Chapter 15

Reunited On the Battlefield

The blade was at his throat before he could get his wand. Mr. Weasley grabbed him by the robes and forced him into the nearest wall.

"Who are you?" He demanded. "Have you harmed Harry and his friends?"

"N-n-n-no!" The imposter wailed in a very un-Harry like fashion. "Please, don't hurt me. I was only fo-"

"Following orders," I finished. "There's a group of muggles who tried that defense. Didn't work for them."

"How'd you get his hair for a poly juice potion?"

"Someone collected it a short while ago," the imposter answered. "I swear I never hurt Potter or his friends. We don't even know where they are!"

"Who. Are. You?" Mr. Weasley repeated himself.

The imposter was hesitant, so I motivated him.

"Ouch! P-Peter Pettigrew. Don't kill me-"

Pettigrew's pleas fell short as his face began to twitch and contort. I pulled the rapier and stepped back as he pitched forward. Mr. Weasley kept his wand trained on the form as the thin frail body of Harry Potter melted away into a fatter older shape. The scar on his forehead was replaced by an uglier, bucktoothed and roundish face that sparked an unwanted memory.

"Kill the spare."

"Avada Kedavra!"

"That face…" I said, taking a closer look. "You…you were the one…"

As Harry writhed in pain a figures emerged from the darkness. One carried a hideous creature in his arms.

"Kill the spare." It hissed.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"You were the one who killed me." I said.

Pettigrew got to his feet. With my free hand I broke his nose, rewarded by a choir of gasps from the headmasters and headmistresses. The man sprawled onto his back and I kicked him in the ribs. Mr. Weasley tried to hold me back but I brushed him off and lifted Pettigrew onto his feet with my free hand. The workout sessions with Amanda were paying off.

"In the graveyard, do you remember?" I shouted. "I was with Harry Potter because we both fell for the trap you set for him. But somehow I didn't fit into the scheme of things so you killed me!"

Pettigrew didn't reply, but sobbed as he held his nose in his hands.

"Answer me!" I shouted, punching him in the stomach. He fell back against the wall and sank. "YOU TOOK MY LIFE!"

"Please don't kill me," he whimpered.

I stood over him, rapier in hand, seething as he cowered before me.

"Cedric…" Mr. Weasley quietly protested.

"Why shouldn't I?" I asked Pettigrew in a lower tone. "You've made my life and the lives of others a living hell. You helped to bring back one of the deadliest wizards and to instigate the Second War. You deserve to die Pettigrew."

I glanced behind me, past Mr. Weasely and to the portrait of Professor Albus Dumbledore. Then I looked to the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff. Both watched me in silent scrutiny while the others conversed and took bets as to what would happen. I looked down at Pettigrew.

"You deserve to die. But the Order of the Phoenix also deserves a break. Mr. Weasley, his inside knowledge should be useful to your cause I would think."

Mr. Weasley smiled.

"Your father would be proud," He said.

"When all this is over I hope to see that for myself," I admitted.

While Mr. Weasley attended Pettigrew I walked over to the portrait of Hufflepuff, stopping only to acknowledge Professor Dumbledore.

"May I ask a question?"

"I believe, Mr. Diggory, you just have." The portrait answered, playfully. "But if you have a second question you may ask that as well."

"Are you really Professor Dumbledore? What I mean to say is are you still alive in some sense or are you just an imitation?"

"A very well asked question," Dumbledore replied. "To answer it would take years of careful philosophical discussion. But the short of it is that I am the embodiment of all that Albus Dumbledore was. I am his memories and his life and my words are his words."

"You're his soul then?"

"Am I his soul? Perhaps. What else are we in life if not the artistic representation of a much higher power? Suffice it to say Dumbeldore is indeed passed on. But as long as I remain he is not truly dead."

"Then do you know-" I paused and glanced at Hufflepuff. "When you…er, Professor Dumbledore asked me to be the secret-keeper, did you know what I was? Have you always known that I would never die?"

That warm smile returned to his wise and solemn face and in that instant, I knew that paint of flesh, this was truly Dumbledore speaking.

"I might have had a small inkling," he answered. "Many portraits grace the walls of this school. Some of them date back to the very early days of its existence. During my days as a Transfiguration teacher I happened to come across a very interesting man who once taught Muggle studies-one thousand years ago."

Methos! I thought.

"So you knew what to look for. You knew I was adopted."

"The Sorting Hat knew quite a deal more," Dumbledore answered, gesturing to the ancient hat that rested on the shelf below. "It is required to tell me such things in privet, as it has been enchanted to do from the moment Godric Gryffindor first created it."

I sighed. There were many more questions I wanted to ask. But time was running short and Radu wasn't going to remain patient for long. I went to Helga Hufflepuff.

"You know what I've come for," I said, respectfully.

She nodded.

"I knew this day would come," she said. "And I know you will make the right decision. Welcome back, Hogwarts Champion."

Helga Hufflepuff reached out of the portrait, giving a corporeal form to the cup she held in her hand. I took it into my own and looked at it. It seemed like such an unimportant little item yet it overflowed with the life of my friend.

I turned to Mr. Weasley and handed him the cup.

"Whatever happens this must never fall into their hands." I nodded towards Pettigrew.

"Radu will be awfully upset about not getting it," Mr. Weasley said, half jokingly.

"He'll get over it when my blade is buried in his neck."

I grabbed one of the brooms and flew out of the office to the Quidditch field.

The field was obscured with overgrown bushes that were arranged in odd formations. As I got closer I recognized it as the formations as a maze. From above I caught glimpses of the ground, but no people or creatures.

He's trying to recreate the moment. I thought.

I flew down into the maze, nearest to the center as I could get and drew my wand. The viney walls towered overhead daunting and uninviting. All ready I could sense the presence. After whacking the vines away and realizing it was useless, I followed the presence down the corridors. A left here and a right there, straight down this corridor and another left. The memories flooded my mind.

I turned left and stunned a giant spider. At another left I ran into Viktor Krum. He had the deadliest look in his eyes and he raised his wand.

"Crucio!"

Indefinable pain spread through my body, playing my nervous system like a violin.

"Crucio!"

"Ahh!"

"Crucio!"

"STOP!"

Harry Potter stepped in and slammed Viktor with a stunning charm.

The presence grew stronger and I knew I was on the right track.

"You really suck at this you know," I taunted. "Whatever spells you have in place won't work on us remember?"

I don't know if he could hear me or not. Frankly I didn't care. If a hair on her head was harmed his head was going to fly.

A fog began to pass overhead, blocking out the remaining stars of the morning sky. Vines and creepers began to reach out for me and I slashed them away with my rapier.

"Incendio!"

A ball of flame burned them away and I ran. As I neared the center the fog became thicker and I started to wonder if the fog itself was enchanted. Spells themselves might not work, but I knew from experience that enchanted objects and possibly even conjured items could have an effect.

Then I saw her.

"Cho," I whispered.

She was in the center of a clearing, petrified right where the Tri-Wizard cup would have been. I approached her cautiously, expecting a trap and raised my wand.

"Reenervate!"

"Cedric!" she said, jumping to her feet. "Behind you!"

I swung around and raised my sword. The sound of the metal deflecting metal echoed in the enclosed space and I saw the face of my enemy again.

"Radu!" I hissed.

"Hogwarts Champion!"

I dropped the wand and forced him back as he parried my blows with the handle of the halberd. He stepped back and swiped from the right, trying to slash my stomach. I brought the blade down and caught the handle again, knocking it off course. For a few moments we circled and thrust, parried blocked. Radu raised the blade and brought it down, allowing gravity to do the work. I had no choice but to block or risk having my brain split open.

"He's only using you," I taunted him. "Voldemort craves immortality. Do you really think he respects you?"

"He uses those who follow him," Radu retorted. "It is his way. I use him as well."

I pulled away and stepped out of his circle. His halberd was definitely the stronger weapon and if our blades met enough times he would eventually cut through mine, leaving me defenseless. It was also heavy, meaning I had to move fast. My only hope was to let him tire himself out.

"You think you do. Voldemort has ways of toying with all of you. Like how he hates muggle-bourns? Pfft, pots and kettles."

Radu twirled the blade in his hands and repositioned it.

"You're trying to get me to slip up," he said. "I'm keen to your tactics, young one. I also know you've been training under Amanda Deriux."

"I know her by Montrose, but I gather we mean the same woman."

"Her students are notorious for dying or betraying her. I wouldn't be surprised if she comes after me when I'm done with you. It'll be nice to have her head to add to my collection."

The presence arose again and we both allowed a moment's distraction to notice that the maze was coming down. A few moments later Amanda approached the field with George and Fred at his side.

"Get Cho and get her out of here!" I told them.

Radu charged and I caught the handle of his weapon, using the momentum and sliding towards his fingers. I stepped aside to avoid the blade and met his face. He kept moving his hands down to avoid getting cut off.

Beads of perspiration dripped down his smooth face. The first hint of uncertainty and it gave me new strength.

"Come with me sweet heart." Amanda said.

"No, no, what's going on here? Cedric!"

I let my guard down long enough to turn to her.

"Cho, get out of here!"

"Behind you!"

I hit the ground and the air sang above me with the swipe of the halberd. I spun around and forced the blade of the rapier upwards into Radu's stomach and penetrating his back. I withdrew it and ran to Cho.

"Let's go."

"Here, grab these." George and Fred gave us the remaining portkeys.

Soon we were back in the great hall. Tonks and Lupin remained. The death eaters who hadn't met Amanda's blade were bound with full-body binds and rounded up on stretchers.

"This batch is ready to go," Tonks said as we arrived.

"Mobilarius!" Lupin cast the spell and marched them towards a waiting bonfire. I stared at it quizzically as they disappeared into it.

"Instant fireplace," Fred explained. "With a built in supply of floo powder. We're still waiting for Ministry approval to go to market with it."

"You're actually working inside the law?" I asked, trying to manage a sense of humor.

"Well we want to build an international market," George said. "This'll drum up some business from overseas."

"You all go in after them," Tonks said.

Amanda seemed apprehensive.

"Er, this ministry, do they keep tabs on the muggle criminal justice system?"

"Don't worry Amanda," Fred said, affectionately. "We'll never let them arrest you."

"Besides, you're an honorary member of the Order of the Phoenix now." George.

"Oh, boys," Amanda pulled them both close, much to their elation. "I'm so glad to have met the two of you."

Cho reached out and touched my shoulder. She was still shaken from what had happened to her, but her curiosity was stronger.

"You came back for me," she said, nervously touching my cheek. I took her hand in my own. "You came back to save me."

"You're the one who brought me back." It sounded weak and cheesy, but it was all I could manage.

"I've been with others," Cho confessed sadly. "I didn't know…I was so sad…"

"I know. You don't have to explain anything."

"All right everyone." Tonks said. "Into the fire with the lot of you."

"You have to get out of here," I said to Cho. "Radu will come after you again if I don't finish him off."

The presence interrupted my thoughts and both me and Amanda looked back towards the entrance of the Great Hall as Radu rushed swinging the halberd and screaming manically.

"Go!" I yelled pushing Cho from me.

"But-"

Amanda and Tonks both tried to pull her away as I met Radu's blade. Blade to handle, blade to blade, circle, parry, thrust. We left the Great Hall and were now just above the stairwell leading to the entrance. Radu swung for my stomach and I jumped back, using the moment to slash his arm. His robes protected him somewhat, but I drew blood. The pain took him by surprise and he sacrificed a moment to examine the wound.

"Nervous yet?" I asked.

Radu said something in Romanian and raised his weapon.

"We can end this here," I offered. "Leave now and you get to live a bit longer. Seven hundred years is a long time to waste on something like this."

"I want your head," Radu said circling me. "One of us will die tonight."

Radu raised his halberd and charged. I met the handle with my blade and kicked him in the stomach. He staggered again and I brought the blade down, slashing his torso vertically before he fell back. Ignoring the pain, he reached into his robes and removed a small dagger. I was ready to block, but as he rushed someone knocked me out of the way.

"No!"

I hit the floor just as Cho's body collapsed near mine.

"CHO!" I screamed.

I rushed to my feet and pulled her close. Amanda's presence must have frightened Radu and he took off down the stairs. The knife was buried deep in Cho's chest. She looked up at me in pain.

"Cho…why?" I held her hand. "Why didn't you run?"

"I don't…want," Cho took a deep breath. I knew from experience the pain she was feeling. "I don't want you to die again."

Her eyes went blank and I closed them briefly.

"She kept fighting me," Amanda said, apologetically. "It'll be okay though. She-"

But I wasn't listening. I picked up my sword and ran after Radu.