The Founder's Missing Piece

Chapter 12: Screw Fred

Adelia's P.O.V.

It had been a couple months since my father had tasked me with helping Barty Crouch. The potion Alex was making for me was complex and effective. It put Cécile to sleep, but only in a sense. It was more like sleepwalking than anything, although her eyes stayed open. Helping Crouch had been incredibly annoying, to say the least. He needed help with practically everything. Apparently being trapped in his father's basement for however long he was in there caused him to forget all the stuff he has ever learned. 

Although, to be fair, he had also been under the imperius curse the whole time, so that's bound to fry your brain. Most people didn't know about what had happened to Barty Crouch Jr. since his mom died, but spending this much time with him had provided opportunity to learn. I had heard enough angry rants about his father to know exactly what had happened. 

When his mother was dying, her final wish was that their son be set free. Barty Crouch gave his wife polyjuice potion, disguised her as their son, and switched out the bodies. Dementors, being moronic and blind noticed one healthy person and one dying person entering, and the same exiting. Barty Crouch's mother died in Azkaban, and his father had been keeping him prisoner in their home under the Imperius Curse.

I had heard it over and over and it was driving me bonkers. I was on my way to meet him, and if he tried to tell me the story one more time, I might Crucio him. I didn't enjoy torturing people like my father did, but I was't entirely against using it. If someone pissed me off enough, I wouldn't hesitate. 

I didn't bother knocking on the office door, he knew I was coming. Alex only gave Cécile the potion when Barty needed my help. "Wh-" I was about to ask him what the Hell he wanted, but there was some kid in the room. 

"Cécile," he said, "I'll be with you in just a moment. Weasley was just asking me about today's lesson."

I recognized the name Weasley. Alex had briefed me on all of the people Cécile knew in great detail. I was pretending to be her, after all. If I screwed this up, my father would Crucio me like there's no tomorrow. There were nine Weasleys that she knew, two of which she was in love with-simultaneously-and then there were two older brothers, and a younger brother and younger sister, plus their parents. Judging by the pictures Maria had provided me with (the fact that she had them was a little creepy, but they were helpful), this was one of the twins. I had no clue how Cécile told the difference between the two. I made a mental note to myself to get Alex to ask her how she told them apart.

Although, judging by the look he gave me, this was Fred. The once Cécile had cheated on. I put on my best regretful and awkward awkward face, "ok, I'll just...wait outside then." I walked back out the door, impatiently waiting for them to finish. 

The door finally opened, and Fred walked by me, glaring. I'm sure Cécile would have said something, but I didn't really care. I wasn't supposed to be helping her fix her life, I just needed to make sure Harry Potter won the tournament and that Cécile was in the graveyard when he did. Fixing her love life benefited me in no way whatsoever. 

I walked into the office after the Weasley boy left, closing the door behind me and looking at Crouch expectantly. "Now what the Hell do you want?"

"Your assistance," he simply replied. I rolled my eyes.

"With what, you moron?" I asked impatiently. "You know this potion only works for an hour at a time."

"This potion only works for an hour at a time," he mocked me, using an irritatingly high-pitched voice. As if I actually sounded like that.

"Barty, my father sent me to help you, but that doesn't mean I can't Crucio you if you piss me off. What. Do. You. Want?" I snapped.

"Fine, fine. The boy won't survive this first task if he doesn't know what he's up against. I need him to figure it out."