A Memorable Tale

53 | Two Aurors and a Boy with Straw Hair

In the last week of May, the champions were called so that Bagman could tell them what the next task was.

I sat on the floor of my dorm with every piece of knowledge I had obtained in the past couple months.

"Who are all these people?" Sue carefully stepped over my things to get to her bed.

"Just some people for Muggle Studies," I muttered, then I added quietly, "Illegibilus."

Sue looked at one of the papers and furrowed her brow. "Do Muggles... speak a different language or something?"

"With some things," I answered, sliding the paper she was reading towards me.

She shrugged and sat on her bed.

"I made you some tea." I pointed at the tea cup on her nightstand.

"Oh, thanks." She took it and sipped, placed it on the nightstand and quickly dozed off. Sleeping Draught.

I performed the reversal spell on my things and continued looking through the swamp of evidence.

Cedric had breathed easy the entire summer without me investigating anything dangerous (other than Sirius Black, but he didn't need to know about that). Now was just making up for it. The man has to get wrinkles and grey hair someday.

I scratched my chin.

Bertha Jorkins was known to be in Albania for vacation, then was reported missing when she didn't return on the day she said she would.

Some people believed that she just lost track of time or got lost in general, but I didn't manage to find any record of it, or even something on a daily gossip column, and I searched through that virtuously.

There was certainly signs pointing to kidnapping.

By who was what stumped me.

It was someone who would find her useful. The information I am sure she had is about the World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament.

It had to be someone relating to Voldemort, but how is he supposed to do that when he couldn't even walk on his own the last I heard of him?

I opened my notebook to a fresh page and scribbled something down.

Dumbledore said that Bagman and Mr. Crouch had been working on it for months, and Charlie, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley knew about it - it wasn't a one man job.

But Bertha Jorkins going missing, Death Eaters appearing at the World Cup, someone entering Harry into a deadly tournament, it all adds up on the timeline. They have to be connected.

I stared at the long timeline I had made by making the paper in my notebook extend.

"Something happened here," I muttered, pressing my finger against the empty space between her graduation from Hogwarts and her entering the Ministry.

I heard something bump into the window and I looked up, spotting Major hovering beyond the glass. "Ah, mum's written back."

Once I opened the window, Major hastily dropped the letter in my hand, efficient as ever.

Bertha Jorkins moved between Departments until she landed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports. I only remember her being in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I do hope nobody else knows about this investigation, dear - you don't want the wrong people finding out.

I sent a quick letter back and added onto the timeline between her joining the Ministry and her going to Albania.

Then I paused.