☤ Pseudonym ☤

~Chapter Eighteen~

Harry had been avoiding me ever since that day in Hogsmeade. It had been weeks and he still refused to even acknowledge my presence. Every time I entered the room he would immediately get up and leave. Hermione and Ron had questioned me thoroughly several times, but I always gave the same answer. "I don't know why he's acting so strange."

"But you must know something." Hermione pleaded.

"Did you say something, or do something?" Ron joined in.

"Maybe you should ask Harry instead of just blaming me." I shouted, getting annoyed at their constant badgering. 

"We did." they chorused. 

"He just said that he was fine and to stop bothering him..." said Hermione, but trailed off slightly at the end.

"And to be careful around you." Ron murmured without making any eye contact.

"What!?" I shouted, "Why would he say that?" Oh no, does he know something. Who would have told him?

"Ron!" Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. He winced and rubbed his side. "Maybe you should talk to him, Renn?" 

I sat down with a sigh, "I've tried. Trust me I've tried." He just keeps brushing me off, or leaving. He won't even make eye contact with me. "Maybe he's just worried about Crouch." 

Ron and Hermione's heads whipped round to face me. "How do you know about that?" she asked, looking angry and concerned. "We thought that Dumbledore wasn't telling anyone." 

"Yeah, I swear they haven't even found Mr Crouch yet." Ron added.

"Found him? Why would they need to find him?" I was just talking about what I overheard in the cave; about his wife and son.

"Shoot." Hermione elbowed Ron again in the ribs.

"Ow Hermione! Would you stop that?" he shrieked.

"I'll stop when you stop telling her confidential information." she retorted angrily.

"So what happened to Crouch?" I asked, "I know that you know something, so you may as well tell me."

They exchanged a worried look. "Well, Harry and Krum were in the forest and then they saw Mr Crouch." Hermione began. I crossed my legs and listened intently.

"Only he was acting all strange and saying things about You-Know-Who." Ron continued.

"Yeah, and so Harry went to get Dumbledore."

"But when he got back, Mr Crouch was gone and Krum was on the ground, unconscious. Mad-Eye Moody has been looking for him ever since, but there's no sign of him."

"You can't tell anyone." Hermione begged, "Harry was reluctant even to tell us."

"I won't tell anyone. I swear it." and I truly meant it. It wouldn't help anyone for this to get out. It can't be a good thing that Barty is looking for his father. I know that they never got along, in fact Barty despised him.

"Mad-Eye suspects kidnapping." Ron says suddenly.

"What?" I had tuned out of their conversation, lost in my own concerns.

"For what could've happened to him. I think he disapparated." 

"You can't disapparate in Hogwarts." Hermione and I say at the same time. 

"I know that." says Ron indignantly, "But he works for the ministry, so maybe he can bypass it or something."

I shake my head, "It's not possible."