The Snake| Draco Malfoy

~Year 4~ Barty Crouch

It was a couple of of weird days. Me and Draco had gone back to our regular friendly interactions. I was back to sitting next to him during DADA much to Pansy's disappointment. Moody continued teaching about the unforgivable curses. The latest being the torture curse. I was currently on my way to where Ludo Bagman had invited the champions to hear some announcement. When I arrived Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Krum and Fleur. Harry and Cedric made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at Harry as he came nearer. Her attitude toward him had changed completely since he had saved her sister from the lake.

"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily as Harry and Cedric climbed over the last hedge. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on my, Harry's and Cedric's faces, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?" No one spoke for a moment. Then -

"Maze," grunted Krum.

"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur.

"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures...then there will be spells that must be broken...all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at me. "Then Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory will enter, then Mr. Krum will enter...then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?" Everyone nodded politely. I knew very well that the creatures in the maze would be less then friendly.

"Very well...if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly...." We started to walk back up to the castle. Harry and Krum decided to disappear into some bushes that lead to a clearing. Whatever that was about. The third task was coming closer and closer. But if it was a maze it should be pretty easy right? Plus I would be the first to enter. So I would have the best chance at winning. So I have nothing to worry about right? But I couldn't shake the feeling that something wrong was about to happen. And that's the moment Harry came running from the bushes he and Krum entered. He looked panicked and started sprinting toward the castle. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. He was fine a few minutes ago when he went off with Krum.

Then it hit me. Did Krum attack him or something?! I thought furiously. I mean the recent daily prophet news was about Hermione having a weird love triangle with them. Maybe that's what it's about. But my curiosity got the best of me so i decided to check it out. I kept throw the bushes, with a eerie silence. At first I saw nobody. Until I spotted a man who looked familiar. I recognized him as Mr. Crouch. He looked as though he had been traveling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody, his face scratched; he was unshaven and gray with exhaustion. His neat hair and mustache were both in need of a wash and a trim. His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving.

Then I saw Krum lying next to him unconscious. My eyes widen as I realized what was happening then the man fell over. He stayed there unmoving. I rushed over to him. His eyes wide and staring into the sky. I jumped back. There a tree branch snap and a felt a sharp pain hit me in the back before falling to the ground with a thud as everything with black.

Harry's POV

"Didn't you hear me. Potter?" Harry could tell Snape was thoroughly enjoying himself, denying Harry the thing he wanted when he was so panicky. Harry had run all the way from where he and Krum had been talking to the castle. Mr. Crouch had something wrong with him. He was poorly dressed and acting as if he were deranged. Hopefully leaving him Kruger was a good idea, Harry thought.