Struggling to survive at Hogwarts

Chapter 157 Barty Crouch Jr.

Unlike the pitch-black outside, this spacious living room was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

“…Barty Crouch Jr.?”

Thea called out tentatively and walked cautiously toward the sofa. She looked around the living room and saw that this was the only sofa that could accommodate an adult to lie down on.

Thea slowly ran her fingers along the edge of the sofa until they felt a cool sensation on them…

Despite her overwhelming joy, Thea dared not relax. While gripping her wand tightly, she suddenly lifted the invisibility cloak!

Avada Kedavra!

"Oh!"

"Dark Magic Imprisonment!"

Just as the invisibility cloak was lifted, an extremely ominous green light shot straight towards Thea!

Fortunately, Thea was prepared and dodged the green light with a quick movement, then decisively cast a spell!

“Mr. Crouch, I think this spell should be able to prove my identity.”

Barty Crouch Jr. looked at Thea with a serious expression. "You are... Master?"

"Yes, Father asked me to come and pick you up."

In just a few words, the man who had just been mercilessly unleashing a deadly curse on Thea exclaimed with wild joy, "I knew it... I knew Master wouldn't abandon me... I knew it..."

Seeing that the man was so agitated he seemed about to faint, Thea pulled out a bunch of potions from her pocket. "Drink these. There's trouble outside. We need to leave as soon as possible."

Although Barty Jr. had been controlled by his father with the Imperius Curse for many years, the name Voldemort acted as a trigger for his sanity. He eagerly drank the potion and then asked,

Where are we going now?

"Let's go out and deal with those people first."

Draco and Gella nervously watched their surroundings, worried that someone might suddenly approach and that Thea might be in danger inside.

"Shh!"

As the tent was lifted, Draco felt a huge weight lifted from his heart. He was about to go over to greet Thea when he was surprised to find that a man was the one who came out of the tent!

"Who are you? Where is the Thea?"

Upon hearing Draco's question, Barty raised an eyebrow, about to say something, when Thea suddenly popped out of the tent behind him.

"Don't do it yet, Draco."

After reminding Draco, Thea pointed to the parade in the distance and asked, "Can you recognize who those people are?"

With his excellent eyesight and memory, Little Barty quickly identified the group and said with barely concealed disgust, "They're just a bunch of scum."

Is there any way to get rid of them?

Seeing that Little Barty nodded, Thea handed the note to him and said, "Then go over there. After you're done, go to this address to find him."

Barty Jr. accepted the note with great ceremony, then frowned and said, "I don't have a wand."

“But you were able to cast the Killing Curse just now!” Thea directly exposed the other party’s concerns, and Draco and Galah’s eyes widened instantly.

"That curse is just a scare tactic! It's completely useless..."

Little Barty's voice grew softer and softer under Thea's gaze.

"...Alright, alright! I'll go!" Little Barty had no choice but to walk along, pondering how to get a magic wand.

"Alright, the matter is resolved, we should go back now," Thea said in a relaxed tone.

"What was that 'killing curse' that person just mentioned?"

Draco and Gellar's eyes were filled with worry.

"He just tried to ambush me, but I dodged it."

Thea said it casually.

"Oh."

Seeing that Thea didn't want to say more, the two of them wisely kept quiet, but only they knew the turmoil in their hearts.

The three silently retraced their steps, and just as they approached Malfoy's tent, a green, skull-shaped mushroom cloud rose into the deep night.

"So that's the method he was referring to..."

Thea looked at the black-robed wizards who were running away with their heads in their hands and muttered to herself.

------

"What? You want to see Thea? Now?"

Ron pointed to the deep night outside, his face full of disbelief, and said, "Come on, man, the Malfoy family has the strongest security, nothing will happen!"

"But what if?"

“Nothing’s amiss! She…” Before Ron could think of what to say, Hermione interrupted, “Thea just messaged me. She said she’s fine, she was just woken up.”

"How did you know?" Harry and Ron asked, puzzled.

Seeing this, Hermione proudly raised her left wrist, and a silver bracelet with several red streaks of light came into their view.

"Is this a gift from Thea?"

Ron guessed, but Hermione shook her head.

"It should be a gift from Thea to the ODDG members, to facilitate communication."

Harry had seen students from several other houses wearing the same bracelet.

“Harry guessed right! Thea sent me the message through the bracelet. Although I don’t quite understand how the bracelet works, it is very useful.”

"I should have gone to participate in the selection too..." Ron said with some regret.

“Hahaha, but the truth is, even if you go, you might not be chosen!” Hermione laughed, drawing a rebuttal from Ron.

Harry watched the two bickering and playing around, and a wave of drowsiness washed over him, causing his eyelids to droop uncontrollably.

Seeing that Harry's earlier gloom had disappeared and he was gradually falling asleep, Ron and Hermione tiptoed out of the room.

“Harry just said his scar hurts, what do you think?” Ron asked Hermione in a low voice.

Hermione frowned. "I'm not entirely sure either, but there's no doubt it's related to the mysterious man!"

“We know that, but how can we alleviate his pain?” Ron’s expression was also not good.

“I will write to… Madam Pomfrey, she should have a solution, and if that doesn’t work, there’s Dumbledore.”

"...That's the only way."

Ron and Hermione's conversation ended there, and before Mrs. Weasley could urge them on, the two returned to their rooms.

-----

While Ron and Hermione were discussing Harry's scars, Thea was frantically writing letters.

Looking at the completed "masterpiece" in front of her, Thea smiled with satisfaction.

If these things were sent to the Daily Prophet, would Crouch be able to withstand the pressure?

Draco didn't understand why Thea was targeting Crouch so much, but Thea understood perfectly.

If the news of Voldemort's resurrection is confirmed, Fudge will definitely have to step down, and the position of minister will only have three contenders: Ms. Burns, Barty Crouch, and Kingsley Shackleton.

Compared to the impartial Ms. Burns and Kingsley Shackleton of the Order of the Phoenix, Buddy Crouch is much more useful.

After all, people with weaknesses are the easiest to manipulate.

What is Barty Crouch's weakness?

It was undoubtedly Barty Crouch Jr.

As soon as the news spread that Barty Crouch Jr. had been exchanged for his wife's life in Azkaban.

Barty Crouch's career will be wiped out in an instant, and he may even face imprisonment in Azkaban, which is undoubtedly his biggest weakness.

Thea glanced at the calendar and thought the 25th would be a good day, a good day to visit Mr. Barty Crouch.