Author: enchanted nightingale

BetaReader: 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 22

Harry felt his heart thundering in his chest when he sent the sparks up. He kept shooting looks at the fake Moody. He was alert and ready for when Dumbledore himself arrived inside the maze, followed by one of Madam Maxime's professors.

"What in Merlin's name?" the Headmaster of Hogwarts asked. "Harry?"

"Sir," the teen said. "Moody attacked me." before Dumbledore could splutter, Harry ploughed on. "I don't think that man is truly Professor Moody. Something's happening here sir."

Dumbledore turned to the witch. "Madam Rianne, please escort Harry, Mister Potter out of the maze. I'll search for the other contestants."

The French witch looked like she wanted to say something before she conceded and told Harry to follow her. What followed Harry's exit from the maze was the longest day in the teen's life.

"This is preposterous!" Fudge yelled for the second time but Albus Dumbledore looked thunderous and made the cowardly Minister flinch.

"I want that foul creature off my school," Dumbledore stated.

"But.. But…"

"Minerva," Dumbledore told his Transfiguration professor. "Call the Aurors and Madam Bones. They would want to know how an Azkaban escapee like Bartemious Crouch Junior is alive and out of prison."

McGonagall gave a sharp nod and brushed past the Minister of Magic to do as Dumbledore bid her. She shuddered when she passed the Dementor that the idiot had brought. Following Harry Potter's sending sparks up from the maze a barrage of events took place. Harry exited the maze and the Beauxbatons professor that was with him told the panel of Judges that the Gryffindor was the winner as he had reached the cup. Dumbledore had followed ten minutes later carrying the other three champions. Miss Delacour had been stunned, courtesy of Krum, after the teen, under the Imperius had cast the Cruciatus on her. There had been an uproar at that. Cedric had managed to take down Krum and send sparks that showed where the two champions had fallen. The Hufflepuff Champion did not go much further as he came face to face with an Acromantula and his wand had been nearly snapped in half by the time he dealt with the huge spider and he had been unable to call for help.

"Where is Moody?" Karkaroff demanded.

The retired Auror had offered to patrol around the maze and see with his eye if anything happened to the Champions so that the other professors could be called.

"Alastor is indisposed," was all Dumbledore offered before signalling for Severus to follow him. Minerva had then been asked to head to the infirmary up in the castle where Harry and the rest of the champions were going to go.

"But the ceremony? The winner?" Cornelius Fudge had raged.

"After we see to the health of the students," Dumbledore glared at the Minister, a glare that was backed up with similar ones from Maxime and Karkaroff and that made Fudge stop blustering and step away as the much more powerful wizards were exuding anger.

Only later did Minerva find out what took place inside the maze. After Madam Pomfrey was given three more patients to fuss over, Albus had come to borrow Harry and herself. Then they had all moved to Moody's office where the Auror was bound on a chair with Severus training a wand on him.

Flash back…

"Albus?" Minerva gasped. "What in Morgana's name…"

Harry she noticed looked expectant, not surprised.

"Who is he?" he asked the room at large.

Severus answered. "The flask had polyjuice. It should be wearing off right about now."

"Mister Potter?" Minerva demanded.

"That's not Moody," Harry said.

"We found the real Alastor in the trunk, Minerva," Albus said. "Mister Malfoy, who was nearby offered to Floo the poor man to St. Mungo's."

"And you let him?" McGonagall asked before she could control her surprise.

It was one of the few times Dumbledore's reprimanding look was sent her way after a long, long time. "Mister Malfoy was sincere. He also made a very good point. Our guests should not know right now." The power play was still not over among the three schools; they could not afford to look any worse in the eyes of the international press.

"You suspect foul play?" the Head of Gryffindor House asked.

"Worse," Snape said.

The Polyjuice wore off then and Alastor Moody's face melted away to reveal a new face.

"Oh Merlin!" Minerva brought her hands to her mouth.

Harry frowned, much like Severus Snape.

Dumbledore was more expressive. "Barty Crouch Junior," he whispered, horrified.

"What is going on?" Minerva wondered. The young man was supposed to be dead, that is what had been reported.

"Severus?" Albus asked

"I have Veritaserum here," the Potion Master offered.

Harry Potter stood to the side, watching in and listening with care as a plan unfolded before their eyes. Minerva had no idea how only herself and Dumbledore were surprised as the story spilled from Crouch's lips. Severus and Harry had both schooled their expressions to that of surprise but revealed nothing else. After the interrogation took place Dumbledore said he would be escorting Harry back to the infirmary. Minerva was to go and find the Minister and Severus was to guard the Death Eater that had wormed his way into the school.

Minerva had not expected that Fudge would call for a Dementor. It was only thanks to Snape's Patronus that the foul creature did not touch their only evidence.

…End Flash back

Minerva's thoughts seemed stuck on one thing. Voldemort was back in the UK and he had help. That monster wanted to have his body back and he had planned to use Harry to do this. The witch could not even begin to imagine what would have happened if that Portkey had sent Harry to the place Voldemort had been waiting and probably still was waiting.

"Minerva?" Snape's voice shook her out of her thought.

"Severus."

"Madam Bones is here. So are her Aurors. Fudge tried to leave but Bones got to him. She's just finished her dressing down of the minister. The Dementor was taken back to Azkaban and the Aurors are questioning Barty Crouch as we speak."

"Thank Merlin. Albus?"

"He's with them," Snape said. "And he has a plan," he added.

"A plan?"

"Something about setting Black free." Snape sounded sour at the prospect while Minerva felt her heart lighten even more. She was also rather proud of Severus, despite his bitterness he looked like he would not be opposing Dumbledore's actions. Then again it was possible he disliked Crouch more that Black.

Harry lay back on the hospital bed. There was nothing wrong with him. He knew it, Pomfrey knew it too, but it was so that he would not get hounded by Fudge or other people. The other Champions were also there, laid out in beds, patched up and recovering. Dumbledore had told Harry he had won and the teen felt oddly proud only because Lucius had supported him, given him plenty of tools to win and survive the three tasks. The night was still early, plenty could go wrong, but Harry was glad he had this much going on for him. Having their suspicions confirmed was a great thing, too. All the plans were not for nothing.

"Here we are," Dumbledore said when they reached the door. "And Harry…"

"Sir?"

The blue eyed wizard opened his mouth, then stopped and shook his head. "Never mind, my boy. I'm just glad nothing happened to you. Rest now. You've more than earned it. I will deal with everything. I cannot promise anything but I will try and do right by you." And with those words he left Harry to Pomfrey's care.

Lucius was with Severus when it happened. A sharp burn that made him want to claw the skin of his arm off. A similar to his shout came from Severus. The two wizards eyed each other and almost at the same time raised their sleeves. The Dark Mark stood dark like the day it was first branded on their skins.

"Lucius…" the Potion Master felt his heart freeze.

The blond aristocrat was equally shaken. "He's back. Somehow, he's back," he muttered.

Silver and black eyes met again.

"We must go," Severus voiced what they had both been thinking.

Lucius tried to cover how much his hands were shaking.

"Lucius!" Severus hissed.

The blond composed himself. "I don't know if I want to do this," he told Snape.

"We must see with our own eyes."

"Will you tell the old man?"

"There's no time," Snape replied.

With a grimace Lucius also stood. "Go ahead; I'll Floo to the Manor first." Severus gave a nod and went to find the clothes he had wished he had been able to burn thirteen years ago but had to keep and the blond went to do the same.

Severus arrived in Little Hangleton's cemetery. He was the third to arrive, after Avery and McNair. They did not look any better than him, afraid and worried as they eyed the inhuman figure that stood tall before them. Snape felt his blood freeze for the second time that night. The serpentine features, the ruby red eyes, the dark magic swirling all around him. There were two more pops of Apparation before Lucius arrived, donning his own set of Death Eater robes. His silver eyes went wide upon laying eyes on the Dark Lord, but just like Severus he schooled them immediately.

Both men had two goals as of now, find out how the mad man got a body and survive the reunion.

End of chapter.