During the second half of the banquet, Wenxiu Lord met Barty Crouch Jr., who had accompanied his father, and Regulus Black, who was following Mr. and Mrs. Black.
Barty Crouch's resolute and stern image was well-known throughout the Wizarding World. Wenxiu Lord had no interest in exchanging polite official pleasantries with him, nor did he want to listen to a tone that sounded like a work report. After offering a few perfunctory remarks, he shifted the topic to Barty Crouch Jr.
To avoid arousing the interest or suspicion of Tom Riddle standing beside him, Wenxiu Lord deliberately used subtext to imply that his relationship with Barty Crouch Jr. went no further than a surface-level acquaintance. Barty Crouch Jr. played along nicely, offering a proper greeting with all the conventional politeness imaginable.
Chapter 384