Chapter 14
By the time the third task got there Brianna was starting to feel nervous like she knew something was going to happen. She made her way down to the maze alone this time telling Draco that she wasn't sure if she was staying long. Everyone was already in there seats. She could see Moody coming out of the maze obviously having just turned the trophy into a port key. She decided to stand beside the bleachers and leaned up against it in the entranceway.
"Ladies and Gentleman it is now time for the third and final task. Let me remind you of the points. Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory are tied for first place. In Second we have Mr. Krum and third Miss. Delacour." everyone cheered and yelled.
"On my whistle Harry and Cedric will go first followed by the others." Bagman continued then blew his whistle and off they went. Brianna could see from where she was standing Moody pointing to the right showing Potter which way to go but no one else saw.
About an hour later red sparks went up and someone went in and brought back out Fleur and Krum both looking dazed and confused. Now all that was left was Potter and Diggory and as the minutes ticked on Brianna got more and more nervous. Snape had saw her standing off to the side and made his way over. The sun had set so they stood in the dark shadows.
"Are you alright." he ask coming up behind her.
"Yeah just anxious is all. What about you." she said.
"The same I suppose. When the mark burns I wont be able to apperate at first like normal I will have to play my part with Dumbledore pretending to wait for his command." he sneered.
"Just so you know I'll be following you around if something goes down here I don't want to miss a thing." she told him and he nodded.
They stood in silence for a while longer while everyone talked and waited. Nothing happened until Snape hissed yanking up his sleeve and Brianna dropped to the ground in pain clutching her head. She felt like she was being pulled from her brain and off somewhere else. She vaguely felt Snape pull her somewhere more private casting silencing spells around them just before Brianna screamed in pain as she was pulled into someone else's mind. She became aware it was her fathers mind.
Snape stared at Brianna holding her still as she thrashed in pain before she finally stilled. He looked into her eyes and noticed they had a blank expression and were red. Snape knew she must be in the dark lords mind since they share so much. He just held her and made sure no one saw her until she was returned.
She looked around through his eyes to see Potter tied to a head stone.
"Ah my daughter so nice of you to join me." she heard the voice of her father.
"Father how did I get here." she ask him.
"You share many of my talents child. You must have been pulled to me on my return but don't worry your thoughts are locked tight. Can you tell me where my spy is." he ask her.
"Which one." she ask and he laughed.
"Both." he said.
"Crouch I think is still here dressed as Moody. And Snape was with me when I blacked out. He said that he must keep up his act pretending to be loyal to Dumbledore and a wait Dumbledore's command before appreating to you that way he can continue to spy at Hogwarts." she explained.
"Excellent he has done well than. Tell him to come to me as soon as it is safe for him to do so. I have a mission for you though." he told her.
"I'm listening." she said.
"I have a feeling they will find out soon that Barty is my spy. I want you to do whatever you can to try and make sure he makes it out alive but don't get caught and stay safe. Remember the necklace you always wear has no limits when used as a port key." he told her.
"Alright I can do that." she said.
"Good. Now enjoy the show for my death eaters are arriving now." he said and she saw though his eyes several figures in black swirling appreating land in a circle around him.
They mumbled "Master." and bowed.
"Welcome death eaters. Thirteen years…Thirteen years since we last met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday…We are still united under the dark mark then! Or are we?" Voldemort hissed.
"I smell guilt. I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact such prompt appearances. And I ask myself. Why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, whom they swore eternal loyalty?" Voldemort ask but no one spoke as he moved around the circle.
"And I answer myself, they must have believed me broken, they thought me gone. Maybe they thought Albus Dumbledore to be greater than I, even though they knew the steps I took to insure immortality." he said. At the mention of Dumbledore they started to shake there heads.
"I confess myself disappointed." Voldemort said. One man through himself forward trembling from head to foot at the dark lords feet.
"Master. Forgive me. Forgive us all." he shrieked and Brianna chuckled in his head.
"Crucio!" Voldemort said watching as he screamed in pain and the others shivered.
"Get up, Avery. Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. Thirteen years is a long time I want that many years of repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already." he said going to stand in front of a man that looks like a rat.
"Ew." Brianna said in his mind and he chuckled again at her.
"You returned to me, not out of loyalty but out of fear of your old friends. Your deserve this paid you know that don't you." Voldemort motioned to his missing hand.
"Yes. Yes master..please." Wormtail begged.
"Yet you helped return me to my body. Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me and lord Voldemort rewards his helpers." Voldemort said raising his wand and giving Wormtail and silver hand.
"Thank you master. It's beautiful." Wormtail cried kissing the hem of Voldemorts robes and standing back in the circle.
Voldemort walked around the circle stopping in front of a man that Brianna could tell by his eyes was her Uncle Lucius.
"He is loyal father even if he didn't find you." she told him.
"I know." he replied to her.
"Lucius, my slippery friend. I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead spot of muggle-torture, I believe. Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius." Voldemort ask.
"My lord, I was constantly on the alert. Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately." Lucius said from behind his mask.
"He's telling the truth." Brianna said.
"I expect you to prove that loyalty in the future." Voldemort said.
"Of course My lord thank you." Lucius bowed.
"The LeStrange's should stand here. But they are entombed in Azkaban. When Azkaban is broken open they will be honored beyond there dreams for continued loyalty. The dementors will join us. They are our natural allies. We will recall the giants. I shall have all my devoted servants returned to me again." he said walking around the circle again.
"McNair, destroying dangerous beasts for the ministry Wormtail tells me? You shall have better victims than that soon." he told him.
"Thank you master." McNair said.
"And here we have Crabbe and Goyle you will be better this time, will you not." he ask two men.
"Yes master." they both said.
"We have 6 missing. Three are dead. One has turned his back and will be killed soon. And two are my faithful spy's not able to make it just yet who are at Hogwarts." he said and the death eaters stirred.
"Yes with there help is how our young friend here came to join us tonight." Voldemort said pointing to Potter. He pointed his wand at Potter and yelled. "Crucio." Brianna watched with fascination as Potter screamed in pain. Brianna saw a large snake slither around Potter hissing. Then the screaming stopped.
"Wormtail untie him and give him is wand." Voldemort said and Wormtail scrambled to do as he was told. When Harry was standing Voldemort continued.
"You have been taught how to duel Harry Potter?" Voldemort ask.
"We bow to each other Harry. Bow to your death." Voldemort said but Potter refused.
"I said Bow." Voldemort spat making him bow.
"Very good. And now you face me like a man. And now we duel." Voldemort said hitting him with another Crucio. Harry hit the ground screaming in pain again as the death eaters laughed. When Voldemort stopped Potter scrambled to his feet and hit behind the tomb.
"We are not playing hide and seek Harry. You can not hide from me. Stand up and face me like a man. I want to see the light leave your eyes." Voldemort screamed. There was a moment of silence before Potter emerged.
"Have it your way than." Potter said raising his wand.
"Expelliarmus." Potter screamed.
"Avada Kedavra." Voldemort screamed at the same time and the spells connected in midair. They both struggled to hold there spells.
"Do nothing. Do nothing unless I command you." Voldemort said to his death eaters when they started to move in to help.
Burst of white light in the form of ghost started popping out of Voldemorts wand. After a few more minutes Potter broke the connection and made a dash for the cup while the ghost mist blocked out Voldemorts vision.
"Stun him." Voldemort yelled but it was to late Potter got to the cup and disappeared with Cedric's body. Voldemort screamed in rage and Brianna was accidentally thrown out of his mind and slammed back into hers painfully.
"Brianna can you hear me." she heard Snape ask. She blink a few times and looked at his concerned face.
"Yeah I can hear you." she croaked out.
"Thank god. What happened your eyes turned red and you were gone." he said helping her stand.
"I was pulled into fathers mind and watched as he talked to death eaters and tired to kill Potter but Potter got away he should be coming back now." Brianna said shaking her head from the massive headache she now had.
"Can you walk." he ask and she nodded.
"Make your self invisible." he told her and she did. There was a loud commotion and screaming and Snape and Brianna ran to see Potter laying in the middle of the field beat up clutching Cedric's body.
Dumbledore pulled Harry away and told him to stay but Moody came right up and lead Potter out of there. A few minutes later Dumbledore was looking for Potter.
"Where's Harry." he ask.
"Moody took him." McGonagall said and Dumbledore took off with Snape and McGonagall fast on his heels. Brianna followed as well.
"Alastor Moody would never take him if I said for him to stay." Dumbledore said as they approached Moody's door. Dumbledore blasted the door open. They saw Moody wand pointed at Potter. Moody was thrown back with the force of the basting spell and knocked out.
"How could it have been Moody." Potter said.
"This is not Alastor Moody. You have never known the real Moody. The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight tonight." Dumbledore explained.
"Severus, please fetch me the strongest truth potion you have. Minerva go to Hagrid's and bring up the large black dog and put him in my office." Dumbledore told them and they all left. Brianna followed Snape.
"Severus." Brianna whispered once they got to the Potions lab.
"What." he ask.
"My father wants me to get Barty out of here alive." she told him.
"How are you going to do that." he ask as they made there way back.
"I have a plan." was all she said before they came back into the room with McGonagall right behind them. In the room was a newly changed Barty bound to a chair.
"Crouch. Barty Crouch." Snape said pretending to be stunned.
"Good heavens." McGonagall yelled.
"Severus if you'd please." Dumbledore ask and Snape moved forward to pour the potion in his mouth.
"Can you hear me." Dumbledore ask him.
"Yes." Barty said.
"How did you escape Azkaban." Dumbledore ask.
"My mother saved me. She was dying and convinced father to switch us. He poly juiced us both and left my mother there as me. And took me home where my father kept me under Imperius curse until I learned to resist it." Barty said.
"Do you know anything about the world cup." ask Dumbledore.
"Yes I sat the dark mark after the death eater attack. As a sign that my master was returning." Barty said.
"Why are you at Hogwarts." Dumbledore ask.
"My master came to me with a plan on how to get his body back. He needed Potter and needed me to help him do it. I was glad to help my master. I impersonated Moody, gained Potters trust, got him in the tournament so he would be sent to the grave yard to my master tonight. Where Wormtail would perform the ritual." Barty rambled on.
"What happened to your father." Dumbledore ask.
"I killed him before he could talk and buried him in the forest." Barty said. The potion wore off after that.
"Minerva, Severus please go and get the Minister. I'm sure he will want to ask him some questions. Harry follow me." Dumbledore said and he and Harry left along with Snape and McGonagall. Brianna knew this was her chance. She was still invisible when she walked up to Barty.
"Barty." she said and he jumped. She took the charm off so he could see her.
"What are you doing your going to get caught. My Lady you need to leave." he told her.
"No I wont and I am doing my fathers bidding." she said taking off her necklace and picking up his wand.
"Here's your wand. Now as soon as they come back active this port key and it will take you to my father. This necklace my father gave me and it has no limits when used as a port key. But don't lose it. Give it to my father as soon as you get there so I can get it back. Got it." she told him putting it in his hand.
"Yes. I promise thank you." he said smiling. She heard voices outside and disillusioned herself again.
"Remember activate it as soon as they come in so they see you." she whispered and he nodded. She moved back to stand beside the door and watched as Snape, McGonagall, Fudge and a dementor came in. Brianna shivered from the cold but didn't let it effect her.
She watched as Fudge ordered the dementor to kiss Barty but he activated the port key just in time and with a "pop" he was gone.
"How. How did he do that." Fudge ask. Snape and McGonagall looked just as stunned as he was. But Snape knew it was Brianna's doing.
"It's impossible I have no idea how he.." McGonagall said not able to make since out of it.
"Come I want a word with Dumbledore." Fudge said marching out. Everyone else followed him to the hospital wing where he burst in.
"What happened." Dumbledore ask when he saw there shocked faces.
"Disappeared is what happened Dumbledore. I came in with the Dementor to give the kiss and Mr. Crouch vanished." Fudge wailed and everyone in the room gasp. Molly and Bill Weasley was there with Ron, Hermione, Harry and a big black dog.
"How." Dumbledore ask Snape and McGonagall and they both shock there heads that they didn't know.
"Perhaps he had a trick up his sleeve that we don't know about." Dumbledore said then preceded to tell Fudge everything Barty said and about Voldemort being back.
"You know who returned? Preposterous. Come now Dumbledore." Fudge said.
"It is true. He is back. Harry just managed to escape with his life." Dumbledore said.
"And your going to take his word on this are you Dumbledore." Fudge replied and the black dog growled.
"Certainly I believe him. Plus I heard what Crouch said under truth serum." Dumbledore said.
"You believe a murder and a Parseltongue who has hallucinations due to his scar." Fudge said.
"Been reading Rita Skeeter Minister?" Harry ask.
"And if I have." Fudge said.
"Listen to me Cornelius. Harry is as sane as you or I. The scar hurts when Voldemort is close by or angry." Dumbledore said stepping towards Fudge.
"You'll forgive me, Albus, but I never heard of a scar acting like an alarm." Fudge said.
"Look I saw Voldemort come back. I saw the death eaters! I can give you there names!" Potter shouted and everyone was silent. Brianna moved to stand next to Snape arms touching.
"Lucius Malfoy." Harry said and Brianna tensed but Snape laid a hand on her back quickly to stop her from moving.
"Malfoy was cleared. A very old family-donations to excellent causes." Fudge said proudly.
"McNair." Potter yelled.
"Also cleared works for the ministry." Fudge said.
"Avery-Nott-Crabbe-Goyle." Potter listed off.
"You are repeating names of those cleared years ago. You could have read that in a book. For heaven's sake Dumbledore he is not trustworthy." Fudge said.
"Voldemort has returned. If you accept that fact now we may still be able to save the situation. First we need to remove the dementors from Azkaban." Dumbledore said.
"What. Remove the dementors. I'd be kicked out of office. Half of us only feel safe at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban." Shouted Fudge.
"The rest of us sleep less soundly knowing that you have put Voldemorts most dangerous supports in the care of creatures who will join him as soon as he ask." Dumbledore retorted.
"He just cant be back Dumbledore he just cant be." Fudge said pleading. Dumbledore looked at Snape for help. Snape strode forwards rolling up his sleeve showing the dark mark. Harry and everyone stared at him.
"There. There the dark mark. It is not as clear now as it was an hour ago but it burned black. Every death eater has one so he can summon us. When it burns we are to apperate to his side. Karkaroff's burned too that's why he fled tonight he is scared to be killed for betrayal." Snape said and Fudge too a step back shacking his head. Snape jerked his sleeve back down and went back to where Brianna was standing.
"I don't know what your playing at Dumbledore but I have heard enough. I will be in touch later I have a murder on the loose to find." Fudge said throwing Potter a bag of gold and stomping out.
Dumbledore sighed then turned back to the others.
"There is work to be done. Molly am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?" he ask the red headed women.
"Of course you can." she said.
"I'll go to dad now." Bill Weasley said standing and leaving the room.
"Minerva I want to see Hagrid and Madam Maxine in my office please go get them. Poppy go to Moody office and retrieve the real Moody from the trunk and check on him." he ordered and the two women left.
Once they were gone Dumbledore started again.
"And now it is time for two of our numbers to recognize each other for what they are. Sirius if you could resume your usual form." he said and the black dog changed into a man. Molly screamed.
"Sirius Black" she yelled pointing.
"Mum, shut up its okay." Ron told her.
Snape tensed and Brianna could feel his anger as he looked at his once childhood enemy. Sirius looked the same.
"Him. What is he doing here." Snape snarled.
"He is here at my invitation as are you Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other." Dumbledore told them. Snape snorted and Brianna rolled her eyes. That was never going to happen.
"I will settle in the short term for lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and we must stand united if we want to survive." Dumbledore said and Brianna had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing at saying Snape was on there side.
Slowly Snape and Sirius walked towards each other and shook hands very quickly before letting go. Snape discretely wiped his hand on his pants in disgust but Brianna saw him.
"Sirius I need you and Lupin to gather our old friends. Annabelle Figg, Fletcher all the old crowd and lay low at Lupin for a while." Dumbledore said and Sirius nodded.
"Severus you know what I must as you to do. If you are ready, if your prepared." Dumbledore ask.
"I am." Snape replied.
"Then good luck." he told him and Sirius and Snape left out the door the same time Sirius changing back into a dog and running out.
Brianna walked outside with Snape before he stopped and talked to her.
"Brianna you cant go with me yet. It's to dangerous and you could be caught. Your father would not want to risk that, I wont risk it. You need to stay here until he summons you when it is safe." He told her and she made herself visible again.
"Fine." she said angry.
"You may have to wait until Hogwarts is out where you wont be seen leaving." Snape told her and she nodded.
"Be careful and get my necklace back please." she said and he nodded before walking towards the gate and appreating away.
Brianna went back to her dorm and got into bed. Her head was still killing her and she was pissed she couldn't be at her fathers side
