I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the related characters. The Harry Potter series is created by JK Rowling and owned by Warner Bros. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Harry Potter story belong to Warner Bros.
A gong reverberated around the viewing area and bleachers that overlooked the Triwizard Cup third task, the maze filled with dangerous creatures and hazards to bewitch the senses.
The gong wasn't a sound per say, more of a reverberation against a person's magic, and every magician who existed within a fifty mile radius felt the judgement of the Goblet of Fire.
Albus Dumbledore approached the Goblet cautiously and studied the flames, it had relit and it has never done that ever as far as the elderly headmaster knew.
The flames shifted from azure blue through, inferno red to emerald green.
"Albus?" Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic asked. His voice trembled slightly and hand shook as it clutched his wand.
"The goblet should not have relit. Most curious."
As If to emphasise it's mysteriousness the flames flicked, sputtered died out completely then roared to life and almost engulfed Albus' head completely in flames. The heat was intense.
Above the cup floated a scroll the edges of the parchment tinged red like it was smoldering, the crowd, three hundred strong all stared unblinking at the rotating parchment in awe. With each flicker, colour change or conjugation a corresponding flick echoed off their magic.
The parchment launched directly into Albus' face, even with his advanced age his reflexes were such that he was able to bring a hand up to intercept it. He turned toward the crowd and unrolled the parchment, embers glowed in the creases and tears as it did so. Like it was hundreds of years old and aflame.
Albus glanced down at the parchment, read the opening phrase then glanced up at Fudge.
"Well, Albus? What does it say?" Fudge declared hotly. He had apparently read the room and realised that he would have a riot on his hands if he tried to hush up whatever was on the parchment.
Albus returned a 'if you say so,' look at the Minister for Magic and cleared his throat.
"The Triwizard contract has been tampered with, the betrayal has been dealt with and more will be brought to heel. The Magic will protect all those who signed in good faith and are true of deed.
Magic is abhorred at the depravity and lengths that curs will stoop to.
Peter Pettigrew is dead. His killing curse rebounded on Champion Cedric Diggory and he was struck down by his own foul deed.
The wraith known as,"
Albus tried to stop speaking, his efforts began to hurt his very being. He felt like he was straining against the weight of the world.
Tom Marvolo Riddle, The Dark Lord Voldemort attempts to subvert nature is An Affront to Magic,"
"Albus! Stop! What are you doing!" Fudge fumed and stormed to the man and tried to snatch the parchment from his grip, a red flash erupted and Fudge was flung backwards and to be caught by his Auror guard.
"Aurors!"
Another flash and all five men froze in their positions. Two bent to help Fudge to his feet, others in the act of drawing their wands to do something. Albus' wide panicked eyes flicked around but were drawn back to the parchment as he continued speaking. It was clear for all to see that he was not in control of his movements at all.
"The soul of every being, should be allowed to ascend purified of all the ills that infected it during a lifetimes of deeds, good and Ill.
The Triwizard Tournament is henceforth suspended until such times that Tom Marvolo Riddle is brought before this vessel and is purged of the evil that infests it. All versions of it. Those under the magic of the tournament will not be permitted to die until this act is performed. So mote it be!"
A flash of red light and which resounded with enough power to blow all before it flat on their backs and shook the castle to its foundations. All the Hogwarts elves appeared to stare in awe at the thrumming device.
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot and recipient of the Order of Merlin first class collapsed. He was completely magically exhausted and he lost consciousness the moment his hand released the parchment, the power holding the Aurors and Minister fudge immobile vanished and the men collapsed in an undignified heap.
As medical personnel surged onto the stage, pandemonium ensued the crowd panicked and surged for the apparition points outside the ward boundaries.
Fudge attempts at crowd control were for naught when the first person disappeared, the truth was out and unmanageable.
——Scene Break——
Cedric Diggory was cold, he didn't think he should feel this cold. His stomach settled itself over the next few seconds, just as it always did when he took a portkey even a surprise one.
A resigned sigh drew his attention to his left and he was Harry Potter lean back against a tombstone.
Tombstone?
Cedric sat up slowly, the cold permeating through his joints didn't feel natural and as his breath clouded before him a feeling of dread settled in his bones.
"Alright Harry?" Cedric asked.
"No, this was his plan after all."
"Plan? Who?"
"Voldemort, we're in deep trouble."
Harry rose to his knees to glance over the top of another tombstone and shuddered. Maybe it wasn't just Cedric who felt the cold. Slowly the two boys stood and surveyed the area before them.
"Wands out you reckon?" Cedric asked.
They pulled their wands out and held them at the ready.
"Wormtail," a horrific naseily voice broke the silence. "Kill the spare."
"Avada Kedava!"
"Noooo," Harry screamed.
Cedric saw an approaching sickly green mass felt, something, then knew blackness.
——Scene Break——
Cedric's awareness came back in stages. His nose twitched like he could smell something bad with out the complications of the actual smell. Then his skin noticed a bone deep cold. His eyelids began to work and he could see a cloud streaked sky, only dull and blurry.
His head twitched to one side and the smell resolved to one he faintly recognised. Rot or decay. Very unpleasant. The slow ache in his muscles announced the final stage of 'animation' and Cedric groaned faintly as he rolled over and pushed himself to his feet.
No wand.
He cast around him and caught sight of it a good fifteen metres away. Why had he thrown it so far?
He glanced around him and finally noticed the voices. The naselly voice has changed in pitch slightly. Maybe higher off the ground? The other voice was Harry, defiant and frightened.
Cedric retrieved his wand and snook from tombstone to tombstone until he was near enough to hear details.
"…bow to death Harry."
"No!" Harrys voice held a note of panic and Cedric knew he didn't have much time.
"I said bow!"
"Now defend yourself boy. Crucio!"
Harry's screams were horrendous and Cedric was about to act when he froze in his tracks. The sound of group laughter, deep and numerous.
"See my Death Eaters! This boy is no threat to me! On your feet Harry. Again. Crucio!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Even from Cedric's position he could see the spells connect, a golden dome formed around the duelling pair. Cries of shock and alarm arose from the gathered Death Eaters. Many drew their wands and spellfire impacted off the shield, golden ripples coursed across the surface. A ball of light formed in the middle of the spell stream and varied its position as if wrestled between two forces.
"No! Stop! You'll hit the Dark Lord. Allow him to end the boy!"
Cedric recognised that voice, Lucius Malfoy. He had had to listen to his father converse with the elder Malfoy at numerous functions and balls all through his childhood.
If they can't break through the shield then there's not much that I'll be able to do. It's up to Harry and all I can do is support him.
Cedric felt his nerves jangle and his awareness heighten. He zeroed his focus on each Death Eater in turn, all wore masks but he could still recognise voices, mannerisms, identifying marks.
He was sure he could name six of the gathered men when the strangest thing happened. Figures emerged from Voldemorts wand, ghostly charictures of once real people. He recognises Burtha Jorkins, there was an old man, then two young adults who seemed very familiar to Cedric. His eyes widened in horrified realisation. Harry's parents!
They were speaking to Harry but Cedric couldn't hear what was said. But Harry swivelled his head towards Cedric and his eyes widened in realisation. Unfortunately the Dark Lords eyes tracked the movement and saw Cedric at the same time.
Shit.
The ghosts gathered around the Dark Lord and blocked his view of the man, the ball of light surged towards Voldemort and the resultant flash of light distracted the Death Eaters for a crucial second.
Harry sprinted towards wand extended.
"Accio trophy!"
Cedric sidestepped the charging boy and flicked his own wand his aim at the Dark Lord.
"Bombada Maxima!"
The resultant explosion was not witnessed by the boy who caused it. He had been whisked away on another stomach churning ride and was deposited on a wooden stage, surrounded by Aurors and newspaper reporters.
TBC.