Hermione's Harry
Author's Note: I know there must be mixed feelings about Cedric being killed off. I honestly wish I could have kept him alive because I thought he was a great character as well, but it's better for my story to keep it cannon and have him die. I'm sorry, but there are several things that were caused by his death, reminders that his death represented, and in all honesty, he was the first important and confirmed death in the Second Wizarding War, and it wouldn't make sense for Voldemort's return to not be marked with the death of an innocent witch or wizard that everyone knew. As always, I do not own Harry Potter and I appreciate the support of all of everyone reading.
Chapter 14
The void was calling to Harry, and he did not want to open his eyes. Here, in nonexistence, he was free. There was nothing to hurt him, nothing to hurt those he loved, no threat of Voldemort, no lack of parents, no threat to Hermione…
That was when he did open his eyes. Hermione wasn't there with him, she could still be in danger, and even if she wasn't he couldn't bear to leave her behind. He loved Hermione, he couldn't leave her behind.
As Harry took in his surroundings a few things became apparent immediately. One, he was in the graveyard from his dream. Two, he was tied to a tombstone. Three, Cedric was quite obviously dead. And last, Wormtail was brewing a potion of some kind in an enormous cauldron.
There was a third living presence in the grave yard, hidden in a bundle of blankets and lying against another tombstone. Judging by the prickling feeling Harry could feel in his forehead, he assumed that the thing in the blankets was Voldemort.
Both of the living wizards in the graveyard were ignoring Harry. Wormtail marched over to Voldemort and bowed to him. "It's ready my lord," he whispered.
"Well done, Wormtail," the weakened version of the voice from Harry's worst nightmares and worst memory said with praise. "Do it now!" it demanded. Wormtail nodded slowly and picked up the bundle of blankets. He carried it over to the cauldron gently and dropped it into the potion.
Harry hoped that Voldemort would drown in the contents of the potion, but that was rarely how magic decided to work. Wormtail seemed to be coming right at him, but turned away and pointed his wand at a bone lying in front of the tombstone beside Harry. "Bone of the Father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son." The bone levitated over the cauldron and when it was dropped in the contents ignited in flames. As the flames died down, Wormtail held his left arm over the potion and withdrew a dagger from his robes. "Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed, you will revive your master." Harry watched with horror as Wormtail sliced off the hand missing a finger. The potion glowed a bloody red that made Harry sick to his stomach.
Wormtail turned to Harry with a menacing look in his eyes. As he marched steadily toward him, Harry struggled against his bonds. "I lied to you, Potter," Wormtail said suddenly, brandishing the knife. Harry looked up at him with intense hatred. "James would not have shown me mercy had he been able to punish me for my betrayal. He would have killed me himself."
"I don't doubt it you pathetic lump of filth," Harry muttered venomously. Wormtail merely grinned and pierced Harry's arm with the knife, cutting a strong line through his skin. Harry struggled against his bindings and resisted the urge to cry out in pain.
Wormtail smiled and carried the knife to the cauldron. "Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your adversary!"
The cauldron glowed white and seemed to cave in on itself. Moments later a figure was standing in place of the potion. Harry gulped, not wanting the see the pale, skeletal figure that was the resurrected murderer of his parents. Wormtail passed over the black robes that Voldemort had been wrapped up in and the dark, reborn wizard pulled them on.
When he turned to face Harry with blood red eyes, Harry felt as though his forehead was splitting in two. "Potter," the cold voice whispered. "How I have longed for this day. To be whole again, to confront you in all my glory, and show my followers which of us is more powerful." Voldemort turned to face Wormtail with a grin. "Hold out your arm my faithful servant." Wormtail held out his left arm, but was quickly scolded to present the other. Wormtail held out his right arm and flinched when Voldemort took hold of his wrist and pressed his wand to the dark mark on Wormtail's right arm.
Harry looked above to see the dark mark forming in the sky. Within moments they were surrounded by death eaters, Voldemort's followers. "Welcome, my friends. Thirteen years have passed, and you stand before me as though it was only yesterday that I summoned you. I confess myself disappointed in you all, my supposedly faithful friends."
He sighed, a reflection of his disappointment. "Not one of you went looking for me, I seemed to have disappeared and suddenly you all abandon me. Shameful."
"I returned!" Wormtail squeaked. Voldemort turned back to him and the smaller pudgy wizard took a step back.
"You returned out of fear Wormtail," Voldemort scolded. Then he grinned. "But, no matter your reason you did indeed return, and you did help to return me to my former glory. Lord Voldemort rewards those that prove themselves useful and loyal." He waved his wand over Wormtail's arm and a silvery substance appeared, connecting to Wormtail's wrist and forming into a hand. "See to it that your loyalty does not waver in the future my devoted servant."
Wormtail nodded and thanked Voldemort insistently. "I am sure you are all wondering why the Potter boy is here, why he is still alive." The death eaters nodded slowly, eager to show their devotion. "He is my guest of honor, and your entertainment. I shall duel Potter properly, at my full strength, and you will all see that I am superior. That I am the most powerful wizard in this world, and that no one has the power to truly defeat me."
Harry fell forward, no longer bound. His wand was placed in his hand and he was lifted onto his feet. "You know how to duel, do you not Potter?" Voldemort asked. "We bow to one another to show respect, I'll even do the same for you out of respect of your one true victory against me when I was so much weaker than I am now."
Harry remained standing, refusing to bow to his parent's killer. Voldemort deserved none of his respect, none of it!
"How very rude of you Potter, forgetting your manners like that!" Voldemort yelled. "Imperio!" He yelled.
Harry felt that fake giddy feeling of absolute peace and joy, heard that voice in his head telling him to bow. I won't, he kept saying to himself. Don't do it. I won't bow. I will never bow to you. I refuse. I will not! "I WILL NOT NOW OR EVER BOW TO THE COWARD THAT MURDERED MY PARENTS IN COLD BLOOD! I HAVE NO RESPECT FOR YOU AND WILL NOT PRETEND TO!" Harry bellowed and yelled out, "Expelliarmus!"
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort hollered and their spells collided. A golden thread connected their now vibrating wands and both wizards held on for dear life. A protective dome of magic seemed to come from the thread connecting the wands and from the center something burst forth that threw Harry almost completely off guard. Cedric Diggory, obviously a ghost, standing and smiling warmly at Harry.
"You're strong Harry, you won't die here. Hold on, don't let go, don't let my killer win." The ghost version of Cedric walked toward Harry as he struggled to hold on to his wand. "You have so much waiting for you beyond this graveyard." Harry nodded slowly.
"I'm so sorry," he murmured.
Cedric shook his head. "Don't be, I have no regrets. But please, take my body back to my father."
Harry nodded slowly and looked back at Voldemort. Two more ghost like people came rushing toward Harry. He realized he was looking into the faces of his parents. "Harry my brave baby boy!" His mother cried. His father seemed to have tears in his eyes.
"Harry, when you break the connection we can linger to hold them off but you have to hurry, do you understand?" James asked of his son. Harry nodded and turned to his mother.
The only person he'd ever wanted to touch him before was Hermione but in that moment all he wanted was for his mother to hold him close and tell him everything would be okay. "Let go sweetheart, you're ready. You'll see us again, I promise. Let go," she said softly. Harry nodded, closed his eyes and jerked his wand upward. The connection broke and the ghosts rushed at Voldemort, forming an odd sort of force field. He ran, managing to make it to Cedric's body. He took hold of the dead man's shirt and summoned the cup. He felt himself being pulled out of the graveyard. He was going home, and he was bringing Cedric with him.