It was the glorious day of the third task. The school's inhabitants were in great celebration, even Snape seemed happy. Everyone was walking to the Quidditch pitch to watch the event, friends clumped together in the stands and began to holler out who their team was.
Archer was in the champions tent talking to Krum, reminding him of the plan. Archer's attitude was brilliant, she had a nice conversation with Dobby over a nice cup of tea in the Great Hall when he had a break from his work earlier that day. Cedric seemed more happy today, he had more of a game face on, telling himself that this was the last day and that he should get out of it with a prize cup.
Harry was absolutely nervous though, his hands were sweaty and shaking. Fleur on the other hand was nervous, but then probably remembered she would be in the spotlight and then grew a smile on her face.
Dumbledore than walked in and excused all who were not champions.
" See you Viktor, remember the plan!" Archer whispered patting Krum on the back and ran out of the tent.
Archer ran to the Durmstrang stands and sat next to Poliakoff. Archer then noticed her cousin Draco sit next to her, Crabbe and Goyle following with a lumber.
" Good day Draco, I see you aren't invested in your school very much." Archer greeted with a manipulative tone. Draco curved his lips into a snarl.
" Why would I? There's a Hufflepuff and Potter! I supported Diggory for a little while, then guess who he was talking to?" Draco snapped.
" Someone who is better than you?" Archer asked sarcastically.
" Listen here Archer. You maybe the king of sarcasm's daughter, but you keep your tongue in line when you talk to purebloods, got that halfblood?" Draco spoke angrily, Crabbe and Goyle cracking their knuckles.
" Oh yes, and a little, whiny fourth year is going to control a seventh year Durmstrang. Very, very likely." Archer answered with a sarcastic laugh, making Draco grow an over animated angry face.
" God, you are a blood traitor if I had ever saw one." Draco snarled. Archer smiled and gave a nod.
" You even have the mark on your arm, it's like your a mudblood." Goyle spoke in a less than intelligent voice. Draco elbowed him roughly.
" Your not to talk you brute." Draco sneered.
" So that's how you treat your friends?" Poliakoff asked with a laugh.
" Yeah seriously, give him a bottle of firewhiskey! Or did you pay him that much to be your friend?" Yoan shouted, making the Durmstrangs laugh hysterically.
Then the champions began to arrive out of the tent. First Fleur, then Viktor, Cedric, and Finally Harry. Fleur and Madame Maxime took a nervous stance, probably knowing that they would not win. Karkaroff was whispering in Krum's ear, Krum got nervous, but he did not listen to his idiot of a headmaster. Cedric and his proud father stood there with a smile on both of their faces. Harry and Dumbledore stood waiting anxiously, wondering what will bring of this. Dumbledore then walked away from Harry and faced the audience in the bleachers.
" Welcome all to the third and final task!" Dumbledore then suddenly erupted.
The crowed cheered as loud a humanly possible, especially the Durmstrangs who's voices were obvious in the cheers.
" In this task. There is a maze filled with dark creatures, and other obstacles as well. Professor Moody had placed the cup deep within the center of the maze. First to be entered by Mr. Potter." There was a loud eruption of cheer from the fans of Harry. " At the same time Mr. Diggory." The fans of Cedric cheered a little less loud, but still with hope. " Then followed by Mr. Krum." The Durmstrang cheered louder than the rest, Archer was screaming with joy and Krum smiled at his classmates. " And finally Miss Delacour." The beauxbatons cheered in a high octave than everyone else. "The one who takes the cup, will be the winner!" Dumbledore spoke. Cheer soon erupting once again from all.
Archer watched carefully as Dumbledore mustered the champions, speaking to them in hushed whispers. Draco was whispering something to Crabbe and Goyle about Archer, but Archer wasn't going to let her brat of a cousin bother her, he wasn't worth it anyways.
Archer then watched as Harry and Cedric entered the maze. Harry entered with nervousness in his steps, Cedric entered with a certain over confidence, making Archer laugh to herself. Krum soon followed his two competitors in the maze, looking back at Archer, who gave him a thumbs up and a smile, Krum returned the smile and continued to walk into the maze. Fleur was soon to follow, she looked fairly scared. The maze then closed up, not to Archer's surprise. Archer then sat patiently, silently, wondering what would happen, the suspense was already getting to her.
Two hours past, people had been whispering, but Archer stayed silent, wondering where everyone was, not daring to use Legilimency on anyone in case if they were fighting a creature, she had seen some red sparks some time ago for Fleur. Archer's eyes had been focused on Mad Eye Moody, he seemed to be acting suspiciously, smirking to himself. Archer felt like he might have sabotaged someone, but probably not, not with Dumbledore there. Archer then took her eyes off Moody, he was probably acting strange and mysterious as usual, watching him take a swig of a bottle he always carried with him, she never had paid attention to it so much before, but she was starting to get suspicious, the bottle was larger, about three times the amount as normal, he only took one swig from it an hour. Archer then got the feeling he was taking a potion. She elbowed a whispering Poliakoff on the shoulder pointing almost secretly to Moody.
" Do you find it odd that Moody has only taken two large swigs from that bottle in the past two hours?" Archer asked. Poliakoff rolled his eyes and laughed a little bit.
" Gosh, stop noticing such small details and enjoy the hours ve vait. Besides he's probably taking some sort of joint potion, he man has lived a crazy life and he's old." Poliakoff responded and then continued his conversation with Yoan.
Archer sighed with frustration. She couldn't understand why no one had been suspicious. She then let the subject pass and tried to enjoy. She tried to search for George with her eyes, she found him next to Fred, who looked like they were plotting a mischievous celebration. Archer smiled at George, who didn't notice her.
Archer then put on her cloak, it started to get a bit cold. Night was officially upon them. The howl of wolves in the forest echoed, the hoof beats of many centaurs were audible. Archer watched as a group of Threstals circled the starry skies. Archer saw the whomping willow take a nice swoop at a raven, but missed.
Archer then started to feel little pin pricks in her left forearm. Archer ignored them, probably something silly. But the pain grew more excruciating. Archer tried to use Occlumency on the voices that soon appeared but she couldn't, it was too powerful. Archer had been successful in blocking those until now, something big was happening, something bad.
Archer then heard the voice of Pettigrew.
" He will return."
Archer's arm became almost unbearable, she could see the trace of the mark climb up like a mound on her skin and be visible through her long sleeved shirt. Archer grabbed her forearm, it felt like fire burning in her arm while being poked by extremely cold pins.
Archer then looked at the teachers seats. Her father was suffering the same fate as well, and like Archer, trying to keep it as secretive as possible. Archer then saw her father leave the stands. She needed to talk to him, see if he was getting the same voices as her.
" Be right back, I need to use the loo." Archer told Poliakoff who was looking down at the hand on her forearm.
" Alright." Poliakoff spoke skeptically.
Archer then made her way out of the stands to find her father, she found him walking away. Archer then began to follow him.
" Dad!" Archer shouted, making her father veer to look at her, stopping strictly in his tracks.
" What is happening to your mark?" Snape asked walking to his daughter, who pulled up her left sleeve.
" Pettigrew told me something, he said, he will return." Archer spoke as her father pulled up his left sleeve, their marks were doing the same thing.
" The same thing is happening to me, can you block them out?" Snape asked. Archer shook her head.
" I can't either, follow me." Snape sullenly said. Archer walked with Snape, she could keep up with him, thanks to their very similar walk.
Archer followed Snape up until a certain point until he stopped and drew his wand.
" Accio morsusnapitak." Snape spoke, a bottle of potion flew into his other hand.
" Pain killing potion?" Archer asked, she knew this potion very well, she had to take it many times as a toddler when Bellatrix tortured her.
" We can't block the voices, but we can block the pain, come on, McGonagall will why I haven't come back yet." Snape said with a caring snarl. Archer swallowed the potion for five seconds as directed, and so did her father.
" I used the needing to go to the loo excuse." Archer said with a laugh.
" Same here." Snape spoke to his daughter.
" I'm afraid as to what is going on, I'm surprised Karkaroff hasn't showed up yet." Archer said.
Speak of the devil, Karkaroff walked up to Archer and Snape.
" Are your marks being impossible too?" Karkaroff asked spitefully.
" Very." Snape replied.
" Mind if I get some of that potion?" Karkaroff asked.
" It was my last bottle Karkaroff." Snape sneered with disgust of Karkaroff's cowardliness.
" Oh, so your mother didn't teach you to give anything to people if you didn't have enough to give to all?" Karkaroff snarled in anger.
" I would trust that you would have known that I would put my daughter over you in less than a heartbeat." Snape growled. Archer stepped in between the two angry men.
" Enough, both of you, we need to get back before people suspect something." Archer snapped, giving a nasty look to both.
" Your right." Karkaroff spoke, lowering his head.
Archer was shocked. She though she would never see the day Karkaroff actually respected her, and even less so telling her that she was correct.
" Do you know what you just did there? You agreed with me." Archer spoke in a shocked tone, wondering what was wrong with him.
" Yes, so?" Karkaroff snapped.
" You've never agreed with me before." Archer spoke with a smile curving her lips.
" So vhat lets get back!" Karkaroff snapped again.
The three walked back in worry. They had no idea what they were up against them, or when it was coming. Archer and the others split up and sat back in their original seats.
" Didn't know it took that long to use the toilet." Poliakoff spoke with an impatient crudeness.
" It was fairly far away." Archer replied, hushing him up.
After ten minuets the potion stopped working, which was a bad sign since the effects of the potion were meant to last for twenty four hours. Archer looked around for her father, he had a grimacing look on his face, and Karkaroff did as well.
Twenty minuets passed and Archer came close to showing signs of the excruciating pain in her forearm. She had her right hand clasped on her left forearm. Poliakoff stared at Archer, wondering what the hell was going on.
" Archer are you alright?" Poliakoff asked.
" I'm fine." Archer said with a false smile, then biting her lip to hold back a hiss of pain.
There was a vision, she saw him return. She saw him turn from weak and corpse like, to strong, just like Archer remembered him.
Voldemort was back.
Archer's heart seemed to stop, this couldn't be real, could it? Archer then felt the sharpest pain in her arm that had came from the mark. Her scream was muffled by the loud crowd, but was audible to the Durmstrangs.
" Archer!" Poliakoff shouted.
Krum had just come out of the maze to see Archer screaming.
" Archer!" Krum shouted even louder and ran to the stands to see Archer squirming in pain. Krum lifted Archer up and helped her sit on a seat.
" Archer, can you hear me?" Krum asked, he got no reply, just screaming., which continued for thirty more minuets without being noticed by anyone else.
Archer gasped loudly and her body slumped, she would have fell in Krum, Poliakoff, and Yoan didn't hold her up.
" Archer, what's happened?" Krum asked. Archer was able to hold herself up again. She looked and saw Harry crying on Cedric, Cedric wasn't moving.
Cedric Diggory was dead.
Archer screamed and leaped out of the stands right to Cedric's body.
Everyone then knew what was going on and the celebration came to a dead stop, everything was now quiet. Only sobbing could be heard. Archer but her hand on Harry's back to comfort him, and watched as he helplessly sobbed.
The professors rushed to the scene, they were whispering to each other that Cedric Diggory was dead.
" What happened Harry." Dumbledore asked.
" He's back!" Archer and Harry spoke simultaneously.
" Voldemort is back." Harry then continued, giving a speech about how he rose to power and that he couldn't leave Cedric since Cedric asked him to take his body back.
That was when Cedric's father dashed to the scene, when he saw his son he burst into tears.
" My Son!" Cedric's father cried.
To watch a parent mourn their dead child was the most emotional thing many people had ever seen that night, including Archer. Mr. Diggory's sobs filled the pitch. Archer could see Cho crying, bawling, in the arms of a friend who was comforting her.
Moody then told Archer and Harry to come with him. Archer and Moody brought up a resisting Harry to his feet.
" Come on Harry." Archer spoke with pain in her voice. Harry listened to her and tried to stand up, but his legs were so weak that Archer had to help Moody carry him.
As soon as they arrived to Moody's office, both Archer and Harry had an awful gut feeling, Archer then noticed Harry's arm.
" Harry, your arm!" Spoke in shock of how large the cut was.
" I'm fine." Harry replied with a nod."
Moody then roughly took Harry's arm and observed it.
" The cup was a portkey, someone bewitched it." Harry spoke.
Moody threw Harry's arm down and then started to frantically look for something.
" Professor Moody, are you alright?" Archer asked.
Moody turned to shoot a glare at both of them.
" What was it like Potter, the graveyard what was it like?" Moody spoke in a voice that didn't sound the same as his.
" I never said anything about a graveyard Professor." Harry spoke with a quiet shock.
As Harry was speaking Moody continued to frantically look for whatever he wanted to find, but stopped when Harry ended his sentence. Moody veered with a rather demonic look on his face.
Moody then began to ramble about how he suggested to everyone who helped Harry to help him. From Hagrid, to Cedric, Neville, and others as well.
" It was you. You put my name in the Goblet of fire, you bewitched Krum and the cup." Harry stuttered in surprise.
" You were meant to be in that graveyard tonight Potter. Now the deed is done, the blood that runs in these veins, they run within the Dark Lord." Moody spoke in a rough raspy tone, which was different from his last voice.
Moody's face then turned even more demonic, making Harry take a step back next to Archer.
" What will he do for me. What will he think of me when I silence great Harry Potter, and Blood traitor Archer Snape." Moody growled, pulling out his wand.
" Expelliarmus!" Archer yelled, Moody barley was able to block her spell.
" You are a very bold girl aren't you Archer? But you are no match for me!" Moody said firing an imperius curse which Archer easily blocked.
" Stupefy!" Archer yelled, her spell being barley block by Moody once more.
" Avada-" Moody began to say.
" Expelliarmus!" A familiar voice spoke, making Moody and his wand go flying. Dumbledore entered the room being followed by Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.
Dumbledore began to interrogate Moody, making him swallow a bottle of Veritaserum. Soon to find out the real Moody was trapped in a giant box, which Dumbledore opened and saw the real Moody look in awful condition.
" Archer, are you alright?" Snape asked. Archer nodded as her father desperately hugged his daughter, he was so scarred that his daughter could have died if it wasn't for Dumbledore, finally releasing his daughter from the hug so she could actually breathe.
Moody began to grow even more demonic, his face was changing, his height increased and his weight seemed to decrease. He made the most awful of noises until you saw a fairly young man with an evil glint in his eyes. The man tried to lunge for Archer and Harry but was stopped from Snape shoving him back.
" Barty Crouch Junior." Dumbledore spoke with a hushed strictness. Barty laughed a little to himself.
" I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Barty spoke with an evil pride in his hissing voice.
Dumbledore then grabbed Harry's arm and showed it to Barty, who displayed his dark mark, Archer also pulled up her sleeve.
" You can see now, the Dark Lord has returned." Barty snarled with malice.
" I will alert the Ministry that they are missing a prisoner in Azkaban, Severus, keep watch," Dumbledore spoke. Snape drew his wand and watched as Professor McGonagall escorted Harry and Archer out of Moody's office.
Archer was in her common room, and hour had passed. She had told the story to her peers and was not in the mood for sleep, no one was. She could see the Ryzhenkov twins crying, both were in most of Cedric's classes and were good friends of Cedric's. Archer stared blankly at the fire in her candle, she was acquaintances with Cedric until yesterday, when she considered him a friend. In her mind she even wished him good luck, she never expected to that that for any other champion but Krum.
Archer then stood up and cleared he throat. Her peers looked at her, wondering what she was going to say.
" Tonight, we have suffered a great loss. Not all of us were acquainted with Cedric, or were friends of Cedric's, but we all still feel a hole of loss in our hearts. We have had no win tonight, not even Harry Potter, who was friends with Cedric." Archer spoke, her peers listening closely.
" Let us Honor Cedric's memory, raise your wands." Archer continued taking out her wand, casting a silent lumos.
Her peers followed her lead, soon the common room had a a brighter light in it, but the silence made the room seem dark as well.
After several minuets, Archer lowered her wand, and her peers followed.
" Let us try to get some sleep, we leave tomorrow, and we have a funeral to attend too." Krum said. Archer nodded at her best friend in agreement.
Archer then rested herself on her bed, she couldn't sleep. She listened to the sounds of her classmates snoring, which didn't annoy her, but comforted her. Archer after around two hours finally found motivation to close her eyes and fall asleep.