"I don't know," I said in response to Madam Pomfrey's numerous questions about why I collapsed. "All I know is it happened and I didn't wake up until I was in here -"

"It could have been the crowd - did you feel claustrophobic?"

"No, I was fine, I -"

"Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Yeah, I went to bed at - like - ten last night and -"

"How much water did you drink today?"

"I didn't eat or drink -"

"You didn't?" she gave me a disapproving look.

"Okay, look, I wasn't hungry -"

Madam Pomfrey tsked and walked out the room, leaving me sitting on the hospital wing bed. I shouldn't even be in here. I had a vision is all… though I can't really tell anyone that… at all. No one even knows that I have visions except for Draco, Lissy, Becky, and Hermione. Lissy even gets the same visions I do, except for that one - why not that one?

I sighed, scooting over to lean against the bedpost. The real Alastor Moody, I noticed, lay motionless in a bed at the far end of the room, his wooden leg and magical eye lying on the bedside table. "I'm sorry, Alastor…" I murmured softly.

Returning from her office, Madam Pomfrey held a tray of food and a glass of water. To think that she actually had that at hand for just such an occasion.

"No," I said instantly.

"My dear, you need to eat -"

"I'm not hungry. Don't give it to me, even if I eat it I'll just throw it up."

She gave me a look, "Are you all right?"

I groaned, "Why is everyone asking me that? I'm fine! I'll eat something tomorrow, for heaven's sake. I'm just not hungry today."

Her mouth pursed into a thin line. "At least have some water," she said, coming over and placing the glass down on the table next to me. "There has to be some reason as to why you're not hungry. It could be an overflow of stress or anxiety, but your exams are all over."

"Nothing is wrong, Madam Pomfrey. You probably have some more important things to do now than to take care of me."

She shook her head before placing the food tray down onto the table next to me, and bustled over to her office. I sighed, looking at the food she left next to me. I still wasn't hungry.

The doors to the hospital wing burst open, and Severus came marching in.

"What's got you looking so murderous?" I asked casually.

"Are you -"

"If you ask me about whether I'm all right or not, I might just blow up."

He pulled a seat up next to me and sat down, taking hold of my arm. He gave a concentrated frown and looked at me about as inquisitively as I was looking at him.

"What's this about?"

"Potter is telling Dumbledore about the Dark Lord's return. I heard through the door, perhaps wrongly, that the Dark Lord told his Death Eaters that your magic was used in the potion that revived him… except you seem quite healthy, and your magic is at full potential."

I swallowed. I had forgotten about that part. Not only that, but if they heard Barty's whole story through the Truth Potion, then there's no escaping… "Well…." Should I tell him a lie or.. or the truth? No… no, I wouldn't be able to bear seeing his disappointment just yet… "Becky and I were about the go to the library sometime this past month, and he grabbed me and went off with me for the day. I had to console Becky into not telling anyone about it, because I didn't want it getting back to you knowing you would be very angry about it. And…."

"He risked your life in order to give your magic to the Dark Lord…." He certainly got steamy fast.

Hey, maybe he'll finally tell me…. "Except, why my magic? It may be strong, but wouldn't he need magic from a relative in order to -"

Severus' face went white, but he was saved from having to answer. Into the hospital wing came Ron, Hermione, another Weasley kid that I hadn't met, and Mrs. Weasley. They all had this terrified look on their faces.

Mrs. Weasley turned to us. "Is Harry here yet?"

I shook my head.

"But he should -" no doubt, Severus was going to say that he should be here shortly, but Mrs. Weasley had already begun to ignore us.

"Madam Pomfrey!" she shouted.

Madam Pomfrey came rushing out, and they all crowded around her, harassing her with hundreds of questions that I could hardly hear. They were each asked at the same time, so I could only make out Harry's name amidst it all.

Suddenly, they all whipped around as the hospital wing doors opened once again to reveal Professor Dumbledore, an injured Harry, and Sirius in his form of a great black dog.

Mrs. Weasley let out a muffled sort of scream, "Harry! Oh, Harry!" She started to hurry towards him, but Professor Dumbledore immediately stepped in between her and Harry.

He held up a hand, "Molly, please listen to me for a moment. Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight. He has just had to relive it for me. What he needs now is sleep, and peace, and quiet. If he would like you all to stay with him," he looked at the others in the room, excepting Severus and I, "you may do so. But I do not want you questioning him until he is ready to answer, and certainly not this evening."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and then rounded on Ron and Hermione as if they were being naughty. "Did you hear? He needs quiet!"

"Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey said tentatively, staring at the black dog, "may I ask what -?"

"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while," he said. "I assure you, he is extremely well trained. Harry - I will wait while you get into bed. I will be back to see you as soon as I have met with Fudge, Harry. I would like you to remain here tomorrow until I have spoken to the school." He took one glance at me before he left the room.

Madam Pomfrey led Harry to the bed next to mine, and he stared across the room at Moody.

"Is he okay?" he asked.

"He'll be fine," Madam Pomfrey told him, giving him some pajamas and pulling screens around him. She went back to her office. At the sound of him settling himself into bed, the Weasleys, Sirius and Hermione walked in, now hidden behind the screens.

"I'm all right," I heard Harry say. "Just tired."

Madam Pomfrey came back from her office to behind the screens with a small bottle of purple potion - a Sleeping Draught - and a goblet. "You'll need to drink all of this, Harry," she said. "It's a potion for dreamless sleep."

Soon, she returned from behind the screens and looked to Severus and I. "Are you staying long?"

He shook his head, standing up. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I will meet with Professor McGonagall, and help keep watch over Crouch. The minister should be with them soon."

I nodded as he swept out of the room.

Hermione and Ron poked their heads out from behind the screens. "What happened to you?" Ron asked. Sounds like I look horrible…

"I collapsed during the third task."

"And haven't eaten anything all day," Madam Pomfrey added scornfully.

"I'm not hungry!" I growled at her, my anger sprouting up out of nowhere.

Madam Pomfrey looked so appalled that, had I not seen it under such circumstances, I probably would have laughed. Even Ron and Hermione stared at me with such concern….

Sometime later, the food had gotten cold and Madam Pomfrey snatched it up, muttering something under her breath about stubbornness. In the hallways, I could hear loud shouting getting closer and closer with each loud remark. They were muffled, but seemed to become even clearer every second.

"They'll wake him up if they don't shut up!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?" asked the older Weasley boy. Throughout the conversations I'd been listening in on, I'd made out Mrs. Weasley and Ron calling him Bill.

"That's Fudge's voice," Mrs. Weasley whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"

The two voices were clear as day now. "Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" Fudge was saying.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" Professor McGonagall replied angrily. "When Dumbledore finds out -"

The hospital doors burst open, Bill pulled back the screen and Harry, unnoticed by most everyone but me, sat up and put his glasses on. Fudge strode on in with Professor McGonagall and Severus at his side. Wait… I thought, aren't Severus and Professor McGonagall supposed to be watching over Crouch? Who's making sure he doesn't get away?

Fudge turned to Mrs. Weasley and demanded, "Where's Dumbledore?"

Mrs. Weasley was now red with anger, though not so much as Professor McGonagall. "He's not here. This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"

The door opened, and who else but Professor Dumbledore walked in? "What has happened?" he asked sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch -"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" Professor McGonagall shrieked indignantly, trembling furiously. "The Minister has seen to that!"

What…?

Severus explained coolly, "When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events, he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch -"

Professor McGonagall cut him off, "I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore! I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but -"

"My dear woman!" Fudge roared angrily. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous -"

But her voice drowned his out. "The moment that - that thing entered the room, it swooped down on Crouch and - and -"

Oh… I thought, feeling chilled. I knew something would happen to him, but… not that. The dementor's kiss. Wow. That's the worst way possible to go out. He may have deserved it, but still.. I didn't wish that on him.

"By all accounts, he is no loss! It seems he has been responsible for several deaths."

"But he cannot now give testimony, Cornelius," Professor Dumbledore said, staring at him as though seeing him in a whole new light. "He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people."

"Why he killed them? Well, that's no mystery, is it? He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions!"

"Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions, Cornelius. Those peoples' deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body."

Fudge seemed as though he'd just been punched several times in the stomach. Dazed and blinking, he began to sputter, goggling unbelievingly at Professor Dumbledore. "You-Know-Who… returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore…"

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you, we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."

"See here, Dumbledore," Fudge replied, strangely enough, with a smile on his face, "you - you can't seriously believe that You-Know-Who - back? Come now, come now… certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders - but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore…"

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," Professor Dumbledore said, steadier than I thought possible with trying to explain something that so obviously happened. "He witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office. He glanced at Harry, just noticing he was awake, and shook his head. "I am afraid I cannot permit you to question Harry tonight."

Fudge's smile continued to linger as he, too, glanced at Harry and then looked back at Professor Dumbledore. "You are - er - prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?"

There was a moment of silence, broken by Sirius' growls.

"Certainly, I believe Harry. I heard Crouch's confession, and I heard Harry's account of what happened after he touched he Triwizard Cup; the two stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer."

Fudge once again glanced at Harry. "You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who… well…."

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr. Fudge," Harry said quietly. Hermione and the Weasleys jumped, just noticing that he was awake.

Fudge's face reddened, but he still looked defiant. "And if I have?" he asked, now looking to Professor Dumbledore. "If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A Parselmouth, eh? And having funny turns all over the place -"

"I assume that you are referring to the pains Harry has been experiencing in his scar?"

"You admit that he has been having these pains, then? Headaches? Nightmares? Possible - hallucinations?"

"Listen to me, Cornelius," Professor Dumbledore said, taking a step toward Fudge and emanating that familiar aura of strong power as had been shown around Barty Crouch. "Harry is as sane as you or I. That scar upon his forehead has not addled his brains. I believe it hurts him when Lord Voldemort is close by, or feeling particularly murderous."

Fudge took a step back, looking no less stubborn. "You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've never heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before…."

Harry blew up. "Look, I saw Voldemort come back!" He tried to get up, but Mrs. Weasley pushed and held him down. "I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy -"

Severus made a sudden movement, but when I looked at him his eyes had returned to Fudge.

"Malfoy was cleared!" Fudge said. "A very old family - donations to excellent causes -"

"Macnair!"

"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"

"Avery - Nott - Crabbe - Goyle -"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago! You could have found those names in old reports of the trials! For heavens sake, Dumbledore - the boy was full of some crackpot story at the end of last year too - his tales are getting taller, and you're still swallowing them - the boy can talk to snakes, Dumbledore, and you still think he's trustworthy!"

"You fool!" Professor McGonagall cried out. "Cedric Diggory! Mr. Crouch! These deaths were not the random work of a lunatic!"

"I see no evidence to the contrary!" Fudge's face now began to purple. "It seems to me that you are all determined to start a panic that will destabilize everything we have worked for these last thirteen years!"

Professor Dumbledore repeated, "Voldemort has returned. If you accept that fact straightaway, Fudge, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the dementors -"

"Preposterous! Remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of office for suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!"

"The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put Lord Voldemort's most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him the instant he asks them! They will not remain loyal to you, Fudge! Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard-pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!" Professor Dumbledore's anger continued to amaze me, and obviously Fudge as well. "The second step you must take - and at once - is to send envoys to the giants."

"Envoys to the giants? What madness is this?"

"Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late, or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!"

"You - you cannot be serious!" Fudge was shaking his head, and retreating further from Professor Dumbledore. This won't end well… I thought. "If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants - people hate them, Dumbledore - end of my career -"

Career before safety… ugh, what a horrible society this is!

Professor Dumbledore's voice rose dangerously. "You are blinded by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance , and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! Your dementor has just destroyed the last remaining member of a pure-blood family as old as any - and see what that man chose to make of his life! I tell you now - take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers of Magic we have ever known. Fail to act - and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!"

"Insane," Fudge whispered, continuing to back away. "Mad…"

Silence…

"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius, we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I - I shall act as I see fit."

Fudge bristled angrily, as though Professor Dumbledore had threatened him. He waved a threatening finger at him, "Now, see here, Dumbledore, I've given you free reign, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid, or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me -"

"The only one against whom I intend to work is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side."

Fudge seemed to have a hard time finding a reply to this. He rocked back and forth on his feet, spinning his bowler hat in his hands. Finally, he spoke, "He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be…"

Suddenly, Severus strode forward toward Fudge, pulling up the left sleeve up his robes. Fudge recoiled as he showed him the Dark Mark. "There," he said harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff's too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold."

Fudge stepped back from Severus, shaking his head in absolute denial. He stared in disgust at his arm and then returned his gaze to Professor Dumbledore. He whispered, "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough, I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry." He almost reached the door when he paused and turned to Harry, striding back over to him to place a small bag on the bedside table with a clink. "Your winnings. One thousand Galleons. There should have been a presentation ceremony, but under the circumstances…" Then he forcefully pushed his bowler hat atop his head and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

I almost wasn't certain about what just happened. The Ministry would now go against Professor Dumbledore with everything they've got. They obviously wouldn't win, but they certainly had guts.

Professor Dumbledore looked over at the group surrounding Harry's bed. "There is work to be done. Molly… am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?"

"Of course you can," Mrs. Weasley said. "We know what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride."

"Then I need to send a message to Arthur. All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as shortsighted as Cornelius."

Bill stood up, "I'll go to dad. I'll go now."

"Excellent. Tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry -"

"Leave it to me." He then clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder, kissed his mother on the cheek, pulled on his cloak and left the room.

"Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said, turning to Professor McGonagall. "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she will consent to come - Madame Maxime."

Professor McGonagall nodded and then left.

"Poppy," he now said to Madam Pomfrey, "would you be very kind and go down to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her, and take her back to the kitchen. I think Dobby will look after her for us."

"Very - very well," Madam Pomfrey responded, looking startled. She, too, left.

Professor Dumbledore stood by the door and waited until the footsteps had died away before speaking again. "And now, it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what they are. Sirius… if you could resume your usual form."

Sirius looked at him, as though to make sure he heard correctly, and instantly transformed into a man.

Mrs. Weasley screamed and jumped up from the bed, "Sirius Black!" She pointed at him in terror.

"Mum, shut up!" Ron yelled out. "It's okay!"

Severus just had a mingled look of fury and horror on his face. Funny, I nearly expected for him to point at him and shout out unintelligible things. But he did shout out, "Him! What is he doing here?"

"He is here at my invitation," Professor Dumbledore replied, looking between the two of them, "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."

Severus and Sirius continued to eye each other with absolute loathing.

Professor Dumbledore began to get a little impatient. "I will settle, in the short term, for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth do not stand united, there is no hope for any of us."

Well, while they still glared at each other with the power of all the illnesses of the world they, nonetheless, slowly moved toward each other and shook hands. They let go almost instantly.

Professor Dumbledore stepped between them once more. "That will do to be going on with. Now I have work for each of you. Fudge's attitude, though not unexpected, changes everything. Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher - the old crowd. Lie low at Lupin's for a while; I will contact you there."

"But -" Harry began to say.

Sirius turned to him with a gentle smile, "You'll see me very soon, Harry. I promise you. But I must do what I can, you understand, don't you?"

"Yeah. Yeah… of course I do."

Sirius briefly clasped his hand, nodded to Professor Dumbledore and then transformed back into a black dog. When he left, he turned the handle with his paw and disappeared from sight.

Professor Dumbledore now turned to Severus, and I watched this interaction closely. "Severus, you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready… if you are prepared…"

Severus' face turned pale, but he looked back with determination. "I am."

"Then good luck."

As Severus swept from the room, with everyone watching him, I donned the Disillusionment Charm on myself and snuck out after him. I followed closely behind him and, when I felt safe from the people in the hospital wing, I took the Disillusionment Charm off and jumped into step beside him. He instantly stopped in his tracks.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"No, the question is; what are you doing?" I responded.

He sighed, "You can't come with me this time, Melody."

"Why not?"

"I can't tell you."

"You wouldn't be telling me anything I don't already know."

"I - what does that mean?"

"You are going to Lord Voldemort to earn his favor, aren't you?"

He didn't answer, but he did look kind of nervous.

"In any case…" I said, continuing to walk forward. Severus began to walk next to me. "Well.. what I'm trying to say is that… you need my help."

"Melody -"

"Hear me out here. He thinks you have been unfaithful to him, and he will kill you on sight. If I'm there to say you have been faithful all along, just biding your time until he came to power, he will take the time to listen to whatever story you intend to spin."

"He's not going to listen to a fourteen year old girl… in any case, how do you even know this?"

"Come on, Lord Voldemort and I both know," I said, hoping he would fill in the rest so I didn't have to.

"Know what?" he asked suspiciously.

"Bloody hell, Severus, you know exactly what I'm talking about! I'm his daughter for heaven's sake, he knows it and I know it!"

"Melody!" he shouted, stopping in his tracks.

"Come on," I said, continuing to walk out of the castle with my heart pounding against my chest. "Dad's not going to wait any longer!"