Chapter 14: The Final Task: Part One
Barty arrived at the Riddle house, the old muggle building filling him with disdain. He knew not why his master chose this of all places to seek refuge, but he was not one to question the man. To do so had never ended well for any that dared in the past. Though he did not enjoy this place, he was in good spirits and knew his master would be grateful for things turning evermore in their favour.
He had been at a loss at what to do to ensure both Potter boys would be transported here at the behest of the Dark Lord. Kidnapping the younger should pose little problem but the elder would be. Barty had been watching him closely under his guise and was ashamed to admit, the boy would be a problem to subdue for him alone. He had proven himself much more dangerous than he'd imagined but he refused to give up. His master needed him and he would do whatever it takes to come through for him. His current plan meant that it was almost a certainty he would be caught, though that did not concern him. He had survived Azkaban once before and could do it again. The Dark Lord would come for him as he would the rest of those that had proven their loyalty by not denouncing him all those years ago. Then, he would be rewarded and revered above all others; the sole reason his master has risen once more to right the world of the things that had wronged it.
A smile pulled at his lips as he entered the room to find Wormtail feeding the body his lord currently occupied, though not for long.
"You are late, Barty," Voldemort wheezed breathily.
"My apologies, My Lord, I will endeavour to not let it happen again," Barty offered, sinking to his knees and bowing obediently. "I bring the most excellent of news," he finished giddily.
"Rise, Barty. Tell me, what could make you so spritely?"
"I have a plan to ensure both Potter's will be available when you need them."
"That is welcome news," Voldemort concurred. "Pray, tell me how you will achieve this?"
"We have the idiot Fudge to thank. He has, in his wisdom, decided that there will be Dementors present for the third task and young Draco will unwittingly be adding a further distraction. With everyone distracted, I will be able to use the portkey you have provided on Charlie Potter to bring him here," Barty explained gleefully.
Voldemort tapped his chin with his fingers as he nodded.
"And the other boy?"
Barty swallowed nervously.
"He will not be so easy," he admitted. "The boy is strong, My Lord, and will need a much more subtle approach. Force will not get him here."
Voldemort again nodded.
"We will use the younger for the ritual. It would not do to have the elder here before I have my body back," he mused aloud. "You must ensure Charlie Potter arrives as soon as possible."
"I will have him here shortly after the task begins, My Lord," Barty assured him. "I must ask, My Lord. How can I get the Dementors on side?"
Voldemort smirked at the question as he thought back to the time he first brought the creatures into his employ.
"Why Barty, you simply offer them what it is they seek. I imagine the atmosphere at Hogwarts will prove too much for them to resist, however, to ensure their cooperation, there is something you can do. Wormtail, fetch my wand," he ordered.
The pitiful man complied, almost tripping over the hem of his robes as he scurried off to fetch the wand of his master. He retrieved it from the mantel and handed it to his master with a shaking hand.
"Fear not, Wormtail, what I am about to do will leave me unable to punish you for the time being," the Dark Lord soothed with a laugh.
Barty watched in amazement as his master began mumbling in a language even he did not recognise, quite the feat considering his father spoke dozens of them fluently and he had been raised at his side, picking up more than a few in the process.
After a few moments, the Dark Lord released a staggered breath and produced a glass ball as dark as the night sky.
"This will send the Dementors into a frenzy. The need to feed will become overwhelming and they will do what you need them to," he explained tiredly.
His vison began to darken as Barty approached and relieved him of his creation. His final thought before sleep took him was just how Barty planned on ensuring the older Potter would be brought here?
He knew not but wished he'd had the foresight to ask. He needed them both eliminated at the same time. He could not afford for the prophecy to come back and haunt him once more.
(BREAK)
Harry took several deep, gasping breaths before he managed to pull himself to his feet. He hissed in pain as the still glowing runes he'd meticulously carved into his skin continued to burn. This was normal when a ritual had been complete and would subside in only a few hours, sooner if he had indeed been successful.
This particular ritual was one he had been planning for some time, considered very dark in Britain and known only to the Blacks. It wasn't dangerous for one experienced in carrying out rituals as he was but could be potentially catastrophic if any deviation from the instructions were to occur. Harry was always careful when practicing this type of magic. It was risky but the benefits would outweigh the potential fallout if something were to go amiss. In all thirteen of them he had carried out, this had never happened. The one he had just completed was the final one until he was an old man. There was little else he could gain from going further with the branch of magic and he had reached the limitations he was willing to push. He was content that he'd achieved what he had set out to do without harming himself or the rituals having a negative impact, which was indeed likely if one were to go beyond a certain point. Ritualistic magic is a precise art and not one that should be experimented with. Many a man had fallen victim to the allure of unobtainable power, the pursuit of immortality and abilities above what the human body was capable. Harry had read of these men, studied them and learnt from their mistakes.
This final ritual was one that would boost his healing abilities, not to a degree where he could recover from anything, he was still human after all, but it would reduce his healing time considerably. He'd carried out others to assist with his stamina, his ability in the Mind Arts and even one to boost his senses and reflexes, all things that are possible with practice.
He had not even entertained the idea of attempting to bolster his magical power. It could be done but such things he learnt were temporary and were likely to cause much more harm than good. Power corrupts and he was aware that he was not always the most stable of people. He had a biblical temper and was already uncaring towards most. The last thing he wanted was for himself to be compromised in his mind or body for something he did not need.
He drank down the Blood Replenisher he had readied for when his work was done and stretched, feeling the wounded skin pull tight across his body. When he felt steadier on his legs, he exited the room he had commandeered for the ritual and returned to his own for a shower.
The day was still enough in its' infancy that none of the others were up other than Leo who was drinking coffee at the table.
"How did it go?"
Harry shrugged as he took a seat.
"As expected, I suppose."
Leo chuckled.
"Only you could have such a blasé attitude towards something so dangerous. Do you think Arcturus would let me have that one?"
"I doubt it," Harry answered with a shake of his head. "But I can do it with you, so long as you give me a vow."
Leo rolled his eyes.
"Aye, I know, family secrets and all that."
Harry grinned at the boy. He was the only one he would trust implicitly outside of the family with their magic. Over the years he had taught him some useful spells from the Black question. He was as good as being a Black after all.
"How're you feeling about tonight?" Leo continued.
Harry released a deep breath.
"Not good. The task doesn't bother me, it's everything else around it. Something is happening and tonight is the last chance whoever is behind it can act."
"Aye," Leo agreed, "I don't like it either."
Harry looked upon his friend, the same concern he felt crossing his features. Leo nor himself were easily shaken by much but this had them both contemplating what could be.
"I need you to do something for me," Harry spoke seriously.
Leo nodded.
"Anything, you know that."
"Look after Tonks for me. I know she can handle herself but I'd feel better knowing she's got you watching her back."
"Aye, I'll watch her. I'll keep my eye on all of them, Harry," Leo promised.
Harry nodded gratefully, not saying anything else. He knew he could rely on the boy. For whatever reason, he had come into his life, been one of the few constants since they were young boys and had never given him a reason to doubt him and he wouldn't start now nor ever.
The pair ate their breakfast and Harry took a much-needed shower before returning. The wiled away another couple of hours simply enjoying spending time together, something they hadn't had much time for recently.
They were joined by both Sirius and Cassie shortly after the sun rose, both much more subdued than usual. Sirius forewent food and Cassie barely picked at her own.
"It will be alright," Harry tried to assure the pair.
"I don't like it," Sirius replied shaking his head. "There's so many things that can happen."
"And we will be there to deal with it," Leo answered firmly.
Sirius deflated as he looked between the boys.
"Neither of you know what he's like, what he's truly capable of," he muttered. "I fought against him, I've seen what he's done to people, what's left of them when he decides he wants them dead."
"Aye, I grew up without parents because of him and his lot," Leo returned heatedly. "And Harry knows exactly what he can do. He's only here because that bastard fucked up that night."
Harry felt his stomach tighten. Voldemort did not make an error that night other than being overconfident. It was him that had messed things up for the man by trying to save Charlie's life.
"That's not the same," Sirius growled. "None of you have fought on the frontlines against them, or him for that matter. There's a bloody reason people are terrified of him."
Before an irate Leo could respond, Cassiopeia slammed a hand on the table and glared at the pair in turn.
"That is enough," she whispered dangerously. "None of us will be fighting against him. As soon as this tournament is over, we will be going home and away from all of this. Him coming back is a big if and we will not discuss it anymore."
Leo flared his nostril's at Sirius as the man's stare bored into his. It wasn't often they bumped heads, but when they did, they were both too stubborn to make amends for a while.
"Both of you shut up," Harry cut in tiredly. "We don't need this, not today."
The staring match continued for but a moment longer before Leo looked away.
"Aye, sorry," he muttered.
"Dad?" Harry prompted.
"Yeah, sorry," he offered insincerely.
Harry shared a look of despair with Cassie who was smirking in amusement. The woman loved nothing more than a bit of conflict between people, even if they were family.
"Would you like me to sort them out?" she offered, her smirk becoming malevolent as she drew her wand.
Harry chuckled at the look of fear both Sirius and Leo war before he hummed and feigned thinking on her proposal.
"Leave them be for now," he decided, eliciting a sigh of relief from the duo. "If they carry on, then you have my permission to do whatever you feel is necessary to fix it."
Cassie pouted as she placed her wand back up her sleeve, Leo and Sirius still eying her warily.
The mood remained a little tense until a knock sounded at the door and Cassie stood to answer it. Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of her great-niece.
"Nymphadora," she greeted the girl neutrally.
"Miss Black," Tonks replied as she stepped past the woman, used to the almost disapproving way she was looked upon.
She entered the room and greeted Harry with a chaste kiss on the cheek before taking the seat next to him.
"Aren't you supposed to be meeting in the ante-chamber with the other champions?" she asked.
Harry frowned as he looked at Sirius questioningly.
"Dumbledore wants to make a song and dance about the champions getting time to spend with their families before the third task," he explained irritably. "Wants us all to make friends with each other."
"Piss on that," Leo returned. "They're competing against each other."
"That doesn't mean you can't be friendly," Tonks pointed out.
"Leo just doesn't want to see the little French girl again. She's been writing to him," Harry chuckled.
Leo flushed slightly as he shook his head.
"She's alright, she's just a little lass who wanted to say thanks."
"Aww, has little Leo got an admirer," Tonks cooed as Sirius laughed at his expense.
"Katie is more than enough for me," Leo replied firmly. "She laughed just as much as him when I told her," he added, pointing at a still-chuckling Sirius.
"You did save her life," Tonks reminded him.
Leo nodded modestly.
"Was the right thing to do," he mumbled.
"So, you're not going?"
Harry shook his head.
"I'm waiting for grandfather to get here."
Only a few moments later, the fireplace came alive in a blast of green fire and the head of the family stepped out and cleared away the errant ash on his robes with a wave of his wand. Giving a cursory glance of who was present, he nodded and took a seat at the table.
"We will all be staying here together until it is time for the task," he declared. "We will not give anyone the chance to get the jump on us."
"What about Katie?" Leo asked.
"You and Cassie will fetch her now and come straight back," the old man instructed.
Leo nodded and left the room, followed by a bemused Cassiopeia.
"Nymphadora, how are you?" Arcturus questioned more warmly than either Harry or Sirius was accustomed.
"I'm fine, thank you, Lord Black. Yourself?"
"I will feel much better when this is all over with," Arcturus responded. "I may be old but I can feel something brewing."
The group fell into a comfortable silence and Leo and Cassie returned with Katie a short while later, the girl quite apprehensive about being around the rest.
"You must be Miss Bell," Arcturus greeted her respectfully. "I've heard much about you from Leo and Harry."
"Yes, Lord Black," Katie answered nervously. "Good things I hope."
Cassie snorted but was stifled by a glare from Leo and equally reprimanding look from her brother.
"I can assure you, both boys have only spoken of you in the most respectful of ways. I understand you are planning to pursue a career in Quidditch?"
Katie nodded enthusiastically whilst Cassiopeia stared at Arcturus in confusion.
"That's what I'm hoping for."
"Then I wish you the best of luck. It is an ambitious goal and ambition is something I hold in high esteem," Arcturus responded with a bow.
Cassie frowned at the man. He was not one to make small talk let alone flatter anyone. The only woman she had ever seen him attempt to flatter was his wife, a sweet, quietly spoken woman, though not one to take lightly. She had a wicked temper and was no slouch with a wand.
"Speaking of careers. Have you made any firm decision on what you will do, Leo?" the man continued. "Not that you need it of course, the gold you liberated from the Malfoy's would certainly fund yourself and many generations to come."
The boy shrugged.
"I couldn't imagine doing nothing," he dismissed. "I'll finish my apprenticeship with Cassie and then look at my options."
Arcturus nodded in approval.
"Harry?" he questioned.
"Professional singer," Leo muttered causing Sirius to snort and Harry to give them both a smouldering stare.
"Honestly, I might become a cursebreaker or even an auror."
Arcturus nodded in approval.
"Two very respectful careers," he offered proudly. "Sirius? You no longer have to look after him after all."
"I'm going to the ICW to register as a hit-wizard," he said with certainty. "I can take whatever contracts I want."
"And marriage? You may not be my heir but you are still a Black."
Sirius shook his head.
"Raising him has been enough," he returned, pointing a finger at Harry who smiled innocently. "I'm not ruling it out but I don't know if it will happen.
"That Bones woman seems keen," Leo chuckled.
"Shut up," Sirius growled.
"Bones would be a good match," Arcturus mused aloud.
"I could set you up with Hestia Jones?" Tonks offered.
"Can we stop trying to match me with people?" Sirius pleaded. "And not Hestia Jones."
"Oh Sirius, you didn't?" Tonks asked disappointedly.
"We were young and I…"
"Was a horny teenager?" Harry finished for him.
Sirius shrugged.
"Enough, I should not have brought it up," Arcturus cut in disgustedly.
"Dirty old bastard," Harry muttered, glaring at his father.
There was no further discussion on careers or possible matches for whom Sirius could marry. The group passed the day in each other's company as dictated by Arcturus. Harry however contributed very little. He could not help but focus on what was to come and the unsettling feeling in his stomach that something was afoot, a feeling that only grew more prominent with each passing moment. He left only to change into his dragonhide gear that he would be competing in and checked both of his wands were in working order.
Before he was ready, Arcturus checked his watch, stood and offered them a severe nod.
"It's time," he confirmed.
The rest of them stood and made their way through the almost empty castle, the rest of the school seemingly already having made their way to the stadium. This was confirmed when they arrived to find the stands filled to capacity.
"My parents are here," Katie announced, waving to her mother and father who were sat at the front row of one of the stands.
"Go," Arcturus instructed. "We will join you presently."
"I'll go too," Cassie announced before hugging Harry and whispering some final words of encouragement in his ear. She took Katie by the arm and led her away.
"Remember what I said," Harry reminded Leo.
The boy nodded firmly and pulled the other into a tight hug.
"Aye, you can count on me."
Harry slapped him on the back and broke the embrace and turned his attention to his father and grandfather.
"I will make everyone remember that it was a Back that won this," he vowed.
Arcturus nodded.
"No matter what happens, you have represented our house proudly, Harry. I couldn't ask more from you than you've already given."
"Stay vigilant, son," Sirius whispered as he pulled Harry into a hug of his own. "I'll never get used to this," he chuckled as he ruffled Harry's hair.
"Me either," Harry sighed. "I'll be back before you know it."
Sirius nodded as he followed Arcturus a little out of the way to give Harry and Tonks some privacy.
When the two were alone, she fell into his arms and buried her face into his chest, simply inhaling his scent. She felt his arms wrap tightly around her and she melted further into him feeling the first bout of tears trying to break free.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"Nothing," she sniffed.
Harry raised her chin with a finger and looked into her light grey eyes and raised a brow at her.
"Dora," he pressed gently.
Tonks sighed as she shrugged.
"Right now, it doesn't matter. Just come back to me, the rest can wait," she said with a watery smile.
"I will," Harry replied.
"Promise me," Tonks almost pleaded. "I can't bear the thought of losing you."
Harry kissed her gently eliciting a cheer from some parts of the crowd who were seemingly watching them.
"I promise, I will be back."
Tonks looked into his eyes and nodded when she saw the resolution within them.
"I'm holding you to that," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him once more.
Harry gave her a searing kiss before turning and approaching the rest of the champions who had just finished their own goodbyes with their loved ones. It was time to focus. Once this was over with, he could go home and get back to normality; a life away from the wizarding Britain he had left behind when he was but a weak and beaten boy.
(BREAK)
Charlie watched as the champions gathered along with the judges, Bagman and Crouch close to the entrance of the maze. From where he sat, he could clearly see Harry's expression. His brother was determined and Charlie had no doubt that he would be triumphant in the task.
He'd wanted more than anything to visit him today to wish him luck, but it was not to be. His parents had been very protective over him the past couple of days, not letting out of their sight for even a moment.
It mattered not.
When Harry emerged from the maze as the victor, he would congratulate his brother and celebrate with him and the others. The Hogwarts students would be pulling for Cedric, but not Charlie. His loyalty to Harry outweighed his loyalty to the school.
He shot a glance to his parents that stood either side of him, both on high alert but both equally nervous also, unlike him. He was simply biding his time until the other boy returned from the maze clutching the trophy.
He returned his focus on the champions as the judges and ministry representatives stepped away to take their seats. The group shared a brief discussion before Bagman raised the tip of his wand to his throat and spoke loudly.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE THIRD AND FINAL TASK OF THE TRI-WIZARD TOURNAMENT."
A cacophony of applause and cheering broke out at his words and the man had to hold up a hand to silence the crowd.
"THE TASK IS SIMPLE; THE FIRST CHAMPION TO REACH THE CENTRE OF THE MAZE AND CLAIM THE TRI-WIZARD CUP, WILL BE YOUR WINNER. THE CHAMPIONS WILL ENTER IN THE ORDER OF THE STANDINGS. SO, FIRST WILL BE MR HARRY BLACK, REPRSENTING THE HOUSE OF BLACK.
There was much more applause for Harry than there had been at the first task. It seemed that he had earned the respect of many from the three other schools he was competing against.
"HE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MR KRUM OF DURMSTRANG."
The crow positively came alive for the quidditch star. If he was popular with the students before the tournament, it was nothing compared to the adoration they showed him now. The Bulgarian seeker raised his hand politely, though the scowl he wore remained as prevalent as ever.
"MR KRUM WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MR DIGGORY OF HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRFT AND WIZARDRY."
Cedric received a similar reaction as Krum. He was well-known and well-liked at school, unassuming for the most part but not without talent. Charlie felt that he would be the biggest challenge the champions could pose to his brother.
"AND FINALLY, MISS DELACOUR FROM BEAUXBATONS ACAEDMY OF MAGIC WILL ENTER LAST."
The applause the French witch received was rather lacklustre compared to Krum and Diggory but was much louder than when she'd competed in the first task having garnered some respect for herself. The girl let herself down with her rather highly-strung attitude towards most.
"THE TASK WILL BEGIN AT THE STARTING HORN. WE WISH ALL THE CHAMPIONS THE BEST OF LUCK."
Charlie leaned forward in anticipation, eagerly awaiting the start. Although the crowd wouldn't be able to see what was happening in the maze, the atmosphere was incredible, similar to what he experienced at the Quidditch World Cup. He cheered along with the rest of the crowd as Harry entered the maze, followed by Krum, Cedric and finally Delacour. It was when the final champion had entered that an uncharacteristic cold fell over the stadium causing Charlie to shiver uncontrollably. It was June after all, such a coldness was unnatural for this time of year.
The students seemingly noticed the sudden change and were questioning others about what could have caused it, thinking it was part of the task. The adult however had turned pale, many having drawn their wands, an expression of fear etched into their features.
"Dementors," James muttered, the grip on his own wand tight.
Charlie shuddered and clung to the back of his father's robes. He'd heard of the horrors of the creatures, had even seem the aftermath of being exposed to them on the occasion that his father had returned from Azkaban. It was not a good thing to see. He had arrived home, pale, clammy and trembling, something that lasted for several days.
"Stay with me, Charlie. Lily protect the students," James instructed as his eyes began scanning the area around them. He of course knew they would be present, but they were supposed to be far away from the school.
Lily gave a worried look towards her son and husband before she left. She was one of not many that could produce a corporeal patronus and the students around them would need her.
Charlie nodded as images began playing in his mind, mostly unfamiliar but many had a familiarity about them. He heard some indiscernible muttering, saw a bright flash of green light heading straight towards him, only for someone to shield him from it before it could reach. His grip slackened and he felt his father pull away as he attempted to fend the Dementors off. The final thing he heard before he collapsed to the ground was an ear-splitting scream of agony that echoed through his mind. Unable to move, he saw a face well-known to him. Before he could question the man, he felt a firm tug around his navel as he was spirited away by a portkey.
James could no longer feel Charlie behind him and by now, the crowd was in a full panic. People were running everywhere to escape the affect the Dementors were having and he could not see his son anywhere. His heart racing, he grabbed the first man he saw, his nose wrinkling as he got a whiff of the man's breath.
"Filch, have you seen Charlie?"
The man simply shoved him away and much to James' surprise, drew a wand.
"Avada Kedavra," he roared gleefully.
Wide-eyed and unable to do anything else, James threw himself to the ground and another body collapsed on top of him a split-second later. He shoved the person off and managed to get back to his feet, the maniacal laughter of the caretaker ringing in his ears.
Spotting him attempting to flee, he gave chase. Someone was impersonating the man, that much was clear and he had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly what had happened to Charlie.
(BREAK)
Leo drew his wand the moment he felt the unsettling chill permeate around them followed shortly by Cassie and Tonks. He pulled Katie closer as he cursed under his breath, his eyes searching the sky for any sign of them.
"What is it?" Robert Bell asked worriedly, his own body quaking.
"Dementors," Leo whispered.
He felt Katie stiffen in his grasp as the rest of the crowd became aware of what was happening and began trying to flee the stadium, very few willing to stay behind to attempt to fight them off and even less capable.
"STICK TOGETHER," he shouted over the panicked screams of the crowd.
He turned, only to find that most of the group he was with had been swallowed up into the sea of madness around them, washed away from where he could protect them. All that remained was the lone figure of Sarah Bell, seemingly frozen on the spot as he eyes flittered around the crowd.
Leo shoved his way through the throngs of people towards her and took her by the hand, his own gaze frantically searching for the others.
"Did you see where they went?" he questioned the woman forcefully.
Sarah shook her head.
"Shit," Leo cursed. "Can you conjure a patronus?"
"N-no, I'm sorry," she answered weakly.
Leo felt a stab of sympathy for the woman as he wrapped an arm around her and squeezed her tightly.
"We have to find them. Whatever you do lass, don't let go of me, okay?"
Sarah nodded.
Leo gave what he hoped what a comforting smile as he pushed against the tide of people. One thing he knew for certain was that none of the Blacks would be running, certainly not Sirius at the very least and Cassie wouldn't leave without him. The only place they could be would be doing everything they could to fight off the Dementors.
"Expecto patronum," he shouted as one of the hooded creatures descended upon a group of Beauxbaton's students from above.
The creature retreated much to his relief, though it was short-lived. It returned only a moment later, its attack much more aggressive. In most circumstances, the Dementor would have fled the area completely but this one was proving to be quite desperate to feed.
Leo fired off another patronus, only for it to prove its' tenacity once again by withdrawing for but a moment.
"What the bloody hell is happening?" he growled as he fended it off for the third time.
He did his best to press on, alternating between keeping the Dementor at bay and looking for the others. The crowd continued to melee in a bid to escape, though he could see many on the ground, unmoving. Pushing the thought of those suffering aside, he glimpsed a welcome sight in the distance ahead. Harry's hydra patronus was fighting off some Dementors ahead. Though he was having the same problem of the creature relentlessly refusing to be expelled from the grounds, he felt a little better that Harry was there.
"Come on," he called back as he dragged Sarah Bell behind him.
With considerable effort and lots of shoving, they made it to where the patronus was still being conjured repeatedly, only not to find Harry, but Tonks with a very pale Robert Bell hunched behind her.
Shaking off the confusion he felt at seeing Tonks casting Harry's patronus, he took a stand next to the woman as Robert gratefully pulled his wife to him, nodding appreciatively at Leo.
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know," Tonks sighed, her skin pallid. "We all got separated."
Leo groaned as the Dementor doubled up its' effort to sate its' hunger by attempting to fall upon a group of younger Hogwarts students that cowered next to one of the stands.
"Why won't they stop?" he questioned, firing off a patronus to protect the group.
Tonks shook her head.
"I've never seen anything like it," she answered as her own joined his. "They're everywhere," she added.
Leo looked around and could see several of them spread around the grounds. If they'd attacked as a unit, they wouldn't be such a problem, even in their unusually feral state. With them spread out, they would be very difficult to handle.
He wanted nothing more than go on the search for Katie. Her parents were protected, he had no idea about her. Instead, he remembered the words he spoke to Harry. He promised he would protect Tonks and he would not go back on that. He hoped that she was with the Blacks and that they would be able to protect her. He would never forgive them if they allowed anything to happen to the girl.
(BREAK)
Cassiopeia Black was seldom worried or fearful, but she felt both now. She'd not much experienced the Dementors in her many years of life but she was feeling their full effects. The cold was unbearable and the images of her own childhood swam across her mind. She remembered being punished for the smallest of transgression, her own father casting curses upon her and her siblings and even her mother dying when she was young, the death itself now seeming more suspicious than her young mind could have comprehended.
Her mother was healthy one day, the next, she was dead and her father showed no care for the woman.
The worse her emotions became, the more the presence of the Dementor affected her.
She did all she could to fend the feelings off but could not prevent the tears from falling.
"Expecto patronum," she said weakly, her only showing a small wisp of white fog emanating from the tip of her wand.
She cursed. It had taken her considerable time to learn the spell and only did so to prove her own superiority with magic. She'd never had the need to use it in a situation such as this.
Her vision began to darken uncontrollably and she found that she could no longer hold her arm up to point her wand. She felt her knees buckle and the ground seemed to drift towards her in slow motion. Resigning herself to her fate, she welcomed the incoming unconsciousness, only to feel a pair of arms pull tightly around her, helping her to her feet. A bright white light followed shortly and she found herself flooded with warmth, the myriad of dark thoughts she felt being dragged away with the patronus.
"Come on, Cass," the sound of her brother sounded.
She could have positively cried at his appearance. She turned to face Arcturus's own pale complexion, his mouth in a hard line of focus as he concentrated on maintaining his spell. The memories she experienced no longer felt so grim.
Arcturus had always been there. Whenever she'd found herself having been disciplined, he had been there to comfort her, to put her back together and promised he would always be there to do so. He was the reason she survived the horrific childhood they had been subject to. He'd even taken the blame for things that she had done so that she wouldn't be punished.
She clung to his robes as he helped her away from the Dementors, the foreboding lessening the further away they moved.
He stopped after what felt to be several minutes, though her concept of time was utterly skewed. It may have only been seconds.
"Have you seen the others?" the voice of Sirius questioned.
"No, I've not seen the girls' parents, Nymphadora or Leo," Arcturus responded worriedly.
Cassie's heart sunk. She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to the boy.
She felt her brother release her at the same time another pair of arms wrapped around her, these ones smaller and considerably less steady. She turned and looked into the brown eyes of the bell girl, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. She felt a sense of relief at seeing she had not fallen victim to the Dementors, a strange feeling to have for a mudblood.
"How are you doing, Miss Black?" the girl asked, her voice full of concern.
There was no mockery nor smugness, something Cassie most would exhibit were they to witness the state that she was in. The girl was genuinely worried for her.
"I'm fine," she answered dismissively causing the girl to raise an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "I will be fine," she corrected.
The Bell girl gave her a tight smile.
"Aren't you worried about your parents?"
Katie nodded stiffly.
"None of them can cast a patronus. I'm just hoping that they are with Leo. He wouldn't let anything happen to them."
Cassie smiled at the thought. As much as she had tried to instil a sense of self-preservation in the boy, she had failed. He was very selfless and the bloody fool was smitten with the girl.
"If he's with them, you have nothing to worry about," she offered.
Katie nodded again a little more convincingly.
Her words may have been said in comfort, but Cassie felt none. She believed in Leo, in his abilities but she couldn't have faith he wouldn't do something stupid to save everyone else if needed.
"Come back, lad," she pleaded internally, the way a mother would pray for the safe return of a son.
(BREAK)
Leo and Tonks finally got a reprieve from having to cast their patronuses, the Dementors having tired of having no success in the area they were in. He knelt beside the Bells, both of whom having quite the adverse effect from the coldness.
"Are you ready to move?" he asked gently. "We have to find the others."
Robert nodded and helped his wife to her feet before pulling her close, attempting to warm her.
"We have to find Katie," he insisted.
Leo nodded and swallowed deeply, not wanting to dwell on the plaguing thoughts of the girl succumbing to a fate the creatures could bring.
"Okay, let's move," he instructed, not sure on how he could protect himself and three others at the same time.
The amasses witches and wizards had yet to thin out and he couldn't help but think the entrances had been made redundant. There was no doubt in his mind that this entire situation had been orchestrated, likely by the very person responsible for Harry being in the tournament. This did nothing but set him on edge further. If this was the case, then what was happening here could only be a distraction for what this person true intentions were. As things stood however, he was unable to do anything to prevent it. He could merely continue as was and hope that whatever Harry was facing, he would be come through.
"Over there," the relieved voice of Tonks spoke as she pointed in the direction of one of the stands a short distance away.
Leo released a staggered breath himself as he laid eyes upon Sirius and Arcturus attempting to fend off a few Dementors. Just behind them sat Katie with who appeared to be Cassie wrapped in her arms.
Firing off his own patronus to assist the two Blacks, he pushed the three others ahead of him and rushed towards the group he'd lost sight of when the melee had broken out. Reaching them, he pulled both Cassie and Katie to his chest and held on to them for all he was worth, words unable to do justice to the relief he felt.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
He felt Katie nod against his chest and he squeezed tighter with one arm as he took Cassie's hand in his own.
"Cass?" he added, needing to hear her voice.
Cassie sighed as she nodded.
"I'll be okay, just get those bloody things away from us."
Leo chuckled as he stood, his place taken by the Bells as they began fussing over their daughter, both in tears at seeing her as well as could be, given the circumstances.
"What the hell happened," he questioned Arcturus before adding his own patronus to the combined effort of the older man and Sirius.
"No idea," Arcturus growled, "but I don't like it. We need to get this dealt with and find Harry."
Leo nodded his agreement, the worry for his friend spurring him on.
With the three patronuses on the attack, the Dementors again fled, realising they would not be able to indulge in the feast they lusted after. Taking a breather, Leo observed the scene around him and was surprised but pleased to see more bright apparitions than he'd thought as those able continued to protect the students, the crowd and themselves. He saw a phoenix that could only belong to Dumbledore, a doe a cat and even a large palomino horse. It all seemed to be in vain, however. The more the Dementors were repelled, the more determined and desperate they became.
"We need to get everyone over there," he said, pointing to where he could just see the faint whiteness of the headmaster's beard. "They'll be easier to defend against if they are all together."
Sirius nodded his understanding.
"How the hell will we manage that?" Arcturus asked.
Leo gritted his teeth as he pondered just how he could achieve such a thing. Shaking his head unhappily at the only idea he had, he released a deep breath through his nose.
"Get them away from anything wooden," he instructed the two.
With a frown, they ushered the Bells, Cassie and Tonks away and Leo set to work, hoping it wouldn't come back to haunt him later. With a few muttered words, the stand and the fence burst into flames and spread quickly. In only a few moments, the fence and the stands surrounding the stadium was burning a bright red fire and Leo nodded, satisfied as people began to scream and backed away from it fearfully as he placed his wand to his throat.
"MOVE TOWARDS DUMBLEDORE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE," he shouted as he began grabbing random people and shoving them in the direction he wished them to go. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, GO THAT WAY," he added to a confused group of students who were running in circles.
He removed his wand from his throat and helped Cassie to her feet.
"Come on, Cass. It's not time to lounge around."
The woman shook her head at him as he led her away, the others already having followed his command and gone ahead. The rest of those gathered in the stadium seemed to have understood what he was trying to do as they forced their way towards the headmaster and the group of people attempting to protect the crowd in the very centre.
This forced the Dementors work closer together and had the desired outcome of the patronuses being more effective.
"MOVE YOUR BLOODY ARSES," he roared at the stragglers around him, only to hiss in pain as he was hit with a spell in the back and he fell to the ground.
Instinctively, he rolled away with Cassie still in his arms and sprung to his feet. Turning, he was met with the furious visage of the Malfoy boy who had his wanted pointed at him and, as was his nature, he was accompanied by several other members of his house.
"You really want to do this now, you fucking idiot?" Leo spat gesturing all around them.
Without waiting for a reply, he fired off a series of curses designed to restrain and was met with yelps as three members of the group fell.
"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME," Malfoy screamed. "CONTUSIO."
Leo erected a powerful, translucent dome that would sufficiently defend against the dangerous spell, surprised the boy had the ability and guts to cast such a thing. He shook his head. It wasn't fortitude he was showing but stupidity.
He watched as the small pins of light ricocheted off his shield and exploded, each with the sound of a bomb detonating. When the final one had been spent, he waved away the dome.
"So, you want to throw around dangerous spells?" he spat.
His wand became a blur as lost himself to the instincts that had been ingrained into him over the years; hit hard, hit fast and ask questions later. Malfoy managed to avoid the first two spells but fell victim to the third. He screamed as he dropped his wand and clawed at what remained of his eyes, the sockets oozing a jelly-like crimson fluid.
Leo placed Cassie on the ground and stalked towards the boy, aiming a hard kick to his ribs. His scream dulled into a groan as his ribcage gave way under the force of the blow.
"This is the final time I will tell you, lad. If you ever try anything so stupid again, I will destroy everything you show any care for. I will haunt you until the end of your days, however few they might be."
Malfoy simply whimpered and Leo left him hunched over on the ground. The boy would be fine if the Dementors didn't get him. He'd had a harsh lesson and he would learn from it or he would get a harsher one until he did.
He helped Cassie back to her feet and pulled her towards the large gathering of witches and wizards that had congregated in the middle of the stadium, bumping into the Hogwarts caretaker running in the opposite direction, wand in hand.
After shooting the man a glare, he made it to the edge of the crowd where Tonks, the Bells, Sirius and Arcturus were stood, the two Blacks and the auror next to a very grim Dumbledore, the diminutive charms professor, the sallow potions master and the transfiguration mistress keeping the Dementors at bay.
"What kept you?" Arcturus asked.
"The idiot Malfoy thought now was the time to attack."
"Lucius is here?" the older man seethed.
Leo shook his head.
"His bloody offspring."
Arcturus grunted as he sent off another patronus, the dozen or so aurors that had been called in to assist trying to do the same.
"The bloody bastards won't stop," Leo groaned.
Leo was about to cast his own when he was forcefully turned around. Faced with a panicking James Potter, it took every ounce of willpower not to punch the man for touching him.
"Have you seen Filch?" the man questioned, shaking him by the shoulders.
Leo frowned.
"The caretaker fellow?"
James nodded, his eyes bulging maniacally.
"Yeah, just then. He was running that way."
James sprinted off in the direction that Leo had pointed. The boy shrugged. He had no love for the Potters' other than the youngest of them. He turned his attention back to the more pressing matter.
Although the Dementors were being pushed back by the various patronuses, they were not fleeing, all returning a moment later.
He fought his way through the masses to the headmaster's side, ignoring the look of annoyance as he shouldered the surly potions master away.
"We need to work together to push them out. People are already getting tired," he explained.
Dumbledore took a glance around and nodded his agreement.
"You're right, Mr Whelan. Severus, Minerva, go and gather all of those that can conjure a patronus and bring them here. We will hold them off."
Leo shook his head an placed his wand against his throat once more.
"ALL OF YOU CAPABLE OF CONJURING A PATRONUS, GET YOUR ARSES OVER HERE. FOLLOW THE RED SPARKS," he shouted, shooting a stream of them in the air.
Dumbledore gave him a nod of approval whilst the transfiguration professor glared at him. He shook it off as he cast his patronus once more towards the incoming hoard of Dementors.
Only a few moments later he seemed to be surrounded by people casting the spell and Dumbledore took charge of the situation.
"We have to walk them out, follow me," he called loudly.
He began stepping forward, followed by the fatigued aurors, professors and anyone else able to help. It took several minutes, but they were able to move them close to the burning boundary.
Dumbledore dropped his patronus and took a deep breath, mustering every ounce of the power he could. With a primal roar, the tip of his wand glowed blindingly white causing those close by to unwittingly shield their eyes.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM."
The heat emanating from the man was almost unbearable as an enormous, almost solid phoenix flew from the end of his wand and collided with the Dementors, sending them screeching into the night sky.
The world around Leo fell deathly silent as he stood awestruck by what he had witnessed. He had heard of Dumbledore had even been quite keen to meet the man that so many held in high regard for his feats of magic. Meeting him however, had initially been a disappointment. He didn't like the man by any means, not after what he had done to Harry, Sirius and the Potters, but he certainly respected his abilities. What he had just witnessed was nothing short of incredible.
The olden headmaster fell to his knees, his breathing laboured and skin soaked with sheen that glinted in the moonlight. With much effort and help from his colleagues, he managed to stand after a moment, though he was shaking and held up a trembling hand to show he would be okay.
"He needs to go to the medical wing, he's exhausted," Flitwick piped up.
"No," Dumbledore refused. "I must see to the students. I must be here when the champions return."
Not willing to argue with the man, his staff helped him on his way, each taking in the aftermath of what had happened around them.
"Severus, you must send word to St Mungo's. Minerva, locate Cornelius and inform Madame Bones. Filius…"
"What on earth is going on over there?" McGonagall interrupted. "That's James Potter and Argus?"
Leo turned to see two wizards duelling furiously in the distance.
"It appears Auror Potter has located who is responsible for this," Dumbledore mused aloud as he drew his wand and began heading in that direction.
"Don't be a fool Albus, allow the aurors to handle it," McGonagall insisted. "You are in no fit state."
Watching the two men duel filled Leo with rage. If the man Potter was duelling was responsible for this, he was not going to risk him getting away. He didn't trust James Potter, not with something like this. If it was all a ploy to do something with Harry, he wanted to know about it.
He broke into a sprint, knocking aside the rest of the revellers heading in that direction and came upon the two men quickly. Both were throwing some rather unpleasant curses at the other, though Potter was much more reticent, clearly attempting to apprehend the man.
"WHERE IS MY SON?" James screamed.
The other man laughed almost giddily.
"By now, your son is dead. Both of them," he returned.
James Potter released an animalistic sound, a mix between a scream and guttural roar as he fired a spell Leo did not recognise at the man who sobered quickly as he erected a golden dome around himself. When it dropped, the man looked around and offered a lop-sided grin.
"Looks like we have company. Maybe we can continue this another time," he chuckled before propelling himself in the air and over the flames, an errant spell from James barely missing him.
"We must not let him escape. Only he knows what this was in aide of," Dumbledore called.
"Come on, Potter," Leo commanded a he began waving his wand in the direction of the flames, parting them. He pulled the man through with him before the gap closed.
"Where did he go?" James asked desperately.
Leo scanned the area and saw a lone figure in the distance heading for forest.
"Over there," he answered as he pointed to the man.
"We have to catch him before he gets to the ward line," James answered, held back from pursuing the man by the teen.
Leo put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, holding the robes of the other man tightly to prevent him from giving chase. The man fleeing them paused and turned briefly before entering the copse of trees.
"What the fuck are you doing?" James questioned, continuing the fight to free himself.
"Going in after him would be stupid. He could ambush us too easily."
"I don't care," James growled. "He did something to my boys; he took them somewhere."
"I know," Leo comforted. "Wherever they are, just remember that Harry is there. He will keep Charlie safe. And as for him," he continued, nodding towards the forest. "He will be back with us very shortly. Trust me."
James shook his head, no less frantic than he was before. He didn't understand how the boy could be so calm. Well, it wasn't his children that were at risk.
"Typical, Potter, can't get the job done when needed," the potions master sneered as a large group of professors approached along with the Blacks, the Bells and various other people from the crowd.
Before he could respond, his wife was in his arms sobbing uncontrollably.
"What happened?" she demanded to know.
"Filch, Charlie. I don't know," James wept.
Leo felt his heart sink for the pair. He wouldn't wish what they were experiencing on any, especially for the sake of the boy. He'd grown closer to Charlie, cared for him just as much as Harry did and was praying his friend would not let him down in retrieving their only lead.
Only a short time later his heart soared as he heard a scream of terror coming from within the forest. Another one followed only a moment later, this one agonising.
"I told you he'd be back," Leo said as he placed a hand on James's shoulder.
Many drew their wands as a large disturbance could be seen in the trees coming steadily closer. Even more gasped as an enormous bear breached the tree line, a struggling man held in its' maw.
The size of the bear would have scared many, it must have stood well over nine feet tall when upright. But it was the visage that took them aback. One eye was missing but had been replaced with a glowing read prosthetic, a large scar running above and below the eerie insertion. Its' fur was as dark as the night, only the muzzle, a sandy yellow was caked with blood.
"Easy boy," Leo urged. "Lower your wands, he doesn't like them. He won't hurt you unless he feels threatened."
Reluctantly, those in the group lowered them and most took several steps back.
"There'll be a big reward for you later, my friend, but I need you to drop him."
After seemingly contemplating the offer for a minute or two, the bear complied and dropped the man to the ground. He roared loudly at the prone figure before turning away and bounding back into the forest.
With a wave of his wand, the man that no longer took the appearance of the caretaker was bound and whimpering from terror, the wounds inflicted by the bear oozing blood.
"Is that Barty Crouch?" Snape questioned disbelievingly.
"If it is, then Bart Sr has some explaining to do," Arcturus growled. "Cassie."
The still pale woman nodded at the prompt and stepped forward to see what she could find out from the man.
"If anyone is going to interrogate him, it will be me," Snape insisted.
"Piss off, Death Eater," Arcturus spat. "You'll do nothing. My heir's life could be at risk so it will be handled by us."
"Dumbledore would disagree," someone piped up.
"That wrinkled old git can kiss my arse. He's already proven he doesn't have Harry's best interests at heart. Now, if anyone would care to argue, then be my guest," he offered, wand in hand.
None seemed keen on crossing the path of the Lord Black and Cassie set to work, closely watched by Leo, Arcturus and Sirius.
"Was that Rasputin?" Katie whispered to the boy.
Leo nodded darkly.
"We should be grateful he just didn't maul him."
"How did you get a bear as a friend?"
Leo smirked.
"I rescued him from a circus. I couldn't leave him there. He can be quite sweet when you get to know him."
"I'll believe that when I see it," Katie mumbled.
Leo shook his head and continued his vigil over Cassie who was being eagerly watched by the Potters also. It took several more minutes before she sighed in relief, her eyes widening with worry.
"Someone needs to get Crouch Sr, he's under the Imperius," she explained. "All of this was done to get Voldemort a body back. I don't know how but he needs either Harry or Charlie to do it."
Arcturus growled as he turned to Sirius.
"Find Crouch and do whatever it takes to apprehend him. You Snape, go with him and explain to Dumbledore what is happening. So help me, if you do anything to fuck this up, I will personally bury you."
He turned his attention to his sister.
"Stay with him. If he attempts to escape, then kill him. Leo, you're with me."
"Where are we going?"
"We are going to get Harry."
"Shouldn't we wait for more people?"
Arcturus shook his head.
"We don't have time and I don't trust anyone else with this. It's you and me."
Leo nodded.
"I'll be back," he promised Katie before kissing her on the cheek.
Tears spilled from her eyes as she choked, clearly unhappy with the plan but understanding, nonetheless.
"You'd better."
Giving her hand a final squeeze, he followed the older man towards the exit.