Determination

LI: Rising Action

June 1995

Harry could do nothing but watch as the chaos in front of him unfolded.

"And here, we have six missing Death Eaters and two guests who shall arrive shortly... three dead in my service. One too cowardly to return... he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever...he will be killed, of course... and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service."

Harry desperately tried to think of a way out, as his scar continued to burn incessantly on his head.

There had to be a way out of here.

Harry tried his best to look for an Avenue of escape while Voldemort was busy, but the rustling of clothes and the thud of something heavy hitting the ground drew his attention back.

"Ahh... our guests have arrived," Voldemort said as he stared excitedly at the two newcomers.

Harry glanced at the man standing tall, without a care in the world. He had protruding scars on his face, as though constantly in fights with wild animals. He was a tall, lanky sort of man, with brown untamed hair, and the most unforgiving blue eyes he'd seen.

"Elias, my dear friend! No problems, I take it?" Voldemort said cheerfully.

"None, my Lord." He heard dutifully and replied.

Harry turned wide eyes back on the new man before him.

This man was Elias? Meae's brother, who betrayed her? So he was alive...

"I brought her just as you requested, my Lord." He said as he harshly moved the person on the ground with his foot, forcing their prone form to roll over and face the crowd.

Harry's breath caught in his throat.

Meae...

Harry desperately tried to call out to her from behind his gag, but only muted, muffled pleas could be heard. Harry shouted louder as he watched Voldemort crouch before the prone form of the blue-haired woman.

"Ahh, Masondrit Night...the vessel of unimaginable power. OH,h how I have longed to have you in my grasp again. Tell me, do you now know how to sever the bond between yourself and Severus?" He asked her gently.

Meae was unresponsive.

"Mmm, no matter." He said, "I shall enjoy tearing the answer out of you soon enough."

"Master, we crave to know... we beg you to tell us....how you achieved this... this miracle... how you managed to return to us...."

"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," Voldemort said as he turned away from the unconscious woman's form. "And it begins- and ends- with my young friend here."
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"DO NOTHING!" Voldemort yelled to the frantic Death Eaters below, "Do nothing unless I command you!"

There was a sound of struggle coming from below th,m, but Harry dared not look down and see what it was. He knew he had to keep his focus solely on Voldemort.

"Harry!"

He heard a familiar voice call to him, and his body stiffened in response to it.

"Don't break your concentration, Harry. Stay focused, I believe in you!"

Harry felt himself relax a little, and the determination to see this through coursed through his veins. He could hear more shouts and cries of pain from below him, but still he kept his eyes on Voldemort.

"When I say, break the connection, get to Diggory, get the portkey, and get the hell out of here! Do you understand?"

Stunned, Harry started to turn his head

"STAY FOCUSED!"

"Wha-what about you? A-and Cedric... he's dead..."

"Have a little more faith in me than that, Harry. Everything will be ok," he could hear the smile in her voice.

He nodded his head and readied himself for her say so.

"Ok. Are you ready!? 3... 2... NOW!"

Harry quickly broke the connection between the two wands and hurriedly scrambled his way to where Cedric lay.

"Impediamenta!"

Harry fell just before reaching Cedric and dragged his tired body the best he could towards the other boy. Harry raised his wand towards the Cup.

"Accio!"
"CRUCIO!"

The moment the Handle of the Cup was gripped in his hand, and he felt the lurching in his Navel, he took that last moment to look towards where he last left Meae.

He watched as a blood-curdling scream tore from her throat, and the Woman fell to her knees in Voldemort's shadow.

He and Cedric were swept into a swirling mix of wind and color.

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Harry felt his head hit the ground first.

He could feel the grass under his face and his hand still gripping Cedric's body.

There was a deafening noise coming from every direction around him.

His head was still swimming, and he didn't want to move. Moving required effort, and effort just wasn't something Harry felt he had left in him.

He was roughly turned over by a pair of hands on his body, and his vision slowly returned to him in the face of Albus Dumbledore.

"He's bac,k" Harry whispered hoping he'd be heard "He's back. Voldemort."

Sounds and sights kept swirling in and out of focus, sometimes to the point he was sure he was seeing the sounds around him.

"He's dead."

"Harry"

"Nothing you can do for him now."

"Harry, let go."

Harry's grip on Cedric got tighter.

"She told me to bring him back." He said on a sob, tearing from his throat, "She said to have faith in her."

Harry's vision cleared enough to catch the almost imperceptible expression of fear on Dumbledore's face before it disappeared.

"Harry, who told you to have faith?" The Headmaster asked.

Harry felt the tears as they fell down his face unbidden, and turned his head as new voices came closer.

Harry looked at his godfather and Uncle as they approached in a panic, both men halting as they heard Harry utter a single word.

"Meae."