CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DEATH OF BARTY CROUCH
Unable to sleep one bright night in May, Icarus slipped out of the castle and shifted, making his way like a shadow across the castle grounds. Though he was tired, it was one of the only ways that could effectively relieve his stress - especially after he'd stopped drifting outside of his body.
He moved quietly and swifty into the darkness of the forest.
Once he was quite deep, his ears twitched, hearing someone talking. What was a person doing in the forest at this time?
He moved slowly towards it.
"...must warn...my fault...Dumbledore..." someone was muttering.
"Dumbledore's this way," growled an unpleasantly familiar voice.
He peeked around a tree to see the shadows of two men. Moody was dragging someone by the arm. As the moonlight hit the man's face, Icarus noticed that it was the judge that hadn't been showing up.
What was his name? Mr. Crunch? Crouch?
Mr. Crouch!
"Sit here," said Moody, flinging the man down.
Mr. Crouch didn't look well at all. He was thin, gray and covered in cuts, muttering to himself. Moody was looking around. Icarus tried his best to hide himself, but didn't know if the eye had any limits.
Apparently, it did. Moody looked down at the crazed man and said something.
Mr. Crouch muttered a reply.
"...You're not him..." he sobbed.
Moody growled and pulled out his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!" he snarled.
Icarus stepped backwards, shocked, as the green blast hit Mr. Crouch and he slumped over, dead. Moody whirled around, searching for the noise that the boy had made.
Icarus turned and ran, narrowly missing a blast of green light.
Why did he always get caught in these situations?
He ran through the forest and back into the castle, straight towards Dumbledore's office. He started pacing, aware that he didn't know the password. After half an hour of waiting, though, he decided to give up on that approach and ran down into his father's office, crashing into the door and stumbling in. Snape ran out of his chambers in a long gray nightshirt. He looked like he'd only just managed to get into bed.
"Icarus?" he said, noticing the large cat and the very wide open door.
He closed it quickly as Icarus shifted back, panting.
"Professor Moody...Mr. Crouch...not him..." he gasped.
"Sit down," said Snape, pushing the boy into a chair, "And breath. Then tell me."
Icarus took a couple shuddering breaths, trying to regain his composure. Snape handed him a goblet of ice cold water.
He gulped it down gratefully. It was strange seeing out of both eyes, for the first time in a while. Things looked slightly blurred.
"I saw Moody kill Mr. Crouch," he said after a moment, still breathing hard. "In the forest."
"What?"
"Mr. Crouch said something before he, y'know...he said 'You're not him.'"
Snape was pacing, pale.
"What d'you think he means? Was he -" Icarus stopped speaking, his brain frozen on one shocked revelation.
Snape looked at him, anxious. "What? What is it?"
"I don't think it was Harry stealing from your supplies..." Icarus whispered.
His father stopped pacing. He rubbed his left arm and sat down in the seat across from Icarus.
After half an hour, he sent the boy back to his room, assuring him that Dumbledore would be informed.
Icarus felt his guts twist.
Dumbledore wouldn't be much help now.
. . .
The next day, while he was half-paying attention to Professor Flitwick flying across the classroom, Professor Snape came in and asked for him. Icarus packed his stuff away and followed his father out. He noticed soon that they were approaching Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Have you told him already?"
"I thought it would be better if you did."
Icarus lapsed back into silence.
"Cockroach Clusters," Snape said. The eagle sprang to life and they stepped onto the twisting stairs.
Arriving at the doors, both of them grimaced, hearing Harry's voice.
"What made you think he'd really stopped supporting Voldemort, Professor?"
Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then he said; "That, Harry, is a matter between Professor Snape and myself."
Icarus' little tolerance for Harry was almost gone. The boy was very lucky he was Hermione's friend.
Snape opened the door and they moved in. Harry jumped in his chair, shocked. Professor Dumbledore looked unsurprised. Harry stood up and left, glancing at them as he passed. Snape almost bared his teeth at the boy. Icarus kicked him discreetly.
"You wished to see me?" said Dumbledore, looking older than Icarus had ever seen him before.
"I know about Mr. Crouch," said Icarus.
"I'm hardly surprised by that. From what I hear, you are on good terms with Miss. Granger."
Icarus shook his head.
"I didn't find out by word of mouth, Professor. I saw him, last night."
He sat down in front of the man, while Snape hovered protectively behind him. Dumbledore's face grew graver the longer he listened to Icarus' story.
"I see..." he said eventually. "So you suspect Professor Moody of not being, well, Professor Moody?"
"Yes."
Dumbledore nodded.
"I will send out a search party to comb the forest. For the mean time," he observed both of them sadly, "be careful. Keep your eyes and ears open. If he is not who he says he is, then he is very cunning indeed."