A/N: Guess who came back with an update?

Into the Abyss

Chapter Fifty-Three

Padfoot Returns

The aftermath of the second task caused many students to eagerly ask the hostages questions about what happened down in the lake. Whereas previously many students did not even cast Ron or Hermione second glances, both students were thrust into the limelight. Celeste herself even found many younger students following her around during her prefect rounds, some misty eyed as they enquired about the love rivalry between Cedric and Fred for her affections.

It was the kind of story Juvia would have gushed over, the bluenette water mage was a sucker for a romantic tale and Rita Skeeter, as wretched as she was, was a talented writer. Celeste would have been lying if she said she did not admire the writer just a tad, old Lucy had dreams of being a writer herself - an author precisely - and such dreams Celeste found herself sharing with that of her old self. Being an author was not an admirable career in wizarding standards, but it was not unheard of. Celeste just wished that writers like Rita Skeeter didn't use their talents to spin lies and make the lives of others unbearable.

"You're so lucky to have two boys fancying you" said Padma Patil, a girl from her own house who was two years her junior. She had a copy of the 'Prophet' held close to her chest and the blonde could make an image of herself, Cedric, and Fred in the middle of a large cartoonish heart. Celeste felt uneasy at this, her argument with Cho fresh in her mind and the blonde missed her best friend so much. Marietta too had limited her interactions with Celeste, the blonde surmised that it was out of loyalty to Cho. She tried to not let it bother her, after all she had her friends and of course, Fred to keep her busy.

Speaking of friends, Hermione was the least bit happy with all the attention she was receiving, the brunette had been teased relentlessly at being the thing that Viktor Krum would miss most. The studious Gryffindor could hardly complete one day without someone asking about Viktor and their relationship.

"I just want to keep things private between us, that's all" Hermione confided to Celeste. She understood wholeheartedly, after all Hermione was not the type of girl to enjoy the spotlight and Viktor was essentially a celebrity even before the Triwizard Tournament.

"I'm sure they'll find something else to focus on," Celeste told the younger girl. New stories were coming out weekly thanks to Rita Skeeter, Celeste wondered just how the notorious reporter knew so much about the goings on in Hogwarts despite being banned from entering the castle.

"Perhaps she has a mole?" Hermione suggested.

"A mole?" Celeste repeated incredulously "You think she's dug her way into the castle?"

Hermione chuckled at this, however, at noticing Celeste's confused expression she quickly sobered. "Oh, you weren't joking...a mole- it's a muggle expression…. It means that maybe she has a spy"

Celeste nodded in understanding.

"I wouldn't put it past Pansy, she's always been a stickler for gossip" Celeste commented.

March soon came with cruel winds; the post was delayed due to the poor owls continuously being blown off course and Celeste was glad that the scathing letters from her parents had started to dwindle in number. She hoped that they had dismissed her as a lost cause and would finally let her live her own life. She was happy now, happier than she had ever been since waking up in this world.

The mage found her relationship with Fred blossoming just like winter to spring. Not much had changed other than the fact that he was more affectionate now as he officially became her boyfriend and of course, the couple started to spend more time together.

The pair frequently strolled the castle grounds, sometimes with friends and other times alone- today the couple opted to walk alone. Celeste particularly enjoyed the way Fred would wrap his arms around her shoulders, the wizard was like a walking furnace, and she found that she quite enjoyed his warmth. Loke often teased her relentlessly at this, comparing her to a content, lazy house cat.

"Don't suppose you could give me a hand with my charms essay?" Fred asked. His hand ran gentle circles into her lower back as they walked, and Celeste found herself leaning closer towards him.

"What, you mean let you copy me?" Celeste asked with a smirk.

"Maybe" Said Fred cheekily "As your boyfriend don't I get rights?"

"Only for kisses," Celeste responded before promptly standing on her toes to press her lips to his. Fred smiled, his arms wrapped around the small of her back, effectively locking her into place in front of him. She did not mind much and smiled, placing her cheek against his chest.

"That works for me," was Celeste's muffled reply.

"So, this is your girlfriend then?" A sly voice called out.

Celeste halted in her steps whilst Fred chuckled at the sight of his youngest sibling Ginny. Her own brown eyes alight with amusement as she regarded the pair, behind her stood the rest of her siblings as well as Harry and Hermione. All grinned cheekily ay having caught the couple

"I'm very happy for you both!" Hermione beamed before hugging Celeste tightly.

"Our Freddie's all grown up now" George said as he wiped at his eyes even though no tears had yet to fall.

"Who would've thought you'd get a prefect as a girlfriend," Ron stated with a grin

"Anyone would think you were trying to corrupt her," Harry said with a smirk.

Celeste giggled, her face red. "Don't be silly. As if I need help being corrupted"

"So, when's the wedding?" Ginny asked.

Fred turned to Celeste with a mischievous smirk.

"I was thinking about a Christmas wedding, dear. Does that suit you?"

Celeste tied her best to stifle her giggles as she nodded.

"Of course, darling. But we should wait until after we graduate after all it will be difficult to consummate a marriage at school"

Ron made a mock wrenching noise, Ginny burst out into giggles whilst Hermione turned bright red.

"I think we scared the kids," Celeste murmured. Her smile widened as Fred grinned.

"Scarred them more like" Fred chuckled.

"I really did not need to picture you and brother...doing that" Ron grumbled.

"I think he's rubbing off on you" Hermione piped up

George smirked at this "I think he's doing far more than that!"

Hermione scowled at him in distaste, Ron blushed a bright red whilst Ginny chortled with laughter.

Not much later the group headed down to Hogsmeade, it was the second visit of the month. Harry revealed that he was to meet Sirius today and of course the rest of the group were very eager to see the older wizard again.

"...and then, Snape said that I'd been snooping in his office again...even said he'd use veritaserum on me" Harry said.

"Professor Snape couldn't do that, it's illegal" Hermione said quickly.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Fred grumbled.

Harry looked pensive for a few moments. Celeste peered round noticing his forlorn expression.

"Is everything alright?" She asked softly.

Harry looked up; his brows pinched before he spoke once more.

"Karkaroff, came to speak to Snape...he showed Snape something on his arm and then he got all pale- I've never seen him look like that"

"Maybe he had a rash on his arm?" Ron suggested.

Harry shook his head "No. It was something worse…much worse. You didn't see Snape's face, Ron he was terrified"

Celeste felt her blood run cold. There was only one thing that would make Professor Snape scared. Father said You-know-who would return...did that mean that Karkaroff had been one of his supporters? If he was showing something on his arm, it had to have been the mark.

"There's only one thing that would scare someone like Professor Snape," Hermione said slowly. She did not say it, however, the implication lay thick in the air. The twins went silent, Ron looked pale and poor Ginny looked ill. The atmosphere went chilly despite it being a warm spring day. Celeste felt a light squeeze on her hand.

"I'm sure Dumbledore has a plan, he's one of the strongest sorcerers around, isn't he?" Fred announced.

"Plus, old mouldy-Mort doesn't even have the legs to stand on" George added with a chuckle. The mood mostly brightens as the teenagers burst into laughter. Celeste was glad to see Harry smiling, the mention of Voldemort always was a natural downer to any conversation.

"How's the spell practice going, Harry?" Celeste asked. At this Harry instantly brightened as he went on to explain how he, Ron and Hermione had been practicing a plethora of stunning spells, cutting charms, and summoning charms to help with the third task.

"We've only been told that we'll need to defend ourselves, but from what I can't say" Harry said.

"Maybe the champions will have to fight each other?" Ginny suggested with stars in her eyes. ,"just imagine them all rugged and sweaty...but of course you would know all about that wouldn't you Hermione'

"Oh, give off!" Hermione hissed; red faced. Ginny cackled.

"In that case you'll need some duelling practice, we've seen how pretty-boy duels, don't let his smile fool you" George said with a grin.

"Thanks guys" Harry said earnestly. The younger wizard glanced down at his watch.

"Time to go mate?" Ron asked. Harry nodded.

"We're meeting Sirius now" Celeste explained to Sirius and the twins "Would you like to come?"

Fred shook his head "Got some things to do for the shop, but we'll see you later?"

Celeste nodded before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Don't get into too much trouble" she told him. Fred scoffed, and instantly the blonde rolled her eyes. There was no use even trying to keep the twins out of trouble and there was no doubt that now they were going to include Ginny in their schemes.

"Save a spot for me during detention!" Fred called back. Celeste groaned.

'Why do I always get caught up with troublesome boys?'

INTO THE ABYSS

Sirius looked well. He was sitting with the social worker Miss Chandra and the two of them looked rather familiar with one another and Celeste wondered if there was more to their relationship. Judging from the look Hermione sent her, she was thinking the same thing. Her cousin was the first to spot them and stood from his seat as he called them over with a wide grin.

"Harry!" Sirius bellowed. He wrapped his arms around the younger wizard in a big hug and Harry chuckled as Sirius ruffled his mess of black hair. "Come on in, cousin!" Sirius barked. Celeste smiled bashfully, she was not used to hugging family however, she would happily make an exception for Sirius.

"So, Harry tells us that you've been disowned, I think that calls for a drink!" Sirius declared. He waved the bartender over who smiled flirtatiously at him whilst swaying his hips (Celeste mused that her cousin just had this effect on people) and placed six butterbeers down before the group.

"Well, I'm worried that they'll try and get me back somehow" Celeste muttered between sips "I don't turn seventeen until July 1st after all" Celeste told him.

"I'm sure we can figure something out," Miss Chandra smiled "Now, I've heard through the grapevine that you're seeing someone,"

Celeste smiled, fingers twisting bashfully into the sleeve of her dress.

"Um, yes- we've been going out now for a month and I... I really like him"

"That's wonderful dear, I am very happy for you" Miss Chandra cooed.

"I wholeheartedly approve of the match" Sirius declared with a hearty grin.

"You do?" Celeste asked tentatively.

"Yes," Sirius responded, his smile eased Celeste's worries since he was the only family whose opinion mattered being that he was not a blood purist bigot. "He's a man your father would disapprove of, so I like him"

Celeste giggled at this "Thank you, Sirius...for everything"

"No need to thank me, were family"

Celeste smiled fondly. Ron nudged Harry and passed him a copy of the prophet. Peering over, Celeste spotted a headline depicting Mr. Crouch's mysterious illness.

"Crouch sacked his elf at the cup, didn't he?" Sirius asked slowly.

"He did?" Celeste asked. Ron nodded.

"This was before Tonks found you," Ron told her.

"Crouch never turned up for the match," Hermione added.

"I remember," Celeste said "I saw his house elf saving him a seat,"

Sirius looked pensive for a moment; his brows were pinched. Beside him, Miss Chandra peered at him in curiosity.

"Harry, did you check your pockets for your wand after you left the Top Box?"

Harry's lips pressed into a line "Erm" He thought hard "No," he said finally "I didn't need to use it before we entered the forest, then when I put my hand in my pockets, all I felt were my omni oculars"

Harry stared at Sirius and then Celeste glanced over towards her cousin. She remembered that night clearly, the Dark Mark appearing in the sky, Draco had looked terrified, and Mother looked pale...she had never seen her look so terrified...she got separated from them- then she saw the woman...the poor woman who had taken her last breaths-

'`Are you saying that whoever conjured the Mark stole my wand in the top box?' Asked Harry. Celeste was grateful for the distraction; she must have looked grim for Hermione shot her a worried look. Celeste smiled back at the younger girl, hoping that her message of 'I'm fine' was set clear.

"It's possible," said Sirius.

"Winky didn't steal the wand!" Said Hermione shrilly. Beside her, Ron rolled his eyes and muttered 'here we go again'.

"The elf wasn't the only one in the Top Box," said Sirius. His brows were furrowed as if envisioning all the suspects standing before him.

"The Malfoys!" Ron said suddenly and instantly, Celeste's mind flashed back to that night. Moments before the Mark appeared, Father had disappeared only to appear after the commotion had ended. But could Father have conjured the Mark himself?

"Father isn't the type to get his hands dirty'' Celeste murmured.

"That didn't stop him with the diary," Harry pointed out. Ron nodded in agreement.

Sirius did not look completely sold on the idea, of course it would be too fitting for her father to be the one responsible, but Celeste knew her Father, he was not the type to commit a crime where he could easily be a suspect. A known ex-death eater would be too obvious, and the years Father spent smarming up to the higher ups in the Ministry would have been for naught. It was probably why he had them sit in the Top Box that night where he could be easily seen, especially by those itching to put him away in Azkaban where he belonged.

"Anyone else?" Sirius asked.

"Um, Ludo Bagman," Hermione said.

"He keeps offering to help me with the tournament," Harry added.

"Does he now?" Miss Chandra asked with a deep frown.

"You really think it was Bagman?" Asked Ron incredulously.

"It's more likely to be him than Winky," said Hermione stubbornly.

Ron looked like he wanted to argue, however Celeste spoke.

"When the Mark was conjured and Crouch saw Winky with your wand, what did he do?" She asked.

"Went to look in the bushes," Said Harry "But no one was there,"

"Of course," Sirius muttered "Of course he'd want to pin it on anyone but his own house elf...and then he sacked her"

He ran a hand over his unshaven face, the stubble there gave him a rugged appearance. It reminded Celeste very much of Gildarts.

"All these absences...he goes through the trouble to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament, and then stops coming to that too...it's not like Crouch. If he's ever taken a day of work because he's sick, I'll eat Buckbeak,"

"Do you know crouch?" Asked Harry.

Suddenly Sirius' face darkened. His hands clenched to fists. He looked menacing just like the wanted posters Celeste had seen when she thought he was a murderer.

"Oh, I know him alright," Said Sirius darkly "He was the one who gave the order for me to be sent to Azkaban - without trial"

"What?" Hermione and Ron asked together. Miss Chandra placed a hand on Sirius fist.

'So, he was the one responsible…' Celeste thought bitterly. 'To think that one man had so much influence'

"Crouch used to be Head of Department of Magical Law enforcement," Miss Chandra explained "He's a great wizard- rumoured to be the next Minster too"

"He's also a power-hungry bastard," Sirius added hatefully.

"Not in front of the children, "Miss Chandra gently chided with a playful giggle. Sirius grinned however it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Crouch was always outspoken on the Dark Side. But a lot of people who were against the dark side...well you wouldn't understand...you four are too young"

Celeste frowned at this "I'll be of age soon and these three have seen their fair share of the dark side already"

Ron nodded eagerly "Try us, we can take it"

"Alright,'' said Sirius. His face went grim and dark "It was a dark time...terror...panic...you couldn't trust anyone. The ministry was in disarray- wizards, aurors...muggles too. All dying at the hands of death eaters."

"Times like these bring out the best in some people, and the worst in others. Crouch's ideals may have been good in the beginning- I wouldn't know. He rose quickly through the ranks, ordering harsh punishments against Voldemort's supporters. Aurors were given orders to kill rather than capture for instance"

Celeste felt chilly.

"I wasn't the only one sent to Azkaban without trial...at the mercy of the dementors. Crouch fought violence with violence and even authorized the use of unforgivables against suspects. He became as ruthless as the dark side"

"Then what happened?" Asked Hermione quietly.

"He had his supporters- wizards and witches who were just scared and afraid, they were looking for a way to end the darkness Voldemort had caused and saw Crouch as their champion" Sirius sounded bitter at this and Celeste could not blame him.

"Everyone thought it was a matter of time before Crouch got the job of Minster but then something rather unfortunate happened…" Sirius smiled grimly and at that moment he looked much more like an animal than a man. "Crouch's own son was caught with a group of Death Eaters. Apparently, they were trying to find Voldemort and bring him back to power"

"Did he try and get his son off?" Hermione asked.

Sirius barked with laughter however it sounded the least bit amused.

"His fatherly affection stretched enough to give him trial...then he sent him straight to Azkaban"

"He sent his own son to Azkaban," Asked Harry.

"That's right," Sirius said. "Took him to a cell near mine...he screamed for his mother by nightfall. He went quiet after a few days...they all went quiet in the end...except when they shrieked on their sleep"

For a moment Sirius' eyes went cold and dark as if shutters had closed behind them. Celeste felt immense pain for her cousin...to be trapped in that wretched place for so long... forgotten, disregarded as a traitor, when the entire time he was as innocent and loyal to the light as one could be.

"Is he still in Azkaban?' Asked Harry after a short silence.

"No," said Sirius "he died about a year after they brought him in"

"Moody says that Crouch is obsessed with catching dark wizards," Harry told Sirius.

"Probably thinks he can get back popularity by catching one more death eater," Miss Chandra said bitterly "don't think he'll be doing that so much now"

"He's put enough away, that slimy git, Snape hung out with a gang of 'em too" Sirius held up his fingers as he listed them off "Rosier and Wilkes - both killed a year before Voldemort fell. The Lestrange's, Avery and Malfoy managed to worm their way out of Azkaban...said they were under imperious"

Celeste was aware of many of those names. Rosier had been her mother's maternal cousin, the Lestrange's, her aunt and uncle. Mother had managed to pull some strings to get a visit to Azkaban to see them. It was horrible.

"Snape knows Karkaroff pretty well," Harry said "He showed Snape something on his arm and got him all scared"

"His arm?" Sirius asked, looking bewildered.

They nodded "You don't think it could be the mark, do you?" Celeste asked tentatively.

"I'm afraid so," Sirius said "Karkaroff ran with the Death Eaters once, not enough to get life, but he tortured a caused enough trouble to get under Crouch's watchlist...the snake managed to get off lightly by revealing the names of other Death Eaters, including Crouch Jr. "

"If Karkaroff was a Death Eater, how did he become a Headmaster?" Harry asked.

"Durmstrang isn't like Hogwarts, Harry," Celeste said "They are much more tolerant towards blood purity, they don't even allow muggle-borns to attend...but of course, not everyone there holds those ideas"

Harry nodded in understanding, realising now just why it was so scandalous for Viktor to ask Hermione to be his date to the ball.

"Look kids, I want you to be careful. Harry keep your head down and if you notice anything strange, I want you to owl me, understand?" Sirius demanded.

They all nodded.

"Good." Sirius said "Now, you better get going back to school, your curfew will be ending soon"

They said their goodbyes, Sirius and Miss Chandra walked the four teenagers towards the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

"Celeste," Said Sirius "A word?"

Celeste nodded. She allowed Harry, Ron, and Hermione to walk ahead before turning back to Sirius.

"Did your father say anything to you about Voldemort?" Sirius asked. Celeste nodded.

"Last Christmas, he said...he said that I had to choose a side…"

Sirius sighed "I see. Be careful, cousin"

"You think he's working with death eaters to bring him back, don't you?" Celeste asked quietly.

"It's crossed my mind" Sirius responded.

"I wish that none of this was happening," Celeste said sadly. Sirius smiled sadly.

"I know, kitten. Be glad that you're no longer with them. You're far too kind to be around that monster " he smiled, and the light came back to his eyes, making him look much more youthful than he ever had before.

A/N: Okay…so I did not expect to get this chapter out so late? Life happened lol. Hope you all stay tuned for the next chapter where we see the calm before the storm.

AGreen2222: I don't think Cho meant to spoil the mood, she was just so angry and felt that Celeste took away her chance with Cedric. Who knows…maybe Cho will get a chance later. Cedric is sweet isn't he and as a Hufflepuff I am legally obligated to protect him.

Uzumaki izayoi: I know everyone is OOC but I'm glad you like it.

oOAshookaOo: Cho just had to ruin the moment, didn't she! It would break Celeste to loose another person close to her.