Death Parts Us

Part 17~Mine and Yours

Collapsing on the floor, the champions appeared. Music blasted around as the crowd cheered.

Sly screamed.

The whole crowd fell silent, watching Sly sob and scream, his strangled vocals straining as Dumbledore rushed over. “Sly! Sly!” Dumbledore tried to pry Sly away from Cedric, struggling to succeed in his small task.

‘No! No!’

Dumbledore gave up, kneeling to look Sly in the eyes. “Tell me what happened?”

‘He’s back! He’s back! Voldemort’s back! Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back! I couldn’t leave him! Not there!’ Sly sobbed harder, his energy zapping away.

“It’s alright, Sly.” Dumbledore wiped away Sly’s tears, holding him carefully. “It’s alright. He’s home. You both are.”

“Keep everybody in their seats,” Fudge ordered. “A boy has just been killed. The body must be moved. Dumbeldore, there are… too many people.”

Mad-Eye came to Sly’s side, picking him up. “We have to go.”

“Let me through! That’s my son! My boy!” Pushing past the crowd, Cedric’s father collapsed by his son’s side, wailing in pain.

That was the last thing Sly saw of Cedric or the crowd.

~~~

Mad-Eye threw Sly into the classroom, slamming the door close behind him. Sly collapsed to the chair, still sobbing harshly.

“Are you alright, Weasley-Potter?”

‘Of course, I’m not!’ Magic burst around Sly, making the hanging objects sway. ‘I thought it was over! I thought he was gone!’

“Calm yourself, Potter.” Mad-Eye placed a hand on Sly’s shoulder, looking him in the eye. “Calm.” Sly nodded, taking a deep breath as Mad-Eye lowered his eyes. “Does it hurt?” He ghosted his hand over Sly’s arm as he shook his head.

‘Not so much now.’ Sly pulled at his sleeve, wiping his eyes.

“I’d better take a look at it.” Mad-Eye gently pulled back the sleeve, making Sly wince. The cut was clear, a skull and a snake. The death eater mark.

‘The cut was a portkey. Someone had bewitched it.’ Sly fidgeted, shuffling in his seat.

“What was it like? What was he like?”

Sly blinked, staring at his professor. ‘Who?”

“The dark lord. What was it like to stand in his presence?”

Sly shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Painful? He was different. In the second year, the younger him seemed… more reasonable. It’s like whoever or whatever that man is now, it's not human. Nothing about him is human.’

Mad-Eye paused, shaking as he struggled for air. He reached for his bottle only to find it empty. Rushing about his room, he tried to find any more. Gulping, Mad-Eye leaned against the cabinet. “Were there others? In the graveyard, were there others?”

Sly paused, sitting up. ‘I… I don’t think I said anything about a graveyard, Professor.’

“Marvellous creatures dragons, aren’t they? Do you think that miserable oaf would have led you into the woods if I hadn’t suggested it? Do you think Cedric Diggory would have told you to hold the egg under the water if I hadn't told him first myself? Do you think Wayne Hopkins, the brainless jock, would have known how to give you limitless rope if I hadn’t gotten Quidditch practice back on once more? Huh?”

Sly backed away fearfully. ‘It was you… from the beginning. You put my name in the goblet of fire. You bewitched Krum… but…’

Mad-Eye shook his head, shutting Sly up with the mocking noises he made. “You won because I made it so, Potter. You ended up in that graveyard tonight because it was meant to be so.”