Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 57 – The Parting of the Ways
"NO!" Harry screamed, seeing the green light of the killing curse rush towards his friends. Luckily, though, they were more prepared than Harry was, and Cedric, who would have been hit by the curse, jumped aside. Unluckily for Wormtail there were two others and either he hadn't thought to cast three spells in quick succession, or he wasn't strong enough to do so. Either way, Wormtail fell very quickly to the stunners Viktor and Fleur sent his way. The skeletal thing Wormtail had been holding fell with him, making a pitiful whining sound when it hit the ground. With the immediate threat gone Harry checked on Cedric who seemed completely unharmed, much to his delight. The two regrouped with Viktor and Fleur, and together they approached Wormtail, though it wasn't the escaped Death Eater who held their attention.
"What is it?" Cedric asked, staring in disgust at the tiny lifeform – for that was the only word to describe it, it certainly wasn't human – that was crawling slowly towards Wormtail's wand.
"I think it's Voldemort." Harry said as he summoned Wormtail's wand, not wanting to let it get into the dark lord's hands, for even in his current pitiful state he could no doubt perform strong magic that they didn't want to have to go up against.
"What?!" Cedric and Viktor were both shocked, though of course Fleur already knew, having been inducted into the inner circle, so to speak, given her relationship with Bill.
"He's not dead. Not really. Everything Crouch Jr. said about him trying to return is true. He must have gotten a rudimentary body back. This is the result."
"How can you be sure it is him?" Viktor asked. Harry let out a hiss that they knew from his conversations with Silas to be Parseltongue. A hiss was heard in response and given it hadn't come from any of them they knew it must have come from the thing in front of them.
"If I had any doubts before I don't anymore." Said Harry. "I won't translate what he said, it wasn't very kind."
"So…so what do we do?" Cedric asked, sounding entirely unsure, something that Harry wasn't used to hearing from the older boy.
"We'll take Wormtail back with us. I'm not letting the man who betrayed my parents get away when we have him."
"And You-Know-Who?" Asked Viktor. "Surely we don't just leave him free."
"We have to warn people too. The world needs to know that You-Know-Who isn't dead." Cedric agreed. Harry allowed himself a moment of happiness that neither of the other boys even questioned whether or not he was right, they simply took him at his word. When the moment passed, though, he took charge as he knew he must.
"No one will believe us. Cornelius certainly won't. There's no point even trying."
"But we have proof!" Argued Cedric, pointing to the thing that was Voldemort.
"What we have is a thing that is not human, barely even alive, and is no doubt created by dark magic. Even if we brought it back, and if Voldemort didn't just abandon it and leave us with just its corpse, Cornelius would see it merely as a deranged Death Eater's attempt at raising the dead and would probably use it as proof that he's right. It can't really be said that this…thing is actually alive, and with the amount of dark magic holding it together Cornelius will take this as proof that any attempt at bringing Voldemort back from the dead will be met with the same result, meaning he can't actually return." Cedric, and even Viktor, clearly wanted to argue, but after thinking on it for a moment they realized they couldn't. They had both seen the Minister's reaction to the claim that Voldemort wasn't dead and neither could doubt that Cornelius would go to the ends of the earth denying the possibility. There was also no way to prove that this thing was Voldemort. Even if Harry spoke to it in Parseltongue and it replied no one else could understand them and it would be easy enough to claim that any hissing coming from this thing was just a sound it was making.
"So what do we do?" Asked Viktor.
"We burn eet." Said Fleur. "Whatever zat potion is, I believe eet is for 'im. So we let 'im 'ave eet." With a wave of her wand the pitiful creature was levitated to the cauldron and dropped inside.
"You knew?" Cedric asked and Fleur simply nodded. She then cast a spell at the fire simmering underneath, causing it to flare up and ingulf the whole cauldron. No sound was heard as the fire boiled the potion; if the creature could feel pain it didn't let them know it. Fleur put more power into the spell and the fire grew hotter. The quartet stood and watched as most of the potion was boiled away, the liquid turning into steam, before the cauldron itself began to melt. Any remaining liquid spilled onto the ground, soaking into the grass, and Fleur finally released her spell, and the fire went out. They stepped forward, looking for any sign of the creature's remains but found none. Whatever organic material it was made of, the fire had taken care of it.
"There wasn't any spirit." Harry murmured.
"What?"
"The last time something Voldemort was possessing was destroyed he appeared in a sort of spiritual form before taking off." Harry remembered back to the incident with Quirrell his first year.
"Does zat mean anyzing?" Fleur asked. "Zat zer wasn't any spirit, I mean."
"I don't know." Harry replied truthfully before turning back to Wormtail and casting a full body-bind, not trusting him to remain stunned.
"When we get back we'll say that Wormtail was waiting for us here and was ranting and raving about how he was going to bring Voldemort back. He didn't expect all of us, though, and we managed to stun him and get away." Harry explained. "It's mostly the truth, at any rate, and since Crouch Jr. was saying the same thing, and we already knew he was working with Wormtail, Cornelius will accept it easily. He'll think it's over, though, with both Crouch Jr. and Wormtail caught, and though we know differently we don't say anything about Voldemort actually being here." The other three nodded.
"I want a full explanation, though, Harry." Said Cedric. Harry went to argue but the look in the other man's eyes stopped him. "When whatever play acting we do is over, you will explain everything and then include me in your plans moving forwards. I'm sure others are already helping you, but one more can't hurt. I want to help. Besides, this is too important not to help. If You-Know-Who returns our entire world is at stake."
"Cedric is right." Said Viktor. "You vill include me as vell." Harry merely nodded. He still had reservations about included them, but at minimum he knew they wouldn't go blowing their mouths off, so anything else could be dealt with later. Grabbing on to each other, with Harry holding on to Wormtail, Viktor summoned the Triwizard Cup from where it lay and the four grasped it as one. The portkey re-activated, taking them back to the place they came from. The small clearing that held the pedestal the cup had stood on wasn't empty as it had been when they'd left, though. At least two dozen people milled about, and huddled in a group with a few other aurors and Ministry officials were Sirius, Madam Bones, Cornelius and Dumbledore. The sudden re-appearance of the Champions drew their attention and with a strangled cry Sirius broke from the group and practically tackled Harry in a hug.
"Are you alright? What happened? Are you hurt?" He asked, looking Harry over frantically.
"I'm fine, Sirius."
"Oh, well in that case…you are in so much trouble, Harry Potter,!" His godfather's worry quickly turned to anger. "I told you not to touch the cup and what do you do? You could have been killed! And taking these three with you-"
"I take no responsibility for that!" Harry interrupted. "I told them to stay, they didn't listen to me!"
"Frustrating, isn't it?" Sirius growled. By now the others had come over and Harry was pulled from one hug to another as Cornelius also checked him over for injuries, genuine worry in his eyes.
"I'm fine, Cornelius, we're all fine." He assured his guardian before turning to Madam Bones. "If you could please have a couple aurors take him into custody though, it would be appreciated." Those gathered looked down and saw the man who escaped custody last year lying still as a board until two immobilizing curses.
"Wormtail." Sirius growled as two of his fellow aurors stepped forward and took Wormtail into custody.
"Take him to the holding cells." Madam Bones instructed. "He is not to leave your sight until I personally relieve you. And remember he's an animagus!" She barked. "If he escapes again the two of you will take his place in the cell!" Used to their boss' demeanor the aurors didn't flinch, though they did hold on to Wormtail a bit tighter, knowing that she wasn't joking.
"Harry, what happened?" Cornelius asked once the aurors and Wormtail were gone.
"The cup was a portkey. It took us to a graveyard. Wormtail was there, he was going on about bringing Voldemort back, just like Crouch Jr. was." He told the version of the tale they'd agreed on. "We overpowered him, he was only expecting me, he was surprised that others were there too. Once we subdued him we took the cup back here." It was obviously a shortened version of the story, but no one cared that he didn't give a play-by-play of what spells had been used, the important bits were there.
"We knew Crouch was working with Pettigrew. I'm glad he's in custody now and this is all over." Said Cornelius, doing exactly as Harry knew he would.
"But it isn't over, Cornelius." Dumbledore spoke up. "As I have been telling you, Voldemort is not truly gone. He can, and will, return. This plot may have failed but rest assured that one day soon Voldemort will regain his body and his reign of terror will start again."
"And as I have been telling you, Dumbledore, that is preposterous! You-Know-Who is gone and the actions of two deranged Death Eaters isn't going to change that!" Cornelius had again gone red in the face, his eyes blazing with anger.
"But it's not just two, is it?" Dumbledore countered. "Karkaroff was working with them as well, and there must certainly be others!"
"What?!" This was news to Harry
"Karkaroff was the one controlling the maze and stopping us from getting to you. More later." Sirius muttered in explanation. Harry jumped on it, though.
"Dumbledore's right, Cornelius." He stepped in, much to his guardian's shock.
"Harry…?" The Minister's anger dissipated some as he looked on his ward, though the anger still simmered below the surface and Harry knew he had to tread carefully.
"If Karkaroff was indeed working with Crouch and Wormtail, who's to say there aren't others? The one thing that's abundantly clear from all this is that some Death Eaters truly think it's possible to bring Voldemort back. But how many of them? And if Karkaroff, a former Death Eater, was in on it, who's to say that other supposedly former Death Eaters aren't as well?" Cornelius looked uncertain. Many of the Death Eaters that claimed to have been under the Imperius and hadn't been sent to Azkaban were deemed fine, upstanding members of society, who had given large sums of money to Cornelius' campaign. It wasn't surprising that he didn't want to do anything against them, but Harry knew that it was imperative that Voldemort's support base be taken out before he returned, and while Cornelius might not want to act against those he deemed friends, he could be brought around to it, and Harry might be the only one who could convince him. Dumbledore, though, wasn't prepared to give up his fight.
"Harry makes a good point, Cornelius. It is important they be questioned to see what they know of Voldemort's return." Harry tried not to roll his eyes. Dumbledore's actions were entirely predictable. As was Cornelius' reaction.
"He is not back!"
"Harry-" Dumbledore turned to try and get Harry on his side, but he cut the old man off.
"I see no evidence of Voldemort's return, Headmaster. These Death Eaters may believe it is possible, but you can't bring someone back from the dead." Nothing Harry said was untrue. Voldemort had not returned tonight, despite his best efforts, and it was impossible to bring someone back from the dead. Though Voldemort wasn't exactly dead, a fact Dumbledore reminded Harry of. "Then why didn't he return tonight? If this plot to bring Voldemort back was genuinely possible and not just the imaginings of deranged Death Eaters, why did we leave that graveyard with no sign of Voldemort?" It was pushing the truth, but technically there hadn't been any sign of Voldemort when they had left the graveyard.
"Eet is true, 'Eadmaster." Fleur spoke up. "We left zat graveyard with no sign of any ozer wizard, let alone You-Know-'Oo." Viktor and Cedric nodded their agreement.
"See, Dumbledore? There is no evidence that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has, or even can, return!"
"Cornelius, please see reason." Dumbledore sounded weary but still wasn't prepared to give up.
"Voldemort will one day return. If you accept that fact straightaway and take the necessary measures, we may be able to be prepared for when that day comes. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the dementors-"
"Preposterous!" Shouted Fudge. "Remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of office for suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!"
"The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put Lord Voldemort's most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him the instant he asks them!" Dumbledore insisted. "They will not remain loyal to you! Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard-pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!" Cornelius was opening and closing his mouth as though no words could express his outrage. "The second step you must take, and at once," Dumbledore pressed on. "Is to send envoys to the giants."
"Envoys to the giants?" Cornelius regained his ability to speak. "What madness is this?"
"Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late." Said Dumbledore. "Or as soon as he returns Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!"
"You…you cannot be serious!" Cornelius gasped. "If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants…people hate them, Dumbledore…end of my career…"
"You are blinded." Said Dumbledore, his voice rising now, the aura of power around him palpable. "By the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! Politics cannot stand in the way of doing what is right!"
"Insane." Whispered Cornelius, looking to be in genuine shock. "Mad…"
"I tell you now, take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers of Magic we have ever known, who prepared our world as best he could against a great evil. Fail to act, and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!"
"No, enough!" Shouted Fudge, his face reddening again. "All I see, Dumbledore, is that it seems that you are determined to start a panic that will destabilize everything we have worked for these last thirteen years!" And then there was silence. No one even dared breathe too loudly. Finally, after several long moments of staring at each other, Dumbledore spoke.
"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius, we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I…I shall act as I see fit." Dumbledore's voice carried no hint of a threat; it sounded like a mere statement, but Cornelius bristled as though Dumbledore were advancing upon him with a wand.
"Now, see here, Dumbledore. I've given you free reign, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid, or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me-"
"The only one against whom I intend to work is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side." Said Dumbledore.
"Of course I am against him. Look who I took into my home, whom I treat as a son!" Growled Cornelius. "If You-Know-Who stood before me now, I would stand with you, Dumbledore, but you speak just as madly as those Death Eaters about a dead man returning to life, which we all know is impossible! You offer no proof and speak as if your word alone should be enough, and I fear that is my fault, Dumbledore. For many years I have taken your word as enough, but it is clear to me now that that has gone to your head. Do you even hear what you are saying? The madness you speak? Your name holds much weight in our world, but I cannot ignore that you appear to have gone mad in your old age." Cornelius shook his head as if in disappointment and then stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. "I don't know what you are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add on this subject. I will, however, be in touch with you soon, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I worry for our children and their education with a mad man in charge. For now, though, I must take care of my ward. He has yet again been through a trying ordeal. We will deal with the winnings of this tournament tomorrow."
Without another word, Harry found himself once again being led away by his fuming guardian. As he looked back at those gathered he saw the disappointment in Dumbledore's eyes but couldn't help but feel no remorse. While Cornelius was indeed putting his head in the sand, he made a good point that Dumbledore's word alone had been enough for years, and the man seemed to forget that proof was needed for everyone else, and now it would be needed for Dumbledore too. Harry inwardly rolled his eyes. Dumbledore's brazen attitude and insistence would get him nowhere. Although he'd been alive much longer than Harry, it was Harry who knew how to play the game, and not only would he play it, but he would win.
A/N - Happy New Year!
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