NOTE: Hiiii. I am terrible at apologizing oh my God. But guys, I am truly very sorry for not being active for a couple of months. Anywaaaays. This story is about to come to a close. I had mind block for this chapter, though. I’ve already written Chapter 30 and the Epilogue, just so you know. By the freaking way. I skipped the fighting part. I’m not good at writing fighting scenes. I’m so sorry. Enjoooy [hopefully].
Disclaimer: There are some parts in this chapter which I got from the Goblet of Fire. I'd just like to remind you that I don't own any of the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson characters. All credits go to J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan.
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*Little Hangleton*
~3rd Person POV~
Wormtail hurriedly approached Harry. With one swipe of his wand, Harry was set free. “Come here, boy!” Wormtail held Harry by the back of his collar and dragged him to Lord Voldemort. The number of monsters had rapidly decreased, but the wizards and demigods were on their knees on the ground. Each one of them was held by a Death Eater. Gaea was standing at the side, looking furious. She glared at Shadow who had given her a gash on the right thigh.
“Are you okay?” Shadow whispered. Nico and Leo turned to her and they nodded.
“What are they gonna do?” Leo asked her. “What’s going to happen to Harry?”
Shadow hadn’t responded. I don’t know, she wanted to say, but her mouth refused to open and make noise.
Hermione and Hazel were held down by one big Death Eater. Jason was on the ground, unmoving. He didn’t seem conscious. Piper looked at him worriedly, trying to get to him. Percy and Annabeth were still unconscious as they were guarded by the Minotaur. Frank, being the big guy he is, was thrown into a cage. And Ron –
Ron was nowhere in sight.
There was a split second, perhaps, when Harry might have considered running for it, but his injured leg shook under him as he stood on the overgrown grave, as the other Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around him and Voldemort, so that the gaps where the guarding Death Eaters should have stood were filled. Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric’s body lay and returned with Harry’s wand, which he thrust roughly into Harry’s hand without looking at him. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death Eaters.
“That was a very nice attempt, fellow wizards and demigods,” Voldemort announced, “although it is not enough to beat our incredible force.”
He turned to Harry. “You have been taught how to duel, Harry Potter?” said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness.
“We bow to each other, Harry,” Voldemort said, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. “Come, the niceties must be observed… Dumbledore would like you to show manners… Bow to death, Harry…”
Harry did not bow. He was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him… he was not going to give him that satisfaction…
“I said, bow,” Voldemort said, raising his wand – and Harry felt his spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward.
“Very good,” Voldemort said softly, and as he raised his wand, the pressure bearing down upon Harry lifted, too. “And now you face me, like a man… straight-backed and proud, the way your father died.
“And now – we duel.”
--
“I got it, I got it!” Ron shouted, running from the Manor house, raising Shadow’s wand. “I got it, Shadow!”
Shadow then swiftly broke free from the Death Eater’s grasp and ran for Ron. He threw the wand to her and she caught it. “NO!” Gaea shrieked, but it was too late.
“Insendio!” Shadow yelled and Gaea was trapped in a circle of rising fire. The Death Eaters who were distracted by this lost grip on their prisoners. Hermione ran for Ron and hugged him tightly. Jason, Piper, Hazel, and Frank ran for the Minotaur guarding Percy and Annabeth. And Leo and Nico joined Shadow in assisting Harry.
“EVERYBODY RUN!” Harry bellowed, clearing his way of Death Eaters with the Impedimenta spell. Jason and Frank dragged Percy’s and Annabeth’s bodies and Piper and Hazel ran for the Triwizard Cup. So did Hermione, Shadow, Nico and Leo.
Harry, finally breaking off from Voldemort, ran as fast as he could. The others already reached the cup. He was so near.
A swarm of Death Eaters followed after him. “Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!” Voldemort shouted just as Harry reached the cup. The others were already holding hands, preparing to use the portkey to go back to Hogwarts.
Harry reached for Hermione’s hand and held Cedric’s body. “Accio!” he yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle –
He heard Voldemort’s scream of fury at the same moment that he felt the jerk behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked – he was speeding them away in a whirl of wind and color, and the others along with him.
They were going back.
--
Harry got out of Madam Pomfrey’s mini hospital today. Jason, Percy, and Annabeth got out yesterday, while Piper, Hazel, Frank, Shadow, Nico, and Leo had minor injuries. Hermione wasn’t scratched, and so was Ron. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, though. Ron hardly joined the battle. He spent more time roaming around the empty Manor house, looking for Shadow’s wand.
“What happened?” Harry asked, entering the common room where everybody else was. Leo smiled brightly at him.
“McGonagall got mad at us,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “She was with the old man. He smiled at us.”
“That’s not such a surprise,” Hermione said. “Harry, Ron, and I always got in trouble, but Dumbledore never got mad at us.”
This made Harry chuckle. Ron simply smirked.
“Oh, and this afternoon is Cedric’s funeral,” Ginny mentioned. She was one of the girls who admired Cedric for his looks and intelligence. Cedric was also mentioned to be quite funny.
“Oh.” Harry stared at the floor and recalled how Cedric Diggory had died. How he had died and Harry wasn’t able to do anything.
“It wasn’t your fault, Harry,” Shadow said, able to read Harry’s thoughts. “I was there, too.”
“So were we,” Nico said. “No one is to blame, pal. It was Voldemort. No one’s able to read his moves.”
“Great, Ginny, way to kill the mood,” Ron muttered, but everyone heard.
“Hey, I was just informing him of something he should know!” Ginny protested.
“It’s alright, Ron,” Harry said. “Thanks for telling me, Ginny. I needed it. I’m not missing out of Cedric’s funeral. How are you all feeling?”
“Good,” Jason said, speaking for the whole group. “Madam Pomfrey’s done a great job. That crack on my skull was fixed right away.”
“I got a concussion,” Percy said. “So did Annabeth.”
“Well, at least we’re all fine.”
Harry looked at Shadow and Nico who sat next to eachother. On each of their left arms was a long, deep gash. The memory of how they got it flashed in his mind.
“Are you two okay? Don’t feel weird?” Harry asked the both of them.
They looked confused and nodded. “We’re fine,” Nico said and Shadow agreed.
--
Dumbledore was the only one who spoke in Cedric’s funeral. Everyone else was too depressed. Mr. Diggory was too busy sobbing. Mrs. Diggory was trying so hard to comfort her husband. Cedric indeed left a huge mark in Hogwarts history. Everyone admired him, even Harry did.
Everyone gathered around his coffin and let the roses – which were Cedric’s favorite – fall on top of it. Dumbledore said the final prayer. “Hail and farewell –”
“Latin,” Mr. Diggory suddenly spoke, cutting of Dumbledore. “I taught Cedric Latin. It was his favorite language to learn.” He sniffled.
Dumbledore nodded in respect. All the other professors looked grave. Cedric’s mates from his House were trying so hard not to cry.
Nico pulled Shadow – who was sobbing – into a hug and told her words of comfort Bianca used to tell him when he was upset.
“Ave atque vale, Cedric Diggory,” Professor Dumbledore said, and the coffin was dropped six feet under the ground and buried with soil.
Harry stared at Cedric’s grave stone which had the words ‘Ave atque vale’ on it at the request of his family. It was engraved on the stones of warriors who died in battle, brave warriors who died in battle for their country.
Ave atque vale.
Hail and farewell.