Evan gracefully waved his wand, and several towering trees materialized around him. Ugly branches extended, contorting into the forms of three men who stood before Hermione, Ron, and Mr. Crouch.
"Come out, I know you're here!" Evan exclaimed, his voice resonating within the forest, its echoes fading into the distance.
Evan held his wand across his chest and took two steps forward, seemingly vulnerable, devoid of any protective enchantments. He scanned the surroundings, searching for the concealed Barty Crouch Jr., poised to entice him into revealing himself.
Barty Crouch Jr., too, was on the lookout for an opportunity to strike and finish off Evan. "The castle will arrive soon; your time is running out!" Evan warned as he surveyed his surroundings. His concentration was unwavering, leaving no room for Barty Crouch Jr. to further delay.
In the next moment, the battle erupted! Without warning, Evan darted forward, evading a deadly spell that streaked diagonally toward him. With a swift wave of his wand, a magical barrier of shimmering silver water emerged from thin air, intercepting a dark green light. This collision produced brilliant sparks and an eerie sound resembling flowing water.
Seizing the brief lull in his opponent's onslaught, Evan waved his wand, directing it at the origin of the hostile spell. A sphere of dark blue light shot forth from the wand's tip, striking a distant tree. In the blink of an eye, the tree's trunk corroded and withered rapidly.
Amid the cacophony of their fierce duel, Evan discerned heavy footsteps as Barty Crouch Jr. narrowly avoided Evan's corrosive spell. Illuminated by the surrounding flames, Evan spotted Barty Crouch Jr. stumbling towards distant bushes.
Refusing to grant his adversary respite, Evan's wand shot upwards, conjuring a column of fire that surged from the underbrush, its intense heat making any hiding spot untenable for Barty Crouch Jr. Forced to abandon his concealment, Barty Crouch Jr. materialized amidst the flames, his features exposed.
In a bid to evade detection, he employed magic to revert Moody's appearance to his original visage: light yellow hair, a pallid face, and a manic, twisted grin. Despite his body being singed by the flames, he displayed an unsettling excitement instead of anguish. This man was truly unhinged!
The fiery column transformed into a fountain, cascading water that transformed into venomous creatures, their clicks resounding as they surged toward Evan. The ring of flames encircling Evan expanded outward, subjecting the insects to searing torment. Their agonized wails faded into wisps of black smoke, dispersing into nothingness.
Simultaneously, a fierce wind arose, extinguishing the light and fire Evan had conjured around them, plunging them back into darkness. Both combatants stood panting, remaining in their respective positions, a tacit understanding that rapid victory was unattainable, and that Ivan held the upper hand.
Barty Crouch acknowledged this reality, surprised by Evan's formidable resistance, and grew slightly anxious. His gaze shifted towards Ron, Hermione, and Crouch, sheltered by the tree people. The battle raged on, with Barty Crouch Jr. evading Evan's attacks while targeting Ron and Hermione. A green spell clashed with the tree people, sending splinters flying and emitting a dreadful noise. Soon, they disintegrated into a fine powder.
Evan, prioritizing the safety of Ron, Hermione, and Mr. Crouch, abandoned the pursuit of his opponent, focusing on shielding them diligently. There was no need to vanquish Barty Crouch Jr. immediately; endurance favored Ivan.
In an unexpected turn, Mr. Crouch suddenly rose from his stupor, spurred on by the confrontation between the two adversaries. Regaining his composure, he pointed in terror at the nearby Barty Crouch Jr., his eyes widened, and his body trembled.
"My dear father!" Barty Crouch Jr. exclaimed breathlessly, licking his lips. In the dim light, a cruel, eerie grin crept across his face as he observed Mr. Crouch with perverse fascination.
"Help me, help me now!" Mr. Crouch shifted, lunging toward Avon, clutching his robes with a death grip. He cried out, "I must see Dumbledore, my son, the Dark Lord."
"Damn it!" Evan struggled and conjured another shield. "I'm helping you now, stay down and be still."
Overwhelmed by fear and losing his sanity, Mr. Crouch released his grip on Evan and was sent hurtling backward, crashing into a tree trunk with a bleeding head.
"The Dark Lord has grown more powerful and acquired great malevolent might!" He staggered to his feet, waving his arms, screaming as he fled toward the woods. "It's all my fault, it's all my fault; I must inform Dumbledore, I cannot allow the Dark Lord to succeed."
He swiftly vanished into the dense woods, with Barty Crouch Jr. in hot pursuit. Evan hesitated, torn between following them and safeguarding the unconscious Ron and Hermione. Mr. Crouch's fate was sealed, and Barty Crouch Jr. could not be deterred. Pursuing them now might jeopardize Ron and Hermione, who lay helpless on the ground.
Reluctantly, Evan decided to let Barty Crouch Jr. handle the situation. It was in both parties' interests to maintain the charade surrounding Barty Crouch Jr.'s identity and let the plan unfold as intended. Evan's foremost concern lay in deciphering Mr. Crouch's cryptic last words—what did they signify? Voldemort's increased malevolence, his progress towards becoming the evil god, and Mr. Crouch's sudden flight to Hogwarts all begged for clarification.
Evan also pondered the role Keresys had played, perhaps inadvertently, in exacerbating the ongoing conflict with Voldemort. At this juncture, Keresys had certainly added an additional layer of complexity to the situation.
Turning his attention to Hermione and Ron, Evan observed their unconscious forms. It appeared that Barty Crouch Jr. had refrained from delivering a fatal blow. "Enervate!" Evan whispered, directing his wand at Hermione. She stirred, her expression vacant, trying to make sense of her surroundings as she found herself lying in someone's lap. Upon seeing Evan, she struggled to sit up, her confusion evident.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Evan swiftly placed a reassuring hand on Hermione's shoulder, urging her to remain still.
"What happened?" Hermione inquired softly. "After Harry left, I had a strange feeling that something was amiss, as if someone were lurking in the shadows, spying on us. I had just sent out a warning signal when I was suddenly knocked down..."
"You did an excellent job, Hermione!" Evan briefly recounted the recent events. He omitted the fact that he had faced Barty Crouch Jr., instead stating that it was an unidentified assailant.
"Who was that man, and why did he want to harm Mr. Crouch?" Hermione inquired, turning her gaze in the direction where Mr. Crouch had disappeared. "Evan, what should we do now? Should we go after him to help..."
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted them. It was Dumbledore and Harry. The two hurried towards them, a slender beam of light piercing through the darkened trees.
"What's going on, Evan?" Dumbledore asked calmly. "Where's Crouch?!"
"He escaped, either wandering in the woods or..." Evan began explaining the recent events once more.
Dumbledore listened to Evan's account, his gaze fixed thoughtfully on the dark forest, comprehending Evan's unspoken message.
"Professor, should we search for him or return and seek assistance?" Harry inquired.
"No!" Dumbledore responded promptly. "Stay here, Harry. All four of you, stay here." He raised his wand, directing it towards Hagrid's hut. A silvery form erupted from his wand, darting through the trees. Dumbledore then approached Ron and roused him.
Ron awoke, clutching the back of his head with his hand. "It hurts!" he exclaimed. "I was hit by that old maniac. Hermione suddenly fainted, and I was about to check on her when he struck me from behind!"
"It wasn't Mr. Crouch; it was someone else!" Harry whispered, explaining the situation to Ron.
Shortly after, the sound of thunderous footsteps reached their ears, and Hagrid arrived, panting. He was accompanied by Tooth, who carried a bow and arrows.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Hagrid exclaimed, wide-eyed. "What happened here to you four?"
He cast uneasy glances at the aftermath of the battle between Evan and Barty Crouch Jr.
"Hagrid, could you please inform Professor Moody..." Dumbledore began.
"No need, Dumbledore!" interrupted a gruff voice. "I'm already here."
Moody, with his wand lit and wearing different attire, limped towards them from the woods, accompanied by a stretcher bearing the unconscious Krum.
"I should've been here sooner if not for this cursed leg!" Moody grumbled, gesturing at his prosthetic limb.
"Professor, what happened to Krum?" Ron asked in surprise, eyeing Krum behind Moody.
"He lost consciousness as if he were attacked," Moody replied gruffly, his magical eye spinning rapidly.
Evan recalled that he had been burned by the magical fire, but now it appeared as though nothing had happened at all. It was truly...
"Krum was severely injured; someone attempted to kill him," Moody continued, "Fortunately, I was patrolling the woods and found him."
Hearing Moody's words, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to Evan.
"Well, I did engage him in a fight, but he didn't pass out or get injured when I left," Evan sighed, recounting his encounter with Krum and the barrier spell he had used. He hadn't anticipated Krum crossing paths with Barty Crouch Jr.; it was truly unfortunate.
"Professor, it wasn't Evan who attacked Krum; it must have been the person pursuing Mr. Crouch," Harry quickly interjected. "It's likely the same individual who encountered Krum in the woods and injured him."
"Exactly!" Hermione added anxiously. "I can vouch for Evan..."
"Quiet, Ms. Granger!" Moody barked. "Did you just mention Crouch?!"
"Yes, he disappeared into the woods; we must find him!" Dumbledore declared while examining Krum. "Hagrid, please fetch Professor Karkaroff; he must be informed."
"Oh, yes, no problem, Professor!" Hagrid responded, glancing worryingly at Evan and the others before vanishing into the dark foliage, Tooth and Nail following him at a brisk trot.
Moody, having deduced the situation from Harry and Ron, raised his wand.
"Damn it, I can't believe I missed them earlier. I'm going to search for Crouch!" he announced, limping into the forest.
The others remained silent, and Dumbledore observed Moody's departure without intervening. It was evident that Moody intended to dispose of Mr. Crouch's body.
"Professor, is Krum alright?" Hermione inquired with concern.
"He's not in danger, but he'll need time to recover," Dumbledore reassured her.
After a few moments, they heard movement once more, signifying Hagrid and Tooth's return. Karkaroff followed, his sleek, silvery-white fur robes contrasting with his pale, anxious demeanor.
"What happened?" he exclaimed upon seeing Krum on the ground. "What's going on?"
"Igor, he's been attacked!" Dumbledore began, but before he could finish his sentence, Karkaroff abruptly straightened, clutching his fur robes tightly. His face contorted in anger.
"Enough of these deceptions, all of them!" he pointed accusingly at Dumbledore. "I can see that this is a conspiracy! You and your Ministry of Magic lured me here under false pretenses, Dumbledore, and it was not a fair competition! First, you sneak Weasley into the tournament, even though he's underage! Now, you're attempting to incapacitate my champions! I smell deceit and trickery in this entire affair! And you, Dumbledore, with all your talk of fostering international wizarding relations, mending old grievances, and restoring past goodwill, I now see your true character!"
Karkaroff spat at Dumbledore's feet, and before he could react, Hagrid grabbed Karkaroff's fur robe, hoisting him up and pressing him against a nearby tree.
"Apologize!" Hagrid roared, and Karkaroff struggled.
Hagrid's large hand was at Karkaroff's throat, and his feet dangled above the ground.
"Hagrid, enough!" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing sternly.
Hagrid released his grip, allowing Karkaroff to slide down the trunk. Karkaroff lay in a crumpled heap at the tree's base, leaves and twigs falling upon him, looking thoroughly disheveled