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〃Crouch's son was caught？〃 gasped Hermione。
〃Yep；〃 said Sirius； throwing his chicken bone to Buckbeak； flinging himself back down on the ground beside the loaf of bread； and tearing it in half。 〃Nasty little shock for old Barty； I'd imagine。 Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family； shouldn't he？ Ought to have left the office early once in a while。。。 gotten to know his own son。〃
He began to wolf down large pieces of bread。
〃Was his son a Death Eater？〃 said Harry。
〃No idea；〃 said Sirius； still stuffing down bread。 〃I was in Azkaban myself when he was brought in。 This is mostly stuff I've found out since I got out。 The boy was definitely caught in the pany 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 the house…elf。〃
〃Did Crouch try and get his son off？〃 Hermione whispered。
Sirius let out a laugh that was much more like a bark。
〃Crouch let his son off？ I thought you had the measure of him； Hermione！ Anything that threatened to tarnish his reputation had to go； he had dedicated his whole life to being Minister of Magic。 You saw him dismiss a devoted house…elf because she associated him with the Dark Mark again…doesn't that tell you what he's like？ 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。〃
〃He gave his own son to the dementors？〃 asked Harry quietly。
〃That's right；〃 said Sirius； and he didn't look remotely amused now。 〃I 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。。。〃
For a moment； the deadened look in Sirius's eyes became more pronounced than ever； as though shutters had closed behind them。
〃So he's still in Azkaban？〃 Harry said。
〃No；〃 said Sirius dully。 〃No； he's not in there anymore。 He died about a year after they brought him in。〃
〃He died？〃
〃He wasn't the only one；〃 said Sirius bitterly。 〃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 ing； because the dementors could sense it； they got excited。 That boy looked pretty sickly when he arrived。 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 sons body。 The dementors buried him outside the fortress； I watched them do it。〃
Sirius threw aside the bread he had just lifted to his mouth and instead picked up the flask of pumpkin juice and drained it。
〃So old Crouch lost it all； just when he thought he had it made；〃 he continued； wiping his mouth with the back of his hand。 〃One moment； a hero； poised to bee 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。 Harry was thinking of the way Crouch's eyes had bulged as he'd looked down at his disobedient house…elf back in the wood at the Quidditch World Cup。 This； then； must have been why Crouch had overreacted to Winky being found beneath the Dark Mark。 It had brought back memories of his son； and the old scandal； and his fall from grace at the Ministry。
〃Moody says Crouch is obsessed with catching Dark wizards；〃 Harry told Sirius。
〃Yeah； I've heard it's bee a bit of a mania with him；〃 said Sirius； nodding。 〃If you ask me； he still thinks he can bring back the old popularity by catching one more Death Eater。〃
〃And he sneaked up here to search Snape's office！〃 s aid Ron triumphantly； looking at Hermione。
〃Yes； and that doesn't make sense at all；〃 said Sirius。
〃Yeah； it does！〃 said Ron excitedly； but Sirius shook his head。
〃Listen； if Crouch wants to investigate Snape； why hasn't he been ing 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？〃 asked Harry； but Hermione broke in。
〃Look； I don't care what you say； Dumbledore trusts Snape…〃
〃Oh give it a rest； Hermione；〃 said Ron impatiently。 〃I know Dumbledores 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？〃
〃I dunno…maybe he thought Dumbledore would kick him out…〃
〃What d'you think； Sirius？〃 Harry said loudly； and Ron and Hermione stopped bickering to listen。
〃I think they've both got a point；〃 said Sirius； looking thoughtfully at Ron and Hermione。 〃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；〃 Sirius added； and Harry and Ron grinned 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。〃
Sirius held up his fingers and began ticking off names。
〃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；〃 said Ron。
〃Yeah； you should've seen Snape's face when Karkaroff turned up in Potions yesterday！〃 said Harry quickly。 〃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 I couldn't see what it was。〃
He showed Snape something on his arm？〃 said Sirius； looking frankly bewildered。 He ran his fingers distractedly through his filthy hair； then shrugged again。 〃Well； I've no idea what that's about。。。 but if Karkaroff s genuinely worried； and he's going to Snape for answers 。。。〃
Sirius stared at the cave wall； then made a grimace of frustration。
〃There's still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape； and I know Dumbledore trusts where