This is Father's World

1966

"Daddy?"

Barty Crouch Junior, a scrawny, mop-headed four-year-old, pottered up to his father's study and let himself in without knocking. The room was dark and the curtains were closed to block out any sunlight. Barty Senior worked avidly by candlelight, his quill scratching back and forth on the parchment at his desk.

"Daddy?" Barty wandered up to his father's side. He was holding a new toy that his mother had brought him from her shopping trip earlier in the day; a bright red ball. "Play with me, Daddy?"

"Now now," mumbled Barty Senior, not turning to look at his son. Barty reached out to grab at the hem of his father's shirt.

"I have this new ball. I really want to play with it. Can you come and play in the garden with me?" Barty's copper-flecked eyes lit up hopefully.

"Winky!" Barty Senior roared suddenly. He threw down his pen angrily and turned around to the door, glaring as the house-elf rushed into the study. "I thought my wife tasked you to look after the boy? You know I am not to be disturbed when I am working!"

"Yes, Mister Crouch," Winky bowed deeply as she looped an arm through Barty's. "Very sorry, Mister Crouch. Winky will take the young Master outside to play."

"And do not bother me again!" Barty Senior snarled. Winky ushered Barty out of the study, the door swinging closed behind them and the lock sliding into place, ensuring that Barty definitely wouldn't be entering the study unannounced again.

"I just wanted to play with Daddy," Barty said sadly, looking up at the slammed door.

Winky patted Barty comfortingly on the arm. "There, there, little Master," she lowered her voice. "Winky will get you some of the butterscotch sweets from the kitchen. Would the young Master like that?"

Barty's eyes lit up as he nodded eagerly, allowing the house-elf to lead him downstairs.

1973

Barty hadn't really wanted to go home for the Christmas holidays. His first few months at Hogwarts had been a whirlwind of excitement and new things—even though most of his Slytherin classmates didn't like him that much, Barty had made some friends, and he enjoyed studying and watching the other students play Quidditch. Returning home would mean returning home to the dismal life he'd suffered before going to Hogwarts.

But he missed his mother, and he even missed Winky. The house-elf had been so giddy with excitement when he came through the door that she almost fell forward on her face when she bowed to greet him.

Barty didn't see his father until Christmas Day, and he hadn't even expected that. It wouldn't have been the first Christmas that he spent with his mother alone.

"Barty, do tell us everything about your time so far at Hogwarts," Mrs Crouch said once they were all sat at the dining table for Christmas dinner. "Have you made many friends?"

"I have one great friend," Barty replied, his voice full of enthusiasm. "He's really good at flying. He's going to show me how to—"

"—Enough," Barty Senior waved a hand dismissively. "Bartemius, I need to know which of the elective courses you plan to take in your third year."

"My dear, Barty is only in his first year," Mrs Crouch said quietly, but Barty Senior shushed her.

"I have already written to Dumbledore. It will be possible for you to start taking Ancient Runes when you go back after the holidays. You'll have to catch up with some of the work you've already missed in the year, but you can manage it."

"But Father, I wanted to start using some of my free time to learn how to play Quidditch. Regulus thinks I have great form on a broom already, and if I put the work in I might even make the Quidditch team next ye—"

"The Quidditch team?" sneered Barty Senior, his upper lip curling in amusement. "If you ever want to succeed me in the Ministry, you need to put all of your time and effort into your studies. You aren't going to have time to play games."

Barty's shoulders slumped, and his mother looked across the table at him apologetically. "Yes, father."

1976

'—I expect nothing less than perfection. You will sit your O. next year, so you should start preparing for them now.'

Barty screwed up the letter from his father angrily and launched it across the dormitory. It was the third letter in a week, all with the same things written. His father never wanted to know how Barty was doing at Hogwarts. All he cared about was what Barty's latest mock exam score was, and what he could do to improve it.

The door to the dormitory bathroom opened just as the ball of parchment hit it. Regulus Black came out with a towel around his waist and another one in his hands, which he was using to rub his wet hair dry. Barty's anger was momentarily diffused as his gaze lingered on Regulus's half-bare physique. It was hard not to notice how attractive his friend had become over the years.

Barty turned away and ground the heel of his palm into his eye, cursing himself inwardly. If his father knew he was wasting precious studying time pining after anyone, boy or girl, he would send another stream of letters.

"From your folks?" Regulus asked, standing at the end of Barty's bed. "I saw you lighting one on fire on Tuesday. You should be more careful." He smirked.

Barty rolled his eyes. "Is it that obvious?"

"I recognised that kind of anger," Regulus continued. "I get those letters too. Though, not as frequently as you. My parents—my mother especially—is constantly on my back about maintaining a good reputation at school. She isn't that bothered about my grades, so long as I'm hanging around with the right people."

"Does she realise how much you hang around with me?" Barty asked.

Regulus laughed, and turned away from Barty's bed. "There's no point in burning them or throwing them away, Barty. They won't stop coming."

1978

Barty rubbed his fists into his eyes as he leaned closer to the candlelight that he was working by. He was utterly exhausted: this was the third night in a row that he'd spent in the library, studying until the sun came up outside and it was time for his first class of the day. He hadn't slept properly in days, he couldn't remember the last time he washed or changed his clothes, and his father was on his case more than ever as of late, always quick to remind him how disappointing it will be if Barty earns less than an O on any exam.

He was so engrossed in reading the same line of his book over and over again, that he didn't notice a second stream of light moving closer to his table. A hand rested on Barty's shoulder, and he flinched dramatically, almost knocking his lantern over.

"Is this where you've been spending every night this week?"

Barty looked up at his intruder. Regulus was wearing his pyjamas and holding his illuminated wand aloft, raising a thin, dark eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" Barty groaned, squinting away from the offending wandlight.

"I've been worried about you." Regulus sat down in the other seat at the table and stowed his wand up his sleeve. "I didn't see you at my Quidditch match today. You never normally miss the games."

"I know," Barty replied, guilt pooling in his stomach. "I'm sorry. I've been so caught up studying for my N.E. ."

"You haven't been at breakfast either. Or lunch, or dinner," Regulus added. "When are you eating?"

"When I have to."

Regulus leaned forward and took a sniff. "And when are you bathing?"

"Did you come here just to poke fun at me?" Barty snapped suddenly, glaring across the table at Regulus with a dark blaze in his eyes. "Because I haven't got time for this. My Ancient Runes exam is in the morning, and none of these runes are making sense."

"That's because you're sleep deprived, idiot," Regulus muttered. "You need to come back to the dormitory and get some rest before the exam, otherwise you have no chance of passing it."

Barty slammed his book closed loudly, and buried his face in his hands. "I can't cope with this," he whispered through the gaps in his fingers. "Sometimes, I just want the world to stop spinning, even if it's just for a moment. I thought I'd be free when I came to Hogwarts, but it's even worse than when I was at home. My father still controls everything I do, and everything I will do." His voice broke into a sob, his body jerking uncontrollably as tears streamed into his hands.

"I know how you feel, honestly," Regulus murmured, reaching out to rub comforting circles onto Barty's back. "Mother has been worse than ever since Sirius left home. She has my cousins watching me all the time and reporting back to her what I'm up to. She's so paranoid that I'm going to follow in my brother's footsteps."

"The thought of following my father into the Ministry and succeeding him makes me feel sick," Barty continued, his voice thick with tears. "He makes me so angry that I can't always control my actions." He paused, and looked up at Regulus with puffy eyes. "Do you ever think that it would be easier to just be dead than to deal with your parents?"

Before Regulus could reply, Barty dissolved into fresh bouts of tears. Regulus pulled Barty into his embrace and pressed his lips into the top of Barty's hair. "It's okay, it's okay," he soothed. "We only have to get through the rest of school. We only have to graduate Hogwarts. Then we can have true freedom."

Barty looked up at Regulus. "Do you promise?"

Regulus nodded determinedly, and moved forward to connect their lips in a kiss.

1980

Thunder rumbled over the sea behind Barty and Regulus, as they stood in front of the dark mouth of the cave that Regulus had led them to.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Regulus asked, turning to look at Barty.

Barty didn't need to contemplate the decision. Regulus had told him countless stories of the prowess of the Dark Lord, and how immensely powerful he was. It inspired Barty to better himself; to prove his worth and rise above the suffocation his father had inflicted on him for so many years.

The smirk he returned to Regulus was almost maniacal, and he nodded determinedly. "I've never been more sure of anything."

Regulus slid his hand into Barty's as they willingly walked into the lion's den, into the centre of a circle of menacing, hooded figures. One figure stood higher than all the others. When he pulled down his hood, his snake-like, scarlet eyes glowed.

"Welcome."

Written For:

- Quidditch League Round 2: Velociraptor - Write about a character joining a group (Death Eaters).

- Assignment #11/Notable Witches & Wizards: Task #10 - Write about an unstable character.

- Who's Your Daddy? Barty Crouch Sr - (character) Barty Crouch Sr, (quote) "Not now.", (cliche) absent dad.

- Gobstones: Orange Stone - (theme) Rebellion, Accuracy - (dialogue) "Sometimes, I just want the world to stop spinning, even if it's just for a moment.", Power - (action) kissing, Technique - (colour) Copper

- Hot Air Balloon Challenge: (weather) Thunder

- Film Festival: (word) Freedom

- Writing Club/Character Appreciation: Draco Malfoy - (word) Sneer, Barty Crouch Junior - (character) Regulus Black

- Writing Club/Disney Challenge: For the First Time in Forever - Write about experiencing a sense of freedom the character hasn't had before.

- Writing Club/Showtime: Not My Father's Son - (relationship) Father and Son

- Writing Club/Count Your Buttons: (pairing) Barty/Regulus

- Seasonal/Days of the Year: World Snake day - Write about your favourite Slytherin character (Barty)

- Seasonal/Flowers: Aster - (word) Attractive

- Seasonal/Elemental: Sagittarius - (pairing) Barty/Regulus, Fire Prompt - (word) Blaze

- 365 Prompts: (word) Powerful

Word Count: 1,830