Corruzione (A Barty Crouch Jr Fanfiction)

SEVEN - A choice

A week passed and she received no returning note. She also avoided catching Moody's eyes, either in class or across the Great Hall. Life went on, back to normal. Harry passed the second task but Darcy could feel no joy in that fact. Instead, she focused on her upcoming final exams, they were all she had left after all.

One rainy morning as she was walking along a corridor to her charms class, Cassius came to find her, resting on her shoulder and holding out his leg. She took the note he offered, gingerly. Expecting it to be a letter from Barty.

Darcy,

We- us at the Auror office believe Harry is in greater danger now more than ever as he approaches the final task.

We're at a loss as to who and why someone entered him in the tournament.

Anything you have seen, or suspect, tell me. No matter how wild.

Gratefully,

Dora.

Darcy read the letter twice, trying to discern if Dora already knew about Barty and this was her giving Darcy a chance to own up. After a second read through though she decided Dora was only desperate for information and nothing else.

She quickly wrote a replying note to her, leaning against the brick wall to write it;

I have seen nothing out of the ordinary, and believe me, I've been looking.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but I will remain vigilant.

Darcy.

Darcy could not deny that she felt empty at the loss of contact with Barty and she knew that Daphne had felt it too, only Daphne assumed it was because of the broken ties between Darcy and Oliver Wood. Darcy was no longer preoccupied with Oliver Wood, although she felt nothing but guilt whenever she saw him across the room.

The dim light that had entered Darcy's life followed her all the way to the final task where she sat, with the other students on the raised seats outside the maze that had been grown especially for it. She sat beside Daphne in the growing darkness as the four champions entered the maze. But Darcy had eyes only for Moody/Barty, she watched as he looked around him before disappearing, himself, into the maze. Darcy had no choice but to follow him, she knew it might be her own chance to save Harry Potter's life.

As discreetly as she could she left the stands and walked around the side of the maze, she blasted a hole in one of the bushes and entered, it closed behind her as if she had never entered. There was only one thought in her mind, Stop Barty before he gets to Harry Potter, by any means necessary.

Inside the maze was dark and cold, but thankfully as she made her way towards the center, she met no one, and no creature. As she turned a corner, she could see the cup, but it was snatched out of view as someone grabbed her, hauling her around the corner, away from the cup. She was pushed against the hedge, a hand over her mouth, but now she saw that it was Barty who had grabbed her, in his own body, his eyes terrified.

"What are you doing here?" He almost yelled at her. "You have to leave."

"I have to save Harry Potter." She defied him, struggling against his arm which ran across her chest, holding her in place.

"No, I won't let you." He said, his voice more worried than angry.

"Yes, you will, otherwise I'll tell everyone what's going on." She tried to bargain with him.

"I won't let you do that either," he said, his eyes darting around the maze.

"What are you going to do?" She asked, "kill me?" Barty looked repulsed and let her go.