xx. surface wounds & trauma

ϟ

Matilda was supposed to be revising for her exams, which would finish on the day of the third task, but she was putting most of her efforts into helping Harry prepare.

"Stop worrying about it," Matilda said shortly when Harry pointed this out to her. "I've been prepared for these exams since the start of the year. And, you're likely to get top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts with all this training."

"Ron thinks this is good training for when we're all Aurors," said Harry, attempting the Impediment Jinx on a wasp that had buzzed into the room, and making it stop dead in mid-air.

The mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end of the term. Matilda had Harry practicing hexes at every available moment. He was better prepared for this task than either of the others. Difficult and dangerous it would undoubtedly be. But Harry had managed to find his way past monstrous creatures and enchanted barriers before now, and this time he had some notice, some chance for Matilda to prepare him for what lay ahead.

Tired of walking in on them all over the school, Professor McGonagall had given Matilda, Harry, and often times Ron and Hermione permission to use the empty Transfiguration classroom at lunchtimes. Harry had soon mastered the Impediment Jinx, a spell to slow down and obstruct attackers, the Reductor curse, which would enable him to blast solid objects out of his way, and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Matilda's which would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses; Matilda managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx. Harry wobbled around the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter-jinx.

"You're still doing really well, though," Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list, and crossing off those spells they had already learned. "Some of these are bound to come in handy."

"Come and look at this," said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down into the grounds. "What's Malfoy doing?"

Matilda scrunched her nose, "Why do we care what Draco's doing?"

But she followed Harry and Hermione to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be keeping a lookout; both were smirking. Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth, and speaking into it.

Matilda noticed Daisy Morgenstern was nowhere to be found at this moment, perhaps her days of tailing after Draco had come to an end.

"He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie," said Harry curiously.

"He can't be," said Hermione, "I've told you, those sort of things don't work around Hogwarts."

"Well, he's certainly talking to someone," Matilda watched out the window curiously. "But who?"

As everyone moved away from the window to go back to practicing charms Matilda stayed staring out the window with her eyebrows pulled together, watching Draco shake his hand out before walking back toward the castle.

ϟ

Sirius was sending daily owls now. Like Matilda, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting Harry through the last task, before they concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded Harry in every letter that whatever might be going on outside the walls of Hogwarts was not Harry's responsibility, nor was it within his power to influence it.

If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, my priority is to ensure your and your friends' safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters.

Matilda's nerves mounted as June the twenty-fourth drew closer. Though she and Harry had spent more time in preparing, there was a growing feeling inside of her that wouldn't allow her mind to be at ease.

Her scheduled sessions with Professor Trelawney didn't help any either. She'd been seated at the same place where she'd taken her last exam for the same class last year, Professor Trelawney in her ear, reminding her to clear her head. But Matilda had far too much to be thinking about.

"I've told you a hundred times before, Professor, I'm no seer," said Matilda, turning to face Trelawney. "I'm not sure what you want from me."

"Patience," she whispered.

Matilda had never been known for her patience. She wasn't a patient person. One of the things about herself that she'd consider a weakness.

But she turned back to the crystal ball sitting on the table before her, watching it, believing that nothing was going to happen. Despite Trelawney being hellbent on the idea of her being a true seer because of her vision from last year, though whatever she had seen last year should be taken with a grain of salt, she was hunting for an accused murderer with her friends. Obviously, her mind had been elsewhere during exams.

Matilda sucked in a deep breath, slowly releasing it, as she tried to focus on the crystal in front of her. The heat in the room had finally caught up to her. The flames from the many candles tickled her skin and the strong scent of lit incense-filled her nostrils. A white fog formed inside the crystal ball, moving around and around, Matilda focused only on that, until suddenly, beneath all the fog, she began to see moving images.

The image spinning in the crystal ball took over her every sense. She was outside of the castle. The stands on the Quidditch field were full. Students sitting quietly, watching the movements coming from the maze before them. A maze – Matilda turned, she was standing on a field right near the maze with Dumbledore who wore a worried look on his face.

Her vision was spinning. She tried to focus but things were happening too quickly. It was like hitting fast forward on television. She had moved inside the maze, Harry beside her, but it was like he didn't know she was standing right next to him. He wasn't looking at her, but directly across from him.

"Avada Kedavra!"

With a deep gasp, Matilda pulled herself out of the vision, "No!"

A panic expression was painted across the porcelain face. Her eyes scanned the room, blurred by the tears that had dampened her cheeks. Her heart raced from inside her chest and a lump had formed in her throat keeping her from saying much. She looked at Professor Trelawney who laid a steaming cup of tea before her.

Matilda reached out for the cup but her hands shook too much to be able to grasp at anything, especially a hot beverage. She balled her hands up into a fist, letting it fall onto her lap.

"What was it darling?" Trelawney spoke in an excited whisper. "What did you see?"

Clearing her throat, Matilda quickly began to gather her things, she stood from her chair, collecting her thoughts and regaining her usual composed demeanor, "Nothing, I didn't see anything."

And Matilda climbed down the ladder and back into the stone corridor where she quickly made her way to the Ravenclaw Tower where she stayed for the rest of the night, trying to convince herself that whatever she had seen was induced by the fumes that had wafted into her brain.

ϟ

Breakfast was a very noisy affair in the Great Hall on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius. It was only a piece of parchment, folded over and bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but Matilda could tell that Harry appreciated it all the same. Pluto arrived for Matilda, carrying letters from her mum and dad, wishing her luck on her final exams. A screech owl swooped in for Hermione, sending her a morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.

"What?" they all asked together, staring at her.

"Nothing," said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it.

He stared at the headline, and said, "No way. Not today. That old cow."

"What?" said Harry. "Rita Skeeter again?"

"Don't even worry about it, Harry," said Matilda quickly. "The old bat isn't worth any of your thoughts today."

"It's about me, isn't it?" said Harry.

"No," said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone.

But before Harry could demand to see the paper, Draco Malfoy shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin table.

Matilda rolled her eyes as she watched him round the Ravenclaw table to approach them. She certainly wasn't in no mood for his antics today, she feared that if he pressed too hard that she might end up truly hurting him.

"Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? Are you feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?"

Malfoy was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet, too. Slytherins up and down the table were sniggering, twisting in their seats to see Harry's reaction.

"Let me see it," Harry said to Ron. "Give it here."

Very reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over, Matilda looked over his shoulder and found herself staring at Harry's picture, beneath a banner headline:

HARRY POTTER 'DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS'

The boy who defeated He Who Must Not Be Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts school.

Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, mid-way through a Divination lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying.

It is possible, say top experts at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potter's brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, and that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion.

"He might even be pretending," said one specialist, "This could be a plea for attention."

Matilda glanced up at a snickering Draco, wondering which specialist had been paid enough to say this nonsense without proper testing or diagnosis.

The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public.

"Potter can speak Parseltongue," reveals Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts fourth-year. "There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a Dueling Club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think he'd do anything for a bit of power."

Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue "as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with evil-doers." Similarly, "anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence".

Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the Tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening.

"I'll kill you," Matilda stared at Draco darkly.

Harry quickly placed a hand on Matilda's shoulder, stopping the evil thoughts rushing through her brain.

"Don't bother, Tilly" said Harry lightly, folding up the paper.

Draco walked back over to the Slytherin table, where he, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing at Harry, tapping their heads with their fingers, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes.

"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?" Ron said. "There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard –"

"The window was open," said Harry. "I opened it to breathe."

"You were at the top of North Tower!" Hermione said. "Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!"

"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!" said Harry. "You tell me how she did it!"

"Perhaps she has a snitch running around the castle corridors," Matilda continued to glare at Draco. "Her own little fly on the wall."

An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione's face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Are you alright?" said Matilda, frowning at her.

"Yes," said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. Matilda watched; her eyebrows raised curiously.

"I've had an idea," Hermione said, gazing into space. "I think I know... because then no one would be able to see... even Moody... and she'd have been able to get onto the window-ledge... but she's not allowed... she's definitely not allowed... I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library – just to make sure!"

With that, Hermione seized her schoolbag and dashed out of the Great Hall.

"I should go too," Matilda sighed, standing up and away from her barely touched plate of breakfast. "Padma and I are studying for the Charms exam."

Before walking away Matilda stopped, turning back to face Harry, "Please, for the love of Merlin, do not do anything stupid while I'm away. I'll see you at lunch."

ϟ

It came as quite a surprise to Matilda to learn that Padma had become exceptionally well-versed in her knowledge of the Charms lessons this year. Bragging on her newfound talent for the subject, Matilda asked where she learned everything she knew.

"Besides from watching and copying your every move in class?" Padma laughed.

The two were just leaving the Ravenclaw Tower in order to make it to lunch before the tables became overcrowded.

"It's embarrassing, but at first it was just to impress Bentley Morgenstern," she groaned. "But I spent so much time reading and learning that I found myself enjoying it."

Though Matilda disagreed with the idea to change oneself for the attention of anyone was absurd, she didn't – couldn't say anything bad about Padma. Because, what started out as something to impress a boy she liked turned into her finding something she's naturally good at. Matilda couldn't shame Padma for being good at something.

They met Ron on the steps leading toward the main corridor. Padma, offering Matilda a sideways glance skipped forward and locked arms with her sister, leaving Matilda and Ron to walk by themselves.

"Ron," Matilda greeted, smiling. "How was your exam in History of Magic?"

He shook his head, letting out a long and tired sigh, "Not great, honestly."

"Really? I found his quite easy," said Matilda.

"Yeah, of course, you did," said Ron, rolling his eyes jokingly. "You're Matilda Winters."

"And don't you forget it," Matilda smiled up at him.

He shook his head, strands of loose red curls falling on his forehead, "Impossible."

An instant sensation of calm fell over Matilda as Ron smiled down at her. There were no worries or pits in her stomach as she walked with him toward the Great Hall.

They hadn't talked much. Not since Ron's sudden need to confess his feelings for her. Matilda feared that they'd never be able to talk normally again and found herself missing him when he wasn't even gone. He'd never left though. It was confusing and amusing for Matilda to watch how they could manage to find relief in one another's company despite the obvious feelings lingering over the two of them.

"Mum – Bill!" said Ron, looking stunned, as he led the way to the Gryffindor table. "What're you doing here?"

"Come to watch Harry in the last task!" said Mrs. Weasley brightly. "I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. Oh, and this must be the Matilda Winters I hear so much about?"

Matilda sat her bag in the seat beside Harry. She'd reached her hand out, expecting to shake Mrs. Weasley's hand, but instead, she was pulled into a tight hug. Molly reached up and tapped Matilda's head, cooing as if she was holding a newborn baby.

"Mum..." whined Ron.

Mrs. Weasley pulled away from the hug, hushing Ron as she introduced herself, and Ron's older brother Bill, who'd taken to teasing Ron about his red cheeks, to Matilda.

"I must say," sighed Mrs. Weasley. "It is so great to finally meet you, Matilda. I mean, I don't believe Ron ever stops talking about you. And Harry, well you've been a great deal of help to him, really, you have."

Matilda had sat awkwardly beside Harry. She smiled as Mrs. Weasley praised her name. And normally she'd have felt a sense of pride rush through her as the complements was thrown at her, but right now she just felt awkward.

Fred, George, and Ginny came to sit next to them, too, and Matilda watched Harry's eyes light up as family surrounded him. Even Matilda and Hermione had managed to forget about the obvious horrors of the Third Task and managed to partake in the fun that the Weasley family offered.

Harry, looked at Hermione suddenly, a look of realization crossing his expression, "Hermione, are you going to tell us—"

Hermione shook her head warningly and glanced at Mrs. Weasley.

"Hello, Hermione," said Mrs. Weasley, happily.

"Hello," Hermione greeted just as enthusiastically.

Matilda once again had to leave Harry after lunch to make it to her exams on time. She felt a little more relieved this time, leaving him with Mrs. Weasley who had pulled her and Hermione into hugs when they announced their need to depart.

She found herself back in her room when she finished her exam earlier than expected. Luna was sitting on her bed, beside Matilda's knitting a scarf that was half Hufflepuff and half Gryffindor colors. Luna had remained adamant on not picking a side during the competition, claiming it was an honor to have two chances at winning the cup.

Though, Matilda didn't know why Luna needed the scarf. It was June.

It seemed as if everyone had the same idea as Matilda. As she walked into the Great Hall with Luna and Padma, the dark pit back and stronger than ever, she noticed that everyone else had changed out of their school robes and into their everyday clothing.

Luna offered Matilda a small hug, reminding her to wish Harry luck before skipping off to her usual seat at the Ravenclaw table. Padma sighed turning to her.

"Things are going to be okay, right?" she asked nervously.

"I hope so," whispered Matilda.

But with everything that she'd been feeling all year, a dark shadow following her around, and with what she saw in Divinations, she didn't know – she didn't know if things were going to be okay.

Padma offered Matilda's hand a comforting squeeze before they parted way. Padma sitting beside Luna at the Ravenclaw table and Matilda walking by to take a seat beside Harry, attempting to swallow the bad feelings down with her food.

There were more courses than usual, but Matilda felt sick to her stomach, and she noticed Harry not eating much, only pushing his food around with his fork. As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch pitch for the third and last task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."

Harry got up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him; the Weasleys and Hermione all wish him good luck, Matilda offered him the best smile she could conjure up, and he headed off out of the Great Hall, with Cedric, Fleur, and Krum.

Looking over her shoulder, Matilda watched Harper, from the Hufflepuff table offer a last wave before Cedric disappeared outside of the Great Hall doors with the other Champions. Tears welled in her excited but scared eyes and her friends comforted her.

There it was again. The dark shadow. The dark pit in her stomach. She needed to get to Harry.

"I need to find Harry."

Matilda stood from the table, ignoring those around her who tried explaining that she couldn't go now, Harry's already left. As she ran down the long aisles between the tables, she earned a few confused glances from her peers and professors, but no one stopped her.

Her actions seemed to have an effect on some. Scaring them or making them find humor in the panic. But Daisy, who'd been on her way to the Slytherin table after Cedric had been dismissed, stopped short, watching Matilda, becoming even more nervous than she had been all day.

Matilda made her way out of the Entrance Hall doors and onto the school grounds. She made her way to the Quidditch pitch, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them, the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.

"Harry..."

Matilda finally caught up to him, just as Bagman stepped away. Her breath was heavy and jagged, and the platform heels made it feel like her feet were on fire from the running.

"Tilly?" Harry's eyebrows drew together as he turned around to watch Matilda approach him with a panicked expression.

"Something's not right," she told him immediately. "You have to drop out now. Forfeit the competition or something, just don't go into that maze, please."

Harry had little to no time to process Matilda's words as the students from the Great Hall had now made their way outside and started to fill up the stands. He looked back to Matilda, sighing deeply as he took her hands into his.

It was five minutes later, and the stands had filled. The air was full of excited voices that drowned out Matilda's nervous one, and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin waistcoat.

Upon seeing Matilda each of them glanced at her curiously, knowing she'd not been permitted to be in the arena. She showed no signs of caring though as she continued to try and talk Harry out of going into that maze, even assuring him that if he backed out, she wouldn't think any different of him. And she'd hex those who had something to say about it.

"Miss Winters," Professor McGonagall greeted with a curious look.

"Professor," she sighed heavily.

"I don't believe you've been permitted to be down here," McGonagall guessed correctly.

"No, I haven't," said Matilda. "But I think I'm going to stay."

"You should let her," said Harry.

He gave Professor McGonagall a pleading look and it only took her a second to grasp onto the message Harry had been trying to send her through his look. She nodded, permitting Matilda a place to stand on the field.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"

"See?" Harry leaned down to whisper into Matilda's ear. "They're watching out for me. I'll be okay."

The other champions nodded, and Matilda rolled her eyes.

"Off you go, then!" said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers.

"Good luck, Harry," Hagrid whispered, and the four of them walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered 'Sonorus', and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, on eighty-five points each – Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, on eighty points – Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

From her spot in the arena Matilda could just make out Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione applauding Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. Harry waved up at them, and they waved back, beaming at him.

"So... on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three – two – one –"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forwards into the maze. Matilda turned to look at the maze. The dark shadow that she had been feeling following her around all day suddenly felt as though it whipped past her, following Harry into the maze.

Bagman's whistle blew for a second time, sending Victor running into the hedges. Applause erupted all around the arena for him. A few minutes passed of silence only the dull hum of small talk in the stands filled the still air. Bagman blew his whistle for the third time; all Champions were now in the maze.

Matilda had finally found Dumbledore on the large field. She approached him; her arms crossed over her chest. She looked up at him and he down at her.

"Something's wrong," she told him sternly. "Something is wrong, and I can feel it. You have to send someone in after Harry."

The other champions didn't even cross her mind.

Dumbledore placed his large hand on Matilda's small shoulders and smiled, "I assure you, Miss Winters, we took every precaution to ensure the safety of our champions."

"Please," she begged, and Matilda never begged. "Please just stop this."

Dumbledore never got the chance to respond to a shrill female scream that came breaking through the maze, sending a wave of curious and scared silence throughout the entire Quidditch pitch. Matilda looked at Dumbledore her eyes wide and frantic.

"That didn't sound so safe to me, Albus," she said.

Matilda spent what felt like ages arguing with Dumbledore. But he insisted that as much as he trusts her, he couldn't put a stop to this even if he wanted to, it was out of his control. It wasn't only the other schools that would have to agree, but the Ministry as well.

A few minutes later distinct males screamed filled the air. It was Cedric. Matilda looked up to the stands, finding her sister. A hand clasped over her mouth as tears welled in her eyes, her friends comforting her with fake words of encouragement.

"I don't care. I don't care if you're not in charge here, please, Albus, please stop this. Harry will die."

Tears welled in Matilda's eyes as she looked up to the only person who she ever put above herself in skill and talent. The only person she's ever admired and looked up to. Hoping that he'd listen to her – take her seriously.

It sounded absolutely insane. Matilda knew that. Going off a feeling, suddenly she was talking like Professor Trelawney. But she couldn't deny what she saw – what she heard in the classroom. Someone was going to use the killing curse which meant someone would die in there. Her heart shattered at just the mere thought of Harry being on the other side of the wand casting the forbidden curse.

Matilda loved Harry. There was no more denying that. She loved him as more than a friend and as more than a boyfriend. It was as if Harry was her other half. And if she lost him then she lost herself.

About an hour and half later, there was a blinding flash of white light from within the maze, making spectators stand and look around for one of the champions to appear. But no one came.

And Matilda lunged forward having to be caught and held back by Ministry officials.

ϟ

An entire hour had passed, and the maze had gone eerily dark. Matilda was still yelling at the adults leading the task, still begging them to notice that something was wrong on the inside. She looked absolutely mad, having been stopped from running into the maze by Dumbledore and Percy after the flash of light lit up the stands.

Viktor and Fleur had been recovered from the torturous maze safely, only harboring minor injuries – surface wounds and trauma.

Tears soaked Matilda's cheeks as she screamed at the people before the maze so loud her voice began to give out. She'd never raised her voice like this in front of – let alone to Dumbledore. She'd also never cried in front of anyone before, having made it a point not to. Matilda never wanted to show any form of weakness, but she had no control over these tears, they managed to break through the barrier she'd set up for them as her anger and desperation rose to levels, she never imagined possible.

Turning away from the maze she looked up at the stands. Her peers seemed just as scared as her. She wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand as she sucked in a deep and shaky breath.

And then there was light.

There was another bright flash of light, bringing Matilda to spin back around. At first, it appeared as though Harry had just landed on top of Cedric as they crashed onto the rough earth below them. It was thought by many that they'd just arrived together and there was a second of relief that everybody felt. But Matilda watched and under Harry's squirming body she saw the limp arm.

A torrent of sound deafened Matilda, there were voices everywhere, footsteps screams... she couldn't move. The first time in her life she hated that she was right.

Harry was alive. She had to move. She had to help him. Matilda followed Dumbledore over to where he was running toward Harry, seizing him and turning him over roughly.

"Harry! Harry!"

Matilda bent down and shook Harry's shoulder. He'd been injured pretty badly.

He opened his eyes.

Harry was looking up at the starry sky, and Albus Dumbledore and Matilda were crouched over him. The dark shadows of a crowd of people pressed in around them, pushing nearer; Matilda felt the ground beneath her feet reverberating with their footsteps.

Matilda took the cup from Harry, carelessly tossing it aside, trying to pull him off the ground, but he clutched Cedric to him even more tightly. He raised his free hand and seized Dumbledore's wrist, while Dumbledore's face swam in and out of focus.

"He's back," Harry whispered. "He's back. Voldemort."

Matilda's eyes widened in a mix of horror and shock. Though she didn't have a chance to say anything as a familiar voice sounded from behind them.

"What's going on? What's happened?"

The face of Cornelius Fudge appeared beside Harry looking down over Harry; it looked white, appalled.

"My God – Diggory!" he whispered. "Dumbledore – he's dead!"

The words were repeated, the shadowy figures pressing in on them gasped it to those around them... and then others shouted it – screeched it – into the night – "He's dead!" "He's dead! Cedric Diggory! Dead!"

Then Dumbledore's face bent down closer. "Harry, you can't help him now. It's over. Let go."

Matilda pulled on the hand that Harry had now clutched onto of hers, trying to pull him away from Cedric's body. She couldn't even look it at it, each time her eyes scanned it the feeling of vomit rose in her throat.

"He wanted me to bring him back," Harry muttered – it seemed important to explain this. "He wanted me to bring him back to his parents..."

"You did it, Harry. You did. But you have to let go, please," Matilda begged him.

Dumbledore bent down and with an extraordinary face helped Matilda raise Harry from the ground and set him onto his feet. Harry swayed; his injured leg unable to support his weight. Matilda kept an arm tight around his waist, allowing his much taller self to lean onto her for support. The crowd around them jostled, fighting to get closet, pressing darkly in on Harry – "What's happened? What's wrong with him? Diggory is dead!"

"He'll need to go to the hospital wing!" Fudge was saying loudly. "He's ill, he's injured – Dumbledore, Diggory's parents, they're here, they're in the stands..."

"I'll take Harry, Dumbledore, I'll take him –"

Matilda offered but Dumbledore sighed, shaking his head, "No I would much rather—"

"Dumbledore, Amos Diggory's running... he's coming over... don't you think you should tell him – before he sees –?" Fudge panics.

"Matilda, keep Harry here—"

Girls were screaming, sobbing hysterically... the scene flickered oddly before Matilda's eyes...

"It's all right, son, I've got you... come on... hospital wing..."

Moody hobbled over to where Matilda stood, reaching for an almost completely delirious Harry, Matilda stepped in front of him protectively.

"Dumbledore said stay," she told him.

Moody growled lowly as he glared down at her. His jaw tightened but Matilda didn't flinch, at least not until she heard her name being called.

"Matilda! Matilda!"

Furrowing her eyebrows Matilda glanced around the large forming crowd. Pushing through the hoard of people she watched her dad run up and suddenly pulled her safely into her chest. She sighed a deep sigh of relief. Finally feeling safe.

"Dad?" she asked into his chest, smelling his cologne. "What're you doing here?"

"Word travels fast," he said, pulling away and looking down at her sadly. "Where's Harper? Have you seen her?"

Harper. Suddenly it dawned on her. Laying completely lifeless at her feet had been the boy Harper spent most of her young life being in love with.

Matilda turned away from her dad, in search of her older sister, but in searching for her sister in the sea of frantic onlookers, Matilda noticed Harry had gone missing.

"Harry?" she pulled away from her dad's grasp. "Harry?!"

She spun in circles but seeing over the crowd was no use. Also missing was Moody. The dark pit in her stomach returned. Quickly she turned back to her dad.

"He took him. Moody took Harry!"

"Tilly, Moody's just taking him to the hospital wing," he assured her calmly. "He'll be fine, I promise."

But the promise of being fine meant nothing to her anymore because so many people had spent the year promising that Harry was going to be fine, and though he was alive, and luckily so, he wasn't fine. None of them were fine after today.

"No," she whispered.

Dumbledore returned, appearing behind Rueban, also looking for Harry. He too was curious to know where Harry had gone.

"It was Moody," said Matilda quickly. "He was trying to pull Harry away and—"

"Follow me," ordered Dumbledore quickly.

There wasn't a moment of hesitation. Matilda glanced back quickly to her dad, ignoring his call for her, and ran through the uncontrollable crowd alongside Dumbledore. Him finally feeling the same sense of dread that Matilda had felt all year.

They raced up the cobblestone steps and through the long corridors. Running up the steps and rounding corners sharply with their wands drawn. It was only them. No lingering students had dared to stay in the castle and miss the antics of the finals task. Not one person had missed witnessing the death of their classmate.

Dumbledore stopped suddenly. Carefully walking up on Professor Moody's office. The door had been tightly closed. They could hear him talking to Harry, admitting to putting his name in the Goblet and to being a close supporter of Voldemort's. Matilda couldn't believe it. An Auror, knowing for having a liking to killing Death Eaters.

It didn't add up.

Other Professors appeared behind Matilda and Dumbledore, wands drawn, ready to help.

"Stupefy!" There was a blinding flash of red light, and with a great splintering and crashing, the door of Moody's office was blasted apart –

Moody was thrown backward onto the office floor.

At that moment, Matilda fully understood why people said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of Mad-Eye Moody was more terrible than Matilda could ever have imagined. There was no benign smile upon Dumbledore's face, no twinkle in the eyes behind the spectacles. There was cold fury in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he was giving off burning heat.

He stepped into the office, placed a foot underneath Moody's unconscious body, and kicked him over onto his back so that his face was visible. Snape followed him, looking into the Foe-Glass, where his own face was still visible, glaring into the room.

Professor McGonagall and Matilda ran straight for Harry.

"Help me with him, Winters," McGonagall whispered. The thin line of her mouth was twitching as though she was about to cry. "Come along, Potter, let's get you to the hospital wing."

"No," said Dumbledore sharply.

"Dumbledore, he ought to – look at him – he's been through enough tonight –"

"He will stay, Minerva, because he needs to understand," said Dumbledore curtly. "Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. He needs to know who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why."

"Moody," Harry said. He was still in a state of complete disbelief. "How can it have been Moody?"

"This is not Alastor Moody," said Dumbledore quietly. "You have never known Alastor Moody. The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight. The moment he took you, I knew – and I followed."

Dumbledore bent down over Moody's limp form and put a hand inside his robes. He pulled out Moody's hipflask and a set of keys on a ring. Then he turned to Professor McGonagall and Snape.

"Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down to the kitchens, and bring up the house-elf called Winky. Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here."

"Matilda, I suggest you go find your family now," Dumbledore turned to her.

Creasing her eyebrows Matilda was quick to shake her head, "No. I can't. Not right now anyway, not with what happened."

Her heart broke for Harper, but Matilda knew seeing her face would offer no help at all, she'd have no words to help soothe her heartbroken sister, and she'd have no spells that could fix the issue. She knew it was best if she just stands off for a little while.

Dumbledore nodded understanding, "Then you must go to my office. We have a visitor there I need you to greet keep busy, for me."

She wanted to resist. To tell him that she wasn't going to leave Harry, especially not again, but the look he was giving her told her that she really had no choice in this matter. So, Matilda sighed and nodded. She squeezed Harry's hand assuringly before walking out of Moody's office.

Glumly, Matilda made her way through the empty halls once more. The clicking of her heels echoed off the concrete walls. Voiced of students from the entrance hall could be heard but only in whispers.

"Matilda, how great to see you again..."

She'd been dragging her feet up to Dumbledore's office, her head hanging low. Though just as she made her way into the large, and decorated room, a familiar voice sounded, bringing Matilda's gaze up, to meet a pair of sunken grey eyes.

"Sirius? About time you've shown up."

ϟ

AN:// can't believe how close to being finished with this part I am.

Sorry for the time it took me to get this out. I know it's not my best writing, but I had to take a step back from this story for a second, it was causing a lot of stress I just couldn't take on.

I hope you guys still enjoy it, though! Let me know!