Chapter 3
“The letters, my Lord.”
“Thank you, Lucius. There is no need to call me that any longer. I will work on a new title. I would not like any of you forgetting that I am not your previous master.”
Before continuing chronologically, he read the first set of correspondences that Hermione had mentioned in the letter he had just read.
Lord Malfoy,
I have recently become aware that you purchased racing brooms for the Slytherin quidditch team. As a member of the Board of Governors, these actions might perhaps display some favoritism to your former house. I would not want there to be any evidence that you do not wholeheartedly deserve your spot on the Board. Since your tenure began, Hogwarts has become a much safer school to attend. Perhaps evening the quidditch field by buying such brooms for each team would be in your best interest. I also implore that, for the sake of your House and your son, you teach him the social implications of using rather harsh terms to refer to muggleborns in front of mixed company. Were any teachers present I fear he may have been facing expulsion. As it was, he would have been hexed by one of the Gryffindors was it not for a wand mishap.
Always a pleasure,
Hermione Granger
Lord Malfoy,
This year, I am hoping to be able to take all twelve O.W.L. subjects for the next three years. My Head of House has already contacted the Ministry of Magic to acquire approval for this request. I am sure that the Board of Governors will need to hear the request and wanted to be assured that I had at least one member aware and in my corner for this vote. If my reasons would make you more inclined to support my request, let me know, though I do not think I need to explain my fascination with all magic and the importance of making connections and opportunities in all areas. I would not wish to bore you with the musings of a thirteen-year-old.
I appreciate your support,
Hermione Granger
Lord Malfoy,
I send this letter in preparation for one I believe you will receive from your son. During Care of Magical Creatures, he was injured by a hippogriff. This action was due to the irresponsibility of two parties, neither of them being Buckbeak, the name of the hippogriff involved. While Draco did not follow the instructions given to him, he should not have been allowed to have gotten close enough to Buckbeak for him to get injured, however minor it was. The blame should be placed on our professor, Hagrid. He brought a creature he knew could cause injury to students and had no safety measures in place to protect his students from it. If this gross negligence is not enough to get him fired, I sincerely hope there are some ramifications. Though none should be placed on Buckbeak except perhaps relocation away from ignorant Hogwarts students.
Hermione Granger
Lord Malfoy,
I am quite surprised that no one has recognized that "Professor Moody" is an impostor. It is quite obvious with the polyjuice being drunk every fifty minutes. The acting is quite good, but some of Barty Crouch Jr.'s mannerisms have remained. I would appreciate you not passing along that I know who he is. After my observations, it would be quite easy to tell. He watches me now as someone close to Harry and additionally for being a muggleborn. If he knew this, he would watch me more than Harry. In regards to his teaching, though, he is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor we have had in my time here. Though Professor Lupin did admirably well, he was nearly as paranoid as "Moody," and he stuck to the curriculum religiously. If you do decide to tell him, please pass along my interest in studying with him outside of class. I would insist on the presence of others, though, as I have heard of his involvement in the torture of the Longbottoms and do not want to put myself in a ridiculous amount of danger for the opportunity to learn more.
A pleasure as always,
Hermione Granger
“I will have to ask that all of you keep Miss Granger out of the loop until the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Severus, keep an eye on her and Harry Potter. Lucius, Alexander, Johnathan, and Theodosius I want you to find more members. See those in the wizarding world who want to be in power, those you can see the yearning just below their skin. We’ll need people in various departments in the Ministry. I’ll work on a list of which positions. Let me know who you find.”
“Of course,” they chorused.
“And teach your children the way things will be going. Not the finer details, but the direction things are headed in.” If any of them were caught using the word Mudblood he would make them regret it.
- -
“We have an announcement to make regarding the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament.” Ludo Bagman stood before a podium, Crouch to his right. The four champions stood in front in order of their performance in the second task. Cameras were going off with abandon and Bagman tried to act as though this was a normal occurrence for him. He did love the spotlight. Perhaps Bagman could be recruited, but recruiting was not his task. He returned his gaze to looking between Harry and Hermione. The recent developments in the focus of the no-longer Dark Lord had led him to rethink which side he was actually spying for. He believed himself disillusioned to both, but perhaps he should give Riddle a chance. He had passed some of what he knew along to Dumbledore, he hadn’t seen any harm in doing so.
“With only two weeks before the third task, we have decided that it is necessary to inform the champions of some aspects of the challenge. As always, the final task involves a race to finding the Triwizard Cup. We have already begun building the hedge maze, though looking now will not benefit any of the champions as many changes will be occurring throughout the process.” he paused for a laugh that the reporters and some of the students gave. “Each champion may choose a member of their school to be their partner in the task. However, the winner will be the first team to touch the Cup, both members must be holding it at the same time. Feel free to bring new students from your schools if you wish. They must agree to join the champion. Thank you!” he finished before leaving.
- -
The students returned to their commonrooms.
“So Harry, what’s the plan? When should we start training for this task?” Ron asked.
“We’ve already been training, Ron. Don’t you remember the runs that we go on every evening and the reading that I’ve been helping you with?”
“The three of us have done those, I meant what else are the two of us gonna do for the third task. Now that you and I are going to be competing together.”
“I haven’t decided who I’m going to ask to compete with me yet. I’m sorry, Ron,” his voice sheepish.
“Go get some rest, Harry. We’ll talk it out tomorrow,” Hermione told him, holding on to Ron as she wanted to speak with him.
“Ron, I know that you care about Harry, but he is my brother. I won’t let you go with him in my place unless I think you can help him better than I can.”
“And how exactly am I supposed to do that?”
“We all have strengths and weaknesses, convince me that you are better suited for this than I am. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ron. Good night.”
She wrote another owl to Malfoy that night.
Lord Malfoy,
I assume that you have heard about the final task for the Triwizard Tournament, if not the gist of it is that the champions can bring a partner. I assume this meddling has something to do with Crouch, and you know him better than I do. I request a quick response, before tomorrow morning. Would “Moody” encourage my participation?
If not, how do you suggest I convince Harry and Ron that I need to be with Harry? Someone wants Harry to have help, and I am not immediately coming up with reasons why that would happen if they wanted to hurt him. Unless someone wishes to kill Harry and is so bold as to want someone to watch and report it and their arrival (perhaps return?). I find myself seeking your guidance.
More trust than I would like to put in you,
Hermione Granger
She duplicated her parchment and gave one to her owl.
She got a response more quickly than she was expecting. Normally his response was an action, not a letter, but she appreciated it when he sent her something.
- -
Miss Granger,
In this case, I believe that your goal and his align.
Lucius Malfoy, Head of the Noble House of Malfoy