Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry dreamt of Hogwarts. He was slithering inside the walls, snaking in and out of the various drainage pipes. He was searching, trying to find someone. So close...so close...

Harry awoke to the sounds of an argument. He reached for his wand but found that he was already holding it. He eavesdropped on the conversation, waiting to make his entrance.

"...can you not wait just one day?"

"What's the point? We have to tell him now."

"I can't believe you! I can't believe you did this!"

"I didn't do this. They voted on it!"

"Voted on what?" Harry pulled back the drapes and stepped out of bed.

Tracey was glaring at Blaise, her arms stiffly at her sides and her fists clenched. Blaise grunted and turned away from her, looking Harry square in the eye. Draco was in the room as well, but he was seated on his bed, watching the confrontation with a drink in his hand. They were all dressed since they still had class. Harry, as a Champion, was excused for the day.

The palpable tension in the room was not missed upon Harry. A clear argument had taken place between Blaise and Tracey. Draco remaining the room was not by accident either. Whatever had occurred in the dormitory had started long before Harry awoke. He couldn't help but feel ambushed by the situation.

Blaise tried to maintain eye contact, but he looked away when he spoke.

"The Slytherins held a vote late last night," Blaise said.

"A vote on what?" Harry repeated himself.

Tracey looked away while Draco maintained his cool composure. Blaise fidgeted but lifted his head and looked Harry in the eye. From his posture, Harry knew that Blaise was ready to delivery unfavorable news.

"On a six to two vote, the Slytherins have voted that you step down as leader and Commander of the Fourth Year Slytherins."

Harry couldn't help but smile. "Six to two? Do I get to know who voted for me?"

Blaise jerked his head towards the other two people in the room. "Tracey and Draco both voted to keep you in place as Commander."

It was no surprise to Harry that Tracey sided with him. She was unwavering in her support. That Draco sided with him as well was much more of a surprise. Harry suspected that Draco would jump at the chance to remove him from his position of authority, but perhaps Tracey had truly gotten to him like she said.

It was a surreal moment for Harry. Never had he thought they would actually vote on the subject. Never had he even considered they would not want him as Commander. They had done so well, leading the other Houses in the lists and boasting a far higher winning percentage than the other Houses. He laughed at the ridiculousness of it.

"Is this all about yesterday? Losing an unwinnable match? You saw how Snape set it up. It was designed for us to lose," Harry hissed, stepping closer to Blaise.

Blaise might have been taller and physically more formidable, but Harry saw him shrink as he closed the gap between them. There was a fear in his posture that was unmistakable. Harry took another step towards his friend, demanding answers.

"And you? How did this vote come about? Was it you who started it? Was it you who wanted me out?" Harry peppered him with question after question, unrelenting.

Blaise found his nerve. "Yes, it was me. For months, you have been acting erratic and behaving without composure. You have disrespected everyone in our Year. You have been inconsistent in your approach and it has generated wildly unpredictable results when it has to come to Battle class."

"We have been winning," Harry interjected.

"Sporadically," Blaise emphasized. "We acknowledge that you have led us to more victories than losses. We're not blind. With each passing battle, it has become apparent that our progress is detriment to our victories. We are tired of being belittled by you. We are tired of facing unrelenting aggression on your part. We have been trying, Harry, but as much as we try, there has been no recognition on your part. Conversely, we have dealt with your problems."

"My problems?!" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yes. Your problems. You've passed out in the middle of Battle. You have missed several key opportunities for victories due to poor management. Frankly, Harry, you just seemed burnt out."

"And that deems me unfit for command, then?"

Blaise nodded, his jaw set and his eyes forward. "This is not permanent by any means, but the overwhelming majority have voted and feel it is a detriment to still have you in command."

Anger brewed in Harry's chest. Blaise stated it all so matter of factly. There was no remorse in his words. There was no apology. Blaise really thought he was unfit for command or had convinced himself that Harry was unfit to lead. There were spells on Harry's tongue, several of them meant to harm. His wand felt light and his feet shifted into a battling posture.

"And who is set to command? You, I expect," Harry spit out venomously.

"No," Blaise answered, surprising Harry. "They held a separate vote and the consensus as to who should take over as Commander is Draco."

Harry whipped his head towards the blond still sitting on his bed, sipping on a drink. Harry scrutinized him closely and was on the verge of using Legilimency on him. He could feel the command slipping from his fingertips. These decisions had been made in secret and without him. It was not something that was a spur of the moment decision, he realized. They had been planning this for quite some time.

Upon that realization, Harry's anger deflated.

He folded like a popped balloon, shrinking away from Blaise and sitting down heavily on his bed. Blaise looked at Tracey, who had a worried expression on her pretty face. The tall Slytherin did not approach Harry and turned towards the doorway, realizing it was time to leave. Before Blaise left, he turned back and addressed Harry.

"This isn't permanent, Harry. But you're not well."

The door slammed behind him and there were only three left in the dormitory.

Harry could feel the emotions seeping out. He felt tired, though he had just woken. He felt exhausted, though it was the beginning of the day before the Second Task had even begun. He felt drained. All of the tension building for the past few months had snapped and he felt hollow. He looked at his hands, calloused and rough. He dimly heard Tracey speaking in soft undertones to Draco.

Malfoy stood to leave and before he left, Harry called out, "Congratulations."

Draco turned smoothly and nodded his head ever so slightly. He made eye contact with Tracey and a meaningful look passed in between them. Then, he left and there were only two in the dormitory. Tracey gingerly sat next to Harry on his bed, maintaining some space between them.

The silence that settled around them was suffocating. As each second ticked by, Harry felt more and more constricted. It was a strange duality, the drain of his emotions and the tightening around his neck. His mind raced, trying to process the mutiny. That was what it was. It was a nonviolent mutiny, but it was a betrayal nonetheless. Worst of it all, he had not seen it coming in the slightest.

"Did you know?" Harry asked.

Tracey bit her lip and twirled her hair. She knew. Harry did not need to hear her say it.

"Yes." She confirmed his thoughts. "I tried to convince Blaise not to go through with it, but he was insistent. I don't think he ever recovered from being held back during that one battle."

"I don't think he did either," Harry agreed.

Another silence fell upon them, ambushing them with its severity. There was nothing that could be said, no words that could alleviate the pain Harry felt. Tracey seemed to understand as she said nothing. There were no fake sympathies she could give.

"I think I'm done, Tracey."

"Done with what?"

"I don't know. With everything, I suppose," Harry said.

"What does that mean?"

Harry thought about what it meant. He thought of Fleur and the anguish in her cry as she banished him. He thought of Snape and the mocking tone right before he entered the Room of Requirements. He thought of Trow and Lupin and the lessons they continued to give him about Riddle. He thought of Blaise and the rest of the Slytherins.

How did the vote go? Had they all raised their hands immediately when the decision came? Was it a secret ballot?

He thought of Aristophanes and that damned article that soured his relations with almost all of the Slytherins. He thought of the Second Task and what obstacles they had created for him now. He thought of Justin drowning beneath his hands. He thought of dragons and fire and blood. He thought of Vernon and the smack of leather against his skin. He thought of Tracey hanging from a rope. He thought of the forest and the lightning he created from the sky. He thought of Hermione and her dead parents.

Tracey touched his shoulder and a shiver passed through his body. He thought he would cry but he felt nothing. Just an emptiness in the pit of his stomach.

"I think I want to leave Hogwarts," Harry finally answered.

He heard Tracey take a quick intake of breath. Her hand held firmly on his shoulder as if he would fly away at any moment. She scooted closer and took his chin in her hands. Tracey lifted his head until he was staring into her blue, teary eyes.

"And go where, Harry? Back to the awful Dursleys? Back to being a Muggle? What would you do if you weren't here?"

Harry didn't have a good answer to that. There was nothing else for him but Hogwarts. Before Hogwarts, his life had been miserable. The only reason he had not run away from the Dursleys was that he had nowhere else to go. There was no one else to turn to. If he left Hogwarts, what else was there?

"You belong here, Harry. You're the greatest wizard I have ever and will ever know. The things you've done...the things you will do. What's happening right now is just a bump in the road for you. I know it. Fuck Blaise. Fuck the rest of them. Fuck Snape. Do not let them beat you, Harry."

He shook his head, still staring at his hand. "I can't. There's just too much. Everyone's asking for so much."

"Then let me help you. You try so hard, Harry. You try so hard to shoulder the load all by yourself. Blaise is an idiot and an arse of the biggest proportions, but he was right about one thing. You're breaking apart."

Tracey caressed his face, swiping her thumb along his cheekbone. Harry looked up from his hands and met her eyes again. There was such sincerity in them. She was a friend he did not deserve.

"Don't let them tear you down. Don't let them split you apart until there's not enough of you to give. Look at all you've done. Slytherin is feared by the other Houses. You've created a spell. You're the youngest tournament participation in a century. Look at all you've accomplished!"

She was right, in a way. But she was also wrong.

"To what end? All of that for what?" Harry asked.

Her mouth gaped open in response but before she could answer, there was a knock on the door.

"Tracey," a muffled voice said. "Professor Slughorn is here for you. The matter is urgent and he's requesting your presence immediately."

"Wait just a minute!"

"It can't wait, Tracey! Slughorn said now!"

Tracey sent a murderous glare to the door and let go of Harry's face. She was still thinking of an answer to his question, but could not find one in the timeframe available. He met her gaze for a moment. She surprised him by throwing her arms around him and engulfing Harry in a tight hug.

She whispered in his ear, "I love you, Harry Potter. Remember that. I'll find you before the task starts."

------------------------------------------

Harry ate breakfast alone.

The other Slytherins were crowded at the end of the table. Not a single one had come over to apologize or express any sort of regret for the vote that had taken place. Blaise kept shooting furtive glances over at Harry. Once or twice, Harry thought that Blaise was trying to catch his eye, but Harry just kept his head down.

His head was muddled and his body moved lethargically. Snape stood to announce the Second Task and directions to the observation posts, but Harry heard none of it. He was in the middle of a hurricane and he was deaf to the world. His limbs moved of their own accord and his jaw moved up and down to chew the food, but he wasn't thinking.

When they called for the Champions for a briefing, Harry shuffled along with the rest of them. They reached a spare room that was being used as a staging area. One by one, they were called by a woman that was behind a partition. Each Champion exited the area dressed for the Second Task.

The body clothing was similar to the First Task with the exception of the color. Instead of black, each Champion wore long pants and a long sleeve shirt. Ludo Bagman explained that they had several enhancements to keep their bodies warm. He winked as he said this, but no one acted surprised. Heavy robes were layered on top of them. The inside was lined with some sort of fur and their names glittered on the back. They were also white.

At some point, Cedric sat down next to Harry. Harry was reminded of the previous year when he first met Cedric. It was a situation not so different than their current one.

"Do you remember your Bubble-Head charm?" Cedric asked.

Harry nodded and tapped his head.

"Good. Good lad. Are you okay? You've been quiet."

"Just thinking through some things. Have you always been leader of the Hufflepuffs in your class, Cedric?"

Cedric pondered the question for a moment and then shrugged. "More or less. My Dad says it comes naturally to him. Normally, I wouldn't agree to that sort of generalization, but someone has to take charge. I try to do it without being an arse though."

"I suppose that's the key. Don't be a complete arse and people will like you."

"They don't have to like me, but I do hope they listen to me. There's nothing else I can really ask for besides that."

He was genuine and honest. Cedric saw the world in such black and white. Harry doubted he would approve of some of the things he had done in the past year or two. Then again, Cedric did not seem to have the problems that Harry had. He was self-assured and confident. Even now, he was not nervously pacing the room or bouncing his knee.

"Are you nervous?" Harry asked.

"Me? No. I used to get nervous a long time ago, but why get nervous? We know what we know and I'm confident in our abilities. If we win, then we did a good job. If we lose, then we have to improve. Those are the things I know and no amount of anxiety can change that."

Harry wondered if his life could be that simple. For some reason, when he won, more people hated him. When he lost, people celebrated. On the same token, he could not afford to ignore what people thought of him. Half his reputation was built on his myths and legends that he would perpetuate. Things were easier for Cedric, but the Hufflepuff made it easier on himself.

"I'll be ready, Cedric."

Cedric nodded and clapped him on the back. "I know you will."

The Hufflepuff Champion made rounds with everyone else, taking time to remind and reassure them of various objectives. Harry observed him, noting that others deferred authority to him without question. He caught Hermione's eye and walked over to her. He sat down next to her, keenly aware of one or two people watching them intently.

She looked at him expectantly and asked, "Is Fleur going to be a problem?"

Harry honestly didn't know. Earlier in the week, all he felt was anger and shame. Now, that same emptiness still resided within him. He didn't know how to feel. If he was forced to duel Fleur, would he succeed?

"She's not going to be a problem."

Hermione nodded her head, absent mindedly fiddling with the collar of her robes.

"There are heating charms embedded within them. They're also heavy. For a moment, I thought they were going to ask to swim in the Great Lake, but I don't think they will if this is what they gave us. Perhaps they will put us on an island? I know there's a few in the lake."

She was all business and conjecture. Her mind was consumed with the task at hand whilst Harry could barely think straight. As she talked though, he started to get a feel for the situation again. He responded to her questions regarding the task and his mind started flowing again. By the time everyone was dressed, Harry felt somewhat more normal.

He resolved to push back the business with Blaise and the rest of the Slytherins until after the task. He couldn't abandon the rest of the Champions now. After the Second Task, there were things he had to consider. He had meant what he said to Tracey. Perhaps there was very little for him to go back to. Perhaps Hogwarts was his only home. But for the first time, doubt had seeped into his head.

"Champions, come with me!" Ludo Bagman yelled.

They stood in unison and exited the makeshift staging area. They were paraded in front of the Great Hall to the cheers of the home supporters. More people were gathered on the path to the lake. There were reports and Ministry officials and all sorts of other folk that Harry did not recognize. Most were cheering for Cedric and the other notable Champions. Harry bitterly noted that only a handful of Slytherins were in the crowd and none were holding signs for him.

What was the point in fighting for a House that openly hated him? Why did he give so much to only receive so little? Resentment built in his stomach as he descended to the lake. The path turned muddy and the crowd thinned out. He searched the crowd for Tracey and was disappointed to find her missing. She almost always was true to her word. Where was she now?

There were three large barges chained to a dock at the edge of the lake. The other two schools were already present. Harry steadfastly avoided looking at Beauxbatons. He even went so far as to keep his back turned to them and his eyes focused on the Durmstrang students. Once again, he noted how physically imposing each Durmstrang Champion was. It was unnatural.

"Champions!" Ludo Bagman hopped onto a slight dias and placed his wand against his throat, amplifying his voice.

"Welcome to the Second Task! As a refresher, the standings are as follows: Beauxbatons is in first with twelve points. Durmstrang is in second with nine points. Hogwarts trails just behind with eight points. Similar scoring will be applied to this task with one exception."

Ludo paused for dramatic effect, a smug grin on his expressive face.

"Each Champion from each school has been assigned a person of interest. This person of interest could be a sibling, a friend, something more than a friend." His grin grew wider. "This person of interest has been taken and sedated and will need to be rescued during this task. They will be henceforth referenced as a VIP or a Very Important Person."

A disconcerted murmur broke out from the Champions. Harry could see that not all of the teachers looked particularly thrilled with the idea either. Except for Snape. Snape looked nonplussed.

"Now let me finish!" Ludo raised his voice and shouted out the Champions. "Each school will have roughly half of both of the other school's VIP's. For example, Hogwarts would have half of Beauxbatons and half of Durmstrang's VIP's."

"Each school will be awarded one extra point for each VIP retrieved. Should Hogwarts return with all eleven VIP's, they will be granted all thirteen points."

Ludo Bagman was absolutely giddy at this point. There were audible complaints and questions from the Champions, but he ignored them.

"Each school will have a designated safe area that they need to return the VIP's to. Should a school retrieve a VIP from one of the other schools, they must be stopped before being returned to the safe area."

Ludo's voice dropped as he adopted a stern expression on his face.

"These VIP's are not to be harmed. You have permission to use a wide variety of spells against each other, but these VIP's are not to be used as shields or hostages. They are to be escorted back to the safe areas. You can disable your opponent in whatever non-lethal manner you can find. We have been approved to give a lot of leniency to the spells used, but know that we will be watching. Any spell or act deemed as over the line will be punished harshly. You will be removed from the tournament pending punishment by the school and the Ministry."

The smile returned to Ludo's face.

"You shall be escorted to your starting safe area in these barges. Use whatever strategy you find necessary to win. The task will end in two hours. Only VIP's returned to the safe area before these two hours are up will count as points."

Hermione raised her hand in the air.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Ludo asked.

"Sir, where will take place?"

Bagman gestured behind him to the open lake. There was a heavy fog that obscured visibility, so it looked like Bagman was gesturing to nothing but the water. Ludo grinned toothily as he gave his answer.

"Patience, Miss Granger. In a moment, you will see your battleground."

----------------------------------------------

The barge cruised silently along the lake. Cedric was at the front, discussing tactics with the rest of the Hogwarts Champions. Harry sat quietly near the back, sitting with Trow. The Strategy professor volunteered to escort the Hogwarts Champions with one Ministry official. Towards the front, they were busy arguing on whether or not to split their forces or keep them consolidated and try to pick up their VIP's one base at a time.

"Why don't you join them, Harry?" Trow asked, his complexion looking even worse than the last time Harry had seen him.

"Cedric will tell me where I need to go."

"I'm sure he would value your input. Your skills in Strategy are nothing to be underestimated."

"I'm sure you think so."

Harry looked out over the lake, watching the fog roll just off the surface. It was clearing slightly, but there was still no sign of their battleground. The barges holding the other schools had long since disappeared behind the heavy mist. There was still an emptiness in Harry's chest. He felt a distinct lack of motivation.

"Are you doubting your abilities?" Trow asked.

"No," Harry answered honestly. "I don't doubt them. I just doubt what I'm using them for."

"How do you mean?"

Harry could hear Roger vehemently arguing that they should split up their groups. Cedric didn't seem opposed to the idea. Hermione suddenly interjected and asked to be split into three groups. The others thought it preposterous. It would weaken them too much. Harry didn't think it was a bad idea.

"Harry?" Trow prompted him.

He found an answer. "Professor, why are you training me?'

The question seemed to take the sickly professor aback. It took Trow a moment to respond.

"You're the brightest wizard we've had since the inception of this program. With what you know, there was little choice but to train you."

"But there are other wizards, right? Others that you train or could train. I can't be the only one."

Trow coughed and brought up a handkerchief to wipe away spit from his mouth. "There have been other wizards. None have deemed worthy enough to continue training. Given our timeline, I'm afraid that there will be no more wizards to train. You are our last project."

Harry nodded, thinking just as much. Cedric seemed to have decided to split into two groups. There was just the problem of coordinating each group. Signalling in the air was the easiest method, but that was a practical announcement of their intentions. Hermione jumped out of her seat, exclaiming something excitedly.

"What happened to the others? The wizards before me?" Harry asked.

Trow sighed. "They all had the same problem. They were not good enough. Not strong enough. Not smart enough. Not brave enough. There was always a problem. So far, you've exhibited none of those issues."

"Haven't I?"

"Not as far as we're aware of."

Harry knew that they tracked his every movement. Did Trow know that Harry knew? Was the professor playing dumb for his benefit? Did they know about Blaise's mutiny? Did they know about Fleur? These questions trolled through Harry's mind and he had no answers. If he was their last hope, then Trow was not going to like what Harry had to say.

"After this task, I'm afraid I might have to reconsider my role here," Harry said.

"Reconsider what?" Trow asked, clearly surprised.

"I don't know if I want to continue on with this program."

"We all fall upon hard times, Harry. That's no reason to quit."

"I know," Harry said this plainly and without noticeable complaint. "It's just tiring. They have Tracey, don't they?"

Trow did not nod. Once again, Harry took the absence of an answer as a yes.

"Of course they do," Harry whispered. "They wouldn't have it any other way."

Trow fell silent and Harry was glad the professor didn't bother giving him a pep talk. Once he retrieved Tracey and finished the task, he would sit down with her and explain why he would be stepping down from all his roles. She was right. The Dursleys was no place to go back to. She was wrong. There would be no great Harry Potter. It seemed Snape had decided that for him.

"Merlin's balls and cock," Fred gasped.

The fog gave way and a massive structure appeared before them. At first, it appeared to be a building but as the barge drew closer, it was clearly a mountain. From a distance, it seemed as if snow was resting on top of the lake. Upon closer inspection, there was a large sheet of ice underneath the snow. Small hills and ravines were carved out of snow, giving the whole landscape a hillside feel.

From what Harry could see, the ice block curved on each edge. If he had to guess, the whole battleground was circular and the mountain was in the middle. To make it fair, each base of operations would most likely be equidistant to each other. Snow started falling from the sky as they approached and Harry held out his hand to feel it melt against the dragonhide gloves that Tracey had given him.

"Did the teachers build this?" Harry asked Trow.

"Most of it," Trow said proudly. "A little help from our friends underwater sped up the process."

The barge bumped against the ice and stopped. Trow stood and shuffled over to the port side of the barge. He opened a gate and stepped out of the way. One by one, the Champions hopped out onto the ice. George Weasley was the first through and unceremoniously tumbled on the ice. It was clear the elements would not be in their favor. Harry was the last out and landed gracefully in a snow pile. The winds picked up as the snow whipped around their faces.

"Remember," Trow called out. "The VIP's are not to be harmed and there are to be no lethal spells. Do not tempt us to expel you!"

Then, he disappeared.

The fog rolled around them and all that could be seen was the icy mountain. Straight ahead was a tent and surrounded by glowing lights. Cedric trudged forward, finding his footing in the uneven snow. He stopped and said a spell, pointing at his boots.

"Lightweight Charms on your boots!" Cedric yelled back. "Apply as much as you can. You won't sink in the snow as much."

The others mimicked his actions until they reached the tent. Cedric pulled off his gloves and pulled back the flap. He gasped and stepped inside. The others pushed their way forward until the tent enveloped them all. Inside, it was considerably warmer. The tent was enlarged from the inside and held thirteen comatose bodies, suspended in mid-air. Harry walked around, looking at their calm faces. They were men and women, boys and girls of all ages. There was a little girl with silver blonde hair that could only be Fleur's sister. Harry stopped over her, noticing how similar they looked.

"Dear Merlin, why would they do this?" Cho breathlessly asked.

"Heighten the stakes," Cedric said grimly. "Hundred Galleons they have my Dad."

"Neville," Hermione said.

"Ron. Ginny." The twins said it unison.

Round and round they went, all declaring who their respective person of interest would be. Harry gripped his wand tighter, a warmth rushing down his arm. Tracey was in one of those camps, probably knocked unconscious by Professor Slughorn when he had come to retrieve her.

"They didn't hurt them though, right?" Marietta asked as she gently pushed one of the bodies. It floated for a few feet and then stopped.

"No. They wouldn't do that," Cedric said. "We still have to get them back. Look at that."

The Hufflepuff pointed to the corner of the room at an hourglass the size of an owl cage. Sand slowly trickled through the neck, every grain a second lost.

Cedric organized them into two parties. Roger Davies would lead the party going northeast. Joining him would be the Weasley twins, Angelina, and Stephen Stebbins. Cedric would lead them northwest and would be joined by Hermione, Cho, Marietta, and Lee. Harry would be joining Cedric's party as they decided to leave the VIP area unattended. They had debated earlier on whether or not to leave a token guard behind, but they were shorthanded already. Their goal was to maximize points and retrieving all of their VIP's was the best way to do it.

After some more direction from Cedric, the groups were ready. Roger's group disappeared around a bend that had a snowy bluff. Cedric set the path as they moved northwest into a valley covered with snow on each side. Harry reached a hand out and found there was a solid base underneath the artificial hills. It wasn't stone or rock. It almost felt like hard snow. He lingered as the rearguard of the formation.

His senses were picking up and his heart rate increased. That familiar feeling of battle was returning to him and he felt a comfort in it. To Harry, there was nothing as natural as stepping into the unknown with his wand in hand. He licked his lips, tasting the falling snow. He wet his mouth, readying them for spells that would be uttered.

The mountain was in between the paths the two groups had taken. If the teachers had any sort of logic to them, the bases would be located in a rough triangle so that each school had the equal chance of reaching the other. Using the sparse sun to find their location, they reoriented their base as the pivot and set their path with the corresponding angle. Hermione had ingeniously charmed a piece of twine so that when one was struck, it would vibrate the other. A rudimentary but silent signal.

"Pick up the pace. Let's get the jump on them," Cedric ordered.

Applying the Lightweight charm on his boots, Harry kept the pace. They were in a staggered line with enough distance in between them so that they weren't all caught in one trap. Cedric was running point, storming ahead bravely. Harry made sure no one was following them and kept a roving eye for any other keys. He couldn't help but think the mountain would have made an advantageous scouting point. It was too late to suggest that to Cedric and Harry admonished himself for not speaking up sooner.

"You see it too?" Hermione asked over her shoulder, noticing him gazing at the mountain.

"Yeah," Harry answered. "Would have been good to get someone up there."

"But how to signal anyone? You're not going to be hitting anyone with spells from up there," Hermione said.

It was true, but one person near the top of that mountain could see everything.

They came upon a split in the path. To the right was a snow covered ravine. To the left, a snowy cliffside gave way to a stretch of uncovered ice. Cedric grit his teeth and chose the leftmost path. Descend any further and they would open themselves up to a trap. The ice was not nearly as slippery as they thought and they kept a good footage as they continued northwest.

The snow was letting up and the visibility cleared. An eery silence dominated the group. Only the crunch of their boots against the snow and ice interrupted the silence. Harry felt a tingle along the back of his neck, an anticipation that heightened his senses. Magic was close. He could feel it.

"Eyes up," Harry called out from the back, letting them to know to stand at attention.

They were being watched.

Turning ninety degrees, Cedric held out a fist and they fell into a covered formation. To Harry's right was a small hill that he pressed himself against as he awaited instructions. Cedric beckoned them forward one by one until they were grouped underneath an ice arch. He motioned for Harry to look around the corner.

Four bodies were floating in the middle of a small clearing. They weren't close enough to see exactly who it was, but any Hogwarts student could identify that shock of red hair. It was long and flowing and had to be Ginny Weasley. There was no protective tent nearby. There was nothing else in the visible distance. The clearing was slightly depressed so that a small bowl curved around it.

"It's a trap," Harry stated the obvious.

"Yes it is," Cedric agreed. "Now how to spring it without getting caught."

Hermione craned her neck, looking for any obvious spots the others could be hiding. "No immediate vantage points. Limited cover. They could be Disillusioned but I know the counter-jinx."

They readied themselves as Hermione performed the counter-jinx, but if they were Disillusioned, they were not close. Hermione's spell produced no results. Cho and Marietta both tried their hand at a couple detection charms, but they all came to the same conclusion. If the enemy was there, they were using advanced charms.

"Why would they leave them out here?" Lee Jordan asked, tugging on his dreadlocks.

"It's bait. Very old trick. Very simple. Bait that we can't choose to avoid," Cedric reasoned.

They mulled over their options for a minute until they arrived at one that seemed low risk.

"Disillusioned. Slow approach," Hermione said. "Fan out behind me and I'll retreat at the first sign."

Harry could have taken her place, but he was one of their better duelists. It made no sense to expose himself like that. Hermione had volunteered on the basis of the strength of her Disillusionment charm. When she tapped the top of her hand with her wand, Hermione vanished. Only the barest of visual ripples could be seen as she moved.

Finding a low snow bank, Harry laid down on his belly and watched her careful approach. Each step she took brought her further out into the clearing. Harry watched the visual cues intently, waiting for the trap to be sprung. There were a variety of spells on the tip of his tongue, but which one he would use depended on their vector of attack. Hermione was growing ever closer. Harry then noted something disconcerting. She was making footprints.

Hermione was almost ten feet away from the VIP's when the trap was pulled.

She reappeared in the clearing, the Disillusionment charm counter-acted. To her credit, Hermione only froze for a moment before bringing up a Protego. Harry was surprised to find that her shield was far larger than one she usually produced.

But she was pointing it the wrong way.

A flash of red sizzled downwards through the air and Hermione's arms snapped to her sides. It was a Petrificus Totalus strangely enough. As she dropped her wand, Hermione teetered on her feet for two seconds. Another flash of red scratched through the air and a burst of red bloomed from her shoulder.

Blood.

They were either too shocked or too surprised to return fire. Cho and Marietta fired random spells into snow piles in the distance, but Harry waited, trying to find the source. He used another detection spell and still found nothing in the immediate distance. Harry could see Cedric out of the corner of his eye rising from his hidden spot.

The spell came from above.

Harry jumped from his snow pile and raced across the slanted hillside. Just as Cedric was ready to go into the clearing, Harry hurled himself through the air and tackled the larger Hufflepuff. Cedric fought him for a moment, trying to wrestle the smaller boy off him.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Harry?" Cedric exclaimed.

"Don't go out there," Harry hissed.

An annoyed expression crossed Cedric's face. "We have to get out there, form a protective shield and bring her back."

Harry shook his head, the snowflakes flying from his air. He wiped his glasses and looked out at Hermione again. A pool of red was starting to form around her body. It was a small cut, but the blood was made more obvious against the white of the snow.

"We cast our detection spells four times. There's no one around here," Harry argued.

"There's obviously someone!"

"Yes, but they're not close. Did you see the spell? It came from an upward angle. Someone was firing down at us."

Cedric looked around while on his haunches. There were small hills but nothing more than a few feet above their heads. There was certainly nothing close by that warranted the incoming angle of the spell.

"There's nothing close…" Cedric muttered.

"Exactly. And if they wanted to knock Hermione out, then they could have just used a Stunner. Whoever it was hit her with a Body-Binding charm and then a Cutting curse. They drew blood for a reason."

Cedric might have been blinded by his affection for Hermione, but even he could see the conclusion Harry was drawing.

"They're trying to draw us out."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "An old trick and one that anyone could use since it's no secret how you and Hermione are."

Cedric buried his head in his hand but regained his composure. He ran a hand through his hair and looked around, desperate for an answer.

"I still don't get it. Are our detection spells wrong?" Cedric asked.

"Mines are rarely wrong," Marietta said.

"She's probably right."

As much as it pained him to agree with Marietta, there was no way several detection charms could be wrong. Excluding all other reasons, there was only one obvious conclusion. The attacker hit Hermione with an accurate spell from a distance outside of their detection charms. It came from an acute upward angle that could only be possible from a substantial height. Harry looked towards the mountain.

"Someone's up there, Cedric. There's your trap."

Lee Jordan's mouth fell open as Harry pointed to the mountain. "That's a few hundred meters! No one can is that accurate with their spells from that far."

Harry disagreed.

Another flash of red jumped through the air. This time, Harry was sure he saw it come from the mountain. It struck Hermione again and a mist of blood burst through the air. Cedric started and Harry had to physically wrestle him down again.

"Let. Me. Go." Cedric said through gritted teeth.

"No. No. No." Harry yanked him down with each negative response.

"We can't just sit here," Cho said worriedly.

"We won't," Harry said.

His head was suddenly clear. Any residual effect from the argument he had in the morning was gone. He was in battle and there was an enemy. It was an enemy that Harry had not encountered during his time at Hogwarts. Duels were always held at a visible range. If he couldn't see them, Harry couldn't hit them. Whoever was hitting Hermione was at a range that was seemingly impossible.

But nothing was impossible with magic.

Hold on, Granger.

-------------------------------------------

"Did you bring what I needed, Peter?"

"Yes, Voldemort. All acquired through untraceable means. It took some time to acquire the crystalline powder, but we have acquired the amount you required."

"Good. And what of the families that have been contacted?"

"They are prepared, but they are being monitored. From what intelligence I have gathered, there are clear divisions in the Ministry. There is an organization beyond the Aurors and they are the ones that are monitoring the old families."

"As to be expected. And recruitment?"

"Selective, as you ordered. Only those who are committed to the cause and susceptible to coercion by the Ministry. Most have no ties to the Ministry as well."

"Well done, Peter. Excellent work."

"Have you decided when to attack?"

"I have to decided when. I have decided how. But I have not decided who."

"I thought that would be obvious."

"Yes, I thought so too, but there are many exceptions. There are many who can be persuaded to join us should we frame the situation correctly. It is no use to massacre everyone. Framing is key, Peter."

"And the boy? Have you decided what to do with him?"

"No. I have not."

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A/N: Projected update time - Tuesday late evening or Wednesday evening

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