"I'll get Dumbledore if you let me go, Mr. Crouch!" said Harry.He looked furiously around at Krum. "Help me, will you?"

 Looking extremely apprehensive, Krum moved forward andsquatted down next to Mr. Crouch. 

"Just keep him here," said Harry, pulling himself free of Mr.Crouch. "I'll be back with Dumbledore.

""Hurry, von't you?" Krum called after him as Harry and I sprintedaway from the forest and up through the dark grounds. They were deserted; Bagman, Cedric, and Fleur had disappeared. Harry and I toreup the stone steps, me stuffing the cloak inside my robes, through the oak front doors, and off up themarble staircase, toward the second floor. 

Five minutes later we were hurtling toward a stone gargoylestanding halfway along an empty corridor.

 "Can-canary Cream!" I panted at it. The password hadevidently changed, however, for the stone gargoyle did not springto life and jump aside, but stood frozen, glaring at Harrymalevolently.

 "Move!" Harry shouted at it. "C'mon!"

 But nothing at Hogwarts had ever moved just because you shouted at it; I knew it was no good. I looked up and down thedark corridor. Perhaps Dumbledore was in the staffroom? Westarted running as fast as we could toward the staircase — 

"POTTERS!" 

Harry and I skidded to a halt and looked around. Snape had justemerged from the hidden staircase behind the stone gargoyle. Thewall was sliding shut behind him even as he beckoned Harry and me backtoward him.

 "What are you doing here, Potter?" 

"we need to see Professor Dumbledore!" said Harry, running backup the corridor and skidding to a standstill in front of Snape instead. "It's Mr. Crouch . . . he's just turned up . . . he's in the forest . . . he's asking —"

 "What is this rubbish?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering."What are you talking about? Ms. Potter?"

"Sir my brother just told me--"

"Mr. Crouch!" Harry shouted. "From the Ministry! He's ill orsomething — he's in the forest, he wants to see Dumbledore! Justgive us the password up to —" 

"The headmaster is busy, Potter," said Snape, his thin mouthcurling into an unpleasant smile. 

"I've got to tell Dumbledore!" Harry yelled. 

"Didn't you hear me, Potter?" I could tell Snape was thoroughly enjoying himself, denying Harry the thing he wanted when he was so panicky. 

"Look," said Harry angrily, "Crouch isn't right — he's — he'sout of his mind — he says he wants to warn —" 

The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing long green robes and a mildly curious expression.

 "Is there a problem?" he said, looking between Harry, Me and Snape. 

"Professor!" Harry said, sidestepping Snape before Snape couldspeak, "Mr. Crouch is here — he's down in the forest, he wants tospeak to you!"

 I expected Dumbledore to ask questions, but to my relief,Dumbledore did nothing of the sort. 

"Lead the way," he said promptly, and he swept off along thecorridor behind Harry and me, leaving Snape standing next to the gargoyleand looking twice as ugly. 

"What did Mr. Crouch say, Harry?" said Dumbledore as we walked swiftly down the marble staircase. 

"Said he wants to warn you . . . said he's done somethingterrible . . . he mentioned his son . . . and Bertha Jorkins . . .and — and Voldemort . . . something about Voldemort gettingstronger. . . ." 

"Indeed," said Dumbledore, and he quickened his pace as we hurried out into the pitch-darkness. 

"He's not acting normally," Harry said, hurrying along besideDumbledore. "He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keepstalking like he thinks Percy Weasley's there, and then hechanges, and says he needs to see you. . . . I left him with Viktor Krum."

 "You did?" said Dumbledore sharply, and he began to takelonger strides still, so that Harry was running to keep up. "Do youknow if anybody else saw Mr. Crouch?" 

"No," said Harry. "Krum and I were talking, Mr. Bagman hadjust finished telling us about the third task, we stayed behind, andthen we saw Mr. Crouch coming out of the forest —"

 "Where are they?" said Dumbledore as the Beauxbatons carriageemerged from the darkness. 

"Over here," said Harry, moving in front of Dumbledore, leading the way through the trees. I couldn't hear Crouch's voice anymore, but I knew where we were going; it hadn't been much pastthe Beauxbatons carriage . . . somewhere around here. . . . 

"Viktor?" Harry shouted.No one answered. 

"They were here," Harry said to Dumbledore. "They were definitely somewhere around here. . . ." 

"Lumos," I said, lighting my wand and holding it up.Its narrow beam traveled from black trunk to black trunk, illuminating the ground. And then it fell upon a pair of feet.

 Harry, me and Dumbledore hurried forward. Krum was sprawled onthe forest floor. He seemed to be unconscious. There was no sign at  all of Mr. Crouch. Dumbledore bent over Krum and gently liftedone of his eyelids. 

"Stunned," he said softly. His half-moon glasses glittered in thewandlight as he peered around at the surrounding trees. 

"Should we go and get someone?" said Harry. "Madam Pomfrey?"

 "No," said Dumbledore swiftly. "Stay here."

 He raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction ofHagrid's cabin. I saw something silvery dart out of it andstreak away through the trees like a ghostly bird. Then Dumbledore bent over Krum again, pointed his wand at him, and muttered, "Rennervate."

 Krum opened his eyes. He looked dazed. When he saw Dumbledore, he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and made him lie still.

 "He attacked me!" Krum muttered, putting a hand up to hishead. "The old madman attacked me! I vos looking around to seevare Potter had gone and he attacked from behind!" 

"Lie still for a moment," Dumbledore said.The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them, and Hagridcame panting into sight with Fang at his heels. He was carrying hiscrossbow. 

"Professor Dumbledore!" he said, his eyes widening. "Harry — Emma--what the — ?" 

"Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff," said Dumbledore. "His student has been attacked. When you've done that,kindly alert Professor Moody —" 

"No need, Dumbledore," said a wheezy growl. "I'm here."Moody was limping toward us, leaning on his staff, hiswand lit.

"Damn leg," he said furiously. "Would've been here quicker . . .what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch —"

 "Crouch?" said Hagrid blankly.

 "Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!" said Dumbledore sharply. 

"Oh yeah . . . right y'are, Professor . . ." said Hagrid, and heturned and disappeared into the dark trees, Fang trotting after him.

 "I don't know where Barty Crouch is," Dumbledore toldMoody, "but it is essential that we find him." 

"I'm onto it," growled Moody, and he pulled out his wand andlimped off into the forest.

 Neither Dumbledore nor Harry nor I spoke again until WE heard theunmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning. Karkaroff washurrying along behind them. He was wearing his sleek silver furs,and he looked pale and agitated.

 "What is this?" he cried when he saw Krum on the ground andDumbledore and Harry beside him. "What's going on?" 

"I vos attacked!" said Krum, sitting up now and rubbing his head."Mr. Crouch or votever his name —" 

"Crouch attacked you? Crouch attacked you? The Triwizardjudge?" 

"Igor," Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff had drawn himselfup, clutching his furs around him, looking livid. 

"Treachery!" he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore. "It is a plot!You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under falsepretenses, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First yousneak Potter into the tournament, though he is underage! Now oneof your Ministry friends attempts to put my champion out ofaction! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair,and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences — here's what I think of you!"

 Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet. 

In oneswift movement, Hagrid seized the front of Karkaroff's furs, liftedhim into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree."Apologize!" Hagrid snarled as Karkaroff gasped for breath,Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, his feet dangling in midair. 

"Hagrid, no!" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing. 

Hagrid removed the hand pinning Karkaroff to the tree, andKarkaroff slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddleat its roots; a few twigs and leaves showered down upon his head.

 "Kindly escort Harry and Emma back up to the castle, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply.Breathing heavily, Hagrid gave Karkaroff a glowering look."Maybe I'd better stay here, Headmaster. . . ."

 "You will take Harry and Emma back to school, Hagrid," Dumbledore repeated firmly. "Take Harry right up to Gryffindor Tower and Emma to the dungeons AndHarry and Emma — I want you to stay there. Anything you might want todo — any owls you might want to send — they can wait untilmorning, do you understand me?" 

"Er — yes," said Harry, staring at him. 

How had Dumbledoreknown that, at that very moment, I had been thinking aboutsending Pigwidgeon straight to Sirius, to tell him what hadhappened? 

"I'll leave Fang with yeh, Headmaster," Hagrid said, staringmenacingly at Karkaroff, who was still sprawled at the foot of thetree, tangled in furs and tree roots. "Stay, Fang. C'mon, Harry, Emma." 

We marched in silence past the Beauxbatons carriage and uptoward the castle

 "How dare he," Hagrid growled as they strode past the lake."How dare he accuse Dumbledore. Like Dumbledore'd do anythin'like that. Like Dumbledore wanted you in the tournament in thefirs' place. Worried! I dunno when I seen Dumbledore more worried than he's bin lately. An' you!" Hagrid suddenly said angrily toHarry, who looked up at him, taken aback. "What were yeh doin',wanderin' off with ruddy Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Harry!Coulda jinxed yeh right there, couldn' he? Hasn' Moody taught yehnothin'? 'Magine lettin' him lure yeh off on yer own —" 

"Krum's all right!" said Harry as they climbed the steps into theentrance hall. "He wasn't trying to jinx me, he just wanted to talkabout Hermione —" 

"I'll be havin' a few words with her, an' all," said Hagrid grimly,stomping up the stairs. "The less you lot 'ave ter do with these foreigners, the happier yeh'll be. Yeh can' trust any of 'em." 

"You were getting on all right with Madame Maxime," Harrysaid, annoyed. 

"Don' you talk ter me abou' her!" said Hagrid, and he lookedquite frightening for a moment. "I've got her number now! Tryin'ter get back in me good books, tryin' ter get me ter tell her what'scomin' in the third task. Ha! You can' trust any of 'em!"

I bid them goodnight and went down to tell my friends exactly what happened. 

"It  comes down to this," said Zoe, rubbing her forehead."Either Mr. Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody else attacked both of them when Viktor wasn't looking." 

"It must've been Crouch," said Nicholas at once. "That's why hewas gone when Potter and Dumbledore got there. He'd done arunner." 

"I don't think so," said Draco, shaking his head. "from what Emma said; he seemedreally weak — I don't reckon he was up to Disapparating or anything." 

"You can't Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds, haven't I toldyou enough times?"I said. 

"Okay . . . how's this for a theory," said Zoe excitedly. "Krumattacked Crouch — no, wait for it — and then Stunned himself!"

 "And Mr. Crouch evaporated, did he?"I said. 

"Oh yeah . . ."

"Just go through it again, Emma," said Nicholas. "What didMr. Crouch actually say?" 

"I've told you, he wasn't making much sense,"I said. "Hesaid he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she wasdead. He kept saying stuff was his fault. . . . He mentioned his son."

  "He was out of his mind," I continued. "Half the time he seemedto think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking toPercy Weasly about work and giving him instructions."

 "And . . . remind me what he said about You-Know-Who?" said Zoe tentatively. 

"I've told you," I repeated dully. "He said he's gettingstronger."There was a pause.

 Then Zoe said in a falsely confident voice,"But he was out of his mind, like you said, so half of it was probably just raving. . . ." 

"He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort," I said, and they winced at the sound of the name. "He washaving real trouble stringing two words together, but that waswhen he seemed to know where he was, and know what he wantedto do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore."

 I turned away from the window and stared up into the ceiling.

 "If Snape hadn't held us up," I said bitterly, "we might'vegot there in time. 'The headmaster is busy, Potter . . . what's thisrubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?" 

"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" said Zoe quickly."Maybe — hang on — how fast d'you reckon he could've gottendown to the forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you andDumbledore there?"

 "Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said Draco. 

"Wouldn't put it past him," Nicholas muttered.

 "We need to see Professor Moody," said Zoe. "We need tofind out whether he found Mr. Crouch."

 "If he had the Marauder's Map on him, it would've been easy,"I said. 

"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds,"Draco said,"because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't —"

The chattering of students interrupted us. we yawned. We had been up all night talking. 

"D'you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?" I said as we walked up 

"Yes," said Nicholas. "He'd probably blast us through the door if wewake him at the crack of dawn; he'll think we're trying to attackhim while he's asleep. Let's give it till break." 

History of Magic had rarely gone so slowly. I kept checking my watch, but it was moving so slowly he could have sworn it had stopped working. All four of us were so tired we could happily have put their headsdown on the desks and slept; even I wasn't taking my usual notes, but was sitting with my head on Zoe shoulder. 

When the bell finally rang, we hurried out into the corridorstoward the Dark Arts classroom and found Professor Moody leaving it. He looked as tired as we felt. The eyelid of his normal eyewas drooping, giving his face an even more lopsided appearancethan usual. 

"Professor Moody?" I called as we made our way towardhim through the crowd, Draco hiding behind us.

 "Hello, Ms Potter," growled Moody. His magical eye followed acouple of passing first years, who sped up, looking nervous; itrolled into the back of Moody's head and watched them around thecorner before he spoke again. 

"Come in here." 

He stood back to let us into his empty classroom, limped inafter us, and closed the door.

 "Did you find him?" I asked without preamble. "Mr.Crouch?" 

"No," said Moody. He moved over to his desk, sat down,stretched out his wooden leg with a slight groan, and pulled out hiship flask. 

"Did you use the map?" I said."Of course," said Moody, taking a swig from his flask. "Took aleaf out of your brother's book,Ms Potter. Summoned it from my office into theforest. He wasn't anywhere on there."

 "So he did Disapparate?" said Zoe. 

"You can't Disapparate on the grounds, Zoe!"I said."There are other ways he could have disappeared, aren't there,Professor?"Moody's magical eye quivered as it rested on me.

 "You'reanother one who might think about a career as an Auror," he told me. "Mind works the right way, Potter." 

"Well, he wasn't invisible," said Draco. "The map shows invisible people. He must've left the grounds, then." In case you forgot; I don't listen to my brother. He told me to only tell Zoe. I told all three of them

 "But under his own steam?" said Zoe e eagerly, "or becausesomeone made him?"

 "We can't rule out kidnap," growled Moody. 

"So," said Nicholas, "d'you reckon he's somewhere in Hogsmeade?"

 "Could be anywhere," said Moody, shaking his head. "Onlything we know for sure is that he's not here."He yawned widely, so that his scars stretched, and his lopsidedmouth revealed a number of missing teeth. Then he said, "Now,Dumbledore's told me you fancy yourselves as investigators,but there's nothing you can do for Crouch. The Ministry'll be looking for him now, Dumbledore's notified them. Potter, you just keepyour brother's mind on the third task."

Hermione, Harry and Ron had sent sirius a letter. 

Sirius sent their owl back the very next morning. It fluttered downbeside Harry at the same moment that a tawny owl landed in frontof Hermione, clutching a copy of the Daily Prophet in its beak, I sat with them during this incase something came. Hermione took the newspaper, scanned the first few pages, said, "Ha! She hasn't got wind of Crouch!" then joined Me, Ron and Harry in readingwhat Sirius had to say on the mysterious events of the night beforelast. 

Harry — 

what do you think you are playing at, walkingoff into the forest with Viktor Krum? I want you to swear, byreturn owl, that you are not going to go walking with anyoneelse at night. There is somebody highly dangerous at Hogwarts.It is clear to me that they wanted to stop Crouch from seeingDumbledore and you were probably feet away from them inthe dark. You could have been killed.Your name didn't get into the Goblet of Fire by accident. Ifsomeone's trying to attack you, they're on their last chance. 

Stayclose to , EmmaRon and Hermione, do not leave Gryffindor Towerafter hours, and arm yourself for the third task. Practice Stunning and Disarming. A few hexes wouldn't go amiss either.There's nothing you can do about Crouch. Keep your headdown and look after yourself. I'm waiting for your letter givingme your word you won't stray out-of-bounds again. Emma too. 

Sirius

"Who's he, to lecture me about being out-of-bounds?" saidHarry in mild indignation as he folded up Sirius's letter and put itinside his robes. "After all the stuff he did at school!" 

"He's right though" I said "how'd you know Krum wasn't going to attack you? Or someone else?"

"He's worried about you!" said Hermione sharply. "Just likeMoody and Hagrid! So listen to them!" 

"No one's tried to attack me all year," said Harry. "No one's doneanything to me at all —" 

"Except put your name in the Goblet of Fire,"I said."And they must've done that for a reason, Harry. Snuffles is right.Maybe they've been biding their time. Maybe this is the task they'regoing to get you."

 "Look," said Harry impatiently, "let's say Sirius is right, andsomeone Stunned Krum to kidnap Crouch. Well, they would'vebeen in the trees near us, wouldn't they? But they waited till I wasout of the way until they acted, didn't they? So it doesn't look likeI'm their target, does it?" 

"They couldn't have made it look like an accident if they'd murdered you in the forest!" said Hermione. "But if you die during atask —"

 "They didn't care about attacking Krum, did they?" said Harry."Why didn't they just polish me off at the same time? Theycould've made it look like Krum and I had a duel or something." 

"Harry, I don't understand it either," said Hermione desperately."I just know there are a lot of odd things going on, and I don't likeit. . . . Moody's right — Sirius is right — you've got to get in training for the third task, straight away. And you make sure you writeback to Sirius and promise him you're not going to go sneaking offalone again." 

The Hogwarts grounds never looked more inviting than when I had to stay indoors. For the next few days I spent all of my free time either in the library with Harry, Hermione and Ron, looking uphexes, or else in empty classrooms, which twe sneaked into topractice. Harry was concentrating on the Stunning Spell, which hehad never used before. The trouble was that practicing it involvedcertain sacrifices on Ron's and Hermione's part And mine. 

"Can't we kidnap Mrs. Norris?" Ron suggested on Mondaylunchtime as he lay flat on his back in the middle of their Charmsclassroom, having just been Stunned and reawoken by Harry forthe fifth time in a row. "Let's Stun her for a bit. Or you could useDobby, Harry, I bet he'd do anything to help you. I'm not complaining or anything" — he got gingerly to his feet, rubbing hisbackside — "but I'm aching all over. . . ."

 "Well, you keep missing the cushions, don't you!" said Hermione impatiently, rearranging the pile of cushions they had used forthe Banishing Spell, which Flitwick had left in a cabinet. "Just tryand fall backward!" 

"Once you're Stunned, you can't aim too well, Hermione!" saidRon angrily. "Why don't you take a turn?"

 "Well, I think Harry's got it now, anyway," said Hermionehastily. "And we don't have to worry about Disarming, because he'sbeen able to do that for ages. . . . I think we ought to start on someof these hexes this evening." 

I looked down the list we had made in the library."I like the look of this one," I said, "this Impediment Curse.Should slow down anything that's trying to attack you, Harry.We'll start with that one."

 The bell rang. We hastily shoved the cushions back intoFlitwick's cupboard and slipped out of the classroom. 

Me and Hermione headed over to Athrimancy. The subject should have put a smile on my face but I felt oddly sleepy. As Professor  Vector began explaining, my head lolled of Draco's shoulder. 

I was riding on the back of an eagle owl, soaring through theclear blue sky toward an old, ivy-covered house set high on a hillside. Lower and lower they flew, the wind blowing pleasantly in my face, until I reached a dark and broken window in theupper story of the house and entered. Now we were flying alonga gloomy passageway, to a room at the very end . . . through thedoor they went, into a dark room whose windows were boardedup. . . . 

I had left the owl's back . . . I was watching, now, as itfluttered across the room, into a chair with its back to me. . . .There were two dark shapes on the floor beside the chair . . . bothof them were stirring. . . .One was a huge snake . . . the other was a man . . . a short, balding man, a man with watery eyes and a pointed nose . . . he waswheezing and sobbing on the hearth rug. . . . 

"You are in luck, Wormtail," said a cold, high-pitched voicefrom the depths of the chair in which the owl had landed. "You arevery fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. Heis dead." 

"My Lord!" gasped the man on the floor. "My Lord, I am . . . Iam so pleased . . . and so sorry. . . ." 

"Nagini," said the cold voice, "you are out of luck. I will not befeeding Wormtail to you, after all . . . but never mind, nevermind . . . there is still Harry and Emma Potter. . . .And if not both you will certainly have Harry Potter at least" 

The snake hissed. I could see its tongue fluttering. 

"Now, Wormtail," said the cold voice, "perhaps one more littlereminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you. . . ." 

"My Lord . . . no . . . I beg you . . ."

 The tip of a wand emerged from around the back of the chair. Itwas pointing at Wormtail."Crucio!" said the cold voice.

 Wormtail screamed, screamed as though every nerve in his bodywere on fire, the screaming filled my ears and my forehead seared with pain. My brother was going to die. . .I had to kill Voldermort before he had the chance. . .I had to--

"Emma! Emma!"

I woke up facedown on my desk in the Athrimancy Classroom.   my scar was stillburning so badly that my eyes were watering. The pain had beenreal. The whole class was standing around me, and Draco was supporting my back, looking terrified.

 "You all right?" he said.

"Ms Potter!" said Professor Vector.

"I need to go to the hospital wing, I think," I said. "Badheadache." 

"O-Of Course."

I needed to find Harry--luckily for me though I bumped into him immediately.

"Did you--?"

"Yes."

We set off. Sirius had told us what to do if our scars hurt us again, and we were going to follow his advice:We were goingstraight to Dumbledore's office. We marched down the corridors,thinking about what we had seen in the dream . . . it had been as vividas the one that had awoken us on Privet Drive. . . .I ran over thedetails in my mind, trying to make sure I could remember them. . . . I had heard Voldemort accusing Wormtail of making a blunder . . .but the owl had brought good news, the blunder had been repaired,somebody was dead . . . so Wormtail was not going to be fed to thesnake . . .  Harry, was going to be fed to it instead. . . . 

We came to the gargoyle, then remembered we didn't know the password.

"Sherbet lemon?" Harry tried tentatively.

 The gargoyle did not move.

 "Okay," said Harry, staring at it, "Pear Drop. Er — LicoriceWand. Fizzing Whizbee. Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. BertieBott's Every Flavor Beans . . . oh no, he doesn't like them, doeshe? . . . oh just open, can't you?" he said angrily. "I really need tosee him, it's urgent!" 

The gargoyle remained immovable.

 Harry kicked it, achieving nothing but an excruciating pain inhis big toe. 

"Chocolate Frog!" he yelled angrily, standing on one leg. "SugarQuill! Cockroach Cluster!"The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside. Harry blinked."Cockroach Cluster?" he said, amazed. "I was only joking. . . ."

 We hurried through the gap in the walls and stepped onto thefoot of a spiral stone staircase, which moved slowly upward as thedoors closed behind us, taking ys up to a polished oak doorwith a brass door knocker. 

We could hear voices from inside the office. He stepped off themoving staircase and hesitated, listening."Dumbledore, I'm afraid I don't see the connection, don't see itat all!" It was the voice of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge."Ludo says Bertha's perfectly capable of getting herself lost. I agreewe would have expected to have found her by now, but all thesame, we've no evidence of foul play, Dumbledore, none at all. Asfor her disappearance being linked with Barty Crouch's!" 

"And what do you thinks happened to Barty Crouch, Minister?"said Moody's growling voice.

 "I see two possibilities, Alastor," said Fudge. "Either Crouch hasfinally cracked — more than likely, I'm sure you'll agree, given hispersonal history — lost his mind, and gone wandering off somewhere —"

 "He wandered extremely quickly, if that is the case, Cornelius,"said Dumbledore calmly.

 "Or else — well . . ." Fudge sounded embarrassed. "Well, I'llreserve judgment until after I've seen the place where he was found,but you say it was just past the Beauxbatons carriage? Dumbledore,you know what that woman is?"

 "I consider her to be a very able headmistress — and an excellent dancer," said Dumbledore quietly. 

"Dumbledore, come!" said Fudge angrily. "Don't you think youmight be prejudiced in her favor because of Hagrid? They don't allturn out harmless — if, indeed, you can call Hagrid harmless, withthat monster fixation he's got —" 

"I no more suspect Madame Maxime than Hagrid," said Dumbledore, just as calmly. "I think it possible that it is you who areprejudiced, Cornelius." 

"Can we wrap up this discussion?" growled Moody. 

"Yes, yes, let's go down to the grounds, then," said Fudge impatiently. 

"No, it's not that," said Moody, "it's just that the Potters want aword with you, Dumbledore. they're just outside the door."