Harry was approaching the boundaries of the small village. He'd reverted to his human form so as not to be seen by the normal inhabitants of the village. He was battered and bruised. His clothing was torn in several places from his transformation and the ensuing fight. (He was rather jealous of the regular animagi that transfigured with their clothes intact.)
Harry was just up to the first house in the village when a small voice asked, "Harry Potter Sir?" Harry turned and started to raise his wand when the words and the sight in front of him caught up with Harry's brain. It was an elf on one of the brooms from the task. The elf was wearing the uniform the Marauders created for the elves in their employ. Harry instantly lowered his wand.
"Gippy is so happy to be seeing Harry Potter Sir! Harry Potters' Dobby has been very worried!" Harry had to smile as he slumped exhausted against a nearby wall.
"I'm happy to see you too, Gippy. Can you take me back to Hogwarts now?"
Gippy nodded rapidly his agreement. "Gippy be doing that now, Harry Potter Sir. Take Gippy's hand." Harry thankfully took the elf's hand and with a pop they were gone from the village of Little Hangleton.
....
Gippy took Harry directly to the Hospital Ward - scaring Madam Pomfrey in the process. She was simply unprepared for a bleeding and bruised Harry to appear with an elf on a broomstick. Gippy then immediately popped away to give Dobby the news. Ten seconds later, Harry's friend had arrived.
"Dobby tell the Dogfather and Fluffy Uncle that Harry Potter Sir is safe and with Scary Healer."
"Thanks, Dobby. And thank the flying rescue squad too," Harry said as the Pomfrey settled him onto a bed. A few flicks of her wand saw Harry's clothes gone save for his shorts and she was soon shoving potions into him.
"Harry Potter Sir is welcome. Dobby will always be there to help Harry Potter Sir."
"Can you get me out of here?" Harry asked plaintively drawing a glare from the Healer.
Dobby shrugged. "Sorry Harry Potter Sir. Some things even Elf Magic can't do." Then he popped away as Harry laughed. Pomfrey snickered at Dobby's response.
"Strange elf, that one."
Harry laughed again. "Dobby is one of a kind."
Harry almost needed medical attention again when the horde of people stormed into the Hospital Ward. The Marauders were in the front followed closely by Harry's friends, school officials, and government officials of several varieties. Everyone was asking if he was okay, demanding answers to shouted questions, and otherwise just making a lot of noise.
A cannon blast silenced the room.
"Enough!" Madam Pomfrey announced in a dangerous voice. "I have other patients here than Mr Potter. Mr Potter is physically okay but did need some medical treatment. He is staying here for the night for observation. Now, I give you ten minutes before you are all out of here! Understood?!" The crowd was cowed by the Healer's display. Most of them were Hogwarts students or alumni and were intimidated by the stern woman.
"Thank you, Poppy," Dumbledore said with a sly smile. Then he turned to Harry.
"Mr Potter, what can you tell us of your ordeal? We know that it was not Mr Filch that took you from Hogwarts."
Harry nodded. "He said his name was Barty Crouch Jr."
"That is impossible!" Fudge protested. "Barty Jr died in Azkaban more than ten years ago!"
"Well, that is who he said he was," Harry shot back. "I didn't say it was him. How would I know? I will tell you one thing for sure. He was there with Peter Pettigrew!"
"Another impossibility!" Fudge howled. "There is no way that man escaped our prison!"
"I did," Sirius commented in a worried tone. "Peter was always a slippery one."
"He said he picked the lock on his cell and left another inmate inside to cover his escape," Harry supplied.
"And do you have any proof of this, Mr Potter?" a stern woman wearing a monocle asked.
"In my pants is a block of wood. Take it out and cancel the transfiguration."
Harry's directions were dutifully carried out. Seconds later, a dead body that was missing the right arm and a large part of its abdominal cavity was on the Ward floor. The left arm was bare and still showed the pitch black Dark Mark in all its horrible glory. The crowd retracted in shock and disgust.
"Is that Barty Crouch Jr?" Harry asked.
"Aye, that's 'im," Moody admitted before taking a shot from his ever-present flask.
"He called you 'Uncle Alastor," Harry told the Defence professor.
Moody took another shot before answering. "My sister's kid. Only family I had left. Well done, lad." Moody looked both saddened and satisfied at the loss of his nephew. Harry wondered if the fanaticism came just from his father's side of the family.
"What did they want Harry?" Dumbledore broke in to ask. "Why did they need to kidnap you?"
Harry heaved a deep breath before saying, "They wanted me to witness their ritual restoring Voldemort to a physical form." Harry looked up at the Headmaster with haunted eyes. "They sacrificed the entire Nott family to do it. But he's back."
"NO! That's not possible!" Fudge shouted as the crowd broke out in pandemonium. "You-Know-Who can't be back! He can't!" Anything else was drowned out as the crowd grew louder in their discussions, arguments, and fears.
None of the adults save the Marauders noticed when Ernie slipped Harry the Potter Invisibility Cloak. Harry quickly slipped out of the Hospital Ward surrounded by his friends and family while the professors and Ministry officials continued to argue.
...
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