Hey all! This isn't a new fic but an old one I have decided to post on FFN. It's still currently being written (1 1/2 chapters left). I have finished two pressing projects and will now devote my time to finishing this. Note: All mistakes and weak spots are mine. I have NOT edited or fixed the first 9 chapters. This story deals with PTSD, Lordships, Mental Health, Romance, and Family.
As always: Enjoy!
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"No, you go," Cedric said, turning to look at Harry Potter.
"You got here first," Harry protested. "Besides you're the actual Hogwarts champion, not me."
"But you're…." Cedric started but stopped, as he saw the tired, yet determined, look in Harry's eyes. "Fine, then we will share the winnings."
Harry nodded. A blustery wind rushed around them as the boys stood there looking at the blue goblet that would take them back to their friends and family. They would always know them as Tri-wizard winners. Tonight would leave a mark on the both of them.
Harry pocketed his wand and reached for the goblet just as Cedric grabbed the other handle. With a sharp tug at his naval, it jerked away Harry from the middle of the maze.
Harry groaned weakly as he landed hard on the ground. Someone must have cast a Silencing Charm on the crowd. He felt a sudden shake on his arm and turned to see a fear-stricken Cedric. He whipped his head around and he realized he wasn't back at Hogwarts.
He was in a graveyard.
In the middle of the graveyard, there was a large black cauldron that steamed with some kind of liquid. Harry felt his body go cold. The black trees loomed overhead, making it feel eerie. For the moment, they were alone.
Harry got to his feet. He brushed the dirt off him and looked for the goblet. It must have flown from their hands when they landed. He found it near a tall grave marker and he sighed in relief. He caught Cedric's attention and pointed toward the goblet.
Harry took a step forward when he realized someone arrived in the graveyard. Stopping was the worst thing he could have done at that moment. Slowly, he turned his body to see a pudgy nondescript man carrying a medium-sized bundle in his arms. Searing pain rammed into his brain as if it were on fire. Harry dropped to his knees, and screamed as he pressed his palm against his scar.
Voldemort was nearby.
Then a voice came from the bundle. A voice Harry only heard in his nightmares since his first year at Hogwarts. Fear paralyzed him as the pudgy man came closer, his scar still throbbing. Squinting in the dark, he saw Pettigrew and in his arms he carried a homunculus version of Voldemort.
"Kill the spare," Voldemort's voice rasped from the bundle.
In a matter of seconds, Harry watched as Pettigrew pulled his wand and shouted Avada Kedavra toward Cedric. The blinding sickly green spell hit the Hufflepuff squarely in the chest, ending his young life indefinitely. Harry watched in agony as another life taken by Voldemort fell to the ground.
"Harry Potter," the voice spoke again, gaining Harry's attention."This is what I have been reduced to but no longer will I be weak."
Harry didn't catch the exchange between Voldemort and the rat before he realized something evil was about to happen. Voldemort was going to come back.
"Do it now!" Voldemort demanded of Peter.
Harry was the first to reach for his wand, but Pettigrew was faster. The exchange of spells lasted for a mere few seconds before he was defeated and thrown against a statue, black thick ropes binding him.
Struggling with the thick ropes, Harry watched in horror as Pettigrew dropped the body that was Voldemort into the cauldron. The body made a sickening splash as it fell. He watched as Peter stood before an open grave, his wand waving slowly as he spoke.
"Bone of the father, taken unwillingly." Peter said, dropping a bone into the cauldron.
"Flesh of the servant ... given willingly," his voice trembled as he stepped close to the cauldron, raising a large knife. Harry closed his eyes as he heard a sickening wet sound as Peter cut his own hand off.
When the vile man turned his attention to Harry, Harry wished he could use wandless magic to escape. His body screamed in pain as he struggled against the binding. Trembling in fear, he watched Peter step closer to him, the large knife still in his remaining hand.
Claw-like fingers ripped the sleeve of his shirt off, exposing the pale flesh. A searing pain ripped through him and the pointed end of the knife sliced through his skin.
"Blood of the enemy forcibly taken," Peter's words rang in his ears as he saw the blood-tipped knife move away from him. Anger coursed through him. That was HIS blood!
Harry watched in horror as his blood dripped into the churning cauldron. Screaming for Peter to stop, he didn't hear as the Rat finished the spell to resurrect Voldemort. Fire bloomed around the cauldron as the spell did its evil work.
Out of the burning flames, they could hear a horrifying scream. It was a scream that promised pain and death to anyone who dared challenge Voldemort. Harry watched helplessly as the flames disappeared and Voldemort emerged with a human-like body.
Pettigrew handed Voldemort his wand reverently, bowing to his master as he did. The Voldemort that stood before him wasn't like the image from his second year. This creature reminded him of a snake with a human body. Voldemort walked toward him, sizing Harry up and not liking what he saw.
Suddenly there were popping noises around the graveyard as Death Eaters arrived. Harry couldn't tell who was who underneath the white masks. With a flick of his newly gained wand, Voldemort released Harry.
Harry sank to the cold ground, his body wracked in shivers as he slowly rose to his feet. Looking around discreetly to find the goblet and a way out he never noticed that Voldemort was waiting on him. Harry tuned out Voldemort, who was busy chastising his followers, and wracked his brain for a way out. He needed to grab Cedric and the goblet to go back to Hogwarts.
Where it was safe and far from Voldemort. Before he could make his move, he was frozen in place. His arms locked down by his side as Voldemort walked around the graveyard talking to his followers.
"You know when Lily Potter gave her life for her only son, she gave him the ultimate protection. I can't touch him," Voldemort said, eyeing Harry. In a blink of an eye, he was standing before Harry, his arm raised as his slitted eyes were wild and dark. "But now, I can!"
Harry wanted to scream as Voldemort placed one finger on the infamous scar. Blinding pain turned his brain into liquid as his enemy refused to move his finger from him. Harry didn't know how long the torture lasted, but eventually he collapsed onto the ground, shaking.
His vision swam as Voldemort demanded he retrieves his wand. Fumbling around in the grass, his fingers finally found the holly wand and picked it up. Slowly, he gathered himself to his feet and turned to gaze upon his enemy hatefully. Standing away from him, Voldemort instructed Harry to bow to him. Harry, being the noble Gryffindor, refused to do it.
He barely had time to move before he felt the pain of a thousand knives light up his nervous system. Falling to the ground, Harry laid there shaking and twitching but refused to scream. He didn't want to give Voldemort the satisfaction. Seconds went by before his enemy lifted the curse. Harry laid there struggling to breathe as his limbs twitched violently.
With a wave of wandless magic, Voldemort forced Harry to his feet. As Voldemort turned his back to Harry, the young wizard ran in the opposite direction. He was aiming to grab Cedric and the goblet. Instead, he was forced to duck behind a statue as a bright green light slammed into the statue, breaking it.
Realizing he had no choice, Harry stood to face his long-time enemy. Maybe if he was lucky, he would survive this. Stepping around the broken statue, Harry gripped his wand tightly in his hand and hoped that whoever was listening would help keep him alive.
As they duelled, spells were coming faster at the inexperienced wizard. Harry was struggling, trying to keep up with a wizard who was far more experienced than he. He ducked and rolled until he finally backed his way toward Cedric's body. Tired and wounded, Harry was finally ready to call it quits and take his chances at a run.
Voldemort realizing that he finally had a chance to kill him raised his wand for the death kill. Harry raised his own and fired off the first spell that came to mind.
"Avada…. "
"Expelliarmus!"
Harry ducked, the Killing Curse missing him by inches. He turned to run, hearing Voldemort roar in anger as he avoided dying again. A rough wind rustled through the graveyard as Harry Potter ducked under a large bush, hoping that Voldemort wouldn't find his hiding spot. Across the way was Cedric's body. The Hufflepuff died within minutes of arriving at the graveyard. As he lay there under the bush, he felt a warm trickle of blood seep down his arm and into the grass.
Cursing softly, he peeked from his hiding spot again to see the Death Eaters searching frantically for him. Voldemort stood near the cauldron, directing orders to a select few that weren't looking for him. Scanning the area with frantic eyes, Harry knew he needed to escape. He couldn't rely on the Ministry to come save him when no one knew his location.
The goblet, glowing fiery blue, was laying several feet away from him. If he could only grab it and Cedric, it would hopefully take him back to Hogwarts. He just needed a distraction. One that would keep Voldemort and his lackeys from grabbing him or worse, killing him. Aiming his wand toward a nearby half destroyed gravestone, he fired off the first curse he could think of. The red spell hit its target, shattering the stone. The loud noise distracted the Death Eaters close by.
Harry wasted no time and rolled out from under the bush. As he pushed himself to run, he could hear the screams of Death Eaters as they fired curse after curse at him, hoping to incapacitate him. He felt a chill crawl up his spine, knowing that Voldemort was watching him try to escape. His heart thudded in his chest as his body screamed in pain. Skidding to a halt, Harry grasped Cedric's torn jersey.
"Accio portkey!" he shouted, flicking his wand. Seconds later, it was in his hand and he and Cedric were gone.
They landed in pandemonium. All around them people were screaming as Harry landed on the wet grass with Cedric's body. His hand hurt clutching the Goblet's handle. Heaving a breath, he opened his eyes to see witches and wizards running around terrified. He didn't even look to see where his friends were. Struggling, he came to his feet, dropping the goblet beside Cedric.
Ducking down as a sickly yellow light came directly at him, Harry gazed up to see a magical with their face covered. Harry stayed down, but crawled his way toward the edge of the Pitch. He would roll and stop occasionally so he wouldn't be stepped on. Spells were being fired in every direction. Harry wouldn't know the outcome until tomorrow or until he read it in the Prophet.
Rising to his feet, Harry staggered toward the locker room situated outside the Pitch but paused when he saw no lights on. While no one would find him there, he didn't fancy sitting outside as people were being murdered left and right. Cursing to himself, he realized how rude it was leaving Cedric's body there, but he was far too injured to help him. Screaming at everyone, while they were in the midst of panic, would not help.
Limping slowly, Harry pushed past a throng of people, who were too busy running in panic to notice him. As he traveled from the Quidditch Pitch up the hill toward the castle, Harry held his right arm close to him. His wound was finally slowing down as the blood clotted. Wincing, he pushed past the pain and continued toward the entrance hall of the school.
As he entered the castle, Harry noticed that students were being ushered toward the dorms. No one was paying attention to him, which he found unusual. More often than not, people would stare at him as he walked down the halls and during class. Tonight though, everyone was worried about the outcome of the tournament.
Leaning against a nearby wall, Harry ducked into a broom closet and sat down on the icy stone floor. Leaning his head back, he took a painful breath as his ribs moved under his skin. Groaning, he realized that broke a rib from Voldemort's beating. Harry took another breath, groaning again as a powerful wave of pain washed over his chest. He sat in the darkness until he was sure that everyone was in the dorms.
Coming to his feet again, Harry painfully pushed the door open to see that no one was around. Limping toward the staircase, Harry made his way up the several flights until he reached the seventh floor where the Gryffindor Tower was. He paused in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and knew that everyone was there. Probably waiting on him.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" the Fat Lady snapped, eyeing him.
He placed a hand on his broken ribs as he took a deep breath, his lungs pushing on the broken bone. "N—nothing," he stammered and turned away slowly. There wasn't a chance in Hell he was going to go inside now.
His ankle throbbed as he kept walking to find somewhere could rest until things died down. Seeing the loo, he placed his hand on the wooden door and pushed with all the strength he had left. Clumsily, he walked inside, seeing it empty, and sighed. Pulling his battered wand from his pocket, Harry cast Colloportus , locking the door.
Collapsing by the sinks, Harry positioned himself to watch the door. Seconds later, he saw blackness as his body finally shut down and he fell unconscious.
Neville Longbottom watched as Harry and Cedric disappeared with the Goblet. Hermione stood beside him, clutching his arm until he lost feeling. His girlfriend Cassie buried her head in his chest, refusing to watch the enormous screen above them.
"Where did they go?" Hermione asked frantically, whipping her tear-stained face toward him.
"I have no idea," he replied, pulling Cassie closer to him.
Time ticked by as Fleur and Viktor were helped from the maze, but still no sign of Harry and Cedric. The crowd was eerily quiet for the longest until spells flew around them, hitting whoever they could.
Neville ducked down as multi-colored spells flew over his head. Shouts and screams were loud in his ears as he pulled Hermione and Cassie close to him. It was his responsibility to keep the girls safe while Harry wasn't with him. Students were screaming as they pushed past the trio who were trying to move with the crowd.
Putting himself in front, he held tightly to Cassie's hand. Behind her, clutching his girlfriend's hand, was a frantic Hermione. He knew that she was looking for Harry. His heart pounded in his chest as fear seeped into his bones. Ducking again as a spell shattered part of the Pitch, he shook his head free of debris before tugging the girls along.
Hurrying past Hagrid's hut, they climbed the stone steps toward the castle where the few Professors were standing by directing everyone to go to their dorms. The panic subsided as they ushered students up the flights of stairs directed toward the dungeons. Cassie must have released Hermione's hand when she breezed past him. Maybe she hoped that Harry was heading toward the Common Room.
Giving the Fat Lady the password, Neville let the girls go before him. His tired eyes scanning each Gryffindor as they came closer. No sign of Harry. Climbing through the tunnel, he was greeted by two tear-streaked Gryffindor girls.
"Did you see him?" Cassie asked, wrapping her arms around her.
Neville shook his head, "No, I didn't. He could have been escorted to the Infirmary."
The trio wandered over to the fire and sat down on the ancient red couch. Gryffindors were milling around, huddled together at the horror they witnessed. Pulling Cassie closer, she leaned her head on his shoulder while Hermione sat beside him. He could see the worry etched on her face and he wanted to reassure her that Harry would be all right, but he would be lying.
The fire crackled and popped quietly; the fire giving off enough heat to warm them. McGonagall hadn't shown up yet as a few students were trying to figure out how to leave the Common Room to sneak down to the kitchens. Around them, the talking began. It started out quiet as Prefects ushered the younger students off to bed, but once the younger years were gone, the noise level rose. The trio tuned them out, as some of their classmates were getting louder.
Behind them, they could hear Ron and Seamus talking about what transpired and what was going to happen next. Neville cast a look at Hermione, who was glaring at her former best friend, and knew she was itching to yell at him for his insensitive words. Since the night Harry's name was pulled from the goblet, Hermione ceased her relationship with Ron because of his petty and jealous nature. It surprised Neville when Harry took her side and refused to even speak to Ron anymore.
"He's not worth it Hermione," Neville whispered, grabbing her arm to gain her attention.
She narrowed her eyes at him and huffed, "He's been a prat all year and now he thinks he knows something."
"You know he knows no more than the rest of us," Cassie chimed in quietly. Neville gave his girlfriend's fingers a slight squeeze of comfort.
"What do we do?" Hermione asked him.
Neville sighed and leaned his head back against the couch, "We wait. Let's give it another hour before we panic. Harry could be in the infirmary…."
"I wish we could go," Hermione said impatiently, interrupting him.
"No one is going to let us out of the Common Room until morning," Cassie scoffed.
"No, but we could sneak out," Hermione suggested.
Neville eyed her carefully. She was desperate enough to sneak out of the Common Room and risk detention and loss of house points to find Harry. The worry was on her face earlier was now in her eyes. Her hair came loose from its place and was sticking up around her face, giving her a wild look.
"Hermione, even if we could sneak out, how are we going to find Harry?" Cassie asked, eyeing her best friend.
Neville sighed, listening to the girls. He knew what Hermione was talking about, even if his girlfriend didn't. Casting his eyes toward the twisted stone staircase that led to the boy's half of the dorms, he knew he would have to break into Harry's trunk to get what they needed. However, none of them could fit underneath it at the same time.
"I know," Neville mumbled, not looking at the girls.
"Will you please get it for us?" Hermione asked, picking at a loose strand on her jeans.
"Get what?" Cassie implored.
"The map and Harry's invisibility cloak," Neville replied, turning his head to give Cassie a small kiss on the mouth. "The Map tells you where everyone is at all times."
"And this is going to find Harry?"
"Yes, it is. Now we will have to wait until everyone has left to sneak out," Hermione stated confidently.
"I will fetch everything. Everyone should be off to bed shortly," Neville said, rising from his place on the couch.
Giving both girls a nod, he slipped through the remaining Gryffindors to sneak up toward the boys' dorm he shared with Harry. Pushing the door open, he sighed in relief when the room was empty. Casting a Colloportus on the door, he went to work. Stopping in front of Harry's bed, he lowered himself to his knees and quickly muttered Alohomora at the lock.
When it popped open a second later, Neville sat his wand down beside him and pushed the lid fully open. Looking down into the mess, he sighed and started shifting Harry's things around and promising himself he would apologise for invading Harry's privacy. When his fingers touched a silky and invisible material, he tugged it out of the trunk and set it beside his wand.
A few minutes later, he found the Map. He paused for a moment, deciding whether he should activate the map now and search for Harry or wait until the coast was clear. Looking down at the map, the urge to look was irresistible, but he sat it down on his lap and closed the trunk. Locking the trunk up, he stood up; the map falling to the floor and walked over to his bed. Grabbing his schoolbag, he dumped the contents out. He would clean the mess later.
Shoving the map and the cloak in the bag, he wished he knew how to make the bag invisible without using the cloak. Hermione would know. He would ask her when he returned to them in a few minutes. Unlocking the dorm door, he escaped quietly back down the twisted staircase and back into the warm Common Room. The room was emptier than earlier as many of the students must have turned in for the night.
Seeing Cassie and Hermione in the same spot from earlier, he hurriedly made his way over toward them. Flopping down between them, he sighed, turning to his girlfriend for another kiss. Handing the bag to Hermione when the kiss broke, he gave her a knowing look. The worry was quickly replaced with determination and joy.
He only hoped that when they found Harry, he wasn't half dead or worse.
An hour passed as the older students drifted off to their respective dorms. Neville, Cassie, and Hermione sat by the dying fire, waiting for the last student to leave. Neither of them spoke of anything important for the last hour, each was worried for their friend.
Neville knew Hermione was in a right state. Harry had not shown up after the first half hour of waiting and now that curfew was approaching, she was past fidgeting. He and Cassie watched as she would pace the room, glare at their respective housemates and even pretend to keep herself occupied by reading.
Nothing worked, and frankly it was unnerving Neville. The waiting wasn't the hardest part; it was seeing one of his closest friends fall apart slowly. When the last student left the Common Room, Hermione stood up quickly, startling him and Cassie.
Neville watched as she fished the map out of his schoolbag and placed it in her lap. Grabbing her wand, she whispered, " I solemnly swear that I am up to no good ".
Neville leaned over as the ink spilled on to the aged parchment. In seconds, the map was active and he could see the tiny markers for a few professors moving around the castle. Dumbledore was in his office while McGonagall was pacing the second floor.
His eyes scanned over the map, searching for Harry. When he found he sighed, seeing that he was alive, but not in the Infirmary. This raised the question of why he wasn't in the infirmary and why was he in the loo. Looking towards his girlfriend, he saw she was gob smacked at the map and its inner workings.
"He's down the hall…." Hermione muttered, looking at the map. With another flick of her wand, she whispered, "Mischief Managed." Folding the map closed, she handed it back to him.
"Well, let's go." Cassie said standing up along with Hermione. The girls looked down at him expectantly. Neville sighed and stood up.
Pulling the cloak from the bag, the trio wandered over to the portrait hole. Leaving the room quietly, they stepped into the hall. Whipping the cloak around them, it was a tad too short for the three of them.
Bundled under the cloak made travel slow. Every few steps they would stop to adjust the fabric, trying desperately to keep them hidden. Neville knew there weren't any professors on this floor, but they tried to stay silent, no matter how many times they stepped on each other's feet.
Finally, they reached the loo. Neville slipped from the fabric and stood in the empty corridor alone. The girls disappeared completely. Knocking on the door, he told Harry who it was. Waiting patiently, Neville fidgeted after a minute. Knocking harder this time, Neville was sure that Harry would hear the banging and open the door.
When nothing happened, the girls emerged from the cloak disheveled and worry stricken. Glancing at them, Neville palmed his wand and whispered Alohomora . The lock clicked loudly in the deserted corridor, making everyone jump. Grabbing the handle quickly before Hermione bashed through the door, Neville jerked it open.
Inside, the loo was dark. Neville could hear a faucet drip slowly. The quiet dripping noise was enough to drive anyone mad. He squinted as Hermione lit her wand, casting a bright glow in the dreary room. When the light from her lit up a pair of muddy shoes, she gasped, rushing toward the shoes.
Neville's wand quickly lit up just as Cassie's did. With the extra lighting they saw the prone body of Harry. He lay there unconscious, his clothing torn as his body was bruised and bleeding. Hermione lifted his arm delicately to see a large gash on his arm. Lowering himself to the floor, Neville looked over at his friend and realized that Harry had been through a terrible ordeal.
"What happened to him?" Hermione whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Neville cleared his throat and looked at Harry's face. The quiet way he laid there unnerved him. "I don't know but we have to help him." He replied, looking at the girls. "Do any of you know Healing charms?"
"I know Episkey ," Cassie mumbled, running her fingers through Harry's matted hair. "My guardian made sure I learned a few things before going to Hogwarts. It keeps me from going to Madam Pomfrey."
"Any more?" Neville pressed, looking toward Hermione. He watched as she sat there thinking through her already extensive list of spells. When she shook her head a minute later, he saw her chin tremble in defeat. "Then we need someone to go to the library for a book on Healing spells."
"I'll do it," Cassie offered, rising to her feet. "I'll see if I can find something."
Neville rose and followed her to the door, cloak in his hand. Pressing a kiss on her mouth, he watched as she disappeared. Opening the door for her, he closed it a minute later. He sighed, running his hands over his face. Tonight was going to be an interminable night. Turning around, he crossed the room and sat down across from Hermione, who was clutching Harry's hand tightly.
They sat there in silence, their wands lighting the room. Neville was sure they could turn on a light, but they didn't dare draw attention to them. Sitting crossed legged, Neville tapped his knee with his fingers, his patience already growing thin. He knew his friend was alive by the slow breathing pattern, but this stillness made him look dead.
He didn't know how long they sat there until the door creaked open. Turning his head, he snatched his wand, braced for an intruder when he recognized Cassie. She chucked the cloak toward him before sitting down. Giving him a slight smile, she palmed her wand, enlarging the small book she fished from her robes.
"I found one. It's basic, but it should work," she said, holding up the book. Hermione gently took it from her hands and flipped it open.
"Why don't you start Episkey while I flip through this, please?"
Cassie nodded and turned toward him and quickly taught him the spell. He raised his wand and looked down at Harry. He paused for a moment, which caught the girl's attention. "What Neville?" Cassie asked, lowering her own wand.
"We need to check him for other injuries," he whispered. "We will have to strip him."
"Oh!" Cassie exclaimed just as Hermione snapped her head up.
"We must vanish his clothes, but his underwear," Neville said before casting Evanesco .
The quiet gasps from the girls were enough to set the young wizard's mind in rage. Across his body were many bruises and scrapes. He could see a darkening bulge where a rib appeared to be broken. Neville placed his hands gently on Harry, rolling him slowly onto his side. They needed to see if there was more damage.
What they saw stopped all their breathing.
On his back were scars. They looked like lashes that didn't heal properly. Neville lost count of all the white and pink scars that lined his friend's back. They stopped just above the waistline of his boxers. Seeing no other injuries on his back, they rolled him gently back over. Neville's stomach churned violently as he fought the urge to rush to a nearby toilet and throw up what remaining dinner he had left in his stomach.
Grasping Cassie's icy hands in his own, he pulled her close to him and let her sob. Another warm body against his as Hermione's thin arms wrapped around his waist. Holding both girls close as they sobbed, he fought back tears of his own. Who would do this to someone?
Several minutes passed before sobbing turned into sniffles. Hermione broke from him. He could see the determination on her face. She was prepared to hurt anyone who hurt Harry. Snatching the book, she flipped it back open and began reading.
"We need to heal what we can," Neville said, nudging Cassie.
"Stop!" Hermione commanded from behind her book. The duo paused, wands raised, and waited for more instruction. A minute passed before Hermione set the book down and waved her wand over Harry's body. Words emerged from the cast spell.
"It's a simple diagnostic spell," she informed them. "It says he has a broken rib, many bruises, a large cut on his arm, his ankle is twisted and he most likely has a concussion."
"Merlin... who would do this to him?" Neville asked quietly.
"Let's wake him up and get him fixed," Hermione said, pulling her hair back with a hair tie.
She then instructed them on which spells to use. After fifteen minutes, she wound down and gave them a tight smile. They needed to hurry before anyone realized they were not in the Common Room nor in their respective beds.
" Rennervate," she whispered, pointing her wand at Harry.
Harry gasped as pain rammed back into his body. Someone had found him and revived him. Squinting in the dimly lit room, he realized that three people were watching him. Shivering, he looked down to see his clothes were gone and the extent of his battle with Voldemort present on his thin frame.
"Harry, it's us," he heard Hermione's voice say. He could have kicked himself. He should have known that Hermione would always find him. Looking around, he saw Neville and Cassie sitting there.
"W—what a—re y—ou doing h—ere?" Harry asked, finding his voice. The stuttering resulted from the Cruciatus Curse.
"We're here to heal you and take you to bed, Harry." Neville whispered, his brown eyes tired.
"So let us and we can all go to bed," Cassie piped up.
When Harry saw the determination in their eyes, he knew he would fight a losing battle. Nodding his head in resignation, he sat back and braced himself for the multitude of colorful lights of their spells. He winced when he felt a bandage wrapped around his torso. While it still labored his breathing, he could feel the pressure ease a bit.
Once the smaller cuts and scrapes were healed, he hissed as Hermione, who gave him a sad smile, used a spell to splint his ankle. While it was an improvement, Harry knew he would have to visit the infirmary the next morning.
"I don't have bruising salve, pain-relief, or Skelo-grow with us. We didn't know the extent of your injuries." Hermione whispered.
"Tha—that's fine," Harry stuttered, trying to sit up. He shot a grateful smile at Neville, who helped him.
"Why the stutter Harry?" Cassie asked as she cast a Warming Charm on him.
Harry didn't want to look at any of them. It didn't shame him he lost to Voldemort, but the pain of knowing that Cedric was killed because of him gutted him. Looking down at his now healed hands, he felt anger rise in him. Knowing that someone else's life was taken for that madman infuriated him.
"I, well," he began, his shivering stopped. He shot Cassie a grateful look. "The Goblet was a portkey to Voldemort. He's back. I watched him rise out of a bloody cauldron. We duelled, and I barely escaped."
"What of Cedric?"
"He—he's dead. Pettigrew killed him within minutes of our arrival," Harry replied quietly. He looked at his friends, "Listen, I don't want a lecture tonight. I want to get cleaned and sleep. We can talk in the morning."
All three nodded at him. Their hunger for knowledge would have to wait until tomorrow. Sighing, Harry looked around the loo and realized he didn't have any clothes. "Where are my clothes and my wand?"
"I vanished your clothes…."
"And I have your wand," Hermione finished, holding up the holly wand. He gave her a smile as she handed it back to him.
"Dobby!" Harry said quietly, not trusting his voice.
A slight pop was heard from beside him as the tiny creature appeared, "What does the-?" Dobby began, but paused, seeing the state Harry was in. "Where be your clothes Harry Potter Sir?"
"I need you to bring me some please," Harry asked kindly. A quick snap of Dobby's fingers, an old shirt and loose shorts appeared. "I is sorry for the state of your clothes Harry Potter Sir," Dobby said mournfully.
"That's fine. Thank you Dobby." Harry had a sudden idea, "Can you pop us back to the Common Room?" He ignored the narrowing look Hermione was giving him and hoped Dobby could help them out.
"Oh yes I can!" Dobby grabbed a hold of Hermione and Harry while they reached for Neville and Cassie. A second later they were back in the Common Room. Dobby gave him another nod before disappearing.
"I will help you up to shower," Neville offered, helping him to stand.
"Let us know when you're done," Hermione said, giving his hand a squeeze.
She and Cassie disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dorms. Harry turned to Neville, who waited patiently, and they crossed the room slowly to climb the cold stone steps to their dorm. Once inside, he quickly hobbled toward the showers. Half an hour later, Harry emerged feeling clean but still sore. Sitting on his bed was Hermione, Cassie and Neville.
"What's going on?" he whispered, climbing slowly into his bed.
"We will stay with you tonight," Cassie said, rising from Neville's bed. "Hermione and I will be gone before daylight, we promise."
Harry nodded tired. Laying down, he felt his blankets pulled up. Removing his glasses, he felt them being moved to his bedside table. Through blurry eyes, he watched as they enlarged his bed to fit everyone. He didn't know why Cassie and Neville didn't use Neville's bed, but he was too tired to argue.
Hermione crawled in beside him and tucked her body close to his. Cassie next, then Neville. Whispering a good night, Harry prayed the nightmares would stay away as he fell asleep.
When Harry awoke the next morning, his brain felt like it was filled with cotton. He opened his eyes to darkness but knew he was alone. The spot beside him was cold and empty, showing that Hermione rose early and left the bed.
Stretching gently, he hissed, feeling the soreness in his ribs. He had forgotten about his injuries from last night. A tightening in his chest reminded him of what happened. Cedric was dead, Voldemort was back. It surprised him that no one had already jerked him out of bed.
Groaning, he swung his feet over his four-poster bed and pushed back the hanging, revealing a bright room. The silence letting him know he was the last one to awaken. Coming to his feet slowly, he paused, hearing the doorknob turn.
He sighed seeing Neville stepped into the room, his face grim. Harry felt guilt wash over him as he watched his mate close the door softly. Neville didn't make a sound, but walked over to his bed and sat down.
"I suppose they're looking for me?" Harry asked grimly.
Harry sighed as Neville gave him a slight nod. Turning away from his best mate, he shuffled slowly toward the showers. He could hear Neville's feet step quietly behind him. Reaching the showers, Harry struggled to strip his shirt off.
"Do you need help?" Neville asked, seeing his friend struggle.
Harry paused and nodded his head in defeat. He would never admit that he was grateful for Neville's help. He flinched, feeling cool hands on his warm skin as Neville helped him slowly ease out of his shirt. Giving Neville a nod of thanks, Harry stepped into the hot shower.
Half an hour later, Harry stepped out of his room. He was properly dressed and full of the breakfast sandwich Dobby brought him. He couldn't tell Hermione that he was still using Dobby like a servant. He smiled a little, already hearing her lecture in his head.
"Where are you taking me?" Harry asked as they stepped through the Portrait.
"Dumbledore's office," Neville replied apologetically. "I would rather take you to the Infirmary, but McGonagall instructed me you're needed in the Headmaster's office."
Harry ignored the stares as he and Neville traveled down the flight of stairs, where they stopped for a moment as it moved toward the second floor. Walking along the corridor, they stopped in front of the Gargoyle.
"I will wait on you…" Neville offered.
"I don't know how long I will be up there. Can you find Hermione and Cassie and let them know where I am." Harry asked, turning to his friend.
Neville nodded and clapped his friend on the shoulder before leaving. Harry stood in front of the Gargoyle before saying the password. As he rode up the revolving staircase, he sighed knowing he was in for a long afternoon.
Hours later found him sitting on a bed in the Infirmary. Madam Pomfrey left several potions for him to drink after yelling at him for being a Gryffindor and not seeking medical help. She praised his friends for their quick thinking and their healing abilities.
The door opened and Harry braced himself to be yelled at or questioned again. He gave a brief smile seeing Neville and the girls walk in. In seconds, a brown bushy whirlwind enveloped him. His arms wrapped around Hermione automatically as she sobbed into his chest.
He watched as Cassie and Neville sat down on the other bed. Their hands linked as Cassie laid her head on Neville's shoulder.
"How did it go?" Neville asked as Hermione's sobs turned into sniffles.
"All right, I guess," Harry said, lifting on the bed, jostling Hermione. She shifted until she was sitting very close beside him. "Mr. Diggory was furious that Cedric died and I survived. I told them that Voldemort was back."
"So he is back?" Cassie asked, shuddering.
Harry nodded at his friend. "I watched him rise out of a fireball of magic."
"How?
"What?"
"What do you mean?"
Harry winced as they practically shouted at him. His brain hurt. Reaching for a small corked bottle of pain relief potion. He twisted the cork off and chugged the foul-tasting concoction, the pain immediately disappearing.
Harry looked at his friends who were eagerly waiting to hear the tale. Two of them had been with him since the moment he sat on the train. He met Cassie shortly after his first day at Hogwarts.
He met her in the corridor outside Potions class when Malfoy shoved her, knocking her books to the floor. Harry stopped to help her out and found she was pleasant to talk to. She was an orphan like he was, her parents were killed during the last war with Voldemort.
Since that day, they became friends. Though her affections geared toward the bashful Neville, they began dating at the beginning of their fourth year. Harry was happy for them. She and Hermione became instant friends once Harry introduced them.
He took a deep breath and recounted everything from the moment he stepped into the maze until his arrival back to Hogwarts. He told them how he evaded people and the infirmary until they rescued him. When he was done with his tale, Neville was stoic, while the girls were crying again.
He hated to see Hermione cry. Giving her a slight squeeze for comfort, he smiled internally when she snuggled closer to him.
"What are you going to do this summer?" Hermione asked, wiping away her tears.
"Hopefully spend it with Sirius. I would rather not go back to the Dursely's." Harry admitted.
"You're more than welcome to come to my house this summer," Neville offered quickly.
"Mine too," Hermione spoke up, giving him a slight smile.
"Well, I would say you can come to mine too but I doubt my guardian will let you.." Cassie mumbled, her cheeks tinged pink.
Harry gave them a grateful smile and rose to stand. He winced, trying to stretch again. His ankle felt better, but it was still tender. Madam Pomfrey's most pressing concern was his broken rib but assured him it was an easy fix.
"Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students left this morning while you were sleeping. After the event yesterday, they left. Dumbledore is releasing students tomorrow morning," Hermione explained as they left the Infirmary.
The quartet made small talk as they headed toward the Great Hall. Harry was glad they were leaving tomorrow. He didn't know how long he could handle the stares and whispering.
He could hear the loud chattering of students as they neared the Great Hall. Inside there were black banners and a few students openly weeping for losing Cedric. He knew his head bowed as Neville and the girls led him to the Gryffindor table.
Slowly he sat down, ignoring the stares from his own housemates. Hermione sat to his left while Neville and Cassie sat across from them. Lifting his head, he caught Ron's glare from down the table.
His friendship with Ron was fine until Harry's name was called from the Goblet. No one but Neville, Cassie, and Hermione believed him when he said he didn't put his name in. Ron became spiteful and jealous toward Harry. His anger and rudeness weren't limited to just Harry, it included Neville and the girls.
Deep down, Harry knew, or he hoped he knew, that Ron was a decent bloke. After the events in his second year, when everyone turned on him, Harry found he carried little tolerance to petty jealousy.
Ron steered clear of him until the end of the First Task. It didn't stop him from being snide to Neville and the girls. Harry remembered the small conformation between Ron and Neville. He watched as Neville tore into Ron and the notion he was being replaced. What Ron didn't know was that he was being replaced and not by Harry nor Neville. He was replacing himself.
He had to hold Neville back when Ron nearly made Cassie cry and belittled Hermione. That's when he stepped in finally and told Ron to keep his mouth shut unless he had something school-related to say. He avoided the quartet shortly after that but continued to glare at them when they walked by.
Once he realized that the tournament wasn't glorious, he tried to apologize. His half-assed apology wasn't really an apology. More like he realized that Harry's life was in danger. By then Harry had had enough of Ron's pettiness.
Their friendship was over, much to his dismay. He didn't want it to be over but realized that Ron had a lot of growing up to do and if he grew up, maybe they could mend the rift. Hermione quickly ended her friendship with him that day.
She confessed later that she only stayed friends with Ron because of him. Harry tried to change her mind, but she refused.
He was grateful for his friends since everyone refused to talk to him. There were a few that looked like they would but were turned away with a simple glare. Once Dumbledore finished his speech, the food appeared before them.
Harry sighed, his stomach twisted in tight knots. He looked at his empty plate then back to his friends. None of them were reaching for food. It seemed as if they were waiting on him. Hermione arched a brown eyebrow at him. Sighing in defeat, he knew he wouldn't win this fight with her. He reached for the mashed potatoes.
Once the feast was over, they escorted Harry, more or less, to his dorm. Once there, the girls gave him a tight hug and said they would see him in the morning. Neville followed him upstairs.
As they climbed aboard the train the next morning, Harry sat in the compartment with his friends and hoped his summer was better than this past school year.
No one bothered them as they rode from Scotland to London. When it was time to leave, Harry stood by as Neville and Hermione were lovingly greeted by their families. Cassie smiled and gave a slight wave to her guardian.
In the distance, Harry saw the Durselys and his heart sank. Remus nor Sirius was there to greet him. Sighing, he grabbed his trunk and headed toward them.
He heard his new being called and turned to see his friends coming toward him, much to the discomfort of the Durselys. Harry hid a grin but embraced the girls separate when they hugged him tightly. Clapping Neville on the shoulder, he promised all three he would write.
As he turned to leave with his relatives, he glanced back once more to see a group of redheads disappear. None of them paid attention to him. It was fine; he was going to see his friends again, even if he had to escape to do it.