Hundreds of students abruptly rose from their seats and teachers and Aurors rushed towards the boys, their faces bruised, pale and drenched with sweat. Harry laid above Cedric Diggory's lifeless body, protecting it as he promised. He brought his body back but the trauma of watching him die before his eyes only got to him now, he couldn't think straight and he couldn't lift his head at all, he wasn't sure if he was back or that he had died and was hallucinating. He sobs, clenching onto his friend's yellow and black shirt, muttering the words 'I'm sorry', over and over again. There was nothing to ease his guilt and sorrow.
Aine's hand drew to cover her mouth, whimpering at the sight of the boys. She wished and prayed that her visions were wrong but now that they were in front of her, she couldn't hide the guilt and sorrow for them both. If only she had seen it coming earlier, if only she told the professors sooner so that they could get the boys out. It was her fault. It was her fault that Cedric was dead. "It's my fault... It's my all fault..." she whispers to herself, shaking her head in denial with the reality. Her body swooped to someone and she clutches onto the boy's jacket, weeping quietly into him as he strokes her head, hushing her as he tries not to let a tear slip out but he sniffled.
"NO! NO! Don't!" Harry cried, throwing himself to shield Cedric as he felt someone pull him from behind, thinking it was the Deatheaters trying to pull them apart as he was still unable to differentiate what's real and what's fake. Dumbledore huffs, running the other side to face the boys, his heart stopped momentarily when he saw the Hufflepuff boy.
"For gosh sake, what happened, Dumbledore?" shouted Cornelius Fudge, approaching the returned champions. He gasped and staggered when his eyes met Cedric's soulless ones.
"He's back! He's back..!" Harry told the Headmaster, tears streaming down his face as he spoke with desperation and fear, "Voldemort's back... Cedric. He asked me to bring his body back. l couldn't leave him, not there..." his voice cracks as he quivers with remorse.
Dumbledore held his cheeks, wiping away the tears as he reassures the boy, "It's all right, Harry. It's all right. He's home. You both are."
Aine glanced at Harry who Dumbledore was hugging tightly, her lips trembles, feeling even more sorry and yet thankful that they were back. "Shh... It's okay, love. It's alright, it wasn't your fault," she hears Draco muttering to her, planting a soft peck on top of her head as he held her tightly as if fearing that if he let go of her, she would crumble and slip through his touch.
Ginny exchanged glances with her older brothers who were both looking at Aine with softened eyes, especially George who bit down his lips as he sees Draco consoling the girl, part of him was glad that he was someone who could calm her down but another part of him was conflicted because he wished that he was the one who could be there for her.
"Keep everybody in their seats!" Fudge instructed when McGonagall and Snape walked closer to them, "A boy has just been killed..." he said to them bitterly. Immediately, they rushed towards Harry and Cedric and sighed, "The body must be moved, Dumbledore. There are too many people!" urges Fudge, not knowing that the pitch had fallen silent ever since they heard Harry crying. Students loomed closer, realizing a student was murdered. Cheers, applause, laughter and whistling were all halted, replaced by gasps and faces that turned grave and unsmiling.
"Let me through— LET ME THROUGH!" a single voice bellowed and Aine hitches, turning to the man who staggers through the crowd, sifting his way out. "Let me... T-hrough—" he barks, pushing his way forward until he witnesses the scene, shocked. His brows curled downwards as his frowning lips parted before a short painful 'no' escaped through, disbelief at the sight before him. He limps towards his fallen son, "That's my son!" he chokes up, tears falling from his eyes down to Cedric's cold face, "That's my boy! It's my boy—!" Amos Diggory bawled, knees buckled to the ground as he knelt before his son, cradling him as he rocks back and forth, sobbing into his uniform.
His fingers trail to Cedric's pale cheeks, caressing it as his tears trickle down, he embraces his son once more. Aine sniffles, he knew how much Amos adored his son, Cedric was his prize and he was always proud of the man he grew up to be. He always boasted about his son to everyone and had told them that he was lucky and grateful that Cedric was his son and that he was a father of a wonderful boy. Her heart was shattered when she watches the father let out a heart-wrenching scream, knowing that there was nothing he could do to bring back his dead son alive.
Arthur Weasley and Dumbledore circled him, sharing his pain as they clutched onto Amos's shoulders, offering some support. Even Cedric's friends and housemates were too devastated to do anything but stare in silence, overwhelmed with sorrow and tears, he was the best friend anyone could ever have, and he was gone...
Forever.
Surrounding the Ravenclaw girl, Cho sobs into her face, heartbroken. She could still remember the words he uttered to her before he went into the maze, and that was him promising that he'll win, and he'll win for her. But now, winning didn't matter to Cho, it never did because all she ever wanted was him to make it out safely, unharmed, alive.
There was nothing left but the loud, painful despairing cries of a father that remained in the pitch, "N...O..!"
Even close rivals that competed with Cedric were equally crushed by the tragedy. Fleur was holding Aion and her little sister, Gabrielle tightly, sniffling as tears streamed down while Aion simply closes his eyes, his lids trembling like his lips. Krum too hung his head down, frowning with remorse and sympathy, even though they were competitors, he liked Cedric and thought of him as a good person and man.
While everyone was drowned in the heartbreaking evening, Harry was pulled away by Moody before the professor stopped by Aine and Draco, he grabbed her arm, much to Draco's displeasure, and dragged her away with him without another word.
"Professor, where are you taking her— Them?" Draco questions, narrowing his eyes at the man who glared down at him.
"Somewhere safe! This is not the place for them to be right now!" he said sternly to the boy.
"Then, might I assist you? I'm afraid that Aine is not feeling well and I wish to escort her along," Draco replies, watching the man's hand tightly gripping on the girl's thin wrists.
"Hold your reins, Draco Malfoy," Moody spat, "Surely, your father would have told you that," he added.
The Slytherin boy's eye twitched at the mention, his jaw clenches into a forced smile, knowing all too well that his father was his weakness. He balled his fists, anger rising to him since he was afraid that his father would hear of his behaviour and punish him. Yet the sight of Aine being yanked by the professor was upsetting him, gulping, he spoke, "Then might I suggest that you handle her with care. Wouldn't want to break her any more than she already is, right?"
Moody grunted, rolling his eyes at the boy before loosening the grip on Aine's wrist, "Happy?" he inquired sarcastically.
"Thank you, sir," said Draco, not bothering to look at the professor but Aine, he faces her, "I'll see you later, alright? Just hold on, a little longer," he said to her and she looks to him with a blank, exhausted smile, nodding. He squeezes her hand before looking at Harry who glares at him.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Rude as ever, aren't you? Little Serpentine boy," clicks Moody, licking his lips with his tongue, he tugs on Harry and Aine, "Come on now, you two. Hurry!" he scolded with a huff, dragging them along into the castle.
Draco walks away after they were out of sight, and then he stops. Little Serpentine boy. He furrows his brows, where had he heard of it before? It was familiar to him, he tilted his head, recalling a certain man who worked for his father before calling him that nickname. It can't be... He thought to himself, there was no way he was here since he was in Azkaban. He shrugs, deciding to brush it off his mind as he walks back to the pitch when George bumps into him, he glares at the boy before Draco squinted at him, "Got a problem, Weasley?"
George swallows the urge to punch the blonde, mustering a forced grin, he spoke, "Not at all, Malfoy. Watch where you're going," he warns him before Fred nudges him, pulling him away before they start a brawl.
"Likewise," Draco smirks, rolling his eyes away as he met up with his friends, still solemn about the tragedy of Cedric. He pursed his lips, looking down when he watches Amos Diggory still grieving for his lost son when they placed the boy onto a stretcher, moving him away. He cast a sombre look, seeing the father closing the eyes of his son so that he could be at peace and sleep for all eternity. He wondered, just for a single moment, if he was in that stretcher, would his father come to mourn for him? Would his father look at him like Amos Diggory looking at his son?
Would his father cry for him?
~
Aine snapped to her senses when she realize where she was, it was Professor Moody's office. She peers over to Harry, still shivering with one hand grabbing onto his other wrist, his ragged breathing echoing throughout the office along with her sniffling nose. Not paying attention to the locked doors, Moody sat them both down on a stool before turning to grab two cups for them.
She glanced to her friend, "Are you okay..?" she asks, genuinely concerned for his bloodied wound that was oozing out of his sleeves, yet at the same time, about his well-being. Harry nodded shakily, and she scooted towards him, placing a hand on his shoulders as he leaned to her, "I'm so sorry..." she mumbles and he sniffs, shaking his head.
"It's not your fault. It's his..."
His.
Yes... It was Wormtail and Voldemort's...
Harry's eyes fluttered to a close and he heaved in the dense air, he reaches to his pocket and brought out a shattered green pebble. Aine gazed at the broken stone, defeated when she realize it was destroyed. "I'm sorry I broke it," said Harry guiltily, he remembered how she told him she'll kill him if he ever broke it. Even though Aine didn't look like she was going to, Harry had prepared himself for it anyways. What more could happen tonight, right?
Aine shook her head, letting go of the sadness for the stone, "I'm glad you're safe. That's all that matters."
"It protected me just now when I was in the maze. I don't know how but it shielded me from some of the creatures I've faced. Even when I saw him, I felt something in the stone guarding me against his attacks," he told her and she smiles, thankful that it had done some work. She was only upset that she hadn't given one to Cedric, could the events play out differently if she did?
Moody came back with two drinks, placing them in the students' hand before he bents over, "Are you okay, Potter? Does it hurt? That?" he asks, jerking over to the deep gash on Harry's wrists.
The boy shook his head, "Not so much now," he replies, it was hurting earlier but now that his mind was all over the place, he could not focus on the pain his injury was giving. It wasn't his wound that was hurting him, but his heart.
"Perhaps I'd better take a look at it," Moody said, whirling his eyes downwards onto Harry's sleeve. He peels apart the fabric, revealing a large cut down from his inner wrist. The blood was slowly clotting up but he still needed the treatment for it, Aine grimaces at the sight. It was definitely going to leave a scar...
"The cup was a Portkey. Someone had bewitched it," he said and Aine turned to him, she knew too after seeing it in her visions.
"Why would someone bewitched it?" she asks and Harry shakes his head, "I don't know... Perhaps it was unintentional."
"I don't think so..." Aine murmured back, so soft that only Harry caught it.
He raises a brow, puzzled, "What do you mean—"
"What was it like? What was he like?" interjected Moody, his presence towering over the two students who squinted with confusion.
"Who...?" Harry asks.
"The Dark Lord," answered Moody, unknowingly squeezing into Harry's gash, the boy groans with the pain and Aine grabs the professor's hand, stopping him before he injures him any further.
"Professor, stop! You're hurting him!"
"What was it like to stand in his presence?"
"l don't know. lt was like I'd fallen into one of my dreams, into one of my nightmares," Harry replies, shivering despite the crackling fireplace beside him. Aine looks down onto her friend's arm before she tears a section of the sleeves to wrap it around the wound, putting pressure onto it after Moody's grip on him made it bleed through more. Harry muttered a small 'thanks' to her in return.
The man walks away, groaning and heaving for air and Aine slowly turned to him, furrowing at his behaviour. He staggers away, trembling with every step before he moves towards the back of his office and flung a chest of glass bottles open, taking every single one of them out. Aine stood up, following him as she stares at the gagging professor, "Are you alright, sir?"
Moody swallows, breathing heavily as he finally notices the silence in the room, "Were there others? ln the graveyard, were there others?"
"Uh... I..." Harry stammers and Aine hitched her breath, taking a nervous step back to her friend who looks at her. She lets out a soft gasp before reaching for her wand, stepping in front of Harry who then realizes, "l... I don't think l said anything about a graveyard, professor."
Aine froze, how did he know that Harry was in a graveyard? The only person who knew that besides the two champions were Draco and her, she never mentioned anything about a cemetery to the professors earlier when she was spiralling out. Then it struck her, of course... The clues were all laid out but they were blind to notice it. The person who placed the Triwizard Cup in the maze was Professor Moody, he was the only one who knew about the location of the cup and it would be the perfect chance to bewitch it into a Portkey too. But— Why...?
Why would he do such a thing?
"Get up!" Aine whispers over to Harry who gulped, watching the man's shadow appear from the darkness into the light, a creepy smile tugging onto his lips.
"Marvelous creatures, dragons, aren't they?" he spoke with a cold voice, strutting towards a drawer before he whips his head back, "Did you think that miserable oaf would've led you into the woods if l hadn't suggested it?" he mocks and Harry frowns.
"Do you think Cedric Diggory would've told you to open the egg underwater— If l hadn't told him first myself!" roared Moody, slamming the glass cabinet doors as he pulls out several bottles of potion ingredients. Aine squinted at the labels: Lacewings flies, powdered Bicorn horn, Boomslang skins and others, her wand hid behind her back as she waited for the right moment. She gave Harry one look before slowly backing away with him to the door when Moody wasn't looking.
"Did you think Neville Longbottom, the witless wonder could've provided you with Gillyweed if l hadn't given it to him? Even though it was such a pity since you managed to find out about it! Hah!" he darted at Aine before his tongue slid out, licking his lips again. It sent shivers down her spine and she wished for nothing but to get out of this room immediately.
"lt was you... From the beginning. You put my name in the Goblet of Fire! You bewitched Krum, —" Harry stutters, betrayed.
"But—But—" Moody taunted with a smirk and Aine clenched her fist tight on her wand, "You won because l made it so, Potter. You ended up in that graveyard tonight because it was meant to be so! And now the deed is done!" he pushes the girl away and snatches Harry's arm, eyeing it down with a satisfied gaze, his fingers trembling as he touches the blood around the tied fabric and licks it. "The blood that runs through these veins runs within the Dark Lord!" he beams, walking away before he grunts and lurches forward, grabbing his face, he tilted his head back to the two Gryffindors, strolling back to them as he corners them, "imagine how he will reward me when he learns that l! I have once and for all, silenced the great Harry Potter!" he exclaims, booming with laughter, his face slowly disfiguring as he points his wand at them.
"Stupefy!" Aine shouted and a bright red light ejected from her wand, shooting towards the professor who stumbles backwards, flying into the cabinets and shattering the glasses, she mentally cursed at the wasted ingredients that were all poured out on the floor before walking towards him.
Moody smirks, "Magnificent, Estoileon," he complimented, sitting up much to Aine's dismay.
"You're not Professor Moody. Who are you!" she questions, her golden eyes fiery.
The man before her burst out into a fit of laughter, "Atta girl— You caught me!" he said in defeat yet amused making Aine even angrier.
She pointed her wand at his neck, lips curling upwards, "Answer me. Who. Are. You?"
"You're really like her now when I see you up close, you have her eyes and her feistiness. Just like your brother, brave but utterly foolish!" 'Moody' snickers and she cocks her head.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, come on! Surely you must have noticed?" he smirks and her smile faded, "You're so bedazzled from the truths, Estoileon. How could you not recognize him? I expected more from you." he snarls, watching her dumbfounded, pondering on his words that she didn't see him reach for his wand. But before she could dodge, 'Moody' shot a spell in her direction, sending her body slam on the cobbled walls.
She groans, watching the tiny rocks crumble down onto her body, Harry shouted, rushing to her aid. The imposter chuckles as he dusted his coat before approaching her, shoving Harry across the room. He knelt to Aine, "Shall I give you a hint?" he said pitifully and Aine shudders at his touch, rubbing the dirt off her cheeks.
"Get your filthy hands off me," she growls at him.
"Ooh, pretty spirited, aren't you?"
He pulls her chin towards him, feeling her ragged breath on his face as he hung his head backwards, laughing even louder, "Haven't you always wondered why his name was so familiar? That they share the same name? Oh! Forgive me, surname!"
Aine's heart thumped louder yet her face was perfectly still and her eyes blazing, "What are you implying?" she hisses.
He took a few strands of her hair, "You know what I'm talking about, sweetie," he answers coldly, letting her hair fall back down as he stood back up.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to ask him face to face since master wants me to bring you to him," he said, watching her struggle upright.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, you murderer," she shot back, this was the man who was partially responsible for Cedric's death and she hated him to the core. Thinking back now, she detested him from the beginning and it was right on her hunch to deem him dislikable.
"Really? Even if I do this?" he raises his wand at her, grinning brightly, "Imper—"
"EXPELLIARMUS!" the door booms and Dumbledore charges in, the fake-Moody was sent backwards into a swivel chair that blasted him away before the Headmaster grabs his neck forcibly as Snape enters with a potion in his hand. He pours the contents of it into the man's mouth while McGonagall watches from behind, her face hardened with fury. She ran towards the students, making sure they were alright before shielding herself over them. Aine's eyes widened as he began to talk, as he began to spill the truths and facts.
The man gargles and chokes on the truth-telling serum, Veritaserum, eyes glaring around the room before he landed on Aine and muster a smirk at her. "Do you know who I am?" roars Dumbledore.
"Albus... Dumbledore—"
"Are you Alastor Moody? Are you!"
"N...No..."
"Is he in this room? Is he here in this room?" the Headmaster asks, roughly dragging his collar up. Aine watches as both of 'Moody's' eyes glanced to the metal chest near them and McGonagall gently pulls the two students away while Snape shoots a spell at it.
Soon, the chest slowly unbuckled itself, the locks unravelling as it rises and opens into another chest, and another, and another, the size slowly diminishing until it was taller than Aine. The professors walked towards it, glancing down the deep hole which revealed a man with one hand covering his eye, Aine narrows at the figure.
"You all right, Alastor?" Dumbledore asks and the voice replies, echoing up a few seconds later.
"I'm sorry, Albus..."
"That's Moody. But then who's—" Harry chimed, and Aine winces at the man who was in fact the real Mad-Eye Moody, his face was identical to the man in front of her except his head that was balding. It must be lost from all the plucking the imposter did to create the potion to become him. What a monster.
"Polyjuice Potion..." Aine answered and the adults stared at her, "He had the ingredients stored over there," she pointed at the shattered bottles on the ground ahead.
Snape unstoppers the bottle that he had salvaged from the imposter's hands and smelled it, "Indeed."
"Knew it wasn't just pumpkin juice," the girl mutters from behind and Harry manages to grin at her.
"Now we know who's been stealing from your stores, Severus," said Dumbledore and the Potions professor frowns, eyes glaring at Harry who peeped at him. "We'll get you up in a minute!" the older man shouted down to the real Moody who groans, nodding as he gave them a thumbs up.
Their attention was drifted towards the man on the chair, his head hung low as he gurgles and shrieks with pain. Snape exchanged looks with Dumbledore before he puts himself before Aine, hiding her from the sight. However, the girl still managed to sneak a look at the man. His face bubbled up and his mouth hung open, his face was getting slimmer as the disguise slowly reveals his true form. His hands gripped tightly onto the handles as he grunted, throwing his neck back as he started to choke. He tore his magical eye away and his shrieks became screams, his face melting away and the sight was just pure gruesome and horrifying.
"Damn, I'm going to have nightmares now," Aine cursed from behind and Snape shot her a look. She returned with a raised brow, "What? It's true!" she mouths.
The man's hair soon faded from blonde to a dark shade of brown and the facade he had on was dripping away, revealing a rather handsome looking young man. He looks up at all of them and started laughing to himself, his eyes blackened and the bags under them darkens as he licks his lips like a snake.
Harry moves towards him, getting a proper look at him but the man snapped at the boy, like a predator hunting its prey, "Harry!" Dumbledore yells, pulling the boy back while McGonagall steps up, placing her wand straight at the man's pulsing neck.
"Barty Crouch Junior..." Dumbledore said, eyeing him like he was a monster (literally).
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," he chortles, revealing his sleeves to the same mark Aine saw that night at the Quidditch World Cup. The skull and a snake protruding from its mouth— the Dark Mark, with a closer look, it was as if it was alive.
Dumbledore stares at it, "Your arm, Harry," he said, ignoring the winces the boy was giving. He unwraps the cloth around his wound and showed the younger man Harry's gash. Aine cringes at his action. So much for stopping his bleeding injury...
"You know what this means, don't you? He's back! Lord Voldemort has returned!" Barty Crouch Junior says with delight, licking his lips once more.
"I'm sorry, sir. l couldn't help it..." Harry added.
"Send an owl to Azkaban! l think they'll find they're missing a prisoner," Dumbledore instructed, shooting the younger man a last glare as he wraps his arm around Harry, turning him around to the door.
"I'll be welcomed back like a hero!" Barty Crouch Junior spat.
The Headmaster halted, he whirled his head, "Perhaps. Personally, I've never had much time for heroes." He then nodded to McGonagall before exiting the office with Harry.
Aine glares at the man, watching as Snape shoves his wand into the hissing man's cheeks, eyeing him with disgust. Barty Crouch Junior snickers again before his gaze travels to Aine, "Tell your brother, I said hi," he smirks.
"Shut. Up," ordered Snape before the man turns to him, his smirk still proudly displayed.
"The Dark Lord would love to meet you soon, Severus. And, her..." he jerks his chin to Aine who glowered at him, he chuckles louder.
"Alright! I had enough!" McGonagall snaps, taking her wand and firing a hex over the man's mouth, "Oscausi," she mutters and instantly, Barty Crouch Junior's lips were covered by an invisible plaster, and his mouth disappeared, silencing his annoying laughter before the female professor stomps away, shaking her head as she holds Aine's hand leaving the room.
"Nice one, Professor McGonagall," Aine praised with a smile, "I've been wanting to do that."
"Why thank you, Miss Estoileon," grins McGonagall, winking down to the girl.
─── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───
I'm just gonna take a minute to process everything. This chapter was so heartbreaking to write and the scene was equally if not more devastating to watch again. Jeff Rawle, the actor who played Amos Diggory did such an amazing job at that scene and I just can't help but tear up every single time he delivers his line when he saw his son lifeless. Even now, after writing this chapter, I gotta take a break from it because it was just painful.
Anyways, I'll see you guys soon. Stay tuned for more chapters! :,)
- Zeneria