Hogwarts' potions master Severus Snape made his way to the Hospital Wing to see Poppy before his night turned into a real party. As most of the school was out in the stands of the quidditch pitch, it was a faster walk than usual since he didn't have to stop to dock point or give detention. If there was one drawback to teaching teenagers at a boarding school, it was catching them trying to… canoodle.

He opened the doors and let himself in, automatically scanning for the school Healer.

"Poppy?" he called.

Poppy Pomfrey poked her head out of her office, she would have been by the sidelines of the maze, but was instructed that a group of St. Mungo's healers were called in for the final task. She took partial offense to it, considering that she was able to patch up a majority of the students and on very rare occasions had to send students to specialists at the hospital. Poppy was one of the best healers in all of Magical Britain. She wouldn't consider herself a specialist, but in the end she was a specialist in 'unknown' causes, as the medical field termed it. With new generations inventing new spells and pieces of magic, she was the one who had to figure out how to undo damage done.

She wasn't well versed in treatments concerning dark magic, more so she was limited in that area and had to send her patients to another. Her wand had a unicorn hair core, and wilted when it came in contact with dark magic.

Healing magic was usually considered light magic, but there were some instances where the spells were gray. Most of the darker spells started out as healing spells, so it was no surprise to the matron. Her intent was always pure, but her side knowledge was made aware in her casting.

She had been through 3 wands, each incident involving dark magical ailments. After her third wand she acknowledged that she simply couldn't heal dark magical ailments without killing her wand core. Four wands, and each of them had a unicorn hair core. The unicorn hair core simply couldn't handle dark magic, but that was the core that worked best with her magic. If she was able she asked the current potions master, who was more than adequately skilled in healing dark magical inflictions. If not, she sent her patients to St. Mungo's and let the healers there tend to her patients.

"Yes, Severus?"

"Poppy, Alastor has been found in his trunk. The Headmaster insists that he be brought up here to be seen by you immediately," Severus informed her.

Poppy had given Severus a look of bewilderment before she took a deep breath and blew it out evenly. She looked up to the ceiling as though to ask for Merlin's assistance.

"Thank you, Severus. I'll be there as quickly as I can. Was there anything else?" she inquired.

"No, Poppy. Thank you," he said.

She nodded to him as he turned around and swiftly walked out of the Hospital Wing as quickly as he came.

Severus walked quickly down to the quidditch pitch, past a crowding audience, down towards the Minister who was parading around a bunch of aurors who had shown up. Whether the Minister called them or someone in the audience, he was unsure. Considering what he had to do, Severus was not too keen on being near so many witches and wizards who would be able to throw him into a cell at a moment's notice. However seeing them so close would also give him viable excuse for his tardiness as they would be fresh in his mind.

Walking closer he was able to see a familiar bushy mass of hair. The curls she had been able to tame them too were slowly diminishing as the night passed. The curls, while pleasant, did not have the bushy quality that she was known for.

She was sitting close to her bounty, the rat animagus, keeping a careful eye on it, even as the aurors around her ignored her and looked down on her for being a student. It was clear that their opinion of her didn't matter to her. Personally he was quite frustrated with them for belittling her whether they knew it or not. Even though he himself was guilty of the same thing last year, he knew better now.

Granted he was normally of the opposite opinion since she was known as the brightest witch of her age, and thus most of the professors fussed about her in the staff room. They fussed over Potter and they each had their own personal favorite for every year, but Granger was almost unanimous for being accepted as the brightest witch of the current generation.

Sybil was not of that opinion since Granger didn't have the… aptitude that allowed her further vision with her third eye. Something of which the potions master was grateful for. The bookworm's walkout was legendary. Severus agreed that she was the brightest witch of her generation even if he refused to acknowledge it. For him, Lily would always be the brightest witch of the generation… Granger was a fast second though.

He found himself towering over the Minister as the last thought entered his mind, and left just as quickly.

"Minister Fudge, the Headmaster would like you to come into the castle as we have discovered an… intriguing imposter. If you would follow me," he drawled out.

Hermione heard her potions professor speak to the minister as she watched the traitor keenly for any signs of awareness. Her ear perked up at the mention of 'imposter'. Her heart felt as though it would break, she felt a keen loss at Barty Jr's discovery. She bit her lip instead though and refused to let tears gleam in her eyes even as her nose burned with the desire to do so.

"Of course, Snape, let's go," Fudge blustered.

Hermione watched her dark professor walk away with the minister struggling to keep pace with the long-legged wizard. She was instructed more than once to presume that he was fighting against the Dark Lord and to eventually confide in him should she need to. After tonight, she very much wanted to, however she also realized that he wasn't there, or at the very least was extremely late to the calling. She hoped that if he went, he survived.

The madman that was calling himself Lord Voldemort was unhealthily thin, exceedingly pale, she saw him nude, an image that would give her nightmares by itself. What was worse was that he started out as some weird red and black reptilian thing. He was also… quite angry at everyone who failed to show up, except for Barty Jr.

She remembered him saying that those who were alive and failed to show would be hunted down. Hermione knew there were no questions that the madman was serious. In the meantime he would be losing a faithful follower, even if he followed out of fear.

Speaking of the rat she kept an extremely close eye on him, despite being surrounded by aurors. A younger version of herself would have felt at ease with so many authority figures being around, and would have happily left it to them. Yet she had seen the rat escape from authority figures before. It would be challenging, but not unfeasible for him to escape again.

There was an auror who looked like she had graduated not too long ago, her hair was a startling bubblegum pink. Hermione faintly remembered her, but didn't bother trying to place a name to the hair. Still the young witch wasn't in a talkative mood with the evening she had, not that any of them had asked her questions.

Severus had left the Minister alone with Barty Jr. and made his way down to the dungeons as quickly as he could without running. It was bad enough that he was late to the latest… meeting, but he also wasn't keen on seeing the Dark Lord as it meant his leash would be tightened once more. He was surprised that he didn't see the house-elf with the younger Death Eater as she seemed emotionally attached to him.

He quickly grabbed his mask and cloak, his heart sinking at how easy it was to fall back into old habits. The dark wizard slid his hand over a select stone that had more iron in it than the others, allowing him entrance to a secret tunnel. The professor made his way into the tunnel letting his occlumency shields rise, reinforcing themselves over select memories. Most of them had to be open for inspection to prove that he was telling the truth, however twisted he made it out to be. He continued his fast pace until he was out of Hogwarts' wards and placed his wand to the dark mark and disapparated to where his old master was.

As soon as Severus landed, he was on bended knee with his head down, knowing that he would be facing the monster that was his master.

"Ssseverusss, how kind of you to join uss," the mad wizard hissed.

"My Lord, I was detained. I am pleased you are back with us again, I have been waiting," Severus said reverently, his face still facing the ground.

"Excuses! With the chaos that has ensued with Potter's appearance I am sure you would have been able to get away faster. Crucio!"

The dark potions master fell forward, screaming as his body twisted, glad that he didn't have far to fall. It had been years since his body had felt the pain that was caused by the torture curse. He hoped he had something in his stores that would at least help alleviate enough for him to get a few hours' sleep.

When the curse ended, he struggled to bring himself into the kneeling position he was originally in.

"My Lord, I stayed to gather information on current events," he gasped.

The Dark Lord was intrigued as he had wanted to know what had happened because of Potter's escape. When the wizards escaped, bringing Pettigrew with them, he was so furious he started to crucio the lot of them for their incompetence as he was held back by some strange magic.

"Go on."

"Pettigrew has been detained and surrounded by aurors and Crouch has been discovered. He tried to bring Potter back to you, but Dumbledore realized it wasn't the real Mad-Eye Moody too soon. Pettigrew is stunned and unable to escape. Dumbledore ordered me to give him vertiserum, which he used on Crouch, but the information he had given was old and about himself. Nothing that could be condemning to anyone other than his father, My Lord."

"What of Potter?"

"He is in shock, My Lord. He is currently under the careful eye of Dumbledore."

"I see…" the Dark Lord said softly, thinking.

"You were late, but you have done well, Severus… However I want to know why you didn't look for me," he said dangerously soft.

"I still bore the mark, My Lord. I knew you were about, but I didn't know where. I waited for your call and held my position as you instructed," he answered.

Voldemort glared at the potions master, but was well aware that in those terms he hadn't done anything wrong. He had also been hit with a crucio and continued to give his report, proving his loyalty to him and the cause. He was still positioned in the castle as a spy, still close to Dumbledore, and continued to be his eyes and ears.

"Show me, Severus. Show me, Harry Potter," he said.

Severus looked up, his forehead smeared with grave dirt, looking directly into the red eyes of the monster the Dark Lord had become. Before his defeat the Dark Lord was classically handsome, smooth dark hair, dark gray eyes, and pale skin. Admittedly before his defeat, Voldemort's complexion had started to take on a waxy and reptilian appearance, his eyes looked constantly bloodshot, but as… ill as he started to look he still had a semblance of what once was.

Now his eyes were red with slits that reminded him of Granger's polyjuice debacle.

Severus offered up memories of Potter from his first year onward, most of them containing how horrid he was to the boy, making his life as miserable as he could as a professor within reason. There were cases that were biased and highly unfair, however nothing that could question his position as a professor or bring him in front of the Board of Governors.

The Dark Lord was pleased with his spy's treatment of the boy, showing his loyalty through his hatred. However he wanted to see what he did during his free time, and started to sift through his spy's mind. Yet aside from the occasional drink with co-workers, as was expected to maintain appearances, he was devoted to his practice and was seen gathering potion ingredients instead of ordering them. He made potions for St Mungos and the Hospital wing, some of them he received pay for. He made a name for himself within the potions community, spoke and intimidated apothecaries for better prices. Everything he was supposed to do.

"Good… Continue to keep face with your fellow professors. You have done exceedingly well with your orders, Severus. Despite the fact that you did not actively look for me, you continued to follow my orders throughout the years. You didn't dally away with muggle sport," he spat, "I even watched you while I was partially possessing Quirrell, your suspicions were admirable," he praised his spy.

"Which is more than I can say for many of your brothers," he hissed, allowing his gaze to rake over his followers, "As much as I would prefer you to stay, I acknowledge that you must go before your disappearance is noted."

"My Lord," Severus replied.

"Before you go, Severus…" The Dark Lord whispered.

Severus looked up at his dark master.

"Crucio!" he held the spell for 10 long seconds, "Let that be a reminder to you and your brothers that our cause is to come first. You will do your job and report to me when I call for you. Should there be anything pressing that is time sensitive, you may request an audience with me by pressing the tip if your wand to the left eye socket of the skull."

"Y-yes, My Lord," Severus gasped.

"You may go," he dismissed his spy.

Shakily the potions master stood up and bowed his head to the dark wizard before disapperating.

Voldemort continued to stare at where his spy was.

"My brothers, even Severus Snape has something to offer still. While he did not answer the call immediately, he still answered it. He continued to follow his orders, even knowing he would most likely be punished for his delayed arrival. He did not arrive without answers that we had questions to moments ago," he spoke to them.

Many of the death eaters were jealous of Snape at that moment, they wanted to be dismissed as soon as possible. He had been hit with the cruciatus twice, but that was a small price to pay to be able to leave practically as soon as you arrived. Granted he also had the Dark Lord rip through his mind, and that was keenly as painful as there was no method to ease that pain.

Severus arrived back in the tunnel that he had originally left in and allowed himself to sink to the floor. The Dark Lord was never gentle when he entered his mind. A true master would be able to slip in almost unawares, so he was never sure if the Dark Lord was a master and simply loved to cause pain or if he was so bad at it that there was no other way.

He put his head between his knees and allowed himself to breathe as his body shook with the aftereffects of the cruciatus. He sincerely hoped that he wouldn't be called again tonight for any appearance, as he wouldn't be able to hide the spasms. There wasn't much to report to Albus, so he would answer any questions the Headmaster had tomorrow.

Hermione watched with a careful eye as the aurors cuffed the animagus. There was more than one of them checking to make sure they were in place, while leaving the ropes on his person. If it was anyone else the witch might have thought it was a bit excessive detainment, however she couldn't help herself for wishing they were able to do something more.

They had revived him and she couldn't help but glare venomously at the fat wizard.

"He's an animagus," she said loud enough for the aurors to hear her.

This caused for them to quickly replace the magical cuffs with a different set that had runes engraved in them. She watched as they read him his rights, as he whimpers and tossed his head back and forth looking for a sympathetic face.

"Where is his wand?" the young witch asked.

"It was found, broken along with his finger, 13 years ago," another auror answered.

"He's been using this one," Hermione said, as she held up a wand that felt sluggish in her hand. Her magic obviously didn't like it, it had been corrupted too much by the dark magic. She knew that normally dark magic tempted a witch or wizard, in this case however it simply felt as dirty as people talked about it.

"I'll have to take that for evidence," a dark auror said.

Hermione looked at the wizard, checking his badge before silently handing it over.

"Thank you, Miss. Hopefully we'll be able to settle this mess soon," he said, trying to reassure her.

His voice was deep and reminded her of smooth chocolate, however it didn't have the velvet quality that her potions professor did. She merely nodded, hoping that would be enough of a response for the auror. He nodded in turn and continued to go about his job.

Now that they had his wand and him in proper suspension, Hermione got up and started to make her way to the Hospital Wing. Before she entered the castle however she made a beeline to look for her… family. She found them fretting in the same place in the stands that was reserved for family along with the Weasleys.

"Hermione! Oh my goodness, what happened!?" Petunia shouted as she saw her niece.

"A lot has happened, Aunt Petunia…" Hermione sighed.

"Where were you, dear!? You practically missed the whole thing and then you just showed up on top of Cedric no less!" Missus Weasley shouted.

"I was bringing them back, Missus Weasley," she shot back, in no mood to deal with the redheaded woman.

"Bringing them back? Where ever from!? How did you get there!?" she continued to yell and fuss at the younger witch, "Why didn't you inform an adult!?"

Hermione's face twisted into a mutinous expression as she decided to answer one of the rapid fire questions, "They would have been too late."

"Aunt Petunia, they took Harry to the Hospital Wing. I'm going to go, would you like to come with?" She asked her family, giving Missus Weasley the cold shoulder.

Petunia was pale but nodded, grateful that her nephew was alive, if injured. She grabbed her son's shoulders as Vernon placed a hand on one of hers.

The family followed the petite witch, keeping to each other closely. With all the excitement, they realized that the magical people were just as clueless as normal people when it came to most things. They were just… people. It was a startling revelation for them. Their stomachs had filled with lead when they saw that boy show up looking like death, and were relived, if barely, that he was still alive. From what they could tell it was a close call, and they had nearly witnessed it.

Whoever decided the TriWizard Tournament was a good idea was bloody mental.