And back to the story...

Harry was alone.

For the first time in months, he had no friends and he sat alone in an abandoned classroom staring at one of his school books and nearly in tears.

He was alone.

Rita Skeeter had continued writing, this time with an article that played Harry off as a terrible person who had crushed Theodore's hopes of love because of the ridicule their love had faced at school. She had gone on to say that Harry was worried about his self-image and that he wouldn't risk it being marred by Theodore, who was smarter in school than Harry and who was the real brain behind Potter's success in the Tournament. Howlers had been sent to him, most exploding all around the table as he hadn't had time to open all of them. People taunted him in the halls. He hid for the most part, unable to face the shame of it, even if it wasn't true. Harry never saw Theodore, other than in class (during which times they were on complete opposite sides) and he only went to the Common Room when he was sure everyone was in bed. His invisibility cloak was now stuffed daily into the bottom of his school back in case he needed it and he made no more visits to Hogsmeade.

A month before the third and final task, the competitors were taken to the Quidditch Pitch where they learned they would be competing in a maze. Then Cedric wanted to know what was going on with Harry and Theodore.

"I was worried." Cedric admitted. "You helped me with the dragons and I haven't paid you back for that. I know you've been spending a lot of times alone. I keep trying to find you, but you sure make it impossible."

"Yeah..." Harry mumbled. "I just...this whole thing is stupid. I just want to have my friend back, you know?"

"I know." Cedric nodded solemnly. "I can tell. You were always a bit of a loner, but people noticed the way you changed once you were friends with Nott. You were brighter. It showed. Everyone saw how much happier you were. It shows now too...how sad you are."

Harry rolled his eyes. "That sounds like something Skeeter would write."

"Not quite." Cedric snickered. "It'd be more like, tears welled up in his bright green eyes or some rubbish like that."

Harry laughed uneasily. "Yeah...hey...what's that?"

In only a second, the lightness of the moment vanished as Harry and Cedric were left with a crazed Mr. Crouch coming out of the woods. He really wanted to see Dumbledore, but wouldn't let Harry go. Cedric took off instead, his longer legs carrying him swiftly into the castle. Harry kept telling Crouch it was going to be okay. He kept insisting everything was going to be all right. He tried to encourage him towards Hagrid's cabin as it was closest, but the man was barely moving, merely clinging, mouth constantly jumping from one topic to the next, his bits about Voldemort giving Harry the chills. He was almost to Hagrid's. He could see Hagrid's shadow in the window and he finally shouted.

"Hagrid! Hagrid! It's Harry! Get out here!" He saw the shadow move across the window and the half-giant came thundering out into the dark.

"Harry?" Hagrid rushed over to Harry and then halted. "What on earth, Harry? That's Mr. Crouch, that is!"

"And he's gone crazy." Harry insisted. "Come on! Help me!"

Hagrid stepped forward just as they heard Dumbledore's voice calling to them. From the darkness came Cedric, Dumbledore, and Snape, all seeming quite bewildered by this new discover. It took some time to work things out, but finally Snape deduced that Crouch was fighting the Imperius Curse.

"I'll work on him." Came Moody's voice as he lumbered over. "He'll need a good couple of hours to lower that powerful a curse."

"Agreed." Dumbledore nodded as he created a stretcher and, with help from Hagrid, got the man to release Harry. "Alastor, please, accompany Severus and Mr. Crouch up to the Hospital Wing. He should spend a good night's rest there after he has been freed of the curse."

"Of course." Moody nodded and three left.

Dumbledore turned to Harry and asked for him to relate what he had heard in the time since after Cedric had run for help. Harry told him what he could and then the three (Dumbledore, Harry, and Cedric) went back up to the castle, escorting first Cedric to his House and then Harry down into the Slytherin dungeons.

"Who would want to take control over Crouch?" Harry asked as they continued down a hall.

"I imagine whoever is trying to do you in, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore gave a serious look. "We will find our answers when he is well again."

"I hope so."

Harry's hopes were for nothing as Mr. Crouch did not last the night, a night which for Harry was interrupted by a scar-burning dream. According to Moody, the man had strangled himself with his sheets, another part of Imperio Curse, no doubt.

"Where was Severus?" Dumbledore asked as the three of them stood in Dumbledore's office awaiting the arrival of the Potions Master.

"He was in the other room getting potions from Madam Pomfrey to help him relax." Moody growled in annoyance. "Came running when I called, but it was too late...Cornelius is here."

"Under my desk, Harry." Dumbledore suddenly said, rising and ushering Harry down under his desk. The wizard retook his seat and welcomed the Minister when he entered. It was incredibly hard to stiffle Harry's laughter at the idea of the Headmaster of all people sneaking him under the desk to listen to a private conversation when he should have simply asked him to leave. A couple of kicks from Dumbledore did manage to finally silence Harry.

"Ah, Dumbledore." Fudge greeted, but his voice was cold. "Terrible news about Crouch. Terrible news. Good man, Crouch. Always came to work and always worked hard. Real pity what happened to him. Too much work, I fear. Made him go crazy with overworking. Well, first ill and then crazy."

"I have already informed you it was the Imperius Curse that was put onto Mr. Crouch." Dumbledore said in his usual calm, but stern voice.

"Nonsense." Fudge scoffed. "A boy told you this?"

"I saw it with my own eyes." Moody growled.

"Well, no offense, Mr. Moody, but..."

He was interrupted by none other than Professor Snape who had apparently accompanied him. "I also was able to diagnose the curse and I am sure you are well aware that of everyone here I would be able to recognize it best."

There was a temporary silence before Fudge cleared his throat. "Well, this is...a bit frightening."

"I believe it is worse than this." Dumbledore continued and then elaborated on how he believed that Bertha Jorkins disappearance was linked to Crouch's and how he feared Voldemort may have been involved.

"I don't see the connection." Fudge argued, pointedly. "I don't see it at all! Ludo says Bertha is perfectly capable of getting herself lost and, while I am a bit disappointed we haven't found her yet, I don't see any evidence of foul play."

"But Barty Crouch mentioned her, Minister." Moody growled. "He mentioned her himself."

"So Mr. Potter says." Fudge huffed. "But did any of you hear these things?"

"I believe in Mr. Potter." Dumbledore stated assertively.

"As do I." Snape said as simultaneously Moody snarled, "I think the same."

There was a tense moment where everyone was silent and then Fudge added, "But you said you found him initially by the Beauxbaton's carriage. Perhaps Madam Maxime did something to him before they got to him in hopes of increasing her chances without a Hogwarts-partial judge. Dumbledore, you know what that woman IS?"

"I consider her to be a very able Headmistress...and an excellent dancer."

"Dumbledore, come! Don't you think you might be prejudiced in her favor because of Hagrid? They don't all turn out harmless...if, indeed, you can call Hagrid harmless, with that monster fixation he's got..."

"DO NOT INSULT RUBEUS HAGRID."

Harry was taken aback by Snape's sudden snarl.

"If Hagrid is anything...anything at all...it is an exceptional person with exceptional loyalty."

"Thank you, Severus." Dumbledore nodded to the man. "Now...Cornelius. I believe we really must discuss how important Crouch's disappearance and now his death is."

But it sounded as if Fudge had had enough of the discussion and had made up his mind to double the effort for Bertha Jorkin's discovery and that Harry Potter needed to be watched more carefully so that he did not spread atrocities about what he had witnessed.

"Potter does not lie." Snape came to Harry's defense, much to Harry's shock. "Not often anyways...and never about anything important."

"Well..." Fudge patted himself as if to make sure he was in order. "I'm off then."

"Alastor and I shall see you out." Dumbledore stood. "If you will stay, Severus. Help yourself to some lemon drops if you'd like. Oh, and there is something under my desk for you. Do not be alarmed by it."

Harry was grinning profusely at that statement, but managed to tame it down by the time Snape peeked around the desk at him. The scowl on the man's face proved instantly that he hadn't wanted Harry to hear a word of what he had said.

"Eavesdropping, Potter." He snarled.

"The Headmaster let...made me do it, sir." The smile was back on his face and Snape was glaring even more seriously now.

"Ah, yes the many things he teaches you...about rule-breaking."

Harry crawled out from under the desk and smiled at his professor, who gave a sneer before turning towards Fawkes and stroking the bird's head. It seemed the two were well-aquainted as the Phoenix cooed happily to him and even tried to crawl onto his arm, though he pushed it back gently. Harry came over to watch the interaction and then he began to wander the office, looking at this and that while Snape warned him, "Don't touch anything, Potter."

Harry had honestly intended not to touch anything, until he had fallen into the Penseive and witnessed a memory from Dumbledore. He was surprisingly not yanked out by Snape instantly, though he figured out when he finally did leave the memory, that it was because Dumbledore had arrived. Snape looked livid, but said nothing as he scowled at Dumbledore.

"Curiosity is not a sin." Dumbledore told Harry. "But we should exercise caution with our curiosity...yes...indeed."

Harry glanced at Snape, who was scowling back at him. "Um...I...didn't know..."

"Didn't know what, Potter?" Snape growled venomously.

"That you..." Harry hesitated, heart hammering in his chest. "You were a spy...for our side...at such risk...thank you."

Snape lifted his head slightly, eyes skeptical, but said nothing.

"Harry..." Dumbledore finally spoke. "When you first arrived, before Professor Moody, you said you had a dream. Can you tell me this dream?"

Nodding, Harry explained about his dream with Voldemort and Wormtail, Snape flinching every time Harry said the terrible name. They continued their conversation about Mr. Crouch and then on about Neville's parents before Harry was finally asked to wait a moment while Dumbledore asked Severus some questions.

"When you went with Mr. Crouch and Moody, did you notice anything strange?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"I found myself by the potions cabinet." Snape growled, glancing bitterly at Harry as if he didn't want the boy there while he made his report. "And then I was being called over by Moody. I have no idea how I got to the cabinet nor why I was there. I felt a thought that I was asked there and that I was supposed to be looking for a relaxing potion."

"Imperio?"

"No doubt. It was poorly cast...which means in haste..."

"By Moody?"

Snape gave a snarl. "Would Moody cast such a spell on me? You claim over and over again your trust of him."

"I do indeed. Anything else, Severus?"

"I have nothing else to report." Snape muttered.

"Than may I ask you escort Harry down to the dungeons?"

"Of course." Snape made a motion with his head towards the door to Harry and Harry did as he was told, knowing his professor wanted to tell something to Dumbledore alone. He still managed to catch, "Karkaroff is going to..."

A few moments later, Snape was escorting him down into the dungeons. It took a couple minutes before Harry managed to pluck up the courage to ask, "You served You-Know-Who?"

Snape scowled. "Nosy and irresponsible, Potter."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't cut it with me."

"Sorry..." Harry murmured and then asked, "But you did?"

"It is in the past and I'd prefer if you didn't talk about it."

"I have no intentions of telling anyone, sir." Harry stated. "That's your business."

"That you've already stuck your nose into." Snape hissed.

"Sorry..."

Snape opened the dungeon with the password. "Straight to studying, Potter. You have a lot of work to catch up on. Being a Champion will not excuse you from it."

Scuttling up to his dorm and into his bed, Harry got out his books and tried to pretend he wasn't hearing the talk coming up from the Common Room below.

More than ever now, Harry wished Theo was still talking to him.

Took a long time to write this. Hope you don't mind. Review if you want :D