Barty's Room

The Crouch family was unusually lively, and even the normally quiet corridors echoed with busy footsteps.

Madam Crouch was checking through the luggage list.

"Winky, don't forget to prepare raincoats for Leia and Little Barty. Their father asked the Meteorological Office at the Ministry today, and they said it might rain in France."

The House-elf efficiently sorted through the clothes. "Winky won't forget! And Winky prepared a blanket with a Warming Charm especially for Miss. The seats in the top box are high up and might be cold. Winky already thought of that."

Lucretia sat on the stairs, sipping juice as she watched everyone bustle about.

Mr. Crouch was at the Ministry of Magic handling the final work and handover. It was rare for him to take three days off, and even his colleagues at the Ministry were quite surprised.

Madam Crouch took out a custom-made sky-blue sun cloak. "Leia, come try this on. I bought it for you from Twilfitt and Tattings. The summer sunlight is quite strong, and I can't let you get sunburned."

The cloak was exquisitely made, with fine silver thread embroidered along the cuffs.

Lucretia carefully put it on, as though a soft, cool breeze had wrapped itself around her.

Madam Crouch lovingly adjusted her collar and gently stroked her cheek.

"It suits you perfectly. My daughter looks beautiful in anything. Once we get to France, I'll take you to buy a few dresses that are fashionable there. French designs are far more stylish than ours in Britain. You'll definitely like them."

Lucretia recalled the etiquette she had learned in class. "Professor West said that wizards there care especially about how they dress, and that they choose colors to suit different occasions."

Madam Crouch said approvingly, "That's right. It seems you haven't been studying for nothing these past days."

"Winky found it!"

The little elf suddenly ran down from the attic in excitement, holding a collapsible telescope.

"This is the one Young Master bought when he went to watch a Quidditch match before. It has an Enlarging Charm on it, so you can see very clearly."

Just then, the flames in the fireplace suddenly turned green, and Little Barty stepped out of them.

He was still wearing his Hogwarts school robes, and his hair was somewhat disheveled by Floo Powder.

"Mother, Father is still at the Ministry. He sent me a message with a Patronus Charm. He said we should pack first, and he'll come back tonight to..."

He casually brushed the soot from his robes. Before he could finish, he froze when he saw the sun cloak Lucretia was wearing.

Madam Crouch smiled. "Pretty, isn't it? Our Leia already looks exquisite without any makeup. When she attends the ball next year, she'll definitely make all the other families take notice."

Little Barty turned his face away and did not respond to Madam Crouch.

"I'll go pack my luggage first, and do some homework while I'm at it. Oh, right..."

He stopped on the stairs.

"Regulus said his family will arrive early tomorrow morning. He also said... said he was looking forward to seeing everyone."

Lucretia's heart skipped a beat.

She had never met children from other wizarding families before. She worried that her etiquette was not polished enough and that she would embarrass Mr. Crouch.

As though she had seen through her thoughts, Madam Crouch gently put an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry. You're already well prepared. Besides, Regulus is a very nice child. You can spend the next few days playing together, while your father and I handle the Black family parents."

Winky was busy casting an Extension Charm on the trunks, muttering about preparing invigorating tea bags and all sorts of preventative potions.

Lucretia suddenly remembered something. "What about the plants in the garden...?"

Winky immediately patted her chest in assurance. "Winky will take good care of them. Miss need not worry. Winky will cherish Miss and Young Master's garden with all Winky's heart!"

While they were talking, the sounds of Little Barty rummaging through things came from upstairs, as though he were searching for something.

Madam Crouch sighed helplessly. "Go help Barty. He's never known how to tidy his things properly. His room was a mess when he was little, and it surely isn't any better now."

Lucretia hesitated where she stood for a moment.

She had never been inside Little Barty's room, even though she had lived with the Crouch family for so long.

She took off the sky-blue sun cloak and hung it over the stair railing.

Lucretia walked to Little Barty's door and knocked gently.

"Barty? I... may I come in?"

A rustling sound came from inside the room, followed by hurried footsteps.

After a while, Little Barty finally said, "Come in."

When Lucretia pushed open the door, she froze.

The room was indeed as messy as Madam Crouch had said, but it could barely be called an orderly kind of chaos.

All kinds of books lay open in piles across the desk, quills were scattered everywhere, and several Potions notes still held pressed flower specimens between their pages. Every quill tip pointed in the same direction.

The trunk in the corner lay open and crooked on the floor, with clothes piled messily inside. Several sleeves were already hanging out.

Little Barty stood by the window, pretending to organize something.

Sunlight streamed in from behind him, and Lucretia saw that he was trying to hide that French book behind his back.

"Mother sent me up to help. Is there anything you need me to find for you?"

"No need."

He answered instinctively, but his gaze fell on her bare arms.

Those scars had indeed faded considerably. If one did not look closely, they were almost impossible to see.

It seemed Winky's ointment had worked.

He suddenly remembered that he had never asked whether they hurt.

Lucretia noticed his gaze and instinctively wanted to pull down her sleeves.

But then she remembered that this was home, and this was Little Barty.

She looked at the scattered clothes. "Do you need me to fold them? Mother said you've never known how to tidy your room since you were little."

"Who says I don't know how?" he muttered. "It's just... I'm just too lazy to make everything so neat. If you want to fold them, then go ahead."

She crouched in front of the trunk and began sorting the clothes one by one.

Little Barty's clothes all carried a distinctive scent, like a blend of sunlight and parchment, with a hint of lime.

And she inadvertently discovered that every piece had tiny "B.C." embroidered in the lower right corner.

Little Barty suddenly spoke. "That was... that was embroidered by Winky."

Lucretia nodded, remembering that her own clothes had similar embroidery: "L.C."

The discovery warmed her heart.

As she folded the clothes, she said, "How is your French coming along? I only learned a few everyday phrases from Professor Boot. I don't know what I'll do if I can't understand anything during the match."

Little Barty froze, not expecting her to notice that book.

After hesitating, he added softly, "I just... looked through it casually. Regulus said French people talk very quickly, but we'll have translation earphones while watching the match."

At the mention of Regulus, the room suddenly fell quiet.

Lucretia put the last shirt into the trunk and stood up. "Really? That's wonderful. If I keep looking like I don't understand anything, I'm afraid Father will be disappointed in me."

Little Barty seemed to make a tremendous decision. "When the time comes... at worst, I can translate for you outside the box."

Lucretia looked up at him, sunlight falling on the tips of his reddened ears.

"Thank you."

He turned away and began flipping through a book. "No need to thank me. Anyway... anyway, I..."

His unfinished sentence was interrupted by Madam Crouch's voice suddenly calling from downstairs.

"Leia, Barty, come downstairs quickly. The cake I ordered has arrived. Eat first, then finish packing."

Little Barty headed for the door first. As he passed her, he paused. "Come on. Um... you still need to keep using that ointment."

With that, he hurried downstairs.

Lucretia remained standing in the room, watching sunlight spill over the neatly packed trunk.

She gently stroked the scars on her arm, now almost invisible, and warmth surged through her heart.