Su Er's startled cry was a little loud, making Morn turn over nearby.
He clamped his mouth shut and waited until Morn's breathing steadied again before speaking softly to the house-elf who had worked hard all night.
"Thank you, Kleis. Go back and rest. You don't need to keep watch for me anymore."
"But Kleis didn't see Headmaster Dumbledore appear there," Kleis said hurriedly. "Kleis isn't tired. Kleis was going to go back to the Great Hall and keep working after telling the young master."
"That's all right, Kleis. You've already helped me." Su Er shook his head. "You've already been a huge help."
After the house-elf left, Su Er lay back down, his hands behind his neck, somewhat lost in thought. Kleis's discovery had taken him rather by surprise.
How could it be Karkaroff? Why wasn't it Barty Crouch?
Instead of resting aboard their ship at four in the morning, Karkaroff had gone out of his way to visit the Great Hall and drop a name into the cup. Why had he done that? His purpose was clear-he must have been putting Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire.
But why Karkaroff?
Could it be... Su Er suddenly remembered the strange exchange he had overheard at the door after the feast.
It's you. It's me...
So Karkaroff had already known then that Moody wasn't the real Moody? Yes, that would explain why Karkaroff had gone deathly pale and looked frightened...
After all, on the surface, Karkaroff had successfully cleared his name and extricated himself, and was even the headmaster of a school. He had absolutely no reason to fear Moody dredging up the past, even if Moody's reputation really did strike terror into the Death Eaters.
But Germany's Ministry of Magic wasn't there to do nothing.
Only Voldemort's