She had been having them for a while now...the nightmares.
Lyla knew there was something different about these nightmares. Not only did they happen frequently, they felt so…real.
They plagued her every night, earning her puffy bags underneath her eyes and for her to be more droopy and upset during the day. The usual from lack of sleep. They weren't always the same, but there was one constant throughout the ordeal…
Harry.
He was in every one of them. Whether he was being chased, tortured, looking years older or being held against his will… he was always there. She wondered what it meant, Harry being there, but she didn't understand where the nightmares were coming from.
There was someone else...Who appeared almost as regular as Harry...
Voldemort.
Those red slits for eyes….they tortured her, because she knew Harry was seeing it...too...
But is it really real?
The Triwizard Tournament...
Lyla had to admit that it had been exciting... Even if a certain someone was involved... Harry probably could never stay out of trouble, no matter how he tried...
typical...
The first had been her favorite so far. With the huge scaly dragons, their eyes burning with fury. She was so scared...she loved it. She had actually seen them come, with their large crates, dumped on the forest floor. Wizards and witches firing spells trying to control them. She was really amazed.
The second task wasn't so good... Having it underwater made it so...boring.
You couldn't see anything the Champions were up to, you just had to wait for an hour for all of them to come back (Lyla had ended up throwing rocks at a tree). She was of course worried about Harry, but there wasn't really anything she could do if something did happen, and anyway Dumbledore was there and he was reliable.
Now she was watching (safely concealed in branches) the Champions finding out about the third task. Which was where the Quidditch pitch was.
Huge hedges stretched for miles, carving there own way through
"Hello there," called a cheery voice, standing in front of the hedges, with Fleur and Krum. Marking the arrival of the last two Champions Harry and Cedric.
"Well, what d'you think?" Ludo Bagman said happily. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty foot high. Don't worry," He added catching Harry's and Cedric's unhappy faces. "you'll have your Quidditch pitch back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"
No one spoke for a moment. Then -
"Maze," grunted Krum.
"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."
"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur.
"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures...then there will be spells which must be broken...all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. "Then Mr Krum will enter...Miss Delacour. But you'll all be with a fighting chance, depending on how well you get pass the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"
They all nodded polity, probably not actually agreeing with Ludo's last statement.
"Very well...if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly..."
Wuss, Lyla thought.
They started to head back to the castle. Lyla sneakily went back into the forest, without anyone noticing.
She had only just got there, when she noticed someone lurking in the depths.
She climbed up into the branches of a nearby tree, watching him.
He was in a hell of a state, hair mangled, robes torn and muddy from walking in the forest. Blood seeped through various wounds on his legs and arms. It was, she realized, Mr Crouch. Even though she knew he was alone, he sounded if he was...he wasn't.
"Now, Weatherby, make sure you got all that paperwork done...Yes, it is important, with Triwizard Tournament and all..." Mr Crouch mumbled to a tree.
Who was Weatherby? Lyla wondered.
She watched as Mr Crouch, started moving, getting closer to the edge of the forest. She followed him, until she noticed two people standing near the edge. Krum and Harry.
They were talking about something, when Mr Crouch's foot snapped on twigs. Harry quickly moved Krum out of the way, staring intently at the forest.
"Vot is it?" Krum asked.
Then Mr Crouch stumbled into their view. It suddenly occurred to Lyla that she had seen all this before...
Both of the boys faces displayed unique surprise, their eyes taking in ever detail of Mr Crouches appearance.
"Vosn't he a judge?" Krum asked. "Isn't he vith your Ministry?"
Harry nodded then took a step closer to Mr Crouch, his mutterings just the same.
"...and when you've done that, Weatherby, send a owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the Tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve..."
"Mr Crouch?" Harry said cautiously.
"...and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen...do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will..." Mr Crouch's eyes went wide and then he buckled down onto his knees, in front of a lone tree.
"Mr Crouch?" Harry said. "Are you all right?"
Mr Crouch wasn't listening, his eyes rolling back into his head, a dazed, madding expression on his face. Krum came beside Harry looking down on Crouch.
"Vot's vrong vith him?" Krum asked.
"No idea" Harry said. "Listen you better go and get someone - "
"Dumbledore!" Mr Crouch sprang into life, grabbing Harry's ropes and yet looking over the top of his head. "I need...see...Dumbledore."
"Okay," Harry said, "if you get up, Mr Crouch, we can go up to the - "
"I've...done...stupid.. thing..." Mr Crouch breathed, each word he said seeming to take all his effort. "Must...tell...Dumbledore..."
"Get up, Mr Crouch," said Harry loudly and clearly. "Get up, I'll take you to Dumbledore!"
Mr Crouch's eyes fixated on Harry.
"Who...you?" he whispered.
"I'm a student at the school," Harry said. He looked back to Krum for help, but Krum stood back looking extremely nervous.
"You're not...his?" whispered Crouch.
"No," said Harry. Lyla didn't think he knew what he was talking about...neither did Lyla.
"Dumbledore's?"
"That's right," Harry said.
Crouch pulled Harry closer. Harry trying to loosen his grip, but Crouch was too strong.
"Warn...Dumbledore."
"I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me," said Harry. "Just let go, Mr Crouch, and I'll get him..."
"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly, we are attending a concert tonight with Mr and Mrs Fudge."
Crouch was now talking fluently to a tree again, and seemed unaware that anybody was there. Lyla was just as surprised as Harry was, at the sudden change.
"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O. most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister for Magic, i think I will have time to draft a response..."
"You stay here with him!" Harry said to Krum. "I'll get Dumbledore, I'll be quicker, I know where his office is - "
"He is mad," Krum said doubtfully, staring down at Crouch who was still gabbling to the tree.
"Just stay with him," said Harry, starting to get up, but his movement brought Crouch back to reality.
"Don't...leave...me!" he whispered, gripping onto Harry's robes. "I...escaped...must warn...must tell...see Dumbledore...my fault...all my fault...Bertha...dead...all my fault...my son...my fault...tell Dumbledore...Harry Potter...the Dark Lord...stronger...Harry Potter..."
Harry looked furiously at Krum, "Help me, will you?"
Looking extremely apprehensive, Krum moved forward and squatted down next to Crouch.
"Juts keep him here," Harry said, pulling himself free from Mr Crouch's grasp. "I'll be back with Dumbledore."
"Hurry, von't you?" Krum called after Harry. Harry himself disappearing up to the castle.
Lyla just hid and stared. She had worked out, why this was so familiar...she and seen it in a dream...
And she knew what was going to happen next.
Krum gaze looked behind him, searching for Harry coming back.
The spell hit him squarely in the back and he flopped down onto the ground, knocked out.
The mad Mr Crouch, looked at the unconscious Krum and then carried on talking to the tree.
A man stepped out behind the tree, limping.
Madeye Moody...
But Lyla knew there was something wrong with him. She didn't know what...
Lyla curled up in the branches of the tree, shielding her eyes, for what was to come next...
"Avada Kadavra!" Moody shouted.
A flash of green light, filled the night air. Mr Crouch's mutterings...no more...
Lyla, felt frozen in the tree... still. The nightmare of this, replaying in her mind...over...and...over...
She heard the scraping, and another spell performed, then heavy footsteps fading away.
Her body took over from her mind, making her jump down from the tree and sprint away from the scene.
She had only one thought playing through her mind as she ran deep into the forest...
How many other nightmares are real?
And the plot thickens...
Looks like it wasn't going to be as long as I thought.
Which is good for you guys since I can update quicker! :)
Then next chapter is going to be a little darker...
You have been warned!