AN: All thanks to Katherine my beta!
Mia let out a deep breath as she left the potions classroom. She was finished with her exam a few minutes early and had been dismissed. A hand fell on her arm, but she was too drained to jump. She looked over her shoulder to see Gabe's sly smile. "What took you so long? I expected you to finish early."
"I did finish early, you prat. I'm the first out." She sighed and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her, and they rested in a shadowed corner of the dungeon. "Just because you're Flitwick's favorite, and probably didn't even double check your work before turning in your paper, doesn't mean the rest of us don't care about our marks."
Gabe snorted and kissed the top of her head. "I triple checked my work, like a proper Ravenclaw, thank you very much, which is why Flitwick loves me. Regardless, I expect to have at least a 102%."
Mia looked up into his grinning face, and he kissed her proper.
"Ready to go upstairs? I bet your dads are already in the great hall with Harry."
Mia grinned. "But if we go up, I won't be able to do this." She kissed him again.
When the potions room opened again, they broke apart. Hermione rolled her eyes but gave Mia a knowing smile. They headed to the great hall together, talking over their exams. Hermione was anxious. Having spent so much time helping Harry prepare for the third task, she hadn't studied very much. Mia could tell it weighed heavily on her friend, but Hermione insisted helping Harry had been the priority.
Dinner was wonderful. She spent it sitting between Gabe and Remus, Sirius across the table telling stories of their golden days. Fred and George sat nearby, soaking in every word, awe and respect on their faces.
Harry didn't eat much, instead he sat torn between looks of anxiety over the pending task, and amusement over Sirius' stories. As the meal wound down, McGonagall appeared and took Harry away to prepare for the task.
When the table cleared, they all made their way out to the quidditch pitch and started the climb into the stands. The night was cooling fast, but Mia was warm with Sirius on her right, and Gabe on her left. They sat in the front row of their box along with Remus and Hermione, Ron and his mum and brother.
Far below them stretched a complex maze, made up of huge thick shrubs sprouting out of the quidditch pitch. As they settled into place, Bagman again could be heard announcing the night.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!"
Mia cheered along with the rest of their school, their cries causing birds to launch into the air above the forbidden forest and disappear into the dark sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause, a little less loud, but still strong. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!" And more cheers still. Bagman told them how the task would go. The maze was filled with spells, curses and monsters, tasks the champions would have to evade. In the center of the maze was the Triwizard cup, and the first champion to touch the cup would win.
The champions entered the maze staggered, in order from the highest point scale, so Harry and Cedric entered first. If they ran into trouble, they couldn't beat they could shoot up sparks and forfeit, and someone would come to rescue them.
The third task was much like the second. They couldn't really see anything. From up in the quidditch boxes they could just make out the small forms moving through the maze in some directions, but it was unclear who was who.
They could occasionally see the light of a spell or charm, and then spent the next few minutes arguing over who it was. When the first sparks flew into the air, Mia leaned forward in her seat, and Hermione gasped, fearing the worst. "It's not Harry," Sirius reassured Hermione. "He's not one to give up." Mia wasn't sure about Hermione, but Sirius' words didn't make her feel better. He was right. Harry would be more likely to get fatally hurt long before he asked for help.
When the first champion was retrieved, Bagman announced it was Fleur. "Hope she's ok," Bill said quietly from Mia's left.
A time later there was a fireball, big and impressive from deep in the maze. Then a red spell gleamed, followed by more sparks in the air. This time, Viktor was brought from the maze, stupefied. Hermione made small worried noises while Sirius and George reminisced on Viktor's skills at the world cup.
At last there was a bright flash of blue from the center of the maze, and Bagman's voice boomed in the night. "And that looks like it folks! As the Trywizard cup lights up the night, our champion and winner is teleported to the winning stage!" They all stood and looked to the far end of the pitch towards the judges on their stage, but neither Cedric nor Harry stood there. There was a long silence, then everyone started talking at one. Was it a mistake? Maybe that wasn't the blue of the cup porting the winner. Did someone mess up the portkey destination?
"Something's wrong," Sirius said quietly beside her. Mia looked at him and saw a worried look on his face. He turned and started pushing through the crowd. Mia grabbed Gabe's hand and followed her dad, Remus, and Hermione, and Ron, and Mrs. Weasley, and who knows who else following behind. Sirius flew down the stairs, taking them several at a time, and it was all Mia could do to keep up with her shorter legs.
People started to panic. She could hear a growing buzz from the crowd above her. As they raced along the grass ministry workers paced around with confused looks. They met Dumbledore as the Headmaster strode along the field towards the maze, lightning flashing in his eyes, and Percy and Bagman following behind.
"Dumbledore!" Sirius called out. Dumbledore held up a hand and they fell in behind him, moving fast towards the entrance to the maze.
"Alastor, what did you see?" Dumbledore asked Professor Moody as he came around the maze.
"Potter and Diggory made a deal, took the cup together at the same time. Then they disappeared. The Portkey worked." Mia frowned. Moody seemed a little too excited, something gleamed in his eyes, and his forehead was sweaty.
"Indeed," Dumbledore said with a frown.
"The portkey didn't work!" Percy said in an indignant voice. "If it had worked, they would have appeared on the stage. You there!" he called to a ministry worker. "Execute order four."
"Uh, whut?" the ministry worker asked.
Ron snorted behind Mia and Percy's face turned purple. "Tear down the maze at once! Honestly didn't anyone read the executive plan I wrote?" He stormed off to order more people around, and the ministry workers took off to dismantle the maze. Bill took off to help with removing the curses and creatures.
Dumbledore was oddly quiet among the chaos as people shouted and argued around them. Cedric's father reached them, Professor Sprout at his side trying to calm him.
"Where is he Dumbledore?" Cedric's father was frantic.
"Now the cup should have transported them right here," Bagman was shouting and pointing towards the stage. "It was a Portkey. Put the spell on it myself. They should have come straight here as soon as they touched it."
"Well it looks like you got the destination wrong!" Sirius shouted back. Remus held him back and Cedric's father got in Bagman's face instead yelling about morons who don't know their spell work.
"Now as soon as we have the maze cleared, we can have a proper look," Bagman said as he rubbed the sweat off his forehead. Moody shook his head, a small smile on his face as he turned and wandered towards the maze.
As the maze started to come down, chaos reigned. The rest of the school was kept in the stands to prevent confusion, and they could be heard yelling in the distance.
Snape approached Dumbledore. "Karkaroff is gone," he said before pulling him away and talking in quiet voices. He showed Dumbledore something on his arm. Bagman interrupted and started telling everyone again how it wasn't his fault.
Mia stood in the cold night, Gabe at her back with his arms around her as they watched the maze come down. When the creatures were all contained, and the majority of the maze was dismantled, a ministry worker made her way towards them, her hair was dark grey and limp, and she looked afraid. Remus saw her first and reached out to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"I've been through the whole thing," Tonks told them. "He isn't in there."
"You're bleeding," Remus said. He pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it against her forehead.
"It's just a scratch from that bloody skrewt. It'll be fine."
"It will be fine after Madam Pomfrey has a look. Come on." Remus met Mia's eyes and nodded his head towards Sirius, standing near the maze. She nodded in understanding and Remus wrapped his arm around Tonks and took her towards the med stand.
Mia sighed and pulled herself out of Gabe's warm arms and smiled sadly at him. He nodded and she walked to Sirius. She looped her arm through his, and he looked down at her surprised.
"I should be in there helping," he said before turning back to the maze.
"You heard Moody, he said he's not in there, and he can see through the hedges. Tonks also just came out. She's been through it and didn't see anything."
"This is bad," he said.
"What are you thinking could have happened?"
"It's all a part of a conspiracy. Someone put Harry's name in the goblet just for this, just to separate him from everyone else."
"But who would do that?"
"You know who."
Mia shivered, and Sirius pulled her closer.
Eventually the maze was dismantled, and they stood around the empty field. Among the fear and stress, Mia couldn't help the small gleam of hope in her chest as Remus stayed at Tonks' side.
Dumbledore wandered slowly around the middle of the field as though aimlessly searching for clues. When a glowing blue light appeared in the center of the field, everyone froze, then took off running. Dumbledore was there first as two forms and a glowing cup appeared in the middle of the air and fell to the ground.
Mia was there a moment later with Sirius and Gabe. They didn't look to be moving, were they dead? Dumbledore turned Harry over.
"He's back," Harry whispered. "He's back. Voldemort." More people reached them. People were screaming, Cedric's eyes were glassy and dead.
"He wanted me to bring him back," Harry muttered, his eyes frantic. "He wanted me to bring him back to his parents..."
McGonagall and Moody were helping Harry up, looking him over, then Cedric's dad was screaming and screaming, and tried to attack Dumbledore. McGonagall held him off while Dumbledore tried to calm him down.
It was terrible. Madam Pomfrey cast spells over Cedric and confirmed the worst. Dumbledore held Cedric's father as he wept crying for his son. The Minister of Magic was yelling at everyone, demanding things.
"Harry," Sirius whispered. Mia looked up and saw Sirius looking around. "Dumbledore, where's Harry?" Sirius asked loudly.
Dumbledore took off and Sirius followed. Mia tried to follow but Sirius stopped her. "No, stay here, stay with Moony and stay safe!" His eyes were frantic, and Mia nodded as he ran off chasing after Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape.
Cedric's body was taken away, and no one seemed to be in charge any longer. Bagman was gone, and Professor Flitwick ordered everyone back to their common rooms. Mia, Gabe, Hermione and Ron stayed with Remus, Tonks, Mrs. Weasley and Bill. McGonagall showed up and told them Harry was with Dumbledore and Sirius in Dumbledore's office, but they could wait for him in the hospital wing. Then she went to find the Minister of Magic.
They sat quietly in the hospital wing, waiting for Harry and to learn more. Professor Moody was lying unconscious on a bed in a corner. He was thin and ragged, a terrifying change from what he'd looked like on the field a short time ago. She couldn't imagine what could have happened. Madam Pomfrey was treating him, and Mia helped fetch potions.
When Harry re appeared, Sirius and Dumbledore at his side, Dumbledore told them all they could stay if Harry wanted, but only if they promised not to ask Harry to repeat what happened. Mia of course agreed, but she desperately wanted to know. Harry said You-Know-Who was back, and Mia was scared, a looming dread stretching over her as if a dementor approached. But somehow, she didn't think the patronus charm would save her from what was coming.
After a short time of sitting in the quiet room, watching Harry sleep, and feeling like she should butt out and go back to her room, yelling rang out through the hallways.
"What is that?" Bill asked.
"They'll wake him if they don't shut up!" Mrs. Weasley hissed.
"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?" Ron asked.
"That's Fudge's voice," Mrs. Weasley whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"
The voices grew closer.
"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" the Minister said.
"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" Professor McGonagall yelled. "When Dumbledore finds out -"
The hospital wing doors burst open and the Minister, McGonagall and Snape entered the room in a flurry. "Where's Dumbledore?" the Minister demanded.
"He's not here! This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"
The door opened again, and Dumbledore entered.
"What has happened?" said Dumbledore 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!" she yelled. "The Minister has seen to that!"
McGonagall was angrier than Mia had ever seen her, she could barely believe it. She shook with anger.
Snape cut in in a low even voce. "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-"
"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall yelled. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but-"
"My dear woman!" Fudge yelled, his face purple. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-"
"The moment that - that thing entered the room," McGonagall screamed, pointing at Fudge, "it swooped down on Crouch and- and-"
Mia's stomach dropped. It had kissed him. She knew it. Someone who McGonagall was supposed to be protecting had been kissed by a dementor. Sirius sitting by the foot of Harry's bed looked green, and Mia couldn't blame him.
"By all accounts, he is no loss! It seems he has been responsible for several deaths," Fudge argued.
That was when it all came out. Mr. Crouch's son had been a death eater. He had attacked and impersonated Professor Moody. All year they hadn't been taught by the ex auror, they were taught by a death eater. He had put Harry's name in the goblet, and helped Harry all year, keeping him safe for tonight, for Voldemort to use Harry so he could rise again to full power. And now he was back. Alive and powerful again.
Fudge didn't believe it, but then Harry started naming names of death eaters who had been there that night, including Draco's dad.
Dumbledore started telling Fudge steps to take, remove the dementors from Azkaban, reach out to the giants to build ties, but Fudge wouldn't hear any of it. Dumbledore warned him if he failed to act, his name would go down as the man who stepped aside when Voldemort tried to destroy the world. Fudge grew angry, and then Snape stepped in, he showed Fudge a mark on his arm, the dark mark, and said it was proof Voldemort was back.
Mia was shocked, she couldn't believe Snape had once been a follower of Voldemort. Fudge was equally shocked and disgusted. He dropped Harry's prize money on his bed and left the hospital wing with a threat to Dumbledore.
Silence fell for a moment, and then Dumbledore set to work. Bill left to alert Ron's dad, and anyone else who worked for the ministry and could be trusted, that Voldemort was back, and tell them Fudge was going to cover it up. Madam Pomfrey went to look after a house elf, and McGonagall left to get Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Remus was sent to alert all of their old 'crowd' and Sirius would stay with Harry for the night.
Snape… Dumbledore asked Snape if he was ready to do something he knew he must do. Snape said that he was, but his face was even paler than Mia had ever seen, and Dumbledore looked regretful as he wished Snape good luck as the potions master left. Dumbledore left to see Cedric's father, and told Harry to take the rest of his sleeping potion. When he was asleep, Mia said goodnight to Sirius, and she and Gabe left the hospital wing. She felt like she had intruded on Harry's privacy enough.
They walked together in silence to the landing where Ravenclaw and Gryffindor parted ways to their own towers. Gabe pulled Mia into a big hug, and they stood like that for a long time.
"How can we help?" she asked Gabe at last.
"I dunno." He squeezed her tighter. "But we will. We will find a way."
AN: This is another PSA that we are SUPER close to the end of the fic. There are only about 9 or 10 more chapters to go, although some of them are quite long, and I haven't decided if I will cut them up or not.