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He Didn't Notice The Cold

Shaking the hand offered him by Dumbledore made his skin crawl, but he took it, because Moody trusted Dumbledore, almost implicitly. Thankfully, he was one of the few people Moody did trust and Barty wouldn't have to shake more hands.

Touching people was not Barty's thing. Years of neglect and being held hostage by his father had left him with no love of skin on skin contact.

Being back in Hogwarts was hard enough.

Taking his assigned seat at the table, Barty looked around the room, eyes locking on his target immediately. Harry Potter, a sad looking creature when one truly looked at him. He certainly didn't look like anything special; anything that could hold against the darkest, most powerful wizard the world had ever seen.

Barty watched the teen for a moment before he allowed the magical eye to wander. It had taken a little while to get used to the sensation, but he couldn't deny its usefulness. As it strayed over to the Slytherin table, he stiffened, the familiar green and silver tie bringing back memories best buried.

A laugh echoed in his mind, young and fresh and happy.

Forcing the sound back into its box, Barty concentrated on the rest of the hall, ensuring he sipped from his flash at the appropriate times. He was in. Now he just had to stay unnoticed.

Being back in Hogwarts was difficult. He thought he'd get used to it within a couple of weeks, but two months in, with his main objective (getting Potter into the Tournament) done, he was struggling to keep the memories at bay.

A glance of a dark haired Slytherin, and Barty would see Regulus' carefree smile. A night time patrol to the Astronomy tower, and he'd hear the ghost of Regulus' voice, "Take my hand," as the idiot stood on the window ledge, his hair blowing in the wind. A quick trip to the library to find a reference book and he would see Regulus sitting slouched in a chair, looking ridiculously pretty and filling Barty with an odd kind of affection that he'd never felt before he got to know the younger boy.

Every single thing in the old castle reminded Barty of his love. His old love. His first love.

He'd done what he could to erase Regulus from his mind, but he'd never managed to scorch his mark from his heart.

He was sadistic, he was cruel, and then he would return to an empty bed and see Regulus' face, watching him with sad eyes.

Then he'd been caught, and Azkaban had been its own special brand of torture, forcing him to relive the Dark Lord telling Barty about Regulus' death, the glee in his voice as he cast the Cruciatus on Barty for now knowing what his boyfriend was up to forever embedded in his skin.

Forcing him to relive chaste kisses in corridors, nimble fingers slipping under his shirt, words of love and adoration pressed into his neck as gasps and moans filled empty classrooms.

Forcing him to relieve their last night together, when Regulus was extra loving and Barty hadn't realised until it was too late that everything was wrong, wrong, wrong.

"That's enough," he murmured to himself, shifting in his bed, trying to get comfortable. Thinking about these things wouldn't help.

It wouldn't bring Regulus back.

"Fetch the Dementor."

Fudge's voice rang out in the room, and Barty couldn't help but feel relief. Voldemort was back, he'd done his part.

He was known for his fighting skill, but right now, giving into oblivion seemed like the perfect reward for all he'd done.

He would be able to give up his memories. His mind. His heart. Eventually, his life.

"I'm coming, Reg," he whispered as the Dementor bore down on him.

He didn't notice the cold.

Written for;

Yule Ball - 14. Getting Drunk on Spiked Punch - Write about Mad-Eye Moody (or Barty Crouch).

WC, Book Club - Drake Merwin:(word) sadistic, (word) nimble, (skill) fighting

Buttons - "Take my hand." / Pretty

Showtime - Finale - (dialogue) "That's enough."

Resolution - 15. Write a fic set in Trio era

Bath Bomb - 5. Can't Touch This - Write about someone who hates physical contact.

Sticker - Hufflypuff collection - Topaz - (Word) Affection

Insane House Challenge - 65. BartyRegulus

Dragon Appreciation Month - WC - 637

Writing Month, WC - 637