In the Gryffindor common room, the fireplace crackled, dispelling the winter chill.
Lia strode ahead, sulking.
Hermione followed behind her, her face a mix of apology and unmistakable satisfaction.
"I'm going to change first!"
Leaving those words behind, Lia practically fled into the dormitory bathroom, shutting Hermione out.
A moment later, the sound of splashing water came from the bathroom.
Hermione paced outside the door before finally leaning against it, waiting patiently.
When Lia emerged wrapped in a towel, carrying the damp mist of the bath, her cheeks still bore a lingering flush.
She changed into dry, fluffy pajamas and threw herself onto the soft bed, rolling up in the quilt.
She poked her head out, pretending to be a cat-pillar who was at peace with the world.
Hermione gave a light chuckle and lay down beside her, habitually and gently wrapping her arms around Lia's waist from behind.
She rested her chin in the warm hollow of Lia's shoulder, her nose nuzzling Lia's still-warm cat ears.
"I was wrong," she whispered, her warm breath brushing against Lia's ear.
"I promise, next time I'll do it somewhere with fewer people, okay?"
Meaning there would be a next time!
Lia's body stiffened for a moment, and she gave Hermione a sharp but light nudge with her elbow, though she didn't truly try to break free.
She remained silent, feeling the warmth of Hermione's embrace and her familiar fragrance; the previous shame and confusion from being publicly "bullied" gradually began to settle.
Her senses, once muddled by desire, became unprecedentedly sharp and clear within her lover's arms.
Countless previously incomprehensible or overlooked "scent clues" rapidly connected in her mind.
At the ball, that aura of death that had enshrouded Harry, Fleur, Krum, and Cedric all at once.
Moody in his office, giving Harry seemingly crude but actual hints about the Golden Egg.
The gillyweed Harry swallowed by the lake today, with its strong, fishy scent of magical plants.
Mr. Barty Crouch's neurotic excitement by the lake and his dazed state upon seeing Moody.
And Moody.
The scent of lies on him was so thick it was almost tangible, clearly mixed with the complex and unique magical odor of Polyjuice Potion.
Most importantly, just now, when Mr. Crouch had scrutinized Moody's scarred face inch by inch as if inspecting a counterfeit, a flash of extreme fear had emanated from "Moody."
And beneath that fear, the scent of another person was exposed.
That person's scent... she had smelled a trace of it on Mr. Barty Crouch before.
It was very faint, almost entirely masked by Mr. Crouch's own intense anxiety, unease, and fear.
But now, on "Moody," this scent was incredibly clear, as if carved from the same mold.
"Lia?" Hermione tightened her arms worriedly. "Are you okay? What are you thinking about?"
Lia slowly turned her head, her deep blue cat pupils reflecting the firelight from the hearth in the dim room, appearing exceptionally bright.
"Hermione," she said softly, "they have the scent of family on them."
Hermione was stunned.
"Family? You mean... Mr. Crouch and Professor Moody?" She tried to grasp the meaning. "They aren't family."
"No," Lia shook her head, struggling to organize her thoughts and translate the abstract information perceived through her sense of smell into words Hermione could understand.
"Mr. Crouch has his own scent, and another person's scent, which is very faint. But Professor Moody has his own scent, the scent of lies, and... the same scent as the one on Mr. Crouch, that other person's scent, and it's very strong."
Hermione's brow furrowed deeply as her mind raced.
"Bloodline!" Hermione blurted out, finally understanding Lia's meaning. "Only a blood relation could cause two different people to carry the same primal'scent'! Are you saying the person impersonating Professor Moody is related to Mr. Crouch?"
Lia nodded vigorously.
"Who is he?" Hermione pressed.
"I don't know his name," Lia's nose twitched slightly as if recalling that complex scent, "but in that scent, there is years of fear, and the smell of those Dementors from last year."
Dementors!
Azkaban!
Barty Crouch's son! The Death Eater who supposedly died in Azkaban, Barty Crouch Jr.!
Everything was connecting!
It was Barty Crouch Jr. masquerading as Mad-Eye Moody!
He was the one who put Harry's name into the goblet of fire!
He was the one who had been guiding Harry through the tournament!
And Mr. Crouch's abnormality today was because he recognized his own son!
But he didn't expose him; instead, he had fallen into some kind of mental breakdown!
"We must tell Dumbledore!" Hermione grabbed Lia's hand, her expression more solemn than ever.
Lia didn't even have time to change out of her pajamas; she just hurriedly threw on a thick Gryffindor robe over them and rushed out of the dormitory.
The Castle corridors felt empty and silent at night, with only their hurried footsteps echoing.
As they passed the corridor by the Potion Class, the door to Snape's office was slightly ajar, and muffled roars came from within.
"—You still dare to lie! Potter!"
It was Snape's voice, filled with deep-seated loathing and anger.
"The gillyweed from my stores! The Boomslang skin for Polyjuice Potion! And the Fluxweed! Don't think I don't know it was you! Even the Weasley Twins aren't as audacious as you!"
"Professor, I really didn't!" Harry's voice sounded both aggrieved and powerless.
"Didn't? Then how did you breathe underwater for an hour? With your stupid 'noble character'?" Snape's mockery was like a venomous blade. "Fifty points from Gryffindor! For your wretched thievery! Now, get out!"
The door was yanked open, and Harry rushed out, his face bright red. Seeing Hermione and Lia in the corridor, he lowered his head in embarrassment and ran off quickly.
Snape stood grimly at the door, his greasy black hair plastered to his forehead. He saw Hermione and Lia, gave a cold snort, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
Hermione's eyes were full of horror.
The gillyweed belonged to Snape!
It was Barty Crouch Jr. who stole Snape's Potion ingredients and gave them to Harry so he could pass the second task!
This conspiracy went deeper than she had imagined.
Hermione didn't linger; she pulled Lia and quickened her pace until they reached the Gargoyle.
"Lemon Sherbet," Hermione said, breathless, giving the password.
The statue rotated out of the way, and the two stepped onto the spiral staircase, ascending rapidly.
Dumbledore's office was as warm as spring, with various silver instruments making soft noises all over the desk.
Fawkes the Phoenix stood on his perch; seeing Lia, he let out a clear, melodious cry and affectionately stretched out his neck.
Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles calmly watching the two girls who had burst in.
"Good evening, Hermione, Lia." He seemed not at all surprised by their late-night visit. "I expect you have something very important to tell me."
Hermione took a deep breath and poured out all their discoveries and suspicions in one go.
From the dark mark at the Quidditch World Cup to the Dark Arts Lia saw at the goblet of fire ceremony.
To the aura of death sensed at the Yule Ball, and then everything that happened by the lake tonight.
Finally, the terrifying conclusion they had just reached regarding Barty Crouch Jr.
"...Professor Moody is a fake! He's Barty Crouch Jr. disguised with Polyjuice Potion! He's the one who threw Harry's name into the goblet of fire, and he's the one who stole Professor Snape's gillyweed to help Harry in the tournament!"
Hermione finished in one breath, her chest heaving violently.
Lia added: "The scent of death has changed. Before, it only clung to Harry alone, but now it's like a net, covering the entire tournament. Headmaster Dumbledore, in this tournament... someone will die."
Her voice was soft, but every word fell clearly in the silent office.
Dumbledore listened quietly; he did not interrupt, nor did he show any surprise.
It wasn't until Hermione and Lia had finished that he slowly took off his glasses and gently rubbed the bridge of his nose with his fingertips.
For a moment, the only sound in the office was the faint ticking of the silver instruments.
Fawkes flew down from his perch and landed gently on Lia's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek with his golden-red feathers as if to comfort her.
After a long while, Dumbledore put his glasses back on.
"Lia," he began, his voice gentle yet firm, "when the goblet of fire chose Harry's name, you signaled to me. From that moment, I knew you had seen through some of the disguises."
"You are both clever children."
He turned to Hermione: "Miss Granger, your reasoning is flawless and quite brilliant. What you have discovered is exactly the truth we have been concerned about."
"Then why..." Hermione asked, bewildered, "why don't you stop him? Why not expose him?"
"Because the time is not yet right," Dumbledore's voice became serious.
"Entering Harry into the Triwizard Tournament and escorting him toward victory is part of a larger conspiracy. We cannot alert the enemy; otherwise, it will only cause the true foe to hide even deeper."
He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the pitch-black night sky.
"A powerful enemy is not frightening; what is frightening is an enemy who has not yet appeared."
Dumbledore's tone was calm, yet it possessed the decisiveness of someone in control of the situation.
"As for the death warning you mentioned..." He turned around, his blue eyes sparkling with wisdom in the moonlight, "Lia, thank you for the warning. It is very important."
"I will be prepared," he promised solemnly. "Before the final task begins, I will be ready. No matter whom that net of death intends to capture, it will not succeed."
With Dumbledore's assurance, half of the heavy stone in Hermione's heart finally fell away.
"Very well, children," Dumbledore said gently, "it is late, and you need rest. Remember, until the final mystery is revealed, maintain your usual behavior. Do not let 'Professor Moody' perceive any abnormality."
Hermione and Lia nodded and turned to leave.
"Lia," Dumbledore called out to her again.
Lia looked back.
"No matter what things try to tempt you," Dumbledore looked at her pointedly, "you must always believe that love is the strongest magic."
Lia nodded, only half-understanding.
Nothing that happened at Hogwarts could be hidden from Dumbledore.
The two walked down the spiral staircase and left the Headmaster's Office.
Walking through the empty corridor, Hermione let out a long sigh of relief, her tense nerves finally relaxing.
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