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Chapter 25 - Chapter 25

He was teleported to the graveyard and got a front row seat for the resurrection of Voldemort. Pettigrew was waiting for him with the malformed infant that was currently playing host body for Voldemort and that only proved two Marauders had survived the night Sirius Black had died. Which meant Lupin most likely was every bit the traitor to Harry and his parents Pettigrew himself was. And further confirmed what a liar the old man truly was because Harry didn't have a doubt in his mind the old man knew the rat had escaped his fate. And really with this event being enacted, Harry knew exactly why Pettigrew had been allowed to escape. He'd still been needed.

The rest of that night passed in a blur of one horror upon another until suddenly he found himself back at Hogwarts with the cup in hand and throwing up on the grass outside the maze. Minister Fudge wanted to charge him with Victor Krum's death because an autopsy had revealed Harry's magical trace on Victor's remains. This was supposedly to appease the upset Bulgarian contingent who wouldn't have been appeased at all since that trace had also revealed exactly what magic Harry had performed on their champion. So even the judges said no to that idea, pointing out there was no way in hell Harry Potter could've stopped Victor Krum's death from occurring.

Then he wanted to charge him with the death of Cedric but again the judges said no as Cedric had willingly entered the contest knowing full well death was a possible outcome of the events. Furthermore investigation made it clear his death was in no way Harry's doing or fault as Harry hadn't been anywhere near the seventeen year old in the maze when Cedric had perished.

Nor was he responsible for the life threatening injuries suffered by the French competitor which she'd made certain to relate before she passed out. Her sister had been very angry at her for forcing her to lose control over Harry's owl at the end of the second event and she was trying in her own way to protect the boy now to make up for not doing so then. She did respect the boy for his efforts in this tournament and the daily hardship he'd been forced to endure during the year. As far as she was concerned he was the only British wizard she'd met this year worthy of respect and admiration. She was also trying to appease her little sister and get back into her good graces. Because Gabrielle Delacour was very upset with Fleur for making her fail in her appointed task of protecting that pretty owl for her hero, Harry Potter.

Harry collapsed on the grass once the portkey had returned him to Hogwarts. Once again it was Professor Snape who took him to the infirmary where Madam Pomfrey was waiting for him. Just as he had last year, he stood over the boy until the Matron had him firmly under her care. Moody, who was that year's Defence teacher, kept trying to take custody of Harry from Snape but Snape refused to let him. Mainly because once again Harry was muttering and talking off the top of his head, unaware of what he was truly saying. Harry was muttering all the way to the ward and the Professor was chilled to the bone by his words as he kept saying, "He's back. The turf war has a new player. He's returned."

Once again Dumbledore had him teleported straight to Privet Drive as soon as he was aware enough to leave the medical ward. The old man was angry that Harry had made such a poor showing during the Tournament and that he hadn't been able to effect any kind of a loss upon the boy that would hold any true meaning for him. He simply didn't understand there was nothing else he could take from the boy who had nothing left to lose.

He had been hoping that Hermione would die under the water as Victor's hostage since he had told Victor to use the shark transformation for the event. Unfortunately now he would have to find another way to get the girl killed. Because to his way of thinking, Hermione Granger had to die as the final nail he needed to subvert Harry to his will. And only his will. He needed that brat under his complete control.

It was unfortunate Victor could only do a partial transformation into the shark. But it turned out to be enough. Dumbledore knew the merpeople well enough to know any hint of a shark in their waters would enrage them and inflame their senses until they attacked without remembering the competition. He had known Victor would be killed but hadn't counted on him living long enough to rescue the Granger girl first. Nor had he cared Victor was an international superstar for the masses. In fact, that was all the more reason to get the boy killed. He was popular and a household name. Equal to his own glory and fame though for a different reason. Better for the boy to die now before he could do anything else fame garnering to eclipse his own fame.

But Granger now. She was a different story. He'd been tickled pink when he learned she was to accompany Krum to the Ball and could be used in the second task. He'd thought it a surefire method of ending her life. He'd counted on the three years of friendship she and Harry had shared to break the boy to his will when she died at the bottom of the lake he'd believe he could've rescued her from but had failed to do so. A belief he knew he would've reinforced for the boy he was playing with right now. A belief his other two pawns would definitely confirm and embellish twisting the knife and enhancing the guilt the brat would feel.

He'd even reinforced her bonds to prevent Harry from being able to release her though after the brat had rescued the little French tartlet, he wished he'd done the same for all the victims of the event. He'd never considered the brat might see the other hostages as unwilling and innocent victims as well. Krum could still release Hermione but Potter couldn't have. Therefore, he knew Victor had been the one to rescue Hermione from the depths. His double miscalculation had cost him a victim to guilt the brat with.

Her death along with that of his bird, because of course it was his intention that Hedwig would die in the challenge as well, he felt would break the Potter child to the point where Harry would mindlessly do whatever he told him to do from that point onward without question. And yet it hadn't worked. Nor had his plans to let the Minister threaten to arrest him for the deaths of the true competitors affected the boy. He'd returned from wherever the portkey had taken him too shaken up and tired to even realize the Minister was threatening to arrest him. So the threats hadn't impacted him at all and he'd never even glanced to the Headmaster to save him from the Minister's efforts.

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