June 24th, Cloudy (Part 1)

The final task of the Triwizard Tournament drew the largest crowd yet. Parents of students had been invited, and Aurors from the Ministry of Magic patrolled the perimeter to maintain order. Luther Forrest stood on the edge of the arena, trying to spot his children in the sea of faces.

"Need me to take over for a bit?" Tonks, now a new mother but still as cheerful as ever, offered with a smile.

"No, no," Luther said, waving her off. "The game's about to start, and you've got your hands full. Besides, I didn't tell them I was here. I want to surprise them later."

Tonks shrugged. "Suit yourself. But I hate this disguise. Pretending to be Moody's lackey is insulting."

"Tonks!" Luther hissed, glancing around. "Keep it down!"

"Alright, alright! You Americans are so serious," Tonks muttered before walking off.

Luther couldn't help but worry. Fred wasn't as mature as Lupin. Would he and Joey be able to handle raising a child someday?

Meanwhile, Joey had painted Gryffindor and Huffelpuff stripes on her cheeks and was cheering loudly with Fred in the crowd. She peered through her binoculars, trying to see into the maze, but it was shrouded in thick fog.

"They've done a great job keeping it secret!" Joey complained, lowering the binoculars.

"You'll need those once the game starts," Fred said, grinning.

He was right. As soon as Cedric entered the maze, the fog lifted, revealing a massive, intricate labyrinth.

"This is amazing!" Fred exclaimed, leaning over the railing. "It's like the ultimate prank!"

Joey, peering through her binoculars, gasped. "There's so much dangerous stuff in there! Is that a Blast-Ended Skrewt? It's huge! Cedric looks like a dwarf next to it!"

Cedric, facing the three-meter-long Skrewt, sighed. He had hoped to avoid it, but fate had other plans. In his previous life, he'd nearly been roasted alive by one. This time, he knew what to do. With a flick of his wand, he flipped the Skrewt onto its back and tickled its underside with a transfigured feather. The creature let out a strange, contented noise and calmed down.

The crowd erupted in cheers, but Cedric didn't hear them. He pressed on, navigating the maze with ease. Devil's Snare, a Sphinx, and a giant spider—all fell before him. His combined knowledge from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw made him a formidable competitor.

But as he rounded a corner, he saw Krum ahead. Cedric dodged just in time, avoiding a Cruciatus Curse that hit the hedge beside him. Krum, under the Imperius Curse, lunged at him. Cedric pretended to faint, knocking Krum down in the process. He sent up red sparks to mark their location, then continued toward the center of the maze.

Cedric knew what awaited him at the Goblet of Fire. He had to wait for Harry. Dumbledore's words echoed in his mind: "You must fly over with Harry. It's the only way to draw Voldemort and the Death Eaters out."

Cedric wasn't sure if he could pull it off, but he had no choice. He hid in the shadows, reviewing defensive spells in his mind. When Harry finally appeared, looking disheveled, Cedric put on his best terrified expression.

"Let's do it together," Cedric said solemnly as they approached the Goblet.

Harry hesitated but nodded. As they reached for the Goblet, Cedric whispered, "Are you ready? Be careful."

Harry barely had time to react before the Portkey activated, yanking them into the air. They landed hard in a graveyard. Cedric dragged Harry behind a tombstone, whispering urgently, "Take your wand, Harry. Never let it go."

Harry, confused but trusting, gripped his wand tightly.

A small figure appeared—Peter Pettigrew, carrying a grotesque, baby-like form. Voldemort.

"Where are they?" the hoarse voice demanded.

Cedric's heart raced. He remembered this moment from his past life—the last thing he'd seen before dying. He shoved a handful of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder into Harry's pocket. "Use this to disappear," he whispered.

As Peter spotted them, Cedric dropped a smoke bomb and dove behind another tombstone. A green curse narrowly missed him. He'd survived the Killing Curse—this time.

"Leave him! Bring Harry!" Voldemort ordered.

Cedric watched as Harry was dragged away, his heart aching for the boy. He saw Peter brew the resurrection potion, using Harry's blood, bone from the grave, and his own flesh. Voldemort emerged from the cauldron, tall and terrifying.

Cedric fought the urge to vomit. This was worse than anything he'd imagined.

Voldemort summoned his Death Eaters, pressing the Dark Mark on Peter's arm. "How many will come?" he mused. "Hopefully not too few."

Cedric's mind raced. He had to protect Harry, but how? The snake, Nagini, coiled around Harry, hissing menacingly.

"Don't worry, Nagini," Voldemort said, his voice cold. "We'll have our fun with the boy soon."

Cedric clenched his wand. He had survived the first Avada Kedavra. Now, he had to ensure Harry survived too.