AN/- hey everybody, I just wanted to thank whoever reviewed back there and I hope everyone and more of you will give me some more feedback-as you can see the Goblet of Fire is almost coming to an end and the next book will be started soon-so stay tuned and keep reviewing for quicker updates.

Also I want to warn you that further into the story the rating might just change to an 'M' but I am not very certain if i want to do that yet, so don't worry I'll warn you before hand, but there wont be any lemons, at least I think there wont be and the rating might just be for language but i doubt that it will change. Anyways-

Have fun reading

Penny

Chapter 19

It had been a week since the second task and the murder of Bartemius Crouch and the champions had finally figured out that they would be facing an on the spot situation when it came to their third task their classes had begun once again as normal and currently Audrey, Harry, Leon, Ron and Hermione were sitting together for transfiguration, they were transfiguring owls into tea cosies.

Audrey tried turning featherless Henry into a tea cosy and her tea cosy looked like it had been battered and over used although Harry's looked quite warm and lovely but that was possibly because Hedwig still had all her feathers on.

Audrey worried about featherless, she didn't know what she'd do if he died, but she quickly removed that thought out of her head as she transfigured him back to his normal form hoping to give him some feathers but he fluttered his wings and shook around losing some more of his feather as Audrey sighed but smiled at her bird, she set him free after class as he flew away towards the owlery.

Next class was potions, the class she had been dreading to attend after she had seen the memory, she had been to potions before but she had managed to shut up and work quietly, her work not pleasing her because her skills seemed to have dropped to a mediocre level, she was no longer comfortable with him around.

Audrey had heard terrible stories about death eaters, she had learnt about them in history, heard her older school mates talk about stories of deaths in their families due to death eater attacks and raids and of course then there was Harry, he had faced Voldemort when he was only a year old and his parents had been brutally killed by him. Unlike several others Audrey wasn't afraid of using his name, her great uncle had brainwashed her into being bold, she was grateful for that, because it had never been easy to grow up when you had people bullying you left, right and centre.

Audrey shuddered at that thought of her childhood as she entered the cold dungeons where the class had almost settled down, she sat down next to Harry on their work station as he beamed at her, they made potions in groups and with Audrey by his side Harry knew Snape couldn't really snub his potion.

Snape made his way through his office slamming the door behind him; he seemed to be in a pleasant mood so far, nothing too terrible, slamming doors actually meant that he might be in a good mood.

"You will be brewing healing salve today—nothing to difficult—hopefully you dunderheads won't mess it up seeing you have already practiced this in your third year—your ingredients are on your desks—instructions on the board—begin," he said as he sat himself down in his chair and pulled a few parchments to him as he scribbled something into them.

Harry handed Audrey the big and rock hard Slima berries and standard formula as he put on some water to boil in a cauldron, Audrey cut slits into the Slima berries and pulled out the seeds from them as she dunked three of the berries into the now boiling cauldron.

"You were supposed to extract the juice—not throw the whole thing in," hissed Harry in despair, as she looked at him and then at the instructions on the board, she smirked to herself, if they extracted the juice then they would hardly make an effective salve the secret in making a good salve was to throw in the berries and the standard formula into the water, the formula would mix into the water and the berry would soak up the water through the slit, once the cauldron was dry they would have to remove the berries and squeeze the salve out to get a proper thick concoction instead of the watery one that they would get if they just put the juice in.

"Don't worry—I know what I am doing," she said trying to ease him as he gulped, if they screwed up this potion Snape would insult him and her and he didn't want her to be insulted not in front of Malfoy who seemed to be smirking at the table next to him, he had obviously seen Audrey's grave mistake.

"We're doomed," he muttered sitting down on the stool as she smiled at him and shook her head, after stirring the potion clockwise she sat down next to him as they waited together, he wished Audrey would tell him what she was up to, because when he looked around the class he saw that people were bending over their cauldrons and string their potions fanatically.

"Audrey-?" he called silently as Snape got up for his rounds, she looked at him calmly and mouthed a small don't worry, she checked her watch and stood to dunk her head into the cauldron he too got out of his seat, he heard her sniff the vapour in as she closed her eyes. Harry looked at her transfixed as she brought her head up out of the cauldron her eyes still closed; she exhaled slowly as she opened her eyes.

"Try it-," she said as she moved away from the cauldron, he looked at her as if she were mental.

"Try it-," she repeated as he took a step forward and dunked his head into the pot and brought it out like she had.

"Wow!" he said as she smiled and took the three berries out of the pot and he turned off the heat.

She placed the berries on the wooden board over which she had placed a small metal plate, she took her knife and squashed the berries into pulp as they cracked and let out the gooey insides, Harry looked at it, he had seen Healing salve before and what had come out of the berries looked exactly like it should have. He smiled at her a little surprised as she chuckled and placed the salve into a small glass dish and covered it with her the lid.

Snape was almost down to their table when they heard a knock at the door, Snape went to answer it and he brought in Karkaroff motioning him into his office. Karkaroff looked at the students suspiciously and then stepped inside Snape's office.

"Once the bell rings you are to label your salves and place them on my desk and then you will silently leave, understood?" Snape called as a loud 'yes' followed and he walked into his office behind Karkaroff. A few minutes later the students heard the bell and cleared off to place their salves on his desk, Audrey went to put the salve on his table, she was the last one to put their salve on the desk, everyone else had cleared off for lunch only Harry waited for her in the room as he packed his bag.

"I wish I could see the look on Snape's face when he sees my name on that dish," he said smiling at her as theirs was the only dish in between all the vials and test-tubes, she smiled at him as she turned and walked towards the table to gather her bag the door to Snape's office slammed open, Snape was holding it with his outstretched arm as Karkaroff's robe sleeve was rolled up and the mark on his hand was clearly visible to all the occupants of both rooms. Audrey and Harry stared at the mark as Karkaroff snarled,

"You must have noticed Severus! It's become darker—it's a sign," snarled Karkaroff as Snape sneered at him.

"Get out," he mouthed dangerously as Karkaroff rolled down his sleeve in anger and stepped out of the office, he stopped in his path as his eyes landed on Audrey and Harry staring at his hand and then at him in fright. He glared at them like he would torture them if he could, but he dashed out of the doorway. Harry turned to look at Audrey as she quickly picked up her bag and they dashed towards the door, they were not oblivious that they had been spotted by Snape but their minds were only focused on Karkaroff and his mark, what did he mean by 'a sign'?

"Potter—Adams—what is your hurry?" sneered Snape as he walked up to them slowly his shoes made sounds on the dungeon floor as Harry and Audrey stopped and turned around sheepishly, they should have run, they were now standing at the door of the class room.

"What are you still doing here?" he snarled as he wrapped his arms together behind his back making him look even more intimidating.

"My book had fallen below the desk sir—it was hard to retrieve it," lied Harry as Snape glared at him and once again Harry felt like Snape was going through his mind.

"Really Potter?" he asked as Harry gulped and nodded, Snape straightened up and smirked.

"I would like to congratulate you on your brilliant performances in the black lake—Gillyweed, I presume?" asked Snape, they both were aware he already knew the answer but they nodded.

"Gillyweed not a very common herb found in your everyday garden is it?" asked Snape as he went to his desk opened a drawer and came back to the two students with a small blue vial in his hand.

"Nor is this," he said showing them the bottle Audrey recognized the contents immediately as she gulped.

"Do you know what this is Potter?" Snape asked turning to Harry before Audrey he knew she would know what it was, he could tell from her expression.

"Bubble juice sir?" replied Harry funnily, if Snape wasn't so pissed Audrey might have laughed, Snape turned the vial of potion at her and raised his eyebrows.

"Veritaserum," she muttered, Harry looked at her confused, what the bloody hell was Veritaserum?

"Truth serum potter—two drop of this and you-know-who will be spilling his darkest secrets-use of this on students is sadly forbidden—however if you ever steal from my stores again, my hand might just slip into you morning pumpkin juices," snarled Snape as he jerked his hand slowly titling the bottle sideways. Audrey looked at his hand like it was bruised, she knew why he wore black thick robes and long sleeves, it only meant no one would know what was underneath it, no one could tell that he was not just cold but cruel, death eaters were cruel, it was not a stereotype it was fact, death eaters were death eaters, they would always be death eaters, they could not be mended. Snape caught Audrey staring at his hand; he looked at her as she looked away instantly.

"I haven't stolen anything from your stores," said Harry shaking his head angrily at the accusation.

"Don't—lie—to me!" sneered Snape; he looked like he could spit fire.

"Gillyweed may not be from here—but Boomslang skin, Liswing flies—you and your little friends are making polyjuice potion again—and I know for a fact that you are helping them Adams—but you hear me I am going to find out why?" snarled Snape as he looked at them threateningly. Audrey's eyes staring at his arm as if trying to see the proof of Karkaroff's words, it was true—she refused to believe it.

"Come on Audrey," mouthed Harry as she did not move but continued to look at his arm, her head snapped up suddenly as she looked directly into Snape's eye and for the first time she realised, they were exactly like hers, this scared her, it was as if she was staring at her own in the mirror.

Audrey opened her mouth to say something to tell Snape that she wasn't doing anything illegal and nor was she breaking the rules.

"Do you wish to say something Ms. Adams perhaps admit to your crime?" snarled Snape looking at Severus in all seriousness.

"Good day professor, Audrey-,"said Harry trying his best to pull her away but her eyes once again rest on his arm, she opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it, she turned to Harry who was looking at her worriedly, she smiled and then nodded at him as Harry threw final glance at Snape who glared at him like he was been disorderly, but he walked away with Audrey pulling her, her arm still tightly in his grasp till they disappeared far from the dungeons.

Audrey was sitting with her mother in her office trying to master some charm that she kept failing to do, she was pathetic but that didn't mean she was going to quit. She frowned slightly as the quill did not hover in the air for long; she wondered why she was so pathetic in the subject.

"It's a swish and a flick," said Rachel as she stopped her work to look at what her daughter was doing.

"That's what I did—I think it's in my genes," she said disappointedly as her mother smiled and walked up to her, Rachel sat down on the couch next to her daughter and pulled her to her, she softly kissed her head and stroked her lovely black hair.

"Oh sweetheart, mummy worries so much about you," said Rachel softly into her daughter's hair, Audrey smiled and snuggled deeper into her mother's chest as Rachel continued to stroke her hair.

"Don't have to worry about me Mum, I am a tough nut," she said as she breathed in her mother's scent, she loved how lovely she smelt of lavender bath salts and chocolate cookies both smells she connected to her mother.

"Yes—but you're still a nut," chuckled Rachel as Audrey closed her eyes and smiled as Rachel wrapped her arms around her tightly.

"Mum—do you think I'll win?" asked Audrey as Rachel frowned slightly.

"Depends—do you want to?" she asked not letting go as Audrey nodded.

"Well—I think you'll win," smiled Rachel kissing her daughter's head once again.

"Come on, you'll miss curfew," she added as Audrey smiled and got up and walked back to the common room, she had finally gotten her way around the castle thanks to Harry, he was a good friend and she was glad he helped her around.

Audrey stood there waiting as the band played a marching tune while all the champions came into the ground surrounded by stands on one side and a humongous maze on the other. Cedric Diggory was hugged by his father as he walked up to one of the entrances of the maze. She looked at him for a while as he flexed his face muscles as if he was getting ready for an all you can eat buffet. She smiled at him, he had a good jaw line and he was as pale as her, his cheeks had a slight red tinge on them like he was feeling cold, speaking of cold Audrey was glad that she had decided to wear her jeans and blue tank with a heavy Beauxbatons winter sweat, because the winds had picked up and due to the early stormy weather, the evening had set in with the earlier gloom and dark skies loomed over bringing in a dark and somber mood.

Dumbledore silenced the grounds as he spoke with a cheerful voice which he boomed with the help of his wand.

"Earlier this evening Professor Moody safely placed the triwizard cup into the maze, champions your task is to find the cup." said Dumbledore and called the champions forward as he looked at them gravely, they formed a circle around him as his arms rested on Harry and Cedric's shoulders.

"In the maze you may find things that you have never experienced before, they are dark and dangerous—you may not even remember the real you—but keep hope and you'll able to get through—because happiness can be found even in the darkest of time—if only one remembers to turn on the light," grinned Dumbledore talking in riddles confusing the champions as Krum was the first one to reach his entrance again.

"If at any time you believe you cannot go forth with the task, shoot out red sparks from your wand," said Dumbledore shooting red sparks out of his wand showing the champions the basic disarming spell that shot out of his wand and into the sky.

"At your posts please—Mr. Potter and Ms. Adams will gain entrance before the rest as they are currently at a tie in first place," announced Dumbledore as the closed leaved entrance in front of Harry and Audrey fell open, Audrey looked at Harry for the last time as he smiled at her encouragingly and entered, she walked into the maze as well, the last person she saw was her mother clutching her hands together at her chest, her lips pursued in worry as people around her clapped, Audrey tried to wave out to her but as the leaves weaved back the entrance she saw Jean walk up to her mother and kiss her cheek.

Audrey turned her wand in her hand as the light at the tip of the wand threw light in the absolute darkness around her, she walked ahead in the narrow long passage of leaves and branches that it offered and she made her way through it in a rush. She walked out of the passage way only to be faced by a cross road, now she had to decide which one to take as two would definitely be dead ends.

She chose the one on the right as she walked through the small opening she walked out to another decision path, she was deciding which path to chose when she heard an agonizing scream it was as if someone was being tortured, Audrey had her heart in her throat as she knew who the scream belonged to, Fleur had just shouted out for help in French. Audrey ran towards the scream as she came by violent branches roping themselves around Fleur as she lay unconscious on the ground as the plants made their way up to her waist. Audrey sat down and tried to cut out the weeds.

"Fleur! Fleur! Wake up please," cried Audrey as the weeds around Fleur's waist went around Audrey's hand as she pulled away breaking the weeds which a furious gash around her hand. While Audrey was backing out she almost crushed a piece of wood and instantly Audrey realised that whoever or whatever had attacked Fleur had unarmed her.

Audrey picked up Fleur wand and finally looked at her and shot an Expelliarmus into the sky as the red sparks shot into the now dark night sky as the red of the spell shined brightly in the darkness of the night and burst like a fire cracker when it reached its peak. Audrey placed the wand safely into Fleur's hand now the only thing that was not covered in branches and leaves along with her face.

Audrey waited as nothing happened the plants only pulled Fleur in further, but before they could take her in completely, the maze walls around Audrey shook in harsh winds, it felt like the walls would break and fall, Audrey noticed Fleur and her wand had disappeared and she thought it was time she did as well, one of the walls almost collapsed on her as she made her way through safely.

Audrey walked further and heard a rather sharp rustling of the bushes coming from the other side, she had seen the muggle Bond movies, she knew some moves that Bond used to work with his gun, she placed herself carefully against the wall of the maze and walked forward as slowly as she could, she knew the person on the other side was bound to get her, she was scared, of the dark, the person behind the bush, about Fleur, but something within her kept her moving forward, maybe it was the spirit of winning, or of being the only champion left from her school, she had to keep going at least come in second or something.

She finally came around the corner her wand outstretched in her arm ready to shoot the first hex that came to her mind, but when she rounded the corner someone poked their wand into her back, she raised her hands her wand still safe her hand, she turned around to look at who it was. Victor Krum looked at her with her stormy blue grey eyes, she was scared now, she looked into his eyes and she knew, he had been under the imperius cursed and Audrey was now worried if he was going to use the killing curse, he was after all a Durmstrang and he was more experienced when it came to magic, way more than a fourteen year old Beauxbatons girl.

She looked at him and tried to reason with him through eye contact, but never the less she was surprised when he smirked at her and pulled his wand away from her throat, she sighed in relief. Krum moved away and Audrey didn't know why but she followed him as they reached a point where Krum pulled out his wand at someone who was hiding in the bushes just like she had. She noticed Krum smirk and pull his wand away and a second later Harry came out of the bushes, she hugged him tightly as he hugged her back.

Harry pulled her closer to him as he took in the fragrance of her lose hair, he noticed the gash around her arm as she told him what she had come across she also mentioned the facts she had noticed about Krum as he agreed, seemed like what they had learnt in Moody's class had helped them a lot.

Suddenly Krum turned a corner and shouted something in Russian as he pulled his wand out and aimed it at someone shooting a spell and nearly missing, a spell came rushing towards Krum as he was knocked off his feet unconscious as the person approached Krum carefully his wand held high in his hand, Cedric Diggory looked ready to kill.

"No, he's under the imperius curse," said Harry trying to push Cedric away from Krum as Diggory threw Harry off him as quickly as he could and turned his wand at him.

"He's been cursed—I swear—he didn't know what he was doing—someone was controlling him," said Harry as Cedric looked at Audrey and then turned to Harry as he shook his head as he walked away only after he kicked Krum wand away from his hand.

Once again the winds started blowing violently as the walls of the maze shook wrathfully, the wind almost blew Harry and Audrey away as they ran along with Cedric who seemed to have noticed the same. The next thing they knew Krum and his wand had both disappeared.

Audrey held her knees to catch her breath, it would be wise if they stuck together and finished of this rubbish and she knew Harry would agree but Diggory obviously did not trust her, he hardly even knew her, the same went for him. Audrey did not know much about him and nor did she like the fact that he had some sort of an air about himself, but who wouldn't he was smart, handsome and carefree, he would make a good friend if one knew him better, but currently friendship was not what Audrey was thinking about, she just wanted to get out.

Audrey looked around as she was thankful that the boys waited for her to steady up, they seemed to be discussing something, she turned her head looking around possibly for a way out as she saw it, the blue light that she had seen the day that she had stepped into the school, the cup sat on a stone podium throwing out blue light, it was just another narrow lane that she was closest to, she was the closest to victory, if winning was written down in her destiny so be it. Audrey looked at the boys who know were blatantly discussing whether or not they should knock her out, team up against her or take her with them, so she ran for it.

This sudden movement did not go unnoticed as Audrey knew she could get Harry easily on her side, so when she sprinted towards the cup she shouted out his name, he turned to see what she wanted and noticed her run, he ran behind her trying to get in pace with her but it seemed like she had quite long legs, Cedric too ran behind Harry but just as the three were about to reach the cup, winds started blowing violently. They weren't like the other ones, these were worse like another blow and the walls would fall to shambles, just then Cedric's foot was caught on by the roots of a plant, it was as if the plant was trying to pull him away, he struggled to move but he couldn't the plant had held him captive.

Harry had finally caught up with Audrey but they turned when Cedric shouted out for help, Harry looked at Audrey and she nodded, they couldn't possibly leave him there. They dashed back to Cedric and in a shift motion of their wands Harry and Audrey tore apart the roots that had tied him up. Cedric straightened up and smiled at them, they ran towards the cup and stood there admiring it and then Cedric came up with an idea.

"I think we all deserve it—the three of us—there doesn't always have to be just one champion right!" he smiled at his younger friends as they smiled back.

"On the count of three then?" he asked as they nodded in approval.

"One," he began and turned to Harry.

"Two," finished Harry and they turned to Audrey who sighed softly

"Three," she said as they grabbed onto the cup, a familiar feeling on their navels as one of the walls of the maze fell on them, but they were gone way before that, hoping to see cheering crowds and the faces of their happy friends, none knew that they had huge roles to play in the coming of their lives, or worse—another's.

AN/- hey everyone hope you liked this chapter- you can tell me you did by reviewing, also i put in kind of a filler there between Audrey and Rachel-I thought they deserve some sort of love between them-or whatever.