Old Barty Crouch's Notes

The window had only been opened a crack, and the light breeze struggled into the study, stirring the pages with a rustling sound.

Along with the sound of turning pages came the sound of the pendulum clock on the wall. The pendulum swung back and forth in rhythm, its ticking blending with the page flips like an ensemble, echoing through the quiet air.

Just as the hour hand and minute hand were about to overlap, the pendulum clock rang out with a series of chimes...

Eleven clear, resounding strokes rang through the entire house.

The House-elf Winky's large ears twitched. She blinked her bright, lively eyes and quickened the movements of her hands.

As she waved her long fingers, the tea things on the desk began moving on their own. The Teapot filled the cup with black tea, a Sugar Cube dropped into it, and a small spoon stirred in a steady rhythm.

"Young Master Barty, Winky has prepared your black tea for you, with only one Sugar Cube. Winky must prepare lunch for Young Master Barty and Master..."

"Young Master Barty, today's lunch is shepherd's pie, with salad dressed in vinaigrette. What juice would you like to drink? Or would you prefer lemonade?"

Winky was speaking to Barty Crouch Jr. Because he had not been exposed to sunlight for many years, the skin on his face had an unhealthy pallor.

Freckles dotted his face, and his dull eyes stared at a book in front of him.

He was also draped in an Invisibility Cloak, with only his face exposed. Even his hair was covered, so that if anything unexpected happened, he could pull the Invisibility Cloak down as quickly as possible and hide his face as well.

Hearing Winky's voice, Barty Crouch Jr. lifted his head slightly, though there