AN

Hello everyone! Back here with a longer chapter then before. Topping 4k words this time. But better then the last few chapters I've been putting out, but still not as many as I'd prefer. But it's a slow buildup to get back into typing. Add on I'm trying to ensure I don't mix up any of my other stories with this one, and that I keep all my facts and storylines straight. Basically, it's slow going but I'm getting back up into the groove. You can expect a new chapter for one of my other stories soon. Not sure if I'll put out a chapter tomorrow or not, I might. But we'll just have to see.

Anyways thanks one and all for stopping by and reading.

Please Read, Review, and keep in touch!

Until the next chapter.

Chapter 11

"Well these certainly look much bigger up close…" Harry muttered as he wandered through the maze of hedges all about him. The third task has started not thirty minutes ago. And while so far things were going well, he felt like he certainly should have ran into one or two more problems than he had. A measly Sphinx, and two medium sized Acromantula seemed to pale in comparison to the first tasks Dragon.

He'd just rounded a corner when he heard a scream of pain that he could only assume was Fleur. Causing him to rush towards the sound. Deciding that since no one had stated he couldn't blast and burn the hedges, that he might as well. Fire burst from his hand to create a hole for him to dash through, the hedges quickly re-growing behind him as if he'd never burned his way through. "Some nice enchantments and charms there professors." Harry muttered as he continued to the screaming, rapidly approaching it as he burst from a hedge to spot Krum poised above Fleur with his wand in hand.

Reacting quickly Harry launched a quick silent stunner, dropping Krum easily as he ran over.
"Bonjour Fleur? You alright?" Though said with a smile and for a laugh, sincere worry was in his tone as he knelt beside her, casting some healing and numbing charms over her as he shot sparks into the sky for the two champions to be picked up.

"Oui… Now that he is no longer torturing me… I 'zink he was under ze Imperious." She muttered. "His eyes weren't right…" Passing out slowly from the pain Harry grabbed the two champions and set them together on the ground, binding Krum just in case before he took off.

"Something is definitely not right here. Where's Cedric? He at least needs a warning." Running off again, Harry cursed the fact that he didn't have better control of his new elemental powers yet. It was extremely tiring to use them for any extended period so far. Even just his brief stint through the hedges he could feel his magic draining. He felt like he was a child again, just starting his training with his father when he worked on his elemental magics.

What irked him even more was how quickly and easily his mother was mastering it. Already she could duel and battle as long with her fire as she could with her regular magic. Hell, even Daphne had gotten better at it faster than him. Though he was told by his father that since his mother only had one element, and Daphne had yet to go through her first maturation that was what made it easier for them. As well as Amelia's age and control over her magic already. As advanced and trained up as Harry was, he was still a child who'd only been alive for a decade and then some.

Shaking his head to free himself from these thoughts he took a corner and barreled straight into the back of Cedric.

"Fuck!"

"Harry?!"

"That'd be me." Harry muttered hand to his head where he knocked it into the back of Cedrics.

"I didn't think you'd want to win so bad you'd try to knock someone out with your own head." Cedric laughed as he held the back of his own head, sharring a chuckle with Harry as they slowly got to their feet.

"That is most certainly not the case. I was looking for you to warn you that something weird is going on. I don't feel like they put as much effort into dangerous creatures and whatnot this task. Not to mention that I came across a supposedly imperioused Krum torturing Fleur a few hedges back."

"That's where the screaming and sparks came from, I suppose? I will say, speak for yourself on the difficulty and creatures. I've run into two blast-end Skrewts, one house sized acromantula, a small hord of pixies with a vendetta against wand wielders and most recently a boggart."

"Then that just adds to it. Someone must really be wanting me to get to the center of this maze. More than likely my good friend who put my name in the goblet. You'd better be careful. I'm going to keep heading towards the middle. If someone wants a fight then I'm more than ready to take them on. Just wanted to give you a heads up so you're careful yourself."

"Thanks. But instead of splitting why don't we just head off together. That way you can have a share of all the creatures I keep running into?"

"How do we decide who gets the cup when we make it to the middle. I've never been a huge fan of ties."

"A quick game of rock paper scissors sound fair?"

"Best two out of three?"

"You drive a hard bargain Harry. But I'm game."

With a quick shake of the hand and some laughter they headed of deeper into the mage. Easily tackling whatever ever creatures they came across. And true to form, Cedric found himself running in to less creatures than before Harry joined up, and Harry running into a few more creatures than he's already seen.

/-/-/

Slightly winded but ready for whatever was thrown their way the two champions arrived at the center of the maze, the Goblet of Fire waiting on a pedestal for whoever was first.

"On three?"

"On three."

"Rock! Paper! Scissors"

"That's one win for Hufflepuff."

"Don't let it go to your head Cedric. You've got to get two more up on me. And I won't be fooled by the same trick twice."

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"

"Well that's two in a row, you sweating yet Potter?"

"You wish. Come on. Time for my first win."

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"

"HA! I told you my win was coming. Ok baby, let's go, win number two!"

"Keep it in your pants Harry. I'm not your pretty blonde friend."

"Oh, we all know you wish you were Cedric."

"Stuff it Potter."

With a laugh they squared off for round four of their impromptu competition.

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"

"Three wins makes me the tri-wizard champion. Don't shed to many tears Harry. You were a worthy opponent."

They finished the small walk to the Goblet exchanging insults and laughing. Cedric reaching for the Goblet when suddenly Harry's eyes went wide. "Cedric don't!" It's a Tr—"

Cedric vanished in a flash, Harry having just noticed the faint tingle of wards going up as Cedric took the Goblet.

"Anti-Apparition wards. Well, luckily that won't stop me. But first, warning to mom and dad. Or even if I survive whatever's coming, they'll kill me when I get back." Thinking swiftly he withdrew two coins from his pocket. "Hopefully I can use these better this time around than I did the third task. So thinking he swiftly set two coins upon the pedestal, launching sparks into the sky and a patronus for his parents. "Alright, now think about those dreamy brown eyes all the girls say he has." Harry muttered as he faded from view right as he saw two teachers heading towards the sparks to see what they problem was.

/-/-/

He arrived in one of the largest cemeteries he'd been to in a few years. And there, tied to a statue was an unconscious Cedric while a group of hooded and masked figures surrounded a short fat man working quickly around a large cauldron in the middle.

A short fat man that Harry instantly recognized. "Looks like it's my lucky day." Harry muttered as he drew the attention of the hooded figures from his sudden appearance near Cedric.

"I thought those wards should have prevented anyone from following the trail Pettigrew! First you promised us Potter would be the only one to show up with goblet and now this. Well, at least it's Potter that's showed up. We need him for the ending of this anyways."

Though Harry couldn't place the voice he knew he was dealing with death eaters so that made his next decision easy.

Cutting curses erupted from his wand, slicing the throat of one hooded figure in the back and just nicking the arm of the one who'd been speaking to Pettigrew as Harry dodged to the left and away from return spell fire.

"Don't forget! We need him breathing or the master will be disappointed."

Harry knew that feminine voice quickly. "Aunty Bella? You decide it's finally time to visit?!" Harry called as he dodged another curse, trying to get a good angle on Cedric while avoiding all the spells headed his way from the hooded and masked figures.

"Filthy little potty. Aunty just wants a hug. Why don't you come over and I'll make it an extra special hug!" She came leaping over a headstone, wand flashing as stunners and binding curses flowed easily from her wand.

"When did you get out little miss crazy? Father told me you were locked very securely over at Azkaban."

"I tired of my stay at that resort. So my dear friend Barty brought in a few muggles he'd captured and polly-juiced to look like us. Then it was simple to leave them there in the our bodies to be supposedly dead. Then it was another simple matter of paying of the proud minister Fudge to both keep it out of the news, and away from Amelia. Lucky for us that Azkaban guards report directly to Fudge first and not Amelia. She'd have been on to use much to quickly otherwise!"

His breathing was starting to come faster, and whatever ritual or potion that Pettigrew was making it looked like he was almost finished as he drew near Cedric, slicing a long gash down his arm as he drew his blood and dropped it into the boiling cauldron.

His next action almost cost Harry he consciousness as Peter hacked off his arm into he boiling cauldron as Cedric began screaming in pain. Thinking quickly he pulled the coin he'd been holding on to towards Cedric. A sticking charm launched after it and catching it right before smacking into Cedric's face.

Immediately afterwards the coin activated, Cedric disappearing in a swirl of magic and taking the statue he was tied to with it.

Everybody but Harry stopped soon after. But not because of Cedric escaping. No, it was due to a naked man rising from the cauldron.

"Robe me." His followers scurried to obey as Pettigrew looked up in painfilled awe. Cradling his bleeding arm.

Soon after he'd first spoken he was out from the inside of the cauldron, robed and facing Harry Potter. He looked surprisingly normal, even handsome Harry would venture. Though whether that was due to the ritual and Cedric's blood, or if this was Tom's original looks showing Harry couldn't say. "Hello Harry. It's been a while wince we last saw each other. How are you this fine evening? Wonderful weather for a revival isn't it?" His comments drew laughter from his followers. "Now, I think it's hi time we finish these little rumors of you being as powerful as me. Let us see who is really stronger Ha—"

His words were cut off as a spell flew from the side, decapitating another of his followers in the back as Sirius, Amelia, Dumbledore, Severus and a host of others suddenly were charging towards them.

"Found the coins and Cedric Harry! Good call!" Sirius called, having first faded when the patronus arrived he'd been bombarded by media, Fudge, and Dumbledore alike, almost missing the words of his son from everyone freaking out and asking questions.

It had taken them a moment to get everyone gathered up and situated. Lyra was left with her godmother Catarina and Daphne. Along with Tracey, Susan and Luna Lovegood. While Blaise, Draco, and Neville decided to go with Sirius and the group that would be following to wherever Harry had gone.

Though both Sirius and Amelia had wanted to dash off and fade to their son immediately, they were reminded by Severus that they had no idea what was going on, or what could be waiting for them at the other end where Harry was. Currently he was healthy and his vitals were fine going off the gem that was tied to him and helped track him.

So it was they'd gathered up a group of Harry's supporters, Dumbledore and a regiment of Aurors that Fudge insisted join them to arrest whoever had taken the champions.

So it was they'd arrived to a nightmarish scene of a dark robed man, surrounded by hooded and masked death eaters that could only be Voldemort himself. Back in the flesh. Severus, far quicker than any of his compatriots fired off a curse rather than stare. His Sectumsempra relieving one of the back-death eaters of their head. Starting the all out war in the graveyard as Voldemort ignored the newcomers and instead focused upon Harry.

Sirius was on his way to help when he was interrupted by family. "Hello wittle Sirius. Look how you've grown."

"And look how you've shrunk. I distinctly you being a size C or D when you entered Azkaban." Sirius motioned as if he had large breasts while dodging her opening curse.

"Still think your funny, do you? You, traitorous dog."

With a laugh Sirius eagerly engaged his insane cousin. Allowing his wife to head towards their child.

Severus himself was dueling with Nott Senior. "That's a nice-looking burn scar on your face there. Care to tell me who cast the spell, I'd like to congratulate them for making you look markedly improved." Severus said in jest, then inwardly cursed himself. He'd been spending far too much time around that dog Sirius.

"You can ask your fancy little godson traitor. He gave me this here mark, and you can be sure that once my master has taken his pound of flesh from the welp that I'll be carving my name into his dead body."

It was not often that Severus was driving to fury by simpletons and idiots. But some could just bring out the worst in him. Originally planning to capture the first death eater he engaged to question, he was now going for the kill. No one threatened his godson.

Draco and Blaise were engaging in a duel with Nott Junior, who looked much worse for the wear since they'd last seen him being kicked out from Hogwarts. Words were not exchanged among the Slytherins. No, all that needed to be said between them could be spoken by way of wand.

Amelia and Harry worked in tandem, beautifully fighting Voldemort. Who, due to just being revived and not up to strength as he usually might, nor with as much strength as he was originally planning had Harry's blood been used instead of that Hufflepuff brat's. But still, he didn't think he'd have this tough of a time against a woman and her child. But they kept him on the back half.

Harry was quickly ordered by Amelia to watch her back and act defense as she took the offense to the dark wanker. With a smile and shouted, "Yes Ma'am." He'd moved somewhat back and to the left of his mom. Shield spells coming quickly to his lips as transfiguration and conjuration took care of the more dangerous spells, and killing curses flying their way.

For Amelia herself, she had a flame whip in her off hand while her wand was spitting offensive spells out with machine like precision. Her absolute faith in her son to keep her face letting her focus everything she had on taking down this monster so her son wouldn't have to.

But loath as she was to admit it, the man was good. Even weakened as he so obviously was he was able, for the most part to keep up with them. "Where the hell is Dumbledore? I thought he was with us!"

Looking around the battle field briefly she caught sight of him helping protect the Aurors and keep them from suffering to many casualties. Totally ignoring Voldemort and Harry's fight. With an angry sigh, Amelia focused all her attention once again on ending the dark lord before her.

Voldemort knew he would have to retreat, he was already starting to lose most of those who'd been there for his resurrection, and several inner members were bleeding out on the ground. It was time to leave. Raising his hands he called up a huge circle of fiendfyre between him and his death eaters that were close enough together and alive. Leaving those who'd wandered away from him to save themselves.

"Death Eaters. It's time to leave this party. I'll return for you Harry Potter. Prepare yourself, for mother won't always be there to care for you."

"I'll kick your ass any day of the week pretty boy!" Harry shouted after the man as he and most of his cohorts disappeared by portkey.

"Harry!" His mother was on him in an instant giving him a hug. "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No mom, I'm fine. No one managed to land a spell on me. It helped in the beginning they were trying to capture not kill or maim."

"Good." Reasurring herself with a quick pat down and then a kiss to his forehead she pulled him into her side and began walking back towards the group. "Let's see how your father is."

Much the same as his wife, he wasn't happy till he'd hugged his son and given him a once over to ensure he was alright. "Also, we may be having a new house guest…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you see…"

/-/-/

Sirius' battle with Bellatrix had been going pretty well. Neither had hurt the other too much, in fact. Neither one were really throwing anything to harmful at each other. Something Sirius noticed she'd been doing, and so he'd followed suit. It felt like, for a moment they were back in school, practicing dueling with each other. Before she'd gone off the end and been married to Rodolphus.

He was preparing to knock her out, having gaged her level of skill and magic since escaping whenever she did that the unusual happened.

She suddenly gasped, grabbing her head before sinking to the ground with a shout of pain. "I'm… Free? He's dead!?" Maniacle laughter erupted from her as she looked up at a bewildered yet cautious Siruis. "I'm Free! He's dead. The contract has ended!" She swooped up, almost spooking Sirius to stun her before she grabbed him up in a hug and began dancing around in a circle on the battlefield.

"What? Bellatrix what are you talking about? Free? Contract. What is going on?"

"After the battle Sirius deary. I'll explain everything. For now, it's payback time." Ignoring Sirius spluttering or demanding of answers she retrieved her wand and was quick to blast apart a nearby death eater before moving on for her next target.

"Did I just see Bellatrix Lestrange blast apart a death eater?" Shacklebolt's question was directed towards Sirius with as much confusion as he himself felt.

"…. I'm not sure that's Lestrange or not… But you certainly just saw Bella blast a Death Eater." Sirius answered, starting to put the puzzle together. He'd always been curious about the contract between Bellatrix and Rodolphus. But apparently his mother had hidden her copy in a place he'd never find it or get access to, and the only other copy was hidden by the Lestranges themselves. And though the goblins were nice enough to search their vault for the Horcrux and let him destroy it. They were not willing to take or search for anything else. But, from her words, and what he could see to be the dead body of Rodolphus at the feet of Severus. It was all coming together.

/-/-/

He struggled not to laugh at the look she was receiving from his wife and on at his words. But he knew that one slip up and his loving wife might think this a prank and he'd be sleeping on the couch for a month on solo baby duty.

"So…. You're saying that per he contract she was pretty much a slave to Rodolphus? That she's innocent of all those crimes she committed."

"Not exactly. I know that, originally she was somewhat inclined to agree with the dark lord. She's never been a fan of the more radical Muggleborn and half-bloods. But I'd never thought she was as fanatical about it as she became. But I figured, you hang out with the wrong crowd and eventually they'll influence you enough. So never looked more into it until I became Lord Black after my exoneration from Prison. But once again, I couldn't find the contract and couldn't really do anything to find out more. Bellatrix wouldn't tell me anything, and I'm guessing couldn't anyways. But now she's free and released from her contract. So… I was hoping she could stay with us till she can have a trial and be examined by some unspeakables and doctors to double check my theory and her story?" He looked hopefully towards his wife.

"No." Her answer was swift, and so was her raised hand to shush her husband before he began begging. "We have a newborn in the house, and as much as I love that you believe the best in your cousin, and I hope you are right. I remember Bella being a bright girl and she even helped me with some classes a few times in school. But, the facts are what we have right now and I'll not risk our daughter on a 'hope so.' And I would hope you would not either. And even if her story is true, she's been under the control of that contract for decades, and there's no telling how sane she is right now. So even without a newborn daughter, I wouldn't even want her around Harry as he is now. So, as a counter offer. We can place her in that house for sale near the Potter manor. We can ward it and prepare it for her, as much as a way to keep her in and know where she is, as well as protect her and keep her close to us. Until such a time as she is cleared by both those doctors, the Unspeakables, and the law. That is the best I will agree to."

"Your wisdom astounds me again my love. I can work with that perfectly."

"Good. Now, let us get this group and our prisoners back to Hogwarts. I think the Minister and I are going to be having words." Amelia finished as she turned to the Aurors, signaling them to ensure all the left over Death Eaters were either dead our bound and ready for transport. "And DUmbeldore. Don't think I won't forget your rather convenient ignoring of our fight with Voldemort and the lack of health."

"My dear Amelia. I was simply helping those with less chance of survival compared to those of us who are more powerful. I knew you and Harry here could handle it just fine. And thanks to my intervening with the Aurors, we only lost a few lives. Much better I say then the alternative."

His smirk was infuriating, but Amelia knew it wasn't worth the fight right now. So with a large sigh she thanked him for protecting her Aurors. "Well, I do thank you for protecting them, we'll need every able bodied Auror we can. And I hate every loss our department suffers. So, thanks. Shacklebolt, are we ready to depart?"

"Yes Ma'am. We have everyone secure, even Bellatrix Lestran—"

"Black."

"Excuse me?" Shacklebolt questioned the woman herself who interrupted him.

"Bellatrix Black if you please?"

"…. Right then… Bellatrix Black is also secure and ready to go."

"Right. Then let's get back. And spread the news that Voldemort has returned, but he'll be short a few men."

/-/-/