Caught Between

Chapter 29

Warning: character death, violence, and torture

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Harry groaned as he crashed to the ground unexpectedly as the Portkey's journey ended. The Triwizard Cup flew off to the side as it was released.

"Where are we?" Cedric asked after a few moments.

Harry pushed himself up to stand, ignoring the slight pain in his left ankle, and looked around through the dark. It was darker here than it had been even in the maze. It wasn't hard to realize they were in a graveyard.

"Is this still part of the game?" Cedric said, slowly walking and looking around.

Harry felt his stomach drop as he noticed the large black cauldron in the middle of the small clearing in the graveyard. He had seen this set-up before. He quickly turned around to find the final landmark. He hoped he wouldn't find it, but there it was. The large headstone with the massive stone grim reaper next to it, hooded skeletal face and large scythe.

"We have to get out of here," Harry said, but too quiet for Cedric to hear. He instantly started to run to Cedric who was examining the inscriptions on the headstone. "Cedric!" he said, but stopped when he saw the grave's names.

Riddle.

"We have to get out of here now," Harry repeated, feeling panicked.

"Why? Is this not another part of the maze?" Cedric said, confused.

"No, it's not," Harry said. "We have to leave."

I have to get home.

Duck, Ron said and Harry instantly threw himself to the ground. There was no time to warn Cedric and he was hit with the familiar green light.

"Cedric!" Harry yelled as he watched Cedric's body fall and he was faced with the older boy's lifeless eyes. Tears wanted to well up in his own eyes, but he didn't let them. He had to be ready for whatever was coming.

"Harry Potter," a familiar voice said and his head spun to find the source.

His scar was burning with pain, making it hard to focus. He looked through the dark, and his face and body tensed as Peter Pettigrew came into view. Hatred filled him as he grasped his wand tightly. Pettigrew was holding a white, bone-like wand in one hand and a bundle of dark material in the other. He wasn't able to do anything as Pettigrew waved the wand, and he went flying into the grim reaper statue where the scythe moved and held him there. He struggled desperately, but it was no use. He glanced down at his dropped wand, wishing he was older and knew wandless magic.

He turned his attention to Pettigrew. The little man had approached the cauldron and set a fire underneath. He put his bundle on the ground near the cauldron, muttering and nodding as though the bundle was giving him instructions. He watched as Pettigrew came near him, making him tense. Pettigrew seemed to ignore him, though, and instead levitated a bone from the base of the Riddle grave. Had Pettigrew dug up a body? Why would he need the bones of a long-dead Riddle?

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given," Pettigrew muttered.

The bone was brought over to the now-boiling cauldron and was dropped into the liquid inside. The bubbling increased and the colour began to darken.

Pettigrew pulled out a large dagger then and held it to his left wrist. "Flesh of the servant, willingly given." Harry cringed and closed his eyes as Pettigrew sawed through his arm. The man screamed as he did so, and Harry only let himself look again once he heard the clear sounds of something dropping into the cauldron. Pettigrew had paled, was gasping, and was holding his now bloody stump close to his body.