A Cloud Before the Moon

Chapter 20

Monday morning, when Letha got to work, there was a small parchment on her desk, bearing Crouch's seal. "Oh, more good news, I would bet," she thought. Sure enough, it read:

From the desk of Bartholomew Crouch

Re: Sirius Black

All work on this matter is to be discontinued immediately.

The case is closed.

What did this mean? How could he do this - again? Once more, Letha found herself marching over to Crouch's office in an angry huff, but she was stopped by George Bailey. "Whoa!" he said. "You can't go nuts on Crouch again. He's already a bit - upset - with you."

"He's upset? HE's upset?! First Malfoy, now Black? Is he out of his mind?"

"Oh no," said George, "you've got it wrong. Smile! Less work, quicker results. Black has been sentenced to life in Azkaban."

"What? Did someone give me a sleeping potion and I missed the trial?"

George laughed. "Of course not. The evidence was just so overwhelming - Crouch didn't think a trial was necessary. No one could find him innocent."

Letha stared at him in shock. Through clenched teeth, she hissed, "That's not the way it works. There's supposed to be a trial."

George patted her shoulder reassuringly, as if she were a petulant child. "You've been looking at this case. Knowing you, probably read every scrap of paper there is about him. Is there one shred of evidence that he didn't do what he's accused of?"

Letha thought about the cryptic yellow paper she'd left with Adams, but knew that didn't count. "No," she said with resignation, "but that's not the point."

"Oh yes it is, Forrester," said a curt voice. "We have enough work to do; there is no need to waste our time on the obvious," said Crouch. "And it seems that you are wasting far too much time. On this particular case, I should have had your report within a day or two - it is a simple and straightforward matter."

"But sir...."

"What has gotten into you, Forrester? You did commendable work on the Lestrange matter, but lately you find it necessary to question all my decisions. In case you've forgotten, you take orders from me."

"I know that, Mr. Crouch, but..."

He turned to George. "Bailey," he said, "do you have that assignment I told you to give her?" Crouch looked at Letha with an unpleasant smirk. "Perhaps you will find this less stressful." Then he headed to his office and shut the door behind him.

With obvious embarrassment, George handed her a roll of parchment. "What is this?" she asked. She unrolled the parchment and skimmed through it. "Cost of boarding prisoners at Azkaban? List of food supplies, expenses...." Letha turned red. "What am I now, a damned bookkeeper?"

"Whoa, Letha, don't take it personally. You just got him kind of hacked off."

"Really?" She stared at him balefully. "Well, I'm pretty hacked off myself. And I DO take it personally, believe me." With that, she stalked off to her office and slammed the door behind her. She sat at her desk, staring at the papers. Snape had been right. She had no future at the Ministry, and she wasn't sure she really cared.

That night, Letha sent an owl to Professor Dumbledore, asking if she could come and talk to him. Over the next few days, while she waited for a response, she spent her time gathering information about expenses at Azkaban. She could not afford not to work, and it served several purposes. It kept her mind occupied more usefully than brooding about her situation. In addition, she considered that the assignment might provide a good excuse for her to visit parts of the prison where she usually did not have access.

Several days later, she received an owl from Dumbledore. She opened it eagerly, but was disappointed. It only said that he looked forward to seeing her at Snape's hearing. Still, she was glad to know he expected her to be there. Her report was ready; it was filled with details that would no doubt get Severus a nice long sentence in Azkaban. Several times, she had been tempted to change it. (Why?, she wondered, because he'd been so nice to her?). But Dumbledore had told her not to soften it, so she left it alone.

On the day of the hearing, Letha was very fidgety. She had dressed in formal legal robes, but no one had told her where, or exactly even when, the hearing was to be held. Apparently, Crouch had not thought she or her report were necessary to the proceedings. As she headed down a Ministry corridor, out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a long white beard, and followed it around a bend and down several flights of stairs. The figure seemed to disappear through a door, and Letha followed, but she could not find the door. She poked at the wall, and suddenly found herself in a small room, facing Professor Dumbledore.

Although it was clear that he was very busy, he took the time to listen to her vent her frustration about working at the Ministry. He offered understanding and sympathy, but he did not offer her any alternative means of employment. What he did tell her was that the hearing would be held in the center room in the lower wing of Sheepshanks Hall, right after tea time. She was to give her report, and then he would deliver his testimony. "And Letha," he added, "when you present your findings, do not be afraid to make clear your feelings about Severus Snape."

Letha stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "WHAT???!!!"

He looked at her with raised eyebrows and, very possibly, a hint of amusement. "He was a Death Eater. I know how you feel about Death Eaters. Do not hesitate to display your revulsion and antipathy. In fact, I encourage you to do so."

Letha felt herself turning a bit red. "Oh. Certainly."

Dumbledore smiled at her gently. "Remember, it is important that I have people at the Ministry I can rely on. By the way, do you know Arthur Weasley?" Letha shook her head; she knew very few people outside of her own department. "You should get to know him - and his wife Molly - she makes a delicious bread pudding." And with that useful bit of information, he was gone.