The Squib and the Werewolf (book 2)

36. Bad Not Evil

It wasn't long until Harry's visit to Hogsmeade, and Raya once again left Sophia with Remus so she could see the boys.
She arrived first and spent some time with Sirius, before he turned into Padfoot and went off to fetch Harry and his friends.
He returned to the cave shortly later and turned back into a human, as Raya hugged Harry.
"It's good to see you" smiled Raya as she released Harry.
"You too" replied Harry.
"It's so nice that we can all be together, even it's only for a few hours" admitted Raya.
"I've been looking forward to this for ages"
"Me too".

Harry, Ron and Hermione began inspecting the cave that Sirius and Buckbeak had been living in, and they saw dozens of Daily Prophet's on the floor.
"They make it sound like he's dying" mumbled Harry, as he looked at an article about Barty Crouch.
"Well, no one has seen him in months" replied Sirius.
"My brother is his personal assistant, and he says Crouch is suffering from overwork" informed Ron.
"That's a terrible excuse. Crouch used to work much harder than this, so that can't be the real reason no one has seen him" replied Raya.
"I agree. It is very troubling all these absences from him. It's just not like Crouch. If he's ever taken a day off work because of illness before this, I'll eat Buckbeak" said Sirius.

"Do you two know him well then?" Questioned Harry.
Sirius and Raya shared a look as their faces hardened.
"Oh, I know Crouch all right. He's the one that sent me to Azkaban without trial" revealed Sirius.
"What!" Gasped Hermione.
"He didn't?" Frowned Harry.
"He did. He used to be the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, didn't you know?" Asked Sirius.
The kids all shook their heads.
"He was tipped as the next Minister for Magic. He was a very powerful, and power-hungry wizard. Who's anti-Voldemort campaigns were very popular during the war. He's the one that gave aurors permission to kill rather than capture. And I wasn't the only one he sent to Azkaban without a trial" continued Sirius.

"He is living proof than you can be a bad person, and not be a Voldemort supporter. I was just lucky I didn't join you in jail. Had I not been pregnant, I would have been sent to Azkaban without a trial as well. But since I was pregnant, the Ministry officials were forced to go easier on me" admitted Raya.
"But you didn't even have a wand, so you couldn't have been a death eater" replied Harry.
"Me being a Squib didn't stop people like Crouch from wanting me in prison. After Sirius was sentenced to life in Azkaban, I flipped out, and tried to reach him, to say goodbye. Crouch had me physically thrown from the court, while 9 months pregnant. Which is what sent me into early labour" revealed Raya.
"Crouch did that?"
"Yes. I told you he was an awful man".

"If he was so popular, why didn't he become Minister for Magic?" Asked Hermione.
"Because his son turned out to be a death eater, which sort of put people off him" answered Raya.
"Yes, I bet it was a nasty little shock for him when he found out. He should've spent more time at home with his family and gotten to know his son a bit better" added Sirius.
"You almost can't blame his son for turning to Voldemort, when he had a father like Barty Crouch. He was only a boy when he was arrested, and the poor thing died not long later" sighed Raya.

"Was his son really a death eater?" Questioned Harry.
"No idea. He was found in the company of people I know were death eaters, like the Lestranges. But he could've just been in the wrong place at the wrong time" admitted Sirius.
"And Crouch didn't try and get his son out of Azkaban?" Questioned Hermione.
"Crouch, let his son off? He got rid of anything that threatened to ruin his reputation. You saw him dismiss a loyal house-elf at the world cup, just for being near the dark mark. Crouch made no attempt to save his only son, and during the boy's trial, he showed the world just how much he hated his son" revealed Sirius.

"So, he just handed his own son to the Dementors?" Asked Harry.
"Yes. I was there when they brought him in. He can't have been more than 19. He was crying for his mother by nightful... But he went quiet in the end, just like they all do, before they die. And the boy was dead within a year of being in Azkaban" answered Sirius.
"That's horrible" shuddered Hermione.

"And Crouch's wife died not long after. They were both allowed to visit their son before he died, because Crouch was such an important Minister figure. After the deaths of his wife and son though, the public turned against him, and Cornelius Fudge became Minister instead" informed Sirius.
"You don't have to remind me about how unfair it was that Crouch got to visit his son, but I wasn't allowed to bring Jamie to see you after he was born. Ministry officials are allowed to do things, that us ordinary people are prohibited from doing" Raya said angrily.
"I know, but try and put it behind you, dear. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere" promised Sirius.
"You'd better not" replied Raya.

"Moody says Crouch is obsessed with catching dark wizards" said Harry, after a few minutes of silence.
"Yes, I've heard that. Maybe he thinks that if he catches one more death eater, he will be popular again" sighed Sirius.
"He also sneaked all the way up here, just to search Snape's office, because I saw him on the map" revealed Harry.
"That is strange" frowned Raya.
"Maybe he thinks Snape put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire" suggested Ron.
"I don't think so, Ron, because Dumbledore trusts Snape" reminded Hermione.
"Dumbledore could be wrong" replied Ron.

Raya smiled at Ron's distrust of Dumbledore.
"Sirius, what do you think? Do you think Snape could've put my name in the Goblet?" Asked Harry.
"I'm not sure... Ever since I found out Snape was working here, I wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been obsessed with the dark arts, even when we were at school. Snape knew more curses when he arrived at Hogwarts than half of the 7th years. And he was part of a Slytherin gang, who nearly all turned out to be death eaters" answered Sirius.
"But was Snape a death eater?" Quizzed Harry.
"Yes. Yes he was" announced Raya, before Sirius could answer.

"You're sure?" Quizzed Hermione.
"Yes, we came across him on missions from time to time" explained Raya.
"But that was in the past. Dumbledore vouched for Snape all those years ago, and I honestly don't think Snape could have joined Voldemort again without Dumbledore knowing" admitted Sirius.
"Think what you like. But I don't trust either of them. Even if Snape is not a death eater any more, he is still a bad person, just like Dumbledore and Crouch. Snape ruined Remus's life, and Crouch and Dumbledore ruined ours" replied Raya.
"I don't blame Dumbledore for what happened to me"
"That's your choice. You don't have to agree with me on everything".

Harry looked at his watch and sighed, "We should be heading back to the castle".
"Yes, you should... Now listen, I don't want you sneaking down here to visit me, because it is not safe. I want you to write to me regularly, using different owls. But you're not to leave Hogwarts without permission, because it would be an ideal opportunity for someone to attack you" warned Sirius.
"No one has tried to attack me so far, except a dragon and a couple of Grindylows" admitted Harry.
"I don't care. I will not breathe freely until this tournament is over, which is not until June" replied Sirius.
"Me neither. This tournament has filled me with anxiety and I can't wait for it to be over" added Raya.

"One last thing Harry, when you are talking about me at school, call me Snuffles. Snape has seen the map, and he might know that my nickname is Padfoot. Which is why referring to me as Snuffles is safer for everyone" said Sirius.
"O.K" agreed Harry.
"Come on then you lot, I'll walk you back up to school" announced Raya.
"We don't need you to escourt us to Hogwarts, we're not babies" insisted Harry.
"I know. But it will put my mind at ease, as I don't like the idea of you walking alone" admitted Raya.
"I won't be alone, for I have Hermione and Ron"
"But they aren't adults"
"I guess that's true... Come on, we'd better get going then"
"After you, Harry".