act two: little dark age
chapter forty-nine

Portkeys were tricky things. You had to know where you wanted to go in order to truly go somewhere. If not, then you might just get lost in the middle. But thankfully, Daphne knew that they needed to get back to Hogwarts, so they were not going to get lost in the middle of a giant teleportation device, they were getting out of the graveyard.

After tonight, everything was going to change. Daphne and Harry knew who all the Death Eaters were. Daphne had memorized the names from the moment she had been thrashing on the ground. She knew that they would be important to remember... to go after. Daphne was on the verge of breaking in more ways than one, and when she would... she would wreak havoc on all of those who have hurt the people she loved.

There was still that little voice in the back of Daphne's mind that made her worry for what would happen when she reached that breaking point. She feared she'd become her mother - but alas, she had no mother. Daphne had two sides of herself clashing, one wanting to screw everyone over and do what she needed to do to protect those who survived. But the other side? She wanted to protect without harm.

But there would never be an even playing field. If she did nothing and simply relied on no violence, no magic, they'd all die. After all, that is what had happened to Cedric. Cedric had died as a result of Daphne nor Harry being able to fight. He died and it was all Daphne's fault. She hated the god damned responsibility of her powers.

She wanted to be a normal witch. A witch who couldn't see the future. A witch who couldn't see the past. She just wanted to be normal, but alas, that was far from what she was. And she had to live with the consequences of that for the rest of her life. She wasn't going to run forever, she refused to keep running. It's time for change.

Daphne's mind was spinning as she felt herself hit the ground as well as two other people. A groan left her lips as the pain but she quickly forced herself silent. Hearing the roars of the stadium upon their re-entry and escape from the labyrinth that they had been stuck in for Merlin knows how long. By the looks of it, Daphne had been in that damned thing for an entire day.

Celebrations were ensuing without realizing the matter of what had actually happened. The matter that three Hogwarts students hadn't fully returned. The two that truly had returned were barely whole, and you could hardly say that they fully survived. But then there was Cedric... the one who hadn't survived at all.

Harry was flush against Daphne still cluthcing onto the cup and the two were still holding onto the deceased corpse of Cedric Diggory. Neither said a word. Daphne felt still as she leaned down, still holding onto him in her eerie silence. Harry dropped the cup as he held onto the dead boy, guilt riddling both teenagers.

Horns and sounds of cheering continued as the crowd moved and music began to ring. Harry started crying as he held onto both Daphne and the corpse tighter. Daphne simply held onto both with a look of nothing. It was almost as if everything had fallen past her and she had forgotten it, as if she was placed in a daze where she understodo nothing.

"Daphne!" Lucerys' voice boomed over the crowd, he was one of the first to make it to the scene besides Dumbledore, "Oh Merlin..."

Fleur let out a heartbreaking scream upon the realization of what had just happened. The realization that one of the Champions was dead. Daphne looked at her father and shook her head with the blankest stare she had ever given.

"Harry! Daphne!" Dumbledore descended to the two teens and tried ripping them away from Cedric but both refused to let go.

"Let go of me!" Daphne screamed as soon as Dumbledore laid his hands on her, refusing to be touched by anyone that wasn't the two, "LET GO!"

"No! No, don't!" Harry cried out as he held on tighter as tears cascaded down the champions face.

"For gods sake, Dumbledore what's happened?" One of the ministry men yelled while staring down at the scene as Lucerys slowly got down next to his daughter who flinched and moved.

"He's back! He's back... Voldemort's back.... I couldn't leave him. Not there," Harry sobbed as he looked down at Cedric still refusing to let go.

"It's time," Daphne's voice was quiet as she looked at her father and the headmaster, "The banters have been called to war."

"Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back... I couldn't leave him! Not there," Harry sobbed out as he tightened his grip once again.

Daphne's grasp moved more or so onto Harry as he leaned back into her while keeping his grip on Cedric while he cried, "It's alright, Harry. It's all right," Dumbledore tried to soothe the boy before moving back.

"Don't separate them," Lucerys spoke pointedly as he looked at all the adults around the teenagers, "They need each other after what they just went through."

Daphne knew that her father wanted nothing more than to get her away from it all and hold her. But she knew that he knew it would be unwise. Neither Harry nor Daphne was going to leave the other in that moment. They both had just witnessed something bigger than them that they were involved in and both had nearly just died as a result.

"He's home, all of you are," Dumbledore tried to soothe Harry as he cried into Daphne's arms while the two were leaning against the dead body of Cedric Diggory.

"Keep everybody in their seats, a boy has just been killed," Fudge commanded to Snape and McGonagall who looked at the teenagers with grim looks, "The body must be moved, Dumbledore! There are too many people here," Snape leaned and shielded the teens from the gazes.

Hermione and Ron had caught sight of the scene and Daphne knew it. Harry's sobs were loud in her arms as a few tears slipped passed her eyes as she stared blankly. Watching as her Uncle Remus took place beside her father who both were trying to help sort out the situation while both keeping an eye on the teenagers that were clung together. Fred and George simply stared a few feet away from Daphne.

"Let me through, let me through!" Cedric's father, Amos, forced his way through the crowd with Mr. Weasley, "That's my son! That's my son! My boy! My boy!" Daphne managed to pull Harry in the slightest bit back as Amos held his son.

Harry clutched onto Daphne before they were yanked up, both grabbed harshly by Moody which made Daphne begin to fight against his grasp, "Come on. Get up. Easy, easy!"

"NO!" Daphne's screams caught the attention of many as she thrashed in the man's arms, "NO! LET ME GO! HELP!"

Remus immediately turned his head as he looked at the scene, hearing his niece scream as he walked over to Moody, "I don't think it's wise of you to break them up. Or hold them that way either," Remus' eyes narrowed but he seemed to not understand why Daphne was screaming.

"I've got them," Moody grunted before narrowing his eyes and dragging both out of the stadium while Daphne's screams and Harry's sobs echoed on their way out.

Daphne held onto Harry after she escaped Moody's grasp, Harry stayed glued to her side as she glared at the Professor in front of her. Following as Harry followed him, ready to act on something. He was a traitor. This was all his fault. Moody set them up to die, he planted them there for a reason.

Moody locked the door behind them and closed the curtain, Daphne noticed her wand sitting on one of the tables as he pulled out a chair for Harry to sit on. Daphne managed to swipe her wand before she stood by Harry, his arms still wrapped around her middle.

"Are you alright, Potter? Does it hurt?" Harry never once responded, simply shaking his head or nodding, "That?"

Harry looked warily before speaking, "Not so much now," Was his simple answer as Moody stared at the bloody arm around Daphne's middle.

"Perhaps I'd better take a look at it," Moody offered and Daphne moved, causing Harry to shift a little.

"No," Daphne's voice was stern as she glared at the man, "You know exactly what it means, don't you, Professor?"

"The cup was a port key, someone bewitched it and placed Daphne inside of the maze," Harry's tone was laced with fake confusion as he seemed to piece together what Daphne was insinuating.

"What was it like, what was he like?" Moody questioned firmly as he rose above the two teenagers with a dark grin.

"Who?" Daphne and Harry asked at the same time, both sharing a look with each other deciding the safest bet was to play dumb for a confession.

"The Dark Lord," He spoke harshly before grabbing Harry's injured arm and squeezing it before pressing it firmly in Daphne's burns, "What was it like to stand in his presence?"

"Don't answer," Daphne whispered down into Harry's ear as her hand gripped her wand tighter as she kept it hidden under Harry's grasp.

Harry simply listened to Daphne and continued to act confused, "I don't know," was his simple and firm response, "It was like I had fallen into one of my dreams... into one of my nightmares."

Daphne heard the moment he opened the vile of Polyjuice potion and she muttered a spell that sent it flying out of Moody's hands as he began to shake. His body slowly began to change as the effects of the potion wore off. Harry looked confused as Daphne narrowed her eyes while Moody went to find more.

"Were there others? In the graveyard, were there others?" Moody questioned firmly wanting to know the answer.

"We never said anything about a graveyard," Daphne spoke firmly as she looked at Moody while it clicked in Harry's brain.

"Marvelous creatures, dragons, aren't they? Do you think that miserable oaf would've led you into the woods if I hadn't suggested it? Do you think Cedric Diggory would've told you to open the egg underwater if I hadn't told him first myself? Do you think Neville Longbottom, the witless wonder, could've provided you with Gillyweed if I hadn't provided him with the book?" Moody stalked over to the two.

The entire time, everything had been planted by Mad-Eye Moody. He knew what he needed to do to get the teenagers to all fall in line. To get the tournament out of the way and to finish what he wanted to finish. He had managed to win.

"Daphne was right," Harry looked at the man as he narrowed his eyes, "All this time, it was you. You were behind all of it-"

"Do you think that Daphne would've been in that maze if I hadn't put her in there myself?" Moody sneered as he pointed to his head before moving away.

Oh, this was making Daphne's blood boil with rage. She could feel something inside of her on the verge of snapping. She wanted to take matters into her own hands - they had enough of a confession to do something. But did she have the heart to do what her mind wanted her to do?

"It was you from the beginning. You put my name in the Goblet of Fire. You bewitched Krum... but you..." Harry stumbled off onto his words as he looked at the wizard.

"But... but..." Moody mimicked the frightened boy with a smirk, "You won because I made it so, Potter. You two made it into that graveyard tonight because it was meant to be so. Now, the deed is done," He grabbed Harry harshly and Daphne pulled out her wand and pointed it at him, "The blood that runs through these veins runs through the dark lord..."

"Stupefy!" Daphne blew the Professor back as she moved to stand in front of Harry as she pointed her wand at the Professor, "Bombarda!" Daphne blew up all of his cabinets as she glared at the Professor, "And yet, you lose again Professor."

"Imagine the reward he will reward me when he learns that I... once and for all... that I silenced the great Harry Potter and Daphne Black!" Moody raised his wand again and Daphne and Harry were pinned in a corner.

Before Daphne had the chance to disarm the man, the door burst open, "Expelliarmus!" Dumbledore's voice boomed as Harry held onto the girl who kept her wand raised.

Moody flew back into a swivel chair as the Professor's as well as Remus and Lucerys made their way into the room. Daphne looked over at Harry as the two clutched onto the other, saying close while she slowly lowered her wand as McGonagall ushered them from the corner to get behind the Professor's while Remus and Lucerys' both stood with the two.

"Severus!" Dumbledore exclaimed as Severus rushed and poured the Veritaserum down Moody's mouth, "That's it. Take it. Do you know who I am?"

"Albus Dumbledore," The look of pure anger and hatred that painted the man's face made it clear that he was not who he had said he was.

"Are you Alastar Moody? Are you?!"Dumbledore exclaimed as he yelled louder and louder at the man in the chair below him.

"No." That confirmed it all, Daphne had been right all along about him and Dumbledore simply shooed her away.

Dumbledore seemed to ignite in anger as he looked at the man wanting more answers,"Is he in this room? Is he in this room?!"

"We better move," Daphne whispered to Harry as she moved along, supporting some of his weight as they moved from the chest.

"Harry, Daphne get away from there!" Dumbledore yelled causing Daphne to flinch as she looked at Remus and her father who gave her tiny smiles.

Snape opened up the chest with the wave of his wand as everyone peered in, "Are you alright, Allastor?"

"I'm sorry, Albus," Moody apologized as he covered his eyeless socket with his hand as he looked up at everyone including the two teenagers leaning in.

"If that's Moody, then who's...?" Harry asked as Daphne made a look of pure confusion finding herself curious as well.

"Now we know who has been stealing from your stores, Severus. We'll get you up in a minute," Dumbledore yelled down while Snape looked back behind them.

Daphne felt a chill run up her spine as she moved away from Harry, who ended up grabbing her yet again, as she moved in front of her father, her uncle, and even the headmaster as Moody began to change. Ripping off the eye as he made a choking sound as his skin sagged and tightened.

Harry leaned forward and the man surged to grab the boy who Daphne pulled back, nearly tripping in the process as the two ended up being caught by the former professor, "Harry!" Dumbledore yelled.

"Barty Crouch Jr," McGongall held her wand to the man's throat as he was back against the chair while Harry and Daphne clutched onto each other while Daphne's wand was at the ready.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," Barty Crouch Jr snarled as his eyes landed on the two teenagers.

"Your arm, Harry," Dumbledore moved to grab Harry, and managed to remove one of the boy's arms from the girl as he let out a groan.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Barty Crouch Jr asked as his tongue swiped across his lip yet again, an annoying thing he did.

"He's back," Lucerys spoke aloud as he looked between the entire scene, "And so are his pussy little followers," Well damn, Dad, Daphne had never heard her father speak like that.

"He's back. Lord Voldemort has returned," Barty laughed as he looked at the group before looking at Daphne, "Oh what your father has yet to learn."

Harry looked around before down at his wrist in guilt, "I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't help it," He apologized believing the rise of Voldemort was his fault.

"It's not your fault, Harry," Remus and Daphne seemingly said at once before Daphne smiled sheepishly.

"Send an owl to Azkaban, I think they'll find that they are missing a prisoner," Dumbledore ordered as he looked at McGonagall who began to move to do so.

"I'll be welcomed back like a hero!" Barty cheered as he held a sinister smirk while looking at the headmaster and Professors.

Daphne scoffed as she looked at the sorry excuse of a man, "A hero? More like a fallen death eater whose balls haven't even dropped yet. You're almost as bad as Wormtail."

"Daphne," Lucerys chided softly as his gaze softened.

"Perhaps, personally I've never had much time for heroes," Dumbledore retorted as he began to pull Harry away from the scene, causing the boy to lose grip on the girl who remained standing.

"What would your mother think of this? Tell me what she did to you there," Barty's words caught everyone's attention and clearly snapped Daphne in half.

"Odette," Harry called out to her, causing Dumbledore to pause with the boy as Snape held his wand at the man who seemingly stared at the girl.

"You're a sick son of a bitch," Daphne looked at the man, having no use for her language as she looked at the man, "An awful excuse of a dark wizard."

There was one thing that Lucerys seemed to pick up on as his daughter bickered back and forth with the wizard. Remus noticed it too. Whatever had happened in that graveyard to her, changed her. Her filter was gone and her rage was unlike any that she had ever shown before.

Barty simply smirked at the girl as he watched her flinch at the movement, "Says the little seer who can't seem to break the cycle."

The look on Daphne's face as she surged forward caught everyone's attention. Harry watched as both Remus and Lucerys had to grab the young girl and then try and hold her still as she thrashed around in a heat of rage. Hot rage that no one had ever seen from the girl.

"This is only the beginning," Barty sneered at the young girl causing her to thrash harder until she finally stopped fighting.