Chapter 4
Harry tensed as Dumbledore smiled at him. He could sense people all around him, but he didn't risk taking his eyes off the old man before him. He could hear voices raised in shocked cries and yells of abuse; bur hew ignored him. Their displeasure didn't matter.
"Why am I here old man?" he growled.
"Is that anyway to talk to your elders?" Dumbledore chided gently. "I just want to talk to you. "We've had an incident here that you may be able to resolve."
Dumbledore suddenly winced and cried out in pain, falling back into his chair. A small woman appeared beside Harry, her orange eyes blazing with power. Her long red hair whipped back and forth, like serpents striking at their prey.
"Dumbledore," she roared. "What have you done?"
"I?" Dumbledore asked innocently. "My dear girl I have no idea what you are talking about?"
"Don't you? My son was just summoned here and you expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with it?"
"It must have been the magic of the goblet Dumbledore hedged.
"The magic of the…" Lilith turned, quick as a snake, and stared at the roughly carved wooden cup on the pedestal at the front of the hall. She glared at the cup, her eyes glowing even brighter than before. "Bloody hell," she snarled. Turning back to Dumbledore, she took a menacing step forward. "You started that thrice damned tournament again!"
"We have protections in place," Dumbledore began.
"Every government thought they had protections in place,' Lilith growled. "It never worked. Worst case, all three champions died. Best case, only one died. Someone has died in every tournament in the past."
"This will be different," a large woman said. Even sitting down, it was clear she was at least twice as tall as a man. The wand she clutched in her hand was as thick as a staff and as long as a sword. "Each government has made sure only those that are fully prepared may enter," she continued. She had a thick French accent that made her English barely recognizable. She rose to her feet, approaching Lilith hesitantly. She was careful to keep her wand down at her side. "I will explain why your son is here if you like."
Lilith nodded to her. "That would be greatly appreciated.
The woman cleared her throat. "Someone has entered the boy in this tournament."
"How do we know that someone has entered him?" a man with a goatee said."
"Karkaroff," the woman snapped. "I would like to believe that this was a trick by Hogwarts, but I cannot. "Look," she snatched a charred piece of parchment from the table and held it up. "This doesn't give a school, just a name of a place. Samaritans rest."
"That's the name of our inn," Lilith said.
"Exactly," the woman said. "So, the boy cannot have put his name here unless he snuck into Hogwarts and if the wards have fallen so far as to allow someone to sneak into the school undetected, then Hogwarts will need a new Headmaster."
Dumbledore winced. "No one has snuck in to the school," he said quietly.
"The boy will have to compete," the woman said gently.
"Madam Maxime," Lilith said causing the woman to jump. "I thank you for your information."
The woman stared at Lilith. "How?" she began.
"I know all of my children," Lilith said smiling. "The giants are part of my bloodline."
"So, you still say you are the goddess of magic," Dumbledore said.
"Indeed," Lilith said beginning to walk around the goblet. "Fascinating craftsmen ship. Whoever carved this was very skilled."
"You don't know?" Maxime said.
Lilith shrugged. "I was banished for a few centuries. Even if I hadn't been, I was a goddess not God. I can't see everything and be everywhere."
"None of this is important, supposed goddess," Karkaroff sneered. "What are we going to do about the tournament?"
Lilith's eyes glowed once again. Karkaroff gripped his left arm, grunting in pain. Lilith tsked.
"Those who murder the innocent need to learn to be silent."
Karkaroff leapt to his feet, drawing his wand. "Why you," he roared.
Harry stepped forward. "You will not touch my Mother," he said his voice lacking any emotion. His eyes turned from emerald green to glowing orange.
"You need a boy to protect you," Karkaroff sneered.
"No," Lilith said. "You are just not worth my time."
"Karkaroff," Dumbledore snapped. "That is enough. Whatever has happened it is clear that it is not the boy's fault."
Karkaroff turned, pointing his wand at Dumbledore. "You think you can order me around?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said calmly. "A sense of power filled the hall. "You really think you can defeat me?"
Karkaroff took a step back. "No," he mumbled. "Of course not. I do not wish to fight you. I apologize Dumbledore, I just don't like anything that disrupts the revival of this illustrious tournament."
Lilith strode towards the goblet. She lifted a hand and extended it towards the flickering flames. "It will go out soon," she said.
"What?" Dumbledore said.
"Once the flames go out, all contracts will be unbreakable."
"If your son didn't enter himself, then surely he will not suffer the consequences of breaking the contract."
Lilith held up the parchment. "This is his handwriting. Since his writing was placed into the flames, I believe he may be bound by the magic of the cup."
"But he is a demigod," Dumbledore said. "Surely, he would not be bound by the magic of a mortal wizard."
"No, he is doubly bound by any magic. Since I was the one who gave magic to humanity, I am more bound by the laws than any mortal. My son is just as bound by those laws."
Dumbledore sighed. "Then someone has tricked Harry into participating in a tournament he did not enter."
Lilith nodded. "Correct. I could destroy the goblet, but I do not know what effect the goblets destruction would have on the participants of the tournament. The goblet might draw out their magic in order to try and save itself."
"I would prefer not to do that then," Maxime said.
"As would I."
"SO," a tall plump man said standing up. "Shall we take the champions into the antechamber and get started?"
"Very well," Lilith said.
The group entered a small chamber off the hall and shut the door. The plump man turned to face the group. "My name is Ludo Bagman," he said. "I will be the overseer of this tournament."
"And I am Barty Crouch," an old man with a handlebar mustache said walking over. "I organized this tournament."
Lilith walked over to Crouch. "Hold still," she said, laying a hand on the top of his head. Her eyes glowed orange and Crouch gasped his eyes flying wide open.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I thought it would never end."
"Barty," Dumbledore said stepping closer. His eyes were full of concern. "What's happened?"
"He is back," Barty babbled. "He wants his body back," he said becoming more frantic.
"Calm down Barty," Bagman said. "Who's back. Who wants their body back?"
"He does," Barty yelled. "Do I have to be clearer?"
"What have you done?" Dumbledore said spinning to face Lilith. "What spell did you cast on him?"
"I didn't cast any spell. I removed one."
"What sort of spell?" Maxime asked curiously.
The imperious curse,' Lilith said.
The room went silent. "Are you sure?" Maxime whispered.
"Yes," Lilith said.
"I'll take him to the hospital wing," Dumbledore said.
"Wait," Lilith said. "Shouldn't he go to ST. Mungos? They are better equipped to handle things like the imperious curse."
"Our resident healer will determine what he needs," Dumbledore said stiffly. "You may be the one who gifted magic Mother of Monsters, but you aren't a healer."
Lilith stepped closer to Crouch. Leaning towards him, she whispered something in his ear. Crouch relaxed, relief flooding his face. "Really?" he said. "Thank you."
Dumbledore took Crouch by the arm. "Come Barty," he said kindly. "It'll be alright."
"I'll take him," a grizzled old man said. "He'll be safe with me."
Harry turned to see the most scarred face he'd ever seen. Half of the man's nose was gone. One eye was small and beady. The other was large and electric blue. It constantly moved and spun never staying still.
"Thank you Alastor," Dumbledore said.
"No," Crouch screamed suddenly. "Keep him away from me."
"Easy Barty," Moody said. "It'll be alright. You know my past. You know I'd never let anything happen to you."
"You'll never take me," Crouch shrieked. "I won't let this happen. He drew his wand. "You will never take me alive."
Lilith became a blur. She snatched the wand from crouch and slapped a hand onto his forehead. "Sleep," she said firmly. Her hand blazed with an orange light and Crouch collapsed in her arms. Lilith lifted him over her shoulder. "Where is the Hospital wing?" she asked.
"I'll take you," Moody said.
Lilith looked back at Harry. "Will you be alright?"
Harry nodded. "I'll be fine. It's just a briefing."
Bagman nodded shakily. "Right," he mumbled. "Just a err a briefing."
"Alastor," Dumbledore said. "Are you sure…"
"Dumbledore," Moody said. "It'll be fine. The girl has done nothing but help everyone. She will not harm me or Crouch."
"If you are sure,"
"Think of the hospital wing,' Lilith said gripping Alastor's arm. They vanished, air rushing in to fill the space where they'd been.
"Can we please get this over with," Karkaroff said. "I would like to get back to the ship. I've had enough drama for one night."
"Right then," Bagman said. "To put it bluntly, the first task will be testing your courage. As such, we will not be telling you what it is. We want to see how well you deal with the unknown."
"So, we know nothing," A blond girl said.
"Correct," Bagman said. "Sounds fun doesn't it?"
"On a scale from one to ten," Harry said dryly. "I'd say it is a zero."
"I agree," the blond girl said. "How will we know how to prepare?"
"I think that's the point," Harry said. "We can't prepare."
"Well," Bagman said. "Yes, you will not always know what you are walking into. For example, if you become an auror, you will not always know what situation you will be involved in from day to day."
"When does this task take place?" Harry asked.
"The twenty-fourth of November," Bagman said.
"If that is all," Harry said. "I think I'm out of here."
"Wait,' Dumbledore said. "The champions must stay at Hogwarts.
"Absolutely not," Lilith said reappearing. "I will not allow you to harm my son.
"You have no trust in me, do you?"
"You swore to kill me. You're right I don't trust you.'
Dumbledore grit his teeth drawing his wand. "I, Albus Dumbledore, swear that I will not harm you while you are here." Light blazed from Dumbledore's wand as he completed the oath.
Lilith stared at him. "You didn't use all of your names."
Dumbledore's eyes blazed. "I, Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore swear not to harm either of you while you are here."
Lilith studied Dumbledore without speaking. "Fine, we can stay."
"We?" Dumbledore blinked.
"I'm not leaving Harry here alone."
"Very well, but Harry will need to be sorted."
"Tomorrow," Lilith said firmly. "Tonight, Harry and I will sleep in one of the guest rooms.
Before Dumbledore could say anything, a stern looking woman with grey hair spoke up for the first time. "That will be fine. I will escort you to the guest rooms myself."
**HPC**
Cornelius Fudge spun his bowler hat in agitation. "What does she want?"
"I don't know," Dumbledore said. "She arrived shortly after her son was chosen by the Goblet of fire."
"And we still don't know how that happened?"
"No," Dumbledore said. "Whoever cast those spells covered their tracks very well."
"SO, what are we going to do?"
Dumbledore grinned. "Listen closely.'
**HPS**
Severus Snape jumped as he felt someone sit down on the bed beside him. He looked around frantically, his eyes widening when he saw a long curtain of red hair.
"Lily?" he whispered.
"Not quite," Lilith said silkily.
"What are you doing here?" Snape asked, trying to sit up.
Lilith pressed down on his chest with one small hand, pinning him in place. "I've got a job to do here."
"A job? What sort of job?"
"The type of job that requires you to be removed. Dumbledore may trust you, but I do not."
"Lily, please. I don't know why you're here, but I can help you."
Lilith's hand still rested upon his chest. Snape felt it curl into a claw. "May God have mercy on your soul, because I have none."
"Why?" Snape said. "Why do you want to kill me?"
Lilith's eyes turned a glowing orange. "I was content to stay out of this world, but your master couldn't leave it alone. Since I'm forced to be here, I intend to clean it up by wiping out one scumbag at a time."
"Scumbag?" Snape said sounding hurt. "Lily, I love you. "If you'd have asked, I would've been by your side in a moment."
Lily pressed down harder, causing Snape to grunt in pain. He felt his sternum crack under the unyielding pressure Lily was applying to his chest. "You never loved me," Lilith said. "You lusted after me. You wanted to own me, but I will not be owned."
Snape cried out as Lily's hand went through his sternum and entered his chest. He heard his bones break, felt blood soaking the front of his shirt. He gasped. "Please?"
"How many people have you killed," Lilith snarled. "How many of those innocents begged you for their lives before you blew them out like a candle flame. No Severus, Dumbledore is not here to save you this time. Tonight, it is time to pay."
Snape let out a gurgling scream as Lilith gripped his heart and yanked it free. He felt the muscle ripping free and watched in horror as Lilith held it up in front of him. He could feel blood spurting out of the horrible wound in his chest. Dazedly, he watched the heart pulse in Lily's grip.
"Good-bye Severus," Lilith said.
The last thing Snape saw was Lily's small hand closing into a fist, crushing his heart.
**HPS**
Lilith stared down at Snape's body for several seconds before placing the remains of his heart on his chest. With a wave of her hand, his body was reduced to ash. Another wave, and all of his belongings were gone. Lilith vanished and reappeared in the potion's classroom. A few snaps of her fingers and all the jars lining the walls were gone. She did the same to Snape's office and smiled in satisfaction.
Once the right qualifications were conjured, she would be able to take Snape's place as the potion's professor. She would of course agree to stay here until the year was completed. This way, she would be better able to keep an eye on her son and she'd be able to prepare for whatever Dumbledore was planning.
"I will allow no harm to come to my son," she whispered before vanishing into the night.
