Morning chilled me down to my bones. Even in my coat and boots, the cold still cut me deep. I was sitting on one of the stands facing the Quidditch pitch. The place where so much happiness took place for so many people was now overgrown with weeds for the final task. This would be the end day. My stomach had been rolling so much since it did nothing but draw nearer. I hated every bit of myself, but what could I do? All I could do, was sit and wait for "the messenger" to give me the last details of this plan. It was, by far, a very rough and not well thought out plan from the bits that I knew, but I was just glad I was the carrier on this and not one thinking of the convoluted bullshit.
This was a sacred place for many, and they had defiled it for bringing on all of these weeds. It was a place of joy for so many, and now it looked like Professor Sprout was a little too excited in planting some of her enchanted grass. I hated all of this, but most of all that they had to use me, because, for some unknown reason, I was useful in all of this. I didn't want to be here, I didn't want to be the reason so many died, and even worse, there was no way out of it. They would kill my father, and I couldn't let them do that. He had survived twelve years in that hell hole Azkaban to return and die because his daughter wasn't as faithful as she should have been to him? No, that wasn't going to be me. If anyone is going to die, I would sacrifice my life every day for my father and my god brother. No one would get in the way of them living.
"There you are," a gruff voice made me jump from my stupor, making me realize how long I've been sitting there, staring in disgust at what they've done. "I've been all over this damn place looking for you, I don't know why I didn't start with the Gryffindor stands."
"Because you don't think," I said bluntly. "I don't know why you are one of his most trusted to be honest."
"And you think you can do this fucking job any damn better?" I looked up at the scratched and torn face of Mad-Eye Moody. I knew it was a farce, but it still didn't make me wish Mad-Eye was really here.
"Never said that. I just think you're an idiot is all."
I felt his hand on my face, and the burning sensation follow as the slap came. It was hard enough to bring tears to my eyes, and I knew I would have a bruise across my face. I glared at the ugly face, seeing an even uglier smile caress his features.
"That'll teach you to speak to your professor like that, bitchy little cunt." He sat beside me putting his staff across his lap, Mad-Eye's eye trailing over everywhere to make sure we were alone. "Now are you gonna listen or give me more lip?" I glared at him and said nothing. He seemed to take that as I would listen and started speaking in Mad-Eye's gruff voice, making me once again, wish Mad-Eye was really here.
"Welcome to the final task! This will determine our winner of the Triwizard Tournament!" The crowd cheered as the four victors took their positions. "Seeing as Mister Potter has the most points, he will go into the maze first, followed by Mister Diggory and Mister Krum, and finally Miss Delacour."
I looked around and saw the stand-in Mad-Eye standing beside Harry. My stomach rolled as I saw this. I didn't want that dick anywhere near Harry, including when it's about to begin. The beginning of the end. The cannon sounded, making my heart beat faster. I didn't need this. I didn't need to feel like this. I watched as Harry slowly made his way into the overgrown area that was "the maze."
Standing up, I tried to make my way out of the crowd. I had to meet the actor down in the tents so I could be near the portkey. I was supposed to be there.
"Artemis. Where are you going?" Someone had grabbed my hand and pulled me to them.
"I have to use the restroom." Turning around, I could see that Ron had grabbed me. "Please let me go, I really have to go." His eyes shot up in almost concern, but the laughter re-entered them, making his smile return also.
"Oh, alright. Don't get lost." He let go and I slowly made my way down to the tents. By the time I had gotten there. Fleur had made her way in. Shit, I won't have much time to do anything. Damnit Ron.
"Finally you're here." Came the gruff voice of Mad-Eye. He was sitting in the chair and was staring at me, well, one eye was. The other one was busy looking at the maze
"Let's just get this over with." I said just as gruffly as he did, fuck I hated this man. He stood up and walked towards me, grunting with each step. I could smell a little bit of fire whiskey on him. Apparently this day wasn't much better for him. His body swayed a little as he came closer, not even his cane helped him stand any straighter. "Hitting the bottle a little hard, weren't we?" I smiled as he glared at me.
"Shut up, cunt." He fumbled with something in his back pocket until he pulled out an old jewelry case. "You don't leave until the boy makes it there-"
"I know my damn job," I snapped, grabbing the box from his hand.
"You better lose that attitude before you see him. He'll do more than slap you," he chuckled as he went back to his chair before he landed on the floor. Opening the box, an old necklace was inside. As soon as I grabbed it, I was sent through the air. Colors swirled around and the ground seemed nowhere in sight.
That was, until it hit me. It came at me with such force, I thought I had lost some of my teeth.
"Artemis?" Came a voice I knew by heart. "What are you doing here?" Slowly I stood up, finding that the world was still spinning just to spite me.
"That doesn't matter." I said, trying to figure out which Harry was the real one as the double vision kicked in. "I need you t-"
"Whatever. On the count of three, we both touch it, right, Harry?" There was someone else there? There couldn't be anyone else! I saw Cedric Diggory and Harry running at me full speed.
Then, colors started to swirl again. Fuck. Landing again, this time on my back, the world stopped spinning all at once. My vision still gave me double as darkness covered where there was light before.
"Wait, the cup is a portkey? Is this another part of the tournament?" Came Cedric's voice. I stood up as a figure made its way across the grounds. "What is this?"
"Cedric, go back to Hogwarts." I said, as the figure withdrew its wand.
"Why?"
"Just do it! Get ba-"
"AVADA KADAVERA!"
I turned away, as the green light shone through the night.
"No. NO!" Harry screamed as he ran towards the body. My stomach still churned, but only this time as adrenaline started pumping through me. I ran after him and grabbed him, holding him back from the dead body.
"Harry, there's nothing you can do for him now, just stop please."
"He's dead." The smell of whiskey and sweat came closer. A low growl escaped my throat as the rat that had betrayed my father, walked up to Harry, grabbing him out of my hands. The smell of Wormtail almost gagged me. He was so horrid smelling that I really wished I wasn't an animagus. He took Harry under a spell, making him float over to the angel of death that was the grave marker over the grave of someone, which became alive for a brief second to wrap its hold around Harry.
"Do it," a small voice came from Wormtail's arms as the cauldron lit that was in front of the angel. Lights cackled as a large plop sounded. He dropped something into the boiling cauldron. Blood from the enemy, flesh from a servant, a bone from the father. All meant to revive the Dark Lord once again. A horrible sizzling sound echoed throughout the night. Almost…almost as if something was boiling.
I moved away from it all to hide within the shadows. I closed my eyes, trying to block off all the sounds. Trying as hard as I could to stop seeing what was going through Harry's mind. I knew what was happening, even with my eyelids shut. All the pain around me I could feel; Harry's searing headache, Voldemort becoming one again, Pettigrew's pain from his now missing limb. All of it! I could feel all of it!
Then all but two pains stopped. Harry tried so hard not to scream from the pain he was experiencing, but failed miserably.
The night went almost still.
"Ah, finally." Came his cold vice. The same voice that has haunted my nights since I was young. He was back. He is back. The Dark Lord, the one most feared person on the continent. "Give me your arm Wormtail," he demanded from the coward.
"Master, thank you-"
"Your other arm." A look of fear took over Wormtail's features as he started to shake again. I heard Peter suck in breath as Voldemort put something on his bare skin.
In an instant, a cloud of black swirled around the four of us, until these masses were turned into actual people. More were making their way to the old graveyard. I couldn't see their faces, but I could tell who most of them were just from the smell of them.
My dearest cousin was among them, along with the Ministries axe man. All of them were in awe, but fear clouded most of their minds. They were all afraid of what he might do to them, since all of them thought he was dead and fled after his fall. None of them wanted to know what exactly the Dark Lord would do to them.
"My friends, my loyal followers. I see many of you thought I was dead. Those thoughts were premature and not well conceived. I am alive, to not be surrounded by all of my most loyal, I see." Mumbling encircled them. One of the Death Eaters stepped forward.
"But, my lord. How is it that you made your way back to us?" The voice of Lucius Malfoy echoed throughout the yard.
"That is simple. It's the blood of young Mr. Potter."
"All of us were wondering, my lord. How did you get Potter here?"
"Ah. Now that was tricky." I stayed by my shadows, not wanting to move. "Miss Black was very helpful in that regard. Yes Lucius, Sirius Black's daughter. She easily complied with me once I was able to get her to do what I wanted her."
"That's-that's a lie!" I could still feel Harry's pain as he tried to speak.
Voldemort whipped around to the boy being held by the angel. "Is it Harry? Hadn't you realized anything strange about your friend? Haven't you noticed she has tried to avoid you until now?"
"Stop." My voice was no more than a whisper as I felt his pain increase.
"And where is she now? Where is she, Harry?" He stepped closer to Harry, making the pain almost unbearable. "That's right, she's hiding in the shadows, away from you. She's hiding so she doesn't have to see you. She brought you here to suffer. She brought you here!"
"STOP!" I walked out from the shadows, facing the man that now stood in front of me. His milky white skin made him glow in the dark night. His bright, red eyes pierced through He was even less human then anything I've ever seen.
"Don't portray me as a coward!" I screamed as I walked closer to the snake of a man. "The only coward here is Pettigrew!" I couldn't look at Harry. I knew he would see me differently and never want to be near me after this night. As of right now, my main goal was to get Harry out of here. I was never supposed to be part of the show, but Voldemort decided to bring me into this. He broke the rule, so I don't have to follow his.
"It looks like the little wolf does have some courage." He let out a strange chuckle. "It's a good quality to have, but how far will your courage run?" Pointing his wand at the statue, it let go as Harry grabbed his wand.
"Let's test it." He took one last look at me and turned to Harry. "I trust you know how to duel?" Harry glared at the demon. "Even if you don't, you're going to learn quickly. AVADA-"
"-LIARMUS!"
The both screamed the different incantations almost simultaneously. Red and green jets flew at the other and locked together, forming almost a bond. Sparks flew from the center of the connection, making a visible light dome around the both of them. I ran over the where Harry stood, trying so hard to keep his ground. I looked around at the Death Eaters, they were trying to get through the dome, but to no avail. It would be useless for me to try.
Trying to read Harry's mind, I couldn't. I couldn't even form a connection with him. It would've been easier for me to run several times into a brick wall. There was something strange going on in there. Visible fear came through Voldemort's face, and confusion on Harry's, then he was talking to someone. Someone who wasn't even there. Was he going mad?
No less than an instant later, the connection broke. A chorus of screams echoed throughout the graveyard coming from seemingly nowhere and everywhere. They were so loud, I feared that my eardrums would burst. I stood there until I felt someone grab my arm, running away from the rest of everyone. I was finally able to clear my head as I found that I was being drug by Harry to the portkey.
"Harry, let go!"
"No, we have to get back to Hogwarts!" I pulled my arm out of his grip and he turned back to me, seeing me for the first time since we got here. "Are you mad?"
"Bringing you here was the only part of my job. He decided to make a mockery of me and you! He made this extremely personal!" Grabbing out my wand, I shot spells back as the Death Eaters charged. "Tell dad I love him" Harry's eyes grew large as I said this. I knew he was worried. "Go now! Before the portkey leaves!"
'Make sure that you make it back.' Harry said, as he invaded my mind. He ran to the portkey as fast as he could, next thing I knew, colors swirled around him and he was gone.
'No promises.'
I turned to see Death Eaters yelling at me, saying things I couldn't hear. A spell shot straight at my chest. I fell to the ground. Needles and knives were shoved into my skin. It hurt! I-I couldn't do anything to stop the pain. Oh God! Please make it stop!
Then, everything went black.