Author's Note: *I Do Not Own Harry Potter*
A large portion of this chapter is actually rather light hearted and even sweet, so please do refrain from calling me evil once you reach the end of this chapter. And for the people who wanted Skeeter punished, I hope you'll be happy with this chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who left reviews, each one means the world to me and I'm so excited to have people I can engage with about my story! I hope everyone continues to enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen: The Final Task
"Potter," McGonagall said in her stern voice as she walked over to Harry and Hermione while they ate their dinner. She seemed to have a rare smile on her face until she caught sight of a jar on the table between the two of them. "Why do you have a beetle in a jar on the table?" She asked and crossed her arms over her bust.
Hermione's face reddened considerably in embarrassment, and she put her hand over the lid, while Harry shrugged with a devious smirk on his face. "We found it outside the grounds on our last date and Hermione wanted to keep it. Personally, I think it's a fat, ugly little bug and it should be squashed."
McGonagall narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Well I do hate to interrupt your dinner, but it is a tradition that Triwizard Champions spend the last few hours before the Final Task with their families." Harry quirked an eyebrow in confusion, and that confusion was only strengthened when he caught sight of a twinkle in her eye. "I must request that you come with me."
Harry nodded slowly and stood up. "Can Hermione come with me?" He asked, and McGonagall's smile from before came back.
"Yes Mr. Potter, if Miss Granger wishes to come with you she is more than welcome." Harry turned to face Hermione as she gathered up her back, placing the jar inside it.
The teen couple followed McGonagall into her classroom to find Remus and Sirius seated atop a couple students' desks. "Pup!" Sirius shouted the moment the door was shut, and hurried to Harry, pulling him into a warm embrace. "I've missed you," he said as he and Harry held on to each other. "And I am so proud of you." Remus pulled Hermione into a hug and thanked her for taking care of their pup.
"What are you guys doing here?!" Harry asked as they let go of each other. Remus smiled as Sirius leaned back against a desk and shrugged.
"We're family, aren't we? Besides, James would have given his right arm to see his kid win a tournament like this one, or just to watch one of your many successful Quidditch games. We'll be standing there in your parents' places, a stand in for them, and a reminder that you've got people in your life that are as proud of you as they would be." Harry's smile widened at Sirius' words and he threw his arms around his unofficial uncles.
Hermione watched Harry with a smile of her own, she loved seeing him so happy. She set her bag down, which fell open around the jar they were lugging around, revealing the trapped bug. Their captured prey was none other than Rita Skeeter, and they'd caught her rather recently. She and Harry had gone to the the interview, slipped the potion to force an animagus transformation into her firewhiskey while Rita's back had been turned, and as soon as she started shrinking, they caught her in the jar, which was enchanted against breaking.
The only reason Hermione hadn't let Harry step on her was because she didn't know if that would count as murder in the wizarding world. Sure, they could make the claim that they didn't know she had an animagus form and it had been an accident, but they weren't sure if anyone would believe that. And that was of course only an admissible defense if they successfully ended Skeeter's life by stepping on her, and there was no guarantee that it would. If she survived she could easily give her evidence that they were aware of everything and that it was intentional, they might even face time in Azkeban just for kidnapping her, even if she did walk away unscathed. Not to mention that if they could blackmail her, she may be of use, and Hermione knew Harry didn't truly want Skeeter dead, he just wanted the articles and hatemail to stop, and the more mischievous side of him wanted to pay the insect back for causing so many problems in the first place.
Sirius eyed the jar with a suspicious expression. "The latest gossip is that Rita Skeeter went missing not too long ago," his eyes turned more mischievous at that point. "And you two are lugging around a rather ugly beetle…" he added.
Harry rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest defensively, while Hermione's face reddened steadily. "She wouldn't stop sticking her nose in my business, and Hermione was getting dangerous hate mail. I had every right to defend my brilliant girlfriend, who cleverly realized that Skeeter was an illegal animagus."
Remus burst out laughing at Harry's explanation and Sirius shook his head with a grin. "I wish James was here to see this. You'd give your father a run for his money, pup."
Hermione couldn't help the giggles that escaped her. "Harry wants to step on her," she admitted.
Sirius' grin grew brighter. "Why haven't you let him?"
It took awhile for the laughter to die down following Padfoot's question. Once it did finally die down, Hermione changed the topic to something more serious. "Okay, we've been keeping a secret for a long while, but I don't want to have messed it up…" she bit her lip. "I think I finished the animagus potion, but I'd like you to check it to make sure I haven't made any mistakes. Will you, please?" She asked Sirius, her nerves almost getting the better of her.
Sirius looked as though he'd been clubbed over the head for a moment. "You two started the animagus process and didn't tell me?" He asked. "I am so offended right now."
Remus smirked. "Don't put them in the dog house, Sirius. It's best to keep things like that secret if you haven't gotten permission from the ministry, which I doubt they've done." He gave the teens a knowing look.
Harry grinned as Sirius rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's go. Where are you brewing the potion anyway?" He asked with a genuine smile.
Hermione's eyes widened in excitement and she shared a look with Harry. "Directly to the potion, through the room, or shall we call for our friends?" she asked with a sly smirk.
Harry smiled back at her. "Dobby, Winky, Mione and I need your assistance if you are not busy," he called out softly.
The two house elves popped into the classroom and gave their respective masters courteous bows. "What is Harry Potter sir needing?" Dobby asked with a smile as he stood back up straight. "Dobby would be happy to be helping."
"Can you take the four of us to mine and Harry's secret potion?" Hermione asked, holding her hand out to Winky. "We would both be very appreciative."
The two house elves didn't hesitate to grab everyone's hands and apparate them into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The usually gloomy ghost girl was floating about and she had an uncharacteristic smile on her face as she took in the sight of Sirius and Remus. "Oooooo, the ladies' men of Gryffindor! Did you come back because of Harry?" She asked while batting her eyelashes.
Remus paled considerably, while Sirius simply smirked. "I gave up that title years ago, but you are always a welcome sight. Have you been helping our pup and his witch?" He asked, his smile growing wider.
Both Harry and Hermione were in shock. Why wasn't Myrtle shrieking and calling Sirius a murderer? "Of course, out of respect for the four of you. I heard about what happened… It's a shame you never received a fair trial. You never would have hurt James." She bowed her head momentarily. "I'm glad you escaped, you deserve freedom." At that point, she turned to Remus. "And you Wolfy! Where was my goodbye when you left this damn castle?"
Remus shuddered. "Myrtle, you mainly haunt a girl's bathroom. A professor can't be seen walking into or out of a girl's bathroom."
Myrtle rolled her eyes. "Says the wolf that cried Roaring Rose and time the moon started pulling. Dirty Dog, left so many poor girls crying for their broken hearts and throbbing bodies. At least Sirius didn't pretend he wasn't a dog."
Remus' face turned red in mortification. "I didn't start Roaring Rose, that was James and Lily! You never called them out for making up a ghost so they wouldn't get caught!"
"They were a perfect couple seven years in the making. I wasn't going to ruin that because they got careless and forgot a silencing charm. You on the other hand were just as bad as Sirius, you just kept it private. Damn Dogs," Myrtle argued and crossed her arms with a huff of indignation.
Sirius laughed at that. "As much as I love watching you tear into our dear Moony, our pup needs us to take a look at a potion he's brewing with his lovely girlfriend."
Myrtle cackled. "Oh, their potion is perfectly brewed. I remember what it looked like when you and James brewed it with the rat." She grinned at Harry, then turned back to Sirius. "He's so similar to James… but there's a very different animal living in Harry. It's not a majestic stag lurking under his skin. He's something stronger, much more predatory." She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe it's Lily's influence. Remember Harry, if you die tonight, you're still welcome to share my toilet."
Hermione grumbled as Harry rolled his eyes. "Back off my boyfriend, Myrtle!" She demanded and took hold of Harry's arm. "Bloody hell ghost, he's mine!"
Shockingly, Myrtle didn't take offense to what Hermione said. Instead, she grinned at Hermione. "The invite is extended to you too," she added softly and winked before diving into her toilet.
The four remaining people in Myrtle's bathroom decided they would discuss the things the ghost girl had mentioned later. Sirius was able to confirm that they had indeed brewed the potion correctly. They ladled portions of their potion into two vials, each vial containing their mandrake leaves so it could all mix properly overnight.
After the group finished their task, they walked out of Myrtle's bathroom together, with Sirius in his dog form. As they were walking down the corridors, they heard a voice call out their names, except Sirius of course. All four turned toward to voice to find that it was Neville that had yelled to get their attention, and he was closely followed by Luna, who still had that dreamy look on her face. "Hey, what are you doing here professor?" Neville asked with a bright smile on his face.
Harry smiled back, and Remus gripped Harry's shoulder affectionately. "It's good to see you, Neville. I'm here to support Harry during the final task. Not many people know this, but I used to be one of James Potter's best friends." Neville's eyes widened in shock. "I've known Harry since the day he was born, and I was even the fourth person to hold him as a baby."
"Damn," Neville began. "Harry never told me any of that."
Harry shrugged. "Sorry Nev, it never really came up in conversation. What are you and Luna up to?" He asked, smirking at them knowingly.
Neville blushed, but Luna simply smiled. "We are currently on our way to the Quidditch Pitch, we were slightly delayed."
Hermione smiled at Luna's wording. Maybe next year she would convince Harry that they should share the Room of Requirement with them. "Well, would you like to walk with us? I'm sure we would all enjoy catching up with our dearly missed professor."
Luna and Neville agreed to walk with the group of four, and the conversation flowed easily. They discussed Remus' past friendship with James, and with Neville's father Frank. Neville and Harry learned all about how James was Neville's godfather and Neville's mother Alice was Harry's godmother. If they hadn't lost their parents, the two teens would have been raised together and likely would have grown up as best friends.
Yet despite all the pleasantry of their conversation, a dark cloud of uneasiness and fear had settled over Hermione. She chalked it up to general worry for Harry's safety considering how genuinely dangerous the tournament had already been.
When the group finally made it to the Quidditch pitch, Harry kissed Hermione's cheek and walked out in front of the maze he'd have to navigate with the rest of the competitors. Cedric and Krum were already there and Fleur was approaching.
The remaining group of five made their way into the stands and Hermione attempted to ignore the horrible feeling she had that something would go wrong, and Harry would end up hurt or dead.
As Hermione continued to fret about her boyfriend silently, Remus sat down beside her and Padfoot rested his head on her lap. Hermione turned to her other side to see that Luna was seated beside her as well, with Neville next to Luna. Hermione was trying so hard to calm herself, but she quickly realized she wasn't going to manage it until this tournament nonsense was over.
That was when Harry walked into the maze. The moment the wall of foliage shut behind Harry, Hermione felt a small, cold hand grip her wrist tightly. Hermione turned to face Luna, who was shaking, staring straight ahead of herself, but her eyes were glazed over. "It begins tonight," she spoke, her voice rough, scratchy, and somehow completely monotone. "Innocent blood spills to reawaken evil… The Survivor is tested… Lost Peverell heirs face one another as equal enemies… A dark Lord hides behind his mask… The murderer returns what he stole… The champion must hold his heart close… Or all will be lost…"
As Luna finished speaking, her eyes rolled backward and she fell from her seat onto the walkway. Both Neville and Hermione crouched down beside Luna, trying to wake her up. Moony and Padfoot locked eyes and came to the same conclusion. Harry was in danger, Voldemort would be returning tonight, and if Harry fell tonight… the wizarding world was doomed…
Harry felt as though he had been wandering for hours when he ran into Cedric and Krum Dueling. Before he saw the two contestants throwing hexes and curses at each other, Harry was sure things couldn't get worse. Harry had run into a sphinx, which gave him a riddle to solve, he'd faced at least three acromantulas, a blast-ended skrewt, a boggart, a weird mist that left him confused for several minutes, and he'd found Fleur trapped in Devil's Snare. Suddenly he's confronted with two expert wizards duelling each other and all Harry could think was that someone needed to call off this damn game right now because everyone has clearly gone mad!
"Cedric! Krum! Stop!" Harry ran at them and threw a shield charm between them that was strong enough to send Krum flying backward, and Cedric took a step backward into another batch of Devil's Snare of all things!
Harry watched as Cedric's wand flew out of his hand and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He quickly slashed the vines to bits, freeing Cedric. As the handsome Hogwarts Champion got back onto his feet, Harry handed him his fallen wand. "Thanks," Cedric began and gave Harry an awkward smile. "That was incredibly stupid of me. D'ya think Krum's alright?" He asked, with sincere concern in his eyes and tone.
Harry shrugged. "I'm sure he wasn't too hurt being flung backward, he's built tough. But why the hell were you two duelling in the first place?" He asked of Cedric, still confused by the altercation he walked into.
Cedric cringed. "His eyes were strange, almost completely blank. He just started attacking me, I had no choice but to fight back. The first five shield charms I put up fell apart almost instantly after he hit them. How did you make one that strong?" Cedric asked.
Harry shrugged again. "I'm not entirely sure, but Hermione's the one who taught me and no one is better at spell work than my brilliant girlfriend."
Cedric nodded and they turned to the right, seeing the cup glittering in front of them invitingly, but it's allure had worn off shortly after the tournament first began. Cedric sighed. "Doesn't seem anywhere near as important as it did, does it?" He asked softly.
Harry shook his head. "It's never been important to me. I already have too much fame and lack of privacy. I don't need it to get any worse."
Cedric couldn't help laughing at Harry's choice of words. "Well, I think you deserve it. You've certainly earned it. You saved me twice, you warned me about the dragons, and everyone's been counting you out from the beginning."
Harry smiled, not entirely sure how to take Cedric's analysis and kindness, but still appreciating it. "Maybe," he sighed and shrugged, but his smile did not leave his face. "Together?" He suggested and Cedric nodded his agreement. The walls around them began to shift and change, prompting the two teens to reach out and grab the cup together. It was the worst mistake Harry had ever made, and it would haunt him for years to come.
They were not greeted by a cheering audience, but instead by cold, damp grass. Harry stood up and quickly began to panic as he took in his surroundings and his blood ran colder than the grass under his shoes as he realized that they were in the graveyard that he'd seen repeatedly in his nightmares.
Cedric didn't notice Harry's mounting panic, he was too busy analyzing the Triwizard cup. "The cup is a portkey, Harry." He turned to face Harry, and was confused when Harry fell to his knees and clutched his forehead in his hands.
"GET BACK TO THE CUP!" Harry screamed and a jet of green light soared over him and hit Cedric in the chest. Harry watched, horrified, as Cedric fell backward and hit the ground. "CEDRIC!" and suddenly, everything had gone black.
Author's Note: I know, I'm horrible. I killed off Cedric, but believe it or not I have reasons. There were several things that were caused by his death, reminders that his death represented, and he was also the first important and publicly confirmed death of the second wizarding war. Not to mention that it wouldn't make sense for Voldemort's return to not be marked with the death of an innocent witch or wizard that everyone liked.
I also have a personal reason for sticking to the canon version. There's a quote from MIB 3 that I truly love. "Where there is death there will always be death." I have every intention to save certain characters from being killed off, but in the cases where someone died in canon and I'm using that moment as a plot device for my own story, there will be a death, just not necessarily the person who was originally killed off.