Raven (Fred x oc)

51. A Little Dose of Fear

"Did anyone tell you the cup was a portkey?" Cedric asked, looking at Harry. 

"I didn't even know," I said. 

"Val, how did you get here?" Harry asked. 

"Don't worry about it," I said, scanning the area. "All of you, search the place, tell me what you find." 

"Who are you talking to?" Cedric asked. 

"Khadija, stay here with me," I said, ignoring the two, very confused boys. It was a dark, dismal graveyard. 

"Val!" Ebony cried, "there's a man here!" 

"Who, Ebony?" I asked. 

"A wheezily-looking man," she said. 

"We need to hide, now!" I cried. "Cedric, Harry, hide!" But they paid me no heed as the sound of footsteps approached. I hid behind a gravestone, watching carefully though I couldn't be seen. 

Harry suddenly fell to the ground, groans of pain leaving his lips as a cold voice said, "Kill the spare!" 

A flash of green light accompanied the words, "Avada Kedavra!" I had to suppress a scream as I covered my mouth. My eyes were glazed with heavy tears as I stared at Cedric's dead body. From his body, rose up the slightly paler, spirit version of him. 

He rose up, looking around at the other eight spirits surrounding him. Then he looked at me, seeing that I could see him. I watched in horror as Harry was dragged to and tied up at a large marble tombstone. Cedric and the other spirits approached me. 

"Who are you?" Cedric asked, looking at one of the spirits. 

"They can't hear you, Ced," I whispered, staring transfixed at Harry. "Only I can. Now hush, I need to think." 

"You!" Harry cried moments after the man in the hood hit him across the face. Wormtail did not answer. Instead, he stuffed some spare cloth in Harry's mouth. At the foot of the grave, was a strange bundle, but I didn't pay it any mind as I saw that Harry was looking at me. 

I shook my head, mouthing 'I'll get you out of this.' In the grass slithered a giant snake and soon I realized that the graveyard was crawling with spirits. They were all coming towards me. 

"Set us free," they begged. "Ring-bearer!" Irritably, I held out my hand and several passed through, mostly so I could get them to shut up. 

"Can we?" Simon asked. 

In a low, quiet voice, I said, "If you want to go ahead and go, you may. If you want to stay and help then I will still free you. Including you, Cedric." Only Simon, Valentine, Benji, and the other spirits not apart of my original group left. 

Monique, Leo, Hercule, Ebony, Cedric, and, of course, Khadija stayed. At the foot of the grave, Wormtail placed a large cauldron filled with water. He lit flames below the cauldron, causing the liquid to bubble and shoot out sparks. 

"Hurry!" a cold voice ordered. 

"It is ready, master," Wormtail said. 

"Now..." the cold voice ordered. Wormtail picked up a pair of robes on the ground and opened them, revealing the most sickening thing I had ever seen. It was strange and scaly and rather like a small child in size, but anything but in shape. 

The face was flat and snake-like with scarlet eyes. It put its thin arms around Wormtail's neck as he lifted the thing and then lowered him into the cauldron. "Bone of the father," Wormtail said, "unknowingly given, you will renew your son." 

From where Harry was tied above came the dust of what I could only assume was Voldemort's father's bones. "Flesh of the servant, willingly given," Wormtail said, terrified, as he drew a knife from his cloak. "You will revive your master." He extended his hand and with one swift motion, chopped off his right hand. 

My scream of shock and horror was covered by Wormtail's sobs. Then, still sobbing, he moved in front of Harry. I was shaking so badly I couldn't have done anything to help him if I wanted to. "Blood of the enemy," Wormtail panted, trying to keep back his sobs. "Forcibly taken. You will resurrect your foe." 

I gasped as he cut Harry's arm and collected the blood. My breathing was so shaky and anxious that I could hardly focus on what was happening as I saw the tall figure of a man emerge from the cauldron. 

"Robe me," Voldemort ordered. I shut my eyes, my terror complete. I could no longer see, but the piercing, high laughter of Voldemort shook every part of me and I curled up in a terrifying ball, still out of sight. 

"My Lord," Wormtail sobbed. "My Lord, you promised...you did promise." 

"Hold out your arm," Voldemort said lazily. 

I tried my hardest to tune out their words as I whispered, "Please, someone help me." 

"What can we do?" Khadija asked. "We're spirits. We can't affect the physical world." Our talk was interrupted as Wormtail suddenly howled in pain. I opened my eyes and saw him clutching his left arm where the dark mark surely was burned into his skin. 

"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" Voldemort called gleefully, causing me to shiver. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?" My eyes were tightly shut, but soon I heard Khadija scream. 

My eyes snapped open to see that Voldemort himself was towering over me. I screamed, a loud, bloodcurdling scream as he raised his wand. I was suddenly lifted in the air, struggling and screaming as loudly as I could. 

"Oh shut up," Voldemort ordered and with a flick of his wand, I could make no more sound. I was sobbing as he dropped me at Harry's feet, my wrists and ankles tied tightly together. "Now, who might this be?" 

"Black's kid, my Lord," Wormtail said. "Valerie." Beyond the two, I saw the remaining spirits crowded together, tears shining in Khadija's eyes. 

Voldemort began to talk to Harry, but I didn't listen as Khadija came over to me, crouching beside me as she said, "I'm so sorry. I should have been able to warn you." I shook my head and drew in several deep breaths, trying to stop my tears. "I don't know how much good it will do, but I will gather as many spirits as I can." 

The next moment, numerous Death Eaters appeared, forming a circle around Harry, the grave, and I. But the next moment, I realized Voldemort had forgotten to take my wand. If only I could reach it.