Disclaimer: All character and the world in this story belongs to JK Rowling. I own nothing.

A/N: As things stand, there would be three more chapters before we move away from this school year. This chapter would be about the graveyard and it will contain a major change from the original series. If you think that the ritual is too graphic for T rating, please let me know; I am unsure if this needs to be rated M. The writing might be too similar to that of the original book but it was necessary. I hate long monologues but Voldemort's monologue is kind of a necessity which can't be ignored. I tried to keep it small but it's still too long for my liking and I can't help it.

I want to mention it before we go any further, I like being reviewed and appreciation as well as criticism is an essential part of growing as a writer. I just want to point out that when your reviews contain some problem with the storyline or portrayal of a character, it would be better if you logged in and reviewed so I would be able to explain my thoughts behind something in a one-on-one setting and we could discuss it in more detail.

When I receive a harsh and acid review from a guest reader, I am helpless to convey my thoughts directly to him and I would hope that he/she gives me that chance to tell my side.

Sorry for the long note, this and the previous one. Please Review.

Chapter Sixteen: Rebirths and Reunions

Hermione was worried and the worry was not leaving her anytime soon. Krum and Zoe were brought out of the maze in an unconscious state a few minutes ago and every minute that passed made her even more worried. It was nearing eight o'clock and the sky had turned dark but there was no sign of Harry. Cedric and Harry were the only champions still in the maze, everyone else was rescued from it and they were unconscious. The champions outside were in the locker rooms where they were treated for their injuries, if any.

Her elbows rested on her knees while her palms covered her face, her worried gaze was fixed on the maze entrance. 'Please be okay', she was chanting it internally as a mantra, hoping that it would be so if she believed so. Ron had his hand on her shoulder in a gesture of support and reassurance that he is fine. Remus had a small smile on his face which did not waver; for Hermione, his gentle gaze was comforting in a way. Snuffles sat in front of her, actually in between her legs; his head resting on her thigh, his tail waggling impatiently, it seemed he was as worried for Harry as Hermione was. Bill had a blank face but his eyes looked dark with worry, he was drumming the bench in a sign of impatience. Molly was continuously talking to Ron about one thing or other, it wasn't that she was not worried about Harry but she had a distraction readily available to her. Ron looked a bit annoyed due to the excess attention he was getting from his mother.

Since the last champion had entered the maze, audience were free to move about and students were enjoying the freedom. People used this freedom to collect their bets or discussed the progress of the task and the present situation. As nobody knew exactly what was happening inside the maze, not unlike the second task, this whole task was very boring for them. The only things they have noticed during this task were the couple of jets of red light which were a way to communicate that they wanted to be withdrawn.

Susan, Hannah and Neville had approached the two Gryffindors and spoken for a few minutes. The Hufflepuff girls tried to reassure Hermione that Harry would be alright. Neville wasn't that confident in his attempt and it came out more like a question which didn't help at all. Susan had taken a liking for the shaggy down sitting in front of Hermione and it seemed that the dog enjoyed the attention he was getting.

Even if everyone outside the maze were speculating about the action happening inside the maze, none was any closer in guessing that the real action was happening a few hundred miles away.

-0X0-0X0-0X0-

Harry's head was buzzing, it felt like he was hit on his head with a bludger, his scar was burning as if someone place an ember there. His eyelids felt heavy and as he slowly opened his eyes, his vison was foggy. He tried to move his eyes to take a look at his surroundings.

It was dark and he could not see anything clearly, he was still in the graveyard, that much was clear. He tried to move his hand but was unable, he tilted his head to find that he was tied to a big rock, most probably a gravestone. The only body part he could move was his neck but that movement was of not much use as the gravestone had blocked his view.

There was a clearing just in front of Harry where a huge cauldron was placed over a slow burning fire. The cauldron was big enough that a man could sit inside and bathe. The fire gave a sinister look to the setting. Harry raised his eyes a bit more and noticed that just opposite to him was a gravestone in the shape of a crucifix on which Cedric's body was hung, his clothes absent, his body covered in various marks. Wormtail was standing in front of the body with a dagger in his hand. It took Harry a minute to realize that Wormtail was carving runes in Cedric's body, blood was dripping down from those cuts. This whole thing made Harry nauseous but before Harry could act on that impulse, Wormtail started to chant some long incantation in a foreign language which Harry clearly didn't understand. Five minutes later, the runes glowed dark green for a moment than turned normal again.

Suddenly, Wormtail turned towards Harry and gave him a devilish smile that promised something much worse. He withdrew his wand and flicked it, the fire beneath the cauldron roared and Harry was blinded for a moment before his eyes acclimatised to the lighting. The whole scene than came into view with more clarity. Harry felt something slither past his legs and tilted his head, his blood ran cold when he saw the snake he had seen in his nightmares slither past him and coil near a bundle of clothes on the floor. Harry was silent through this; shock and fear had somehow turned his voice unable to function. The content inside the cauldron were now boiling, bubbling and vapours were rising along the smoke from the fire.

"Do it now, Wormtail." The raspy, hissing voice commanded.

Wormtail walked to his right and picked the bundle of clothes in which Voldemort was covered. He dropped the small body in the cauldron, the content turned grey, just like the body. The pain in Harry's scar suddenly flared up, way beyond his endurance. Harry thought that he was going to pass out but his mind was busy witnessing whatever that was going on.

"Soul of the master, bound to this world, deposited for resurrection."

Wormtail was saying as if it was a part of an incantation. Harry hoped that the body will be drowned in the cauldron, alas that wasn't going to happen. Wormtail then moved towards the gravestone where the small body of Voldemort was resting moments ago. He flicked his wand and the grave cracked open. Harry notice the name on the gravestone, 'Thomas Riddle'.

"Bone of father, unknowingly given, to renew the son!"

A bone which was already halfway through to turning to dust rose from the grave and fell in the cauldron. The contents of the vessel changed its colour to that of a bone. Harry noticed that Wormtail's hands were shaking and so was his voice; was it fear, Harry couldn't be sure, he was afraid beyond wits himself.

"Flesh given as tribute, by the servant, to revive the master."

He flicked his wand and to Harry's shock, Cedric's body floated towards the cauldron and fell in with a big splash. The moment it crossed the surface, the contents turned green, sparks shot out of it and a low hissing voice could be heard very clearly. Wormtail slowly but purposefully walked towards Harry and withdrew the dagger he was using to carve runes on Cedric's body. The blade was black, most certainly made of obsidian, it was sharp enough to cleave through dragonhide. He bent down and gripped Harry's left hand just above the wrist. He pressed the tip of the dagger in his hand, halfway down from his elbow, and instantly the tip penetrated through his dragonhide. He moved it down slowly along his hand, a deep cut followed and blood seeped through the cut. A few drops of blood slowly trickled towards the dagger's tip.

Wormtail moved away from Harry and stood a couple of feet away from the cauldron. His arm that held the dagger was outstretched over the cauldron, tip of the dagger pointing downwards.

"Blood of the enemy, forcefully taken, you will bring him back to life!"

And he dropped the obsidian knife in the cauldron, the contents turned blood red. The cauldron was simmering, sending red sparks in all directions.

But then, the fire beneath the cauldron suddenly extinguished, the simmering stopped, the sparks became non-existent. Wormtail slumped where he stood, his shoulders falling in defeat, Harry was sure that he heard a sob.

'Please let it be drowned', Harry was praying to every power in this world to drown it, to fail this ritual. It felt like his prayers were answered and he released a sigh of relief when nothing happened for a few seconds.

Everything was quiet.

But then the cauldron blasted, throwing everything around it back a few feet. The clearing was now filled with a grey smoke instead, the smoke was as dense as honey. Harry for a moment believed that it was gone but his thoughts were interrupted.

The dense smoke started to collapse towards its centre. A few seconds later, Harry could see the dark outline of a man, standing where the cauldron was, his back towards Harry. The terror within Harry surged beyond proportion.

"Robe me!" said the cold voice in a hissing tone. Wormtail slowly moved ahead with shaking legs and picked the robe in which the frail body was rolled before. He stepped behind his master and pulled them over his head, he quickly moved back few steps, all the while Harry could see his hands shaking. The man slowly turned towards Harry, his scarlet eyes fixed on Harry. Harry stared back in the eyes that had haunted his dreams for years. He saw the snake like face with two slits for a nose, the face he could not shake away from his mind.

Lord Voldemort had risen again.

-0X0-0X0-0X0-

Voldemort looked away from Harry to examine himself. He lifted his hands in front of his eyes, they were large with long fingers. His pale grey skin was covered in scales of obsidian. He touched his chest and moved his hands towards his face. There was no trace of hair on his body which was covered in scales. The nose was replaced by slits, his scarlet eyes had catlike pupils. He flexed his fingers, then his arms, he could feel the power within him. He could feel the blood and magic flowing through his body.

Harry was on the verge of losing his consciousness and sanity, his mind was now driven by fear, fear for his life. He looked at the man who murdered his parents, rise from the smoke. When he looked at his face he could feel a mixture of fear, hatred and loathing for the man, no 'monster', in front of him.

"My wand, Wormtail!"

The cold voice commanded, his hand outstretched towards his servant. Wormtail moved closer and drew a wand out of a deep pocket of his cloak. He held it in both of his hands in reverence before kneeling and bowing his head, he moved his hands ahead to offer it to his master. Voldemort gently picked up the wand and caressed it as if it was the face of his long-lost lover. He gently raised the wand and the perimeter of the clearing lit with fire, lighting the whole area.

He turned towards Wormtail who was in the kneeling position. He grabbed his left arm and jerked it towards him, this action dysbalanced Wormtail who almost fell on his master. Voldemort forced the sleeve above the elbow and stared at it. Harry saw a blood red coloured tattoo which looked very similar to the mark he had seen during quidditch world cup.

It was the Dark Mark.

Voldemort gave a mirthless laugh and kept staring at the mark. He then looked up at Harry and pressed the tip of his wand on the mark. A searing pain shot through the mark on Harry's head, blinding him momentarily. When Harry opened his eyes, he saw Wormtail passed out on the ground, magical exhaustion being the reason. Voldemort was unaware that his servant was unconscious as his next words were directed at him.

"Tell me Wormtail", he sneered, "how many would come to serve their master…." He looked up towards the sky filled with stars, "and how many would be foolish enough to stay back." He moved away from his spot and walked towards the cracked grave. He stared at the gravestone for a minute before he turned towards Harry. He had a cruel smile pasted on his face, his fanglike teeth bared for Harry to see. The giant snake moved towards Voldemort and slithered up his shoulder, its head resting on Voldemort's wand arm, he was gently stroking its head with the other hand.

"You see that gravestone, Harry Potter?" His hand pointed towards the gravestone that read 'Thomas Riddle'.

"That grave belongs to my father." The last two words came out as a curse as if they left a bad taste in his mouth. "He was a muggle, just like your dear mother. And just like her, he was useful. Your stupid mother died while trying to save you when you were a child. My father?" He chuckled.

"I killed my father when I was seventeen. I killed his whole family and my idiot uncle took the blame. And why wouldn't he, I altered his memory." He laughed, and before speaking anymore words, he turned towards the grave, repaired it with a flick. He flicked his wand once more but this time, the gravestone was blasted out of existence.

"Do you see that house on the hill?" Voldemort now stood on Harry's side, his eyes looking at the house in distance. "That was my father's family home." He again walked away from Harry towards the centre of the clearing.

"My mother lived in the village, she was a witch, from a long line of the descendants of the great Salazar Slytherin himself." To Harry's unbelieving eyes, Voldemort looked sad. "She married my muggle father who left her even before I was born. He abandoned my mother and returned to live with his parents. He hated magic."

"I envy you, Harry Potter. My mother died just after giving birth to me. I was left in a muggle orphanage, to be raised as muggle." His eyes were burning like embers, he was looking towards the sky. "I promised myself that I will find that filthy bastard who gave me his name and I will have my revenge."

He was looking at his toes, he looked pained. "Hah, living without a proper body had turned me in a sentimental fool who enjoys his melancholy." He turned his red eyes towards Harry, his face had a mocking smile. Harry understood that all those words were to mock him, his mother, her parentage and her death. It seemed he wanted to get a reaction out of Harry.

"Ah, so you realised I was mocking you. You are quick, Harry Potter. There is still hope for you." He had a smirk on his face. Harry was now even more afraid, Voldemort knew what he was thinking but how?

Voldemort started to laugh in earnest but it was still mirthless.

"I killed my family so I can have a new one." He turned his back towards Harry and opened his arms and then Harry heard the distinct pops of apparition. People in black robes and masks were walking cautiously towards their master. They halted and bowed on the edge of the clearing, just beyond the circle of fire.

For a moment they just stood there, not even a single muscle in their body was moving. Harry could see the disbelief in their eyes and he was certain that Voldemort could too. Then one by one, they crossed the circle and bowed to him before falling to their knees and touching his feet with their foreheads. They would then rise up and return to stand just on the edge of the ring of fire, forming a semicircle, the formation had a few empty spots. Voldemort stood in the centre, unmoving, his arms stretched outwards. Harry estimated that there were at the least thirty Death Eaters standing in the graveyard.

"Welcome, Death Eaters. It has been thirteen years…. Thirteen years since we last met but you stand in front of me as if it were yesterday." He turned his head slowly, from right to left, scanning the ring of his followers.

"You all stand here, healthy, intact, wearing prim and proper robes. I could still remember when you swore eternal loyalty to me and yet, here we are. So much for eternal loyalties." He snorted but nobody reacted, everything was deathly still and silent.

"My loyal servants who believed I was gone for good. They begged for forgiveness, pleaded ignorance, innocence even, to my enemies. They now pay allegiance to that champion of mudbloods and blood traitors, Albus Dumbledore."

A shiver of unease went through each one of the Death Eaters. Some shared hesitant and hurried glances, the others kept their eyes fixed to their toes, none trying to make eye contact with their master.

"Why, I ask myself, would they believe that I shall not rise again? How could they even entertain the thought that I was gone? They had known the step I had taken to guard myself against mortality, had seen proof of my power that was beyond any wizard alive."

"I, who had gone beyond anyone on the path leading to immortality, whose life's goal was to defeat death, was considered gone by his loyal followers. I feel thoroughly disappointed."

'Crucio', he pointed his wand at the unconscious figure of Wormtail on the ground who jerked awake with a painful scream. The screams stopped after a second, the fat guy was lying in a foetus position, panting.

"Mercy, my lord!" Wormtail cried, pleading for the action to not being repeated.

"Lord Voldemort is merciful, am I not?" He said, his eyes boring into Wormtail, his face had a menacing look.

"Yes, my lord." Wormtail answered with the best attempt at regaining his composure. He was still unable to pull himself up from the prone position.

One of the Death Eaters stepped ahead and kneeled, "forgive me, my lord!".

'Crucio' was the only answer he received for his cheek.

"Forgive you? You understood me, Avery. Lord Voldemort does not forgive and he does not forget. You have worth thirteen years of repayment to make. Each one of you does." A shiver ran down across the ring of Death Eaters who were shifting from one leg to the other in the anticipation of the Cruciatus Curse. But it didn't happen.

"I paid my debt." Wormtail said in a squeaky voice which was strained due to the recent scream he had suffered. He suddenly went silent under the intensity of his master's gaze.

"I would have punished you, Wormtail, but you helped me return to my body. Even if your actions were motivated by fear rather than loyalty, I expect your debt paid, at least a part of it. May your loyalty never waver again."

"Never, my lord." He answered while rising from his spot and stepping back towards the ring, occupying an empty spot.

Voldemort started walking along the ring of his supporters, standing in front of the empty spots for a moment, noticing the absence of his captured or fallen followers. As he walked past each of his followers, he commented something, something that would send anyone else cowering. He stood in front of the first person in the line of his followers.

"Lucius, my slippery friend. I have been told that you have behaved like a true Slytherin, taking on a mask for people to see while not abandoning old ways. I would have said that I am proud of you but you disappointed me the most. Spending your energy and resources muggle-torturing, you could have spent them searching for me, but no, you enjoyed your social gatherings more than your duties."

"My lord, I was waiting in the shadows, waiting for even the tiniest clue, faintest whisper of your whereabouts and I would have been the first by your side." He realized that it was the wrong thing to do but the realization came a few seconds and a Cruciatus curse later. Malfoy was on lying on the ground, clutching his knees to his chest.

"Clues were always there, my friend, just like the Mark during the quidditch world cup. You ran away like a rat when one of my faithful casted it in the sky." He chuckled at the shocked expression on Lucius face, eyes wide open. "Oh yes, I am aware of the incident."

"Have mercy, my lord." Lucius said with the best pleading tone he could muster which wasn't very difficult as he had just suffered from Cruciatus. Voldemort just walked ahead, without giving him a second glance, "I expect more faithful service in future".

"Ah, the Lestranges." He in front of an empty spot wide enough for three people just next to Malfoy. "They would have stood here but they are enchained in Azkaban, I hope you all are aware of it." He said with a mocking expression of curiosity.

"They will be rewarded when we break them out of Azkaban. They chose to remain faithful rather than renounce their ways. Their loyalty will be rewarded beyond their dreams, indeed."

"Nott, Crabbe, Goyle. I hope you understand the next time your loyalties waver will be your last time." He said as he stepped in front of the next in the line. In unison, they answered in affirmative.

"Macnair, I was told you are still destroying dangerous beasts, but do not worry, Lord Voldemort will provide with better victims for you to slay."

"Thank you, my lord."

He then halted in front of an empty spot that was quite wide, "and here we have seven of my followers, missing. Two arrested, two dead and three absentees. Dolohov and Mulciber Jr. lying in Azkaban, Rosier and Mulciber Sr. dead."

He sighed deeply before continuing with his monologue, "One of them, who betrayed me and left forever, would most certainly be killed. One who is too afraid to return, he will surely be punished for his absence. And the one who was ever faithful, who had already re-entered my service and remains at Hogwarts. It was his effort that got Harry Potter to visit us." And he turned to face Harry now, the devilish smile present on his face.

"Harry Potter, the well-known celebrity of last decade, The-Boy-Who-Lived, what a pathetic name to give someone. Please welcome the guest of honour to my rebirthing party." There were a few snickers from the Death Eaters standing around. Voldemort stepped closer to Harry and with each step he took, the pain in Harry's scar shot up one more level. Voldemort was standing not even a foot away from Harry, the were eye level as Harry stood on the elevated gravestone.

"You know what happened that night, in that blasted house in Godric's Hallow. Your weak mother stood in front of you and got herself killed while protecting you." His eyes flicked to Harry's scar while Harry's eyes flicked to the snake still hanging from his shoulder, it's tongue flicking around. "It was an old magic that I could not foresee. Her death gave you a protection that I misunderstood and foolishly overlooked. I could not touch you. But no matter, I have circumvented the complication now. Now, I can touch you."

He raised his scaled grey finger and touched Harry on his scar. Harry felt like a volcano exploded from his scar, a burning and painful sensation went through his body. Just before he was about to pass out, the pain receded, Voldemort removed his finger. Voldemort took a couple of steps back but his eyes didn't leave Harry for a moment.

"I miscalculated in my arrogance, I admit it, the unwitting protection his mother left, it deflected my curse which rebounded on myself. And left him with nothing but a scar." He turned to face his followers now, the snake slowly slid down from his shoulders.

"The curse should have killed me, it was the test of my experiments to achieve immortality and it appears that one of my experiments must have been successful as I wasn't killed and here I stand, in front of you in flesh."

"But I suffered, a pain beyond imagination, nothing could have prepared me for that experience. My soul was ripped off from my body, I was less than a spirit, a ghost even. I was a powerless creature, weakest there ever was, but I was still alive."

"I was unable to return, without the means to help myself, without a body. But I sustained, in a faraway forest, waiting for one of my followers to come in search of me but I waited in vain. The only power I had then was to possess another's body, rats and snakes were the usual victims, preferably snakes. Everything fell in place when four years ago I came across a wizard who was a professor at Hogwarts, he was very gullible and I was able to possess him. My plan to return to a body fell apart when I was unable to steal the sorcerer's stone."

The Death Eaters standing around were spellbound with his words, no one moved a single muscle, everything around him was quiet, no sound except his voice. He looked at each one of them, one by one, to see their reactions, their response.

"I lost the body and return to my hiding spot in the forest. I was afraid that I had lost my best shot at returning to a body. It was the darkest time in my life, if it can be called that, but then Wormtail returned, not even a year ago. His affinity to rats helped in his search of me. Rats told him the spot in forest they avoided, where a dark spirit resides. And was able to find me."

"For a wizard, he was too weak but he was useful enough. Spells of my own creation helped me to gain a temporary body and tonight a dark ritual provided me the body. I could have done it earlier but I was short of one ingredient, the most important of all. I needed Harry Potter's blood, to gain the lingering protection his mother left him with."

"But how to get him? That was the only complication in my plan. He himself might be unaware of this but when his care fell in Dumbledore's hands, he invoked an ancient warding magic which was powered by his mother's protection that flows in his blood. When he was placed in the care of his blood relatives, the protection Dumbledore placed on him became active, I couldn't go anywhere near him when he lived with his relatives."

"But then fate helped Lord Voldemort and Wormtail came stumbled upon Bertha Jorkins, a ministry employee. She was a goldmine of information, all that was needed were the right tools of persuasion. She told me about the tournament, she told me about the Death Eater that would be right for this. Then came the quidditch world cup, I was weak then to kidnap him from under the nose of the ministry. But no matter, all that was required was for a portkey to get Harry Potter to me."

"Doing it under the nose of the muggle-loving fool was the challenge but my plan succeeded and here I am, standing tall, in flesh. Now, no one would challenge the power of Lord Voldemort. No one would stand between me and immortality." He turned to look Harry in the eye, Harry would have flinched but the intensity of his gaze made it impossible. He flicked his wand and the next moment, Harry was lying flat on the ground, his body numb and his feet shaky.

'Crucio', even before the words left Voldemort's lips, Harry felt excruciating pain of the order that could drive someone insane, he felt as if every inch of his skin and flesh was speared by burning knifes. Harry was going to black out due to pain but then the pain was gone, only then he realized that he was screaming. He was panting, his body was convulsing, he was feeling exhausted.

"I do not want anyone to accuse Lord Voldemort of taking advantage of his disarmed state. Wormtail, give him his wand." He took a few steps to put some distance between the two and waited for Wormtail to throw the wand to Harry. Harry hurriedly pick the wand and tried to stand up but his injured leg bad it extremely difficult, he collapsed and he could hear the laughter of the present Death Eaters.

He squared his shoulders, he would not show weakness to these bastards, he decided. He stood up, ignoring the pain from the leg. He faced the murderer of his parents and stared in his eyes, he could see the hatred there, hatred for him. He knew that he did not have much longer.

"They would have taught you this in the school, haven't they? It's tradition to bow to each other first." Voldemort said in a mocking tone and gave a half bow. When Harry hesitated to even move his eyes, he said in a mockingly tone of a teacher, "Harry, Dumbledore would be disappointed to not follow the tradition. 'Imperio'."

Suddenly a feeling of content and cheerfulness washed over Harry, he knew what it was, he had experienced it before. Then he heard the voice he hated the most but could not hate it at the moment, the voice of Voldemort. It was telling him, ordering him, commanding him to bow. But why, why would Harry bow to him, to the man who killed his parents in cold blood. But his body was refusing to obey him and was about to bow. He jerked his mind internally to wake up. He was shouting 'No' continuously in his mind and then he heard that word come out of his mouth but the next moment, his nose hit the ground, blood started to flow out of his nose, down to his lips, he could taste the metallic taste of blood, his blood.

He pulled himself up, only to see the blood red eyes of Voldemort staring at him, intent to murder him was clear as day. Before Voldemort could utter the next words, Harry jumped behind the nearest gravestone in an attempt to shield himself from the inevitable end. That piece of stone was the only thing standing between him and the merry band of Death Eaters and their leader.

A spell hit the corner of the gravestone, blasting the stone and sent the debris flying in all directions. A few pieces hit Harry on the side of his face and he could feel the blood slowly trickling down from his new wounds and scratches.

"Step out from behind that stone, face me like a man, like your father, so that I can see the light leave your eyes." The voice of his mortal enemy, the bane of his life. There was nothing else to do than face him, but he won't go down easily, at least not as a coward, hiding behind stone. He gathered the remnant of his courage and stood up to walk towards his certain death, his final steps. The only emotion on his face was of determination, his eyes were filled with the look of surrender that only comes with the acceptance of the inevitable.

"As you wish." He stood tall, facing the band of blood thirsty Death Eaters and their master. He could feel his end reaching, his survival instincts took over.

'Expelliarmus!'

'Avada Kedavra!'

A jet of red light shot out of Harry's wand and collided in the middle with the green jet that shot from Voldemort's wand. He could feel the power, the heat coming out of his wand, he could feel the magic draining out of him. The point where their spells collided had turned into a ball of light connecting both the wands with a cord made of pure magic. The ball of light was pulsing and Harry could feel the pulse on his wand which had started to shake. He was now afraid that he would drop the wand. He gripped it tightly with both of his hands and willed his magic to pour out of him.

The ball of light started to slowly move closer to Voldemort and he reacted immediately, pushing more magic into his spell. It seemed that the movement halted but it merely slowed down. The ball was growing, expanding out, enveloping more space with each passing moment.

"Stay out of it, he is mine to kill." Voldemort shouted when one of his followers tried to step ahead.

In a few seconds, Harry and Voldemort were inside a dome of light, a barrier that separated them from the Death Eaters. The epicentre of the dome was now shifting closer to Voldemort, his wand started to shake as it neared its tip.

Suddenly a light shot through Voldemort's wand when the point of connection touched the tip of his wand. A smoke started to rise in front of him from the light that came out of Voldemort's wand, the smoke transformed to human figures.

Harry's eyes widened even more when he saw the figures. There was Cedric, the old muggle he had seen dying in his dreams, then came Bertha Jorkins. Harry's heart broke when he saw his parents' figure rise in front of his eyes, what he would not give to meet them once, see them, talk to them. He would not have to wait too long now for that. What a gruesome way for his wish to get fulfilled. His mother spoke, the voice sounded as if coming from a faraway place.

"Harry break the connection." Harry was just staring at her, he did not want to leave, he wanted to stretch this meeting with his parents. Then his father's words reached him, "We can't stop him for long, you have to be quick my son. You are brave and we are proud of you but you need to leave."

All Harry could do now was to nod his head in acceptance but before he could break the connection, his eyes drifted towards the form of Cedric. Tears prickled his eyes, it was his fault, he agreed to take the cup with him, he was killed because he was with Harry. "I'm sorry, Cedric." The words left his lips before he could think.

"Tell my parents Harry that I did not die a coward, I died looking death in the eye, I died like a brave man." All Harry could do was nod. He then turned towards the figures of his parents.

"Let it go, my son." They were saying and Harry did just that. He pulled back his wand and suddenly the figures sped towards Voldemort, giving Harry precious moments to run to the cup but his injured leg wasn't allowing him to move quickly.

'Accio Trophy', the eternal glory came zooming towards him. At his touch, he felt a pull behind his navel and the surrounding started to swirl around him, his feet left the ground. A moment later, he was deposited on the ground, it was dry, grassy but dry. He looked up, his vision blurry but he could make out the form sprinting towards him and leaning over. The silver beard was hard to miss, it was Dumbledore.

"He is back! Voldemort is back!"

A/N: Please review. I will finish book one before May is over.