A/N: I normally avoid responding to reviews because I don't want to hurt feelings/anger people unnecessarily, but I always read them and use them to better my story. I would like for everyone to continue reviewing and giving feedback because I do appreciate it; that being said, I ran across one review today that I don't agree with, and I want to defend my stance on that. I got a critique saying that Harry was pretty useless in my story, all he did was cry and wait for Sirius to save him. I don't think this is true, and for in-depth evidence of that, re-read chapter 30, where Harry stunned an imperiused Victor Krum, solved the sphinx's riddle, and saved Cedric from an acromantula. However, he's also a fourteen year old boy that's still learning a lot and doesn't have his wand, which is what saved him in the books. Since I took away his wand, I had to find another way to save him, which came in the form of Sirius and Dumbledore. Now, as much as I like Sirius, I have to disagree with the second part of the comment as well - Sirius has barely saved Harry in any of these situations. He's been too late to protect him in almost every one of them, including his last encounter with Voldemort - it was really Dumbledore's preparation that saved Harry. Sirius has mostly been comforting Harry after these encounters, the way a father would be expected to. And also, to address the comment about Harry crying: I don't think I've made him too emotional really, in all thirty of the chapters I wrote he's probably cried in six of them. However, this Harry was abused and has now had to face the wrath of the darkest wizard ever - I think the boy deserves to let out some of that emotion now that he has a parent to do so with. The main reason I think he was so hardened in the books is because he never really had someone truly and fully fulfill the role of a parent, so he had to hold himself together constantly. In this one he does have a full time parent, so that's why he might seem to cry a bit more, though I've tried to keep it at a minimum. Don't worry though, Harry still has three more years to prove his power and strength and he will. Sorry for the rant and if you guys still disagree with my stance on this, I will definitely try and improve it by making a more hardened Harry. Now, on with the story!


Harry felt Mad-Eye throw him into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Moody shut and locked the door with magic, then turned to Harry. Harry found that the silencing charm had worn off and he could speak again. "What's going on?" He demanded, turning to face his professor and summoning his Gryffindor courage.

"I told you, Potter. Dumbledore wants to talk to your father." Moody said, hobbling over to his desk and searching for something.

"He wouldn't have wanted you to hurt him." Harry said angrily, gesturing out the door.

"I didn't hurt him… maybe I should have, now that I think about it." Moody mumbled, still frantically searching the desk drawers. "Anyway, tell me what happened in the graveyard, Potter."

Harry began to open his mouth to retort something about not trusting Moody, but then he stopped himself. "I… I don't think anybody has said anything about a graveyard, Professor."

Moody looked at Harry darkly, a twisted smile coming across his face. "Let me see your arm, Potter. Let me see where the deed was done."

Harry stepped back, "What…"

Moody was laughing hysterically now. "Nobody ever guessed Alastor Moody, did they? Well, Dumbledore's interference may have saved you from the Dark Lord, but I'll finish what he started-"

Harry shouted "Expelliarmus" at the same time as five other wizards shouted "Stupefy." The effect was instantaneous - Moody was out like a light.


"Finite," Dumbledore said quietly, awakening Sirius.

"Sirius," Lupin said, kneeling down beside his friend. "What happened? Who took Harry?"

"Moody," Sirius growled angrily. "I can't believe I was so daft. Harry was just so distraught, I wanted to help, but I've put him in more danger!"

"Hush, Sirius, that's not your fault. You're a good father." McGonagall said, helping Remus pull Sirius to his feet.

"I agree, Minerva. Sirius, you have been fantastic for him. That being said, we need to find Harry before it is too late." Dumbledore said, making a dash for the castle, the other professors, now including Snape, following at his heels.

"Severus, do you have the veritaserum? I'm afraid we will have to use it on the imposter." Dumbledore said, not slowing his pace any.

Before Snape could answer, Sirius asked, "Imposter? What do you mean?"

"There is no way that Alastor Moody would have done this. I don't care what people say about his mind, he is a good man. He wouldn't have stunned you, and he certainly would not have taken Harry out of our sight." Dumbledore said, turning a corner and reaching the dark defense class room. "I hear Harry, ready to go in?"

The others nodded, and with a shout cast their spells against the imposter as they ran inside.


Harry was shocked at first at how easily Moody had passed out. Then, once he realized he was no longer alone, he looked up. Sirius and Remus both beckoned him over to them, and Harry immediately ran between the two, being engulfed by them both.

"Severus, the veritaserum. We'll wait until the polyjuice wears off…" Dumbledore mumbled, pulling Snape up to where Moody was seated. Dumbledore pointed his wand at the imposter and ropes shot out it, tying Moody up.

"I can't believe Moody did all this," Harry mumbled, stepping near Dumbledore.

"This is not the real Alastor Moody, Harry. The real Moody would not have taken you out of mine nor Sirius's sight tonight." Dumbledore said, looking at the imposter with disgust.

"Albus, don't you think Potter should be taken to the hospital wing… hasn't he been through enough tonight?" McGonagall offered, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"He needs to see who has put him through this terrible ordeal, Minerva. The first step to acceptance is understanding, after all." Dumbledore said calmly, observing Harry with his piercing blue stare.

Harry nodded and then turned back to the fake Moody, who was beginning to change.

Sirius stepped forward in shock as the imposter's appearance became apparent. "Barty Crouch Jr.? No…"

Sirius turned to look at Harry and Harry nodded up at him. "That's the guy from that dream I had, back when my scar hurt."

Dumbledore nodded to Snape, "the veritaserum, Severus."

Snape poured it down Crouch's throat, then Dumbledore enervated the man.

"Are you Barty Crouch Jr.?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

The man nodded with a wicked grin. "I am."

"Did you attack Alastor Moody on the night of August 31?"

The man nodded again.

"Have you been impersonating him this entire year?"

Another nod, the same wicked grin playing on his features.

"How did you escape Azkaban prison?" This question came from Sirius, who was clearly shocked that a prisoner he had assumed to be dead had escaped.

"My father and mother of course. The dementors sensed I was dying and the ministry informed my family. My mother was dying from a broken heart, so she begged my father to switch us out so that I may live. They snuck her into Azkaban under a disillusionment charm and snuck me out the same way. My father put the imperius on me so that I would behave… until I learned to fight it and started putting it on him." Crouch croaked out.

"It was you at the Quidditch World Cup…" Harry mumbled, looking at the man incredulously. "You got your house elf in so much trouble."

"Yes, tragic." Crouch mumbled, still smiling. "She was a good elf. She took care of me while my father threw himself into his work and she convinced him to let me go to the cup since I used to love quidditch. I saw those traitorous death eaters mocking my Lord, so I thought I would scare them, show them what a true follower of the Dark Lord looks like."

"Have you attacked Harry three times this year? Did you kill your father?" Dumbledore asked, the twinkle gone from his eyes. Harry was beginning to understand why Voldemort feared this man - he could be extremely intimidating when he wanted to be.

"Yes to both of them." Crouch said, turning to Harry hungrily, as if he just realized the boy was there. Sirius instinctively pulled Harry backwards, away from the man. "Harry's attacks were part of the plan to make the Dark Lord rise again. My father was beginning to resist the imperius and I knew he would interfere with my plans if I didn't take care of him."

"Why did you attack Harry?" Dumbledore asked, stepping threateningly around Crouch.

"The first time was simply to distract them from my father so I could kill him. The second time, I imperiused young Malfoy to take Harry's wand during his class and attack him when he went to search for it. I made him properly obliviate the memory from Harry, then I did my own special spellwork to give him amnesia for a few weeks to keep him from training too hard for the third task. The Dark Lord discovered that their wands share cores, which would pose a challenge if he tried to duel Potter, so I have kept his wand. I imperiused Malfoy because I got word that Potter's father suspected me and wanted to get him off my trail." He said the last part as a growl towards Sirius, who in turn clenched his fists.

"I owe you an apology," Remus mumbled to Sirius, but Sirius waved him off and kept listening to Crouch.

"The third attack was for similar reasons - I wanted to weaken and distract Potter from the third task, keep him too injured to train hard before he faced the Dark Lord. I also wanted to continue making you all suspect young Malfoy, partially to keep you from interfering with my plans, but also to get payback on Malfoy Senior, who thinks he's something valuable to the Dark Lord." Crouch said this with disgust, but his grin quickly returned. "And the plan worked, the Dark Lord is back. Show them Potter."

Dumbledore reached for Harry's arm where it was sliced open from Wormtail. "I-I'm sorry sir, I couldn't stop him."

"It's not your fault, Harry," Dumbledore said, keeping his eyes on Crouch. "Sirius, take Harry to my office now. I'll meet you both up there once I find out where the real Alastor Moody is… I'm assuming since you used Polyjuice, you had to keep him alive, correct?"

Harry didn't hear Crouch's answer because he was being pulled out of the room by Sirius. Sirius's grip on Harry's arm was tight and Harry was slightly frightened - was Sirius mad at him for going with Moody?

Sirius turned and noticed Harry's fright. He tried to smile at him, but it was forced. He would have time to comfort Harry later, but he was not about to make the same mistake again and risk Harry getting kidnapped before they reached Dumbledore's office.

The silence was suffocating Harry and Sirius's grip was beginning to be painful. "Dad?" Harry asked tentatively.

"We can talk when we get to the Headmaster's office," Sirius said quickly, turning another corner.

"Are you mad?" Harry asked, trying to keep up with his father's long legs.

"Not at you, puppy. I promise," he added the last part when he looked at Harry and saw the fear in his eyes.

Harry nodded and kept silent the rest of the way as they reached the stone gargoyle.

"Shit," Sirius mumbled, realizing he didn't know the password. "Lemon drops? Licorice Twists? Chocolate frogs?"

After a few more tries, the gargoyle leapt to the side to reveal the staircase. When the two finally reached the office, Sirius led Harry over to the couch in the room and sat him down. Sirius surveyed his son for a moment, unsure of what to say. He clearly wasn't okay, so asking how he felt was out of the question.

"I'm so proud of you," he finally said after a minutes hesitation, pulling Harry into him.

Harry let out a relieved sigh and nuzzled into his father. "Regardless," Sirius finally said after a minute of hugging his son. "I was terrified tonight, Harry. We thought we lost you."

Harry looked up at his father and saw tears in his eyes - he hated when Sirius cried, mostly because it rarely ever happened and it meant his dad was feeling unbearable pain. Wanting to distract him, Harry asked a question that had been on his mind since they left the graveyard. "What now?"

"You're going home. Dumbledore already said I could take you, don't worry about the last week of school. For right now… I think Dumbledore's going to make you talk to him about tonight, despite my wishes as your dad." Sirius mumbled, looking down at his son apologetically.

Harry nodded, expecting something like that. The two sat together on the couch like that until Dumbledore had returned, looking weary. He attempted to smile and sat down across from the two.

"Harry," Dumbledore started kindly as Fawkes flew above them. "I assume Sirius has told you why I insisted you come here first before you stay in the hospital wing?"

Harry nodded against his father's chest before sitting up and looking at Dumbledore. "You have shown courage far beyond what was expected of you tonight and have shouldered burdens many grown wizards have not. I ask you to show your courage one more time and tell us what happened before we arrived."

Harry's throat seemed to have dried and the lump forming there made it hard to begin. Fawkes perched on his knee and released a beautiful note that filled the room, strengthening Harry substantially.

"Oh, before you start," Dumbledore said, sensing that Harry still needed a moment to collect his thoughts. "I retrieved your wand."

He handed Harry his old wand, and Harry felt relief sweep through him. Dumbledore's old wand may have been powerful, but his was special to him. Without it, he felt bare and vulnerable.

"Now, if you will, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly, gesturing toward him

Harry nodded. "Well, Cedric and I took the cup together, thinking that it would be a Hogwarts victory either way. We were port keyed to the graveyard and I read the name Tom Riddle on a tombstone. I immediately realized where we were and told Cedric that we had to leave, but it was too late. Pettigrew walked out carrying a black bundle and he tied me up and gagged me and k-killed Cedric. Then he did some weird ritual and made a potion and dropped the black bundle into it. It was Voldemort and he was resurrected. They needed my blood for the potion, apparently it would make him stronger than if they just used any enemy."

Dumbledore nodded, but looked oddly relieved and not horrified. Sirius on the other hand let out a vehement exclamation about that traitor harming his boy.

"Well, Voldemort has gotten past that obstacle. Continue, Harry." Dumbledore said once Sirius had calmed.

"Er- well Voldemort was resurrected and he used Pettigrew's dark mark to call the remaining Death Eaters to him. Then he released me and made me duel him… but it wasn't exactly a duel. It was mostly him using the cruciatus and attempting to kill me. I had just dodged the killing curse when you two arrived." Harry said, finishing and allowing his father to hug him again.

"I will say it again, Harry. You have been very courageous and have given us all something with which we can expect from you. Now, I think some dreamless sleep and healing of your injuries is in order with Madam Pomfrey. I assume, Sirius, that you will be staying with him?" Dumbledore said, turning to Sirius who was resting his chin on the top of Harry's head.

Sirius nodded and stood, helping Harry up in the process with shaking hands. Harry smiled at him gratefully, but Sirius didn't return it - his mind seemed to be on something else.

Together the three walked to the hospital wing, where Harry got dressed and allowed Madam Pomfrey to heal his leg where the spider attacked him and his arm where he was stabbed. Sirius kissed the top of his forehead once he was in bed, and then changed into Padfoot. The large grim-like dog climbed on the bed beside Harry and laid his head on Harry's stomach. Harry patted him once on the head before taking the potion and falling into a peaceful slumber.

Once he knew Harry was good and asleep, Sirius got up and walked back to his quarters, doing his best to hold in his emotions until he got there. Once he walked through the portrait hole, he punched the wall repeatedly and screamed as loud as possible, finally releasing the pent-up anger he had been feeling all evening - towards Barty Crouch Jr. and Voldemort for putting his boy through this, towards Pettigrew in general, but mostly towards himself for being so daft and putting his son in more danger. He fell to his knees and sobbed, feeling unbearable grief and guilt for letting James down on his promise to protect Harry. He fell into a fitful sleep on his kitchen floor, still hiccuping from his outburst and very aware of the pain exploding in his hand.