Chapter 41

It was the night of the 3rd and final task.

Currently the champions stood outside of the entrance of the Quidditch pitch which had been transformed into a huge maze. The judges were sat at the high table whilst the champions' families were sat in the special VIP area, and the rest of the spectators were sat in the normal spectating area.

Floating above the maze were 4 giant mirrors that were arranged 2 by 2, each one currently showing the face of a particular champion. The mirrors had been designed by a company owned by Potters and would show each champion's progress. Hovering behind each champion was a smaller version of the giant mirrors that would follow them around, charmed invisible of course so the champions wouldn't be distracted by them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! In first place, with eighty-nine points — Mr. Hadrian Potter of Potter Family!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty-seven points- Mr. Thomas Potter of the Ashwood Family!" There was similar applause to this as well, though slightly less due to the fact the Gryffindors hadn't joined in.

"In third place with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause.

"And in fourth place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!" There was a smattering of polite applause from the Beauxbaxtons students.

"So . . . on my whistle, Thomas!" said Bagman. "Three — two — one —"

Bagman gave a short blast from his wand and the task had begun! Thomas Went into the maze first and then Harry followed him a minute or two afterwards. The maze was horribly lit but a jar of levitating bluebell flames quickly fixed, even if they only allowed Harry to see for a couple of metres ahead of him.

Suddenly, Harry felt something akin to a snake wrap itself around his leg. He looked to see a large bush of vines that had come out of the maze wall ferociously attacking his right leg, slowly pulling him down to the ground. He swished his wand and sent a cutting curse and some of the vines snapped, and a few more cutting curses later his legs were free and he could continue on.

A scream to Harry's left penetrated the cold air and Harry identified it as Thomas. He rushed forward into the maze furiously slashing everything that came into his path with a wide variety of hexes, and took the very first left he could. He emerged into a clearing where Thomaswas faced off against Lord Voldemort, seemingly back from the dead.

"Riddikulus!" cried Harry and the boggart turned into Voldemort dressed in the clothes of a 3 year old girl, and the crowd roared with laughter at that. "It was just a boggart," Harry consoled Thomas.

Thomas nodded shakily, still surprised at how easily he'd been rooted to the spot. "So now what?" he asked.

"We'll have to go forward and take the first right," replied Harry. "Then it's a matter of finding our way the best we can. It's not an amazing strategy, but it'll do."

"Why can't we just climb the walls?" asked Thomas as they began running into the maze.

Harry stopped suddenly and Thomas almost ran into him. "Thomas," he said, amazed. "You're a fucking genius."

"No need to thank me," retorted Thomas good-naturedly before taking on a more serious expression. "How are we gonna get up there though?" he asked.

"I'll levitate us both," answered Harry, swishing his wand. Harry and Thomas Felt a light tingling sensation around their body and they slowly travelled up through the air, and Harry flicked his wand to send them forward and they stepped on top of the walls of the maze.

"The 2 Potter brothers have climbed onto the maze!" shouted Ludo Bagman back outside the maze, doing his ever-running commentary. "Now will any other champions think of that?"

"Be careful," said Harry meanwhile. "Some parts of the walls are alive."

"Like that?" asked Thomas Pointing to the vine that had curled up around Harry's unsuspecting leg.

"Exactly like that," nodded Harry, pulling his foot away and snapping the vine in the process. "So stay focused."

"What?" asked Thomas, smiling. "Like you did?"

"That was a test," said Harry, waving his hand flippantly. "Now let's go on."

After about 10 minutes of travelling across the wall, they reached a point where they couldn't go any further. The Cup was protected by an extremely large acromantula, and it currently housed the cup between its legs. "Great," grumbled Thomas. "What are we gonna do here?"

"Looks like we're gonna have to face the spider head on," said Harry jumping from the wall, rolling onto the ground to break his fall and getting up right in front of the spider. Thomas Joins him a few seconds later and the 2 brothers face the spider head on, and wands out. "Ready?" Harry asked and Thomasnodded.

"Bombarda!" they shouted together and the two identical spells flew towards the snarling spider, but bounced off its skin into the nearby wall.

"Shit," gasped Thomasas the spider charged them.

"Go left when I tell you to," said Harry as the spider approached, and just as it was about to hit them, Harry shouted, "LEFT!" and Thomas rolled to his left, and Harry to his right and the spider crashed into the wall of vines in front of it. Harry rolled to his feet as the spider recovered and sent a string of cutting curses and stunners at the spider, with varied results.

The spider staggered slightly and the skin parted in a couple of places to allow blood to drip out but it was largely unfazed. It charged them again and Harry wandlessly pushed Thomasout of the way but was unable to do the same to himself; one of the spider's legs caught Harry and he was sent flying into a bush. The spider turned onto Thomas And licked its teeth in anticipation, but before it could do anything it had curled up onto the floor and was writhing in pain.

Harry was behind the spider, a bright yellow beam connecting his wand to the spider's body. There was a cut down the side of his face and his ankle was bent at an unnatural angle but most horrifying were his eyes. The usually innocent and slightly mischievous eyes were narrowed now and Thomascould see a raging fire contained in them, and he realised with a shock that Harry was enjoying this.

"Harry!" he shouted. "It's enough! Stop! Just stop!" His shouts eventually caught Harry's attention and the Slytherin's eyes widened in fear at what he was doing and he lowered his wand. "Are you okay?" asked Thomas, rushing to his side and giving him his body to lean on, choosing not to mention what he had just seen.

"Yeah," muttered Harry breathlessly. "I'll be fine- my ankle's a little busted but other than that I'm good."

"Good," agreed Thomas. "What do you want to do about the spider?"

"Kill it," said Harry simply. "It nearly killed me so there's no way I'm leaving it alive to try to finish the job."

"My thoughts exactly," nodded Thomas, muttering one of the spells his Grandfather had taught him and swishing his wand. A dark red beam hit the spider and removed the head from the body quite cleanly, and the brothers turned towards the cup.

"So what now?" asked Harry.

"You take the cup," smiled Thomas. "You're the one that saved my ass like 5 times today."

"You're my brother Thomas- I'm taking the cup with you."

"What? Can we-"

"It's not against the rules or anything, and it'll still count as our family's victory," shrugged Harry.

"Really?" asked Thomas and Harry nodded once before Thomaspulled him into a hug.

"Ow! Ow!" complained Harry, gently moving his ankle.

"Sorry," said Thomas apologetically. "You're the best brother I could have asked for, you know that?"

"I know," smiled Harry. "So, on three?"

"One-" began Thomas.

"Two-" said Harry.

"Three!" they said together grasping one handle of the trophy each.

"What's going on?" shouted Charlus angrily as he saw his grandchildren disappear.

"Where are they?" demanded James.

"Harry!" screamed Lily and Dorea in anguish. "Thomas!"

"Wait!" shouted Sirius as the mirrors following the champions that had been temporarily silenced began to play. "Look!" The mirrors focused on showing the 2 boys tied to an intricate grave.

"Where are they?" asked James worriedly.

"It's not good," replied Dumbledore worried for the first time that day. He had an inkling as to what was going to happen and he was not liking it one bit. "I know where they are."

"Well!" shouted Remus. "Send the aurors there!"

"Cornelius," nodded Dumbledore and the fat man sprang to his feet in a hurry, knowing this wasn't the time to protest. "Send the aurors to Little Hangleton Graveyard, and pray they arrive there in time."

"We're ex-aurors, and we're going there as well," said Sirius, James and Remus standing up

"Stop, there, three of you. You are not going anywhere you will stay here Potters army will reach there any moment" Charlus told them sternly at which all of them nodded and just sat there and started watching the mirror hoping for nothing bad to happen

Thomas's head rolled forwards and he slowly opened his eyes, coming to see the graveyard in front of him. He was tied to an intricate Muggle grave with the words Tom Riddle carved at his feet, Harry beside him. His brother was the worse out of the two, still unconscious with a cut down the side of his head.

There was a short, stout man he recognised as Wormtail holding a bundle of robes with one hand and stirring a large stone cauldron with another. He briefly remembered a tugging sensation at his navel, and then his feet landing on solid ground followed by 2 flashes of bright red. And then he'd woken up, tied to a grave.

"Harry!" whispered Thomas furiously, nudging his brother with his foot as discreetly as he could after he'd tried to get out. Perhaps his brother's knowledge of wandless magic could help them. "Wake up!" But Harry didn't wake and the icy tendrils of fear creeped further into Thomas's heart.

Wormtail turned towards Thomas who instantly killed his head back and snapped his eyes shut in fear of being caught. The rat-like man's eyes passed over Thomas and onto Harry, whom he noted happily was still knocked out. He unfurled the bundle of robes to reveal a baby-like shape, but instead of being adorable the creature was slimy grey with scaly skin, red eyes and a permanent scowl etched across its face. Wormtail gently hung the robes on the end of another nearby grave and dropped the creature into the cauldron and Thomas heard it hit the bottom with a dull thunk.

"Let it drown," thought Thomas urgently. "Please for the love of Merlin let it drown."

But it appeared his wishes were for nought as nothing spectacular happened and Wormtail turned to Thomas, who instantly snapped his eyes shut again.

Wormtail was speaking, his voice shaking; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night. "Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!" The surface of the grave at Thomas's feet cracked. Horrified, Thomas watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron.

The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue. And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs.

"Flesh — of the servant — w-willingly given — you will — revive — your master." He stretched his right hand out in front of him — the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward.

Thomas almost looked away but he forced himself to, in case it would be needed in the future and Wormtail's hand came apart from his wrist. It dropped into the cauldron with a dull thunk and the potion turned a burning red.

Wormtail clenched his teeth, Thomas happy that the traitor was suffering, and brought himself face to face with Harry, slapping the Slytherin across the face with his uninjured hand.

"B-blood of the enemy . . . forcibly taken . . . you will . . . resurrect your foe." The dagger in Wormtail's hand slashed across Harry's arm who was still unconscious and Wormtail flicked the blood into the cauldron, which turned a blinding white.

Mist surged from the cauldron and Harry and Thomas looked each other in the eyes, both desperately hoping that it had gone wrong, but a high cold voice penetrated the air. "Robe me," said the voice softly and Wormtail complied, and a thin figure with pale skin and red eyes stepped from the shadows, staring at the 2 brothers. Lord Voldemort had risen once again.

"Dumbledore," said Lily, shaking slightly. "What is going on?"

"He's back," said Dumbledore. He knew it would happen one day, but he hadn't realised it would have been on the day of the 3rd task- he should have known this. "Voldemort's back."

"My lord," gasped Wormtail, falling to his knees and holding out the stump of his hand.

"Your hand," said Voldemort softly, and Wormtail extended the bloodied limb. "Your other hand, Wormtail," he chided, kneeling down and grabbing Wormtail's left arm. He pulled back the sleeve and examined the dark mark that writhed on the rat's forearm, and pressed a long, pale finger to it and the mark turned to ash black and Wormtail screamed in pain.

"They must have all felt it by now," said Voldemort getting up. "They'll come crawling back, at least some of them. How many will be brave enough not to return?" laughed Voldemort gazing up at the night sky. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay?"

The air was suddenly full of swishing clothes and several figures in black robes and a white bone mask appeared, instantly falling to their knees before their Lord. One death eater approached hesitantly, kissing the hem of Voldemort's robes and the rest followed suit and then formed a circle, though with a few gaps.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years . . . thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday. . . . We are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?" He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening. "I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench of guilt upon the air." A second shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did not dare, to step back from him.

"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact — such prompt appearances! — and I ask myself . . . why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?" No one spoke. No one moved except Wormtail, who was on the ground, still sobbing over his bleeding arm. "And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment. . . . The Malfoys will pay with their deaths for betraying me"

"And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proof of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living? And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort . . . perhaps they now pay allegiance to another . . . perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them."It is a disappointment to me . . . I confess I'm disappointed. . . ."

One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet."Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand. "Crucio!" The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked. Voldemort raised his wand again. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I will not forget. Thirteen long years . . . I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you not, Wormtail?" He looked down at Wormtail, who continued to sob. "You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, Master," moaned Wormtail, "please, Master . . . please . . ."

"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching Wormtail sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me . . . and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers. . . ."

Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A streak of what looked like molten silver hung shining in the wand's wake. Momentarily shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human hand, bright as moonlight, which soared downward and fixed itself upon Wormtail's bleeding wrist.

Wormtail's gasping instantly stopped and he examined his new hand. "Thank you master," he gasped. "It is far better than what I deserve."

"That we can agree," snarled Voldemort, turning away from Wormtail. "Now, I could spend the precious time we have lamenting about our brothers and sisters locked in Azkaban, but I should introduce you to a special someone that has joined us for my resurrection. It wouldn't be far-fetched to call him my guest of honour."

"Who is this person, my lord?" asked the voice of a death-eater Harry couldn't identify.

"Why Harry Potter or now known as Hadrian Potter of course," smiled Voldemort gesturing towards the 2 boys that had been tied up, the gags from their mouths removed with a flick of Voldemort's hand. "The boy-who-lived."

"What?" asked Lily, very confused. "Thomas is the boy-who-lived, isn't he?"

"He is," nodded Dumbledore.

"Then why-"

"I don't know Lily," placated Dumbledore, hoping he hadn't made a grave error. "We can only wait and see."

"My sons are face to face with Voldemort right now!" Lily shouted.

"I don't want to wait and see! Tell John to hurry up Charlus!" Dorea yelled

"They have reached there but the wards are powerful if they forcibly remove the wards it will explode and cause a lot of destruction but our best warders are there working it out" Charlus told her he tried to appear as cool as possible but he was tensed no he was fucking insanely worried, His grandsons were facing Voldemort no doubt Voldemort was weakest of all dark lords but his grandsons were not taught enough to fight the man or whatever they were standing against today.

Review please.