A Family Reunited (A Teddy Lupin Afterlife Story) (Book 4)

Chapter 10: The Servant and the Choice

Albus toasted the newly found happiness between Sirius and his brother, Regulus, and that of Severus and his mother, Eileen. But one member of the party was neither sitting with them, smiling nor joining in the good spirited atmosphere.

Barty Crouch Jr was filled with anger. His only real friend left nowadays, Regulus was going to be spending all of his time with Sirius now. And he would be alone in the world, just as he had been while under his own father's influence of the Imperius Curse, with only a sniffling little house elf named Winky for company.

"Dobby!" called Albus suddenly.

Dobby, whom had been in the kitchen with Kreacher preparing the lunch for later that day cracked into shape on the table directly in front of Albus, bowing so low that his nose dipped into a half finished rice pudding from the lunch course.

"Mr Dumbledore, sir!" said Dobby courteously.

"Thank you, Dobby." smiled Albus kindly. "May I inquire as to whether or not you are at all in contact with the house elf, Winky?"

"Why, yes, sir!" squeaked Dobby. "Dobby has seen Winky often in Heaven, sir. Sometimes when Winky is feeling rather sad, she comes to Dobby, sir, because Winky misses life with masters, sir. So she takes as much comfort as she can by helping Dobby and Kreacher cook, sir."

"I see. Might you be able to bring Winky here if you please, Dobby?" continued Albus.

"Immediately, sir!" bowed Dobby and he vanished with a crack.

"Winky?" snapped Crouch from behind. He had advanced to right behind Harry.

"Yes, Mr Crouch." said Albus in a calm but stern voice. "Your old house elf who treated you as good as anyone had in the years you were trapped from returning to Lord Voldemort's service is coming to see you."

"I've nothing to say to that creature. The only reason I agreed to come here was to avenge the man I saw as a damn sight better father than my biological one ever was!" snapped Crouch.

And with that, Barty Crouch Jr seized Harry in a head lock and dragged him from the bench.

"HARRY!" came many voices at once.

Albus raised his wand, James, Sirius, Severus and Remus sprang from their seats and the two Lilys screamed.

"Don't be foolish, Crouch." said Albus. "You will be unable to harm Harry or avenge Voldemort. Harmful magic is useless in Heaven. And Voldemort never cared for you like a son. Merely, he cared for you as a puppet, a pawn in his awful games and as a key to his resurrection. He more or less forgot about you instantly once he found out you were subjected to the Dementor's Kiss! He was no better than your father!"

"YOU LIE!" bellowed Crouch, keeping Harry in his grip. "The Dark Lord saved me! He liberated me! He honoured me with the task of his rebirth! He would have rewarded me and loved me beyond my wildest dreams if it hadn't had been for you and Potter!"

"No, Bartemius." said Albus softly. This first name basis and change in tone rather surprised Crouch and his grip loosened for a split second before securing Harry's neck again.

Albus was being watched hard by all those present.

"I do not lie about who can and cannot love...and Voldemort's greatest weakness was the inability to understand love. That's one of the few things where you differed from your master. You may have shown yourself to be heartless and ruthless at times. But as far as I can make out, the only reason you saw Voldemort as a surrogate father was because you were starved of paternal affection by your own father...your mother loved you but you were missing a full family unit and you were blinded by your fury towards Mr Crouch. And it made you decide to get revenge by turning against your father and siding with the Dark side. But I believe and have seen that you regret your role in your mother's death at best. Is that not so?"