A/N: Thanks for new follows and reviews. Trying to get a couple updates out this week.

She panicked, instinctively brandishing her wand as she looked around the room. She was alone. But the map showed the second name clearly. She desperately tried to control her labored breathing while she looked around the room for any sign of Mad Eye Moody, but she found none. She had no reason to think the Map was lying to her, but it was possible one of Moody's protective charms could be confusing it. There were a lot of possibilities running through her mind at that moment, none of them good.

"Homenum revelio." Her spell sent concentric rings of white light around the room raking smoothly over each surface. When it reached the trunk, the spell bounced back, alerting Athena that it found something or rather someone. She kept her wand outstretched towards the trunk.

"Arca aperto." Nothing happened. She repeated the spell, but once again – it remained shut tightly. It rattled and shook…and screamed. Everything in her bones told her not to get closer to the mysterious screaming trunk in the corner, except for the little voice in the back of her head, the annoying one that told her to jump from extreme heights, shout loud profanities in the quiet of the library – that voice – it was telling her to get closer, it was telling her to listen.

She inched closer to the box, waiting for it to settle once more. As the violent quakes quieted into dull shakes she leaned in cautiously. She couldn't hear much, but what she could sounded like a muffled groan of pain.

"Hello? Is someone there?" She called out.

The trunk shook again, this time less powerfully. This time…this time she heard something clearer. A voice. A man's voice wailing something clearly, but from far away: help me. Someone was in there calling out for help. And if the Map was telling the truth, it was Mad Eye Moody. But if Mad Eye was in there, who the hell was out on the Quidditch Pitch tonight?!

Her stomach turned and she felt bile rise in her throat. No, no, no this cannot be happening. THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING. Athena was going to be sick, or pass out, or both, she wasn't sure in which order though. Things were going terribly wrong, just as she knew they would. She couldn't predict this though. She was running out of time to save Cedric and Harry, to prevent history from running its course, to prevent the return of Voldemort.

Her eyes frantically searched the office, looking for something, anything that could help her in this moment. She needed to get a message to Dumbledore as soon as possible. He needed to pull Harry and Cedric from the maze. He was her only hope now.

She'd seen somewhere while studying for N.E.W.T.s that a patronus could carry a message, maybe that could work for her. Only problem is she'd never managed more than a wisp of smoke when she cast the charm previously. She had doubts she could even manage that now with her anxiety as high as it was. She had to focus. She had to save Cedric. And Harry, Harry too.

If it didn't work, she'd just have to run for it. She stepped away from the edge of the trunk and focused on her happiest memories: her parents telling her how proud they were of their magical daughter, her first time on a broom, Thunderbird quidditch winning the Championship game two years ago, the first time Cedric told her that he loved her…she felt a warmth flow through her beginning at her heart and pulsing through her body, through her veins to the very tips of her fingers. It's now or never, babe.

"Expecto patronum!" A cloud of white burst from the tip of her wand, slowly taking shape. Wings burst forth from the silvery cloud, revealing a beautiful owl with piercing eyes. This was the first time her patronus had ever taken a physical form. She took a moment to admire the elegant creature before her. It had round, forward-looking eyes, it's long ear tufts reminiscent of a stuffed animal Athena owned a lifetime ago, it was beautiful. It hooted at her, as if to remind her why Athena had conjured her in the first place.

Athena came to and pleaded with the ethereal bird. "Find Dumbledore. Tell him... it's Moody. Get the boys out of the maze now." The owl took off and disappeared through the stone wall. She prayed the message got to him in time.

Charlie looked at his watch for the fourth time in - minutes. Athena ran out of the arena a while ago and hadn't come back yet.

"Got somewhere to be?" Bill teased, elbowing his brother playfully.

Charlie frowned at him." No. Just getting bored. Didn't realize this task was gonna be Attis boring." That was a lie. He was ' about Athena. She'd been gone for a while.

Bill gave him a knowing smile." Right, and l' am. the next Minister of Magic."

Charlie looked at the massive shrubbery that took over the pitch. "It's nothing." He felt Bill lean and to his side. "That's troll shite, little brother," Bill whispered. Charlie shook his brother off.

"See? You wouldn't be getting mad over nothing," he smirked.

Charlie knew better than to give in to Bill's taunts, but his older brother had an unusual talent for getting under his skin. He'd had two decades of practice, after all.

"And I am sure it has absolutely nothing to do with our little American friend. Nothing at all?" Bill fluttered his eyelashes suggestively. Charlie elbowed him hard in the side. The eldest Weasley groaned in pain, causing their mother to turn around and glare at the two.

"Sorry, mum."

Mrs. Weasley huffed and turned back to the labyrinth. Red sparks shot up in the air from near the center of the maze. A breeze rippled through the hedges and a few moments later Krum rolled out, clutching his side in pain. The Durmstrang headmaster flew to his side. That meant only Harry and Cedric were left. Tonight, there would be a Hogwarts Champion. The student section must have realized the same thing because they broke into a loud chorus of the Hogwarts' school song.

Bill took this opportunity to lean close to Charlie again. "She has been gone a while. Maybe someone should go check on her."

Charlie met his brother's eyes. He wasn't teasing anymore. He looked sincerely concerned. Charlie nodded and quietly slipped away from his mother and siblings, navigating through spectators across the stands, keeping an eye out for Athena. He'd been thinking of what he'd say to her all night. The best he'd come up with so far was 'hi.' It was shite, but there wasn't a great way to lead off a conversation with, "dump your boyfriend and date me instead," or "the last few months of giving you space to date someone else have been absolute torture."

He'd tell her eventually, just not tonight. She was already out of sorts when she walked up with Ginny. Her eyes were red and puffy like she'd been crying. It felt like a punch in the gut to see her like that. He pushed through rows of people until he finally reached a set of metal stairs. As he walked down them, he could've sworn he saw a large shadowy creature moving under the bleachers, like a wolf. He did a double take but couldn't find what he thought he'd just seen. He took another long look at the stands - still no sign of her. Before he turned around, the whole stadium broke out into cheers. Charlie whipped around to see Harry had reappeared on the pitch, the Triwizard Cup in one hand and Cedric Diggory in the other, half on top of the older boy. Harry shivered and shuddered as if he was sobbing, and Cedric…Cedric wasn't moving.

The judges flooded the field partially obscuring his view. Charlie could still see Harry, who refused to move. Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder, and he howled like a teething baby dragon. Then Dumbledore with the help of Mad Eye Moody pried Harry off the ground. Cedric's head lolled lifelessly to the side.

The only thing Charlie could hear after that was the bloodcurdling scream of a woman followed by several gasps and cries. His eyes followed the source of the sound to Adelaide Diggory who was gaping in horror at the scene before her. Amos had launched himself over the barrier to the field below and ran to his son, lying on the ground. He fell to his knees by Cedric, cradling his lifeless body.

"My boy! Not my boy!" he wailed into the night sky. Charlie's mouth felt like it had been filled with ash. Cedric Diggory was dead.

For a brief moment, he hoped Athena hadn't returned to spare her from this sight. He didn't love the fact Athena had chosen Cedric over him but he'd never wish this on him, or anyone. He was just the neighbor kid that grew up a few hills over from the Burrow in Ottery St. Catchpole. He used to ask Charlie and Bill for tips on quidditch to become a better Seeker. Their families used to picnic together in the summers when they were young. Seeing him like this felt surreal. It wasn't fair, but it was true: Cedric Diggory was dead.

Aurors that were posted outside the arena rushed onto the field. A handful went to block the stairs forcing the spectators to remain in the stands, while the rest hurried to Amos Diggory who wept and wailed over his son's body. Luckily, Charlie had run onto the field before the aurors reached the stairwell he'd been on.

"Mr. Weasley!" Dumbledore called, walking fast toward him. "Where is Ms. Mayall?" The usually calm wizard was wide eyed and frantic. Charlies cheeks felt warm, suddenly, as if he'd been caught out of the dorms after hours.

"She left her seat about an hour ago, professor. l was just getting up to go find her," Charlie said, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. Dumbledore nodded, spinning around unexpectedly.

"Where is Potter?!" he said in a raised, yet low voice.

Charlie lost sight of the Boy Who Lived once he realized Cedric was dead. From what Charlie could see, Harry Potter was no longer on the pitch. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but it wasn't good.

"Weasley, with me," Dumbledore commanded. He was instantly at Dumbledore's side walking toward the archway the Champions entered from. Just as they approached it, a silvery white apparition appeared before them in the shape of an owl with a wide flat face and round eyes.

"It's Moody. Get the boys out of the maze now," Athena's voice implored from the wispy white bird before it vanished. Dumbledore resumed walking at an even faster pace toward the castle, flagging Snape down without slowing. The sour faced Potions Master joined them briefly before setting off to another entrance to the castle. Charlie, only steps behind the headmaster heard him ask Snape to bring veritaserum to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, quickly.

"Albus! Where are you going? A boy is dead!" A purple faced Minister of Magic shouted as he tried to catch up with them.

Dumbledore did not stop or slow down. "Cornelius, if we do not hurry, I fear there will be others." Charlie felt a shiver run through him. Those others were Athena and Harry. They had to hurry.

Athena paced back and forth, praying that her message reached Dumbledore in time. All at once the dark detectors in Moody's office began to blare.

Athena grabbed the map from the desk and wedged herself underneath it tucking her legs beneath her. She chanced a look at the map. Two names swiftly approached her own and Moody's on the page: Harry Potter and Bartemius Crouch. 'Crouch?' She thought wildly. She gripped her wand tightly as she heard a familiar clanging get steadily closer. The door swung open and hit the wall with a bang.

"Alright, Potter. What happened out there?" the false Moody asked gruffly.

"The Cup... it was a portkey!" Harry responded hoarsely." Took me and Cedric to a graveyard. I don't know where... but Voldemort was there!"

Athena felt cold. Like an icy wind had swept through her body at Harry's words.

"The Dark Lord, you say? What happened next?" Moody asked. "He-he killed Cedric," Harry said weakly. It was like a 'stats in Athena's chest hearing that she had failed and Cedric-her Cedric-was dead. She reminded herself that she had to stay quiet and not reveal herself. As much as she wanted to cry and scream but she couldn't right now.

"And?" Moody pressed impatiently.

"Made a potion that gave him a body again and his followers came. Then I fought him." Harry explained.

Fake Moody laughed loudly. "You dueled the Dark Lord?" "My wand did something odd... I saw any parents and Cedric... they helped me get away," Harry said sadly.

"And his followers, Potter. Did he forgive them?" Moody asked. "What?!" Harry responded incredulously.

"C'mon Harry-"the man howled.

"I need to tell Dumbledore! There's a death eater at Hogwarts they made sure l got to the end!" Harry exclaimed. "I've got to tell Dumbledore!"

Moody chuckled evilly. "Are you going to tell him, Mayall, or shall I?"

How stupid could she be? The fake Moody still had the real Moody's magical eye. He knew she was in there the whole time. She clambered out from under the desk pointing her wand at the fake Moody who stood behind Harry.

"Harry, get away from him. He is the death eater," Athena said glaring at the imposter. Before Harry could move, the fake Moody wrapped an arm around the boy's neck.

"I was the one who entered your name, Potter. I was the one who kept you in this Tournament. I was the one to tell that oaf Hagrid to show you the dragons, to give that idiot house elf the gillyweed to get you through the Second Task, all to deliver you to the Dark Lord. It was me," the man snarled as Harry tried to escape.

"Let him go Crouch!" Athena had her wand pointed at the man's head, as far from Harry's as she could.

"Not until you tell me who you really are, Mayall." Harry looked at Athena panic-stricken, desperately shaking his head. He must have known something she didn't. Something that happened tonight in that graveyard. Something to do with Voldemort.

"I already told you who l am, it's not my problem you didn't like the answer, Barty," she sneered. The hair on his head grew fuller and turned a fair, curly blond. His skin paled and the scarred gouged flesh evened. The longer Athena stared at him the more she could see his features changing. He must have forgotten to take his last dose of polyjuice.

He pushed Harry away and detached the magical eye, making room for his own to reappear in the empty socket. The prosthetic leg that danged around fell to the floor as a healthy leg grew back. She was expecting to find the image of an old man looking back at her, the frail old man who'd gone missing weeks ago.

Instead, a thin, much younger man with dark circles under his eyes stood opposite her. He was familiar, but not the Barty Crouch she'd been expecting. They'd seen him just days ago in Dumbledore's pensieve. Professor Bartlett's words rang out in her mind. She'd warned her that someone everyone thought was dead would pretend to be someone else, and here he was: Barty Crouch, Jr.

He stared back at her with a manic expression. "I showed you mine..." he sang tauntingly, pointing Moody's stolen wand at her. "Now tell me who you really are."

Athena was getting annoyed. Did her message make it to Dumbledore? She wasn't sure how much longer she could stall this madman.

"For the hundredth time I-" '

"Crucio!"

She was cut off by a white-hot pain that sent her tumbling to the ground. A piercing shriek made her ears ring. It took her a moment to realize it was she who'd been screaming. It felt like hours had gone by before the curse was lifted. It left her muscles sore and her lungs breathless. She tried to raise her wand to protect herself, but a new wave of pain coursed through her like thousands of needles piercing her skin. A moment later, it was gone.

"Last chance!" Crouch screamed at her, breathing heavily. She took in three painful, shallow breaths before spitting at Crouch. "Eat shit and die." Of all the times for Athena to be brave, this was it. Even if it meant she'd suffer another round of the torture curse.

"Crucio!"

Molten hot lava burned under her skin making her writhe in pain on the stone floor. Her vision darkened and blurred around other edges growing more and more out of focus until all she saw was black. She welcomed it as she slipped away from the pain into oblivion.

.

.

.

She woke up to the sensation of someone playing with her hair. She was on a quidditch field lying down with her head in someone's lap. She glanced up to find Cedric looking back at her. Her heart flipped in her chest. She sat up quickly taking his face in her hands.

"Hello, beautiful," he said smiling softly at her. "Ced?" She searched his eyes, but instead of warm melted caramel they looked hollow and far away. He was gone, but he was here. Is it possible Barty Crouch Jr. tortured her to death?

"No. You're not dead," Cedric answered, reading her mind, "but I am."

Her heart sank low. She didn't want to believe it. Cedric couldn't be dead, he just couldn't.

"I failed you," Athena whispered as she caressed his cheek. "No," he said leaning into her hand, "I failed you, Athena. I broke the promise l made to you, I'm so sorry."

"Did you really just apologize for getting murdered?" Athena giggled. Cedric would apologize for anything and everything, even his own death, apparently. He shrugged with a half smile.

"Athena, I loved you so much. I don't want you to blame yourself for this. I should have listened to you."

"I love you too-"He held up a hand cutting her off. "I don't have very long, so I need you to promise me something." He looked very serious. His caramel-colored eyes didn't swim with the same intensity as they once had. They looked different somehow, but she couldn't identify why or what it was that made them appear so...lifeless.

Athena nodded. "Anything."

"Promise me that you won't stop living. Promise me that you'll follow your dream and be the best magical solicitor there ever was. Promise me you'll fall in love again. Promise me you'll live a big, beautiful life, Athena." She didn't feel like she could promise any of that without him. he loved him. She wanted to build a beautiful life with him.

"Cedric, I-"she couldn't get the words out right away. She swallowed hard and tried again, "I-I don't know if I can."

"You can and you will," he whispered. "Now, promise."

She felt guilty agreeing to it like it would be an insult to his memory somehow if she could find happiness without him.

"You don't need my permission to be happy!" he said reading her thoughts again. "I will love you until the end of time, Athena Mayall, and I couldn't bear the idea of you being unhappy because of me. Please promise me you will keep living your life."

She stared at him for a moment. Memorizing every aspect of his face. The length of his eyelashes, the birthmark that sat high on his left cheekbone, the curve of his lips, the angle of his jaw, and the way she loved every bit of it. She didn't want him to go. She couldn't let him go, but she had to. This was her fault. She could have stopped it but she didn't. Could have saved him, but she didn't. She couldn't. She tried.

"Athena, please?" he said softly.

"I promise." As soon as the words left her lips he began to fade away. She desperately tried to hold onto him, to keep him from leaving her forever.

"Cedric!"

He was gone.