After making the necessary arrangements, Dumbledore quietly left Hogwarts Castle under cover of night. He Apparated to Hogsmeade Village and headed toward the place he had agreed to meet Ludo Bagman, the head of the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Games and Sports.
"Good evening, Dumbledore. As punctual as ever."
As Dumbledore reached the entrance to The Three Broomsticks, he heard a familiar voice. Ludo Bagman emerged from the pub and greeted him with a thoroughly dejected expression.
Dumbledore glanced at the goblins behind Bagman and raised an eyebrow. "It seems you've had a rather rough couple of days."
"Rita Skeeter's two articles have practically turned me into a laughingstock across the wizarding world." Bagman shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea who sent me that thing. I suspect it was the handiwork of some Hogwarts student."
"I imagine it was merely a prank," Dumbledore said mildly.
"A prank?"
Bagman seemed to recall something. The anger that had been building inside him abruptly deflated, and he covered his face with one hand. "It has made my life miserable."
"All right, let us go see Barty first. He seems to have fallen ill recently. I had not wished to disturb his rest, but there is no better way around certain matters. As you know, the second task is far more dangerous than the first. We must ensure the champions' safety as much as possible. If another accident occurs, the Triwizard Tournament may be discontinued forever."
In truth, any changes to the Triwizard Tournament's arrangements had to be discussed with the Ministry of Magic in advance, and this was one of Barty Crouch's responsibilities. They had to inform him no matter what.
"Come on, let's find Barty. I hope he's doing better. That fellow hasn't been to the Ministry of Magic in