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Harry sped up； skirting the edge of the forest； he had just under fifteen minutes to get back to the fireside and talk to Sirius； and he couldn't remember； ever； wanting to talk to someone more than he did right now…when； without warning； he ran into something very solid。
Harry fell backward； his glasses askew； clutching the cloak around him。 A voice nearby said； 〃Ouch！ Who's there？〃
Harry hastily checked that the cloak was covering him and hay very still； staring up at the dark outline of the wizard he had hit。 He recognized the goatee。。。 it was Karkaroff。
〃Who's there？〃 said Karkaroff again； very suspiciously； looking around in the darkness。 Harry remained still and silent。 After a minute or so； Karkaroff seemed to decide that he had hit some sort of animal； he was looking around at waist height； as though expecting to see a dog。 Then he crept back under the cover of the trees and started to edge forward toward the place where the dragons were。
Very slowly and very carefully； Harry got to his feet and set off again as fast as he could without making too much noise； hurrying through the darkness back toward Hogwarts。
He had no doubt whatsoever what Karkaroff was up to。 He had sneaked off his ship to try and find out what the first task was going to be。 He might even have spotted Hagrid and Madame Maxime heading off around the forest together…they were hardly difficult to spot at a distance。。。 and now all Karkaroff had to do was follow the sound of voices； and he； like Madame Maxime； would know what was in store for the champions。
By the looks of it； the only champion who would be facing the unknown on Tuesday was Cedric。
Harry reached the castle； slipped in through the front doors； and began to climb the marble stairs； he was very out of breath； but he didn't dare slow down。。。 He had less than five minutes to get up to the fire。
〃Balderdash！〃 he gasped at the Fat Lady； who was snoozing in her frame in front of the portrait hole。
〃If you say so；〃 she muttered sleepily； without opening her eyes； and the picture swung forward to admit him。 Harry climbed inside。 The mon room was deserted； and； judging by the fact that it smelled quite normal； Hermione had not needed to set off any Dungbombs to ensure that he and Sirius got privacy。
Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and threw himself into an armchair in front of the fire。 The room was in semidarkness； the flames were the only source of light。 Nearby； on a table； the Support Cedric Diggory！ badges the Creeveys had been trying to improve were glinting in the firelight。 They now read POTTER REALLY STINKS。 Harry looked back into the flames； and jumped。
Sirius's head was sitting in the fire。 If Harry hadn't seen Mr。 Diggory do exactly this back in the Weasleys' kitchen； it would have scared him out of his wits。 Instead； his face breaking into the first smile he had worn for days； he scrambled out of his chair； crouched down by the hearth； and said； 〃Sirius…how're you doing？〃
Sirius looked different from Harry's memory of him。 When they had said good…bye； Sirius's face had been gaunt and sunken； surrounded by a quantity of long； black； matted hair…but the hair was short and clean now； Sirius's face was fuller； and he looked younger； much more like the only photograph Harry had of him； which had been taken at the Potters' wedding。
〃Never mind me； how are you？〃 said Sirius seriously。
〃I'm…〃 For a second； Harry tried to say 〃fine〃…but he couldn't do it。 Before he could stop himself； he was talking more than he'd talked in days…about how no one believed he hadn't entered the tournament of his own free will； how Rita Skeeter had lied about him in the Daily Prophet； how he couldn't walk down a corridor without being sneered at…and about Ron； Ron not believing him； Ron's jealousy。。。
〃。。。 and now Hagrid's just shown me what's ing in the first task； and it's dragons； Sirius； and I'm a goner；〃 he finished desperately。
Sirius looked at him； eyes full of concern； eyes that had not yet lost the look that Azkaban had given them…that deadened； haunted look He had let Harry talk himself into silence without interruption； but now he said； 〃Dragons we can deal with； Harry； but we'll get to that in a minute…I haven't got long here。。。 I've broken into a wizarding house to use the fire； but they could be back at any time。 There are things I need to warn you about。〃
〃What？〃 said Harry； feeling his spirits slip a further few notches。。。 Surely there could be nothing worse than dragons ing？
〃Karkaroff；〃 said Sirius。 〃Harry； he was a Death Eater。 You know what Death Eaters are； don't you？〃
〃Yes…he…what？〃
〃He was caught； he was in Azkaban with me； but he got released。 I'd bet everything that's why Dumbledore wanted an Auror at Hogwarts this year…to keep an eye on him。 Moody caught Karkaroff。 Put him into Azkaban in the first place。〃
〃Karkaroff got released？〃 Harry said slowly…his brain seemed to be struggling to absorb yet another piece of shocking information。 〃Why did they release him？〃
〃He did a deal with the Ministry of Magic；〃 said Sirius bitterly。 〃He said he'd seen the error of his ways； and then he named names。。。 he put a load of other people into Azkaban in his place。。。 He's not very popular in there； I can tell you。 And since he got out； from what I can tell； he's been teaching the Dark Arts to every student who passes through that school of his。 So watch out for the Durmstrang champion as well。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Harry slowly。 〃But。。。 are you saying Karkaroff put my name in the goblet？ Because if he did； he's a really good actor。 He seemed furious about it。 He wanted to stop me from peting。〃
〃We know he's a good actor；〃 said Sirius； 〃because he convinced the Ministry of Magic to set him free； didn't he？ Now； I've been keeping an eye on the Daily Prophet； Harry。。〃
〃you and the rest of the world；〃 said Harry bitterly。
〃and reading between the lines of that Skeeter woman's article last month； Moody was attacked the night before he started at Hogwarts。 Yes； I know she says it was another false alarm；〃 Sirius said hastily； seeing Harry about to speak； 〃but I don't think so； somehow。 I think someone tried to stop him from getting to Hogwarts。 I think someone knew their job would be a lot more difficult with him around。 And no one's going to look into it too closely； Mad…Eye's heard intruders a bit too often。 But that doesn't mean he can't still spot the real thing。 Moody was the best Auror the Ministry ever had。〃
〃So。。。 what are you saying？〃 said Harry slowly。 〃Karkaroff's trying to kill me？ But…why？〃
Sirius hesitated。
〃I've been nearing some very strange things；〃 he said slowly。 〃The Death Eaters seem to be a bit more active than usual lately。 They showed themselves at the Quidditch World Cup； didn't they？ Someone set off the Dark Mark。。。 and then…did you hear about that Ministry of Magic witch who's gone missing？〃
〃Bertha Jorkins？〃 said Harry。
〃Exactly。。。 she disappeared in Albania； and that's definitely where Voldemort was rumored to be last。。。 and she would have known the Triwizard Tournament was ing up； wouldn't she？〃
〃Yeah； but。。。 it's not very likely she'd have walked straight into Voldemort； is it？〃 said Harry。
〃Listen； I knew Bertha Jorkins；〃 said Sirius grimly。 〃She was at Hogwarts when I was； a few years above your dad and me。 And she was an idiot。 Very nosy； but no brains； none at all。 It's not a good bination； Harry。 I'd say she'd be very easy to lure into a trap。〃
〃So。。。 so Voldemort could have found out about the tournament？〃 said Harry。 〃Is that what you mean？ You think Karkaroff might be here on his orders？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Sirius slowly； 〃I just don't know。。。 Karkaroff doesn't strike me as the type who'd go back to Voldemort unless he knew Voldemort was powerful enough to protect him。 But whoever put your name in that goblet did it for a reason； and I can't help thinking the tournament would be a very good way to attack you and make it hook like an accident。〃
〃Looks hike a really good plan from where I'm standing；〃 said Harry grinning bleaky。 〃They'll just have to stand back and let the dragons do their stuff。〃
〃Right…these dragons；〃 said Siriu