A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. And this chapter was a bit late too and I'm sorry for that. I've been very busy preparing for the upcoming Quidditch season at school which didn't give me much time to write. Another reason, this chapter is a bit late is because I kinda, sorta, may have started writing a chapter from Annie's 5th year only because the idea popped into my head one day. I may possibly leak it for a short time sometime in the future once I finish writing it. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy reading! XO

Chapter 32

"Hey, sweetheart, what are you looking at?" George asked as he and Annie walked hand-in-hand past the lake.

"There's someone out in the lake," she answered pointing out to someone's bobbing head. They stopped walking and George looked out in the direction Annie was indicating.

"Is that Krum?" he asked.

Annie squinted. "It is. What the hell is he doing out here swimming? It's freezing!"

"Yeah, I know," George said placing an arm around Annie's shoulders. "I suppose he's kind of used to it though. The weather I mean. Isn't Durmstrang supposed to be north somewhere?"

"That's what Hermione said," Annie said wrapping her arm around his waist as they continued walking.

They made their way into Hogsmeade and walked along the path until they reached Zonko's. Annie and George wound around the shop placing various products into a basket that Annie was holding. They took their purchases up to the register and Annie dug around in her pockets for some money to pay. After they left the shop, they walked along the path laughing and talking as they looked through the various windows. When they came across Madame Puddifoot's Annie stopped in her tracks and tugged George back to her.

"Look who it is," she said pointing into the window at a couple huddled together at one of the tables.

George laughed. "Hey, it's Freddie and Angelina!" he said letting go of Annie's hand and pressing himself up against the window in a weird pose. Annie giggled and did the same. They stayed that way, creepily looking in at the cozy couples until they started to turn around and take notice. Fred and Angelina laughed and shook their heads as Madame Puddifoot rushed out of her shop and chased them away. They ran down the street and entered the Three Broomsticks clutching their sides as they laughed. Madame Rosmerta smiled as they made their way over to the bar.

"You know you just missed your friends," she said as they sat down at the bar where she placed two Butterbeers.

"Who?" George asked picking his up and taking a sip.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione," she answered leaning on the bar. "Yeah, had a bit of a spat with Rita Skeeter about that article she wrote about Hagrid and they left not too long before you walked in. Hey, where are your other partners in crime by the way?"

"Lee is with Katie Bell, not really sure where though," Annie answered as George smirked, "and Freddie and Angelina were getting pretty cozy in Madame Puddifoot's."

"Ah, well, I'll leave you two to your Butterbeers then," Madame Rosmerta winked and walked away to help the customers that had just walked in.

After they had their fill of Butterbeer, they left the inn waving goodbye to Madame Rosmerta on their way out. The couple made their way up the path back to the castle and walked along the corridors up to Gryffindor Tower, only pausing to duck behind a few tapestries. Giggling and slightly pink in the face, they climbed through the portrait hole and walked over to the chairs by the fire where their friends were sitting.

"So, there you two are," Fred said as Annie and George joined him on the couch. "We were starting to think you had run off together."

"Oh, well we were about to but then I realized that I forgot my hairbrush and then we decided we just weren't ready," Annie said pecking George on the cheek as Fred shook his head. "So, I heard you got into a spat with Rita today." She looked between Harry, Ron and Hermione who all just rolled their eyes.

"We did," Hermione answered looking a little annoyed at the subject, "but that doesn't really matter. Wait until you hear what Harry has to say."

Annie turned her attention to Harry.

"Ludo Bagman offered to help me with the Tournament," he said.

"What?" said Annie, George and Fred.

"Yeah, he said that since I'm the youngest Champion, he wanted to offer any assistance to me. I bet he was going to tell me what's in store for the Second Task."

"Yeah," agreed Ron, "and when Harry asked if he was helping Cedric and he completely blew off the question."

"Whoa," Annie said as she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Fred and George exchange a look. "I mean, I always figured Ludo was pretty corrupt but offering to help a Champion, that's pretty effed up. Hey," Annie slapped Fred on the shoulder, "you think he's trying win a bet or something?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," he said standing up. "Hey, Georgie, remember we have to go finish that product up in our dorm."

"That's right, Freddie," George said standing up as well. He bent down and gave Annie a long kiss. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"You sure you don't need any help?" she asked.

"No, we can handle it. But, if you see Lee-"

"I'll send him up." George nodded and Annie watched as he followed his brother up the stairs to his dorm. She turned back to her friends who were all giving her weird looks. "What?"

"What was that about?" Ron asked cocking one of his eyebrows.

"That?" Annie asked jerking a thumb toward the staircase, "That was nothing. They're finishing up a new product they've been working on."

Hermione shook her head. "There's no use trying to get the truth out of you is there?" Annie shook her head. "I thought not. Oh, and we forgot to tell you, Hagrid is coming back to teach again!"

"It's about damn time," Annie said. "Grubbly-Plank is a good teacher but I miss the thrill of going to Hagrid's. You never know what he'll have that could possibly kill us." She smiled around at her friends who just shook their heads.

"You really have no fear in anything do you?" Ron said laughing.

"Now that dad is back, no. No fears at all," she answered proudly.

Annie was creeping through the corridors, Marauders Map and wand in hand. Harry, she noticed, was making his way toward her so she ducked behind a statue and waited until he came level with her.

"Hey, Harry," she whispered into the seemingly empty corridor.

Harry stopped and joined her behind the statue as he took off his Invisibility Cloak.

"What are you doing up? Are you okay?" he said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she said waving a hand. "I was bored, couldn't sleep, hyped up on sugar, you know. What are you doing up?"

"Trying to figure this thing out," he answered lifting his golden egg. "I followed Cedric's advice and took it to the Prefect's bathroom. Hey, you didn't happen to see anything weird on the Map did you?"

"You saw Mr. Crouch in Snape's office on the Map too, then?"

Harry swung the Cloak over the both of them and started to lead her down the corridor. "I did. Why is he here? I thought he was sick according to Percy."

"I thought so too."

As they walked down the stairs, they buried their faces in the Map. They were so engrossed in the tiny dots all over the Map, that they didn't notice the trick stair and stepped right into it. Harry dropped his egg and his map and they rolled to the bottom of the stairs. Upon hitting the bottom stair, the egg burst open and shrieked and echoed throughout the corridor below.

"Great, now what the hell do we do?" Annie whispered.

"Mischief managed," Harry wiped the Map clean and turned to his cousin. "Keep your voice down."

Filch came bustling down the corridor to see what the disturbance was with Mrs. Norris following along at his heels.

"Ah ha!" he yelled. "Stealing from a Champion, oh I'll have Peeves out for sure this time." As he stooped down to pick up the egg, Snape swooped around the corner with his wand held out looking absolutely livid.

"What is going on here, Mr. Filch?" he asked looking down at the crooked man.

"Professor, I was just about to come find someone. Peeves has been stealing from a student tonight," Filch explained. "I found this egg here at the bottom of the stairs; it's one of the Champion's."

"Who's been stealing from a Champion?" growled a voice from the top of the stairs. Annie and Harry turned around as Professor Moody limped down the stairs behind them.

"Peeves, Professor," answered Filch ginning madly. "And I've finally got him."

"Alastor, what are you doing up this late?" Snape asked looking at the man curiously.

"I expect the same reason you are, Snape. I heard a disturbance and came to investigate," Moody grunted as his magical eye swiveled in its socket to look at Annie and Harry who were standing frozen on the stairs. "Here, give me that egg," he added holding out his hands to Filch.

"No, this is finally my chance to Peeves thrown out of the castle," he protested.

Moody's eye swirled around to look at Filch. "Did you actually see him steal it?"

"I-no-but-" Filch sputtered.

"Exactly, now hand it over. I'll make sure it gets back to its owner."

Filch placed the egg in Moody's outstretched hand and limped away, muttering obscenities under breath and talking to Mrs. Norris.

"Well, now that we've got this situation handled, I'll be leaving," Snape said turning on his heel.

"Hang on," Moody said going down a few stairs and picking up Harry's Marauders Map, "I think you've dropped something, Professor Snape."

Annie and Harry shared a terrified look and started waving and mouthing madly at the man's turned back, each hoping his roving eye would catch their movements.

"Oh, wait, sorry this is mine," Moody said stuffing the old bit of parchment into his pocket.

"That couldn't possibly be yours," Snape sneered. "I recognize that piece of parchment, that's Potter's or Black's. They're here, aren't they? Invisible no doubt." He started flailing his arms around in all different directions, hoping to catch the invisible duo who had ducked out of his reach.

"Knock it off, will you?" Moody yelled. "You look like a bloody fool. They're not here, trust me, I would know." Snape stopped waving his arms and stared into the professor's mad eyes before turning on his heel and marching away. Moody turned back around to the two stuck kids and held out his arm to Annie. "What are you doing out of bed this late? You two almost got caught."

"Thanks, Professor," Annie said as he pulled her out of the stair before turning to Harry.

"Yeah, thanks," Harry said as well. "I was trying to figure out the clue for my egg and Annie, well, she just likes to walk around at night for no apparent reason."

Annie grinned broadly at her professor who gave a wheezy laugh.

"Nothing like a nighttime stroll to get your best ideas or to clear your head," he said.

Harry and Annie smiled at each other from under the cloak and turned back to their professor.

"This is a pretty handy map you two have got here," he said pulling it out of his pocket and inspecting it. "Which of you does it belong to?"

"It's mine," Harry answered.

"Mind if I borrow it? It's a pretty impressive bit of magic."

"No, go right ahead," Harry said quite surprised. "But I think I should let you know that Annie and I both saw Mr. Crouch on that map tonight in Snape's office. Do you have any idea what he could be doing here?"

"Yeah, I thought he was supposed to be sick," Annie chimed in.

"Well, wherever he is, he isn't on this map anymore," Moody said as his magical eye swooped over the map. "I've worked one-on-one with Barty Crouch for years at the Ministry. He is probably using an illness as an excuse to go digging around in places that he shouldn't be."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I mean, that he probably thinks Snape is hiding something in his office that would associate him with the Dark Arts," Moody answered pointing a gnarled finger at the two kids. "If there's one thing I know about Barty Crouch, it's that he hates anybody who has had a part in the Dark Arts."

Annie and Harry shared an uneasy glance as Moody laughed again.

"You two ought to go back to your house," he said handing Harry the egg. "Have a nice night."

Annie and Harry watched as he walked away before silently making their way back to Gryffindor Tower. Once they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, they took the Invisibility Cloak off and gave the password. Once inside the common room Annie turned to Harry.

"So, did you figure out what the clue in the egg meant?" she asked.

Harry shook his head free from his thoughts. "Oh yeah. I have to recover something from the bottom of the lake in an hour from some mermaids," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh," Annie said looking slightly confused. "I'm sorry, how are you supposed to breathe underwater for an hour?"

"No idea."

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"So, I'll see you in the morning then?"

"I guess so. Goodnight."

"'Night."

Annie made her way back up to her dorm and placed her Map in her trunk and pulled the blanket that Hermione gave her for Christmas out. She curled up under the covers of her bed and fell asleep instantly.

A/N: I still owe you a nice action-packed chapter that you will be getting very soon, starting with next chapter and continuing into the chapter after that, I think. Thank you so much for reading. Until next time! XO