PRONGSLET AND THE OLYMPIAN ALLIANCE

Chapter Forty-Five

[45]

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There was a lot going on, the information being thrown around along with suspicion, but the problem was, no one was able to come up with answers. Sirius mentioned that Karkaroff had old ties with Death Eaters, so he wouldn't be all that surprised if he had some hand in what was taking place that term, especially with the tournament. However, it was Elspeth that continued to voice her concerns that she felt like Moody wasn't in his right mind. She went on to say that the man had never been fully right in the mind, but there was something off about her old mentor that left her going back and forth with her own thoughts. It didn't help Milo though, mainly because no one could help him with the Third Task until it was announced.

Not to mention, with his own threat looming over Professor Snape's head, not a word had been said in his direction since the confrontation over the Gillyweed. Milo was sure that Professor Snape was watching his every move carefully, trying to find any reason to get Milo in trouble, so the boy had to be extremely careful with everything he did. He didn't even walk fast in the corridors in fear that Professor Snape was somehow going to get him expelled or at least try to get him kicked out of Hogwarts.

It was unfortunate that all the stress was lingering around the castle because Milo just wanted to enjoy the time when he wasn't focusing on the tournament. However, it had been his decision fully to take Harry's place in the tournament, so he truly only had himself to blame, that and whoever had entered Harry's name, to begin with. That was still the question that everyone was wondering and it left Milo to trail back to what the Fates had decided to share with him. One night as he was lying in his bed, Milo realised that a lot of what he had experienced during his "visions" actually made sense.

The quidditch pitch on fire had been a symbol of the dragons and ending up in the Black Lake had been a sign of the second task. But he didn't remember anything that would give a hint to the Third Task, but he did remember the girl that had shown up, the one that had appeared to be a squib in the beginning but after what Milo had witnessed he wasn't so sure. He remembered the name Barty being mentioned, so what did it mean? Did Barty Crouch have a sister and what did she have to do with anything?

Milo wished he could have asked the man, but Barty Crouch wasn't one for showing up for much as of late, in fact, it was all over the Daily Prophet. 

 Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch

It was odd enough that he was appearing ill, his absence highly noted, but St. Mungo's was declining to comment and it seemed to be the big question on everyone's mind. Milo didn't think he was going to have any luck getting to the man anytime soon, although it probably would have cleared up plenty if he knew what the relation of the woman was to him. 

The last time they were in Hogsmeade, Sirius seemed to be working incredibly hard trying to figure it out himself. He wanted to know everything that occurred from the time of the Quidditch World Cup and on, anything he wasn't present for, he was trying to piece together as if it would all click. Sirius didn't know where to place blame, but he had his own bias as to where he wanted to point his finger, he obviously wasn't a massive fan of Barty Crouch since the man was a huge part of the reason that he had gone to Azkaban without a trial.