It was one of those rare evenings when the Hogwarts castle felt almost serene. The bustling corridors were quieter, the usual cacophony of students' chatter softened to a distant murmur. In the dimly lit Room of Requirement, where shadows danced and old tapestries whispered their secrets, Barty Crouch Jr. was in his element. Tonight, he was as uncharacteristically quiet as he could be, though his presence was anything but subtle.

You and Barty had decided on a whim to play with the Ouija board he had smuggled from one of his misadventures. The board lay between you two, its surface catching the flickering light of the single candle you had lit for ambiance. Barty was trying his best to act casual, leaning back against the wall with an air of nonchalance, but there was an edge to his usual bravado—a flicker of vulnerability hiding behind his loud, exaggerated gestures.

Barty threw you a sideways glance, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and uncertainty. "You know," he started, trying to mask the slight tremor in his voice with his usual sarcastic bravado, "if this thing actually works, I could ask it if my next prank will get me in detention again. Spoiler alert: It probably will."

You could almost see the gears turning in his head as he reached for the planchette. It wobbled slightly under his fingers as he placed it on the board. "But seriously," he continued, his tone softening just a fraction, "if it could really predict the future, I’d ask if I’d ever get to stop being a complete menace to society."

He looked at you, a rare, genuine smile peeking through his cocky facade. “But then again, you’d have to be the one asking for me. You know, in case my 'predictions' aren’t as accurate as I’d like to believe. I’d hate to think you’re stuck with this chaos forever.”