𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔 - pjo x hp

xlvii. on the floor of the owlery

"𝐈𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒," Raya said, thinking hard about Harry's story. "Either Mr. Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody else attacked both of them when Viktor wasn't looking."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Raya were in the Owlery, trying to figure out just what had happened while Harry had gone to get Professor Dumbledore. 

Apparently, while he and Krum were talking, Crouch showed up, blubbering nonsense. As Harry rushed to get Dumbledore, he left Krum in charge of watching him. When they returned, Krum was stunned, and Crouch gone.

"It must've been Crouch," said Ron at once. "That's why he was gone when Harry and Dumbledore got there. He'd done a runner."

"I don't think so," said Harry, shaking his head. "He seemed really weak — I don't reckon he was up to Disapparating or anything."

"You can't Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds, haven't I told you enough times?" said Hermione.

"Okay... how's this for a theory," said Ron excitedly. "Krum attacked Crouch — no, wait for it — and then Stunned himself!"

"And Mr. Crouch evaporated, did he?" said Hermione coldly.

"Oh yeah..."

"Just go through it again, Harry," said Hermione. "What did Mr. Crouch actually say?"

"I've told you, he wasn't making much sense," said Harry. "He said he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she was dead. He kept saying stuff was his fault... He mentioned his son."

"Well, that was his fault," Raya shrugged lightly.

"He was out of his mind," said Harry. "Half the time he seemed to think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking to Percy about work and giving him instructions."

"And... remind me what he said about You-Know-Who?" said Ron tentatively.

"I've told you," Harry repeated dully. "He said he's getting stronger."

There was a pause. Then Ron said in a falsely confident voice, "But he was out of his mind, like you said, so half of it was probably just raving..."

"He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort," said Harry, and Ron and Raya winced at the sound of the name. "He was having real trouble stringing two words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was, and know what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore."

Raya pursed her lips, trying to piece the puzzle together. She couldn't help but feel she was missing too many pieces.

"If Snape hadn't held me up," Harry said bitterly, "we might've got there in time. 'The headmaster is busy, Potter... what's this rubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"

"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" said Ron quickly. "Maybe — hang on — how fast d'you reckon he could've gotten down to the forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"

"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said Harry.

"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron muttered.

"We need to see Professor Moody," said Hermione. "We need to find out whether he found Mr. Crouch."

"If he had the Marauder's Map on him, it would've been easy," said Harry.

"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds," said Ron, "because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't—"

"Shh!" said Raya suddenly.