Hello Tom
It didn't take Harry long to reach the centre of the maze.
He battled his way through a swarm of dementors, a boggart, Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts, and even a crystal basilisk—a magical construct rather than a real creature.
'Fawkes? What are the others doing?'
Trill.
'The Cedric boy just got bitten by an acromantula, although he will probably reach the finish in a couple of minutes. The Bulgarian is coming in strong, and he will be here in three minutes tops. Then, there's the Lady. She'll be with you in half a minute,' the avian provided, still circling high above Harry.
Harry looked at the Tri-Wizard's trophy gleaming ahead. Its bright blue surface reflected a magical light that illuminated the hedges around him.
He knew he could end this right now—just reach out and grab it before the others arrived.
But he faced a dilemma…
'Do I wait for Fleur or not?'
On one hand, he could follow their plan, and he could wait for her, just like they said. He wouldn't even have to stun the other two champions, it'd go without a hitch.
On the other hand, though, he didn't strictly need Fleur's help to deal with Voldemort's baby form. And if things didn't go according to plan—when did they ever—Fleur could be in danger.
There he stood, next to the cup, wondering if the inevitable lecture from Fleur would be worth it.
'It is. It most certainly is. However, will I simply get an earful…?'
He didn't know how much it would hurt his girlfriend if he went behind her back like that, putting himself in danger.
"Fuck me sideways," he mumbled just as the blonde beauty appeared in view.
Fleur didn't look impressed. "Did you seriously burn your way through this hedge?" she asked, pointing to an opening next to her.
Harry flashed her a disarming smile. "I just happened upon it, same as you."
Fleur shook her head dejectedly and closed the distance.
"You lie," a hiss sounded under Fleur's clothes…
'He didn't.'
Ash slithered into view and looked pointedly at his master.
"Ash?"
"It's me, yes. Who else could it be?" the snake replied lazily.
Harry face-palmed. He had to!
Sighing, he reached to grab Fleur, but instead took a hold of Ash and threw him in the air.
Trill.
"YOU BASTARD!" Ash hissed as he flew high above before being snatched by Fawkes.
Fleur stared at Harry with a mixture of disbelief and amusement, her lips twitching despite her best efforts to maintain a stern expression.
"Did you just throw your snake at Fawkes?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Well, technically, I threw my snake at my phoenix," Harry replied with a cheeky grin.
'Masterfully done, youngling,' Fawkes' voice sounded in his mind.
Harry turned the volume down, knowing that it was about to get loud, and grabbed his girlfriend by the wrist, pulling her towards him.
His lips naturally found their place on hers, and they kissed.
"What was that for?" Fleur asked with a small smile after Harry broke it off.
"I'm just glad to see you," Harry replied with a wink.
"Ah. Cedric's almost here," he said, noting the Hufflepuff's closing magical signature. "We should go."
Fleur gave a decisive nod, her wand already out as she peered at the cup. "Together, then."
Harry grinned and entwined his fingers with hers for a fleeting moment, giving them a squeeze before letting go.
Cedric's footsteps echoed faintly behind them now—he was gaining ground, faster than Harry would have thought after being bitten by an acromantula.
"We need to touch it at the same time," Fleur reminded him, sparing him a quick glance that said she meant it.
Harry nodded, heart hammering against his ribs. "On three?"
"Un, deux—"
They grabbed the cup together, magic flaring beneath their fingertips—
And the world spun out from under them.
…
The ground smashed into Harry's side with a dull thud, knocking the air from his lungs. He rolled over with a groan, his wand out.
It was dark. Not the thick, choking darkness of night, but a sort of eerie twilight, heavy and oppressive.
Gravestones jutted out of the earth around them, some ancient and crumbling, others gleaming and sharp as if freshly carved.
"Well, this doesn't look like the winner's circle," Harry muttered, helping Fleur to her feet.
Of course, they both knew that was going to be the case.
"Someone's coming," Fleur said suddenly. Squinting tensely through the darkness, they watched the figure drawing nearer, walking steadily toward them between the graves.
Harry couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, he could tell that it was carrying something.
He could also sense the two beings coming closer.
One had an animal's feel to it, not unlike a rat, and the other… felt wrong. So very wrong. It felt like a twisted mockery of life itself, barely clinging to existence—and yet radiating a malevolent power that made Harry's hair stand up.
The rat-feeling man was short and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face. And—several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time—Harry saw that the thing in the person's arms looked like a baby… or was it merely a bundle of robes?
Despite its looks, Harry knew exactly who that was.
He lowered his wand slightly and glanced sideways at Fleur.
She shot him a quizzical look, and they both turned back to watch the approaching figure.
It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from them.
For a second, Harry and Fleur and the short figure simply looked at one another.
From far away, above his head, he heard a high, cold voice say, "Kill the spare."
A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night: "Avada Kedavra!"
A blast of green light blazed through Harry's eyelids, and he heard something heavy fall to the ground…
Pettigrew crumpled to the floor with a shout of pain, and the killing curse flew high above.
The bundle of robes slipped from Pettigrew's grasp and hit the grass with a soft, wet sound that turned Harry's stomach.
Another exclamation of pain followed.
The bundle tried to move, tried to turn around and do something, but it got twisted in its own fabric.
Pettigrew scrambled forward on all fours, like some grotesque creature, clutching at the small, misshapen thing on the ground. His hood slipped back, revealing a pointed nose and wide, watery eyes gleaming with terror and fervour.
He tried to grab his wand, but with a flash of red light, the rat animagus knew no more.
"Hello, hello. Tom," Harry drawled as he walked closer to the two-ish men.
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Chapter 105: Voldemort's Soul
Chapter 106: Back
...
Chapter 114: Order 'Fawkes the Traitor'