The handles of the gleaming cup felt as if they were burning through
the thin flesh of his hands. His slender digits gripped the gold cup tightly.
Even though he felt as if the metal was burning and oozing all over him.
His scar was cooling now. The way it felt when his parents, Cedric and Bertha
had come from the tip of his wand during the duel with Voldemort. The rushing
wind was slowing now. What seemed as if it had been ages now appeared as
possibly only a few moments had gone by./P
P Harry's first sensation was a cool wrinkled hand caressing his
damp forehead. Parting the black hair from his eyes, he dimly sees Albus
Dumbledore lean down to listen for breathing. Waving his hand, the old man's
voice echoes throughout the filled quidditch stadium. BR
"He's alive. Move out of the way."BR
"Harry?"BR
"Sirius, please, meet me in my office."BR
"Albus, is he going to be all right? Look at his hands!"BR
"I will meet you in my office. Madam Pomfrey, escort him to the hospital
wing if you will."BR
Mustering up the small bit of strength left inside him he reaches to touch
the scar. The searing pain, and cool sensations both gone, he rubbing his
moistened brow his finger traces along the lightening shaped scar. With
great effort he opens his great green eyes and watches around him. The whole
school, (also that of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) had filled the seats of
the stadium. They all seemed as if white paint had been splashed on each
of their faces. Pale, sickened appearing students rushing behind was the
last vision he had before he once again went limp and slipped into the darkness./P
P Opening his eyes he finds himself in Dumbledore's office the low
rumble of the elder men's voices commence in his achy head. On his left
his godfather Sirius Black, in front of him Dumbledore, and then to his
right appeared Lucius Malfoy. Lucius seemed to be bound with invisible wires
from head to toe. His bulging black eyes were flashing violently from man
to man, settling on Harry in the end. /P
P Harry's own restless gaze settled at a half-closed position as
he reached to the side and rubbed Fawkes under the beak. The men seemed
not to notice that Harry had woken and kept on with their busy talk. His
heart pounded in his chest every time he caught Lucius's stare. /P
P"Once a Death Eater..."BR
"I do remember him at the quidditch match around the death mark business
also!"BR
"Always a Death Eater."BR
"I knew he wasn't trust worthy, but I really believed his job
at the ministry meant more to him."BR
"You know the power You-Know-Who has over his followers."BR
"Unfortunately."BR
"I still wonder how he found his way into the middle of the Quidditch
field."/P
P The last voice rang recognizable it was the man whom Harry felt was
the closest to a father he might ever have. It was Sirius. Harry struggled
to keep quiet but was unable to smother his new case of the hiccups. Sirius
watched Harry for a moment as if he was still unsure of his consciousness.
They sat motionless both unsure of what to say. "Welcome back Harry."
Sirius said in a rather dry tone. His large callused hand now outreached
for the pitcher of water on the large mahogany desk./P
P"Erm. Hi." Harry struggled through his violent hiccups.BR
"Quite a trip you had Harry." Dumbledore spoke in a matter-of-fact
tone.BR
"Up to telling us the stor..." Sirius stopped speaking as he caught
Dumbledore's stern glance in his direction.BR
"When he feels up to it Sirius, when he feels up to it." Dumbledore
was now watching the writhing Lucius try to speak./P
P "Harry, before you tell me your account of what happened. I think
you ought to know what happened on our side." Taking a drink from a
crystal goblet at the edge of his desk he replaces it on a shiny green glowing
coaster. "Lucius Malfoy placed the portkey in the middle of the field.
He has been watching you all along. He slipped Dobby the gillyweed to assure
you won the contest. He knew about Hagrids dragon and thought you would
be up to the challenge. He seemed eager to let you die or win, but nothing
in between." Dumbledore finished by taking another long gulp from the
still brimming cup of water. /P
P "Further more Harry we think you should go home with Sirius this
time. Thanks to the confession of Lucius, and his sloppy trail we have enough
information to send several previous Death Eaters to Azkaban. Also, a vivid
account from Wormtail about his elaborate scheme to send Sirius to Azkaban.
We want you to leave soon so Sirius can hide you. You'll have enough
time to say your farewells and get your things gathered." His narrowed
gaze then looked to Sirius and nodded. /P
P Sirius's typically furrowed brow was now relaxed and smiling gleefully.
He smiled like a boy at Harry. His eyes searching, almost vulnerably for
Harry's reaction to the news. Harry returned the grin although the
idea of leaving Hogwarts several weeks early was dismal, he dared not push
his luck. /P
P "Don't you want to know what happened?" Harry squeaked
out, along with the hiccups he had acquired a mighty sore throat. He rubbed
his neck, which had been stiff from no doubt sleeping for several days./P
P "Harry, we acquired Vertiserum and you don't have to recall
the story anymore, unless you wish to. We heard about Cedrics parents. We
heard about Wormtail. It's all right." Dumbledore reached across
the desk and with a crippled hand patted the boy's shaky shoulder.
Harry stood shivering noticably through his struggles to stand still. "Mind
if I go to say good-bye now?" He was already turning and in the doorway
stood Hermione and Ron looking extremely worried./P
P As if a great dam had broken between them, the three rushed upon each
other and were swept up in each other's grasps. "Don't you
ever do that again!" Obviously Hermione was doing the 'girl'
thing again and Harry decided to go with it. Ron remained mute, but Harry
was almost positive he saw a tear in his eye. /P
P After a few, well, several mushy good-byes Harry descended the twisting
staircase and made his way off the campus. Sirius stepped behind Harry and
slipped an arm around his shoulder. Sirius was still beaming as they walk
across the grass. "We'll have a great time together Harry. Invite
those friends of yours over anytime!" Sirius great arms pulled him
close in a hug then released him quickly. "It will be quite some time
before I can tell you exactly where we'll be staying." With a
heavy sigh his heavy hand clasped down on his shoulder. "We're
not quite out of the clearing yet."/P
the thin flesh of his hands. His slender digits gripped the gold cup tightly.
Even though he felt as if the metal was burning and oozing all over him.
His scar was cooling now. The way it felt when his parents, Cedric and Bertha
had come from the tip of his wand during the duel with Voldemort. The rushing
wind was slowing now. What seemed as if it had been ages now appeared as
possibly only a few moments had gone by./P
P Harry's first sensation was a cool wrinkled hand caressing his
damp forehead. Parting the black hair from his eyes, he dimly sees Albus
Dumbledore lean down to listen for breathing. Waving his hand, the old man's
voice echoes throughout the filled quidditch stadium. BR
"He's alive. Move out of the way."BR
"Harry?"BR
"Sirius, please, meet me in my office."BR
"Albus, is he going to be all right? Look at his hands!"BR
"I will meet you in my office. Madam Pomfrey, escort him to the hospital
wing if you will."BR
Mustering up the small bit of strength left inside him he reaches to touch
the scar. The searing pain, and cool sensations both gone, he rubbing his
moistened brow his finger traces along the lightening shaped scar. With
great effort he opens his great green eyes and watches around him. The whole
school, (also that of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) had filled the seats of
the stadium. They all seemed as if white paint had been splashed on each
of their faces. Pale, sickened appearing students rushing behind was the
last vision he had before he once again went limp and slipped into the darkness./P
P Opening his eyes he finds himself in Dumbledore's office the low
rumble of the elder men's voices commence in his achy head. On his left
his godfather Sirius Black, in front of him Dumbledore, and then to his
right appeared Lucius Malfoy. Lucius seemed to be bound with invisible wires
from head to toe. His bulging black eyes were flashing violently from man
to man, settling on Harry in the end. /P
P Harry's own restless gaze settled at a half-closed position as
he reached to the side and rubbed Fawkes under the beak. The men seemed
not to notice that Harry had woken and kept on with their busy talk. His
heart pounded in his chest every time he caught Lucius's stare. /P
P"Once a Death Eater..."BR
"I do remember him at the quidditch match around the death mark business
also!"BR
"Always a Death Eater."BR
"I knew he wasn't trust worthy, but I really believed his job
at the ministry meant more to him."BR
"You know the power You-Know-Who has over his followers."BR
"Unfortunately."BR
"I still wonder how he found his way into the middle of the Quidditch
field."/P
P The last voice rang recognizable it was the man whom Harry felt was
the closest to a father he might ever have. It was Sirius. Harry struggled
to keep quiet but was unable to smother his new case of the hiccups. Sirius
watched Harry for a moment as if he was still unsure of his consciousness.
They sat motionless both unsure of what to say. "Welcome back Harry."
Sirius said in a rather dry tone. His large callused hand now outreached
for the pitcher of water on the large mahogany desk./P
P"Erm. Hi." Harry struggled through his violent hiccups.BR
"Quite a trip you had Harry." Dumbledore spoke in a matter-of-fact
tone.BR
"Up to telling us the stor..." Sirius stopped speaking as he caught
Dumbledore's stern glance in his direction.BR
"When he feels up to it Sirius, when he feels up to it." Dumbledore
was now watching the writhing Lucius try to speak./P
P "Harry, before you tell me your account of what happened. I think
you ought to know what happened on our side." Taking a drink from a
crystal goblet at the edge of his desk he replaces it on a shiny green glowing
coaster. "Lucius Malfoy placed the portkey in the middle of the field.
He has been watching you all along. He slipped Dobby the gillyweed to assure
you won the contest. He knew about Hagrids dragon and thought you would
be up to the challenge. He seemed eager to let you die or win, but nothing
in between." Dumbledore finished by taking another long gulp from the
still brimming cup of water. /P
P "Further more Harry we think you should go home with Sirius this
time. Thanks to the confession of Lucius, and his sloppy trail we have enough
information to send several previous Death Eaters to Azkaban. Also, a vivid
account from Wormtail about his elaborate scheme to send Sirius to Azkaban.
We want you to leave soon so Sirius can hide you. You'll have enough
time to say your farewells and get your things gathered." His narrowed
gaze then looked to Sirius and nodded. /P
P Sirius's typically furrowed brow was now relaxed and smiling gleefully.
He smiled like a boy at Harry. His eyes searching, almost vulnerably for
Harry's reaction to the news. Harry returned the grin although the
idea of leaving Hogwarts several weeks early was dismal, he dared not push
his luck. /P
P "Don't you want to know what happened?" Harry squeaked
out, along with the hiccups he had acquired a mighty sore throat. He rubbed
his neck, which had been stiff from no doubt sleeping for several days./P
P "Harry, we acquired Vertiserum and you don't have to recall
the story anymore, unless you wish to. We heard about Cedrics parents. We
heard about Wormtail. It's all right." Dumbledore reached across
the desk and with a crippled hand patted the boy's shaky shoulder.
Harry stood shivering noticably through his struggles to stand still. "Mind
if I go to say good-bye now?" He was already turning and in the doorway
stood Hermione and Ron looking extremely worried./P
P As if a great dam had broken between them, the three rushed upon each
other and were swept up in each other's grasps. "Don't you
ever do that again!" Obviously Hermione was doing the 'girl'
thing again and Harry decided to go with it. Ron remained mute, but Harry
was almost positive he saw a tear in his eye. /P
P After a few, well, several mushy good-byes Harry descended the twisting
staircase and made his way off the campus. Sirius stepped behind Harry and
slipped an arm around his shoulder. Sirius was still beaming as they walk
across the grass. "We'll have a great time together Harry. Invite
those friends of yours over anytime!" Sirius great arms pulled him
close in a hug then released him quickly. "It will be quite some time
before I can tell you exactly where we'll be staying." With a
heavy sigh his heavy hand clasped down on his shoulder. "We're
not quite out of the clearing yet."/P