The Last Riddle

58. The truth

I pull the dress I had laid out the night before on quickly as I hurry down to breakfast. How could I oversleep? The morning of the most important day in Cedric's life and I slept in! What an idiot.

I mutter to myself as I run along the now empty corridors of the school, it seems as if everyone decided to head to the task early. I run full speed around the final corner, the great hall is in my sight as the last few students are walking out of it their faces painted yellow in support of Cedric.

"Angelica!" A loud gruff voice calls out from behind me.

Groaning I turn round to see Moody standing a few metres away from me. I jiggle up and down impatiently as he hobbles towards me.

"Yes Professor?" I ask my voice full of stress.

"There you are girl, I've been looking for you all morning. Where have you been?" Moody stands before me now, his magical eye flickering around quickly.

"Oh I accidentally slept in, is everything okay? Is Cedric okay?" I push my unbrushed hair out of my face.

"Hm? Yes I'm sure he is fine. Come with me, Dumbledore has been asking for you." Moody begins to walk back towards the dungeon where I have just come from.

I walk quickly after him "I'm sorry I don't understand? Dumbledore is asking for me? And he's in the dungeons?"

Moody simply nods "yes. Come along we don't have long girl."

Silently we both walk in unison until we are stood outside of Snape's office. Moody pushes open the heavy door and steps back allowing me to enter first, I walk inside the dark room my eyes adjusting to the darkness.

As the door slams shut behind me I begin to get an awful feeling inside of me, what is going on? I turn to look at Moody who is mumbling to himself as he grabs a cauldron from a shelf and places it onto the desk in front of me.

"Listen kid I know you have questions, but I don't have the time to answer them all. Not now, you need to take this" he shoves the cauldron into my arms angrily. I stumble back from the force and look at him wide eyed.

The cauldron begins to glow bright blue and before I can begin to register what is happening I feel myself being pulled upwards by an invisible force.

A portkey? Why would Moody make me travel by portkey?

As I begin to fly and spin high my hands begin to slip around the cauldron, it burns white hot and I yell out in pain. In reaction to the heat underneath my fingertips I throw my hands away from the object. Immediately the flying sensation stops and I begin to hurtle to the ground which is hundreds of feet beneath me.

Screaming out loudly I desperately reach for my wand strapped around my ankle, just as I am within a few feet of the ground I manage to free my wand and produce a semi sufficient cushioning charm.

My body thuds on the damp grass, however my head slams down hard on a large stone object nearby. The soft trickling of blood leaving my temple and the wet grass blades under my hands are the last things I feel before the world drops into darkness around me.

"Mmph" I groan out loudly as I roll over onto my stomach, there is a strong pounding sensation in my head as I struggle to sit up onto my knees. Opening my eyes slowly I push myself up until I am standing somewhat unsteadily, I feel my weight wobble as my vision slowly comes into focus. Why do I always seem to get knocked out? I'm sure the majority of my life I have spent unconscious.

The sky is beginning to grow dark above me meaning that I have been out for the entire day, around me are gravestones both large and small as well as old and new. Confused I look around from left to right not truly understanding what is happening to me. Is this part of the third task? Have I been taken hostage again? Well at least I'm not in water this time I suppose.