Chapter 40

The dark figure loomed out of the shadows, carrying something wrapped in a black cloak. As it slowly walked toward Harry and Cedric, Raven began to fear for their safety. She sensed evil and knew that something bad was about to happen.

Raven’s eyes went back and forth between the three people. Harry started writhing in pain from his scar. She knew the only reason for that to happen. Suddenly a fourth voice, sounding cold and strained, cried, “Kill the spare!”

As if in slow motion, she watched as a wand point directly to Cedric. Instinctively, she ran, or in her case drifted, over to him. As she got in between the mysterious people and Cedric, she heard a voice shout, “Avada Kedavra!”

A jet of green light shot towards Raven and she felt the spell hit her chest and go through her body. She spun around and it seemed she landed on the ground. She looked over and saw Cedric’s lifeless body laying feet from her.

Raven’s chest was throbbing from the spell. How is this possible? Why is my body hurting when I’m not here? What the hell going on?

Suddenly, her mind began to fly all over the scene as if in the air herself. She tried to concentrate on Harry who was being tied to a tombstone, and it seemed the harder she tried, the less she was able to focus on him. Instead, her mind kept flashing to things that have happened to her in the past.

There was a memory of Raven sitting at her father’s bedside moments before his death. As she reached for his hand, she was in another memory of Snape opening the door of his house when she arrived from America. As she entered his home, she found herself walking down the stairs at the Leaky Cauldron when she met Ron and Hermione. As she sat down to greet them, another flash had her sitting down to lunch with George on their first date.

Raven’s mind came back into focus and she looked over at Harry. Another wizard had appeared and she sensed fear coming from her friend. From the conversation they were having Raven understood why Harry was frightened and why his scar was hurting him earlier. Harry, Raven and the rest of the wizarding community’s worst fear had become reality; Voldemort has returned.

Raven lost her concentration on the state of affairs as Voldemort summoned his Death Eaters. Raven desperately wanted to know what was going on with Harry and the newly returned Dark Lord, but couldn’t control what was happening with her mind since getting hit with that curse. She could still feel the effects of the spell and could tell that, where ever her body was, she was clutching her chest with her hand.

She found her mind scrolling through more memories. Raven saw the moment she put on the ring from Lucius and the day she told George about the contract. Her memories then switched to the day she cried in Snape’s arms, then to the night of the Yule Ball, when she was talking with George in the moonlight.

Raven came back to the graveyard long enough to see that the Death Eaters had arrived. Surveying the group she was not surprised to see Lucius was among them. Every time she attempted to get closer as to see what was going on, she found herself in recollections of her past.

The rapid fire of memories subsided and she was locked into a particular one for quite a while. She recalled being six-years old. She was always a curious child, and always found herself asking her father the most peculiar questions. One day she ran up to him after coming in from school. As always, she sat on his lap and told him everything that happened that day; from who forgot the difference between blue and green to what the other girls were wearing. Somehow she always ended her day by telling her father exactly what she wanted for Christmas. Everyday the kids were talking about new and exciting toys, and she always found herself interested in Muggle toys and later clothing.

This one particular day, after telling her father about her day, she forgot her Christmas list and had a very concerned look on her face.

“What’s wrong, my dear?” he asked.

Raven thought for a moment and gazed at her father with her deep blue eyes. Her expression was one of sadness. “Daddy? Why does everyone have a mommy but me?”

Tobias, at first, seemed shocked that she would ask something like that. At the same time he knew that at some point he was going to have to answer that question if he was going to continue to make her go to public school.

“My dear, sometimes mommies have to go away. They don’t mean to, and most don’t want to. It’s just something that happens. The same thing happens to some daddies.”

“Why did mommy leave? Did she mean to?”

“Of course not. And she didn’t want to. Your mother wanted to be with you from the moment she knew you were coming into the world. But like I said, things happen. We can’t always know when it will happen and sometimes we can’t stop it. Just know that your mother loved you very much. She would be here if she could.”

Raven stopped to think about what her father had just told her. A look of fear came over her face. She gasped and looked as though she wanted to cry. “What if you leave me daddy? What am I going to do? What if I need you?”

“I’m not going to leave you, my angel. There is nothing to be afraid of.”

“You just said that you can’t know when you go away. So how can you tell me you aren’t going away, if you don’t know?”

Raven began to breath heavy and her face was bright red. Her father took her into his arms, rested her head on his chest and began rubbing the side of her head.

“Oh Raven, its okay. I’m not going to leave you.” Tobias straightened her up and put his hands on the sides of her face. “And if I do leave you, I will always be in your heart. Just like your mother is always with you. She’s always watching to make sure you’re okay. I will do the same thing.”

“But daddy, what if I need you?”

“If I ever leave you, and you need me, if the situation becomes more than you can bear, I will be there for you.”

“Do you promise, daddy?”

“I promise, my angel.” Tobias took her back into his arms and gave her a hug. “I promise.”

As Raven drifted out of the memory, she could hear an echo of her young voice continuing on the conversation with her newest Christmas list. She felt a smile come over her face wherever she was. She missed her father deeply and wished that he fulfilled his promise and was pulling her out of the horrific graveyard scene.

Raven would have rather gone back to her worst memory than witness what she saw going on between Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort, with his Death Eaters looking on with much excitement, forced Harry into a wizards duel. Harry was clearly the weaker wizard and Raven feared for Harry’s life. She desperately wanted to step in to fight for him but something strange began to happen.

Just as Voldemort shouted the incantation for the Killing Curse, Harry used the disarming spell, Expelliarmus. A jet of green from Voldemort’s wand and a blast of red from Harry’s wand met midair and connected to form an almost golden stream of energy. Soon the two were floating in the air, neither wanting to break the connection. The Death Eaters swarmed around the two awaiting instructions from Voldemort.

Soon the golden beam splintered and broke off into a thousand different streams forming a dome around the duelers. The bead connecting the two wands bounced back and forth and then it hit Voldemort’s wand. Something now appeared to be coming out of it. It looked as though someone was materializing out of Voldemort’s wand. It was Cedric.

Raven, Harry, Voldemort and all of the Death Eaters were shocked. But neither Harry nor Voldemort were going to break their connection.

Raven was amazed at what she was seeing. It was strangely beautiful as ghostly images of the last people that Voldemort killed appeared out of his wand. She knew Cedric, but there were two others she didn’t know; one man and one woman. But soon, another figure was appearing. By the expression on Harry’s face, Raven knew that is was his mother, Lily. She told Harry to hang on a bit longer for his father. Soon, James Potter was forming and walking towards his son.

Raven knew that Harry would have loved to drop everything to spend more time with them, but Lily was giving him instructions. He needed to get to the portkey while they distracted Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

After Harry broke the connection between the wands, he ran as fast as he could to Cedric’s body, jumping over the cup and dodging blasts from the Death Eaters. Once he had Cedric, he summoned the cup. The Triwizard Cup jumped into Harry’s hand and, in an instant, he was gone.

Raven breathed a sigh of relief when Harry made it out alive. But she couldn’t understand why she was still there. There was no mistaken Voldemort’s anger. He was quick to make sure all of his Death Eaters knew his disappointment in them. It almost made Raven sick to watch as he tortured some of his followers, while questioning them once again on their loyalties.

When Voldemort made his way over to Lucius, Lucius was quick to stop his leader before he started.

“My Lord, I have something to share with you that should prove my loyalty to you.” Lucius kneeled cowardly to his master.

“My patience is running thin, Lucius.” Voldemort outstretched his wand to Lucius’ neck.

“I-I have found Demeter Black’s granddaughter; the only child of Tobias and Persephone Snape.”

There was a long eerie silence. Voldemort lowered his wand. Fear, once again, ripped through Raven’s body. Not only is the one person she feared above anyone, back, but he has now been reminded of the promise he made years ago to her grandmother.

“Is she as powerful as Demeter?” Voldemort walked slowly away from Lucius and tapped his wand on his chin obviously contemplating a new plan.

“More powerful, My Lord. Her powers developed as a very young child. She has also developed her Seer abilities early, though they are not refined as of yet.” Lucius was starting to get back his usual air of confidence. He seemed very sure of himself to his master.

“And her father?”

“Dead two years, now. She now lives with Severus.”

“Ah, Severus Snape, once my most trusted servant.” Voldemort paused for a moment.

Raven wondered if Voldemort was now questioning Snape’s loyalty to him for not showing up to his gathering tonight. There were moments she had bad feelings toward her uncle but she didn’t was to see him killed.

“How did you find her, Lucius?” Voldemort never turned around to face Lucius but continued tapping his wand against his chin.

“After your unexpected departure, I simply asked Snape where his brother fled. He never knew. One day, after asking him again, he said that his brother contacted him a few days earlier and told me they were in America. After getting their exact location, I went there and gained his trust. I spent many weeks there over the course of several years. I even brought with me my son, Draco.”

“How did this young girl come to England?”

“When Tobias died, she was only fifteen and still needed adult supervision. He left her with Severus until she became of age.”

“There is more to the story that you are not telling me, Lucius. Tell me, what was your interest in this child?”

“I knew that if you were to return, you would once again try to find this child and use her. I had to stake a claim on her to keep her close as to not lose her again. When she was very young, I made a contract with her father saying that her and my son would be married when they became of age. Tobias hesitated at first but he later agreed.”

“Although most of your story sounds plausible, the rest of it is a lie.” Voldemort raised his wand to Lucius’ head, but then backed off. “I don’t have time to sort out the truth now. I want this girl alive and I need you to bring her to me. What else can you tell me about her?”

“Let’s just say I have to keep her temper under control. She has made it abundantly clear that she doesn’t wish to be part of my family. She was manipulated enough to put on a ring of my design that won’t come off unless the contract is broken. It senses her emotion and I can look in on her whenever I wish. Now that I have a short leash on her, she won’t go anywhere. I am giving her to you to do with as you see fit.”

“You’re giving her to me? Lucius, she was already mine to begin with. Remember your place.”

Lucius’ eyes widened and tried to look confused. “What do you mean, My Lord? My intentions are pure.”

“Are they Lucius? Don’t deny it. It’s all right there.” Voldemort pointed his long pale finger at Lucius’ forehead and jabbed it with his pointy fingernail.

My Lord, I-“

“No need for further explanation, Lucius.” Lucius bowed his head in shame. Voldemort walked around his circle of Death Eaters who were cowering in fear. He looked as though he was trying to decide who to torture next when he stopped suddenly; feet away from where Raven’s body would be standing if she were there. “I sense another presence here. A strong, mental presence.”

Raven froze. No way.

“Lucius, what is this young lady’s name?”

“Raven, My Lord.”

“We must find Raven and talk with her.” Voldemort started to walk away but Lucius stopped her.

“My Lord, if I may.” Lucius pulled out a small mirror. He then took a ring off of his finger and hooked the ring to the top of the mirror. He then looked up at Voldemort and smiled. “She’s here. Not physically, but she’s here. Over there.”

Lucius pointed in Raven’s direction. Raven tried to run but her chest was throbbing violently and it was taking all of her energy.

“She’s here? Watching every move we make and hearing every word we say, aren’t you, Raven?” Voldemort was walking towards her.

I’ve got to get out of here!

Raven tried to channel her body and force her hand to let go of the pillar she had been touching this whole time. She felt the coldness of the stone on her fingertips and knew this is how she was connected to seeing these events.

Voldemort’s face was inches away from Raven’s. “I see you.”

Raven felt herself trying to pull away. Finally with a small blast, her mind and body were reunited with enough force to send her several feet through the air before slamming into the ground. With much relief, she found herself back in the maze and Harry’s invisibility cloak is just an arm stretch away. When she tried to grab the cloak the pain in her chest got more intense. As she held the cloak, she pulled out her wand with every intention of shooting red sparks up in the air to let someone know she was there.

Every movement was taking her breath away. She was finding it more difficult to keep consciousness. She raised her arm to cast but weakness caused her arm to fall back down. Raven tried to roll around to find a way out but couldn’t move her legs due to a severe lack of energy. She mustered every little bit of strength to raise her arm up again but felt darkness taking her. She raised her arm one last time and…