Chapter 53
February 24th 1995
Hogwarts
January and a good part of February soon passed and soon the Second Task was upon them that was taking place on the Black Lake.
When they walked down to the lake Harry saw that the seats that had encircled the dragons' enclosure in November for the first task were now ranged along the opposite bank of the lake, rising in stands that were packed to the bursting
point and reflected in the lake below.
He looked to his side at a smiling Daphne holding his hand and the two of them got in a boat to row across to the platforms.
The Second Task was for the champions to retrieve hostages from the bottom of the lake.
While he was sure that was challenging for the champions it did not really give the spectators anything to do.
So throughout the task Harry stood and chatted with a large group of Archmagi.
And considering over two hundred students and now close to a fourth of the school where members that was a lot of people that Harry and Daphne could talk to
Strangely though neither Lily or James where at this task
And Dumbledore was slightly late.
How bizarre.
Soon Fleur Delacour came up but without her person.
Next Cedric came up with Cho Chang his girlfriend and Victor Krum came up with Hermione Granger his girlfriend.
Then it was just Michael left.
Soon he came to the surface with two people.
One was Weasley and the other looked to be Fleur's person.
Why would Michael have gotten Fleur's person?
She would have just been retrieved at the end of the task.
He was a Gryffindor though so it was probably something to do with that and some sense of heroism.
The crowd around them where making a great deal of noise; shouting and screaming, they all seemed to be on their feet; Harry had the impression they thought that the two girls might be dead
Hmm
After Michael and the girls were pulled onto the platform Harry turned to look at Dumbledore who was crouching at the water's edge, deep in conversation with what seemed to be the chief merperson, a particularly wild and ferocious-looking female. He was making the same sort of screechy noises that the merpeople made when they were above water; clearly, Dumbledore could speak Mermish. Finally he straightened up, turned to his fellow judges, and said, "A conference before we give the marks, I think."
The judges went into a huddle and soon Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Marcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows. . . .
"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."
Applause erupted from the stands.
"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour." Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuff's in the crowd; Harry saw Cho Chang give Cedric a glowing look.
"We therefore award him forty-seven points."
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."
Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior.
And now it was time to see how Michael had done
"Michael Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."
"Most of the judges feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks "Bagman said "However . . . Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."
Hmm so Michael was tied with Cedric now
"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," continued Bagman. "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."
SCENE CHANGE
The next few months passed with more people joining the Archmagi and taking their NEWT Exams
Before they knew it was time for the Third Task and then their year and their time at Hogwarts would be ending.
On the day of the task Harry and Daphne whiled away the afternoon with a
long walk around the castle, and then returned to the Great Hall
for the evening feast.
With their exams now over they were working on conceiving their first child now so they used whatever free time they had for that matter when they were not busy with either school or the Archmagi.
And that was another thing.
The Archmagi.
This year Harry and a lot of the Archmagi leadership would be graduating from Hogwarts and thus most likely the group would disband after this year.
Which was sad after how much work had been put into the group but now with over three hundred members of the Archmagi who now knew how to fight and defend themselves Harry felt proud of what they had achieved.
In the Great Hall when they got in there for dinner Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table with Bagman looked quite cheerful, but Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting next to Madame Maxime, looked stern and was not talking.
There were more courses than usual, and Harry with this being his last meal at Hogwarts ate up. As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell. "Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."
SCENE CHANGE
Overwhelming darkness greeted Michael Potter and Cedric Diggory as the slammed into the ground unable to see the Tri-Wizard Cup and in what looked to be like a graveyard
"I don't think that was supposed to happen, ''Cedric said to Michael as they both stood up.
"Neither did I." Michael looked around, but he was too disoriented to notice anything out of the ordinary until a voice, high and cold, greeted him.
"Welcome, Michael Potter. I've been waiting for you to complete my return."
Michael turned and took out his wand to face the voice and saw dozens of Death Eaters and something else that did not look human.
"Kill the Spare"
"AVADA KEDAVRA".
"No Cedric"Micheal called out as he saw the other champion get hit with a Killing Curse.
He then turned to the monster and glared
"Master," a small, frightened voice said "It is done. The wards are down."
Michael gasped.
"Uncle Pete, "He said.
Peter Pettigrew said nothing in reply.
He then realized something.
"Voldemort,"He said.
"Correct"Voldermort sneered "NOW BIND HIM"Voldermort ordered.
Michael was hit with too many Incarcerous Spells to count. He fell over and rolled down the slight incline of the graveyard two or three times before coming to a stop before being picked up by a spell and thrown against a headstone.
"Don't you think it is appropriate, Michael Potter, since you almost put me in the grave that my reincarnation should happen in a graveyard?"
Michael didn't give him the dignity of a response.
Voldemort let out a laugh and then turned to someone that Michael recognized as Uncle Sirius cousin Bellatrix Lestrange "Bella I believe it is time to exact the purging that you've been wishing for."
How did she get out of Azkaban?
Bellatrix cackled with laughter and disappeared along with dozens of Death Eaters leaving a small force with Voldemort. Two of the Death Eaters set about a cauldron that was boiling, stirring it and adding the finishing touches.
"My Lord, we are ready."
"After so many years," Voldemort mused, "and to think, I have the pleasure of Micheal Potter's blood to make it happen."
Micheal struggled desperately to remove the ropes that bound him.
A wand came up and a spell was cast. Micheal gritted his teeth as the Death Eater cut his forearm. Blood flowed freely down over his wrist and hand. The Death Eater caught it in a vial and walked over to the cauldron.
After another stir, a second Death Eater lowered into the cauldron a small, grotesque Voldemort hissing in pain. The first Death Eater waited until his master was fully immersed, then turned the vial upside down and poured the blood in.
The contents of the cauldron turned red and began to froth and bubble violently. Distortions appeared everywhere Micheal looked. The ground crumpled like a piece of paper. The trees in the distance folded in on themselves. Micheal felt a pressure as if the very fabric of the universe was twisting, pulling, threatening to snap in its transition into another reality. Then he realized that was exactly what was happening.
Death had been cheated.
Voldemort rose, tall and strong. He levitated himself out of the cauldron and reached for his wand, which Pettigrew handed to him.
"And now, Wormtail, for your reward."
A look of sheer joy and greed grew in Peter Pettigrew's eyes.
"Avada Kedavra."
Wormtail fell to the ground, dead.
"I have no use for those who would betray their best friends. They can't be trusted," he mocked.
Michael looked on in absolute horror.
"Now, what shall we do with you?" Voldemort taunted Michael. He waved his wand and the ropes fell off. Michael stood up and ran back towards the spot where the Cup was hoping he could escape with that.
He almost made it when he saw Voldemort's hand move. Michael dove to the ground and then stood up, but no sooner did he get to his feet then Voldemort hit him with the Cruciatus Curse.
Micheal had just enough time to gain his breath before he was cursed again, and again, and again.
SCENE CHANGE
Back at the Tournament stands Harry and Daphne where sitting with Edmund, Layla and Adalynn as they waited for the task to be over.
"Shouldn't they be back by now "Layla asked "Delacour and Krum where brought out of the maze nearly a hour ago".
"Yeah"Edmund said "Cedric and the other Potter can't possibly still be in the maze".
Harry looked at Daphne who, like him, was frowning.
"You feel it too, "She said.
"Yeah"Harry said to everyone, "Something doesn't seem right about this task".
He noticed that there was a greater number of visitors in the stands for this task than in the previous two tasks.
That had been a rule recently put into place by someone in the Ministry allowing for non school or Ministry spectators to view the Third Tasks.
KRAK KRAK KABOOM
At that moment a large explosion came from what sounded like the direction of the Forbidden Forest that shook the stands and caused the crowd to scream in fear and Daphne to grab onto Harry.
"What the hell was that? "Harry said as they got their bearings.
He saw Aurors leave the area and head to the sound of the explosion most likely to investigate.
What Harry and most of the audience did not see then was about a dozen or so of the spectators pulling on masks and gloves.
And then Harry saw electricity coming from the area where the judges, teachers and officials where as several masked assailants took town a good number of the important people in that area including a certain bearded wizard.
Off in the distance then dozens of streaks of black moved through the sky before appearing infront of the maze in the form of dozens and dozens of Death Eaters led by the notorious Bellatrix Lestrange
Holly fuck
Lestranges voice then echoed around the area.
"Purebloods stand with us and you have nothing to worry about for today the Dark Lord's forces will cleanse our world of those unworthy enough to be called wizards' '.
At that a number of explosions rocked the stands and Harry threw Daphne to the ground and jumped ontop of her as the stands shook.
They then got up as Death Eaters started moving into the stands and firing spells
Harry,Daphne,Edmund and the rest of their group tried making their way out of the stands and Harry shielded as a sickly purple spell sailed towards them.
"What are they doing "Edmund snarled "What point could there be in attacking school children".
Harry then stopped as they stumbled upon a sickening sight of Hufflepuff First Years friends Laura Madley and Elanor Branstone laying on the ground bleeding from the explosions.
He came upon a sobering realization.
"There here to wipe out the undesirables the Muggleborn"Harry said feeling his fury rise.
"Where's Astoria "Daphne said worriedly
"Let's go find her "Harry said as he and his friends moved through the crowd and soon an Archmagi member joined their group and then soon another one and soon Harry was surrounded by over a dozen members of the Archmagi.
"Astoria "Daphne gasped.
Harry looked and saw Astoria on the ground with a Death Eater standing over her with his wand pointed at her.
"No"Harry yelled and before he knew it he shot a fire blast at the Death Eater badly burning the man who was now on fire.
Edmund silenced the screaming man with a Killing Curse.
Edmund looked at Harry who nodded "Its either us or them "He said and helped Daphne as she helped Astoria to her feet
Getting off of the stands Harry looked around and saw that a lot of members of the Archmagi were engaging the Death Eaters in combat.
He felt his heart swell as he saw them using the spells they had learned in their sessions.
He then got a terrified Gryffindor Second Year Terrence Fogarty to join their group.
"Come on "Harry said "We can help you out".
"We have to protect the younger students "Harry told Edmund who nodded.
Soon more Archmagi joined their group and they gathered the younger students to try and make sure that they could escape here.
And then soon they were engaged with a group of about a dozen Death Eaters.
Harry didn't pull any punches throwing all the deadly curses he knew and using bending against the Death Eaters.
He saw the other Archmagi members using deadly force as well without needing to be told.
Quickly realizing that they outnumbered the Death Eaters who seemed shocked at facing a determined resistance, Harry began to urge the Archmagi forward.
Several Death Eaters were killed by the Archmagi who were outraged after seeing their classmates blown apart by the bombs.
Although not without some of their own falling to the Death Eaters spells.
And then there was a loud cry that rose above the sound of the fighting.
"Dumbledore is dead, Dumbledore is dead".
At that there were cries of despair and then unexpectedly Lestranges voice rose above the noise.
"Death Eaters withdraw, our work here is done".
What.
Harry and the Archmagi pursued the Death Eaters as they left firing spells at the retreating Death Eaters.
Why were they leaving?
Albus Dumbledore was dead and they had been taken by surprise although not any more.
Harry then looked around and saw the devastation in the stands with large portions of them destroyed with bodies laying everywhere.
Dear Merlin.
Off in the distance he then saw a sight that made him hurl.
Harry fell to the ground unable to look at at the two mutileated corpses hung on poles and looked around at all the death
What the fuck had just happened.
Author Note 1 The Corpses are not the Potter Parents and 2 Dumbledore was taken out by a surprise and sneak attack that he was not expecting