Chapter 923: Side Story: Give it a Try, or Perish
Chapter 923: Side Story: Give it a Try, or Perish
Not long after parting ways with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Moody made his way to Dumbledore's office to inquire about divination.
In truth, the wisest course of action would have been to feign ignorance and avoid the matter altogether, as that would prevent any mistakes and reduce the chances of exposure.
However, Moody decided to approach Dumbledore anyway, using this opportunity to gauge the headmaster's divination skills.
Albert Anderson was just too enigmatic, and Moody felt a sense of threat from him.
As for the risks, Moody believed that the chances of being exposed by divination were slim. If that Mudblood's predictions were truly accurate, how could Dumbledore not have consulted her already? Yet, thus far, his disguise had remained intact.
Moreover, if there was a chance to locate Peter Pettigrew, Moody's impulsive nature would compel him to give it a try, especially considering the potential for high rewards with minimal risk.
"Alastor, what brings you here?" Dumbledore looked up at his old friend.
"I just ran into Harry Potter, and he mentioned that Anderson's divination skills are quite remarkable. Are you aware of this?" Moody pulled up a chair and sat down across from the headmaster.
"I've heard rumors," Dumbledore replied ambiguously.
"Then, could we ask him to help us locate Peter and Barty Crouch?" Moody asked, leaning on his staff. "I don't put much stock in divination, but Anderson is indeed an extraordinary individual. I believe he might bring us unexpected surprises. Even if he fails, it's not a big deal. It's still better than the Ministry of Magic aimlessly searching with no leads."
"You're right. Perhaps we should give it a try," Dumbledore agreed, nodding. He picked up a quill from his desk and began writing an invitation to Albert, asking him to join them for tea in the headmaster's office that evening.
At eight o'clock that night, Albert knocked on the headmaster's office door with punctuality. As he pushed the door open, he was surprised to see Professor Moody there as well, and he immediately guessed that Dumbledore's summons were not for anything pleasant.
In fact, Albert had hoped to gain some tasks or benefits from this meeting, but now it seemed that Dumbledore wanted him to assist with divination.
"Professor Dumbledore, what can I do for you?" Albert asked, feigning ignorance.
"I would like you to help us divine the whereabouts of Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr., if possible," Dumbledore requested with a smile. "What would you like to drink?"
"A cup of black tea," Albert replied, furrowing his brows. "But I must remind you that divination is not infallible."
As he sipped his tea, Albert glanced at his task panel. With no new tasks triggered, he didn't feel the need to expose Barty Crouch Jr.'s disguise just yet.
After all, there were still several tasks associated with that individual, and exposing him now might hinder the completion of those tasks, resulting in significant losses.
Of course, if Dumbledore offered a substantial reward or if a lucrative task was triggered, Albert wouldn't mind unmasking Barty Crouch Jr. right then and there.
"Let's give it a try. I believe in your abilities," Dumbledore said gently.
"I believe in myself, too, but you should at least offer something in return," Albert muttered to himself. He decided that if Dumbledore didn't provide a suitable reward, he would pretend that he hadn't divined anything.
As if reading his thoughts, Dumbledore placed an old notebook in front of Albert. "This is my personal journal. It might be of use to you."
Albert glanced at the contents and recognized it as a shape-shifting notebook. He then reached into his Chameleoleo pouch and retrieved a crystal ball, ready to make a prophecy.
Moody watched the proceedings with keen interest.
"Where is Peter Pettigrew hiding?" Albert asked, his eyes fixed on the crystal ball after finishing his tea. He began to prophesy about Pettigrew's hiding place.
As for Barty Crouch Jr., now was not the time. After all, it wasn't yet time to pluck the fruit.
The mist within the crystal ball began to dissipate, revealing a tri-color flag of red, white, and blue. Next appeared a tulipwood sign, marking the entrance to the Dutch wizarding street, before finally settling on a dimly lit house where Peter Pettigrew was holding a... bundle.
"Peter Pettigrew is hiding in the Netherlands," Moody exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise as he stared at Albert. A flash of murderous intent flickered in his gaze, and he suddenly had a bad feeling about this. He never expected this Mudblood to be able to predict Pettigrew's approximate location.
"It seems that Peter has helped Voldemort regain a physical form," Dumbledore said, his eyes fixed on the bundle in Peter's arms. "This is indeed troubling news."
"This is a serious problem," Moody added.
"And what of Barty Crouch Jr.?" Dumbledore glanced at Moody, indicating that he wanted Albert to proceed with a second prophecy.
"Just a moment, don't expect me to—"
Albert's tone faltered as his eyes fell on his task panel, and to his surprise, a new task had indeed been triggered: 'Give it a Try, or Perish.'
Albert didn't immediately begin divining; instead, he withdrew his wand from under his robe and tapped the teacup, refilling it with hot tea. After taking a small sip, he sneaked another glance at Barty Crouch Jr., then at his task panel, feeling conflicted. The task offered a generous reward, including a skill of his choice, ample experience, and skill points, but...
Barty Crouch Jr. seemed to harbor ill intentions towards him. Previously, Albert had suspected that the other party might cause him trouble, but... he hadn't expected their hatred to be so intense. It seemed that Barty Crouch Jr. was now a problem that needed to be dealt with immediately.
"Should I just take them all out at once?" Albert wondered.
As for the consequences... Well, even without Barty Crouch Jr., Voldemort would likely still find a way to resurrect himself.
After finishing his tea, Albert, under the watchful eyes of Dumbledore and Moody, reached out and touched the crystal ball. The mist within began to swirl rapidly, soon revealing a new scene: a winged boar statue, undoubtedly pointing to Hogwarts.
Next, a hand appeared in the crystal ball, holding a piece of parchment. On the parchment were three ink footprints, each labeled with a name: Albus Dumbledore, Albert Anderson, and... Barty Crouch.
Yes, Barty Crouch, not Alastor Moody.
The atmosphere in the Headmaster's office suddenly turned heavy.
At that moment, Albert took out a piece of parchment and spread it out in front of the two, revealing three ink dots on the map—the same scene he had just witnessed in the crystal ball.
Indeed, it was a map enchanted with the Foot-Tracks Spell.
But that wasn't the crucial part. What mattered most were the names marked on the map.
Albert and Dumbledore looked up simultaneously at Moody, whose expression had completely twisted with rage. Just as Moody was about to draw his wand for a desperate counterattack, a streak of red light hit him.
In an instant, Moody—or rather, Barty Crouch Jr.—was struck by Dumbledore's non-verbal Stunning Spell, knocking him unconscious.
At that moment, the crystal ball displayed a new scene: two Dementors dragging a person, none other than Barty Crouch Jr. himself.
"Oh my, what has happened here?" the portraits exclaimed, rousing from their slumber.
"The Human-Presence Spell!" Dumbledore ignored the portraits and fixed his gaze on the map, murmuring, "I had forgotten about that. Even with the use of complex potions, it's impossible to conceal oneself from that spell."
"So, it seems we always have problems with our Defense Against the Dark Arts professors," Albert muttered, glancing at the completed panel task and then at the unconscious Moody. "But why did he suddenly want to know his own whereabouts through my prophecy? What a way to seal his own fate."
"Perhaps he thought you weren't capable enough to do so!" Dumbledore said gently, his mood seemingly improved.
"Well, I'll take my leave now. This mess is yours to handle, Professor. Please keep my involvement under wraps; I have a feeling it might bring me trouble." With that, Albert picked up his Chameleoleo notebook and made a swift exit.
After Albert's departure, Dumbledore's expression turned grim. He summoned Professors McGonagall and Snape through the fireplace and, in the Dark Arts office, found the imprisoned Professor Moody. With the use of Veritaserum, they learned of Moody's plans to resurrect Voldemort using Harry Potter's blood and the entire scheme. Dumbledore's face grew even more somber.
"How did you uncover the truth?" Professor McGonagall asked, intrigued.
Dumbledore handed the map to Professor McGonagall.
Now, they knew how Dumbledore had discovered that Professor Moody was an imposter.
"Actually, it was this fake professor who suggested to Dumbledore that Albert Anderson be consulted to divine the whereabouts of Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr., and this is how it all turned out," Phineas Nigellus explained, bursting into laughter. He found the entire situation utterly amusing.
After hearing the description from Phineas Nigellus, Professors McGonagall and Snape stared at the unconscious Barty Crouch Jr. in disbelief, at a loss for words.
"Are you saying that Mr. Anderson uncovered Moody's true identity as Barty Crouch Jr. through divination?" Professor McGonagall asked, feeling that the whole situation was surreal. Moreover, it was Barty Crouch Jr. himself who had suggested seeking Albert's prophecy? It all seemed so bizarre.
"So, this fool ended up sealing his own fate?" Snape remarked with a peculiar expression.
"This incident was more of an accident. Who would've thought that Mr. Anderson would turn out to be such a formidable Seer?" Dumbledore shook his head. "Let's keep this matter confidential; otherwise, Mr. Anderson might find himself in a heap of trouble."
(Author's note: This side story is unrelated to the main plot.) (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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