Author's note:
Everything is revealed!
Y/M/N means your mother's name.
———————————————
End of Year 4 (chapter 22)
Word count: 2.5k
Warning: Blood, death and torture (Cruciatus)
Today is the third and final task. Today, a winner will be found among the four champions. Severus wonders who will win.
It won't even surprise him if it will be Potter. Albus might give him extra points for the boy's bravery...
Everybody is once again gathered at the Quidditch Stadium. It looks quite different this time - there's a big maze in the middle of the pitch. The Potions Master wonders what the champions will have to do this time.
He wishes the obnoxious music would stop soon...
The Headmaster gains everybody's attention. "Silence!" he shouts as the students stop playing the music.
Severus sighs in relief. Thank you, Albus.
"Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. Now, as Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter tied for first position, they will be the first to enter the maze, followed by Mr. Krum and Ms. Delacour" Albus declares.
"First person to touch the cup will be the winner" he announces as everybody starts to cheer.
"I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter. Should at any point a contestant wish to withdraw from the task, he or she need only send up red sparks from their wand" the Headmaster explains as he turns around.
"Contestants, gather around" he tells the four champions.
"Quickly" he demands. The four of them immediately do so.
He then explains something to them that everybody else can't hear. Probably what kind of dangers will await them.
Once he has finished telling them what he needs to say, he once again talks loudly for everyone to hear. "Champions, prepare yourselves" he states.
As the champions prepare, people cheer for them. Diggory's father can be seen hugging him, wishing his son good luck.
Severus rolls his eyes. Calm down, he isn't going to die in there.
"On the count of three. One-" the Headmaster says as he counts down.
He however only gets to one before the sound of the canon can be heard. Albus sighs as he looks at Argus who merely shrugs.
Potter and Diggory enter the maze. Not long after, Krum and Delacour join them.
Severus frowns. "We are really just going to look at the maze until they return, aren't we?" he questions as he looks at Albus who is sitting between him and Minerva.
The old man's eyes sparkle. "Yes, Severus. Sit back and relax" the Headmaster says.
The Head of Slytherin sighs. The Black Lake had a prettier view...
As people are waiting, Severus gets a bad feeling. Almost like something terrible is going to happen...
A few seconds later, red sparks can be seen in the sky. Delacour and Krum are then taken out of the maze.
"Ms. Delacour and Mr. Krum have been withdrawn from the task" the Headmaster declares. Severus sighs in relief. It doesn't seem like anything too bad happened.
It has been a while, however. Where are Potter and Diggory?
Just then, the two of them appear outside the maze with the Triwizard Cup, Diggory landing on his back and Potter on his stomach.
Something seems wrong, though. Diggory is completely limp...
Everybody cheers as the two last champions have returned. They approach to congratulate them.
However, some people seem to understand that something is wrong as Potter starts crying.
Delacour then screams. Everybody slowly starts to realise what's going on as the music dies down.
Albus runs towards the boys. "Harry!" he shouts as he approaches them, trying to remove Potter from Diggory's limp body.
"No! No!" the boy yells, refusing to let go of the Hufflepuff.
"What happened?" Fudge questions as he approaches as well.
"He's back! He's back! Voldemort is back!" Potter exclaims.
Severus widens his eyes, looking shocked for a few seconds. No, it can't be... Could he truly be back?
"Cedric... He asked me to bring his body back. I couldn't leave him there!" the boy explains while crying.
"It's all right, Harry. It's all right" Albus reassures as he tries to comfort the boy.
"Keep everybody in there!" Fudge yells, signalling for the teachers to make sure no students walk any further.
He looks concerned as he passes Minerva and Severus. "The boy has just been killed" he explains.
Minerva gasps while Severus looks surprised. If the Dark Lord is truly back... Then he must have been the one who killed the Hufflepuff boy.
The two professors stand next to the Headmaster, the Head of Gryffindor crouching down to help comfort Potter.
As Severus looks around, he notices the horror on Y/L/N's face, completely in shock. He gives her a look that says "Everything will be all right".
Fudge returns to the Headmaster. "The body must be moved, Dumbledore!" he exclaims.
"Let me through! Let me through!" Diggory's father yells as he tries to get to his son.
"That's my son! That's my boy!" the man exclaims as he starts sobbing.
He falls to his knees. "My boy!" he yells as he holds onto his dead son's body.
Most people are crying as they are looking at the scene. Albus holds Mr. Diggory as the man screams and sobs. Moody suddenly grabs Potter, taking him away from Diggory.
After a while, Albus looks deep in thought as he suddenly starts running.
"Headmaster!" Minerva exclaims, looking shocked.
"I know who put Harry Potter's name in the Goblet of Fire!" he yells as he keeps running.
Widening their eyes, Severus and Minerva run after the Headmaster. Not too long after, they enter the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"Expelliarmus!" Albus exclaims as he points his wand at Moody who is looming over Potter. The man is thrown against the wall.
The Headmaster runs towards Moody as he grabs him and points his wand to the man's face.
"Severus!" he yells, signalling him to give Moody a Veritaserum potion. Severus does so as he forces the potion down the man's throat.
"Albus! You know who I am!" Moody exclaims, almost drowning in the potion.
"Are you Alastor Moody? Are you?" the Headmaster demands the man before him.
"No" Moody- or rather the fake Moody admits.
"Is he in this room? Is he in this room?" Albus continues.
The fake Moody gestures to a wooden chest. The three adults hurry over to it as they open it. Inside it is indeed Alastor Moody.
"That's Moody! But then, who's...?" Potter questions.
Severus smells the fake Moody's drinking flask. "Polyjuice Potion" he informs.
"Now we know who's been stealing from your stores, Severus" Albus states.
Severus immediately looks at Potter who has a look that says "I told you I didn't steal anything".
Just then, something happens to the fake Moody. It seems like he's transforming to his true self...
It's Barty Crouch Jr.
Just as he tries to attack the boy, Albus and Severus stop him.
"Barty Crouch Jr." the Headmaster says.
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours" Barty Crouch Jr. says while looking at Potter, ignoring Albus as he rolls up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark.
"Your arm, Harry" Albus demands as he grabs the boy's arm and rolls up his sleeve.
The Dark Mark has been cut into his arm. It's covered in blood.
"You know what this means, don't you? He's back. Lord Voldemort has returned" Crouch Jr. says as he licks his lips, daring to say the Dark Lord's name.
"Send him out to Azkaban. I think they'd find they are missing a person" the Headmaster says as he and Minerva leave with the boy.
Once they leave, Severus presses his wand onto Crouch Jr.'s cheek. Killing him right here is very tempting...
He however withdraws as Aurors come to collect the prisoner.
As Severus leaves the classroom, he suddenly grabs his left arm in pain. He widens his eyes. No, he's calling...
Y/L/N suddenly shows up. "Are you all right, sir?" she asks, looking concerned.
Severus almost panics. He can't tell her.
"Yes, I'm fine, Y/L/N. Don't worry. I must have injured my arm" he lies.
The girl slowly nods. "Should I take you to the Hospital Wing?" she offers.
He shakes his head. "There's no need for that, I will go by myself. Are you all right, by the way? You looked rather horrified when you saw Diggory's body" he slowly says.
Y/L/N sighs. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just not every day you see someone die..." she says, barely above a whisper.
He sighs as well. He has a feeling more deaths will come now that the Dark Lord is back.
"If you ever wish to talk about it, you know where to find me. Now, you should find your fellow classmates" he states. Nodding, she bids him goodbye as she leaves.
Once she's out of sight, he immediately spots the Headmaster. He runs towards him.
"He's summoning me" Severus whisper-yells.
Albus has a serious look. "Go to him, Severus. Show him that you are on his side. He needs to believe that so we stand a chance" he tells him.
Nodding, Severus immediately does so as he leaves the castle to apparate.
He's right outside Malfoy Manor. He wonders if the Dark Lord has punished anybody yet...
He clears his mind before entering. Now it's time to really use his Occlumency skills.
As he enters the living room, Severus tries his best not to show how shocked he is.
Lucius is on the floor, trying to regain his breathing. The Dark Lord has probably just tortured him. Narcissa helps her husband to sit on one of the chairs.
Severus then notices him - the Dark Lord. He almost gasps when he sees him. What in Merlin's name happened to him?
He has no hair and no nose, only two slits like a snake. His skin is veiny and grey, and his eyes are cold-looking. He's barefoot and has long nails on both fingers and toes.
Once the Dark Lord notices Severus, he approaches him. "Ah, Severus. You are finally here" his cold voice states.
That makes everybody turn their attention to the Potions Master. Fear is written all over Lucius' and Narcissa's faces.
The Dark Lord suddenly points his wand at Severus.
"Crucio!" he exclaims rather calmly.
Severus falls to the floor as his body jolts in pain. He tries his best not to scream.
After what feels like an eternity, the Dark Lord finally stops the torture.
"I must admit, I expected more of you, Severus. You stopped Quirinus when I was so close to killing the boy. Are you truly on my side?" he questions, looking coldly at the Potions Master who's still on the floor.
Severus forces himself on his knees. "I beg you, my Lord. I had no idea you were attached to Quirrell. Otherwise, I would have helped you. You have my word" he pleads, ignoring the pain in his body.
The Dark Lord slowly touches his cheek. "Tsk, tsk, Severus. Begging, are we? Good boy" he says, taunting him.
He then scratches his cheek with his long nails as blood drips from the wounds. Severus can't help but hiss in pain.
"Very well, you are forgiven. Don't disappoint me" he warns.
"Thank you, my Lord" Severus forces himself to say, putting a hand to his cheek as the blood covers his fingers.
He looks around, noticing the people in the room. All the other Death Eaters are here - Lucius and Narcissa are some of them, of course.
As the Dark Lord isn't watching, they give their friend a concerned look. Giving them a reassuring nod, he keeps looking around.
He notices Igor, Antonin Dolohov, Walden McNair, Avery...
He then spots a man he has seen before. He immediately recognises him - Y/F/N Y/L/N. It's Y/L/N's father.
Realisation suddenly hits him faster than the speed of lightning as he finally remembers. He finally remembers what happened that night Y/L/N's mother died as he gets a flashback.
--
Everybody was gathered in the living room of Malfoy Manor. All the Death Eaters and younger-looking Lucius and Narcissa. The Dark Lord looked human, looking at all his Death Eaters as they were having a meeting.
Y/F/N Y/L/N was there as well. His wife, Y/M/N Y/L/N, too.
Everybody was listening to the Dark Lord's plan.
"Thanks to Severus, it has come to my attention that there is a prophecy. A boy that is born at the end of the seventh month will have power that can kill me. I now know the boy's name - Harry Potter. Which is why I must kill the boy" the Dark Lord declared.
The only thing that could be heard was silence. Lucius and Narcissa however looked worried. So did the Y/L/Ns.
"My Lord, you cannot be serious!" Mr. Y/L/N dared to say. Everybody looked at the man in shock.
The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow. "What was that, Y/F/N? Of course I'm serious" the Dark Lord stated coldly.
Mr. Y/L/N stood up from his seat in rage. "You cannot kill a child! Surely he can't be a threat to you! I have a child the same age as the Potters, so do Lucius and Narcissa!" he said as he gestured to the Malfoys.
The blonde pair merely looked down at the table, not meeting anyone's eyes. They didn't dare to defy the Dark Lord.
"If you are seriously going to fulfil the plan, Y/M/N and I will have nothing to do with this anymore!" the man exclaimed.
The Dark Lord gave a warning look. "So, you are saying that you are leaving us?" he asked.
"By Merlin we are!" Mr. Y/L/N said, not looking scared at all.
Mrs. Y/L/N looked at Severus, giving a terrified look. Severus merely had his usual unreadable expression, he however wished to give a reassuring look. The woman was clearly scared to death.
Lucius gave Mr. Y/L/N a look that said "What in Merlin's name are you doing?!".
The Dark Lord gave a cruel smile. "If that is what you wish" he calmly said.
He then pointed his wand at the man's wife.
"Avada Kedavra!" the Dark Lord exclaimed as the spell hit the woman. She immediately fell to the floor, her body limp.
"No!" Mr. Y/L/N yelled, hugging his dead wife's body as he started sobbing.
The Dark Lord approached him. "If you still wish to leave, I will gladly let your child follow her mother's fate. Y/N is her name, is it not?" he asked the crying man tauntingly.
The man widened his eyes in fear. "No, please don't! Don't harm my daughter, I beg you! I will never leave, I promise! Please forgive me, my Lord!" he pleaded as he bowed.
The Dark Lord gave an evil laugh. "Yes, you won't. If you do, you know what will happen to your daughter" he threatened.
As Severus watched the whole thing, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the little girl who would grow up without her mother.
He noticed the sympathetic and sorrowful looks on the Malfoys' faces as they looked at the woman's dead body.
--
The flashback ends as Severus is still kneeling on the floor, looking absolutely shocked.
He remembers. He remembers what happened that night.
