𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 | 𝐟. 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

{ 72 }

── ⲇ ──

"He died?" Y/n and Harry both asked,

"He wasn't the only one. Most go mad in there and they lose the will to live in the end." Sirius bitterly spoke. "You can always sense when death is coming. The dementors can sense it and they get happy."

"That's haunting to think of." Y/n muttered.

"Crouch and his wife were allowed a deathbed visit. That's the last time I saw him. His wife died soon after. Grief." Sirius spoke.

"So Crouch lost it all." Y/n commented. "Dead son, dead wife, family name tarnished and now, popularity rates have dropped."

"Moody says Crouch is obsessed with catching dark wizards." Harry spoke up. Y/n tensed at the mention of Moody's name, reminding herself of the flask and the contents within. She needed to tell them.

"Guys—"

"Yeah, I've heard it's become a mania for him. Trying to bring back the old popularity, if you ask me." Sirius interrupted.

"Listen to me—"

"And he sneaked up here to search Snape's office!" Ron said, triumphantly.

"Yes, and that doesn't make sense at all," said Sirius. "Yeah, it does!" said Ron excitedly, but Sirius shook his head. Y/n sighed exasperatedly. "Can someone just listen?"

"Listen, if Crouch wants to investigate Snape, why hasn't he been coming to judge the tournament? It would be an ideal excuse to make regular visits to Hogwarts and keep an eye on him."

"So you think Snape could be up to something, then?" asked Harry, but Hermione broke in. "Look, I don't care what you say, Dumbledore trusts Snape-"

"Did you ever think that's probably because Dumbledore is too trusting?" Y/n quickly spoke, looking at Hermione.

"Give it a rest, Hermione," said Ron impatiently. "I know Dumbledores brilliant and everything, but that doesn't mean a really clever Dark wizard couldn't fool him -"

"Why did Snape save Harry's life in the first year, then? Why didn't he just let him die?"
"I dunno - maybe he thought Dumbledore would kick him out-"

"What d'you think, Sirius?" Harry said loudly, and Ron and Hermione stopped bickering to listen. "I think they've both got a point," said Sirius, looking thoughtfully at Ron and Hermione.

"Ever since I found out Snape was teaching here, I've wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Slimy, oily, greasy-haired kid, he was," Sirius added, and Harry and Ron grinned at each other. "Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters."
Sirius held up his fingers and began ticking off names.

"Rosier and Wilkes - they were both killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell. The Lestranges - they're a married couple - they're in Azkaban. Avery - from what I've heard he wormed his way out of trouble by saying he'd been acting under the Imperius Curse - he's still at large. But as far as I know, Snape was never even accused of being a Death Eater - not that that means much. Plenty of them were never caught. And Snape's certainly clever and cunning enough to keep himself out of trouble."

"Snape knows Karkaroff pretty well, but he wants to keep that quiet," said Ron.

"Yeah, you should've seen Snape's face when Karkaroff turned up in Potions yesterday!" said Harry quickly. "Karkaroff wanted to talk to Snape, he says Snape's been avoiding him. Karkaroff looked really worried. He showed Snape something on his arm, but I couldn't see what it was."