GoF Ch. 12

AN: Heyo! Just putting this up here! I wrote a book! Check it out! Link in my Bio! I know, shameless promotion! But I'm excited! ON with the story!

-Daniel-

"What were you doing in there?" I sighed as I was asked the question. My head was pounding and I sat in silence staring off blankly. My breathing remained steady and I sat as still as I could while only blinking occasionally. "Mr. Lovage?"

"Oh, give him a chance to rest Albus! The boys obviously in shock!" I mentally thanked Madam Pomfrey who bustled around the Hospital wing. She moved to Neville and cast a few diagnostic spells that I could see out the corner of my eye and seemed to nod in approval.

"Very well," Dumbledore said rising and moving to the exit. "Please inform me when he is recovered enough to talk."

"Out with you Albus!"

I continued to stare blankly, keeping the façade up as best as I could. Luna was still in the room sitting next to Neville and looking toward me. There were tears in her eyes again, it seemed like she often cried when I was around. I tried to get my mind off of that and thought of how the tournament would be affected. It would most likely continue and since the maze was already being grown, as for defense, well that was seemingly up in the air. Crouch was arrested and Moody had been found, but as for how things would continue from there if anyone would pick up the slack, it was definitely a strange situation.

Madam Pomfrey left and I waited a few moments before I looked over at Luna.

"How is he?" I asked softly my head turning and voice a bit hoarse.

Luna gasped and ran over to me bringing me into a bone-crushing hug.

"You're okay!" She cried, her voice muffled by my dusty robes.

"Yeah, sorry, I just didn't want to be questioned right now," I said softly my headache alleviating slightly. "We need to get our story straight."

"Right," Luna said with determination in her eyes. "So, why were we in there?"

I~

"And after seeing who I thought was Professor Moody exiting the potions storage closet, I didn't know what to think. But I felt a suspicious feeling in my gut and Neville and I followed him while Luna went to fetch you. When we arrived at his office he was opening his chests but then left suddenly. Neville and I snuck in and found Moody being kept a prisoner in the trunk and then we were attacked," I had no idea whether they were buying this or not but I knew that I had to try and convince them that I wasn't off looking for trouble. Plus searching through a professor's room could very well get me expelled or even arrested.

"And why were you suspicious of the False Moody?" Dumbledore asked me.

"Well if he needed potion ingredients then he would have gone to Professor Snape and had him handle the supplies, or even had Professor Snape make the potions as it is the Professors Job to assist with that."

Dumbledore nodded at my explanation and then looked over to Neville and then back to me. "Did the false Professor say anything about what his plans were, what he was attempting to do?"

I shook my head slowly. "No, sir. He just attacked."

Dumbledore sighed and nodded his head. "Very well, Madam Pomfrey tells me that you will be out of her care in a day."

"And Neville?"

"The Imperious that was used was very strong. He's recovering, but we're just making sure that there are no lingering effects from the curse." I nodded and leaned back in my bed. Dumbledore smiled and began walking away but stopped before he was out the door. "Oh, and Moody wanted me to send his thanks. He is recovering in St. Mungo's and is very grateful for your and Mr. Longbottom's efforts."

I smiled and thanked the headmaster as I sat in the bed.

I~

-Hermione-

It was a bit of trouble getting Harry and Ron to come with me to the Hospital wing. I had to appeal to their Gryffindor pride and tell them that Daniel and Neville were both apart of their house and their dorm mate therefore they should go.

So, we were walking toward the Hospital wing, Ron and Harry discussing the latest Task and how it was progressing. Ron was adamant that Daniel was plotting against Harry and how none of us should trust him. I rolled my eyes at that, if Daniel was plotting against Harry then what reason would he have given Harry the hint for the Egg? Ron didn't have an answer for that but was still very insistent.

I shook my head and opened the door to the Hospital wing, grinning as I did so. I glanced round the room and saw Daniel sitting on his bed. But my smile dropped as I saw Padma sitting on the bed with him.

"Maybe we should come back," I whispered feeling a bit of anger flow into me.

"This whole thing was your bloody idea!" Ron groaned. I shushed him quickly but saw that Daniel, Padma, Luna, and Neville all looked over to where we were standing and I blushed crimson as I tried to duck my head. But unfortunately, it was already too late, they had seen, us.

"Hermione," Daniel said grinning, and standing up and turning toward us.

I gave a strained smile and looked to him, and with a small glare to Padma. "Daniel, Padma, how are you?"

"Recovering," he said. There was no limp and he seemed exceedingly happy. I huffed a bit but retained my composure as I looked at him. "Though Nev's got it worse than I do. But he should be up in a couple of days."

"Good. We were worried about you and we all thought we should come down and show some support."

"You're the one that wanted to come down," Ron muttered giving a slight glare toward Daniel.

"Shut up Ron," Hermione hissed at her friend, a slight flush creeping onto her face. "Anyways, we just wanted to make sure that you were alright."

"He's fine," Padma said laughing slightly and rubbing his shoulder. "Seems my little Gryffindor saved us all from and some imposter." Daniel blushed but tried to brush it off.

"Yeah, Dumbledore made an announcement, we could barely believe it. People are saying that he's in a lot of trouble with the Board of Governors." Harry said moving forward and standing before Daniel.

"He'll be fine," Daniel said, though he did seem a bit worried. "I mean, from what I've heard, if he hasn't gotten thrown out for half of the things he he's done then he should be fine."

The three of us nodded remembering how he had kept the philosophers stone in the castle, hiring Lockhart, and a number of other things.

"So how long do you have to be here?" I asked suddenly.

"I was actually on my way out. Padma and I were going to go to the kitchens and get some food. Don't tell Pomfrey I said this, but I think she does something to the food to make it taste bad to keep us from coming back," Padma giggled at his joke and I instinctively giggled as well, Harry and Ron turning to face me and giving me a strange look. I coughed into my hand and cleared my throat.

"Anyway, we should probably let you go, you've been cooped up in here for a few days."

Daniel smiled and nodded at my words. "Right. Catch up with you guys in the common room?" He asked enthusiastically. We all nodded and with that, he left with Padma.

I~

-Voldemort-

Crouch had failed. He had been discovered by the boy. I did not know how Crouch had let himself be discovered, had he been careless, over-confident, what had happened?

I growled and tried to put the how out of my mind. What mattered was the what now. For all I knew, Crouch hadn't been able to charm the Cup into a portkey. I needed Potter and the boy here. I needed them to be witness to my rising.

I breathed deeply and looked to Wormtail. "Bring me Crouches last repot!" I shouted watching the man stumble over himself to try and find the letter. I rolled my eyes and wished that I could have been found by a more competent servant. I rolled my eyes however and waited for Wormtail to bring the parchment.

I took it and red over the report, what he had managed to gather from other students about Potter and the other boy. I read over the report and it seemed that there was a man that the boy cared for. It seemed Daniel cared for the caretakers of the old Mavolo Manor.

I grinned and looked to Wormtail, a plan formulating in my mind.

AN: Okay short but I have to go to Math right now! So this is where the story starts to divulge from canon for all of you wondering when it was going to happen. Also, I got a decent number of PM's hoping for Jealous Hermione, so there you are. Anywhooo! Thanks for reading it's always grand writing what you enjoy, and I will see you all next time! Review! ~Paccoq