Love And Revolution

XVIII

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Crouch Jr finally tore his eyes away from Hermione to turn towards the Minister and assumed the role of a smooth businessman now, "I am agreeing to go in front of the press and the public and say whatever you want me to say- that I was the sole organizer of this whole affair, that I have been doing all these mudblood killings and whatnot, I even conspired to kill you, and you can do whatever you want to do with me after-" he jerked his head towards Hermione, "-but first, I get to kill Granger."

Snape felt his nails dig into the flesh of his palms, as he and Harry eavesdropped on their conversation. Moody was right- Barty Crouch Jr had turned into a cold calculating criminal but he was still a maniac at his core and he had probably devised barbaric torturous deaths for Hermione- the muggle-born witch who had beat his Lord and aided in his downfall.

"You want Granger gone anyway, so why not let me take her off your hands?" he continued, "You can finally point at someone as an answer to all the disappearances and murders and I'd be happy to concede that I got put down for good while continuing the legacy of the Dark Lord. I just want to cherish the opportunity of strangling the life of that mudblood bitch- my men might even quieten down for a while knowing we got the biggest one."

Shacklebolt sat considering this, arms crossed in front of him- no doubt ideas forming in his head. "I'll need to have a talk with the other directors," He got up to leave, "Let me get back to you."

With a nod to him, he came out of the room and it was so sudden, that Harry and Snape didn't have the chance to pretend that they had not heard what took place right now. "You can't do this!" Snape charged him first, then checked himself somewhat since he was in the guise of a Ministry employee after all, "I mean, you can't seriously be considering listening to that lunatic!"

Shacklebolt blinked, startled to be barraged like this, but he ignored them and continued to stomp down the corridor, clicking his fingers towards some Ministry sentries to tell them to stand guard at the door, to make sure Crouch didn't loiter. "I agree, sir," Harry continued as they jogged behind the Minister on his way to the upper floors, "You can't hand Hermione over to him and his goons. Let her case come to trial-"

"I am only going to be speaking to my board of directors about this- and why were you listening in on that conversation?" he said dismissively, "And Potter, you are too closely related to her case, I won't allow you to weigh in. She's your friend, you would be biased about helping her out. If I were you, I'd stay well away- you don't wanna get your reputation tarnished...she had gone and acquainted herself with the wrong sort..."

"That is not true! Everyone heard what she said in the broadcast and it has enraged the public. They demand to know the truth and from what I've gathered the general consensus can be tipped either way," Harry was saying, "If something were to happen to Hermione Granger without conclusive proof that she was in the wrong, then prepare to face public outrage, demonstrations..."

The Ministry floors were witnessing a greater flurry of activities than usual because of the inquiries and pressure from the press and media but the Minister grabbed a passing secretary to order, "Emergency meeting. All the board of directors. My office. Now!" While the boy ran to follow the command, he muttered in reply to Harry's forewarnings, "She has been spewing lies...someone could have been messing with her mind. The public will find out soon enough." 

They were at his office door now and he was about to shoo them off when Snape said, "I think I should also be in this meeting. I have been studying Granger for the whole day and I think I can-"

"There's no need." 

He then said somewhat loudly, "I am the Senior Directorate of Magical Law Enforcement patrol and I demand to be present while you're making an important decision about a Ministry detainee."