While Harry is facing Voldemort...

LILY XXXI

They emerged into the center of the maze. Lily had volunteered to follow Mr Crouch there. After two champions came back stunned from the maze, Dumbledore and the other judges decided to verify whether the two other champions were fine. Mr Crouch decided to go into the labyrinth, but Lily followed him. She couldn't allow him to wander freely. He was still under surveillance.

And here they were, in the small space with a pedestal at the center of it, where the Triwizard Cup was supposed to be. Only, there was no Triwizard Cup. There was a giant Acromentula that collapsed, destroying some hedges nearby, but no cup. No Cedric. No Harry. Lily's heart was beating very fast.

"Is that normal that the Triwizard Cup is not here?" she asked.

"No," Mr Crouch replied, his voice grave. "It should be here. We would have known if someone reached it. The champion who touched the Cup is to be moved to the entrance of the maze. And that didn't happen."

"Then, where are Harry and Cedric if neither of them touched the Cup. And where is the Cup?"

"I don't know." He looked around. "There's nothing to find here. Let's go back to the entrance. We will need more people to search the maze."

On that, Lily couldn't disagree. Aside from McGonagall, Hagrid, Flitwick and Moody patrolling the maze, she and Crouch were the only individuals inside. That wouldn't be enough to find Harry and Cedric… if they were in the maze at all. Lily had a very bad feeling about what was going on.

It only took a few minutes for her and Crouch to regain the entrance. The hedges opened free ways in front of them. When they emerged from the maze, Dumbledore was waiting for them. Lily noticed that the people in the crowd looked at her as well, with expressions going from worry to uncertainty and expectation. She couldn't blame them. She was worried as well.

"The Triwizard Cup is gone," Crouch told Bagman, Dumbledore and Maxime. Karkaroff wasn't there.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Bagman asked.

"It's no longer here, Ludo. And we haven't found any trace of Mr Potter or Mr Diggory." He looked at Dumbledore, severe. "At this stage, Albus, I would contact the Ministry of Magic. The use of Unforgivable Curses is enough cause to cancel the third task. We need to find the two remaining champions, and for that we need more men."

"Contact them, Barty," Dumbledore said immediately.

"Wait, perhaps we shouldn't…" Bagman began.

"This is no longer the responsibility of our respective departments, Ludo," Crouch declared harshly. "Unforgivable Curses have been used. It is now a matter in the hands of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"More importantly, we have two students who may be in danger," Dumbledore added. "Bring as many people as you can, Barty. You can use our owlery."

Mr Crouch nodded and walked away. Lily didn't follow him this time. Someone hidden in the crowd was tasked with following him wherever he went in Hogwarts. The person could simply not follow him in the maze, which was why Lily followed him there. But she had to remain at the maze.

"Any green sparks?" Lily asked Dumbledore. Instructions were given to the professors patrolling around the maze to send green sparks once they would find Harry and Cedric.

"Not yet, Lily. I'm beginning to be really afraid. Harry, Cedric and the Triwizard Cup all disappeared," Dumbledore said on a grave tone.

"We probably just didn't find them," Bagman said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Maybe the Portkey failed, and one of them is trying to carry the Cup back here."

"Moody arranged the Triwizard Cup himself. Although it remains possible, it is very unlikely that he wouldn't have cast his spell correctly."

Lily looked at the entrance of the maze. She wanted to go back inside and look for her son. There was really something very wrong going on.

"Dumbledore," she said, "I think I should head back into…"

"No, Lily. We already have several professors looking for them, and we must keep people here to protect the crowd, if there is indeed any danger," the headmaster said.

"Dumbledore." Severus had approached them. "We need to talk. In private."

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment, then nodded and walked away from their group. He and Severus discussed in ushed tones.

Lily shook her head. They should be searching the maze right now. Of course, she knew that most professors were already there, and that it was important that some people remained with the hundreds of students and guests behind, but her mind couldn't help but feel like she remained behind for nothing right now.

She looked at the benches where everyone was sitting, conversing loudly. Some were looking at the maze, others at the people like Lily gathered in the open semi-circle facing the entrance. Lily decided to join Sirius, who was waiting with Ron and Hermione on the first row.

"So, did you find Harry?" Hermione asked right away.

"No, I haven't seen him," she replied, evasive. She looked at Sirius, communicating with a single stare how all of this didn't feel right. Harry's godfather didn't seem to feel good about recent events either.

"Neither he or nor Diggory reached the Triwizard Cup yet?" Ron asked.

"No," Lily replied. In fact, she didn't know. She didn't know at all where any of them were. But she didn't want word to start spreading that Harry and Cedric might have disappeared. The crowd was already agitated. Furthermore, they still didn't know what was going on. Lily hoped that Harry was still in that maze, looking for the Cup, and that they simply didn't meet his path. However, if that was the case, what would he do when he would find out the pedestal without the Cup?

"They're probably alright," Ron declared. "They must still be looking for the Triwizard Cup. The third task is not over."

Lily could hear in his words that he was uncertain and worried as well. Seeing two champions coming back unconscious caused a commotion in the crowd. And Lily felt that they told what happened to them to a few people, who then spread the word to everybody assembled here. And seeing judges and professors entering the maze in numbers certainly fed those rumors. Sirius made a slight move of the head to mean he wanted to talk to her away from prying ears. He and Lily made a few steps away from her son's best friends.

"Do we have any idea about what is going on in this maze?" he asked her.

"Not really," she answered. "All we know is that Viktor Krum was submitted to an Imperious Curse, then forced to stun Fleur Delacour and torture Cedric Diggory. That's the last news we have of Harry and Cedric's movements. Crouch and I reached the center of the maze, and the Triwizard Cup was gone. We found no trace of Harry or Cedric, nor of anybody who might have cursed Krum. Though there are signs of fighting around the place where the Cup was. But that doesn't make any sense. The Cup is a Portkey that is supposed to bring whoever touches it first right back here."

"Someone could have stollen the Cup?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain why this person didn't appear. And who would go to such length to steal the Triwizard Cup?"

"There are crazy people in life. But let's be honest, Lily. Do you think this is only robbery?"

Lily shook her head after a moment. "No. I don't think so. It doesn't add up. But who could have entered the maze? We were there. We only saw Harry and the three other champions going in."

"We both know there are many ways for people to become invisible." Lily nodded. Even she could have made herself invisible and followed Harry inside. "So… We stay here and we wait that somehow Harry will reappear?"

"They sent most professors into the maze already. And Crouch has gone to send a message to the Ministry of Magic. He's going to bring people to help."

Sirius' lips pressed. He didn't like Bartemius Crouch. For very good reasons. Sirius spent weeks in Azkaban because Crouch sent him there without trial, without even verifying who murdered the Muggles that night. And although Crouch looked determined to arrest his son, Lily couldn't forgive him for liberating a mass murderer and keeping him hidden at his home for all these years.

"Harry must be somewhere in this maze," Sirius said, trying to sound convincing. He then looked towards Dumbledore and Severus who were talking in low voices as well. "What do you think they are discussing?"

"No idea," she replied.

"I wonder why he isn't in that maze. I wouldn't mind if one of Hagrid's creatures ate him alive."

"Sirius, I know that Severus and you have a complicated history. We all have when it comes to him. But he did save Harry last year. I'm not sure what Pettigrew would have done to Harry if he hadn't intervened."

"Maybe," Sirius gave reluctantly.

Sirius hated Severus. And he had very good reasons to do so. Lily hated him as well for what he did. It wasn't only his prejudice against all people who were not pure-blood wizards. It went far beyond that. Severus had actually joined Voldemort and worked for him. The night James died, Lily wasn't the only one to lose her husband. Sirius had lost his best friend that night too. Lily acknowledged that Severus did make amends in some way ever since. He did try to protect Harry from Quirrell in his first year, and he did save them all from Pettigrew a year ago. However, that didn't erase what he did in the past. Not to mention that he never actually apologized for what he did. He never admitted that he was wrong to follow Voldemort. He didn't apologize nor try to explain himself. Lily had to admit that she would probably not have listened to any apology or explanation he might have given. She had heard his justifications for years before he joined the Death Eaters, and in the end, he joined them anyway. Still, his actions at least proved that he wasn't on Voldemort's side anymore. In light of his recent actions, Lily was ready to consider him as an ally, if not as a friend. And since Dumbledore trusted him, well, she supposed that she could at least trust him in some matters.

"Mrs Evans."

Lily turned to look at Gen's daughter who just addressed her. "Yes, Cho?"

"Forgive me, but what is going on?" She looked concerned, like most people probably were right now.

"Two of the champions have come back, and… We don't really know what happened. Things are nebulous. We're trying to find Harry and Cedric in the maze to clear things."

"I saw you go in the maze. Did you see them? Are they alright?"

"Mr Krum saw them before he was brought back here. He says they are fine."

She didn't want to lie to Cho. She was Gen's daughter, after all. But Lily couldn't tell her what was really going on in this maze. Lily herself didn't know what was going on.

"I'm going to talk to Dumbledore," Sirius said, and he walked away, leaving Lily and Cho alone together.

"Are you sure they were fine? Cedric? And Harry too?" she asked.

"That's what Mr Krum says. The maze is large, so this is not easy to find them," Lily offered as an explanation.

Cho looked at the labyrinth. Lily followed her gaze. She understood that the girl could be afraid. "We… We are all Seekers… We know what it is to get injured. We all spent way too much time at the hospital wing…"

"If I remember correctly, this is where we met three years ago."

Cho smiled as Lily reminded her of this moment. Lily didn't know at this moment that this little girl was the daughter of one of her colleagues.

"During the first task, Cedric had almost half of his face burned by the dragon he confronted. I know he can get through this, but… but I'm a little afraid. And seeing all these people going into the maze… His parents are afraid as well."

Cho Chang looked over her shoulder. Lily noticed the man who was rude with her son earlier this morning, sitting with his wife next to him. This wasn't the time to make Cho panic.

"Look, Cho. I don't know what is going on in this maze. But Dumbledore and the other judges take it very seriously. They're worried too because two champions were sent out of the third task in circumstances… that are not clear. But we must not fear the worst." She then remembered what she was told about the second task. "I wasn't there in February, but I know that Cedric dived into the freezing Black Lake and remained at the bottom of it for an entire hour. You had to wait for him back then too, but he came back all the same. I'm sure he will come back now too."

For a moment, silence settled between the young girl the woman.

"I didn't wait for Cedric during the second task. I was at the bottom of the Lake me too," Cho then revealed.

Lily frowned. Then she remembered her discussion with Gen. "Oh. I see. You were the person he had to save, right?" Cho nodded, smiling in the process. Lily smiled as well. "So you remember nothing of the second task?"

"No. I was given a potion that made me sleep, and I woke up only when Cedric brought me back to the open air." She drew a long breath. "Now I think I know how the others felt while they waited for us."

"Yes, I suppose. I'm not going to pretend, Cho. I'm worried about my son me too."

"I'm sure Harry will be fine." And now a girl who had to be barely sixteen-years-old was trying to reassure Lily. "I mean, he was the one who got through the dragon in the first task very easily. He barely had a scratch when he came out. And for the second task… Cedric told me himself that Harry would have ended up first if he had not carried two people back to the surface."

Lily frowned. "Harry carried two people back two the surface?"

"Yes. He didn't tell you?"

"No." Now that Lily thought about it, Harry didn't tell her much about the second task. She knew what it had been about, but he gave way more details about the first task. "But I didn't have any contact with him for months. The last time I saw him was on Halloween, and after that, I could not be contacted."

"I heard about it. What were you doing?"

"I can't tell. Important work that made me impossible to contact."

Cho nodded. "You sound a little like my mother this way. She's an Unspeakable."

Lily remembered. "Well, I'm sure there are things your father cannot tell you about his work either."

"Yes, there are some. Though sometimes…" Cho stopped to talk all of a sudden, but then continued. "Well, it's not easy sometimes when your parents are away and you don't know at all why or if they are in danger."

The words stung. Was it how Harry felt while she was away? Did he feel the same uncertainty, the same fear that she felt for him right now? She had wanted to write to him so often. But she couldn't contact him to not alert anybody of her position. People could have deduced where she was if they saw their owls coming and going.

"I'm sorry," Cho suddenly said. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine, Cho," Lily stopped her. "I know."

It still made her feel guilty nonetheless. No green spark had come out of the maze yet. Neither Harry nor Cedric were found yet.

"You and Cedric are together, aren't you?" she asked the girl. Cho nodded. "I'm sure he's fine. I don't pretend that I know him, but… We must never assume the worst."

Cho was looking at the maze. She didn't stop looking at it as she spoke. "He didn't stop preparing himself for today. Ever since he was told what the third task would be, he spent his time training and learning new spells. I was busy preparing my O.W.L.s, and he was busy preparing for that. We barely had any time together for weeks." She sighed. "I knew the tasks were difficult and dangerous but…" She looked at Lily. "You really don't know whether he's fine, don't you?"

"I wish I could tell you with certainty that he is fine," Lily answered carefully.

Cho looked back at the maze. "I hope Harry is fine too. I… I don't want something bad to happen to him either."

"Thank you," Lily said, grateful.

"Cedric told me there would be spells and curses to break, and magical beasts… Do you know what else there might be inside?"

Lily thought whether she should tell this young girl or not. Finally, she decided that it would probably reassure her in some way. "I saw an Acromentula on my way. A huge Acromentula. And it had been defeated. Stunned. I don't know if it was Harry or Cedric, but if they could neutralize an Acromentula, I think they could face almost anything in that maze."

Especially if someone considered that the Acromentula was right next to the Triwizard Cup. If this was the last obstacle before the Cup, it was likely the worst that this labyrinth had to offer. However, Lily chose to not tell Cho about the Triwizard Cup that disappeared. Just like Harry seemed to have disappeared. It wasn't normal that they couldn't find them. She wondered how long the people of the Ministry would take to arrive.

"Perhaps I should have taken…" Cho began.

"Lily." Sirius was back. He saw Cho, then grabbed Lily's arm. "Come here." He resumed talking when they were a little away from the girl. "Lily, there's something very wrong going on."

"I know. I can feel it me too. It's not normal that we haven't seen Harry or the other boy in the maze," she replied.

"It's not only that. Apparently, Karkaroff ran off."

"Karkaroff?" Lily looked around. The former Death Eater and headmaster of Durmstrang was nowhere to be seen. "Where has he gone?"

"We don't know. He's nowhere to be found."

"But he was there when the task began. And he was there too when Krum was brought back from the maze. He made his presence very clear."

It was hard to forget how Karkaroff gesticulated and yelled when his champion was brought in front of him.

"Well, he's no longer here," Sirius informed her. It was true that he wasn't present when Lily and Crouch came out of the maze. "I think he might have something to see with what is happening. Think about it, Lily. Viktor Krum received an Imperius Curse. We don't know when he received it, but what if Karkaroff cast it right when he walked into the labyrinth? Then he orders his champion to attack the other champions, and Krum has a free path to the Triwizard Cup. But Harry surprised him when he was torturing Diggory, and he stunned Krum. That would explain very well why Karkaroff was so angry when Krum returned."

Lily nodded. That seemed to hold. However, there was something that this wouldn't explain. "But if Karkaroff is behind this, why haven't we found Harry and Cedric yet? Why do they seem to have disappeared, and the Triwizard Cup as well?"

"I think that Karkaroff might have stolen it," Sirius said. "To prevent anybody from winning. That would explain why he disappeared. I doubt he wouldn't be powerful enough to neutralize a Portkey. And who knows… I'm afraid he might have done something to Harry. Maybe to cause harm to the other champions. As revenge or to favor his own champion."

Lily sighed. She hoped that it wasn't the case. "Did you tell Dumbledore about this?"

"I have. He listened to me, and said he already had people searching for Karkaroff… but he said that he didn't think Karkaroff was behind what was happening."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Sirius looked at the maze. "Okay, I'm done. I'm going to search Harry inside this thing. Stay behind in case he comes back."

Sirius then went to Dumbledore, who was in discussion with Crouch who just came back from the castle. Lily thought he said something to Dumbledore, and that Crouch disagreed, but Sirius nonetheless headed towards the maze.

Around, the chatter had increased and turned even more animated. People were really wondering what was going on. Lily was sure that Sirius didn't make people feel better by heading into the maze.

Cho headed again towards her. "Any news?" she asked Lily.

"No," she replied shortly.

"What is going on?" Cho asked, her voice sounding more worried than ever. "No one is telling us what's happening. No one understands. What's going on with Cedric and Harry?"

Lily was about to answer when a loud cracking sound was heard, and all other noises vanished. At the centre of the semi-circle, two people appeared, one clutching a huge shining cup. It was as if everything stopped in the park while everyone looked at the two boys who just appeared out of nowhere, merely a few feet away from where Lily stood.

And then it erupted. People screamed, yelled, shouted. Even the orchestra of the school began to play. But to Lily, all of it was surreal, for she noticed how one of the boys was lying on his back, the other on his stomach, and neither of them were moving. The boy on his belly had dark, messy hair, and she could notice his glasses against the grass.

"Harry!"

She rushed to his side, fearing the worse. The moment she placed a hand on his shoulder, she was relieved to see him move. He was alive. However, that didn't mean he was fine. He could be gravely injured. Who knew what might have happened to him in that maze?

"Harry, do you hear me? Are you okay?"

She turned him on his back. She was immediately horrified. He was in a very sorry state, covered in dirt and soot like he never was before, even after his worst Quidditch game. He also had a deep cut to his forearm. But worse than anything was the way he looked at her. He looked… desperate.

"He's back," Harry whispered. "Voldemort is back."

A short chapter, I know, and it may not bring much to the main storyline concerning Voldemort's return, but we get at least to see people reacting as they slowly notice something wrong is happening with the third task. There will be much more material in the next chapter.

Please review.

Next chapter: Harry