The third task was scheduled for the evening of 24th June, prior to that was a feast. Azalea sat in her usual place next to Filius and Charity but she had a feeling of foreboding and wasn't her usual sparkling self. She knew that Filius was going to be on patrol around the maze and reminded him several times to be on the lookout for anything amiss, which he promised to do.
Finally the meal ended, the champions set off to the maze and the spectators followed a few minutes later. Azalea walked out with the students as they filed down to the Quidditch field and took their seats in the spectator stands. The hedges surrounding the Quidditch field had grown to over twenty feet high and she sighed. This task wasn't going to be much fun for the spectators, if it wasn't for her worry over Harry she probably wouldn't have bothered to attend. She chose a seat as high up in the stands as she could hoping that she might be able to see over the hedges. She couldn't make out anything and the darkness didn't help, casting the avenues in the maze into gloomy shadows. She reserved the seat next to her for Charity who she could see making her way over towards her.
Whilst she waited for Charity to arrive she thought about Severus. He was never far from her thoughts these days and she had to take care that she kept her thoughts private and not broadcast them telepathically to him. So far they had limited the telepathic link between them to make arrangements to meet. She refrained from contacting him as much as she really wanted to because she didn't want to appear to be needy. She longed to tell him how much she loved him but she was fearful of scaring him away if she sought commitment too early in the relationship. She looked over to him; he was haranguing some students and no doubt being sarcastic. His unkindness to the students was one of his less attractive qualities. She saw that Charity had almost reached her so Azalea ceased her train of thought and greeted her friend.
Snape was walking around the spectators area; he had not been invited to patrol the outside of the maze, that task had been given to Hagrid, Moody, McGongall and Flitwick. He was still outraged that Dumbledore could even think of letting Moody anywhere near the maze. He walked around the spectator area, occasionally snarling at the students.
"Get a move on boy, we haven't got all night."
"A snail could move faster than you."
"When you two have quite finished your conversation you might like to tell the rest of us what was so interesting that your feet couldn't move when your mouth was."
However, he changed his demeanour for one particular student, "Pritchard, I think you'll find the seats at the top of the stand will give the best view. I can still see some are still empty, if you hurry you should be able to get one."
He looked across to where Azalea was sitting; a vacant seat beside her that she was saving for Charity. She was lost in her own thoughts. He indulged himself in thinking about her. He remembered her face the morning after they had first made love, she had smiled, pleased to be waking up next to him. He now understood that the expression "making love" wasn't just a euphemism for sex. It was so much more than just a physical activity when it was with somebody you cared about. No - he shouldn't fool himself - when it was with someone you loved - and he loved Azalea with his heart, his body and his soul. The way he loved Azalea was completely different to the love he had felt – still felt – for Lily. That was a love born out of long association and friendship, which he had spoiled in a thoughtless moment and compounded by his refusal to give up his interest in the dark arts. In the end his love for Lily had been corrupted by guilt. He didn't want to delve too deeply into his current feelings for Lily but he was certain his love for Azalea was real and better than anything he had ever felt for Lily.
He hadn't yet told Azalea he loved her and he knew the reason – it was fear. Not fear of commitment, that held no fear for him, it was fear of rejection. He believed she loved him but she was so guarded. Her skill at occlumency now almost matched his own and he couldn't be entirely certain of how she felt unless she told him. He tried to catch her eye so that he could speak to her telepathically but she was watching Charity who was making her way to the seat. He returned his attention to the spectators.
The whistle to commence the third task sounded and the audience went silent as they watched the two leading champions, Harry and Cedric, enter the maze, after a couple of minutes the contender in second place (Victor) went in followed by the third placed champion, Fleur. Now all the champions were inside and the spectators settled down to wait. The sounds coming from the maze and the flash of wand fire illuminating the darkness of the maze were the only indication for the audience of the events occurring in the maze. Suddenly the shrill sound of Fleur screaming pierced the air and the spectators abruptly fell silent, waiting for sight of red sparks to show where she was. They did not appear. A short time later Krum's voice could be clearly heard shouting "Crucio" immediately followed by yells from Cedric. The hush from the audience intensified; then pockets of whispering broke out, why was Krum apparently trying to perform an unforgiveable curse on Cedric? Harry's voice rang out from the maze "Stupefy!" Silence fell again and then a plume of red sparks could be seen from the maze, the sign that a contestant was down. The teachers who were patrolling the maze on their brooms flew into the maze and emerged a few minutes later with the inert body of Victor Krum. The spectators now knew the contest was between Harry and Cedric. Unable to see inside the maze, an occasional shouted spell from Harry was all they had to go on about the events taking place inside. The words "Cedric! On your left!" rang out from the maze, shortly followed by Harry's urgent shouts of "Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy". Then two voices shouted in unison "Stupefy!" A muffled thump could be heard in the ringing silence that followed. "Harry!" Cedric's voice sounded concerned, "You all right? Did it fall on you?" The audience held its breath waiting for a response and wondering what manner of monster might have fallen on Harry. "No," came his voice and the spectators breathed out knowing the two Hogwarts champions were both still in the race. In the quiet that followed, the audience were aware of Harry and Cedric having a quick fire conversation but they couldn't make out the detail. The words "One - two – three" sang out from the maze. The audience started to cheer but immediately realised something was wrong when a howl of wind and a swirl of colour rose out from the centre of the maze. Everything was still for a split second before the patrolling teachers sprang into action and McGonagall flew straight into the centre. She re-appeared almost instantly shouting, "They've gone, there's no one there!"
The crowd responded with a collective gasp then a torrent of conversations erupted from all corners of the stands. Azalea felt her stomach lurch in concern for Harry. She and Charity exchanged glances and without a word Azalea levitated from her seat and flew into the centre of the maze. She could see a giant spider lying motionless against the hedge but she barely registered its presence. She was looking for traces of magic. All spells left a trace of colour which she could see: the stronger the spell the longer the colour lingered. The colours of the "stupefy" and "impedimenta" spells she'd heard the boys shout had already gone but there was something fading even as she looked at it. She recognised the colours – the hues of a portkey. She felt a slight movement of air and someone landed beside her, she stepped back ready to defend herself but she didn't need to; it was Severus.
"Severus." She went up to him. "It was a portkey. Someone must have put a portkey here. Harry and Cedric could be anywhere. I've no idea where they went and I don't know how to find them," she said in distress.
Snape did not know how she knew there had been a portkey but he believed her immediately and it fitted the circumstances. Before he could reply, other people flew or ran in to join them, one of whom was Moody. Azalea narrowed her eyes when she saw Moody and unconsciously moved to stand closer to Snape. He followed her line of vision and noticed a gleam in Moody's good eye as if he was pleased in a job well done. At the same time Snape was thrilled that Azalea had instinctively come to him for protection.
McGonagall's voice came from behind them, "We've located Miss Delacour and we've already retrieved Mr Krum. It is only Harry and Cedric that are missing." She commenced to issue instructions, "Professor Moody would you look around here to see if there are any clues as to what happened. Professor Snape, please would you help with keeping the students and other spectators in the stands whilst the headmaster and the other judges work out what's happened."
Azalea interjected, "Professor McGonagall, I already know what's happened. Harry and Cedric have been taken somewhere via a portkey."
McGonagall appeared to have only just noticed Azalea's presence and said imperiously "Miss Bennett, please return to your seat and leave the investigation to the senior staff."
Azalea glared at McGonagall, resenting being treated like a child, she contemptuously clicked her fingers and disapparated in a fit of pique. Snape kept a straight face but Azalea's reaction had amused him. After she'd passed her apparation test (first time, of course) she would click her fingers when she disappeared, she'd said it was a muggle thing and would laugh as she did it. Only later did it occur to him that she had disapparated within the grounds of Hogwarts.
Snape returned to the spectator stands as requested but it wasn't difficult to keep the students in line, no one wanted to leave until they had found out what had happened. After an hour or so Snape began to feel uneasy for no reason he could discern. He walked up and down the stands to keep his mind off it when an agonising pain enveloped his left arm, a burning sensation as if his arm was on fire – a pain he hadn't felt for 13 years - and he'd hope against hope that he would never feel again. He staggered on a step and drew in a sharp breath. He felt Azalea's concerned question in his mind, ^^Are you all right?^^ He hadn't noticed she'd been watching him, he hoped no one else was as observant.
^^I'm fine^^ he responded, ^^I stubbed my toe.^^
She didn't reply and he noticed she was no longer looking in his direction. She said something to Charity and walked quickly down the steps hurrying into the darkness once she reached the bottom.
Snape felt an urge to look at the dark mark on his arm as if in some way it hadn't really happened until he saw, as well as felt, the change. He walked down the steps at a controlled pace despite his growing panic. He went to the rear of the stands and stood underneath them where he was hidden from view. The area under the stands was dim, the seats above blocking out any light from moon. He pulled up his sleeve, illuminated his wand to low light and looked at the dark mark. For years it had been dull grey colour with faded reds and greens but now the grey had transformed to a jet black, the red to a fiery scarlet and the green to a deep hue the colour of pine needles. As a piece of body art it was stunning in its vibrancy and attention to detail, but to Snape it was sinister and terrifying in the implications it now had for him. There was no doubt the Dark Lord had returned and was calling for his followers.
If Voldemort was back then Snape must conclude that Harry's disappearance was connected. Did it mean that Potter had been killed? The thought of that tore at his conscience. Had he failed Lily by not doing enough to protect her beloved son? He paced back and forth under the stands rubbing his arm in agitation. Whatever the fate of Potter, Snape had to make a decision. Should he respond to the call? If he didn't, the Voldemort would hunt him down and kill him. He didn't want to die now he had finally found a reason for living in Azalea. If he did respond then what would his role be? He still wanted revenge for Lily but if Potter was dead that would much harder to achieve without Voldemort feeling threatened by Potter and the prophecy to keep Voldemort's attention focused on his own survival. Logically, and to give himself the best chance of survival, Snape knew he should go to Voldemort. He needed to consult Dumbledore so there would be no ambiguity in the headmaster's mind as to why Snape had gone. The decision made, Snape left the shelter of the stands and made his way to the entrance to the maze where Dumbledore and the other judges were located.
He approached slowly, his reluctance evident in every step he took. He glanced around to seek Azalea but she wasn't anywhere he could see her. He continued to walk; as he got closer he could make out Dumbledore's figure who was talking intently to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. A commotion erupted by the hedge closest to the maze entrance and two bodies slammed into the grass. Snape increased his pace and ran the last few yards. When he arrived he could see it was Potter and Cedric both lying face down on the ground, the Triwizard Cup held tightly in Potter's hand and Cedric unnaturally still. Dumbledore had turned Potter over and Potter released his hold on the cup which fell to his side. Snape was overwhelmed with relief that Potter was still alive. He heard Potter whisper to Dumbledore "He's back. Voldemort." Dumbledore was aware of Snape's approach and he glanced up swiftly at him, Snape gave an almost imperceptible nod and the worried look on Dumbledore's face deepened.
Fudge had approached the scene and his whispered words were taken up by those standing closest to him and soon echoing around the arena like a crescendo - "Cedric's dead!" Snape looked over at Cedric's limp body and was deeply saddened at the loss of a fine young man. He guessed that his death was attributable to Voldemort. Cedric was just an innocent who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, although where that place had been he would have to find out from Potter. By now he could no longer see Potter, who was obscured by the crowd of people around him. Snape saw Dumbledore emerge and walk over to meet Cedric's parents. Snape kept his distance out of respect for the dignity of Cedric's parents. He saw Cedric's mother collapse into the arms of her husband and Dumbledore's sympathetically place a hand on Amos Diggory's shoulder before he left them in the care of Professor Sprout who was Cedric's Head of House. Snape strode to match Dumbledore's passage through crowd to where he had left Potter, but Potter was nowhere to be seen.
"Professor Moody took him to the hospital wing," replied a student to Dumbledore's urgent questioning as to Harry's whereabouts. Without a word Dumbledore immediately left the scene almost at a run with Snape and McGonagall following in his wake. Dumbledore did not go to the hospital wing, instead he headed straight for Moody's office. The door was locked when they arrived. Dumbledore wasted no time on knocking or trying to open it he simply lifted his wand and blasted it off its hinges, the door shattered into a dozen pieces which flew inside the room and clattered onto the floor. Snape saw a tableaux of Potter, wand outstretched, and Moody's body thrown onto the floor, whether it was there by Potter's action or the force of the blast was unclear. The look on Dumbledore's face was one of cold fury which Snape rarely saw reflected there.
Harry spoke in disbelief, "How can it have been Moody?"
"That is not Professor Moody," said Dumbledore refusing to meet Snape's eye as he said it. He instructed Snape to fetch truth potion and to get Winky from the kitchen. McGonagall he asked to collect a dog from Hagrid's then take it to Dumbledore's office. As Snape left to comply with the request, he saw Azalea hurrying towards Moody's office, he stepped aside to let her in and rushed to his office to get the truth potion.
When he returned, Azalea was standing by Potter; a trunk was open and Azalea was looking down into it but Snape's attention was drawn at once to a figure lying on the floor in the position where Moody had been when he'd left. Snape recognised him, "Crouch!" he said in startled voice, "Barty Crouch!"
Professor McGonagall had arrived at the same time as Snape and upon seeing Crouch she exclaimed "Good heavens!" and gave Dumbledore a questioning look.
Dumbledore was holding a hip flask in his hand, which Snape recognised as the one Moody always drank from. Dumbledore lifted the flask, shook it slightly and said by way of explanation, "polyjuice potion."
"Polyjuice potion? Who could ever had guessed that?" Snape observed sardonically. Dumbledore flashed him a look of annoyance but Snape's countenance remained impassive.
Snape heard Azalea's amused voice in his head ^^touché^^.
^^I couldn't resist^^ he replied.
Dumbledore administered the truth potion to Barty Crouch and they all listened to the tale emerge. How Barty had been gaoled for being a death eater but had escaped from Azkaban aided by his dying mother; his imprisonment in his father's house; his trip to the Quidditch World Cup; Voldemort's interrogation of Bertha Jorkins leading to the reinstatement of Barty in Voldemort's service; how Voldemort had stayed at the Crouch house and controlled Barty's father; the scheme to impersonate Moody and to ensure that Harry Potter won the Triwzard tournament and finally the success of the plan and Voldemort's return.
During the story Winky had been imploring Barty not to tell the story but he was compelled to do so by the truth potion. It was obvious to those listening that he was proud of his actions and the truth came out of him easily. At the end of his tale Winky was sobbing by his side. Azalea went to her, took her hand and knelt down so she was on same level as the house elf. "Winky," she said softly, "you did all you could for the family you served. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Without you this poor deluded man's life would have been ten times worse than it was. Nothing is your fault. You served your family well and anyone would be proud for you to be a part of their family."
Azalea's green eyes were full of compassion as she looked into Winky's tear stained face, "Is that what my lady believes?"
"Yes, Winky – I believe it. I know this may be hard for you to see but when Mr Crouch released you from his service he saved you from being controlled by Voldemort."
Winky thought about Azalea's words, "Yes I do see. Voldemort is a bad man and killed my master. Now I am a free elf. I will fight Voldemort," she said firmly.
"As we will all, Winky, as will we all," affirmed Dumbledore who had overheard the exchange.