Moony,
Ha! Been up to your old parlor tricks with that Weasley boy, haven't you, you old mind reader. I know only too well how impossible it is to keep a secret from you if you want to know it. You say it's just that I wear both my heart and my brain on my sleeve, but we both know it's more than that. If you were a character in a story, you'd be the one always described as looking at someone "as if he was reading his mind." That's the only reason we got away with so much when we were in school—your innocent look and your battened down brain! Merlin, listen to me prattle on about how wonderful you are. Must miss you or something.
Well, I trust that if there was anything in that boy's brain, you'd have got to it, alright. Never mind, though, because I can you fill you in on the big news about Crouch because you sure as hell won't read it in the paper. Harry owled me this morning saying that he and that Bulgarian Quidditch player were out on the grounds last night when Crouch showed up, acting barmy as a fruitcake. He was prattling on about things, not seeming to know where he was or what day it was. Then, according to Harry, he'd come over all lucid and panicky, claiming to need to talk to Dumbledore about something important, something about Bertha Jorkins, something about Barty, Jr. that was his fault, but nothing that made sense.
Snivellus, as usual, was an arse about things and delayed Harry's getting to Dumbledore in time with his usual bollocks. By the time they got back, Crouch had whacked that Krum bloke upside the head and knocked him out! No word yet on Crouch. He seems to have disappeared completely. And I had a few pertinent things to say to Harry about what the bloody hell he was playing at going out alone with that Durmstrang bloke after dark in the first place! I told him to stick close to Ron and Hermione, but I think it'll be more like Ron and Hermione sticking close to him. I also made him give me his word he'll stay in the castle, swotting for tonight's task. Who knows if he will, though, the cocky little berk. I've arranged front row tickets for Snuffles, and I'll send Orion with a note to let you know how he does.
I also heard from Dumbledore. He had a talk with Harry about his scar hurting. He thinks there's some connection between Voldemort and Harry--a mind link, I guess—involving that scar, just like you thought. Dumbledore didn't say too much to Harry about it. He also mentioned something that Harry forgot to tell me. When he was at least partially lucid, Crouch kept muttering something about Voldemort getting stronger. Looks as if we've been right all along, Remus. Sod all.
Sirius