Chapter Forty One
Harry raced through the empty, now dark, grounds. Harry, if anything, wished it was darker, the eerie twilight that covered everything made every branch and every shadow look alive.
He ignored it all though, focusing on getting to Dumbledore as soon as he could. He ran through the corridors and up to the second floor, not stopping for surprised students or angry ghosts as he charged past everyone.
Finally he reached the stone gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office. He gripped at his side where a stitch was forming and realised his had no idea what the password was.
"Umm. Sherbet lemons… parma violets… I don't know… pear drops?… come on let me in!" Harry said, getting annoyed and banging his fists against the stone, knowing full well it wouldn't help at all.
Nothing in Hogwarts worked just because you shouted at it. Harry knew that trying to get in this way wouldn't work. He would go and find Professor Snape and then go down to the kitchens and ask Dobby for a favour. House elf magic was different, he was almost sure that they would be able to get into Dumbledore's office, even without the password.
"Harry? What on earth are you doing here?" Snape asked, emerging from Dumbledore's office, the stone gargoyle sliding back into place.
"Dad, please you've got to come!" Harry said, "I need Professor Dumbledore as well."
Snape took his arm gently and led him to the side of the corridor, "Harry what are you talking about? Tell me what is going on."
Harry took a deep breath, this was time he didn't want to waste, "It's Mr Crouch."
"From the ministry?" Snape asked confused, "Weasley was saying that he was ill still."
Harry nodded, "Yes, from the ministry. And he's not sick, well he's not exactly right either but… it's like he's gone mad or something."
"Harry? What is the matter?" Dumbledore said, appearing from behind the gargoyle.
Harry gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Harry needs us to go with him, something about Mr Crouch." Severus explained.
"Yes." Harry said, before either of the grown men could talk again, "Yes, he's in the forest and he keeps going on about random things, like his son and… Bertha Jorkins and, well, Voldemort. He said he's getting stronger."
Both Dumbledore and Severus stared at him for a moment,
"Harry, are you sure?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry nodded, he noticed Severus's eyes flick towards his left forearm, he would know if Voldemort was getting stronger and the look on his father's face said to Harry that what Mr Crouch had said, at least that bit of it, was true.
Dumbledore nodded, "Lead the way Harry."
Harry smiled, grateful they were coming and started to lead them back through the castle.
"I left him with Viktor Krum." Harry said, "He keeps talking to trees and he's sure that Percy Weasley is there with him."
"You left him with Krum?" Dumbledore said, a little sharply, starting to take even longer strides, "Did anyone else see Mr Crouch?"
Harry shook his head, "No, well I don't think so. We'd been talking to Mr Bagman, he was explaining the final challenge. Krum asked if I could stay behind for a quick chat and that's when we found him."
They were nearly at the forest now, just past the Beauxbatons carriage.
"Where are they Harry?" Dumbledore asked, scanning the tree line.
"Over there," Pointed Harry. It was strangely quiet, he couldn't hear Mr Crouch any more; Harry was sure something was wrong.
"Viktor? Mr Crouch?" Harry called out into the darkness.
There was no answer.
Severus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and pulled him gently behind him. Harry was both grateful and annoyed for the protection.
"They were here, I swear they were right here." Harry said.
"Lumos." Dumbledore said clearly, the end of his wand shining a bright light into the forest. It highlighted a pair of feet. Harry followed Snape and Dumbledore towards the unconscious person.
"Krum!" Harry gasped.
He was lying sprawled on the forest floor.
"He's just been stunned." Dumbledore said, crouching down beside him, "He'll be all right."
"Harry should go and get Madam Pomfrey." Severus said quickly.
Dumbledore shook his head, "No, no, both of you stay here." He pointed his was towards Hagrid's hut and a large silver bird flew out of the tip, soaring away, out of forest.
Dumbledore pointed his wand at Krum and muttered something Harry couldn't quite here. Krum's eyes fluttered open and he tried to sit up, putting a hand on his head.
"Lie still, you'll be better for it. Trust me." Dumbledore said gently, placing a hand on Krum's shoulder, "What happened to you?"
"He attacked me..." Krum murmered, rubbing at his head, "The old madman attacked me! I vos looking around to see vhere Potter had gone and he attacked me from behind!"
Dumbledore nodded, looking grave, "Lie still please Mr Krum."
Harry turned around at the sound of heavy foot falls running towards them. Hagrid came over, a bunch of ragged looking plants in one hand.
"Professor Dumbledore? Professor Snape? What's goin' on?" Hagrid asked, looking over the strange scene.
"Ah Hargid, I need to to fetch Professor Karkaroff, his student has been attacked." Dumbledore said, "And then kindly alert Professor Moody..."
"No need fer that Dumbledore," Moody said, "Would of been here sooner if it weren't for me bad leg. So what's happened?"
"Karkaroff please, Hargid?" Dumbledore asked.
Hagrid nodded, "Yeah, course." he walked off out of the forest towards the large Durmstrang ship.
Professor Moody looked even more terrifying in the half light of his wand, it made all his scars and the missing chunk of his nose that much more apparent.
Dumbledore looked over to Harry for a moment, "Mr Potter informed me that Mr Crouch was out here behaving rather strangely. It appears that while Mr Potter was coming to fetch me, Mr Crouch attacked Mr Krum here and ran off again."
Moody nodded, looking very serious, "Right. Where's Barty now?"
"I have no idea, however it is very important that we find him." Dumbledore informed him.
"I'm onto it." Moody growled, holding his wand a little higher and setting into the forest.
Harry felt very awkward as no one spoke until they could hear the sound of Hargid and Fang crashing back through the trees.
Fang arrived first, coming over to Harry and giving him a good sniff. Harry buried his hand into Fang's fur, it was very comforting to have him there.
Karkaroff arrived with Hagrid, his eyes glaring around and fixing on Krum, still lying on the ground. He looked very pompous, wearing his silver furs and large billowing cloak.
"What is this?" he demanded, "What on earth is going on?"
Dumbledore helped Krum to sit up.
"I vos attacked." Krum said, rubbing his head again, "By Mr Crouch or votever his name…"
"Crouch attacked you? Crouch attacked you? The Triwizard judge?" Karkaroff boomed.
Dumbledore stood up, looking as calm as possible, "Igor..."
Karkaroff wasn't listening though and he was in no mood to be reasonable, "Treachery!" He yelled, clutching at the furs around his neck, "It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretences Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First you sneak Potter into the Tournament, though he is under age! Now one of your Ministry friends attempts to put my champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences… here's what I think of you!" Karkaroff spat on the ground at Dumbledore's feet.
Hargid's eyes flared in anger, he reached over and grabbed the front of Karkaroff's robes, lifting him clean off the ground.
"Apologise!" Hagrid ordered him.
"Hagrid that is enough." Dumbledore said calmly.
Hagrid didn't let go, pinning Karkaroff against a nearby tree by his throat.
"Hagrid NO!" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing.
Hagrid let go, Karkaroff falling to the ground in a heap.
Dumbledore ran his fingers along his long beard, "Hagrid please take Harry back up to the castle, make sure he gets to his common room."
Hagrid glared down at Karkaroff, "Maybe I'd better stay here headmaster…" He said, breathing heavily.
Dumbledore looked at him, it was a strange look, a mixture of anger and insult at being talked back to by Hagrid.
"Hagrid you will take him back to school, right now." Dumbledore ordered him, "You will take Harry straight to the Slytherin common room and make sure that he is well before returning to your house, I will send for you if I need anything more."
"I'd really rather Harry stayed with me, Albus." Severus said quietly.
Harry felt himself grow annoyed, they were talking about him as though he was a child, younger than Danica. He could go to the castle by himself, he didn't need a baby sitter, nor did he even want to go back without finding out what was going on.
Dumbledore shook his head, "No. I need you here Severus, Harry will be much safer inside the castle. Harry, you are not to leave the common room this evening, do you understand me? I'm sure Severus is more than capable of filling your mother and Sirius in once we have finished here."
Harry nodded, "Yes. Of course Headmaster."
Severus let go of his shoulder and gave him a gentle push towards Hagrid. Hagrid glared again at Karkaroff who was still lying in a heap on the forest floor, several small twigs had landed in his hat.
"I'll lever Fang with yeh." Hagrid said, putting a large, and heavy hand on Harry's shoulder and leading him away.
Harry stayed quiet, he could tell that Hagrid was angry and didn't want to say anything that was going to make the already awkward walk any worse.
"How dare he?!" Hagrid growled as they marched past the lake, Harry having to run to keep up, "How dare he accuse Dumbledore, like Dumbledore'd do anythin' like that. Like Dumbledore wanted you in the Tournament in the firs' place. Worried! I dunno when I seen Dumbledore more worried than he's bin lately. An' you!"
Harry jumped at the fact Hagrid was now angry at him.
"What were yeh doin', wanderin' off with ruddy Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Harry! Coulda jinxed yeh right there, couldn't he? Hasn' Moody taught yeh nothin'? 'Magine lettin' him lure yeh off on yer own..."
Harry stopped, "I don't care where he's from. Krum is my friend."
Hagrid looked a little guilty and shrugged, "Yeh never know Harry."
Harry stood his ground, "I don't think that we should be hating each other just because we come from different schools, Mum wouldn't approve. Besides, he wasn't trying to hex me, he just wanted to talk to me about Hermione. He was worried about that stupid Skeeter article."
Hagrid ran a hand through his hair, "Aye well… she maybe shouldn' be hangin' around with 'im either. Stick to wha' you know."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Well Hagrid, if we all followed that advice we wouldn't be friends with you would we?"
Hagrid's face flushed red and he looked rather embarrassed, "Sorry, takin' everthin' a bit seriously. We're all jus' really worried about yeh Harry."
Harry nodded, "I know. I'm worried about me too, but there is only one more challenge left and then everything will be back to normal, and hating students from the other schools, just because they're 'different' isn't going to make me any safer."
Hagrid nodded and patted Harry hard on the back. Harry managed not to grimace too much and smiled. He waved goodbye to Hagrid and walked into the Slytherin common room. His friends were waiting for him but all he really wanted to do was fall into bed. He would be very grateful to get to sleep that night.