"𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚍. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚍."

𝕄𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕓𝕪 ℙ𝕙𝕖𝕠𝕓𝕖 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

Y/N and Harry filled in Hermione and Ron about what they had seen the previous day with Snape and Karakroff as they headed towards Hogsmeade. 

The weather had been milder than it had been all year, that by the time they entered Hogsmeade village, the four friends had removed their cloaks and were walking swiftly on the cobblestone paths. 

They had managed to sneak chicken legs, a loaf of bread, and pumpkin juice from lunch for Sirius, and safely packed it in Harry's bag. 

While waiting for two o'clock to roll around the four busied themselves by shopping for a present for Dobby in Gladrags Wizardwear where they laughed over picking up the most horrid pair of neon socks and another pair that had the ability to scream loudly when the smell of them became horrid. 

At about one-thirty they decided to make their way towards the end of the village, passing Dervish and Banges. 

This part of the village was foreign to them given there wasn't a lot for teens to do around there. 

They followed a winding lane that led them to the countryside surrounding Hogsmeade where there were a few cottages with large gardens. 

When they turned a corner they noticed a stile at the end of the lane. Waiting for them was a shaggy black dog holding newspapers in his mouth and wagging his tail excitedly. 

"Hello, Sirius," Harry said once they reached the dog. 

The dog sniffed Harry's bag eagerly and then turned to trot ahead signaling them to follow him.

He led them to a small mountain, and the quartet was already out of breath when they reached the foot of the mountain, they sighed tiredly when Sirius began climbing it. 

It was easy for him to climb the steep stony path, but for the tired Hogwarts students and the lack of quidditch this year, their breathing was heavy and the bag with Sirius's food was cutting into Harry's shoulder. 

Suddenly, Sirius slipped out of sight and the four followed him into a narrow fissure in the rocks. They found themselves in a cave, dimly lit by the outside light seeping through. 

Tethered to a large rock was Buckbeak who's eyes flashed as he saw them enter. 

They bowed to him, and once he returned it Hermione and Y/N both stroked his feathers. 

Harry turned his attention to the black dog, which was now his godfather. He was still in the same robes he had left Azkaban in, his hair was long and matted, and he was very skinny. 

"Chicken!" He croaked happily after he removed the newspaper from his mouth. Harry opened his bag and brought out the food handing it to him. 

"Thanks," Sirius said gratefully. He sat down on the cave floor and tore into the chicken. "I've been living off rats mostly. Can't steal too much food from Hogsmeade; I'd draw attention to myself."

Y/N's heart sunk at hearing what Sirius had to go through but she smiled at the man who sent a happy look to his godson despite everything.

"What're you doing here, Sirius?" Harry asked, who had only returned Sirius's smile reluctantly.

"Fulfilling my duty as godfather," Sirius said plainly. He was knawing at the chicken bone in a doglike way. "Don't worry about it, I'm pretending to be a lovable stray."

He remained smiling but his words became more serious once he noticed the anxiety over Harry's face. 

"I want to be on the spot. Your last letter...well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out, and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried."

Y/N picked up the newspapers Sirius was referring to and unfolded them. 

Sirius's words still didn't ease Harry's nerves, "What if they catch you? What if you're seen?"

"You four and Dumbledore are the only ones around here who know I'm an Animagus," Sirius shrugged beginning on another chicken leg. 

"Harry," Y/N said tugging on his shirt and gesturing to the articles. Harry read the titles over her shoulder.

Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch, the second, Ministry Witch Still Missing – Minister of Magic Now Personally Involved.

The first story bore facts of Mr. Crouch not being seen in public since November...his house was deserted...The Ministry had refused to confirm rumors...St. Mungos haven't commented...

"They're making it sound like he's dying," Harry observed. 

"But he can't be that ill if he managed to get up here..." Y/N said not taking her eyes off the paper and scanning it again. 

"My brother's Crouch's personal assistant," Ron told Sirius, "He says Crouch is suffering from overwork."

"Mind you, he did look ill, last time I saw him up close," Harry said still looking over Y/N's shoulder to read the rest. "The night my name came out of the goblet..."

"Getting his comeuppance for sacking Winky, isn't he?" Hermione said with an edge in her voice, "I bet he wishes he hadn't done it now—bet he feels the difference now she's not there to look after him."

"Hermione's obsessed with house-elves," Ron whispered to Sirius earning a dark look from her. 

"Crouch sacked his house-elf?" Sirius asked furrowing his eyebrows. 

"Yeah, at the Quidditch World Cup," Y/N said, recalling one of the nights that changed everything. 

"When the Dark Mark appeared?" Sirius asked. 

"Yup," Y/N sighed. Harry explained to him about seeing Winky saving Crouch's seat in their box. 

"Let me get this straight," Sirius said, "You first saw the elf in the Top Box. She was saving Crouch a seat, right?"

"Right," The four said together. 

"But Crouch didn't turn up for the match?"

"Nope," Harry said shaking his head, "I think he said he'd been too busy."

Sirius began pacing around the cave in silence. 

"Harry, did you check your pockets for your wand after you'd left the Top Box?" 

"Erm..." Harry said thinking back to the chaotic events of that day, "No, I didn't need to use it before we got in the forest. And then I put my hand in my pocket, and it wasn't there."

The quartet blinked at Sirius.

"Are you saying whoever conjured the Mark stole Harry's wand in the Top Box?" Y/N asked.

"It's possible," Sirius suggested. 

"Winky didn't steal that wand!" Hermione insisted. 

"The elf wasn't the only one in that box," Sirius said starting up his pacing again, "Who else was sitting behind you?"

"Loads of people," Harry said, "Some Bulgarian ministers... Cornelius Fudge... the Malfoys."

"My parents," Y/N interjected, knowing Harry wasn't going to say the possibility. "Not my parents...well technically yes...The Sinclairs...whatever you want to call them."

"Anyone else?" said Sirius, after giving Y/N a sympathetic look. 

"Yes, there was, there was...Ludo Bagman," Hermione said, snapping her fingers once she remembered.

"I don't know anything about Bagman except that he used to be Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps," Sirius said keeping up with his pacing which started to make Y/N feel dizzy. "What's he like?"

"He's okay," Harry claimed, "He keeps offering to help me with the Triwizard Tournament."

"Does he, now?" Sirius said raising an eyebrow, "I wonder why he'd do that?"

"Says he's taken a liking to me," Harry said. 

"Hmm," Sirius said, thinking intently. 

"We saw him in the forest just before the Dark Mark appeared," Hermione recalled, "Remember?" she said turning to Ron, Y/N, and Harry. 

They all looked at her confused. 

"He found out about the riots and Disapparated Hermione," Ron said, "He went off to the campsite."

"How d'you know?" Hermione said at Ron harshly, "How d'you know where he Disapparated to?"

"Come off it," Ron said sighing, "Are you saying you reckon Ludo Bagman conjured the Dark Mark?"

"More likely than Winky," Hermione decided. 

Ron rolled his eyes. 

"When the Dark Mark had been conjured, what did Crouch do when he saw his elf with Harry's wand?" Sirius asked.

"Dismissed Tonks's story of what happened," Y/N recalled, "And pinned it on Rue. Then when he didn't find anything and everyone told him how much of an idiot he was, he looked around. No one was there."

"Of course," Sirius said shaking his head, "of course, he'd want to pin it on anyone but his own elf...and then he sacked her?"

"Yes," Hermione said heatedly, "he sacked her, just because she hadn't stayed in her tent and let herself get trampled—"

"Hermione, would you give it a rest with the Houselves!" Ron said. "More concerning stuff happened that night!'

Sirius shook his head, "She's got the measure of Crouch better than you have, Ron. If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."

The four students could not decipher what Sirius was thinking as he ran his hand over his unshaven face. 

"All these absences of Barty Crouch...he goes to the trouble of making sure his house-elf saves him a seat at the Quidditch World Cup, but doesn't bother to turn up and watch. He works very hard to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament, and then stops coming to that too...It's not like Crouch. If he's ever taken a day off work because of illness before this, I'll eat Buckbeak."

"So you knew Crouch then?" Harry asked. 

Sirius's face darkened, the face that reminded Harry of the time when he thought he was a murderer. The face he made when he was determined to kill Peter Pettigrew.

"Oh I know Crouch all right," Sirius said, his voice dangerous, "He was the one who gave the order for me to be sent to Azkaban—without a trial."

"What?" Ron and Hermione said together. 

"You're serious?" Y/N asked. 

"That's me," Sirius smiled at her, his face brightening at his joke and the smile that was brought to the young girl's face. 

She laughed, "You know what I mean."

"Well...Crouch used to be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, didn't you know?"

All four of them shook their heads. 

"He was tipped for the next Minister of Magic," Sirius said, "Barty Crouch was always very outspoken against the Dark Side. But then a lot of people who were against the Dark Side...well, you wouldn't understand...you're too young..."

They all sighed. 

"We've all seen something that a typical fourteen-year-old probably shouldn't have," Y/N said, "Try us, won't you?"

A smile went across Sirius's face. 

"All right, I'll try you...Imagine that Voldemort's powerful now. You don't know who his supporters are, you don't know who's working for him and who isn't; you know he can control people so that they do terrible things without being able to stop themselves. You're scared for yourself, and your family, and your friends. Every week, news comes of more deaths, more disappearances, more torturing, the Ministry of Magic's in disarray, they don't know what to do. They're trying to keep everything hidden from the Muggles, but meanwhile, Muggles are dying too. Terror everywhere...panic...confusion that's how it used to be.

"Well, times like that bring out the best in some people and the worst in others. Crouch's principles might've been good in the beginning—I wouldn't know. He rose quickly through the Ministry, and he started ordering very harsh measures against Voldemort's supporters. The Aurors were given new powers—powers to kill rather than capture, for instance. And I wasn't the only one who was handed straight to the dementors without trial. Crouch fought violence with violence and authorized the use of the Unforgivable Curses against suspects. I would say he became as ruthless and cruel as many on the Dark Side. He had his supporters, mind you— plenty of people thought he was going about things the right way, and there were a lot of witches and wizards clamoring for him to take over as Minister of Magic. When Voldemort disappeared, it looked like only a matter of time until Crouch got the top job. But then something rather unfortunate happened..."

Sirius smiled grimly, "Crouch's own son was caught with a group of Death Eaters who'd managed to talk their way out of Azkaban. Apparently, they were trying to find Voldemort and return him to power."

"His son was caught?" Hermione gasped. 

"Yup," Sirius said throwing his last chicken bone to Buckbeak and beginning on the loaf of bread, "Nasty little shock for old Barty, I'd imagine. Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family learning about his son than in the office."

"So was he a Death Eater?" Y/N asked, "His son I mean?"

"No idea," Sirius said. "I was in Azkaban when he was brought in. The boy was definitely caught in the company of people I'd bet my life were Death Eaters—but he might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like everyone else at the quidditch cup."

Wrong timing seemed to be a running theme in Y/N's life.  

"Did Crouch try and get his son off?" Hermione asked. 

Sirius's laugh resembled a bark, "Crouch let his son off? Crouch's fatherly affection stretched just far enough to give his son a trial, and by all accounts, it wasn't much more than an excuse for Crouch to show how much he hated the boy...then he sent him straight to Azkaban."

"So he gave his own son to the dementors?" 

"That's right," Sirius said, the amusement in his voice was depleting, "saw the dementors bringing him in, watched them through the bars in my cell door. He can't have been more than nineteen. They took him into a cell near mine. He was screaming for his mother by nightfall. He went quiet after a few days, though...they all went quiet in the end...except when they shrieked in their sleep."

Y/N could see the deadened look in his eyes become more noticeable than ever. 

"So he's still in Azkaban?" Harry asked.

"No," Sirius said, "No, he's not in there anymore. He died about a year after they brought him in."

"He died?" Y/N asked. 

"He wasn't the only one," Sirius said, "Most go mad in there, and plenty stop eating in the end. They lose the will to live. You could always tell when a death was coming because the dementors could sense it, they got excited. Crouch being an important Ministry member, he and his wife were allowed a deathbed visit. That was the last time I saw Barty Crouch, half carrying his wife past my cell. She died herself, apparently, shortly afterward. Grief. Wasted away just like the boy. Crouch never came for his son's body. The dementors buried him outside the fortress; I watched them do it."

The four watched Sirius in silence as he finished his bread and picked up the flask of pumpkin juice, draining it. 

"So old Crouch lost it all, just when he thought he had it made," Sirius continued using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. "One moment, a hero, poised to become Minister of Magic next, his son dead, his wife dead, the family name dishonored, and, so I've heard since I escaped, a big drop in popularity. Once the boy had died, people started feeling a bit more sympathetic toward the son and started asking how a nice young lad from a good family had gone so badly astray. The conclusion was that his father never cared much for him. So Cornelius Fudge got the top job, and Crouch was shunted sideways into the Department of International Magical Cooperation."

There was a long silence between them. Everyone seemed to be processing the words Sirius had said. The odd past of crouch and the things Sirius had seen made them all a bit nauseous. 

Y/N looked back at the night of the quidditch cup. The anger that had come over Crouch's face as he accused Rue of conjuring the dark mark, and his eyes bulging when he fired Winky. She could only assume the events had brought him back to the time when his family had fallen apart. 

Y/N couldn't relate. Her family had always been broken. 

"Seems like Moody and Crouch both have the gene for being obsessed with catching Dark Wizards," Harry said. 

"Yeah, they were both investigating Snape pretty thoroughly when they got to school," Ron pointed out. 

"Yes, and that doesn't make sense at all," Sirius said shaking his head. "If Crouch wants to investigate Snape, why hasn't he been coming to judge the tournament? It would be an ideal excuse to make regular visits to Hogwarts and keep an eye on him."

"So you think Snape could be up to something, then?" Y/N asked, but Hermione broke in.

"Look, I don't care what you say, Dumbledore trusts Snape—"

"Oh give it a rest, Hermione," Ron said impatiently, "I know Dumbledore's brilliant and everything, but that doesn't mean a really clever Dark wizard couldn't fool him—"

"Why did Snape save Harry's life in the first year, then? Why didn't he just let him die?" Hermione challenged. 

Harry and Y/N both made eye contact with each other knowing that an argument was about to break out between the two. 

"I dunno—maybe he thought Dumbledore would kick him out—"

"What do you think Sirius?" Harry said loudly, getting Ron and Hermione to pause their bickering. 

"I think they've both got a point," Sirius said gesturing to Ron and Hermione, his face slightly scared of the two. "Ever since I found out Snape was teaching here, I've wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Slimy, oily, greasy-haired kid, he was,"

Y/N, Ron, and Harry all smiled at each other. 

"Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters."

"Oh, how fun those sleepovers must have been," Y/N said, making Ron, Harry, and Sirius chuckle at her sarcasm. 

Sirius began ticking names off his fingers.

"Rosier and Wilkes–they were both killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell. The Lestranges–they're a married couple–they're in Azkaban. Avery–from what I've heard he wormed his way out of trouble by saying he'd been acting under the Imperius Curse he's still at large. But as far as I know, Snape was never even accused of being a Death Eater–not that that means much. Plenty of them were never caught. And Snape's certainly clever and cunning enough to keep himself out of trouble."

"Snape knows Karkaroff pretty well, but he wants to keep that quiet," Ron said. 

"Yeah, you should've seen Snape's face when Karkaroff turned up in Potions yesterday!" Harry said, "Karkaroff wanted to talk to Snape, he says Snape's been avoiding him. Karkaroff looked really worried."

"He showed Snape something on his arm, but we couldn't see what it was," Y/N said. 

"He showed Snape something on his arm?" Sirius asked suspiciously. He ran a hand through his matted hair, "Well, I have no idea what that's about...but if Karkaroff's genuinely worried, and he's going to Snape for answers..." He stared at the wall in frustration. "There's still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I know Dumbledore trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't, but I just can't see him letting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort."

"Why are Moody and Crouch so keen to get into Snape's office then?" Ron pointed out. 

"I wouldn't be surprised if Moody searched every teacher's office when he got there," Sirius said. "He takes Dark Arts incredibly seriously. I'm not sure he trusts anyone at all, and after the things he's seen, it's not surprising. I'll say this for Moody, though, he never killed if he could help it. Always brought people in alive where possible. He was tough, but he never descended to the level of the Death Eaters. Crouch, though...he's a different matter...is he really ill? If he is, why did he make the effort to drag himself up to Snape's office? And if he's not...what's he up to? What was he doing at the World Cup that was so important he didn't turn up in the Top Box? What's he been doing while he should be judging the tournament?"

Sirius looked up at Ron after a pause, "You say your brother's Crouch's personal assistant? Any chance you could ask him if he's seen Crouch lately?"

"I can try," Ron said, "Better not make it sound like I reckon Crouch is up to anything dodgy, though. Percy's in love with Crouch."

"You might try and find out whether they've got any leads on Bertha Jorkins while you're at it," Sirius said gesturing to the other article he had brought. 

A sudden wash of realization washed over Sirius's face, "What's the time?"

Y/N grabbed Harry's wrist and looked at his watch, making his face heat up. 

"It says it's midnight, that can't be right," Y/N said furrowing her eyebrows readjusting her hands on Harry's wrist. "Why isn't your watch working?"

"Uh...It hasn't been working since the...the lake," Harry said not meaning for his voice to sound so nervous. 

"Then why are you still wearing it?" Y/N asked looking at him in amused confusion. 

"I—what's with the million questions?!" He blurted out, pulling his arm back. Y/N's hands were up in surrender as she and Ron started laughing. 

Even Sirius was grinning at his godson's flustered state. A state he had seen his best friend in so many times when a certain red-head made him fill with panic.

"It's nice you guys find me amusing—oh my god...Hermione, what's the time?" Harry asked trying to change the subject as Y/N and Ron were holding back their laughter. 

"Half-past three," Hermione said shaking her head. 

"You'd better get back to school," Sirius suggested, "Now listen..." he looked at Harry putting both his hands on his shoulders. "I don't want you lot sneaking out of school to see me, all right? Just send notes to me here. I still want to hear about anything odd. But you're not to go leaving Hogwarts without permission; it would be an ideal opportunity for someone to attack you."

"No one's tried to attack me so far, except a dragon and a couple of grindylows," Harry said, but Sirius scowled. 

He looked from his godson to the familiar young Slytherin girl. "Will you please not let him do anything stupid?"

"I mean...it'll be hard because it's kind of a natural thing he does...but sure," Y/N said smiling. 

Ron burst out laughing again, as Sirius choked back his laughter for the sake of his godson. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Harry said moving away from the group and heading out the cave, "Yeah, Everyone let's make fun of the orphan, it's not like I fought Voldemort twice and saved you all multiple times!"

Ron continued laughing as he and Hermione began to follow him. 

"Does he pull that card a lot?" Sirius asked Y/N as she giggled at Harry's dramatic exit. 

"Pretty much," Y/N laughed. 

Sirius' smile was bright despite the state he was in. "Exactly what James would have done," his voice nostalgic. 

Y/N gave a soft smile at Sirius. She knew how it felt to still ache for someone that was gone and wasn't coming back.

"Do you still think about them?" Y/N asked. 

"Everyday," Sirius said, his voice the gentlest Y/N had ever heard it. "I try to only focus on the good parts of people I've lost when I remember them. I want to remember them the way a small boy who couldn't comprehend the bad would. Some memories I had to dig deep for, like my brother or my cousins. I even made up good memories for when I remember my parents." Y/N thought back to her own parents. Even though she hadn't felt at home with them once and she had found out they weren't even related, she still missed them. She mourned Rue, but when she thought of her parents, good memories fell short. 

"With James, and Remus, and....even Pettigrew," Y/N saw Sirius's face grow tense for a short moment. "I hadn't had to search far for good memories."

Y/N smiled at his sentiment. 

"Hey, are you done making fun of me, and ready to come?" Harry asked peeking his head back in, his face still sour from Y/N poking fun at him. 

"Merlin, it was a joke Harold get over it," Y/N said moving towards him. 

"Nope, I'm revoking your privilege of calling me Harold," Harry fussed. 

"Fine, Harrison, get over it," Y/N smiled at him. 

"That was low," Harry scowled narrowing his eyes at her.

Sirius watched the too exit the cave bickering. He longed to be able to look over at Remus, or James, or Lily to smile at the two fourth years he saw in front of him. He was supposed to be placing a bet with James right now on when they would get together. 

Y/N reminded him so vividly of someone close to him. The humor, the attitude, the ambition. The kindness, however, he felt that came from someone else. Sirius didn't know who Y/N's birth parents were, but he was sure, that girl would be the best thing for Harry. 

"Five galleons they get together next year?" Sirius said aloud, looking up as he pictured his best friend's face smiling at him. 

Suddenly, Harry's head popped back inside the cave. His green eyes flashing like Lily's, and his untidy hair showing an uncanny resemblance to James. 

"Do you want to walk us to the end of the village?" he asked, his hopeful smile warming Sirius. 

"Yeah, maybe I can scrounge another paper," Sirius said. 

Harry looked satisfied and exited the cave. 

Sirius smiled, "You're on," he said upwards. 

He slipped into dog form and exited the cave following the four students as they descended the small hill back towards Hogsmeade Village. 

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟒: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟑

A/N: yes I did cry writing about Sirius but that's besides the point. 

I SWEAR I'M TRYING TO UPDATE AS MUCH AS I CAN GUYS AND I'M DONE WITH WRITERS BLOCK BEING A PAIN. I WANT TO GET TO YEAR 5 SO BADD!

ILY ALL SM YOU'RE THE SWEETEST MF'S I'VE MET <333