Athena Potter 🎞

Chapter 23: Parting ways

Suddenly, Athena is flying upward –– onto her feet.

Madeye: Come, Potter. This is not where you want to be right now...

As Moody jerks her away, the world behind swims like a watercolour: Karkaroff, stopping dead at the sight of Cedric, absently playing his fingers over the inside of his left arm... Amos Diggory wailing like a wounded animal then dropping, keening over his son's body... Cho, standing frozen, tears streaming down her horror-stricken face... And Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny, Neville and Ron, fighting their way through the teeming crowd, unable to reach Athena, the madness too thick...

The hall was deadly silent, still trying to process what they just watched.

Moody leads Athena inside his office, slams the door shut and deposits Athena on the huge trunk. His tongue flicks excitedly over his lower lip as he steps back, eyes Athena.

Madeye sits up straighter along with Amelia Bones. This wasn't Moody this was someone entirely different.

Madeye: Well. Here we are. You all right?

Athena nods vaguely, glancing around.

"No you're not" Lily said in a gentle voice whilst shaking her head.

Madeye: Good. Now tell me what happened

Athena starts to reply, when the trunk beneath her rattles. She glances at her hands, palms down on the lid. Moody, strangely impatient, brings her round with his sharp tone:

Madeye: Potter!
Athena: The Cup... the Cup was a portkey...
Madeye: Yes, clearly someone bewitched it. But what happened? Tell me what happened

"Give her a minute at least" Regulus shook his head.

Athena: It was... wrong. From the start. Someone attacked Fleur. Krum I suppose. But... he didn't seem himself somehow –– Krum. His eyes... when I looked in his eyes, he wasn't there, not really. It was if he'd been cursed, as if someone were controlling him, using him like a puppet or something... like the Imperius Curse...

Many eyes widen at the realisation, that in fact, a student had an unforgivable curse placed upon then.

Madeye: Krum's not important, Potter. What happened after? When you got to the graveyard

"She never mentioned a graveyard" Andromeda narrowed her eyes at the screen.

Athena: [looking down] It was like I'd fallen into one of my dreams. Into a nightmare... [stopping, slowly starts looking up and stares directly into Moody eyes] I didn't say anything about a graveyard

"Oop" Marlene giggles "someone's been caught out".

Moody stiffens, tongue trailing slowly over his lower lip. Athena's stare turns into a glare.

Athena: Professor, it was you who put the Cup in the maze. So you'd would've known beforehand if it was bewitched. Wouldn't you?

Theo and Blaise giggle, along with Marlene.

Moody says nothing. The trunk beneath Athena rattles again.

Athena: It's you. It's been you since the beginning. From the moment you put my name in the Goblet of Fire

"Oh no he didn't!" Athena shoves popcorn into her mouth, "Thena you were there!" Hermione gapes "and? It's still exciting" Hermione shakes her head at Athena's response.