony and despair. They shrieked in pain, struggled briefly, then collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
The world shattered and vanished.
Madam Longbottom felt as if she’d been kicked hard, thrown into an endless void of darkness.
Everywhere she looked—above, below, all around—were fragments of shattered scenes, scattered memories floating in the void.
No matter what Frank and Alice Longbottom had been doing—eating, sleeping, walking, smiling as they held their child, Alice gently touching her swollen belly during pregnancy, studying at school, babbling to their parents—each moment was invaded.
Crows-like Death Eaters burst in. Sometimes Bellatrix. Sometimes one of the Lestrange brothers. Occasionally Little Barty Crouch or Anthony Dolohov. And once, even Voldemort himself.
They were like shadows, omnipresent, tearing into every fleeting moment of peace, destroying, torturing, erasing—repeating the horror again and again until each memory collapsed into dust and vanished into darkness.
Madam Longbottom screamed, tried to stop them, but it was useless. She collapsed into sobs in the endless dark—her first time showing such fragility since the tragedy.
Suddenly, the world trembled.
"Grandma, Grandma!" Neville’s voice called again and again—until he saw his weeping grandmother finally open her eyes. He exhaled in relief.
"Let me," the boy said, reaching out with gentle hands. He awkwardly wiped the tears from her temples, repeating firmly, "Let me try."
Madam Longbottom’s lips trembled. "Neville…"
She had always pushed him to be strong, to be brave—forced him to face life head-on. But deep down, she knew her grandson was kind, gentle, and painfully clumsy.
She never believed he could face the horrors of his parents’ Spirit World.
Without waiting for permission, Neville reached out, carefully unclasped the stone necklace from her frail wrist, and wrapped it around his own arm.
"I’ll bring Mom back, Grandma," he said slowly, smiling. "I promise."
He closed his eyes and whispered the incantation.
(End of Chapter)
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