"Deliberately?" Moody said.
Foxe shrugged. "Not necessarily. Probably just misinterpreting something he saw or heard. Perhaps he's one of those self-important types. You know, exaggerates everything he might happen to learn, acts like its significant."
Moody frowned as the doors to the Wizengamot chamber swung open as wizards and witches began dispersing from the session. "I'm not inclined to believe Ashworth either, but he doesn't strike me as a self-important buffoon."
Foxe rolled his eyes and nodded toward his brother Edward Foxe who had just exited the chamber. "Let's ask Edward there. Can't hurt."
Moody winced as Andrew led him through the now crowded hallway toward Edward Foxe. The eldest Foxe brother was the Head of the Department of Mysteries. Moody wasn't afraid of him per se, but few stood in Edward Foxe's imposing presence comfortably.
"Say, Edward," Andrew said quietly after he, Moody, and Edward had found a somewhat secluded corner, "did you read in the Prophet about that antique shop being burned down in Hogsmeade?"
Edward nodded as he focused his attention on Moody.
"Moody has been hearing rumors that certain purebloods are disturbed about the business. Have you heard anything?"
"What purebloods?" Edward Foxe asked.
"Maybe the Blacks," Andrew said.
Edward frowned. "I haven't heard anything. Now, if you'll excuse me."
"I tried," Andrew said to Moody as Edward walked away. "You can keep poking around if you want, but I don't know how useful it will be."
"Whatever," Moody said. "I'll see you around."
Moody left Andrew Foxe and made his way to the Ministry atrium to depart. There, he found Albus Dumbledore waiting for him.
"Did the Foxes have anything interesting to say?" Albus asked, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Do they ever?" Moody growled.
"Not really," Dumbledore agreed. "However, they have now been forewarned. Alerting them to the possible existence of nefarious schemes accomplishes more than warning Minister Thornton herself would."
"At least the airhead is honest."
"The Foxes are terribly dishonest people," Dumbledore agreed. "They however, have something Cecilia Thornton doesn't-a grip on reality."
"We're not even sure that Ashworth knows what he's talking about," Moody pointed out.
"Let us hope that is the case," Dumbledore said. "We'll continue to watch him and see what happens."
.....
The Marauders made their way to Professor Ashworth's apartments together. They had been sorely tempted to pull a prank on Ashworth, but the manners drilled into them by at least some of their parents had eventually won out. Ashworth had been nice to invite them and he certainly had never been infamously unkind to them. However, in lieu of a prank, they had settled on another strategy that had the potential of causing mayhem.
Upon their arrival, James rapped on Ashworth's door. After a brief moment the door opened to reveal Harry Ashworth. He wore a slightly surprised expression. "Messrs Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew… you're forty minutes early."
"Our parents always taught us to be punctual," Sirius announced pompously.
"As if you ever learned anything your parents ever taught you," echoed Bellatrix's waspish voice from within the apartment.
"I love you too," Sirius said loudly.
Harry laughed and opened the door wider, motioning for them to enter. "If your parents taught you to be punctual, I'm sure they also taught you to always offer to assist your host. I'm sure that Bellatrix would appreciate help setting the table."
"They're not touching the table!"
"Maybe the table doesn't need to be set after all," Harry said, closing the door and turning to examine the four with a broad smile on his face.
Lupin returned the smile with an uncomfortable nod and glanced at his companions to see what they thought of Ashworth's oddly warm welcome. He discovered that they were too busy examining the professor's apartments to really notice the professor himself. Most noticeably, they were studying Bellatrix who was just finishing her inspection of the table.
Bellatrix looked over at them with a frown and then over to Harry. "Everything is ready, Ashworth. I'm going back to my dorm to pick some things up. Don't let anyone touch the table."
"All right," Harry said.
With that, she departed and left Harry alone with the Marauders.
"Professor," James said, "why is it that Bellatrix Black spends so much time with you?"
"What do you mean?" Harry asked in an overly casual voice.
"She's in your office constantly," Lupin pointed out, "and it's obvious that she's the one who's been in charge of organizing this party."
Harry shrugged. "Bellatrix was pretty much the first person from the British magical community I met when I arrived here. She offered to show me around and get me acquainted. I guess we're sort of friends."
"Too bad you had to run into a Black so quickly," Sirius said. "There's tons of better families out there."
"You're a Black," Harry said.
"Yeah, but I'm the black sheep of the family," Sirius declared.
Peter guffawed.
Harry shook his head with a small smile and motioned toward the dinner table. "Let's see where Bellatrix has got us seated. I'm curious to see what she did with our guest list."
"Probably something malicious," Sirius muttered.
"Here I am!" Peter called, pointing to a small paper placard in front of a plate. "She put me next to… Severus Snape."
Harry lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "How interesting," he murmured quietly.
"Sirius and I are next to Amos Diggory," James announced. "He's sitting at your right."
"Bellatrix stuck herself on your left," Sirius said to Harry. "That's pretty presumptuous."
"How so?" Harry asked.
Sirius grinned. "That means she thinks she's number two around here."
"She didn't put herself there at the last party," Harry said.
"Maybe it's just random," Peter suggested.
"Could be," Harry said.
"Bad luck, James," Remus announced. "She put Lily really far away from you." Remus was standing near where Peter and Snape were to sit. "I'm down here with her and Frank Longbottom."
The group walked over to where Remus had found Lily's placard. Harry looked at the placard. "Lily Evans," he read. He grinned at James. "Maybe we should make a slight change to the seating arrangements." Deftly, Harry picked up Lily's placard and carried it to where Amos Diggory had been seated. He exchanged the two and put Amos where Lily had formerly been.
James looked as if Harry had given him a million galleons. "Thanks, professor."
"Don't thank me yet," Harry said. "You've still got to endure Bellatrix giving you the evil eye. I'm going to let her think you guys did it."
Sirius laughed loudly, "I love it!"
Harry laughed softly. "Let's sit down. We've still got over half an hour before anyone else shows up. Do any of you play Quidditch?"
....
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