That scene in the Goblet of Fire where Barty Crouch Jr get caught but with Regulus Black instead of Snape; inspired by this post by @venttum. //You can also find this exact story on ao3//
Regulus should have known better; something about Alastor Moody had been bothering him throughout the whole year and yet instead of investigating further, he had decided to rely on Dumbledore’s judgement and pushed all of his concerns in the back of his mind.
He had trusted the headmaster even when his skin began to burn and his guts tingled. However time had proven the old wizard wrong and despite him being the only sorcerer that Voldemort feared, Dumbledore still was easily deceivable and apparently, all it took was great skills at brewing potions and a decent impersonating act.
Regulus heard Dumbledore’s voice echo somewhere in the room but he couldn’t quite grasp anything that was going on around him as his mind dozed off at the sight of Barty sat in front of him with Moody’s baggy clothes on and an empty flask of Polyjuice Potion at his feet. The whole situation was extremely unsettling; Regulus thought that Barty was dead - alone and in Azkaban - however it was now clear that the young Black wasn’t the only one to have put on the act of a fake death. Moreover Regulus was barely seventeen when he last saw his lifelong friend and that certainly wasn’t the reunion he was longing for.
«I’ll show you mine if you show me yours»
Barty’s voice cut thought the noise like a sharp knife; husky and agitated tones flew directly to Harry who was shielding himself behind Regulus.
Dumbledore pushed the boy toward Barty to show him his bare arm; a deep cut ripped the skin open and stained it in bright, vibrant red.
«He’s coming back, the Dark Lord is coming back»
A mad man, that was what Barty had become.
Regulus’ heart skipped a bit. For the first time in years, the thought of Barty not being himself anymore occurred to him. Once he had known a boy with whom he used to spend his summer; a boy that was never dull but now, now he was meeting someone completely twisted by the darkness; a man turned crazy by the mere taste of power.
When Regulus forced his eyes back on this new and unknown man, Barty reciprocated his gaze for a brief moment. Dilated pupils met two dark voids and like many years before, indigo stones melted in the heat of pitch black flames. Pure rage bursted trough Regulus’ body and suddenly he was filled with anger towards Barty and towards everything that they had lost during the war. They were just kids when they found themselves thrown in the midst of a fucking slaughterhouse.
«I will send a letter to Azkaban and to the Ministry, it seems like one of their prisoner isn’t dead after all. Minerva take Harry back to his dorm and Regulus can I trust you with Crouch here?»
Regulus’ insides twisted painfully, after years of working with Dumbledore - for Dumbledore - and devoting himself to Hogwarts, he still was the one not to trust.
Dumbledore looked at him with troubled eyes; he knew - of course he did - and for once, his mistrust was due to something that went beyond the sphere of opposite parties. Love, the greatest weapon of them all.
«Of course you can, headmaster»
It was only when the room was empty that Barty spoke again.
Regulus grimaced and tightened the grip on his wand.
«Don’t call me that, you’re not my friend»
The other man laughed, it was a devilish sound that rumbled at the back of his throat. Regulus swallowed hard, he remembered a different chuckle; a foreign trill that got lost somewhere in the past.
«You’re right, I’m not but I never was, was I?»
Barty grabbed Regulus from the sleeve of his robe and pulled him closer. The young Black stumbled on his feet, his wand slipped from his hand but he didn’t back away. He knew he should have done something - anything - other than falling for his little games again but his limbs froze under Barty’s familiar touch and goosebumps rose wherever Barty’s thumb stroked his skin and pressed the nest of visible veins.
Regulus’ voice quivered; he wanted to despise that man, he wanted to forget the memory of his touch, his taste, his smell.
Barty grip tightened which made Regulus gasp despite himself. It wasn’t tender nor playful, it was a firm and painful clutch meant to leave a mark.
«You’re a traitor Reggie, did you really think I didn’t know that?»
Regulus tried to free himself with a harsh tug but Barty’s free hand reached his waist and held him in place.
«I know what you did to the Dark Lord»
Regulus tried to shove him to put some sort of distance between them but instead, they tumbled on each other. Regulus’ breath itched when Barty’s hands moved to his neck and pressed on his pulse points. Regulus’ ears buzzed, it couldn’t end like that. Not after everything he had done and everything he still had to do, for Sirius, for Harry, for himself. So Regulus acted on mere impulse, he pulled Barty’s hair and crashed their lips together. Hard and dry. Barty stilled beneath him before releasing the grasp on his neck, their mouths still clutched against each other; all teeth and tongues, bites and tugs. A different form of familiarity.
«You’re a fucking traitor»
Barty repeated once they parted from each other, panting and flustered.
«They’ll take you to the Dementors, they’ll give you the kiss»
Barty’s face quivered. It was no secret of how daunting the Dementors were and even standing near one of them was a horrid experience that drained one of every single sparkle of happiness, of life.
«You must be pleased with that»
«I’m not, I don’t hate you»
Barty scoffed and Regulus let his gaze linger on his jawline, how many time did he kiss that same point? In that moment he wished he didn’t happened.
«But you’re not the hero, open your fucking eyes!»
Barty shoved Regulus against the nearest wall, resentment flickered trough his face and blinded his eyes. Regulus didn’t know what happened to them nor when their love turned in to hatred. Was it when he left for the cave? He just wanted to forget.
«You used to worship him, the Dark Lord, what happened?»
Regulus sighed, there was no point in arguing with someone who had lost him mind after all he was gone forever.
«I started thinking with my own head»
The door opened in that moment and Dumbledore joined them in the room, behind him stood jailers in black robes.
«They’re ready to take him»
Barty straighten up - bloody pureblood - and marched toward them.
«Barty wait! I need to know… I — did you ever?»
That was the last time Regulus saw Barty Crouch Junior.
