Of mazes and Crouch
“What the hell have they done?” Cedric asked in horror. Harry agreed wholeheartedly. The Quidditch pit had been planted with hedges, and as Quidditch fanatic, Harry couldn’t stand for it.
”Ah! There you two are! Over here, over here!” Bagman’s voice suddenly called, and the two Hogwarts students turned to look.
Bagman stood, waving at them enthusiastically with the other two champions by his side. Harry and Cedric glanced at each other before moving towards them.
”Hello, hello,” Bagman said, beaming. He waved towards the field. “The hedges are growing nicely, aren’t they?”
He spotted Harry and Cedric’s disgruntled looks and laughed. “Not to worry! You’ll have your field back soon! Now, can anyone guess the third task?”
There was silence, and then Krum grunted out, “Maze.”
”Right you are!” Bagman cried. “It’s a maze!”
”We ‘ave to get though a maze for ze third task?” Fleur asked dubiously.
”No, no,” Bagman said. “You have to get to the centre of the maze. Bypassing creatures- kindly donated by Hagrid -traps and riddles!”
Cedric and Harry glanced at each other, knowing full well what kind of creatures Hagrid raised. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a black blur. He blinked and turned. No one was there... but... the hat was definitely Reborn’s fedora.
Garry shook the thought away and listened as Bagman spoke, and the champions were given time to walk through the maze.p, Bagman commenting here and there.
When the talk had ended, Harry made his way towards the Forbidden Forest, where the black blur had gone. He peered around the trees and looked around. Then he spotted him. Harry walked towards Reborn slowly, until Reborn sighed and turned around, raising an eyebrow.
”Did you want something?” he asked, and Harry suddenly felt embarrassed for trying to sneak up on the man.
“P-Professor,” Harry stuttered, then cleared his throat. “Ah, what are you doing out here?”
Reborn glanced at him, then turned back to where he was facing.
”My former student contacted me. He has a... skill, you see, something along the lines of clairvoyance, but not exactly. He said something would be happening here. Something important.”
”Something... important?” Harry asked hesitantly, and Reborn nodded in confirmation. There was silence, and then Harry spoke again. “Where’s Skull?”
Reborn snorted, shaking his head.
”Like I’d let the idiot know about something that might possibly end in bloodshed. While it never bothered him, it upsets him to see people die. Anyone. Even enemies,” Reborn said, and a soft look entered his eyes. “Idiot.”
Harry nodded slowly.
”Leon?”
”Oodako.”
Then Harry’s eyes snapped towards the trees, his hand plunging into his pocket for his wand. Reborn had noticed the slight movement too, and had drawn his gun faster than Harry could ever draw his wand.
Then, out from behind a tall oak tree, a man stumbled out. For a moment, Harry didn’t recognise the man, then.... he realised it was Mr. Crouch.
He looked like he’d been through better days. Reborn frowned.
”Isn’t he a judge?” he asked. “Bartemius Crouch?”
”Yea...” Harry said slowly, lowering his wand. Reborn, however, didn’t lower his gun and instead kept it trained on the man. Reborn saw Harry glance at the weapon, and he hit an looked at the lowered wand.
”Never lower your guard just because you know the person,” Reborn warned. “They could be being controlled or a spy.”
Harry nodded and raised his wand again, then he realised Crouch was... talking to the air. Harry frowned slightly.
”Mr. Crouch!” he called and Reborn glared at him. Harry ignored the man. “Mr. Crouch, are you alright?”
The man’s eyes were rolling in his head, and Reborn frowned too as the former judge twitched.
”Is this some sort of curse?” Reborn asked, and Harry shrugged.
”Not anything I’ve seen before. I should go get Dumbledore-”
”Dumbledore!” Crouch suddenly gasped, leaping forward and seizing Reborn’s shirt. The latter looked disgruntled and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted. “I need... see... Dumbledore...”
”Okay,” Harry said slowly, and Crouch’s eyes looked towards him. “Mr. Crouch, let’s all go see Dumbledore, yeah? If you can just let go of Reborn, I’ll take you to Dumbledore.”
”Who... you?” Crouch rasped out.
Im a student at the school,” Harry said.
”You’re not... his?” Crouch asked, and Reborn sighed, and helped the stooping man stand up.
”He’s not right in the head. Mind break, possibly. I’ve seen it happen to a lot more people than I’d care to count,” he said. “Let’s get him to Dumbledore then.”
Harry nodded, reaching forward to help Reborn with Crouch, when Reborn’s head snapped up and his eyes darted towards the right. Harry opened his mouth to speak- when something hit him and he blacked out.
POV SWITCH TO REBORN...
”Who’s there?” Reborn called, his voice harsh. “Show yourself!”
There was no answer, and he set down Crouch carefully next to Harry. Then he aimed his gun carefully. He couldn’t sense anyone’s flames. Well, he could... but it was muted. Just like...
”Ah, so you’re here then? Didn’t run off yet?” Reborn called out, moving his gun in the general direction of hidden Flames. He got no answer, and he shot his gun once.
There was a hiss, and Reborn smirked. “Come on, I already know who you are. I just need to figure out how you keep managing to sneak into the school grounds.”
”Damn muggle!” someone cried and Reborn dodged a streak of green light. He raised an eyebrow.
”Oh ho, not afraid to kill then? Too bad, I’m not afraid to kill either.”
Reborn dove towards the bleeding shadow and he collided with something. The two grappled around, and Reborn grabbed the wand and snapped it. There was a howl of rage and somehow the man found enough energy to throw Reborn off before scurrying away. Reborn didn’t bother giving chase, and merely looking after the shadow thoughtfully.
”Hm... Hogwarts is turning out to be a lot more interesting than I expected.”