Golden Threads and Lights

Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse.

Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking uncontrollably, he staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him away, back toward Voldemort.

"They're not humans. I'm sure. How can someone take enjoyment from this?" Chris said.

"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a little pause . . . That hurt, didn't it, Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"

Harry didn't answer.

"I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! Imperio!"

"This is horrible." Cedric said angrily.

"Just answer no." Voldemort said and the death eaters laughed. "Just say no."

"I WON'T!" Harry burst out.

"You won't?" said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now. "You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die. . . . Perhaps another little dose of pain?"

Voldemort raised his wand, but Harry flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldemort's father.

"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry," said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry . . . come out and play, then . . . it will be quick . . . it might even be painless . . . I would not know . . . I have never died. . . ."

Suddenly Chris hit the ground. Malgino was back and he just released Chris. Now, only Cedric was tied. Stormy grabbed her and pushed her in front of Malgino.

"The weakest thing in kids.... is there heart." Malgino said smiling towards Chris. "Perhaps it helps my friend. Crucio!"

The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that she no longer knew where she was. . . . White-hot knives were piercing every inch of her skin, her head was surely going to burst with pain, she was screaming more loudly than she'd ever screamed in her life, and then it stopped. Chris fell on her knees.

"Chris!"

Chris realized Harry was already in front of Voldemort. He came out hearing Chris's screams. Without looking up at him, Chris angrily said,

"Just fight stupid! Don't die just like that!"

Chris didn't know, Harry had heard her or not, but next second he dodged a Cruciatus Curse and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort cried, "Avada Kedavra!"

Chris looked up. A jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's — they met in midair — and suddenly their wands were vibrating — and a narrow beam of light connected the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold.

And then suddenly Harry and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light.

Malgino, who was drawing some shapes in the air with his wand for his ritual, stopped abruptly.

"He didn't tell me they have same wand cores." He said looking surprised.

Harry and Voldemort glided away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves. . . . The Death Eaters were shouting; they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing, reforming the circle around Harry and Voldemort, some of them drawing their wands —

The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light.

"Do nothing!" Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, "Do nothing unless I command you!"

"He's not going to win." Stormy said to Malgino.

"I know." Malgino said walking towards Harry and Voldemort. "Keep an eye on her."

Hearing this Stormy's new silver hand gripped around Chris's neck and she pulled Chris up from the ground.

"Stay still or else." Stormy glared at her.

"I don't have my wand." Chris said innocently. "What can I do?"

Chris was feeling happy right now, she was screwing her brain for ideas. Voldemort couldn't defeat Harry. This changes everything. There's still hope. They still can take advantage of that situation.

And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air. . . . It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a sound Chris recognized, she had heard this sound multiple times in her life: phoenix song.

It was the sound of hope.... the most beautiful and welcome thing she had ever heard in his life....

"Let it go, friend. You can't win like this. Let it go." Malgino was shouting over the song.

But Chris wasn't sure Voldemort had heard him. Chris looked around the Graveyard carefully.

"Don't try anything." Stormy said strictly. "I've put a barrier around the Graveyard. No one can pass it without Master's permission."

'That's why Dames didn't heard me, maybe.' Chris thought.

"What's happening?" The Death Eaters were shouting.

Chris tried to look but the crowd around them was blocking her view, now.

"Don't do anything." Malgino shouted. "It's too late. One of them had to let go. We can't do anything."

'Great. Now, something, anything, please just give me any idea to return Hogwarts alive. Please.' Chris thought desperately. 'The three of us need to go back.'

Suddenly the thing Malgino was making with his wand in the air, started to rearrange themselves. They started to move towards Chris.

"What're you doing?" Stormy asked sharply, pressing her strong silver hand around Chris's neck.

Chris couched.

"I don't.... know. I didn't.... do... anything..." She replied.

"Liar." Stormy said angrily and started to choke Chris.

"Stop it." Cedric shouted.

"Stop! Stop! You're going kill her, Stormy." Ethan hold Stormy's hands. "Master will be angry if you kill her before the ritual."

Stormy reluctantly let go of Chris's neck. Chris coughed and looked up. Now the shapes were very clear in front of her.

They were few rune signs Chris recognized: Sun, Moon, Star, Crossroads, Rings, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Life and Death.

Chris saw Sun, Moon and Star sign was in it's place but others were changing their positions.

"What's happening? Isn't it Harry Potter's mother?" A death eaters shouted.

Stormy looked angry.

"This is not right. Ethan!" She called.

Ethan was trying to see what's happening behind the crowd.

"Yes.. yes Stormy?" He looked back at them.

"I'll inform about this to master. Hold her." Stormy said fiercely. "And Don't. Disappoint. Master."

"Alright... alright." Ethan waved his wand and Chris felt her body going stiff. She fell face flat on the grounds.

"Chris!" Cedric called.

"Just shut up pretty boy." Ethan said casually, then turned to Stormy. "Is that ok?"

Stormy nodded and walked towards the crowd. Ethan was looking towards the crowd as well.

'They doesn't know I can release myself without my wand. Just be a little more distracted, Ethan.' Chris thought and saw her locket glowing in her robes. She released herself carefully from the body binding spell but didn't move much. She opened her locket and hold her hands in front it. The two golden keys, fell in her hands, they were glowing very brightly. Chris tried to hide them before Ethan can see them but then the rune shapes swirled around her very fast. She felt she was standing in middle of a tornado. It was a powerful tornado, which was giving her strength and hope to fight and to live. The tornado lifted her from the ground as Chris clutched the keys in her hands tightly.

And then it stopped. She was on the ground again and Ethan's eyes were on her. He was about to raise her wand but Chris was fast.

"Stupefy!" Chris whispered.

Ethan fell on the ground unconscious.

"Diffindo!" Without waiting Chris cut the cords around Cedric.

"What're you planning? How are we going to get out of here? And what was that?" Cedric asked freeing himself.

"No idea." Chris said and saw there was now three keys in her hand.

The new one had a lion carved on it.

Chris seriously didn't have idea what was she going to do or how they'll return to Hogwarts. Her instincts just told her that the keys will help.

"Cedric, we need to grab Harry first." Chris said. "We've run towards the death eaters, do you think you can...."

"Let's do this." Cedric said before Chris can finish. "We're not leaving without Harry."

"Cool." Chris said, thrusting the new lion carved key into his hands. "Hold this, tight. It'll help."

Cedric looked surprised but nodded. The keys were shining more brightly now. Anyone could've noticed it, if there wasn't any golden light around Harry and Voldemort. But all of the people where occupied by their epic duel.

Chris grabbed Cedric hands and ran towards them. The keys were glowing in their fists. It was like Chris and Cedric's entire body were glowing with golden light, now.