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Sirius stared at the cave wall； then made a grimace of frustration。
〃There's still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape； and I know Dumbledore trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't； but I just can't see him letting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort。〃
〃Why are Moody and Crouch so keen to get into Snapes office then？〃 said Ron stubbornly。
〃Well；〃 said Sirius slowly； 〃I wouldn't put it past Mad…Eye to have searched every single teacher's office when he got to Hogwarts。 He takes his Defense Against the Dark Arts seriously； Moody。 I'm not sure he trusts anyone at all； and after the things he's seen； it's not surprising。 I'll say this for Moody； though； he never killed if he could help it。 Always brought people in alive where possible。 He was tough； but he never descended to the level of the Death Eaters。 Crouch； though。。。 he's a different matter 。。。is he really ill？ If he is； why did he make the effort to drag himself up to Snape's office？ And if he's not。。。 what's he up to？ What was he doing at the World Cup that was so important he didn't turn up in the Top Box？ What's he been doing while he should have been judging the tournament？〃
Sirius lapsed into silence； still staring at the cave wall。 Buckbeak was ferreting around on the rocky floor； looking for bones he might have overlooked。 Finally； Sirius looked up at Ron。
〃You say your brother s Crouch's personal assistant？ Any chance you could ask him if he's seen Crouch lately？〃
〃I can try；〃 said Ron doubtfully。 〃Better not make it sound like I reckon Crouch is up to anything dodgy； though。 Percy loves Crouch。〃
〃And you might try and find out whether they've got any leads on Bertha Jorkins while you're at it；〃 said Sirius； gesturing to the second copy of the Daily Prophet。
〃Bagman told me they hadn't；〃 said Harry。
〃Yes； he's quoted in the article in there；〃 said Sirius； nodding at the paper。 〃Blustering on about how bad Bertha's memory is。 Well； maybe she's changed since I knew her； but the Bertha I knew wasn't forgetful at all…quite the reverse。 She was a bit dim； but she had an excellent memory for gossip。 It used to get her into a lot of trouble； she never knew when to keep her mouth shut。 I can see her being a bit of a liability at the Ministry of Magic。。。 maybe that's why Bagman didn't bother to look for her for so long。。。〃
Sirius heaved an enormous sigh and rubbed his shadowed eyes。
〃What's the time？〃
Harry checked his watch； then remembered it hadn't been working since it had spent over an hour in the lake。
〃It's half past three；〃 said Hermione。
〃You'd better get back to school；〃 Sirius said； getting to his feet。 〃Now listen。。。〃 He looked particularly hard at Harry。 〃I don't want you lot sneaking out of school to see me； all right？ Just send notes to me here。 I still want to hear about anything odd。 But you're not to go leaving Hogwarts without permission； it would be an ideal opportunity for someone to attack you。〃
〃No one's tried to attack me so far； except a dragon and a couple of grindylows；〃 Harry said； but Sirius scowled at him。
〃I don't care。。。 I'll breathe freely again when this tournament's over； and that's not until June。 And don't forget； if you're talking about me among yourselves； call me Snuffles； okay？〃
He handed Harry the empty napkin and flask and went to pat Buckbeak good…bye。 〃I'll walk to the edge of the village with you；〃 said Sirius； 〃see if I can scrounge another paper。〃
He transformed into the great black dog before they left the cave； and they walked back down the mountainside with him； across the boulder…strewn ground； and back to the stile。 Here he allowed each of them to pat him on the head； before turning and setting off at a run around the outskirts of the village。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione made their way back into Hogsmeade and up toward Hogwarts。
〃Wonder if Percy knows all that stuff about Crouch？〃 Ron said as they walked up the drive to the castle。 〃But maybe he doesn't care。。。 It'd probably just make him admire Crouch even more。 Yeah； Percy loves rules。 He'd just say Crouch was refusing to break them for his own son。〃
〃Percy would never throw any of his family to the dementors；〃 said Hermione severely。
〃I don't know；〃 said Ron。 〃If he thought we were standing in the way of his career。。。 Percy's really ambitious； you know。。。〃
They walked up the stone steps into the entrance hall； where the delicious smells of dinner wafted toward them from the Great Hall。
〃Poor old Snuffles；〃 said Ron； breathing deeply。 〃He must really like you。 Harry。。。 Imagine having to live off rats。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY…EIGHT
THE MADNESS OF MR CROUCH
Harry； Ron； and Hermione went up to the Owlery after breakfast on Sunday to send a letter to Percy； asking； as Sirius had suggested； whether he had seen Mr。 Crouch lately。 They used Hedwig； because it had been so long since she'd had a job。 When they had watched her fly out of sight through the Owlery window； they proceeded down to the kitchen to give Dobby his new socks。
The house…elves gave them a very cheery wele； bowing and curtsying and bustling around making tea again。 Dobby was ecstatic about his present。
〃Harry Potter is too good to Dobby！〃 he squeaked； wiping large tears out of his enormous eyes。
〃You saved my life with that gillyweed； Dobby； you really did；〃 said Harry。
〃No chance of more of those eclairs； is there？〃 said Ron； who was looking around at the beaming and bowing house…elves。
〃You've just had breakfast！〃 said Hermione irritably； but a great silver platter of eclairs was already zooming toward them； supported by four elves。
〃We should get some stuff to send up to Snuffles；〃 Harry muttered。
〃Good idea；〃 said Ron。 〃Give Pig something to do。 You couldn't give us a bit of extra food； could you？〃 he said to the surrounding elves； and they bowed delightedly and hurried off to get some more。
〃Dobby； where's Winky？〃 said Hermione； who was looking around。
〃Winky is over there by the fire； miss；〃 said Dobby quietly； his ears drooping slightly。
〃Oh dear；〃 said Hermione as she spotted Winky。
Harry looked over at the fireplace too。 Winky was sitting on the same stool as last time； but she had allowed herself to bee so filthy that she was not immediately distinguishable from the smoke…blackened brick behind her。 Her clothes were ragged and unwashed。 She was clutching a bottle of butterbeer and swaying slightly on her stool； staring into the fire。 As they watched her； she gave an enormous hiccup。
〃Winky is getting through six bottles a day now；〃 Dobby whispered to Harry。
〃Well； it's not strong； that stuff；〃 Harry said。
But Dobby shook his head。 〃'Tis strong for a house…elf； sir；〃 he said。
Winky hiccuped again。 The elves who had brought the eclairs gave her disapproving looks as they returned to work。
〃Winky is pining； Harry Potter；〃 Dobby whispered sadly。 〃Winky wants to go home。 Winky still thinks Mr。 Crouch is her master； sir； and nothing Dobby says will persuade her that Professor Dumbledore is her master now。〃
〃Hey； Winky；〃 said Harry； struck by a sudden inspiration； walking over to her； and bending down； 〃you