Old Barty Crouch's Concerns

"Winky..." Old Barty Crouch took off his outer robe and handed it to the house-elf Winky.

His expression was rather grave as he looked toward the study. "How did he do today?"

"Master..." Winky cleaned the outer robe and hung it on the rack beside her. "Young Master Barty worked very hard. After lunch, he went back to the study. Winky will now prepare for Master—"

Old Barty Crouch cut her off. "Then bring him out."

"Yes, Master!" Winky quickly bowed, and her figure vanished from the entrance hall.

With a burst of footsteps, she brought Barty Crouch Jr. into the sitting room. "Master, Young Master Barty is here."

"Imperio!" Old Barty Crouch raised his wand, pressed it against Barty Crouch Jr.'s head, and cast the spell.

As the wand left his temple, Barty Crouch Jr. turned and walked toward the stairs, and Old Barty Crouch followed him upstairs.

After Barty Crouch Jr. entered the bedroom and went to sleep, Old Barty Crouch took out his wand as well and kept casting spells at the bedroom where Barty Crouch Jr. was.

Winky helped cover Barty Crouch Jr. with the Invisibility Cloak. She retreated to the doorway with her head tilted, her batlike ears twitching constantly, her large eyes full of confusion.

Only after Old Barty Crouch shut the door and finished casting spells on the door handle did Winky ask timidly, "Master... what should Winky do? Winky is afraid she will make a mistake..."

"Do you remember that letter from Albus?" Old Barty Crouch put his wand back into his pocket. "He'll be coming to the house as a guest this afternoon."

"A guest!" Winky sucked in a cold breath and instinctively covered her mouth, lowering her voice. "Master... has he discovered Young Master Barty?"

As the Crouch family's house-elf,