Corruzione (A Barty Crouch Jr Fanfiction)

THIRTEEN - Out Of The Frying Pan

Now that Darcy had left Hogwarts she had much more time on her hands. The weeks after Darcy had moved into her new flat, she had almost constant company. Ted and Andromeda were always popping in to ask her to tea or to fuss over if she had enough food in the fridge, Dora also kept dropping by, probably to check up on her more than anything. And Barty was there in the interval hours.

One Saturday, Darcy was relaxing in a wicker armchair with a book and Barty who was reading over her shoulder as her cushion, when she heard the doorbell ring. Darcy and Barty looked at each other, quickly Darcy put the book down and hurried to the door, waiting until she saw Barty aparate away before opening it. "Dora! What a pleasant surprise." Darcy said. "Oh and Lupin," she said, shaking Lupin's hand who had entered the flat after Dora.

"I've come about the names of the deatheaters who weren't at the ministry of magic, if its convenient for you." He said, admiring her flat.

"Oh yes, that's fine," Darcy said, somewhat distractedly, because she had just seen that Barty's coat was hanging on the coat stand.

"Got company? Dars?" Dora asked her, noticing the coat.

"I did," said Darcy in a tone that she hoped would ooze an authority that meant she didn't want any questions asked. "Well anyway, Lupin. I can't be of much use." She said, offering them a seat at the kitchen table. "I only have one name I was able to glean."

"I have a feeling I can guess that name." Lupin sighed.

"Bartemius Crouch Junior," Darcy said and Lupin nodded. "It seems after he escaped he rejoined The Dark Lord and has been kept a secret from the public eye."

"About that." Lupin began.
"We have a little undercover mission for you, Dars." Dora butted in. "We want you to sniff him out, so that we can take him out." Darcy mentally raised her eyes to the ceiling, If only they knew that for the last few weeks, I've been sharing a bed with him.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Darcy asked.

"Why of course, you're a good liar, remember when you lied to Mum that you hadn't ridden your broom all the way to the park, and she believed you," Dora said.

"You really are the best-placed one of the Order, Darcy," Lupin said. "I know your family spurned the deatheater history but young'un's are easily misled by the dark arts." Darcy's hands shook under the table.

"Well, if you think I can, but I really wouldn't have any idea how to go about it. They're probably a very tight-knit group." Darcy said, trying in vain to get out of the job.

"We think you might be our only chance," Dora said, grasping Darcy's hand. "Crouch Jr is a very dangerous man, the sooner he's dead, the better."

"Well, we can give you until Wednesday night, there's an Order meeting then and we'd like to discuss it," Lupin said, rising. "Good day." He said and he and Dora left her flat.

Darcy couldn't move, her hands lay shaking on the table for a good minute after they had gone, then she heard the familiar pop and Barty appeared again. "Did you hear that?" Darcy asked.

"I did," Barty said, kneeling beside the table and pulling her hands from the table. "Darcy look at me." He said, gently and she shuffled her body around to face him. "You have to do it."

"What? Give you up?" she scoffed, sniffing. Joining the Order was the worst decision she had made. "I thought we'd have time together," Darcy said, now the tears did fall.

"Hey, stop that," Barty said reaching up to her face and forcing her to look down at him. "It's going to be alright." She scoffed again, though she wasn't really that light-hearted. "I have a plan."