The cheering stopped and a deafening silence filled the air as Harry laid Cedric's body on the ground. Harry's face was caked in blood, with trails of tears streaming through it on to Cedric's face and he was gasping for air, between sobs. "He's back!" he kept shouting. "Voldemort's back and he's killed Cedric!"

Dumbledore gently pushed Harry aside so that he and Madame Pomfrey could take a look at the the boy whose was already paled from death. Rory made to rush to Harry's side, along with Hermione and Ron, but Mad-Eye Moody was already leading him away. Both Hermione and Rory were sobbing uncontrollably, while a stunned Ron conforted them both.

"We have to go to him!" Rory cried.

"He'll be okay. Moody is with him." Ron whispered.

"No! We have to follow them!" Rory screamed.

"She's right, Ron. Harry needs us."

It was at that moment, Dumbledore tapped Hermione on the shoulder. "Where's Potter. I told him to wait."

"He went off with Moody." Rory explained.

"Right, well, I had better get Severus – uh Snape to accompany me to Moody's office." The headmaster was gone in a flash and no one in the present company missed the panicked espression on his face. Something was definitely wrong.

"I'm going to Moody's office, who's with me?" Rory said.

"I'm in. Ron?" Hermione glared at the freckle faced boy.

"Of course. Harry needs us." Without hesitation the three of them went off in the direction of Moody's office. It was outside Moody's door, they heard Harry shouting. "You won't get away with this, Crouch!"

"Oh, but I am already my boy. Do you deny me the chance for glory in the eyes of the dark lord?" Moody's voice boomed, but it was weakening.

"We need to get in there!" Rory hissed.

"And how do you suppose we do that, Gilmore?" Ron retorted, trying desperately to twist the door knob to let them in, but realising that the door was locked.

"We just... have to... somehow," cried a frustrated Rory, who was pushing Ron aside so she could jiggle with the door. "Hermione, do you know any spells that would help?"

She shook her head. "I've not seen anything in a book we could use, nothing that doesn't require substantial practise before even attempting it."

"Children, get out of the way!" Dumbledore's voice boomed as he ran toward them with Snape on his heels. "Go back to your dorms. We'll handle things from here."

"Yes sir," they all chimed, but neither of the teachers heard. Dumbledore shot something from his wand and the two professors burst into the room. Rory followed her two friends back to their common room, not wanting to be alone with her worry.

They flopped onto the big fluffy couch and just looked at each other in silence as they digested the severity of the dreadful events of the afternoon.

"Do you think it's true?" Rory whispered finally. "Harry said something about Voldemort being back. Is it true?"

"Well Harry says it is and Cedric's.... oh Merlin, poor Cedric." Hermione broke into fresh sobs.

They fell back into silence again as they watched the flames lick the darkness of the fireplace.

Rory couldn't help feeling guilty for the way she had frozen Harry out. She had only been thinking of herself and her feelings, while Harry had only tried to warn her of what could happen to anyone who loved Harry, who he loved in return. Seeing Cedric's body lying on the ground motionless, with Harry's tears dripping onto him and hearing his painful screams, "He's back!" ringing in her ears forced her to wake up and see the reality of something bigger than her love for Harry, crashing down around her.

When they got word that he was in the hospital wing, Rory trudged through the halls until they were there standing, waiting to find out if they were okay to see him. Madame Pomfrey bustled out, motioning for them to go in and see Harry. The three rushed in and each in turn gave Harry a hug.

"I'm so sorry," Rory whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

"It's okay. I'm fine" Harry whispered.

"I meant for everything. How I've treated you, was not right. I'm sorry." She pulled back and was violently brushing away tears.

"I know. It's okay. It hasn't been easy for you, either. I shouldn't shut you out, so much." Harry tried to sit up, but winced with agony from the effort.

"Just rest Harry," Hermione chastised.

"Harry, I know now what you were trying to protect me from and I understand." Rory explained.

Harry took in the hazy image of the beautiful girl that was standing before him. "I love you, Rory, so much." He took her hand.

"I know you do, and I love you, too Harry. I just want you to know I'm not going to push you anymore. You have enough to deal with, but I will always be here, for when you are ready to start again, I mean when all of this is over." She let his hand go and stood back.

"Hey, Mate. You did it! You won!" Ron stepped forward. His eyes were beaming with Envy. "Eternal Glory is yours, Mate."

"Yeah," Harry muttered glumly. "Eternal Glory." He stared off into the distance, his thoughts consumed with the image of Cedric's body on the ground, with Mr Diggory crying for his only son, his hopes and dreams dashed in a single moment at the hands of Voldemort. It was Harry he had wanted. Cedric had been an extra bonus, for the dark wizard to discard like a defective toy. It was because of Harry he had been there and it was because of Harry he was killed, as far as Harry was concerned. It was Harry, not Voldemort who would be left with the scar of that horrific moment when the green light shot from Voldemort's wand into Cedric.

His mind turned to Rory and he couldn't bear the thought that she might suffer the fate, just for loving him. "You guys have to believe me. Voldemort's back! He's stronger than ever now and it's only going to get worse."