A/N Reminder this is Barty/Harry.

...

The next morning they sat at the breakfast table. Corban was reading the Daily Prophet which unsurprisingly was trashing over Dumbledore. According to his guardian they had tried to do the same to him but once he was seen with Corban they were forced to stop. If they hadn't he would have sued them for libel. Harrison wasn't sure how he felt about the threat of a lawsuit but he trusted Corban to do what was best.

For his part Harrison was sipping on coffee as he was reading through a file. The file was for the attack on Dante's house. The Organization was becoming more and more bold. To attack Dante's house was not something they would have considered last year. What changed?

The attack had been made by Zan Grier and Defoe. It confirmed that Grier had survived the attack just as Harrison had. If the photos were any indication he didn't get off without scars. Like Harrison he had a large scar starting at just above his shirt collar. It went from the right shoulder to left hip. There was no indication of any nerve damage. Something in him was grateful. He had many issues with the Organization but Grier wasn't one of them. He respected the military man.

On the other side of the file was Eathon's journal. The journal had the answers he sought.

Corban sighed and looked over the newspaper at him, "What's wrong, Harrison? Don't tell me your nervous for our meeting later. I told you that you could wait for a few more days if you like."

Harrison startled out of his thoughts. Excuse him. What?

He blinked at Corban before he asked, "What are you talking about, Corban?"

Corban stared at him before laughing, "You haven't been listening to me at all. Barty is coming to meet you this afternoon. Little wonder you didn't react to the news. If not about the upcoming meet, what were you thinking so hard on?"

Harrison blinked dumbly at his guardian before the words sank in. Crouch was coming today?! Why the fuck hadn't Corban warned him beforehand?! He needed to review his shield charms and make sure he had his titans on him. There was no telling what Crouch would do. He could very well go against what Voldemort had ordered.

Just as he was about to jump to his feet Corban ordered, "Sit down, Harrison. Barty isn't coming here until later this afternoon. You have plenty of time to prepare yourself. Now tell me what has you so distracted?"

Harrison stared at him hard. Should he tell him? The little bead that Harrison had weighed heavily in his pocket. A reminder of what had happened and why he was still alive.

Slowly he shook his head before he said, "It's nothing Corban. Just wondering what I can do to help the Foundation."

"Stay out of their issues," came a voice from behind him causing Harrison to turn with a wide grin, "You are going to be neutral figure when you take your mastery exams."

Harrison's eyes sparked with excitement as he greets, "Master Tarloc. What brings you here this morning?"

Tarloc replied gruffly, "I need to speak with Corban."

Corban nodded and pushed himself away from the table, "Let's take this to my office, Tarloc. Harrison you're free to do what you need to do until two."

"Yes, Corban."

...

Harrison wore a dark green button down shirt and black slacks over this he wore a black robe with the Potter crest. He was nervously moving from foot to foot as he waited. It would be the first time since the night of the Third Task that he saw Barty. Despite his anger at the man's betrayal he was still nervous.

Corban refused to explain what Master Tarloc wanted. His Master had left as soon as the meeting was done. Annoyance filled him. If there was anything he hated more than anything else it was adults keeping secrets. The two men kept themselves locked with privacy charms. Which he respected. Only Corban and Tarloc had received that kind of respect from him.

Suddenly the floo flared green and a man came through. He wore black robes with a dark blue trim, under the them was a white button down shirt and black slack. He had scruffy dirty blond hair fell into piercing blue eyes. There was a flare of an unknown emotion in his chest.

"Harry," breathed the man in a low tenor, "You look well."

"Crouch?"

The man winced as he said, "Call me, Barty please. I do not want to be associated with my father in any way."

Slowly Harrison nodded, "Okay."

There was an uncomfortable silence after that. Neither of them knew what to say. Their last meeting had not ended well.

Then Harrison blinked and offered, "Let's go sit down. Would you like tea?"

"Ummm... Yes thank you," answered the man.

Harrison led him out of the floo room and straight down the hallway. At the end of the hall he opened the last door on the right. They entered a sunny room that was at the perfect temperature. He ensure it was warm and sunny knowing the effects Azkaban had on its prisoners.

There were three leatherback chairs that were some of the most comfortable things Harrison ever sat on. There was a couch close to the fire that Harrison preferred to lay on when he was reading. Another was just under the window.

Quietly he called out, "Tippy."

"Little master," Tippy said as she popped into the room next to him.

He didn't show the annoyance he felt. No he was not little master. No matter how much he said this Tippy refused. She saw him as Corban's Heir. Not that he was. He doubted Corban saw him as anything more than a ward.

Harrison asked with a soft smile, "Can you bring us some refreshments please? Light food and drinks please."

"Right away, little master," and like that she was gone.

Barty who had sat in one of the leatherback chairs commented, "You treat the house elf well. That's not something you see everyday."

Harrison's green eyes sharpened as he turned to face the older man, "Treating house elves badly will not end well for you. Ask Malfoy about what happened with his house elf Dobby. If they want to they can go against their master."

Barty hummed, "Sounds like there's a story there but we can come back to that. Not that I'm not grateful but why did you agree to meet with me?"

"Why did you give a proposal?" Shot back Harrison.

Harrison stared at him Barty evenly stared back. Neither of them backed down or looked away.

After a long moment it was Barty who broke the silence, "I hate that I lied to you last year. Admittedly at first our meetings because of my lord's orders. To enter you into the Tournament and ensure that you survived it. Teaching you a few spells and tricks was just part of ensuring that you trusted me. Then we talked about your childhood. Despite my orders I grew to care for you. I hated your aunt and uncle for their actions against you. My regret was that I couldn't help you before the abuse. How things could have been different if you grew up in our world."

To say he was shocked was an understatement. After the Third Task, Harrison thought everything was a lie. It hurt more than finding out the man was a Death Eater. A part of him didn't want to believe that Barty was being truthful. Looking into the blue eyes though that thought was debunked. There was pure honesty in his eyes.

Barty continued after a moment, "Then you came back. Admittedly I was relieved and hated myself for being relieved. You were the defeater of my lord. After finding out you're going to be neutral in the war I put in my offer with the others."

Harrison internally sighed. Okay. Barty was many things but he was trying to be open with Harrison. The least Harrison can do is be open with him and give him a chance. Quietly he moved across the room to sit on the chair that was across from Barty.