Found AIAOY 4

Chapter 20

"Arthur sends his well wishes." Molly's voice interrupted Harry's continued contemplation as lunch neared an end and the time to begin the walk to the pitch arrived.  "Charlie too.  You have a team rooting for you, Harry.  Don't forget that."

Rebecca looked up from across the room, catching Harry's eye.  Molly and Bill joined the other families present who remained in the room a moment longer as the champions and other students--Rebecca and Gabrielle, namely--walked on.

"Everything is almost over."  Rebecca said, her voice a forced-strong for him.  "Things are going to be normal again, okay?"

"Rebecca, I-"  Harry grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.  The castle was disappearing around them and the walk to the maze looming in the distance had never seemed so short.  How was he supposed to tell her everything he needed to?  "I need to-In case something were to-"

"I don't fucking do goodbyes, Harry!"  Rebecca tore her hand from his and her steps paused as she turned her back to him.  Taking a slow breath, she faced him only when she was able to keep her face blank.  "No goodbyes, I told you before the first event."

"I know."  Harry took her hand again as her legs forced one foot after the other.  "I know, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry."  Rebecca took her hand from his more gently than she had before, cupping Harry's cheeks as the point where they had to separate met them.  Rebecca closed her eyes and put her forehead against his, speaking softly.  "You are going to go in there and make good on all that we have trained on, you hear me?"

Harry nodded.  "I love you."

"I love you, too."  Rebecca pulled him into a tight hug that only ended at his movement, she wasn't going to let go until he was ready.  "I walked you here, didn't I?"

"Finally followed through on your promise!"  Harry said with a smile that was only partially fake.

The announcer's voice spurred them farther apart.  "And, from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Cedric Diggory!"  Harry was the last champion yet to be called.

"Rebecca?"  Harry called just before Rebecca turned the corner.  "Everything is going to be normal again, soon."

"I know."  Rebecca nodded once.  "I told you that already."

Entirely by accident, Rebecca's usual Rebecca-like answer had Harry feeling lighter than he had been before when he finally faced the hulking walls of plant that had been erected over the pitch in front of the bleachers filled with cheering students.

"Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze."  Dumbledore's voice bringing the opening remarks silenced the crowd.  "Only he knows its exact position."

Fred's knee bounced anxiously, but stilled when Rebecca appeared behind Molly and Bill in the last of their group to join them in the stands.  When she took the spot beside him that he had been saving, Fred was able to relax a level more than when she was apart from him.

"Earlier today," Dumbledore's voice quieted everybody in the crowd immediately.  "Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze.  Only he knows its exact position..."

Bill's attention was pulled away from the champions poised at the starting marks by Molly's direction.  Fred had entwined his hand with Rebecca's to hide how hers had been shaking with nerves from the others, he knew that she would hate to appear weak or unable to handle the immediacy of the final trial.

"There's something..."  Molly shook her head, unable to easily find the words she was looking for.  

"I see it to."  Bill said, sitting up straighter as the beginning remarks were leading into the official start of the task.  "Lasting.  There's something lasting."  Later, much later, Bill thought that he found what his mother had seen.