Sorry this has taken so long.

I've been busy with homework and study. Plus I was experiencing some writers block.

Chapter 13

- Death in The Dark Forest -

"That's great, Teddy!" Hermione's mood had considerably changed over the holidays, yet she and Ron avoided talking to each other as much as possible. Which he guessed was better than them constantly grabbing at each others necks, like he had imagined they would. Teddy had arrived back at Hogwarts at midday and had spent the rest of the day looking for the others. He had eventually found them in the library before telling them the good news. "We're really happy for you, honestly."

"But... I've caught you at a bad time haven't I?" He said, noticing their grim faces. Harry was resting his chin on a library book, looking both bored and nervous. "What'd I miss?"

"Harry figured out the next clue."

"Really? How'd you do that?" He asked, remembering the terrible screams that had escaped from the golden egg when harry had first opened it.

"We'll explain later. Harry can you repeat what it said again?"

Harry tapped his head on the book. His eyes were tired and bored, showing that they'd been at this for a while. "Come seek us where our voices sound."

Hermione was pacing back a forth. "The black lake, that's obvious."

"An hour long you'll have to look."

"Again obvious, though I must admit potentially problematic."

Harry leaned back in his chair. "Potentially problematic? When was the last time you held your breath under the water for an hour Hermione?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "Look Harry, we can do this. The four of us can figure this out." Teddy scratched his head. Surely there was a spell or something that could help. Suddenly, there was a loud thump and Professor Moody came limping towards them.

"Hate to break up this scholar session, but Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office. Not you two, just Weasly and Granger."

Hermione looked up at the scarred ex-auror. "But sir, the second task is only hours away and-"

"Exactly. Presumably Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now!" Harry hesitantly got up and walked out of the library. "Longbottom!"

Neville peers around a bookcase. "Why don't you help Potter put his books back." He said before limping off, his metal leg thumping heavily.

"You know, if you're interested in plants you'd be better with Gorshok's Guide to Herbology." Neville said, noticing some of the books were Herbology books.

'Oh, actually these are the others books. I just got here." He explained, stacking the thick books in a pile.

"Do you know there's a wizard in Nepal whose growing gravity resistant trees?"

"No I didn't." He said half interested. "Actually, Neville. No offense, but I'm not that interested about plants. Now if there's a Tibetan turnip that will allow Harry to breathe underwater for an hour then great."

Nevilla paused as if to think. "I don't know about a turnip but you can always use Gilliweed."

"What's Gilliweed?" Teddy glanced up.

"Gilliweed? What's Gilliweed?" Teddy, Neville and Harry trudged down with the crowd towards the Black Lake.

"It's this plant." Teddy pointed to the green plantlife in Neville's hand. "In short, it helps you breath underwater."

"Well, actually if we're being technical-" Neville cut short at Teddy's glare. Harry was looking on edge.

"You're sure this will work, Neville?" He asked.

"Absolutely."

Teddy stumbled slightly as they bounded down the grassy hill towards the lake edge.

"For an hour?"

"Most likely."

Harry went stiff."Most likely?" He hissed.

Neville stammered slightly. "Well there is some debate among herbologists as to the effects of freshwater versus saltwater-"

"You're telling me this now? You must be joking." Harry glared at Teddy as if it was his fault. Teddy in return refused to meet his gaze and attempted to swallow down his worry.

"He just wants to help, Harry."

"Well that's more than I can say for Ron and Hermione. Where are they anyway?" Harry walked backwards for a bit, trying to see if they were behind them.

"Don't know. Haven't seen them since they went to Dumbledore."

"You seem a little tense Harry." Neville said observantly.

"Do I?" Harry said sarcastically. The three jumped on one of the self-rowing boats that brought them to three large wooden towers that peered down into the black water.

Dumbledore's voice echoed from somewhere above the towers. Students were peering over the edge, chanting their champions names.

"Welcome to the second task! Last night something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These four treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake. In order to win each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. They will have one hour to do so and one hour only. After that they'll be on their own."

Harry had pulled off his t-shirt and was standing on the edge of the lower level of the tower, staring into the dark water. "You're going to do great, Harry." Teddy said, looking around. Where were Ron and Hermione?

There was a familiar grunt and Professor Moody growled lowly. "Put that in your mouth."

Harry quickly puts the Gilliweed in his mouth and starts gagging. Teddy stood next to Neville who was muttering to himself nervously.

"You may begin at the start of the cannon." Dumbledore announces and the cannon fires. The other three champions dive but Harry is still gagging on the Gilliweed, until Moody pushes him into the water where he disappeared.

"What's the matter with him?" A Gryffindor boy asked, leaning over the edge.

"I don't know I can't see him." Teddy said also leaning over the edge.

"What's going on?" Arkie had pushed through the crowd and was standing beside Teddy.

Neville was now panting behind them, running his hands through his hair and shouting. "Oh my god, I've killed Harry Potter!"

There was a loud splash. Harry flew out of the water like a graceful dolphin. His hands and feet were now fins and gills had grown on the side of his neck. The crowd cheered before he disappeared back into the water. "Go, Harry!" Teddy yelled.

For a while the crowd sat, waiting for the champions to return. There was a gasp. Fleur rose from the water yet had failed to obtain the treasure.

"The Beauxbatons champion Miss Delacour has unfortunately been forced to retire. She will take no further part in this task." Dumbledore announced and there was a sad sigh from the Beauxbatons students.

Soon there was another gasp. Cedric appeared above the water holding Cho Chang, next was Krum and Hermione.

But no Harry.

"What about the Beauxbaton's champion?" He asked aloud. There was silence, then...

Gasp!

Two heads popped up above the water. One of them belonged to Ron, the other was a blonde haired girl. The two swam to the towers, where Fleur hugged the little girl.

Then Harry propelled out of the water, landing on the tower deck. "Get him a towel!"

"I want all the judges over here!" Dumbledore said.

Teddy ran to Harry's side. "You did it, Harry." Harry let out a tired, yet happy pant.

Fleur pushed past them towards Harry, wrapping him in a wet hug. "You saved her, even though she wasn't yours to save. My little sister! Thank you!" She turned around to Ron who was wrapped in a fluffy towel, his face pale with cold. "And you. You helped!" She squealed in her usual french accent.

Ron looked slightly flustered. "Well... yeah... a bit-" He paused when Fleur kissed him before running back to her sister. "Merci." He breathed, looking even paler than before.

"Harry!" Hermione came running over to Harry holding a towel. "Are you alright? You must be freezing! Personally I think you behaved admirably."

"You gave us a scare there for a bit." Teddy said, crouching by Harry. "Congrats."

'Attention! Attention!" Dumbledore said, looking at the three schools. "The winner of the second task is... Mr Diggory! "For showing unique command of the bubblehead charm."

Cedric and his friends cheer loudly. "Diggory! Diggory! Diggory!"

"The way I see it," the Headmaster continued. "Mr Potter would have finished first, had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr Weasley but the others as well. We've agreed to award him second place! For outstanding moral fibre."

The Hogwarts students cheer again and Teddy hugged Harry before looking at his now wet clothing. Later they were all climbing out of the row boats and back on the shore. "Land, sweet land." Teddy sighed standing on the firm ground.

"Mr Potter." Barty Crouch said, walking towards Harry and the others. "Well done boy. I'm sorry we haven't spoken, after all your story is one I've heard many times. Quite remarkable. Tragic of course, to lose one's family. Never whole again are we? Still, life goes on. And here we stand. I'm sure your parents would be very proud today Potter."

Teddy listened from the side before hearing an all too familiar grunt. Teddy looked up at the scarred Professor studying ever part of his face. "Bartimus! Not trying to lure Potter into one of the Ministry's summer internships are we? Last boy who went into the Department of Ministries never came out!"

Barty stared at Moody as if trying to read him. Then his expression turned to one of panic and he quickly walked off.

"And they say I'm mad!" Moody called out after him.

"You should go to bed, Harry. Tomorrow's the final task." Teddy said, looking up from his textbook, quill in hand. Harry nodded, beginning to pack up his stuff. "Oh, Harry, I forgot to tell you, my dad's coming to the task to."

"Can't wait to see him there." He smiled before turning to the others and saying goodnight.

A few hours later Ron and Hermione packed up their things and went back to their dorms, but Teddy stayed in the library, intent on finishing his homework. Eventually, he left and went down the stairs to his dorm. Once outside the door he paused. The door as the end of the hall, which led to the Dark Forest, was open. Maybe the wind had blown it open?

His shoes echoed against the walls and he walked towards it. Halfway through closing it, he saw a dark figure walking down the path towards the forest. "Professor Moody?"

The professor didn't hear him and continued down the path. Intrigued, Teddy dropped his things and followed after him into the forest. "Professor?" He called out, but heard no response.

Crack!

He spun around, hearing voices nearby. The moon was hidden behind a cloud making the forest impossibly dark.

"It's you, isn't it?"

"Mr Crouch?" Teddy whispered in surprise, freezing in place.

"But... it can't be... Where is the real Mad-Eye Moody? How did you-"

"The Dark Lord has his ways." Another voice growled. It was Professor Moody's voice. What were they doing together in the Dark Forest?

"You won't get away with this, Junior." Barty said. "The Minister and Dumbledore will find out your true identity and whatever you're planning to do for the Dark Lord will fail..."

"Oh, will it now?"

Teddy tripped lightly and ended up crawling on his hands and feet towards the voices. What was going on? Blinking through the shadows he saw two figures facing each other, one was lean and tall, the other was muscular and slightly hunched.

"Professor-"

Then he heard it. The Professor growled out two words that sent chills down his spine.

"Avada Kedavra!"

There was a bright green flash that lit up the two men and Teddy watched in horror as Barty Crouch fell to the ground... and never got up.

Teddy couldn't move as he crouched there on his hands and knees. Watching as the light disappeared and the huge figure that was his Dark Arts Proffesor trudged off. Something escaped his lips. A whimper.

He stuck his fist in his mouth as he leaned back against a tree, closing his eyes and feeling something wet run down his cheeks. His heart was hammering loudly in his chest, he could hear the blood in his ears. His teeth bit down hard on his knuckle, turning it white. The memory of Barty falling, his bowler's cap rolling away and his eyes wide open in fear, was on repeat in his head.

Then there was Moody's face, twisted into a crooked smile. But it wasn't Moody... Mr Crouch had said so himself. Who was the impostor then?

He had to warn Harry and the others, and Dumbledore. Teddy tried standing up but his legs gave out from underneath him causing him to fall and scrapped his knees. He breathed a sharp hiss of pain putting his hand on the tree's trunk to help him up. Goosebumps had formed along his arms.

The forest was deathly quiet, except for his deep, uneven breathing. Teddy shook the word 'deathly' from his head and he looked back at where he'd last seen Mr Crouch, only it was too dark to see. He took a step forward. His legs shook, threatening to give out again.

One step. Another step. One more.

This was North, right?

Pain shot up from his bleeding knees. There was no way of telling if he was heading the right way. He'd left his wand among his stuff that was outside his room. The lights of Hogwarts were no where to be seen and clouds covered the sky. He was lost.

The trees only got thicker and thicker, he kept tripping over large roots and rocks.

The only sound he heard was when a random gust of wind blew through the forest, causing the branches to shake. It wouldn't have matter if he was walking with his eyes opened or closed, everything was so dark and unfamiliar. After what felt like hours of walking his limbs were numb with cold and drowziness was threatening to over come him.

Then it did.

He didn't even realize he had tripped. He was too tired and too weak to feel his head collide with a sharp rock. Everything remained black and quiet.