The start of the third term would normally mean that I had Quidditch training to give me a break from all the gruelling studying to be done, but since this year Quidditch was cancelled for the Triwizard Tournament, we had no choice but bury our noses in books everyday.
There was only a month before the end of the year exams and everyone was frantically studying, with the exception of the Champions. I secretly loathed Harry and Cedric sometimes because of it, but then again, they'd be facing something far more dangerous than just exams and a failing grade.
Hermione and Ron were also part of the majority not exempted from the end of the year exams, so we seldom meet each other during the first few weeks of May to study at our respective common rooms, while Harry spent most of his time worrying about the Third Task and the upcoming briefing about it.
On the last week of May, while I was walking out of the Transfiguration classroom with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and a very furious Draco, — the former three didn't care if he was around me nowadays, and would always approach me — Professor McGonagall called to Harry.
"You are to go down to the Qudditch pitch at nine o'clock, Potter." Professor McGonagall said. It wasn't lost on me that she had a quizzical look on her face as she eyed our peculiar group. "Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the Champions about the Third Task."
Harry nodded tensely at her as we ultimately left the classroom.
"So, I'm guessing Crouch won't be there again." Harry looked fairly annoyed.
"You don't know that yet." I said. "It's the final task, maybe he'd be there."
"And what if he isn't?" Harry asked.
Hermione, Ron, and I could only exchange worried glances. If Crouch wasn't there, it'd be a dead end for the many questions we had about him.
"Tell me again why I'm walking with these three gits?" Draco scowled, throwing hateful looks at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Draco." I said warningly.
Ron rolled his eyes. "It's not as if we like walking with you too, Ferret."
"Shut your mouth, Weasel!" Draco glowered at him. "Get away then if you don't like it too."
"We're here for Y/N." Harry knitted his eyebrows together. "You get away, Malfoy."
"Y/N's my girlfriend, you dimwits. I have more right to walk beside her than you three do."
I sighed in exasperation. "You really shouldn't call them dimwits, especially since Hermione's here."
Draco raised one eyebrow as he sneered. "Oh. I meant, two dimwits, and one insufferable know-it-all."
Harry and Ron looked absolutely furious, while Hermione just shrugged.
"I'm not offended to be called a know-it-all." Hermione said proudly. "I do know more than you, Malfoy, seeing as you're below me in every class ranking."
"No one asked for you opinion, Granger!"
"All right!" I said, raising my hands up at them. "Enough with the insult match."
"Y/N should really find a nicer boyfriend." Ron grumbled.
"And Y/N should find better finds outside Slytherin." Draco scowled.
"Did I not say that's enough?" I stared at the two of them.
"Fine." Harry, Ron, and Draco muttered unwillingly under their breaths.
"Anyway, what do you reckon the Third Task will be?" I asked.
Harry shrugged defeatedly. "No idea at all."
"I hope they don't take hostages again." I frowned.
"Maybe not." Hermione said. "But what could possibly top a dragon and diving underwater for an hour?"
"Maybe something that would actually get you killed this time, Potter." Draco chuckled.
I shot him a glare. "Draco."
"You're not part of this conversation, Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed loudly.
"If you're talking to Y/N while I'm around then that makes me part of it." Draco said.
Ron glared at him in annoyance. "You —"
"I said enough!" I yelled. "If we can't have a civil conversation while walking the corridors, then get away from me, all of you!"
Harry, Ron, and Draco immediately shut their mouths, grumbling to themselves, but still sticking close to me.
Hermione chuckled a little. "You really have such power over them."
"Only because Y/N's violent." Ron frowned. "Don't want to get punched by her or anything of the sort."
I groaned. "Will you ever stop mentioning that?"
"Never!" Ron, Harry, and Draco chuckled. Although the moment the three of them realized they were laughing together, they immediately stifled it and masked it with coughs, not failing to sneer at each other afterwards.
When the five of us walked into the Great Hall, there were a couple of students that turned our way to stare. After all, it was a shocking sight still to see Draco with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Draco quickly walked to the Slytherin table, and I separated from the three with Harry promising that he would let us know whatever will be said at tonight's Third Task briefing.
"Well, that wasn't shocking at all to see Draco walking with his girlfriend and three of his most hated people in this school into the Great Hall." Daphne said in an amused tone.
"I take full credit for Malfoy warming up to Gryffindors." Dean, who was sitting at our table beside Pansy, said.
"Shut up, Thomas." Draco scowled. "Don't make me regret ever letting you sit here."
The rest of our group just sniggered at an obviously irked Draco.
When the food appeared and we started eating Lunch, Draco leaned in to whisper to me.
"So, I take it that you'd be sneaking off later to meet with them?"
I shrugged. "I'm not sure. If there's nothing too important, Harry would probably tell us about it tomorrow."
He scoffed. "Potter makes everything too important."
***
I was watching the hands of the huge grandfather clock at the Slytherin Common Room like a hawk. It's been half past since nine o'clock, and I felt ill as each minute passed after that. There was this feeling of dread and restlessness that I could not explain, and I could barely focus on my notes as I fumbled with my hands nervously.
"Is there anything wrong, Y/N?" Draco asked from beside me.
"Something doesn't feel right." I mumbled, still staring at the clock.
"If you're worried about Potter, I'm sure it's nothing." Draco said, returning his attention to his books. "They're just going to tell the Champions about the Third Task."
"I know..." I trailed. "But I don't know why I feel like something terrible had happened."
Finally deciding that I couldn't just sit here, I immediately grabbed my wand and stood up from my seat.
"I'm going to the Gryffindor Tower."
Draco quickly grabbed my hand. "Why? It's almost curfew! I'm sure whatever it is, it could wait until tomorrow."
"No." I shook my head. "I feel like this is something that couldn't wait until then."
Draco frowned at me, but let go of my hand. "Fine, just don't get caught by Filch and the Prefects after curfew."
"I'd just sleep at Hermione's dormitory if it gets past curfew." I said, and then immediately rushed out of the Slytherin Common Room before Draco could protest.
I was just walking out of the dungeon corridors when I saw Cedric entering the Entrance Hall.
"Ced!" I called.
"Y/N?" He looked at me questioningly. "What are you doing here?"
"Is the briefing for the Third Task done?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Yeah." He answered. "I just got back from the Quidditch pitch."
"Where's Harry then?" I asked urgently.
"Oh. Krum wanted to talk to him so they stayed behind."
"Krum?" I repeated. "Why?"
He shrugged. "No idea, but wait — what are you doing here?"
I sighed and shook my head. If Cedric says that Harry was only running late because Krum wanted to talk to him, then maybe whatever this unnerving feeling I have was probably just nothing. And maybe I was just overreacting.
"It's because —"
Just then, Harry frantically stormed inside the Entrance Hall, breathless and looking very disheveled.
"Harry?" I called out "What happened?"
"Y/N!" He exclaimed. "Crouch was there! He — No time to talk! I need to get Professor Dumbledore!"
Harry sprinted up the Grand Staircase, and I found myself running after him, with Cedric tailing the two of us.
"Crouch wasn't there at the briefing, though." Cedric said from behind me. "It was just us Champions and Bagman."
Harry stopped in front of the Headmaster's office, which had a Griffin statue serving as an entrance.
"Sherbet Lemon!" Harry panted.
The Griffin stood frozen, not making an inch of movement.
"Move!" He shouted at it. "Come on!"
The statue still didn't move, not like it would just because Harry shouted at it.
"Maybe the password's not Sherbet Lemon." I said quietly. "But Harry what happened?"
Harry was looking around the dark corridor in panic. "Crouch is there at the Forest."
"The forest?" I repeated.
Harry nodded as he caught his breath. "He seemed....insane. Talking to a tree, thinking it's Percy, and he said he needed Dumbledore. I left him there with Krum so I could fetch —"
"What are you three doing here?"
We all whipped our heads to see Snape emerge from the hidden staircase under the Griffin statue. The statue now spun shut behind him as he stepped off the steps.
"I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" Harry rushed to stand in front of Snape. "It's Mr. Crouch...he's just turned up...he's in the forest asking for —"
"What is this rubbish?" Snape sneered. "What are you talking about?"
"Mr. Crouch!" Harry shouted. "From the Ministry! He's ill or something — he's in the Forest and he wants to see Dumbledore! Just give me the password so we can —"
Snape's thin mouth curled into an unpleasant smile. "The Headmaster is busy."
"This is urgent!" I exclaimed furiously from behind Harry. "Professor, please —"
"Silvermade." Snape glowered at me. "I haven't had the faintest idea why on earth you are involved here, but as your Head of House, I must instruct you to return to the Slytherin Common Room this instant."
"But —"
The Griffin statue spun upwards for a few seconds, and then downwards once again, and from its steps Dumbledore emerged, in his long green robes and a very curious expression on his face.
"Is there a problem?" Dumbledore asked, looking between the four of us.
Snape immediately faced him. "Headmaster, I was just —"
"Professor!" Harry interrupted Snape and rushed to Dumbledore who had just stepped off the staircase as it spun shut once again. "Mr. Crouch is here — he's in the Forest, he wants to speak to you!"
I half expected Dumbledore to ask questions, but to our relief, he did nothing of the sort.
"Lead the way." Professor Dumbledore said quickly.
"Silvermade!" Snape called out to me. "You return to your —"
"I'm coming with them Professor!" I snapped.
Dumbledore stopped just for a second and nodded at Snape, signalling that it was all right that I come with them.
"Well." Snape sneered, and then turned his attention to Cedric. "Mr. Diggory, you go off to your common room then."
I could see Cedric wanting to protest, but sensing that we had no more time to spare, he begrudgingly nodded.
I swept off along the corridor just behind Dumbledore who was following behind Harry quickly.
"What did Mr. Crouch say, Harry?" Dumbledore asked as we walked swiftly down the Grand Staircase.
"Said he wants to warn you...said he's done something terrible...he mentioned his son...and Bertha Jorkins...and — and Voldemort...something about Voldemort getting stronger." Harry managed in between panting.
I stifled a gasp at what I heard, rushing behind the two of them into the pitch darkness of the castle grounds to reach the Forest.
"He's not acting normally." Harry said as our pace quickened. "He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keeps talking to a tree, thinking that it's Percy Weasley, and then he changed — suddenly, he says he needs to see you. I left him with Krum."
"You did?" Dumbledore asked sharply, he then began to take longer strides, overtaking Harry. Harry and I ran to keep up with him. "Do you know if anybody else saw Mr. Crouch?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "Krum and I were talking, Mr. Bagman had just finished telling us about the Third Task, we stayed behind and then we saw Mr. Crouch coming out of the Forest."
"Where are they?" Dumbledore asked as we passed by the Beauxbatons carriage just by the edge of the Forest.
"Over here." Harry quickly lead the way through the trees as we rushed behind him.
"Krum?" Harry shouted, but there was no answer.
"They were here!" Harry said frantically as we stopped in the midst of the Forest. "They were definitely somewhere here!"
Dumbledore held up his wand. "Lumos."
The narrow beam of light travelled from tree to tree, illuminating our surroundings. And then, it fell upon a pair of feet.
The three of us hurried forwards. Krum was sprawled on the Forest floor, unconscious. I almost screamed, thinking that he might be dead. But Dumbledore bent down to gently lift his eyelids.
"Stunned." He said softly.
"I could get Madam Pomfrey —" I started, but Dumbledore shook his head.
"No." He said. "The two of you stay put. We don't know what attacked Krum, it's much safer here with me."
Dumbledore raised his wand and pointed it to the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Something silvery darted out of his wand's tip and streaked away through the trees like a ghostly bird.
Then, Dumbledore bent over Krum again, pointed his wand at him, and muttered. "Renervate."
Krum's eyes fluttered open. He looked dazed. When he saw us crowding around him, he tried to stand up, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and made him lie still.
"He attacked me!" Krum muttered. "The old man attacked me! I vos looking around to see vere Potter had gone, and he attacked me from behind!"
The sound of thundering steps interrupted us and Hagrid came panting into sight with a crossbow and Fang at his heels.
"Professor Dumbledore!" He said. His eyes widened when it landed on me and Harry. "Harry, Y/N — what the —"
"Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff." Dumbledore said urgently. "His student has been attacked. When you've done that, kindly alert Professor Moody —"
"No need, Dumbledore." Moody came into view, wheezing as he limped towards us. "I'm here."
"This damn leg." He said furiously. "Would've been quicker...what happened? Snape said something about Crouch —"
"Crouch?" Hagrid said blankly.
"Karkaroff, if you would please, Hagrid." Dumbledore said sharply.
"Oh. Yeah...right you are, Professor." Hagrid said, then he turned around and disappeared into the dark forest, Fang trotting after him.
"I don't know where Barty Crouch is." Dumbledore said to Moody. "But it is essential that we find him."
"I'm onto it." Moody growled, and he pulled out his wand and limped deep into the forest.
None of us spoke a word as Harry and I exchanged worried and nervous glances. We then heard the unmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning, with Karkaroff hurrying behind them. He looked pale and agitated when his eyes landed on Krum who was still lying on the ground.
"What is this?!" He cried out. "What is going on?!"
"I vos attacked by Mr. Crouch or votever his name was." Krum said as he sat up and rubbed his head.
"Crouch attacked you?! Crouch?!" Karkaroff repeated. Then Karkaroff turned and glowered at Dumbledore. "Treachery! It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretence, Dumbledore!"
"This is not an equal competition! First you sneak Potter into the Tournament despite him being underaged, and now your Ministry friends attempts to put my Champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption and —"
"It's nothing like that!" Harry exclaimed angrily.
Karkaroff ignored Harry and proceeded to bellow at Dumbledore. "Dumbledore, you and your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences — here's what I think of you!"
Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet. Before any of us could react in horror at what Karkaroff had done, Hagrid, in one swift movement, seized the front of Karkaroff's dress shirt, lifted him into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree.
"Apologize!" Hagrid snarled as Karkaroff gasped for breath, Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, and his feet dangling in the air.
I couldn't help but think that this was exactly what Karkaroff deserved. I was honestly holding back myself from clapping and cheering at Hagrid.
"Hagrid, no!" Dumbledore shouted.
Hagrid removed the hand that pinned Karkaroff to the tree, as the latter slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddle at its roots.
"Kindly escort Y/N and Harry back to the castle, Hagrid." Dumbledore said sharply.
Breathing heavily, Hagrid continued to glower at Karkaroff. "Maybe I'd better stay here, Headmaster —"
"You will take Y/N and Harry back to the castle." Dumbledore said firmly. "Take them right up to their respective houses and —"
"I'd like to stay with Harry, Professor." I said with defiance.
Dumbledore eyed me for a few seconds, and then he nodded. "Very well, take them to the Gryffindor Tower."
Dumbledore then turned to the two of us. "Stay there. Do not leave. Anything you might want to do — any owls you would like to send, Harry — they can wait until the morning. Do you understand?"
Harry and I both nodded.
"I'll leave Fang with you, Headmaster." Hagrid said, still staring menacingly at Karkaroff who was still sprawled at the foot of the tree. "Stay, Fang. Come on, you two."
The three of us marched in silence past the Beaubaxtons carriage and up towards the castle, neither Harry nor I wanted to talk while Hagrid grumbled as we passed the Black Lake, talking under his breath about Karkaroff.
Hagrid suddenly turned to Harry and me.
"And you two!" He said angrily. "What were you doing in the Forest with ruddy Krum, Harry? He's from Durmstrang! Could've jinxed you right there and there!"
Before Harry could explain, Hagrid then looked at me furiously.
"And what are you doing Y/N? You should've been in your common room!"
"I wanted to check up on Harry!" I exclaimed. "I was worried and —"
I wanted to say more, but Hagrid was staring at me with such a grim expression that I just shut my mouth. Hagrid was in such a bad mood when we arrived by the Fat Lady's portrait, and we were quite glad to say goodbye to him. When Harry and I clambered through the portrait hole, Ron and Hermione were by the corner of the Gryffindor Common Room, huddled over their books. We immediately rushed to them.
"Y/N?" Hermione looked at me questioningly. "What are you doing here?"
"And why do the two of you look like that?" Ron asked as he glanced at Harry and me. We were still both in a state of utter shock and bewilderment.
I pulled a chair and slumped back on it, arranging my thoughts for the first time since I left the Slytherin Common Room, while Harry proceeded to tell Ron and Hermione what happened. From the nature of the Third Task, to Krum wanting to clarify if he and Hermione ever dated, to when Crouch suddenly appeared from the trees at the Forest talking madly, and onto the parts I witnessed myself. When Harry was done telling the story, Hermione and Ron stared at us, dumbfounded.
"It comes down to this." Hermione said as she rubbed her temples. "Either Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody else attacked the both of them when Viktor wasn't looking."
"It must've been Crouch." Ron said. "That's why he was gone when they arrived at the Forest. He's done a runner."
"I don't think so." Harry shook his head. "He seemed really weak. I don't reckon he was up to Disapparating or anything."
"Wizards and witches can't Disapparate on Hogwarts grounds." I said weakly.
"Thank you, Y/N!" Hermione said as she irritably turned to Ron and Harry. "Haven't I said this enough times?"
"Okay." Ron rolled his eyes. "Then how's this for a theory...Krum attacked Crouch, and then he stunned himself."
I sighed. "What reason does Krum have to attack Crouch? And it's even more unlikely that he'd stun himself."
"And I suppose you were going to say that Crouch just evaporated, did he?" Hermione said sarcastically to Ron.
"Right." Ron said as he scratched his head.
We were throwing out ideas and theories as to whatever happened to Crouch, but none of them seemed plausible and it only created more unanswered questions on top of the ones we already had. When daybreak came, the four of us crept out of the Gryffindor Tower, all pale and puffy eyed from lack of sleep, to head to the Owlery so Harry could send the note he penned to Sirius.
"Just go through it again, Harry." Hermione said. "What did Mr. Crouch actually say?"
"I told you, he wasn't making much sense." Harry said as he stifled a yawn. "He said he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she was dead. He kept saying stuff was his fault, and even mentioned his son."
"Well, that was his fault." Hermione said testily.
"He was out of his mind." Harry continued. "Half the time he seemed to think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking to Percy about work and giving him instructions."
"You also told Dumbledore that Crouch mentioned You-Know-Who." I said.
Harry nodded. "He said he's getting stronger."
Ron looked alarmed for a second, and then in a falsely confident voice, he spoke. "But he was out of his mind, you said. So half of it was probably just nutter talk."
"He was sanest when he was talking about Voldemort." Harry said. Ron and I both winced at the mention of the name.
Harry ignored us and continued. "He was having real trouble stringing words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was, and know what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore."
Harry tied the note to Pigwidgeon's leg and watched the owl fly out of the window.
"If Snape hadn't held me back." He said bitterly. "Why couldn't he have just gotten out of the way?"
"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" Ron said quickly. "Maybe — hang on — how fast do you think he could've reached the forest? Do you reckon he could've beaten you two and Dumbledore there?"
"Not unless he was on a Firebolt." I shook my head.
"Or turned himself into a bat." Harry said with disdain.
"Wouldn't put it past him." Ron muttered.
"Are you trying to say that Snape had something to do with Crouch disappearing?" I asked.
"Maybe." Ron said.
Harry shook his head. "As much as I'd like to blame everything on Snape, it's definitely not the case this time."
"We need to see Professor Moody." Hermione said. "We need to find out whether he found Mr. Crouch."
"He had my Marauder's Map, so it would've been easy if he had it on him last night." Harry said.
"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds." Ron frowned. "Because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't —"
"Shh!!" Hermione shushed suddenly.
We could hear footsteps climbing the steps to the Owlery, and I could faintly hear two voices arguing coming closer and closer.
" — that's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that —"
"— we've tried being polite, it's time to play dirty like him!"
"I'm telling you, if you put that into writing, it's blackmail."
"Yeah, and you wouldn't be complaining if we get a nice fat pay off, will you?"
The Owlery door banged open to reveal Fred and George. The twins then froze at the sight of the four of us.
"What are you doing here?!" Ron and Fred said at the same time.
"Sending a letter." Harry and George said in unison.
"At this time?" I asked the same time as Fred did.
"None of your business!" Hermione and George both exclaimed.
Fred then grinned. "Fine — we won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us."
He was holding a sealed envelope in his hand, I leaned to glance at it, but Fred quickly shifted his hand to cover the name written on the front.
"Well, don't let us hold you up." George grinned, making a mock bow and pointing at the door.
Ron narrowed his eyes at them. "Who are you blackmailing?"
The grin disappeared from Fred's face, and I could see him and George exchange tensed glances.
"Don't be stupid, I'm only joking." Fred said as he forced a smile.
Ron was not buying it at all, and neither did we.
"Didn't sound like that." Ron said, his eyebrow raised at the twins.
Fred quickly glanced at George, then turned to Ron. "I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out of it, if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but —"
"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone." Ron said firmly. "George's right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."
"We were joking." George insisted as he snatched the letter from Fred and quickly tied it to the leg of the nearest barn owl. "You're starting to sound like Percy. Carry on like that and you'll be made Prefect, and then Head Boy, and maybe end up working for the Ministry writing reports about leaky cauldron bottoms."
"No, I won't!" Ron said hotly.
George carried the barn owl over to the window and it took off. He then turned around and grinned at Ron.
"Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."
And with that, Fred and George left the Owlery, leaving the four of us staring at each other in suspicion.
"You don't think they know something about all this, do you?" Hermione whispered. "About Crouch and everything?"
"I doubt that." Harry said.
"I agree." I nodded in agreement. "If they knew something that serious, they'd tell someone — Dumbledore even."
Ron, however looked uncomfortable as he shifted in his feet.
"Come off it." Hermione to him. "What's the matter?"
"Well..." Ron said slowly. "I don't know if they would. They're...they're obsessed with making money these days. I noticed when I was hanging out with them when we weren't talking."
Harry stared at him. "Well, alright. But you think they'd resort to blackmailing someone for money?"
"It's this joke shop idea they've got." Ron sighed. "I thought they were only saying it to annoy Mum, but they really mean it. They want to start one. They've only got a year left at Hogwarts, they keep going on about how it's time to think about their future. Dad can't obviously help them, and they need gold to get started."
I knitted my eyebrows together. "Yes, but I don't think Fred and George would do something against the law to get gold."
"Wouldn't they?" Ron said skeptically. "They don't exactly mind breaking the rules."
"But this is the law." Hermione said as her eyes widened, looking a bit scared. "This isn't some silly school rule. They'll get a lot more than detention for blackmail!"
Hermione looked largely uncomfortable. "Ron...maybe you'd better tell Percy."
"Are you mad?!" Ron exclaimed. "Tell Percy? He'd most probably do a Crouch and turn them in!"
There was a moment of silence between the four of us. No one wanted to say anything, and it's not like we knew what to say either.
"Come on. Let's just get some breakfast." Ron said after a while.
We all nodded as we went down the spiral staircase of the Owlery.
"Do you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?" Hermione asked.
"Probably." I said.
"I reckon he'd blast us through the door if we wake him now." Harry said. "Think we're intruders or something."
The four of us arrived at the Entrance Hall and I separated from the group to head down to the Slytherin Dungeon for a quick shower and a change of clothes. When I arrived at the room I shared with Pansy and Daphne, they were just starting to stir themselves awake. I quickly rushed inside the bathroom to freshen up to avoid questions, making it seem like I've stayed the night at our dormitory.
When I got out, the two of them were already wide awake, and Pansy quickly entered the bathroom.
"What time did you get in?" Daphne asked as she yawned. "Were you up late studying?"
I nodded as I fumbled with the buttons of my uniform. "Yeah. You and Pansy were already asleep when I got here."
I was glad that Daphne believed the lie immediately, saving me from answering their questions and explaining the happenings of last night. When the three of us went down the stairs, however, there was one person who knew I was out the whole night.
"Good morning." I said to Draco who was frowning at me.
"You look like you hadn't slept at all."
I shot him a quick look. "Yeah, homework was dreadful."
"Right." He scoffed. "Homework."
"Shut up." I muttered under my breath.
Draco just shrugged at me, but thankfully let it go. We all headed to the Great Hall for breakfast and sat down at the Slytherin table. The breakfast spread was such a welcome sight to my starving stomach, making me scarf down the food that appeared before me quickly, barely taking any breaths.
"You look like death, Y/N, honestly." Theo said to me. "And you're eating as if you'd just ran a marathon or something."
"I'm just hungry." I said as I reached for another piece of toast.
"Y/N's studying up late." Pansy said. "Maybe you should try doing that too, Theo."
"No thanks." Theo quickly said.
"Seriously, mate." Blaise sighed. "The exams are nearing. You can't be as carefree as last year."
Theo scowled. "There's a month still before that!"
"A month goes by quickly." Daphne said. "And we're entering our O.W.L.S next year, you can't afford to fail that."
Theo glared at us but did not say anything. He knew the others were right anyway.
Draco leaned to whisper to me. "Will you tell me what happened last night?"
"Nothing happened." I said dismissively. "Harry just told us what the Third Task was about."
I didn't want to tell Draco about what happened with Mr. Crouch at all, because I knew he'd be worried and might just lock me up every after dinner at the Slytherin dormitory just so I don't go out after curfew. I couldn't risk that — not right now.
Thankfully, Draco let it go. But he still looked at me skeptically from time to time, probably sensing that I might not be telling the whole truth.
The rest of the day passed in a blur as I was distracted with all that has happened, and the million unanswered questions we had about Mr. Crouch bothered me to no end. During History of Magic, I sat next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione so we could talk about our plan to meet up with Professor Moody after all our classes ended. Our DADA class isn't until tomorrow, and our curiosity if he found Crouch could not wait until then.
I was restless the whole of Potions, checking the clock in the classroom from time to time, urging it to struck five thirty. Snape was also particularly mean-spirited today as he sent me glares from across the classroom every time he noticed my fidgeting. But I doubt his annoyance was because of that, it was most probably because I defied him last night in front of Harry, Cedric, and Professor Dumbledore. Surprisingly though, he did not give me detention for it, so I was still glad that I only received hateful glares.
When the bell finally rang, I gave some sort of excuse to Draco and told him that he should go ahead to the Great Hall for dinner without me. He was about to protest, so I quickly darted out of the classroom, catching up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We hurried through the corridors towards the DADA classroom and found Professor Moody just about to leave. He looked as tired as we felt. His normal eye drooped a little, giving his face an even more lopsided appearance than usual.
"Professor Moody?" Harry called as we made our way towards him through the crowd of students.
"Hello, Potter." Moody growled. His magical eye followed a couple of passing first-years who quickly sped up, looking nervous. It rolled into the back of Moody's head and watched them around the corner before he spoke again. "Come inside."
He stood back to let us into the now empty classroom, limping behind us as he shut the door.
"Did you find him?" Harry asked urgently. "Mr. Crouch?"
"No." Moody said as he moved over to sit on his desk, pulling out a flask from his robes.
"Did you use the map?" Harry asked.
"Of course." Moody said after he took a swig from his flask. "Took a leaf out of your book, Potter. Summoned it from my office into the Forest. He wasn't anywhere on there."
"So he did Disapparate!" Ron exclaimed.
"Again." I sighed impatiently. "Wizards and witches can't Disapparate on the grounds."
"Surely there are other ways he could've disappeared, aren't there, Professor?"
Moody fixed his artificial eye at Hermione and nodded, taking another swig from his flask.
"Well, he wasn't invisible." Harry said. "The map shows invisible people. He must've left the grounds, then."
"But you said he was too weak." I said to Harry.
"Maybe someone made him?" Hermione suggested.
"Yeah, someone could've pulled him onto a broom and flown off with him." Ron said quickly.
"We can't rule out kidnapping." Moody said.
"Maybe he's at Hogsmeade?" Hermione mused.
"Could be anywhere." Moody said as he shook his head. "Only thing we know is that he's no longer at Hogwarts."
Moody yawned widely, causing his scars to stretch out even more, then he turned to narrow his eyes at us.
"Now, Dumbledore's told me that you four fancy yourselves as investigators, but there's nothing you can do for Crouch. The Ministry will be looking for him now, Dumbledore has notified them."
He fixed his eyes on Harry. "Potter, you just keep your mind on the Third Task."
Seemingly to have forgotten about it, Harry's face flashed an expression of worry. "Right."
"Should be right up your alley, this one." Moody continued. "From what Dumbledore said you've managed to get through stuff like this plenty of times."
"I got loads of help." Harry said, nodding towards us.
Moody grinned as he turned to Ron, Hermione, and me. "Well, help him practise for this one, and I'll be very surprised if he doesn't win."
Moody looked over at Harry. "In the meantime...constant vigilance, Potter. Constant vigilance."
Moody took another long drink from his flask, then his normal eye focused on Ron, Hermione, and me. "You three, stick close to Potter, all right? I'm keeping an eye on things, but all the same...you can never have too many eyes."