Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 158

"Absolute nightmare," said Bagman to Kirra in an undertone, noticing Kirra watching the goblins too. "Their English isn't too good . . . it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup . . . but at least they used sign language another rhuman could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook . . . and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them."

He gave a short, booming laugh. "What do they want?" Kirra said, noticing how the goblins were still watching Bagman very closely. "Er — well . . ." said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. "They . . . er . . . they're looking for Barry Crouch."

"Why are they looking for him here?" said Kirra, her voice full of confusion. "He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?"

"Er . . . as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is," said Bagman. "He's sort of . . . stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone, Kirra? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around every where she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work up Barty's illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."

"Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" Kirra asked.

"No," said Bagman, looking strained again. "I've got people looking, of course . . ."

 (About time, thought Kirra) 

"and it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to gosouth and see an aunt . . . and she seems to have vanished without trace en route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to . . . she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance . . . but still. . . . What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted t oask you" — he lowered his voice — 

"how are you getting on with your golden egg?"

"Er . . . not bad," Kirra said untruthfully. Bagman seemed to know he wasn't being honest.

"Listen, Kirra," he said (still in a very low voice), "I feel very bad about all this . . . you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it. . . and if . . ." (his voice was so quiet now, Kirra had to lean closer to listen) 

"if I can help at all . . . a prod in the right direction . . . I've taken a liking to you and your brother. . . the way you both got past those dragons! . . . well, just say the word." Kirra stared up into Bagman's round, rosy face and his wide, baby-blue eyes.

"We're supposed to work out the clues alone, aren't we?" she said, careful to keep her voice casual and not sound as though she was accusing the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of breaking the rules.

"Well . . . well, yes," said Bagman impatiently, "but — come on, Kirra — we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?"

"Have you offered Cedric or Harry help?" Kirra said, there was no way that she was going to take advice from the man, she didn't want to cheat, and to be honest she didn't care too much about winning the cup, the only reason she really wanted to was to, was to bring pride to Hufflepuff and show people that Hufflepuff's arent weak.

The smallest of frowns creased Bagman's smooth face. "No, I haven't," he said. "I — well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer . . ."

"Well, thanks," said Kirra, "but I think I'm nearly there with the egg . . . couple more days should crack it."

Bagman was almost a stranger to her, and accepting hisassistance would feel somehow much more like cheating than asking advice from Mattheo, Theodore, Jasper or Sirius. Bagman looked almost affronted, but couldn't say much more as Fred and George turned up at that point.