An Evident Change

Bartemius Crouch Jr, commonly known as Barty, was excited. Beyond excited. It was finally, finally his first year of Hogwarts, and he'd been looking forward to it for years. True his father had gone on about getting the best possible grade, being the best possible son, but his mother had said to just make friends and be happy.

There was nothing in this world that Bartemius Crouch Jr loved more than his mother. She was always, always there. She'd comfort him from a nightmare, taught him all she could about Ancient Runes, in which she specialized, and Barty would do all that he could to make her happy. He'd hugged her good-bye at the station, because his father had to get going for work, even if the train didn't leave for another twenty minutes. His mother had waved goodbye after kissing his forehead and Barty had sucked in a deep breath of air and twisted around, ready to head out on the train.

Only for his trunk to get caught on the steps of the train.

Letting out a gasp of surprise, Barty gave a vicious tug, but the trunk refused to move, stuck as it was. Grimacing, Barty twisted the handle this way and that, determined to get the trunk free, to wiggle the luggage out of the space it was currently caught in.

"Need a hand?"

Before Barty could answer, truck was lifted from the other side, almost sending the young Crouch heir stumbling back. Blowing a strand of sandy brown hair back and out of his eyes, Barty looked up and paused. The boy that'd helped him was obviously older than he was, perhaps a fifth or sixth year, decking out in Slytherin robes and wearing a perfect badge. Dark hair was pulled back in a small topknot, a few wispy strands breaking free and framing his face.

"Got a seat yet?" The boy asked, drawing his wand and flicking it at the trunk. Instantly Bart's luggage lifted into the air, floating serenely behide him.

Blinking in surprise, Barty shook his head, allowing the older boy, a perfect, to lead him down the train corridor before pushing open an empty compartment. His trunk flew upwards into storage and Barty turned to look at the older boy.

"Bartemius Couch Jr, heir to the Noble House of Crouch. But I just go by Barty."

"Turais Black, Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. Turais will do though." He knew that name!

"I remember meeting you! At the Parkinson's ball.." Barty trailed off, trying not to blush too hard. His father hadn't really hung out with that crowd again, not since the boy stood before him had proven himself to be parselmouth and thus, in his father's words, dark.

But Barty couldn't see it.

The boy had been nice enough to help him out, and just a year ago he'd made the newspaper for discovering the location of the chamber of secrets. Apparently, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named hadn't liked that, and had gone on several raids right after that announcement. And then he'd come up in the papers again over summer, having blasted the record for every exam he'd sat. That'd not happened since Octavius Lavin, who'd sat the OWL equivalents of the 1700's in 1758, a half-blood.

" You broke the record of OWLs! You even beat that Octavius gut!"

At that, Turais Black gave a funny smile, chewing on his lip after a second.

"Yes I... Read about Octavius' life. It was certainly.. Eventful. Are you first year Barty?"

"I am."

"Feeling nervous?"

Barty fidgeted a bit, sitting down once Turais Black took a seat as well, one leg crossed over the other as grey eyes assessed him, almost as if the older boy was looking for something specific.

"Yeah, I am. I wanna be in Slytherin I think."

"Why?"

"Because it's for the ambitious. I'm going to get the best OWL and NEWTs in my year."

Turais Black smiled, just as the compartment door opened and another boy who looked shockingly like the perfect came in, dragging his trunk behide him.

"Turais, Sirius hit mother with some kind of experimental colour changing potion. She's lit up like a rainbow."

"Blast it," Turais shot to his feet, ruffling the younger boy's hair and heading for the compartment door.

"Oh and Bart, even if you don't end up in Slytherin I'll look out for you."

And the boy swept away.

The younger boy, Regulus Black, introduced himself as a Slytherin second year, younger brother to the teen who'd just helped him out. He was seeker for the Slytherin House team, impressive considering he was only just going into second year.

And by the end of the train journey, Barty was pleased to say he'd made his first friend.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Watching the sorting from where he was sat up to the Slytherin table, Harry let out a low sigh, running a hand across the back of his neck as he did so.

It'd been a huge test of his willpower, to sit back at Hogwarts and watch familiar faces pass by, to see people before their actions had made them into the witches and wizards he knew. It was so strange, to see his parents orbiting around one another, to see Lily and Snape, no, Lily and Severus hanging out as best friends. To have all but raised Sirius and Regulus, to step into the wise and loving role that Walburga hadn't fit and Orion was too wary of.

Oh, the man did love them, but he was so awkward around them. He had no idea how to handle Regulus' constant curiosity of the world, or Sirius head-strong behaviour. Sirius...

Scowling, Harry rubbed at his temples as the first years were led into the hall.

For the past few years he'd been taking his two brothers camping for a week over summer. But the middle Black child had been adamant to not go this year, because he wanted to spend it frolicking about with James. Remus and Peter. Harry had actually had to go to Orion, who'd threatened to start looking at betrothal contracts if Sirius didn't get his act together.

Not that Orion would do that to him. Arcturus had done so to Orion, and though he was happy with Walburga it didn't mean he wanted to do the same to his sons. Their father was happy for them to find their own match, as long as they were respectable young women.

It wasn't the first-time that Harry had seen himself pressured by his parents for a good match, but he'd do his own thing. If he found a women he liked, he'd stick with her. If he didn't, he didn't

Not that any of this mattered to Sirius, who hadn't spoken to him since the camping trip. He knew it wouldn't be long until the whole thing came to head, probably in the most public setting available, but he'd worry about that then.

"Crouch, Bartemius."

Looking up at the little first year. Harry raised a curious eyebrow.

A lot had changed since he'd come to the school, or so he liked to think. People he knew had been Death Eaters were now finding good jobs and not joining the crowd. Hell, Elliot Greengrass, who'd been notoriously neutral before, had gone on to become an Auror and fight Voldemort's terror attacks. So he was certainly making an impact.

And this Bartemius Crouch Jr was not the one he knew.

He was an innocent eleven year old, much like Peter had been when he first met him in this new time, So he'd reserve judgement. He knew that Barty had gone to Voldemort because he'd paid attention to him when his father never had. So maybe he could help the boy. Hell, he was managing with Severus Snape of all people, Barty couldn't be too difficult.

"Slytherin!"

Harry clapped, sat between the younger Lestrange. The other teen was hesitant in their friendship, but hadn't proclaimed any desire to chase after a spot in Voldemort's Death Eaters. Then again, considering that Harry liked to spout off his 'conspiracy theories' regarding Voldemort's actually identity, the boy was probably rethinking his choice.

Hell, maybe the Lestrange name would survive this time.

.

"Okay then, welcoming to Slytherin." clapping his hand together. Harry looked out over the new firsties, smiling as he did so. They were so small it was almost cute. No matter how many times he landed the perfect job Hogwarts, he loved introducing the little firsties.

"My name's Turais Black for those that didn't know, and I am the sixth year perfect for our lovely house. I'll be showing you to and from your lessons for the first week of school, so if you have any questions that don't be afraid to ask"

"Are you really a parselmouth?"

Pausing in his speech, Harry let his eyes scan for the source of the voice, falling upon a young girl that looked somewhat like Pansy Parkinson. At least. the haxy face he could remember. Only this one was blonde. Must be a relation.

"Indeed I am. Now, Slytherin house is know for it's cunning and ambition. That is not a free pass to go and bully the first Hufflepuff you see, no matter what gossip you've heard, I do not stand for bullying, and Professor Slughorn had pretty much given me free reign regarding punishments for those caught bullying. And don't misunderstand that sentence thinking if you get away with it you're okay. Because i will catch you. Ask any other person here and they'll tell you so. Now, as the most ambitious house, our head of house expects good classwork, for you to pay attention and study. Do your work, ask if you have a problem."

Another hand was up and Harry forced back a sigh at once again being interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Is it rue you found the Chamber of Secrets?" All the first years seemed to perk up at this and Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yes I did. No, there is no spirit of Salazar Slytherin down there, yes, I will take you all down there, no, not right now."

"Then when?"

"I'll be running a tour the second Saturday of school for all the first years that want to go. Now your dorms are at the bottom of the stairs, so I'll see you all here at half seven in the morning if you'd like a guide back to the Great hall."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________And yes, Octavius Lavin was a past Harry.