Harry had won second place at the Black Lake task. Snape had asked to speak with me one night, but I couldn't remember where we were supposed to meet. I ran into Harry while I was looking. He had come down from Dumbledore's office.

"Oh, hello, Harry." I smiled.

"Evening, Professor." he replied.

"Excellent job at the lake. Very moving."

"It was nothing."

We both turned when a wall opened, revealing Snape and Igor. Igor had his sleeve rolled up and the dark mark on his arm. I tensed but Igor quickly rushed away. Harry hurried away too, but Snape spoke up.

"Potter! What's your hurry?" Snape asked. "Congratulations. Your performance at the black lake was inspiring."

Harry bit his lip.

"Gillyweed, am I correct?" Snape asked.

"Yes, sir." Harry replied.

"Harry just came out from speaking with the headmaster, Professor. He's done nothing wrong." I said.

Snape looked at me and then turned away to enter his store room. Harry and I looked at each other and then back at Snape.

"Ingenious. A rather rare herb gillyweed. Not something found in your everyday garden. Nor is this." Snape reached out and grabbed something.

It was a small vial filled with a dark liquid.

"Know what it is?' Snape asked him.

Harry shrugged. "Bubble juice, sir?"

"Veritaserum. Three drops of this and You-Know-Who himself will spill his darkest secrets. The use of this on a student is...regrettably, forbidden, however should you ever steal from my personal stores again, my hand might just slip over your morning pumpkin juice."

Harry shook his head. "I haven't stolen anything."

"Don't lie to me." Snape snapped. "Gillyweed may be innocuous, but boomslang skin? Lacewing flies? You and your little friends are brewing polyjuice potion."

"And, believe me," he continued, "I'm going to find out why."

"Harry." I said, quickly.

They both turned and looked at me.

I bit my lip. "Would you, please, go back to your dorm?"

Harry nodded and obeyed. Snape leaned forward and dragged me into his storage room.

"Hey! You can't-"

"You're the same as everyone else in this bloody castle." Snape said, putting the vial back in its spot on the shelf.

"How so?" I asked.

"You see so much in that Potter boy, and it causes you to be blinded to his despicable behavior."

"That is not how I see him." I snapped.

He stopped. "Is it not?"

"I see much in him, yes. But, I'm not blinded to his bad side. Every person has one, but that doesn't make the rest of them wholly bad."

He said nothing.

"I know that's how people see you. They see your dark form, and think that's who you really are. But, you're not wholly a bad person, Severus." I said, as the room was silent.

Severus was not a bad person. He was struggling, as we all do at some point. I wondered if he remembered the night before, how he had wasted away through alcohol. If he didn't, I wasn't going to remind him.

He's not a bad person...

"Out."

I walked out and he shut the door.


The last event of the tournament had a huge turnout. The crowd roared with excitement from outside. I didn't attend because I had so much homework to grade, and I didn't really know many people. Suddenly, a knock on my door made me look up.

Harry and Mad-Eye opened the door and I smiled.

"Harry, Alastor, what an unexpected surprise. Can I help you?" I asked.

"Is the upper tower room open?" Mad-Eye asked.

"It should be. I haven't heard anyone else head up there." I replied.

They thanked me and closed the door. I went back to grading and listened to their footsteps fade as they got higher into the tower. Suddenly, l heard screaming and wailing from outside.

I hurried to my window and saw several students rushing to the castle.

"...dead!" voices cried.

I gasped when I heard the door burst open. It was Snape.

"Have you seen Harry?" he asked, catching his breath.

He came towards me, and scanned me, as if I had been injured.

"Harry? I-I...he went up to the tower-"

Snape took my wrist and dragged me along with him. I dropped the quill in my hand and tried to keep up. Dumbledore soon followed behind us.

"Dumbledore? What's-"

"Harry is in danger." he replied.

We finally reached the highest room and Dumbledore waved his wand, knocking Professor Moody off his feet. Dumbledore grabbed him by the neck, causing me to gasp.

"Severus…" Dumbledore said.

Snape walked ahead of me and poured a bottle of Veritaserum into Mad-Eye's mouth. I stood in front of Harry, taking out my wand.

"Do you know who I am?" Dumbledore asked Moody.

"Albus Dumbledore." Moody croaked.

"Are you Alastor Moody? Are you?"

"No." Mad-Eye said.

"Is he in this room? Is he in this room?" Dumbledore insisted.

The imposter nodded. On the floor, was a glass bottle. I bent down and grabbed it, giving it a sniff. Snape noticed and I handed it to him. Dumbledore went over to a chest, asking Harry to move. Inside, was the real Alastor Moody.

"Polyjuice potion." Severus said, staring at the glass bottle.

"Now, we know who's really been stealing from your storage." I said.

"We'll get you up in a minute." Dumbledore said down to Mad-Eye.

Dumbledore removed the eyepatch from the imposter's face and his face started to change. It was a horrible sight. His face stretched and his eyes looked as though they would fall out from their sockets.

"Barty Crouch Jr." I gasped.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Barty said.

"Your arm, Harry." Dumbledore said.

Harry rolled up his sleeve.

"You know what this means, don't you? He's back. Voldemort has returned," the man sneered.

"Send an owl to Azkaban. Think they'll find they're missing a prisoner." Dumbledore told Snape.

"I'll be welcomed back like a hero." Barty said.

"Perhaps. Personally, I've never had much time for heroes." Dumbledore said, taking Harry out of the room.

Professor McGonagall hurried to send the owl. Snape remained, keeping his wand on Barty Jr.'s face. I stayed with him, holding out my own wand.

"Traitor." Barty hissed at Snape.

"Silence." Snape said, strictly.

Barty glanced at me. "Who the hell is she? New teacher?"

"I will not ask you again." Snape sneered, pressing his wand into Barty's cheek.

Barty chuckled. "You play the part well, Severus. You always did, bloody coward."

Snape's face twitched at the word 'coward'. Clearly, he hated being called that.

"What's he talking about?" I asked Snape.

"Don't you know? Igor even knows. Snape is-!"

Snape raised his fist and gave Barty a good punch in the jaw. A bruise began to appear and Barty was quiet for a moment.

"Go downstairs. I'll deal with this cretin." Snape said to me, keeping his eyes on Barty.

I nodded and turned to leave. Suddenly, I heard a grunt and something crash onto the floor. I turned, whipping out my wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

My wand was flung out of my hand and it landed in Barty's. I glanced at Snape and saw he had been struck in the head and blood was flowing from the injury.

"The man that Dumbledore trusts the most." Barty sneered, looking at Snape.

"Leave him alone." I said, clenching my fists.

Snape's head lifted up and we made eye contact. He gave me a slight nod.

Distract him…

"You're very brave to be standing up for a leech like Snape, you know?" Barty asked.

Barty slowly approached me and Snape saw his chance to get up.

"He isn't a leech, you pillock. He's a good man."

Barty's eyebrows raised. "Is he? And, how would a little mudblood, such as yourself, know that?"

I cringed at that.

Suddenly, Snape lunged onto Barty and tried to take my wand back. I stared and watched them fight. Quickly, I looked around the room for a weapon. I turned my back to them, hearing Snape grunt again.

"Arabella!" he yelled.

"Stupify!"

I felt my head strongly vibrate and everything went black.

A/N: Please don't hesitate to share any questions, comments, complaints, concerns, or suggestions. I don't want to bash the original storyline too much, so bear with me! Anyways, in case you wanted a look at Arabella's gown for the Yule Ball...here's the link: albu_554013853_00-1.

It's pretty close to what I had in mind...anyways, please review but most of all, enjoy reading and thanks for being part of this story by reading!