I couldn't make you guys wait any longer after that cliffhanger, so here's chapter 23 ! I hope you guys like it !
Chapter 23:
The second task went on without a hitch, and Orion came again in second place after saving Susan and being the second to swim up the lake, right after Viktor Krum. But in all his glory, Orion was still miserable. Draco was still missing and Sirius was searching for him night and day, he barely came home anymore. Orion longed to be able to help his father to find Draco, but the Triwizard Tournament was a binding contract that he just couldn't escape.
He sat alone in front of the Black Lake, where Draco used to love to sit. He let his thoughts wonder to what his cousin, no brother, was doing. Was he being tortured? Was he even alive? The thought of Draco dead stung his eyes with hot tears and he let them spill. He felt so helpless.
"Orion…" came a voice from behind him. He turned around to see the auburn haired girl he had grown so fond of. She sat next to him and caressed his arm. She then gathered a handkerchief from her hufflepuff robes and handed it to him.
"I know how worried you are, I am too. Draco is my friend too. He has been my friend for years now, ever since the Christmas Ball your mother threw when we were little kids. I love him too." She too was now crying and Orion threw an arm around her and pulled her close to him.
"I just wish I can leave and search for him…" Orion said solemnly
"Do you really think Uncle Sirius will be able to find him? Lucius Malfoy is a death eater, he's probably with Voldemort now-"
"Susan, Voldemort has been gone for years…" Orion said but was stopped by Susan who looked at him with a bit of anger in her eyes "Do you really think me dense Orion?! We both know Voldemort is still around, we both know that he is behind all of Lucius Malfoy's actions. Don't try to protect me from the truth! Don't try to protect yourself from it either! He is here, he is back, and he will be strong again. He didn't want to be found long ago and he nobody will find him now. He will make himself found once he is ready to strike." She told her boyfriend breathlessly.
He sighed and smiled at her "Nothing goes by you, it's true, Draco is most likely in the hands of Voldemort right now, and that's what scares me the most."
"I've looked everywhere, the bastard doesn't want to be found!" The Duke snarled as he paced in front of Dumbledore's desk
"Calm down Sirius, I know of your dilemma, but frustration won't help" Dumbledore said calmly, his hand stroking his beard.
"What do you suggest I do Albus? Calm down and pretend like nothing happened? Pretend like my nephew is not missing?" Sirius threw his hands up in frustration and sat in his armchair.
"Certainly not, but we must think clearly, who do you reckon Lucius Malfoy is with?" Dumbledore suggested, wisdom glinting in his eyes.
"With Voldemort of course! Where would he be?!" Sirius exclaimed.
Dumbledore sat up straighter and looked at Sirius before saying "And what does Voldemort want?"
"He wants Orion…He wants my son! Draco is bait for my son!"
"Not only that Sirius, but Draco would be a perfect addition to Voldemort's inner circle, he is young and strong and of an ancient pureblooded family. I fear that Voldemort is waiting for the right moment to appear again, but this time, he will appear himself to your son." Dumbledore stood up and solemnly stated "And I fear this time will soon come."
It was weeks, months after Draco's disappearance, and the day of the third task had finally come. Orion was standing next to Fleur and Viktor in front of a huge maze, with Dumbledore and Crouch beside them, waiting to announce the third task. The stands were filled up with students whose banners were of encouragement for the three champions. Sirius and Hestia sat in the crowd next to Fleur and Viktor's parents, both feeling very anxious of what this task might bring. After a few minutes, Dumbledore spoke through his wand and his voice echoed in the area "Welcome all! I am delighted to say that we have reached the final task in the Triwizard Tournament! Each champion will enter the maze through a different opening, and the first to reach the cup wins!" Cheers filled the air and Dumbledore approached the champions, a grave look on his face as he whispered to them "People change in the maze. Oh, find the cup if you can. But be very weary; you could just lose yourselves along the way." Then suddenly, the cannon fired and three slots opened in the maze, one for each champion, who entered resignedly.
Hermione lay asleep in her bed; nobody was there but here in the dormitories. She woke up with yawn, and fluttered her eyes open lazily. "I must go see if the boys are ready to go watch the third task"
She got up and climbed the stairs to the boys' dormitories, heading towards her friends' room. "Neville, Ron, are you there?" But nobody was there, the room was empty.
"Oh shit! I must have overslept! Everyone is most likely there already!" As she turned to leave the room, she bumped into Draco's desk and a book of his fell to the floor. She knelt to pick it up only to find a paper have fallen from between the pages. She held it up and read it "Ogre hair, bat wings etc…Summoning Potion, to be taken before summoning spell… Potion will work after 6 months after being prepared…" Hermione then thought of the night came in late to the Gryffindor common room, he had a paper in his hand…
*Flashback*
"Where were you?"
He jumped in surprise and stared at her, she was sitting next to the fireplace, her arms crossed.
"Hermione I…"
"It's three in the morning Draco…" she stated, her eyes filled with concern.
"I know."
*End of flashback*
Her eyes widened as she remembered, she then thought to herself 'Draco must have made that potion so he can be summoned to his father, so he can seek revenge!'
She went through the small cupboard under his desk, only to find a vial, with a date plastered on it.
"That potion was made six and a half months ago, it must be it! I must take this to Uncle Sirius now!" And she rushed out of the room.
'This whole thing is just bloody mental!' Orion thought as he walked through the maze. He has encountered a lot of dangerous plants and creatures so far and he was just sick of it. His leg was still throbbing from that vine that curled around it, trying to pull him down the dirt. He was just about to send red sparks into the sky when he finally saw it, the gleaming cup, not so far away from him.
'Finally!' he thought as he rushed through it as fast as he can, and when he finally reached it, he wrapped his fingers around the cup's handle, and felt himself being apparated away.
"Uncle Sirius!" Hermione yelled as she reached the crowd, only to find him standing next to Dumbledore, running his hands through his hair in frustration, Beside him, Hestia was in hysterics.
"It's been two hours! Where is my son?!" She cried
Hermione's brow tightened and she ran towards Sirius, the vial secure in her hand. "Uncle Sirius! What's going on?!"
Sirius looked at her, trying his best not to freak out "Orion has been in there for two hours after Fleur and Viktor came out. We've searched the entire maze but he's not there!"
"Uncle Sirius, I found this vial in Draco's room, it's a summoning potion, I was going to tell you about so we can know why Draco made it, but it looks like we need to use it now!" She handed him the vial and he took it, dumbstruck.
"Oh thank Merlin!" he poured it down his throat and was about to say the spell, when Hermione cried out "Take me with you!" she said pleadingly.
Susan heard Hermione cry out and headed down the stands, she then bolted towards the Duke and her friend.
"No Hermione! Merlin knows what kind of danger I'm about to get into" And as he was saying the spell, Susan clutched to his robes, and disappeared with him.
They found themselves in an abandoned graveyard, with broken tombstones lying around them.
"SUSAN! Why on earth did you come with me?! Do you even know how dangerous this is?!" Sirius bellowed, his eyes widening at her sight
"I couldn't stay there! Orion was in danger! I needed to know where he is, I needed to find him!" She exclaimed, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Dad?" Sirius turned around to find Orion tied to a long tombstone, his eyes wide with fear.
"Orion!" And just as Sirius was heading towards his son, a hooded figure approached them, with what looked like a toddler wrapped in a bundle in his arms. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my old friend Padfoot!" The mysterious man took off his hood and smirked at the Duke.
That's it for this chapter! I know you guys might hate for writing yet another cliffhanger, but I've got to keep things exciting. If you guys are wondering, the flashback Hermione thought of is from Chapter 18 if you want to check it out.
Once again, Please review so I can know what you think of the story so far and what are your ideas on how it can continue.
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Love You All ! XOXO
Cleo26