ᵖʳᵒᵘᵈ ᵖᵃʳᵉⁿᵗˢ ; ʰᵃʳᵐⁱᵒⁿᵉ ✓

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter 27 - Aftermath

Voldemort landed with a thump, thankfully not on the injured leg. Sitting up, the first job had to be stopping the bleeding - before trying to turn that pile of hamburger back into a functioning limb. Yes, there was more magic available from this body but there was a massive difference between being a Dark Lord and a reasonably powerful witch. At least the tissue finally knitted together, and scarring wasn't really an issue for Voldemort. Neither was the pain, it needed to be endured.

Vanishing the spilled blood then testing whether the leg would support this body's weight, it was time to get a move on. Wormtail was either captured or dead, Potter and whoever he had with him today were certainly playing for keeps. They'd been staying in the old Riddle place, while sorely injured and with a strange body, Voldemort really didn't want to risk apparating any further. Limping heavily toward the master bedroom, it was a massive shock coming face to face with the full length mirror there.

Voldemort had gotten used to possessing Bertha's body over the months that chore had been necessary, but this was way, way different. This body was shorter, a lot heavier, and way older. This body looked like some sweet old grandmother, not an image suitable for the most terrifying Dark Lord in the world.

The entire image side of this could easily have been overcome, it was power that made Voldemort so feared people were still afraid to say that name. Quite simply, irrespective of shape, sex or age, this body didn't possess half the power Voldemort was used to. That would have to be the first thing addresses, after actually putting some clothes on and getting swiftly out of here. That was when he felt the slight pull on his magic.

Something had just happened that affected Voldemort, and that information could be crucial to this body's continuing ability to draw breath. Thankfully, this body was also the perfect disguise for discovering that information - namely buying tomorrow's newspaper. There currently wasn't time to dwell on how Potter had known the where, when and why of Voldemort being in that graveyard. The really terrifying thought that Voldemort was struggling to put to the back of his mind was what else Potter could possibly know. He was desperately trying not to lose focus on what he needed to do right now, and not connect the Potter of tonight with the destroyed horcrux at the shack. How could a fourteen year old wizard be responsible for even one of these events, far less both.

-oOoOo-

Due to the time difference between Britain and Italy, they had a chance to quickly celebrate Ron and Millie becoming betrothed before turning on the wireless for the Triwizard Tournament broadcast. After the day she'd had, Joan was just about sleeping sitting up by this point. Hermione asking if she wanted to stay with her tonight saw Joan go around hugging and kissing her family before heading off to bed with the girl she drowsily called mum. Most of the Institute then settled down to listen to the broadcast from Hogwarts.

The initial introduction to the tournament by Dumbledore was cringeworthy. Emma's serious enquiry of whether we would hear from the heads of the other competing schools was greeted with sarcastic chuckling.

When the commentator then proceeded to take each and every one of Dumbledore's points apart, while the great wizard was eating his dinner, the chuckling this time was of the genuinely amused variety. Her assessment of the visiting schools seemed very well informed. The older students and former Hogwarts professors thought her potential champion choices from each of the four houses was right on the money too.

It got rather embarrassing when she then practically begged live on the radio for an invitation to the Institute. Harry in truth was relived when Dumbledore stood to get the event started. There were some murmurings when Viktor Krum was chosen, no one had any idea who this Fleur was and shouts when Harry's name came out. He shook both Fred and George's hands on hearing that no Hogwarts student had entered.