What If..?

Chapter 20

"No! This can't be true!" Harry choked on a sob. "This has to be a joke, a dream, or something!"

"Sorry mate, unfortunately, it's real." Ron was holding back tears of his own.

They had just figured out Moody's real identity. Barty Crouch Jr. They had found out he was trying to kill Harry, tricking Cedric into helping him. Cedric really wanted Harry, and was not told what he was actually doing.

Barty had a plan. But he needed to get rid of Draco. So he had tricked Cedric into doing it for him. But he had failed to do his task.

Now Cedric was laying dead, on the ground in front of them. Where Harry was kneeling beside him.

After finding all of this out, even Draco couldn't help but let a few tears slip.

Crouch was standing over Cedric's body, laughing.

"Oh, how he loved you, Potter. But you'll never really know just how much!"

"He said he only wanted Harry for money!" Draco almost yelled.

"He didn't say that. I did."

"You- You had him under some sort of controlling spell!" Harry stood up.

"Wow! Finally, the chosen one has figured it out! Took you long enough."

"You MONSTER!" Hermione screamed.

"Not the first time I've heard that," He smirked, pulling out his wand.

And pointed it directly at Harry.

...

"DRACO!"

Harry couldn't believe his eyes.

Draco had just jumped in front of him.

So he got hit with the spell instead.

"Saved again! How lucky you are." Crouch laughed, secretly feeling disappointment.

"I knew it. I knew you couldn't be trusted." A female voice came from behind the man.

"And neither can Dumbledore, clearly." Came another voice, male this time.

The voices belonged to Professor McGonagall and Snape, who both had their wands out in front of them, ready to cast.

"Look who finally showed up to the party!"

The professors stepped closer.

"Now now, no need to get violent-"

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Snape managed to cast successfully.

He watched as Barty fell, suddenly motionless on the ground. Then walked toward him, standing over his body.

"You are lucky I didn't kill you," Snape murmured to him. "I'm sure the dementors can do a much better job."

He stepped on Crouch's body to get to Draco.

"What spell did he cast?"

"The same spell you did him. He tried to cast it on Harry, probably planning to take him away since he wouldn't have been able to move." Hermione explained simply.

Snape nodded, kneeling down by Draco, who was looking up at him, many different emotions swirling through his eyes. There was fear and horror, but also relief and thankfulness.

"I should have an Anti-Paralysis potion somewhere. I'm going to assume you want to come along?" He said in his normal monotone voice.

"Of course!" Harry almost cheered.