In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Snuffles

Sirius had been lingering near Hogsmeade and had asked Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Briar to meet him there, so the four of them had gone together and once they spotted the familiar black dog, they followed after it until they reached a large, dimly lit cave, and inside it was also Buckbeak

Sirius turned back into a human and Harry quickly gave him the bag of food he had taken from Hogwarts

"Thanks," said Sirius, opening it, grabbing a drumstick, sitting down on the cave floor, and tearing off a large chunk with his teeth. "I've been living off rats mostly.Can't steal too much food from Hogsmeade; I'd draw attention to myself."He grinned up at Harry

"What're you doing here, Sirius?" Harry asked 

"Fulfilling my duty as godfather," said Sirius "Don't worry about it, I'm pretending to be a lovable stray. I want to be on the spot. Your last letter...well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out, and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried."He nodded at the yellowing Daily Prophets on the cave floor, and Ron picked them up and unfolded them. Harry, however, continued to stare at Sirius. 

"What if they catch you? What if you're seen?"

"You four and Dumbledore are the only ones around here who know I'm an Animagus," said Sirius, shrugging, and continuing to devour the chicken leg.

Ron nudged Harry and passed him the Daily Prophets. There were two: The first bore the headline Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch, the second, Ministry WitchStill Missing-Minister of Magic Now Personally Involved.Harry and Briar scanned the story about Crouch. 

Phrases jumped out at them: hasn't been seen in public since November...house appears deserted...St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries decline comment...Ministry refuses to confirm rumours of critical illness

"They're making it sound like he's dying," said Briar "But he can't be that ill if he managed to get up here-" 

"My brothers Crouch's personal assistant," Ron told Sirius. "He says Crouch is suffering from overwork." 

"Mind you, he did look ill, last time I saw him up close," said Harry slowly "The night my name came out of the goblet..." 

"Getting his comeuppance for sacking Winky, isn't he?" said Hermione coldly. Winky had been his house elf he fired after she was seen with a wand at the Quidditch World Cup "I bet he wishes he hadn't done it now - bet he feels the difference now she's not there to look after him." 

"Hermione's obsessed with house-elfs," Ron muttered to Sirius 

"Crouch sacked his house-elf?" 

"Yeah, at the Quidditch World Cup," said Harry, and he launched into the story of the Dark Mark's appearance, and Winky being found with Harrys wand clutched in her hand, and Mr. Crouch's fury. 

"Let me get this straight," Sirius said after a while, brandishing a fresh chicken leg."You first saw the elf in the Top Box. She was saving Crouch a seat, right?" 

"Right," said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together. 

"But Crouch didn't turn up for the match?"

"No," said Harry. "I think he said he'd been too busy." 

"Harry, did you check your pockets for your wand after you'd left the Top Box?" He asked 

Harry frowned "No," he said finally. "I didn't need to use it before we got in the forest. And then I put my hand in my pocket, and all that was in there were my Omnioculars." He stared at Sirius. "Are you saying whoever conjured the Mark stole my wand in the Top Box?"