Chapter 260: "A Frantic Chase"

The old stone walls of Hogwarts echoed with the hurried footsteps of Charles Potter as he sprinted through the entrance hall, his heart pounding. The urgency of his mission pushed him forward, his mind racing from the strange encounter he'd just had in the Forbidden Forest. As he turned a corner at full speed, he almost crashed into Professor Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.

"Charles!" Moody shouted, his normal eye widening in surprise while his magical eye swiveled around, taking in Charles's disheveled appearance and panicked expression. "What's got you running like that, lad? You look like you've seen a ghost—and not one of the friendly ones."

Gasping for breath, Charles struggled to explain. The words tumbled out quickly, his voice shaking with both exertion and fear. "Professor! It's Mr. Crouch—he's in the forest—something's wrong—we need Dumbledore—"

Moody's face grew serious as Charles described what had happened with the delirious Barty Crouch Sr. His magical eye spun faster with each detail, as if searching for unseen dangers hidden in the castle walls.

"Dumbledore's away on urgent Ministry business," Moody growled, his voice tense, clearly frustrated at the headmaster's absence at such an important time. "But this can't wait. Not with everything that's been happening. Show me where you left him, Charles. Now."

Without hesitation, they set off toward the Forbidden Forest at a brisk pace, Moody's wooden leg thumping steadily in rhythm with Charles's hurried steps. The night air felt thick with tension as they approached the spot where Charles had left Krum and Crouch, the dark forest closing in around them.

When they reached the clearing, they were met with an unexpected shock. Instead of finding Crouch and Krum, they found only the unconscious body of Viktor Krum lying on the forest floor. There was no sign of Crouch—he had disappeared as if he had never been there.

"Bloody hell," Moody muttered, his magical eye spinning rapidly as he looked around. "This is worse than I thought. Charles, I need you to do something for me, quickly. Summon your broom—that Firebolt of yours. I'll need its speed for what comes next."

Though confused by the request, Charles didn't hesitate. He raised his wand and called out, "Accio Firebolt!" His voice echoed through the forest, and moments later, his sleek racing broom zoomed into view, coming to a stop beside them.

Moody grabbed the Firebolt, his gnarled hands gripping the polished handle tightly. "Good lad. Now, I need you to take Krum to Madam Pomfrey. Make sure he's looked after properly. I'll track down Crouch—whatever's going on here, it's not good, and we can't let him slip away."

Charles opened his mouth to argue, to insist on helping, but Moody cut him off with a stern look. "No arguments, Potter. This is beyond you now. Get Krum to safety and alert the other staff. That's how you can help best."

Reluctantly, Charles nodded and used his wand to levitate Krum. As he began making his way back to the castle, he glanced back and saw Moody mounting the Firebolt, his magical eye already scanning the forest as he took off.

---

Rewind the clock by a few minutes, and we find ourselves back in the depths of the Forbidden Forest. Viktor Krum stood guard over the mumbling form of Barty Crouch Sr., growing more uneasy with every passing moment. The shadows around them seemed to deepen, the usual sounds of the forest muted as if nature itself was holding its breath.

Suddenly, a twig snapped nearby, the sound sharp in the eerie quiet. Krum turned quickly, his wand at the ready, his reflexes honed by years of Quidditch training. To his shock, he found himself staring at another Barty Crouch Sr.—a perfect duplicate of the man lying at his feet.

"Who are you?" Krum demanded, his accent thick with tension, his wand aimed directly at the newcomer. "Why do you look like him? What's going on here?"

The second Crouch raised his hands in a calming gesture, his voice calm and confident. "I am the real Barty Crouch Senior, Mr. Krum. I'm here on official Ministry business, though I can't say more than that. The man you've been guarding is... let's call him an experiment from the Department of Mysteries who escaped. Lower your wand, lad, and let me take care of this situation."

Krum hesitated, torn between his instincts and the desire for a simple explanation. Just then, the Crouch on the ground, who had been mumbling incoherently, suddenly snapped to attention at the sound of the other's voice. His eyes, previously vacant, sharpened with a mix of recognition and anger.

With a snarl, the prone Crouch tried to grab a wand that wasn't there, his hands grasping at nothing. Realizing he was unarmed and outnumbered, he made a split-second decision. In a burst of energy, he scrambled to his feet and ran into the forest, hoping to lose his pursuers in the darkness.

Krum, caught off guard, turned his attention to the fleeing man. In that instant, the second Crouch—who was actually Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise—seized his chance. With lightning-fast reflexes, he sent a stunning spell flying at Krum.

The red light hit Krum square in the back, and the Durmstrang Seeker fell to the ground without a sound. Crouch Jr. wasted no time, immediately casting another stunning spell at his fleeing father. The spell found its mark, and the elder Crouch collapsed mid-stride, unconscious before he hit the ground.

Standing alone in the clearing, Crouch Jr. surveyed the scene, his mind racing. He had narrowly averted disaster—if his father had escaped, it could have ruined everything. Now, he needed to act quickly to control the situation and salvage their plan.

He turned his attention to Krum. The Durmstrang champion was a complication, but killing him would attract too much attention. Krum's fame meant his disappearance would lead to a major investigation, potentially ruining the entire tournament.

With a grimace, Crouch Jr. pointed his wand at Krum. "Obliviate," he muttered, carefully altering the young man's memories. He erased any recollection of seeing two Crouch Seniors, replacing it with a vague memory of being attacked by an unseen figure while guarding a confused Ministry official.

With that done, Crouch Jr. turned back to his father. Time was running out. He needed to get beyond the Hogwarts wards so he could contact his master and arrange for his father's capture once more.

Casting a Disillusionment Charm over his father's unconscious body, Crouch Jr. began moving through the forest, always alert for any signs of pursuit. His progress was slow, weighed down by the need for stealth and the unconscious form he was carrying.

As he neared the edge of the Hogwarts wards, he heard a sound from above—the unmistakable whoosh of a broomstick slicing through the night air. Someone was chasing him, and they were moving much faster than he could on foot.

Acting quickly, Crouch Jr. hid his father in a dense thicket, covering him with an Invisibility Cloak. Then, taking a deep breath, he stepped into a small clearing to face whoever was coming. He could only hope his disguise would hold up under scrutiny and that he had the skills to deal with this new threat.