Little Hangleton
Harry fell to the ground in a whirlwind of colour and a powerful gust of wind. As he rose shakily to his feet, one word went through his mind.
'Portkey.'
It was then Harry realized the maze was never the trap. He and the others believed the ones behind all this would be waiting in the maze's center. Instead, the maze had simply been a distraction. The real trap was the cheese waiting for them. And Harry had just stumbled into the trap.
Whipping out his wand, he cast his eyes about, looking for somebody. Looking for anybody. He could only see an expanse of graves, hidden in the mist that was slowly gathering around Harry again.
'A graveyard.'
"Gnarl? Can you hear me?"
Harry tried to listen for the loyal elf, hoping he might have an idea of where he was, and what was going on. But he heard nothing from the amulet. He was still cut off from any support, and he had no idea where he-
"Incarcerous"
Before Harry could react, he felt ropes being wrapped around him as he was thrown against a statue of the angel of death. And approaching him, was the man who betrayed his family to save his pathetic hide.
"Pettigrew!"
Harry growled the name, venom more potent than that of a Basilisk filling his voice. Such was the intensity of his anger, his hatred, for this contemptible being, the oversized rat nearly dropped the bundle in his arms as he approached a large, bubbling cauldron.
"Careful you fool!"
Harry's blood went cold when he heard that voice. It was a voice he hadn't heard since his first year when he confronted Quirrel. The same voice of the parasite stuck to the back of the stuttering fool's head. As Wormtail opened the bundle, revealing a hideously malformed toddler, and then dropped it into the cauldron, Harry thought one thing.
'Let it drown. Please, let it drown.'
As the cauldron bubbled and hissed, Wormtail grabbed a bone that had been placed nearby.
"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"
The bone was dropped into the cauldron, which bubbled with greater intensity, before turning from a toxic green to a poisonous blue colour. Harry then noticed, with morbid curiosity, that Wormtail had produced a silver dagger, and was holding his arm over the cauldron, as he continued between broken sobs.
"F-flesh of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your m-master."
Harry flinched, but refused to look away, as Wormtail cut off his right hand, allowing it to fall into the cauldron. The potion within then changed to a burning red colour, as Wormtail approached Harry, dagger at the ready.
"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe."
Wormtail sliced into Harry's arm, drawing a short, painful scream from him as the traitor sneered in response. That sneer faded to a look of panic and horror as he beheld the hate-fuelled glare of his former friend's son. Stumbling back to the cauldron, Wormtail tapped the dagger three times, a drop of blood falling with each tap. The potion then changed to a blinding white, and with a sudden burst of light that forced Harry to look away, the sounds of bubbling ceased. Harry slowly looked back, and beheld, to his horror, a figure standing in the cauldron, cloaked in the steamy mist that surrounded the cauldron.
Voldemort had risen again.
"My robes."
A cold voice echoed across the cemetery, and Wormtail stumbled forward, helping his master don his black robes. Fully clothed, Voldemort stepped out of the cauldron and began examining his body. His hands, large and pale, with long fingers, explored his chest, moving to his arms, and finally to his face. It was a pale, skull-like visage, devoid of a nose, instead possessing snake-like pits and blood-red serpent eyes.
As he examined himself, his expression was one of joy. Satisfied, he reached into his robes and withdrew a wand, and his joy gave way to exuberance. But that faded as he turned to Wormtail, who kneeled before him. The traitor was clutching his stump of a hand, whimpering in pain and fear as he did so.
"M-Master."
"Your arm, Peter."
Wormtail seemed elated at those words and began lifting his right arm. "Th-thank you, Master."
Voldemort sneered at him. "The other one."
With disappointment on Peter's face, and grim satisfaction on Harry's, the man lifted his arm, revealing a green and black tattoo, depicting a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth, and Harry knew it instinctively to be the Dark Mark. Its appearance seemed to satisfy Voldemort.
"It's back. They will have noticed, by now... we shall see how many are brave enough to return... and how many are foolish enough to stay away."
With those words, Voldemort pressed his wand into the Dark Mark, causing Wormtail to howl in pain, drawing a look of cruel satisfaction from Voldemort. Once he stepped away, allowing Wormtail to collapse into a sobbing mess on the ground, Voldemort simply... waited. He didn't have to wait long, for within minutes, the air was filled with the sounds of Apparition.
Looking about the cemetery, Harry saw them. Death Eaters, all hooded in dark robes, with silver skull masks. Slowly, they moved forward, approaching their master with a sense of unease and fear, while Voldemort simply stood where he was, patiently waiting for them. As they approached, the Death Eaters dropped to their knees, and crawled towards Voldemort, kissing his robes, as they whispered 'Master,' before backing away and standing up, forming a circle around their master.
"My friends, welcome! It has been far too long. Thirteen years, to be precise. Thirteen years it's been, and yet, here you stand before me, as though it were only yesterday. Here we stand, united under the Dark Mark, in service to the cause of the purebloods! But then..." he paused, sniffing the air dramatically, "why do I detect the stench of guilt? Of treachery?"
Nobody spoke or moved. The air was still, as though nobody dared to even breathe.
"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact, and I ask myself... why did my followers never come to the aid of their master? Why did they never search for whom they swore eternal loyalty? And I realized they must have believed me broken. Believed I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, pleading innocence, ignorance, and bewitchment."
A shiver ran through the assembled Death Eaters, as though they were fighting their every instinct to run and hide.
"'But how' I asked myself. How could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power, who recognized that I was mightier than any wizard living? Perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort. Perhaps they now pay allegiance to another... that champion of mudbloods and blood traitors, Albus Dumbledore?"
Suddenly, one of the Death Eaters threw themselves at Voldemort's feet, begging, "Master! Forgive me, Master! Forgive us for our failure!"
"Crucio!"
Voldemort cast the Unforgivable on the wizard, who writhed on the ground, screaming in pain, while the others did nothing. Some looked at Voldemort, while others watched the man on the ground with fear in their eyes. But none dared move to aid him.
"Stand up, Avery. Lord Voldemort does not forgive, or forget. Thirteen years, Avery. I want thirteen years repaid before I forgive you. Pettigrew here has already begun his repayment." Voldemort moved closer to Wormtail, kneeling on the ground as he struggled to stay composed. Once within arms reach, he lifted Pettigrew's arm and raised his wand. "And Lord Voldemort rewards his servants."
Harry watched in fascination as a silver mist emerged from Voldemort's wand, before attaching itself to Wormtail's stump, forming a silver hand for the traitor. Wormtail stared at the hand in fascination, before picking up a stick with it and crushing it into splinters.
"It-It's beautiful, my Lord. Thank you."
"Let this be a lesson to all of you. I will not accept treachery a second time." Voldemort returned to the center of the circle... and paused, looking at one of the gaps in the circle. "Hmm."
"My Lord? What troubles you?"
Harry recognized that voice. 'Lucius Malfoy.'
"Yaxley should be here by now. He was supposed to retrieve Potter's mudblood, but we didn't need her after all."
'Potter's mudblood!?' Harry took three seconds to realize who he was talking about. And unimaginable rage spiked in his heart as he realized what Voldemort was planning.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER!!"
Harry's voice suddenly echoed across the graveyard, with such force and vitriol it startled even Voldemort, who looked at him with a twisted grin as he regained composure.
"Ah, Harry Potter, our guest of honour. I apologize for leaving you there, standing on the bones of my father, but I had a family matter to take care of. I would introduce you, of course, but I daresay your name is almost as famous as mine, as 'The Boy Who Lived.' Of course, that title has nothing to do with you. You have no doubt heard..." Voldemort turned back to his followers as he spoke, "the story of how the famous Harry Potter defeated me when he was a mere baby. It's a lie, of course, but there is a kernel of truth hidden in there. You see when dear sweet Lily Potter placed herself between her child and me, I thought her a mere fool. But she had lured me into a trap. That night, when she gave her life for her child, she provided the ultimate protection. She had invoked Old Magic, something I should have foreseen. I could not even touch him. But the tables have turned, Harry. I can touch you, now."
With that, Voldemort placed a finger on Harry's scar, and Harry felt a throbbing sensation in his scar. Like something was trying to break free from it. It was painful, but Harry grit his teeth and endured it. He wouldn't give Voldemort the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.
Content that Lily's protection had worn off, but unhappy at the lack of a reaction, Voldemort stepped away, and with a flick of his wand, released Harry from the ropes holding him up.
"Pick up your wand, Harry. You've been taught how to duel, I presume." Voldemort took up position across from Harry as he grabbed his wand, rising to his feet. "First, we bow to each other." While Voldemort bowed, Harry stood firm, unwilling to bow before the monster that took his parents.
"Come now, Harry, the niceties must be observed. Dumbledore wouldn't want you to forget your manners, would he?" At Harry's glare and refusal to budge, Voldemort sneered at him. "I said, bow."
That was when Harry heard a voice in his mind, commanding him to bow, demanding he move in the required manner. But Harry's will was stronger, and even as he felt his body screaming to obey the command, he held firm, instead responding with a quick "Stupefy!"
Voldemort deflected the spell with a flick of his wrist, choosing to sneer at his opponent.
"Very well then, Harry. If you won't bow, then fall. Avada Kedavra!"
The green spell raced towards Harry, but his instincts had been sharpened thanks to Andromeda, and Gnarl had given him the means to save himself. Wordlessly, he conjured the golden shield of Sanctuary, and watched in awe as the Killing Curse slammed into the shield... and nothing happened.
"Impossible!" Voldemort's voice was filled with rage and disbelief, that ANY spell could counter an Unforgivable. But Harry wasn't done. Under the shield, he began moving his wand in the required pattern, a double diamond and focused on the Arcanium armour from the First Task. The robes he was wearing were useful, but he'd never forget the feeling of power he'd felt wearing that suit.
The shield held as Voldemort bombarded it with the Killing Curse, determined to break through and end Harry's life. When the shield finally dropped, he was horrified to see Harry, not in the basilisk robes he'd worn for the Third Task, but a vicious-looking suit of armour. Before he could respond, Harry felt the power surging through his body and aimed his wand at Voldemort's chest.
"FULMENS!"
The lightning bolt flew from Harry's wand, and were it not for Voldemort's reflexes, the power of the spell would have destroyed him. The shield he conjured to block the lightning bolt was powerful, but it forced Voldemort to step backwards, while the Death Eaters looked on in shock at the power displayed.
'Hold on Hermione, I'm coming home.'
Suddenly, Voldemort clutched at his chest with a roar of pain and rage, while the Death Eaters grabbed their arms, screaming in pain.
"WORMTAIL! WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Voldemort screamed in fury at the whimpering traitor.
"FULMENS!"
Harry sent another lightning bolt at Voldemort, while Wormtail cowered on the ground.
"I-I don't know Master! I followed the instructions perfectly!"
'I won't let you get away, traitor!'
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort sent the Killing Curse at Harry, only to miss by a wide margin, striking a random grave in the distance behind him.
'I'll drag you back in pieces if I have to!'
"INFERNUS!" A small ball of violet fire flew at Voldemort, as he summoned a gravestone to block the fire, only to be blasted back by the resulting explosion. As he noticed the fire spreading to his robes, he tore off the offending pieces, leaving him nearly naked, with only his chest and crotch covered.
'I'll make sure Sirius gets his freedom you rat!'
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort's aim was on point this time, but it was no good. Sanctuary now came easily to Harry.
'Stay strong, love. I know I can win this!'
"RRAAAAGGGGHHH!!!" Voldemort's scream echoed across the cemetery, while the Death Eaters rolled on the ground, clutching at the Dark Mark. "WORMTAIL!"
"F-forgive me, M-Master! I don't know what's wrong!"
"VINCULA TORMENTUM!"
A set of three black chains burst from Harry's wand, flying towards Voldemort at startling speed. The chains glowed red, with a baleful power, and Voldemort knew if they wrapped around his body, the results would be catastrophic. With few other options, Voldemort conjured a stone statue and leaped to the side. Two of the chains struck the statue, wrapping around its body, but the third latched onto Voldemort's left hand, wrapping around the offending limb up to the elbow.
Voldemort let loose a horrifying scream of agony as he felt the chain's magic take effect. His arm felt like a thousand burning knives had been stabbed into it as they were being twisted. But worse, he could feel his magic being drained from his body. It was a slow effect, much slower than if all three had struck him, but he knew he couldn't fight Harry with this chain on him.
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM!!!"
Voldemort screamed at his Death Eaters, and those that had recovered obliged, launching every spell at him, from the Killing Curse to Bombarda. The barrage forced Harry behind Sanctuary again, only this time, he had a much larger barrage of spells to contend with. Every moment that passed, another Death Eater recovered, and Voldemort came that much closer to freeing himself. He had to either end this now or escape. Looking about quickly, he noticed the Triwizard Cup was close by. If he was lucky, it might be a Portkey back to Hogwarts.
Even better, Wormtail was close by. The whimpering coward was struggling to stand and could barely hold his wand. Which made him easy pickings. Focusing his magic, Harry watched the Death Eaters and waited for a brief window of opportunity. When it finally came, as the Death Eaters formed a semi-circle to try and block him off, Harry acted, aiming his wand into the air as he incanted.
"FULGUR CAELUM!"
A massive storm of lightning was released from Harry's wand, forming a black cloud overhead, and Harry watched with glee as the Death Eaters scattered as the storm's lightning struck at everything in range. Chaos reigned supreme as the bastards ran in every direction, trying to avoid the lightning, with many of them being blasted away by a bolt that came too close.
Seizing the moment, Harry dropped Sanctuary and rushed Wormtail, who screamed in fear at Harry's approach. Tackling him to the ground, Harry summoned the Cup, and the two of them disappeared from the graveyard, amidst the crash of lightning, and the screams of Voldemort.
Harry could feel the Portkey take effect, depositing him and Wormtail in the middle of Hogwarts. Harry could hear the crowd cheering for him. But he didn't care. All he could focus on was the traitor on the ground before him. The one he had spared in a misguided act of mercy.
Rage overtaking him, Harry leaped onto Wormtail, kneeling atop him as the coward begged him for mercy, raising his hands in an act of surrender.
Harry didn't care.
His fist made contact with Wormtail's face, the armour's jagged edges cutting into his flesh, drawing blood.
It felt good to get payback. He punched him again.
And again.
This time he punched harder.
Then he punched again.
And again.
And again.
Everything became a blur of motion and sound. Harry could hear people calling out to him, screaming at him. But he didn't care. This man betrayed his parents. He was the reason he was an orphan.
He would pay. If the Minister wouldn't see to it, then he would.
Wormtail begged again, the words barely understandable. Between his shattered jaw and the blood pooling in his mouth, he barely sounded human.
As far as Harry was concerned, he wasn't.
"Harry!"
This time, Harry heard his name before he felt a big pair of arms wrap around his body, and pull him away from the bloodied and beaten Wormtail. He struggled, trying to break free. He wasn't going to let the coward escape again! Looking up, he saw Hagrid had grabbed him and pulled him away. He liked Hagrid, but he couldn't let the bastard escape!
He struggled again, trying to escape, but Hagrid held him close as he whispered.
"It's alright, Harry. We've got him. He won't get away."
Harry looked at the coward as the rage began to fade, and exhaustion took hold. He saw Madam Bones standing over him. She was angry, and Harry saw her levitating another man. Harry didn't recognize this one, but the presence of this man and Wormtail seemed to enrage her. As his mind cleared, he heard Madam Bones bellowing out her orders for the Aurors.
"Find where Alastor is, even if you have to tear the castle apart, ONE BRICK AT A TIME!"
She wasn't happy. But Harry didn't understand it. He just felt... relief, that she had the coward. He wouldn't get away... he wouldn't.
"Harry." Harry turned to see Dumbledore rushing up to him, as he looked up at Hagrid. "Harry, what happened?"
"He's back..." was all Harry could say as he began to feel his body shutting down.
"Voldemort's back."
And with that, everything went black.