(A/N: Here we go for Chapter 2! Reminder, I do not own any rights to Harry Potter or its IP, just a fan who loves rewriting the story. Enjoy!)

Chapter 2: Confrontation and Requests

Harry had managed to sneak back into the tower just as the sun was breaking the horizon line under the cover of his invisibility cloak. The Gryffindor didn't sleep often anymore, often finding himself plagued by nightmares. He had adapted to it after some time, beginning to grow accustomed to only two or three hours a night.

Once his cloak was tucked away securely in his trunk, the raven began to prepare himself for morning classes. During this time, he also began to consider what to write in his note to Barty Crouch Junior. He knew very little about the other man and for this work he needed to tread carefully and ensure that he would have a favorable reaction to hearing the Gryffindor's request.

Tying the gold and red tie around his collar, he decided that being direct was likely his best option. He would be as simplistic as he could and save any long explanation for if he was able to speak to the other man freely face to face. Nodding to himself, Harry finished the knot in his tie and pulled it straight, letting the fabric rest against his chest.

"Primping for a photo shoot Potter?" An annoying voice cut into the raven's train of thought, causing an irritated sigh from the boy. "Simply dressing for class Ronald, it's not a crime to want to look presentable in public. You should try it sometime." Harry shot back coldly, turning to face the ginger. The other's ear turned a bright red, whether from embarrassment, anger, or both Harry wasn't sure. He shoved past Harry with his shoulder, muttering under his breath angrily as he slammed the bathroom door behind him. This earned a few less than happy groans from those still trying to sleep and the raven used it as his exit from the dormitory.

Hermione was waiting at the foot of the staircase, presumably for Ron, but her mouth opened as if she planned to speak when her eyes locked onto Harry. He brushed past her without so much as a backward glance, having not the time or interest for whatever lecture was sure to start. Once in the hallways he quickly made his way to the Great Hall and took his seat at Gryffindor table, making sure he was relatively away from everyone else.

Thankfully it was still rather early, meaning the Great Hall was largely empty aside from the professors and the few students who enjoyed the peace of the morning. He glanced over at the Slytherin table, curious about why the students there no longer teased or tried to torment him. Come to think of it, Slytherin was the only house who hadn't made jabs or snide remarks towards him since his name had come out of the goblet. He filed that information away for later, deciding that may deserve some looking into. As he did his eyes landed on a familiar head of blonde hair and he noticed silver eyes locked directly on him.

Draco averted his gaze when he noticed that Harry had caught him staring, returning to taking small bites of the food on the plate in front of him. This interaction only furthered the raven's curiosity about the situation and showed him that some investigation was definitely in order once he had dealt with the Barty Junior one.

Focusing on the aforementioned task, he pulled a piece of parchment and a quill from his bag. Picking up a piece of toast and nibbling on it, he began drafting his letter.

Dear Mr. Crouch,

I am well aware who you are and that you are currently impersonating one Alastor Moody. No, I have not shared that information with anyone else. Not even Dumbledore. I am interested in a face-to-face discussion with you as I'm sure you will have questions about my next statement. I want to know the goals of the Death Eaters and Voldemort himself. I want a magical oath from you that you will not harm my person nor kidnap me as I assume that's why you're here. If you agree to this then arrange a way for me to talk with you personally. If you do not provide an answer then I will alert Dumbledore and the others of who you truly are.

Harry James Potter

The raven reread the note, debating whether threatening to reveal the other would earn him respect or cause distrust. Ultimately, he had no real intention of revealing the other man unless he absolutely had to. He believed the part requesting a magical oath for his own protection was definitely the correct move. After a few more minutes of internal debate and allowing the ink to dry, he carefully folded and sealed the letter with a charm that would only allow himself or Barty Junior to open it.

He quickly finished off one more piece of toast and slung his bag over his shoulder with the letter in hand. It was still early enough that he should be able to leave the letter on the man's desk. With that in mind, he left the Great Hall and set on the path to the Defense classroom. Noting as he walked out that the silver eyes from before were watching him again. Yes, the raven would definitely need to investigate this behavior once his current task was seen to.

Harry was able to drop the letter off, leaving it where the man would easily see it with a quick 'Moody' scrawled on the outer section of the letter. He had then made his way to his transfigurations classroom where he began preparing for the first lesson of the day. Contrary to what many would believe, Harry actually did very well in his classes regardless of Hermione's help or lack thereof. The brunette witch was always very boastful of being the smart one in the trio and while she could definitely outdo Ronald, Harry was fairly certain he was ahead of her in most subjects but had always held back so as not to upset her. Maybe it was time to show them both that he wasn't as clueless as they seemed to believe him to be.

Without being too noticeable, the raven did indeed show that he had been paying attention more than even his professor's seemed to believe. McGonagall was surprised when he not only beat Hermione to having her hand raised, but was able to answer both of her questions regarding the Draconifers spell they were currently practicing. Many of the students were struggling with transfiguring an inanimate object into a technically living being. Harry simply found the mini dragons cute and enjoyed playing with them while waiting for the rest of the class to catch up. He actually earned a very pleased and approving nod when McGonagall passed his desk and noted he had managed to transfigure four of them.

The day in question went much the same with Harry making it a point to show the brunette up in charms, herbology, and to no one's surprise defense. When the boy had entered the defense classroom, he had locked eyes with the fake Alastor Moody but the man's face was unreadable to him. He could tell the other had definitely received his letter, but his thoughts on it Harry could only guess.

The man lead class as normal, his lesson for the day being the unforgivable curses. The raven could swear he saw an imperceptible smirk when Harry immediately raised his hand and listed off the killing curse. The irony was lost on no one in the room as Moody remarked that only one person had been recorded in history to have survived that curse. The man demonstrated each curse on a spider leading to an array of shocked, disgusted, and disapproving murmurs and stares. He assigned them a roll of parchment on each curse and their uses to be handed in the following day and dismissed them.

As Harry was gathering up his book, he heard the professor clear his throat. "Mr. Potter, I'd like you to stay after for a moment." The man growled out, the magical glass eye spinning in its socket. The raven nodded his understanding and waited for the last student to file out of the room before standing and approaching the desk cautiously. He was aware the man before him was unpredictable at best and even with his wand in reach it was likely that Crouch knew far more spells than Harry could realistically be prepared to counter.

For a moment he wondered if this meeting had been a particularly good idea or if he had actually placed himself in needless danger. He banished that thought immediately as he knew that no one else could answer the questions he currently had save for the person who the man in front of him served. Barty had moved from the desk during the boy's internal monologue and shut the door to the defense room, warding it tightly and casting a silencing charm so they wouldn't be overheard.

Now the older man was leaning against the desk, regarding the young lion with a carefully blank face. "Before we begin, I'd like that magical oath if you would Sir." Harry requested calmly when the other made no move to speak. The man approached him, wand in hand and the raven tensed slightly. Barty grabbed the Gryffindor's hand in his own, bringing the wand point to where they met and cleared his throat.

"I, Bartimous Crouch Junior, solemnly swear not to harm nor kidnap Harry James Potter." The magic began to form a glowing band around their hands, "I, Harry James Potter, solemnly swear not to reveal you to the professor's of Hogwarts and that the information I tell you now is entirely true." At the very specific wording, Barty cast a curious glance up at the teen wizard but Harry continued on. "So mote it be." The glow died down as the oath locked into place around both wizards, causing the men to drop their locked hands back to their sides.

"I must say Mr. Potter, I was quite shocked at the letter you left for me. As you presumed in your letter I do have many questions. The first being why you didn't reveal my identity upon discovering who I actually am?" The older wizard decided that getting straight to the point would be more beneficial to all involved. "It's quite simple actually Mr. Crouch. Also for the duration of our conversation I would prefer if you would call me Harry." The young boy leaned on one of the desks in the front row, preparing for a lengthy conversation. "I have questions about this war that everyone is so determined to have me participate in and I can't get the answers that I need here. I want to know what Voldemort's real goals are, what does he actually want to happen in the wizarding world?"

Barty regarded the lion for a moment before nodding once, "I see. You've grown tired of other's controlling and dictating your life for you, is that it?" The older wizard asked, while beginning to pace slowly behind the professor's desk. "While that is understandable, I'm afraid that I don't have all the answers that you are likely after either." Harry smirked slightly, "I am aware Mr. Crouch, that's not why I've asked you for this meeting. I need you to get me a face-to-face conversation with the man who can answer them."

A laugh slipped from Barty's throat from surprise, "The Boy Who Lived is asking for an audience with Lord Voldemort himself, that's what you're telling me?" He laughed again, a hand coming up to cover one side of his face. "That's exactly what I'm telling you under an oath that won't allow me to lie Sir. Also, I asked that you call me Harry, I am not a fan of any of the nicknames that the wizarding world has given me." The teen replied, a frosty note creeping into his voice. Barty blinked a bit at the sudden change before a smirk appeared on his face. "Fine, but then I will insist you call me Barty. Hearing Mr. Crouch and Sir remind me too much of my father." A bit of distaste crossed his face at the end before the smirk returned. "I must say you are nothing like I originally imagined Harry. Far more calculating than it seems most of us have given you credit for. So, if I am able to arrange a meeting with the dark lord what is it you plan to do?"

The raven allowed a smirk of his own to cross his lips. "Well Barty I need to judge for myself which side is more aligned with my own morals. If you can arrange this meeting, I want Voldemort himself to explain what he's fighting for and why his methods are what they are. If I find it agreeable then I plan to try and strike an alliance with him." Barty seemed to consider the boy's answer before sighing, "This won't be an easy arrangement, but I'll see what I can do. I am supposed to report to him this evening, I should be able to give you an answer tomorrow." The young lion nodded, reaching into his bag at his side and producing a letter. Holding it out to Barty he explained its purpose. "Please give this to him at that time, it explains what I desire to ask him and my intentions for this meeting. Hopefully it will persuade him to respond favorably to my request." The older wizard pocketed the letter and dropped the warding on the classroom to signify the end of their conversation. Harry took that as his que and left the room, a small wave of anxiety flooding his stomach as he considered how the dark wizard may react to his letter.

Lunch would be finishing up in the Great Hall shortly but he wouldn't be able to eat anyway. He decided to make his way towards the dungeons instead as he would have potions class immediately following lunch. Harry would need to ask Professor Snape about a replacement partner as Ron had melted a hole through their cauldron last lesson while trying to fight with Harry and Harry refused to let his grades suffer over such childishness. The potions professor had been noticeably less hostile towards the raven since the beginning of the year although the boy wasn't sure why. He could only hope that meant the man would be more open to letting him switch partners.

Upon reaching the classroom, he observed that Snape was already at his desk and appeared to be grading the last homework they had turned in. Harry approached the desk with a small calming breath, "Professor, do you have a moment?" he asked hesitantly, gaining the dour man's attention. "What is it, Potter?" Although curt it lacked much of the venom he used to direct at the Gryffindor. "Sir I was wondering if it would be possible to switch potions partners. After last lesson with Ronald melting our cauldron, I would prefer working with someone else." He decided honesty was probably the best way to approach this issue. Snape regarded him with a blank face for a few moments, seemingly considering his request.

Students had begun to quietly enter the room behind him, only the slight scrape of shoes against the stone telling him they were no longer alone. Snape continued to stare at him a few more moments before his eyes moved to a point over Harry's shoulder. "Mr. Malfoy, would you come up here for a moment?" The raven saw a flash of blonde hair appear beside him, "Yes professor?" The Slytherin questioned, eyes momentarily sliding to Harry before returning to meet Snape's. "You are currently without a partner for this class, correct?" Snape drawled, eyes dropping to the parchments on his desk. "Yes professor, Slytherin had an uneven number of students." Draco answered back, eyebrow raising a bit in question. "Excellent, as of today Potter will be your potions partner. Now both of you get to your station so we can get started." Both boys exchanged shocked expressions but proceeded to the table usually occupied by Draco alone.

Snape had flicked his wand to reveal the potion they would be brewing for this class and had returned to his desk to continue grading. It was mostly peaceful until Ron's hand shot into the air and without waiting for Snape to address him announced "Professor I don't have a partner for my potion assignment though!" At the end his eyes locked on Harry with distaste and malice in them. "Well Mr. Weasley, perhaps if you had not melted your cauldron last lesson and paid more attention to correctly brew these assignments someone might want to be partnered with you. As such, you will be completing today's lesson and all further one's alone. And miss Granger if I see you assisting him, I will take points from Gryffindor." Snape finished, eyes glancing between both aforementioned students.

The lesson seemed to settle down a bit after that as everyone began moving about to gather the ingredients on the board. "I'll grab what we need from the storage room." Draco muttered softly, before heading towards the back of the room. The raven decided to lay out the tools they would need for the cutting and powdering steps while he waited. The blonde returned a short time later, setting the ingredients in the middle of their table. Draco regarded the raven a bit warily, "Can you powder the Asphodel root while I work on the wormwood?" Harry nodded at the blonde's request and grabbed the pumice and bowl to begin.

"Malfoy, you've been acting different lately." Harry kept his eyes on the root but caught the blonde tensing up from the corner of his eye. "What do you mean different Potter?" He sighed sounding a bit annoyed as he continued working with the wormwood. "You aren't starting fights or jeering at me anymore even though every other house has been since my name came from the goblet. I've noticed that most of Slytherin hasn't and I assume that has something to do with you." The blonde glanced over at him briefly, "Did it occur to you that I've simply grown bored of trying to fight with you?" The raven snorted softly, "It did actually. I admit that the more I think about how often we used to fight the more I see that it was myself and Ron provoking it and you responding to it." Draco let out a small, dry laugh at his answer. "Speaking of Weasley what's happening there? Trouble in paradise?" Harry explained the developing situation he had been dealing with from both of his supposed friends as they worked, noting that Draco actually gave his full attention.

"Sounds about right, still confident that you can tell the wrong sort for yourself?" The blonde smirked at the end of his explanation and Harry recognized the words he had said to Draco back in their first year when he rejected the blonde's friendship. "Maybe I was wrong." The lion admitted, not quite ready to ask the Slytherin if they could start over. He had no guarantee the blonde would be interested anyway. Their potion had finished brewing and Draco carefully ladled some into a bottle and placed a stopper in it. He gave the raven an unreadable look for a few moments before taking the bottle up to Professor Snape and turning it in.

At the end of their class, everyone had managed to produce an acceptable potion except for Ron who had lost fifty points for Gryffindor as a result. As Harry and Draco were packing their belongings the annoying ginger and his tagalong came to stand in front of their table. "You really stooped so low as to go and work with Malfoy just because we wouldn't believe your lies?" Ron hissed, glaring at the blonde who ignored him and continued packing his books. "I would call it a major improvement actually; my cauldron is still in one piece after working with Draco." Harry replied coldly, not noticing the curious look the blonde shot him. "Since when do you call Malfoy by his first name?" Hermione cut in making a disgusted face, her eyes flicking between the two of them. "Since now. Any other stupid questions or are you both quite finished? I have places to be." The raven drawled boredly, enjoying the disbelief and outrage on both their faces. He noted that Draco had finished packing his things and grabbed the blonde's hand, tugging the other boy along after him as he left the potions classroom. They may not be friends exactly, but he wouldn't leave the blonde alone with those two who would most certainly try to continue an argument with the Slytherin when Harry left.

He released the other boy's hand when they were a good distance from the classroom and turned to face the other smiling apologetically. "Sorry for the abrupt contact, but I assumed if I left you alone with them, they would try to pick a fight with you instead." Draco was staring at him as if trying to solve a puzzle. "And you say I'm the one who's acting different Potter? Why would you care if they pick a fight with me?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, "I just do. Maybe because sometimes I regret not accepting your friendship back in first year. I know it's probably a little late to be saying that now, but it's the truth." Harry shrugged, turning to walk away. He was halfway down the corridor when the blonde called after him, "Potter!" The raven turned back questioningly and saw the Slytherin had his eyes on the floor, "Don't be late for our next potions lesson and try not to hold me back alright?" The Malfoy heir finally huffed out, before turning on his heel and walking briskly away from the Gryffindor. Harry smiled to himself a bit, maybe it wasn't friendship yet but it was a start.

Riddle Manor: Tom's P.O.V

The dark lord sat quietly reading in an armchair before a large fireplace. Currently he was awaiting Barty Crouch Junior's arrival to report on the situation within Hogwarts. It wasn't long before he heard a knock on his study door, "Enter." He called out, marking his page and setting the book aside. The door opened and Barty entered, immediately dropping to one knee in front of him. "My Lord." The man said in way of greeting, eyes locked on the rug beneath him.

"What news do you have for me?" He inquired, hoping for something worthwhile from this report. "An interesting development my lord. I am afraid my true identity has been discovered by someone within the castle though." Tom felt his annoyance rise at the words but kept his face neutral. "By whom exactly?" He asked frostily, "Harry Potter." Tom swore silently, feeling his annoyance grow further. He was about to cast some form of torture on the man for being so careless, but the next words stopped him. "He wishes to meet with you my lord, he even sent a letter along." Barty pulled the letter from his pocket and presented it to the dark lord.

Tom stared warily at the letter at first, but sensed no spells on it aside from a rather advanced sealing charm that would keep anyone but himself from opening it. He plucked it from Barty's hold and unfolded it, beginning to read the elegant scrawl of The Boy Who Lived.

Dear Voldemort,

I wish to have a meeting with you face to face. For too long both you and Dumbledore have involved me, a child, in a war where neither of you has been clear about what it is being fought for. I refuse to take any further part in this war until I am clear what it is both sides are trying to achieve. I met your sixteen-year-old self from your diary. The Tom Riddle in that diary was charismatic and charming, he likely would have made a very convincing politician. I want to understand your goals and how you find your current methods effective to achieving them. I have asked Barty to secure a meeting with you for me. I want a magical oath that you will not harm me nor take me prisoner, in return I will answer any questions that you have for me.

Harry James Potter

Interesting, he wasn't expecting the brat to be curious about his motives and goals. He had always assumed the boy would listen to whatever convoluted stories the old man was feeding him. This posed a very interesting situation indeed, if he could sway the boy to his side and causes then it could prove to be beneficial to seeing them fulfilled. The boy at the very least seemed to possess some amount of cunning and from that sealing charm he was more educated on spells than they had initially expected.

"Tell me Bartimous, what was your impressions of the boy when he came to you to ask for this meeting?" The man kept his eyes on the floor but the dark lord saw a small smirk curve his mouth. "He was rather brilliant my lord. If I'm being honest, he is rather sharp and seems to be hiding his true potential from most everyone. At his age I wouldn't expect most to know of the magical oaths. He is also very direct in saying what he wants." The man finished, leading the dark lord to hum in approval. "To turn him to our causes could be very beneficial indeed." He summoned a piece of parchment and a quill and drafted a response. Once sealed he handed it to Barty, "Bring him to me tomorrow evening, make sure you are not seen and that he will not be missed during that time." Barty nodded once to signify that he understood the man's instructions and rose from the floor, disappearing through the study door. Voldemort leaned back in his chair, legs coming to cross in front of him as he rested his chin in his hand and stared at the fire.

Tom had taken the time to dig into Barty's memory of his conversation with the Potter boy and was both surprised and curious at what he had seen. Gone was the awkward child he had met when he had gone after the Philosopher's stone. The Potter in Barty's memory had been calculating, his face carefully arranged to not give too much away. He had been confident and direct. Yes, the boy had definitely changed since their last encounter. "What an interesting development indeed." He whispered softly to himself.

(A/N: Please let me know how you all are feeling about the rewrite or if its your first time reading let me know how you're enjoying the story! Reviews fuel my desire to write!" )