Harry Potter 04 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. He watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as he had done that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry, and stood up.
    ‘In a moment, in a moment!’ Harry heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub towards Harry, his boyish grin back in place.
    ‘Harry!’ he said. ‘How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?’
    ‘Fine, thanks,’ said Harry.
    ‘Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?’ said Bagman eagerly. ‘You couldn’t give us a moment, you two, could you?’
    ‘Er – OK,’ said Ron, and he and Hermione went off to find a table.
    Bagman led Harry along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta.
    ‘Well, I just thought I’d congratulate you again on your splendid performance against that Horntail, Harry,’ said Bagman. ‘Really superb.’
    ‘Thanks,’ said Harry, but he knew this couldn’t be all that Bagman wanted to say, because he could have congratulated Harry in front of Ron and Hermione. Bagman didn’t seem in any particular rush to spill the beans, though. Harry saw him glance into the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and Harry in silence through their dark, slanting eyes.
    ‘Absolute nightmare,’ said Bagman to Harry in an undertone, noticing Harry 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 human could recognise. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook … and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means ‘pickaxe’. 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?’ Harry said, noticing how the goblins were still watching Bagman very closely.
    ‘Er – well …’ said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. ‘They … er … they’re looking for Barty Crouch.’
    ‘Why are they looking for him here?’ said Harry. ‘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, Harry? Because Rita Skeeter’s still poking around everywhere she can, and I’m willing to bet she’d work Barty’s illness up into something sinister. Probably say he’s gone missing like Bertha Jorkins.’
    ‘Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?’ Harry asked.
    ‘No,’ said Bagman, looking strained again. ‘I’ve got people looking, of course …’ (About time, thought Harry) ‘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 go south 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 to ask you,’ he lowered his voice, ‘how are you getting on with your golden egg?’
    ‘Er … not bad,’ Harry said untruthfully.
    Bagman seemed to know he wasn’t being honest.
    ‘Listen, Harry,’ 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, Harry 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 … the way you got past that dragon! … Well, just say the word.’
    Harry looked up into Bagman’s round, rosy face, and wide, baby-blue eyes.
    ‘We’re supposed to work out the clues alone, aren’t we?’ he said, careful to keep his voice casual, and not sound as though he 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, Harry – we all want a Hogwarts victory, don’t we?’
    ‘Have you offered Cedric help?’ Harry