A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. Hello, all! I know this is pretty late, but I promise you it will be well worth the wait. I hope you enjoy. Happy reading! XO

Chapter 39

"If I don't pass that History of Magic exam, I swear I'll eat my Firebolt," Annie said confidently as she, Ron and Hermione walked into the Great Hall for lunch.

Ron laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. He looked up the Gryffindor table to find Harry and received a shock. Four people were sitting down next to him already engaged in conversation. Harry looked around and waved his friends over to sit with his parents, Remus and Sirius.

"What are you all doing here?" Annie said taking the seat next to Lily who wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

"The families of the Champions are invited to see the last task," she explained as she watched her niece pile food onto her plate.

"Well, this is certainly a nice surprise," Hermione said.

"Yes, a very nice surprise," Annie said trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "It's so nice that you'll be sitting with us in the stands and watching the task with us and stuff."

"Aw, did our presence ruin some of your plans, kiddo?" Sirius asked winking at his daughter.

"Why on earth would you think that?" Annie asked trying to feign her innocence. She was in fact planning on sitting with Fred, George and Lee during the task. She guessed they could still sit together, just not as they would like in the stands.

"Because I know you," he answered watching George, Fred and Lee stroll into the Great Hall, pause at the sight of the adults with their mouths hanging open in shock, and walk over to them. Annie followed his gaze and greeted the boys with a huge grin.

"Hey guys! Look who's here!" she said through her teeth with mock happiness. "It's my dad and James and Remus and Lily. Isn't that so nice?" Annie stabbed a piece of roast beef with her fork and popped it in her mouth.

"Did you know they were coming?" George asked also talking through his teeth as he smiled and started to cut his meat with vigor.

"No, it was a surprise," she said smiling around at everyone and then scowling at her plate. It's the day of the last task. How did we not see this coming? she thought. I hope Fred is smart enough to hide the flask this time.

"Again, did we ruin any of your plans, Annie?" Sirius asked watching the four kids all look away guiltily in different directions.

"Oh, wow, look at the time," Annie said looking at her watch-less wrist and standing up. "We should get going now. I forgot my, erm, my you know, my book. See you at the task."

"Hold it right there," Lily said sternly grabbing Annie's hand and pulling her back into her seat. "You are coming down to the task with us."

"Well, didn't hear our names in that. See you later, Annie," Fred said as he, Lee and George stood up. George paused to kiss Annie on the cheek and then followed his brother and friend out of the Great Hall.

"You guys suck!" Annie yelled after their retreating backs. She ran a hand through her hair and picked up her fork to finish her lunch.

Sirius laughed and shook his head before continuing their previous conversation. "So, Harry, how are you feeling about this task?"

"Alright, I guess," he answered shrugging his shoulders. "We were up late last night working on some spells and stuff."

"You'll do great," James said ruffling Harry's hair and winking at Lily. "And you'll win no doubt about it."

"Thanks, dad."

When everybody had finished their lunch, Dumbledore stood up from the head table and announced that it was finally time for the Third Task. Annie stood up and linked arms with Hermione and followed her dad and Remus out of the Great Hall and down to the Quidditch Pitch. Annie stopped dead in her tracks at the entrance causing Hermione to jerk forward.

"I think I'm going to hurl," she said staring at the vast overgrowth that had taken over the Quidditch pitch.

"Oh, please," Hermione said tugging at her friend's arm "it'll be gone by next year. Now let's go."

"I can't," Annie answered digging her feet into the ground. "I don't support this."

"I got her, Hermione," said George coming up behind them and scooping her into his arms.

Hermione smirked and followed along behind the couple with Fred and Lee. George led them over to where Ron, Sirius and Remus had already taken seats in the stands set Annie down next to her dad and took the seat next to her. Annie put her head in her hands and bent over her knees.

"You okay over there, pup?" Remus asked leaning around Sirius.

"No."

"Get over it, kiddo," Sirius said ruffling her hair.

Annie sighed and sat up, running a hand through her hair before reaching over and taking George's. As their fingers intertwined, he picked up her hand and kissed it and set it back down on his knee. She turned her attention onto the pitch and watched Harry nervously tap his wand against his hand as he talked to his parents. She looked around at Cedric Diggory laughing at an unknown joke his father had just told him, Fleur Delacour hugging her sister around the neck and kissing the top of her head, and at Viktor Krum talking quietly to his mother. As the start of the third task drew nearer, the students and faculty chatted excitedly. Annie, however, couldn't really understand their excitement. She thought about how much of a letdown the second task was because they couldn't see anything and honestly couldn't see how this one could be any better than the first. As she stared out at the high shrubs that would no doubt block her vision of any action going on during the task, Dumbledore stood up from the judges table and the crowd fell silent.

"Welcome to the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament!" his voice boomed over the cheering students. "Before we begin I ask that the families of the Champions please take their seats." Lily and James gave Harry a final hug for good luck before joining the rest of their family in the stands sitting down next to Ron and Hermione. "And now the task. The Champions will enter the maze you see here and attempt to be the first reach the center where Professor Moody has placed the Triwizard Cup. If you come into any trouble, you will send red sparks into the air and either Professor McGonagall or one of her colleagues will assist you. The first to enter the maze at the sound of the cannon will be Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter, second will be Mr. Krum followed by Ms. Delacour. Good luck to you all!" The crowd cheered as Dumbledore resumed his seat. Annie watched as Harry looked back one more time at the stands before taking his place. She caught his gaze and gave him the thumbs up. Harry smiled nervously and turned back around. The cannon gave a loud burst from behind them and Harry and Cedric entered the maze to tumultuous applause. Two more times the cannon sounded and Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour entered the maze. Annie stared out at the large bushes and sighed.

"I think I'd rather stare out at the lake," she said. "At least it moved."

Sirius let out his bark-like laugh. "So it's safe to say that you didn't like the Triwizard Tournament at all this year."

"Well, let's see. There was no Quidditch and last task we sat around staring at nothing. What do you think?" Annie said rolling her eyes at her father. Sirius laughed again.

"Did you like any part of it?" James asked turning around from his seat in front of them.

"The first task was pretty cool," she said as Remus snorted with laughter. Annie rolled her eyes again and looked up at George who smiled. "And I liked the Yule Ball." George leaned down and gave her kiss. Sirius looked away and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ugh, gross!" Fred exclaimed from his seat next to his brother. "Get a room!"

Sirius snapped his head back around. "No, please don't!" Annie kissed George's nose as everyone laughed at Sirius' reaction. Lily reached around and patted Sirius on the knee.

"Oh, relax, Padfoot. He was only joking," she said. "I hope."

Annie leaned around George and smacked Lee on the knee. "Don't you two have girlfriends?" she asked.

"Oh yeah!" Lee looked around and spotted Katie sitting with a couple of her friends and ran off to join them. "See you later."

"What about you? Where's Angelina?" George asked Fred who was also looking around the stands.

"Over there," he said nodding in her direction. "Sitting behind Ginny who's sitting by some boy. Excuse me." Fred stood up and leapt over the seats until he was sitting next to Angelina and right behind his sister who immediately turned red.

"Oh, poor Ginny," Hermione said turning back to the group.

"Poor Ginny? What?" Ron said standing up and looking over at his sister.

"Sit down, Ron. Freddie's got it," George said waving his brother down. Ron sat back down and sighed grumpily.

"Will you guys leave her alone?" Hermione said as she tried to concentrate on the task. "She's just growing up."

"What and have some kid mess around with our sister?" George said defensively as Ron nodded vigorously.

Hermione sighed and shook her head. Just then, red sparks flew up into the air and everyone gasped. Professor McGonagall leapt onto a broom and flew over to the sight. Everyone watched with bated breath as she pulled an unconscious Fleur Delacour onto her broom and fly over to Madame Pomfrey and Madame Maxime. Annie craned her neck over the crowd in front of her for a better look.

"That does not look good," Sirius said to Remus who nodded at his side.

"I wonder how that happened," Hermione said with a slight frown as she watched Madame Pomfrey take the girl into a separate tent.

"Maybe she broke a nail and passed out," Annie suggested resting her elbow on her knee and chin in her hand. Sirius and Remus laughed as James reached around to give his niece a high-five. Lily shook her head and smacked her playfully on the leg.

After the elimination of Fleur, Annie fell back into her disinterest of the task and instead took to her feet, pulling George up with her. As she led the way out of the stands, Sirius called after her.

"Where are you two going?"

"Jeez, dad," she said turning back to him and rolling her eyes, "can't we just go for a short walk and not have our motives questioned?" She laughed and walked out of the stadium with George laughing and following along behind her.

Outside the stadium George pulled Annie into his chest and smiled as he looked down into her eyes. Annie smiled back up at him and wound her arms around his neck as he lifted her off her feet and held her up against the stadium wall. She kissed him deeply as she held on tightly. She let her feet fall back gently to the ground as George playfully spun one of her curls around his finger. Suddenly, red sparks shone bright in the darkening sky. Annie and George broke apart and looked up. They grabbed each other's hands and walked back into the stadium just in time to see Madame Pomfrey ushering an unconscious Viktor Krum on a stretcher into the first-aid tent.

"Whoa, what happened to him?" Annie asked as she and George sat back down in the stands.

"He looks like he's been stunned. It seems that either Cedric or Harry sent up the sparks," Sirius explained, his eyes roving over Annie's slightly tousled hair.

"Head out of the gutter, dad," Annie retorted to his look and turning her attention back onto the task. "What the hell is going on in there?"

As the minutes ticked on, everyone in the stands became increasingly worried about the school champions. Nobody knew what was happening inside the maze or how far they had gotten. Annie looked over at Professor Dumbledore who was sitting at the judges' table watching over the maze with his hands clasped in front of him. His face held no sign of whether or not he knew what was going on. Suddenly, a great flash appeared out of nowhere. Harry lay sprawled out on the ground clutching Cedric Diggory and the Triwizard Cup. The crowd in the stadium let out tumultuous cheers. James and Lily rushed down to congratulate their son but were stopped by Professor McGonagall before they could get there. Dumbledore rushed forward to where Harry was still laying and crouched down and the crowd went silent.

"He's dead. Cedric," Harry wept to Dumbledore. "He's back. Lord Voldemort is back."