Love Is In The Air: The Angelic Witch And Draco Malfoy (Book 4)

Draco Joins Dumbledore

Heroneka woke up, so warm, so very sleepy, that she didn't open her eyes, wanting to drop off again. The room was still dimly lit; she was sure it was still nighttime and had a feeling that she couldn't have been asleep very long.

Then she heard whispering around her.

"They'll wake Harry and Snitchy if they don't shut up!"

"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?"

Heroneka opened her eyes blearily. Next to her on the joined bed, Harry had just woken up trying to look around with his glasses. Draco was still holding her hand, but he was looking towards Mrs Weasley who was on her feet, peering through the screens. Bill was right next to her, ready to walk out past her, but she stopped him.

"That's Fudge's voice," she whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"

Now Heroneka could hear them too: people shouting and running toward the hospital wing.

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled Professor McGonagall. "When Dumbledore finds out -"

Heroneka heard the hospital doors burst open. She sat up looking at the door, while Harry sat up to put on his glasses back. Unnoticed by all of them, staring at the door as Bill pulled back the screens. Although Draco noticed her and Harry waking up, he didn't say anything.

Fudge came striding up the ward. Professors McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs Weasley.

"He's not here," said Mrs Weasley angrily. "This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"

But the door opened, and Dumbledore came sweeping up the ward.

"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch -"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked. "The Minister has seen to that!"

Heroneka had never seen Professor McGonagall lose control like this. There were angry blotches of colour in her cheeks, and hands were balled into fists; she was trembling with fury.-

"When we told Mr Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, in a low voice, "he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch -"

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall fumed. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but -"

"My dear woman!" roared Fudge, who likewise looked angrier than Heroneka had ever seen him, "as Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous -"

But Professor McGonagall's voice drowned Fudge's.

"The moment that - that thing entered the room," she screamed, pointing at Fudge, trembling all over, "it swooped down on Crouch and - and -"

Heroneka felt a chill in her stomach as Professor McGonagall struggled to find words to describe what had happened. She did not need her to finish her sentence. She knew what the dementor must have done. It had administered its fatal kiss to Barty Crouch. It had sucked his soul out through his mouth. He was worse than dead.