Author: enchanted nightingale

Beta Reader: pussycatadamah

Timeline: Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Pairs: Harry/Lucius

Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely use them in my plot for fun.

Chapter 19

Bill had never been in Snape's quarters before. He guessed there was a first time for everything. Harry was here, along with Lucius Malfoy, Snape, of course. The surprise was Neville Longbottom and the teen looked surprised to see Bill and Malfoy there.

"Why are we here again?" Malfoy demanded.

Harry was snuggled up to him. Neville kept shooting the two looks. Bill noticed.

"Harry?" the curse breaker asked.

"I told Neville," Harry replied. "And Fleur knows as well?"

"What?" Lucius demanded.

"Bill is Fleur's match," Harry calmly informed Lucius. "And Neville was there when I saw Crouch in the castle. Not with my own eyes, but with the map." He then pointed at the table, the parchment Snape had been glaring at all the while.

"Map?" the blond wizard demanded.

"My father, Sirius and Remus made it when they were in Hogwarts," Harry admitted. "Well, I guess Pettigrew too, but let's forget about that rat, hm? So!" Harry clapped his hands together and left Lucius' side. "This little magical object here, is a map of the castle of Hogwarts and covers parts of the grounds as well."

Bill and Lucius were suddenly more interested.

"Also," Harry continued with a grin. "It shows all the people that are in the castle, pets too."

The map was already activated on the table; Harry had kept the password private. It was bad enough Snape knew about this, the green eyed wizard was not about to give him more ammunition.

All the wizards in the room focused on the map. Sure enough, there was a 'Barty Crouch' dot near an 'Alastor Moody' dot.

"That's odd," Lucius commented.

"What is?" Bill asked.

They were all looking at Lucius now.

"Moody hates Crouch," Lucius stated. "Why are they in the same room?"

"We can find out," Harry said.

"How? Knock on the bloody door?" Snape snarked.

Harry shot a look at Lucius. "No," he told Snape. "Dobby!"

Lucius blinked. "I know that name."

With a 'pop' Dobby the house elf appeared.

"The Great Harry Potter asked for Dobby!" the house elf crowed with delight.

"That Dobby?" Lucius sighed, making the elf yelp and dodge behind Harry to hide.

For the next twenty minutes Harry tried to calm the elf down. Explained that neither Lucius nor Snape would hurt him. That they in fact needed his help with something. When Harry finally managed to get through to Dobby, he explained the plan. The house elf was to watch Moody's office and see who was inside, hear if they were talking and what they were saying and reply back.

"Can you do this Dobby?" Harry asked the house elf.

The little creature bobbed his head and with a 'pop' disappeared.

"Do house elves show on the map?" Neville asked then.

"Yes," Harry replied. "With different coloured dots and no names. The ghosts show up however, see here?"

Neville studied the map and nodded.

"We will talk later," Lucius whispered to Harry, eyeing Neville with meaning.

Harry understood. He too had been afraid, but Neville had been surprisingly understanding and well versed in magic. While he had never heard of sex magic before, he sat down, read the book the green eyed Gryffindor had offered him and after this had told Harry that he understood and would try to support him.

"If you want," the shy Longbottom heir had stuttered. "Not that you need it but I just thought…"

"Neville," Harry had cut the teen off before he started to hyperventilate. "Thank you. And now you say a simple 'you're welcome' and don't try to put yourself down again."

"You're welcome," had been Neville's words and that had been that.

When Dobby returned the poor creature was a mess, pulling at his ears and babbling about danger. Harry was reminded of how Dobby acted all through second year. He recognized the behaviour and acted fast, taking Dobby's hands in his and making sure the little elf stopped punishing himself like that.

"Dobby," Harry said, "What did you see?"

"Great Harry Potter was right! Mad Eye is not Mad Eye!" the elf wailed.

Behind Dobby several alarmed looks where exchanged.

It took a while but Dobby finally relayed everything he had seen happen, from Moody being a fake, that the impostor used polyjuice and that the real Moody was inside a trunk.

"What did he look like?" Snape asked, "The impostor. Have you seen him before?"

Dobby hunched further.

"Dobby," Harry pleaded.

"Dobby has, Dobby knows. It's Winky's young master."

Harry blinked. He remembered Winky. "

"Who's Winky?" Lucius asked.

"Barty Crouch's former house elf. He gave her clothes after the attack at the World Cup," Harry said, recalling him and Bill being near the spot the Dark Mark was cast.

"And Barty's son has exactly the same name," Lucius cut in, making Dobby cower and glare at the blond.

"Really?" Harry said. He pondered at the map. "If they have the exact same name…"

"Then a Death Eater has been your Defence professor since the beginning of the year," Snape said.

Neville was looking horrified. "That man… Crouch! Oh Merlin!"

"What are we going to do?" Harry asked the adults of the room.

"We make a plan," Lucius decided. "Because if I am right, then nothing will happen before the last task. We have until then to do something."

"Shouldn't we unmask him?" Neville asked, looking pale and shaking.

"Then we would have no idea what that man and his master have in store for Harry," Bill mused. "Because I'm certain that the fake Moody put Harry's name in the Goblet."

"Neville?" Harry asked the teen. "How are you holding up?"

"That man… he… my parents…" the Gryffindor stuttered.

Lucius and Snape looked at each other. Lucius' attention was on Harry and on how worried he looked about his friend.

"Perhaps we ought to act," he muttered.

Severus followed his line of sight.

Bill also saw this.

"Well," the Curse Breaker said. "How far is Harry in his studies with you?" he asked Lucius.

"He's made a lot of progress," the blond admitted.

"Touch up on offensive magic more," Bill suggested. "And I will also come around, he needs to fight more people, get some variety. We also need to keep an eye on the fake Moody. That map won't do much."

Harry had an idea on that. "Dobby?"

"Yes Harry Potter."

"Would you like to help?" the teen asked.

The House elf looked reluctant at first but then he nodded emphatically.

"We got a spy," Severus mused. "Potter, don't leave Longbottom alone with Crouch, either of them. I will pay a visit to this Winky house elf. I believe she might shed some light in all of this."

"We gather information, then meet again," Lucius agreed.

It was a difficult week for Harry. He knew Dobby was spying on Crouch, that Snape was also looking out for anything suspicious. Lucius was also on the look out, contacting old associates and finding out whether people were loyal to Him or not. So far it seemed that only Crouch was in the know about the Dark Lord, and if Harry's vision was correct, Peter Pettigrew, but no one else. Bill was also on alert. He had let Harry know that he had even told his employers about the Dark Lord gaining power and Harry had dreaded this, but it seemed that the Goblins were rather interested not to see Voldemort gaining back his power. Now that the richest of the Death Eaters, Lucius, was also not content to see Voldemort regain strength, the Goblins were rather eager to help in every way they could. It had not been difficult for them to find information about the assets Tom Marvolo Riddle owned or track down money Barty Crouch the Senior had requested.

One more headache for Harry was Neville. The other teen was rather jumpy and had lately been losing sleep over the knowledge that one of the Death Eaters that had deprived him of his parents was staying in the castle, had approached him, pretending he wanted to help.

"He just sat there!" Neville paced their dorm again.

Harry kept an ear towards the door. So far not one of their dorm-mates were near but they could never be too careful.

"And yet he's still one of the best Defence professors we have had," Harry commented.

Neville choked, and then he started laughing.

"Um, Neville?" the green eyed wizard asked, fearing for the hysterical teen.

"Is this how it is every year for you?" Neville asked, after he sobered up.

"Pretty much," Harry admitted. "I would have been more surprised if nothing had happened this year."

Neville sighed. "I can't be in the same class with him, I can't Harry."

"You need to try. We have everyone else trying to help."

The Longbottom heir snorted. "Even Snape. Never thought I'd see the day."

"Tell me about it."

"Harry, you and Lucius… He's really not bad?"

"Treats me with tenderness, like I'm going to break," Harry responded. "He also listens to me. Not that he is not lecherous and evil, just that he keeps his evil ways for other people. Did you see how he and Bill did not trade any curses even though they are a Malfoy and a Weasley?"

"I just thought it was an adult thing," Neville replied.

"You obviously haven't seen Arthur Weasley punch Lucius," Harry told him.

"What? When?"

Harry told Neville about second year and the trip to Diagon Alley. "Little did I know," Harry went on," That Lucius would be kissing me later that year."

"Harry! You were twelve!"

"Hm, didn't stop Lucius. Not that I'm completely blameless, but he's the adult. If I had told Pomfrey what happened then things would have turned out differently."

"As long as you're happy," Neville told Harry.

"I am. And now we need to make sure that both of us are safe from Voldemort and his cronies."

"You know Draco's dad…"

"I've seen the tattoo," Harry told Neville.

"And?"

"I'm a Gryffindor, I act before I think."

"Seriously Harry."

"Seriously? Dumbledore was supposed to protect me but hasn't. Yet a Death Eater cares more."

Neville blinked. "Have I told you how much I don't envy you?"

Harry laughed.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend the next time Harry and Neville gathered together with the three adults plus one hyperactive house-elf. Snape's office was again chosen for the meeting, especially since the fake Moody was going to Hogsmeade and the Map even confirmed this. And they all had things to say.

Bill went first, telling them about the Goblins and their offer of help. "I also mentioned how Harry went up against You-Know-Who…"

"Call him Voldemort," Harry told Bill. At the glares from both Snape and Lucius he changed his mind. "Or even Tom, that's his real name."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," Lucius commented. "I used that name to track his assets down apparently he owns a house in a Muggle town. A house where fifty years ago three bodies were found dead; from the Killing Curse I'd bet and win."

"Did that place have a grounds keeper?" Harry asked.

"Yes actually."

"Was his name Frank?" the Gryffindor continued.

"Yes," Lucius said with more caution.

"Then that's the place Voldemort and Pettigrew were before summer," Harry responded. "And a snake, Nagini I think."

Snape pondered all this. "They could have changed location. Now we know Crouch Jr. is aiding the Dark Lord, Riddle, we can assume that they have taken refuge in Crouch Manor. It is more protected than a Muggle house and has more resources."

Neville shuddered to think that.

"Also," Snape continued, "I noticed something odd with the wards. As head of one of Hogwarts' houses, I am keyed into some of them. Someone has been tampering with the anti-Apparation wards. How come Dumbledore has not noticed yet besides me."

"Portkeys," Harry mused. "Why would anyone want to make a Portkey in Hogwarts grounds?"

"To bring someone inside the castle," Bill replied.

"Or to take someone out of it," Lucius added.

"Neither sounds like a good thing," Neville said.

Then Dobby described the fake Moody's day. Soon Snape was cursing.

"Told you I did not steal from your storage," Harry told the Potions Master.

"I'm going to kill that man!" Severus muttered under his breath.

"Anything else Dobby?" Harry asked.

"Dobby thinks Winky knows about Bad-Moody," Dobby said. "But Dobby has not seen her."

"She does," Snape confirmed. "And the reason the elf has not seen Crouch's elf was because I shattered her mind. She put up quite a fight when I tried to get the information out of her mind. None of the Gryffindor's or Dobby liked the sound of that. Only the two former Slytherin's did not flinch at the mention of this.

"And Winky?" Harry asked.

"I delivered her to Pomfrey. Made it look like a failed suicide even," Snape said. "Apparently the little blighter knew a lot of things. Crouch Senior helped his son escape from Azkaban and his wife insisted on taking her son's place. She was dying and hated to think of her spawn in Azkaban. Crouch went along with the plan. For the last thirteen years he kept his son at home, under the Imperius. The elf also admitted that the father even tortured his son and fed him mind potions. Crouch junior is hardly sane anymore. And still as fanatical as ever. He cast the Dark Mark during the World Cup, placed Potter's name in the Goblet."

"What is wrong with that family?" Neville muttered.

"Plenty from what I gather," Harry muttered back.

"I also found out that Moody gets out of the castle quite a lot," Snape continued.

Dobby was nodding emphatically at this. "He goes to see Wormy."

"Wormy?" Lucius sneered.

Harry was not so dubious. "Dobby? You mean Wormtail?"

"Harry Potter is so great! Harry Potter understands!" Malfoy's former house elf hopped from foot to foot.

"Barty Crouch Junior is collaborating with Peter Pettigrew?" Harry said aloud. "That definitely means Voldemort is involved."

"Could we capture Crouch, the fake Moody I mean?" Bill asked.

"Now there's a Gryffindor's thought," Snape snarked.

But Harry had an odd look on his face. "It has merit."

"Too dangerous," Lucius shot that idea down. "The Dark Lord could find out and thus change his plans."

The green eyed wizard sighed. The blond had a point.

"So we wait?" Neville asked.

"No, Mister Longbottom, we do not just wait. We make sure the Dark Lord is where we think he is," Snape replied. He was eyeing Dobby with interest. "And this guy here is the key."

Dobby cocked his head to the side.

"As long as this does not blow up in our faces," Harry said reluctantly.

"Harry, we need to talk privately," Lucius said as they were about to disperse.

"We need to head to Hogsmeade," Bill reminded Harry, who nodded. Bill escorted Neville out while Snape took Dobby aside and the two started talking.

Lucius pulled Harry closer, making no move to do anything Snape might consider inappropriate. The man was still sour about catching him and Harry kissing.

"What is it?" the green eyed teen asked.

"I want you to have this," the blond said, placing an item that felt like a ring on Harry's palm. Upon closer inspection Harry noticed that it was indeed a ring with engraved vines over it and a delicate red stone. It was a masculine ring made of platinum.

"Lucius…"

"It's a Portkey," Lucius stated. "Should you find yourself in an emergency! The password is here," he held up a piece of paper. "Memorize and burn this."

"Portkey?" Harry said a bit apprehensively.

"For a tight situation," Lucius confirmed. "It will take you to a safe place where I will be alerted and come to get you. The moment you put it on I will spell it so it cannot leave your hand."

Harry eyed the piece of jewellery. He reluctantly put it on, watching it fit him perfectly. Then Lucius murmured a spell, that was a full sentence in Latin and the ring glowed once.

"Ready," Lucius said. Then with a careful look at Snape, he pecked Harry's lips once. "Have fun in Hogsmeade. And be careful. The walls have ears." Then he headed for the fireplace and disappeared into the Floo network.

Harry did not linger in Snape's office after that.

End of chapter.

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