Harry flinched as the bladed statue threatened to slice his throat.

He never asked for this, never wanted it, so why then was it happening?

He shouldn't be so surprised, his life had been this way since he was born, heightened of course by his last 4 years at Hogwarts.

Now here he was, mercilessly held by the dark lords magic a top of Tom Riddle Senior's grave.

Life could be such a cruel joke at times.

He refused to look up at the monster of a man, yet it took all his strength to resist darting his eyes across to Cedric, who's body lay empty and lifeless on the graveyard floor.

It was all his fault, maybe he would have been better off to let the maze consume his rival, his friend.

Maybe then the young man would still be alive and not died a senseless death at the hands of this deeply despised man.

Harry couldn't deny the heart pounding pleadingly in his chest.

There was a very real possibility that he would die tonight.

Then what?

How would the world stand a fighting chance against Voldemort?

"Aww, such a handsome boy." Voldemort smirked as he pushed his foot against the dead boy's face.

"Stop it!" Harry cried out, unable to control his agitation at the Dark Lord's actions.

"Harry, I had almost forgotten you were there." The dark lord smirked, taking great delight in the position of power he now held over someone who nearly wiped him out forever, all those years ago.

How times had changed.

Harry gritted his teeth, irritated at his own stupidity for drawing attention to himself.

Or perhaps it was more an attempt to mask the fear coursing through his pounding veins.

When he woke up this morning, he never imagined in his wildest dreams he would wind up here.

How he wished he could escape this disturbing place.

He was aware the triwizard cup would be grueling, but he never once imagined it would lead him here, to the grave site of Voldemort's father.

"Whats wrong Harry?" Voldemort chuckled, flicking his wand in front of the young wizard.

Harry clenched his teeth, clutching desperately at the strong arms of the statue; half of him wanting them to release him, the other half cowering behind the minimal protection they offered.

He knew it wouldn't be long before the Dark Lord would start to get serious, using him as sordid entertainment to appease his followers.

He was going to be used as an example of what happened to those who opposed the Dark Lord.

It would be violent and gruesome, and Voldemort would have free rein, after all, who was going to stop him?

Harry hardly had time to think as the grip holding him in place suddenly released him; causing his body to tumble towards the dirt beneath him.

He braced himself, he didn't need anyone telling him that he was on his own, it was a fact that had been made painfully obvious to him.

As it stood, he could see no way out.

How was he supposed to take on a gathering of death eaters, never mind the Dark Lord himself?

Perhaps this was truly it, perhaps this is where he was meant to die.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

The dark mark on his arm felt as though it were alive once more.

The sensation disgusted him.

He had taken for granted it's dormant state all these years.

Snape slowly pulled up his sleeve, attempting to avoid attracting the attention of the crowd around him.

He never did enjoy events such as this.

Though, that was beside the point.

It was as he feared as his eyes traced the snake coming alive on his forearm.

This could mean only one thing.

The Dark Lord was back.

But how?

Where?

Snape's heart pounded in his chest; this was by no means a coincidence.

The timing, it was far too suspect.

This was the final event, by now one of the challengers should have reached the cup, but then why were they not transported back to here by now?

Snape rose in his seat, his eyes searching the maze, as though doing so would reveal any clues to answer his question.

There was a reason Potter's name got added to the cup, there was a reason he was forced to endure the tournament.

It had all led up to this moment.

This whole thing was no accident.

He had to find Dumbledore at once.

"Harry, Harry, Harry." Voldemort shook his head, the condescension in his eyes betrayed the absence of empathy within them.

"What are we going to do with you?" He chuckled as he paced in circles around the young wizard.

"I know." The Dark Lord's chuckle turned maniacal as he raised his wand before waving it once before the wizard.

An eruption of laughter filled Harry's ears as a gentle breeze suddenly felt cold against his skin.

Harry gasped, a humiliating realization dawning on him, he was too afraid to cast his eyes down over his body, afraid of what he would find.

He had no choice.

He was naked.

The young wizard winced as he struggled to drown out the ever growing laughter.

No.

Don't react.

He couldn't show that they were getting under his skin, despite his entire being succumbing to an overwhelming sense of vulnerability.

How was he supposed to get himself out of this one?

Harry mentally shook his head, he had to get to his wand, it was laying there, in the dirt.

It offered the only chance he had for survival.

"Oh, but I'm not finished with you yet Harry." Voldemort stepped closer, as though reading the wizard's mind before kicking the wand away with his bare toe.

The Dark Lord's words were met with an eruption of laughter, all of which emanated from behind him.

"Crucio!" Voldemort muttered, his lips quickly engulfed by a sadistic smile.

Harry writhed in agony as he tried his best not to give the Dark Lord the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting him.

He knew it was pointless, this whole game was.

What real chance did he have to defeat Voldemort?

Even when he was at the top of his game and not ambushed like he was right now.

How could Voldemort expect him to be a real challenge now?

He was tired, hungry and not prepared for this series of events at all.

"Haha." The Dark Lord chuckled before whisking his wand back, allowing the young wizard a few moments to rest before he inflicted his next mode of torture.

He wanted this to last.

No, it was more than that, he needed this to last.

He had been waiting for this moment for all those years, since that damn curse rebounded and killed him.

No.

Now it was time to remind the world of who it's rightful leader was.

"Lucius!" Voldemort sneered, commanding the man to his side.

Harry forced himself to look up, he had to be prepared for whatever the Dark Lord was about to serve him.

"What is it my Lord?" The blonde wizard hesitated as he stopped at the Dark Lord's side.

Voldemort smirked, his eyes never leaving Harry's naked form as he pressed his lips to Lucius's lips.

He wasted no time whispered a series of words into the man's ear.

Lucius grew more pale with each passing word.

Harry's heart pounded, this couldn't be good if Voldemort's plans had this effect on even a seasoned death eater like Lucius.

"Allow me." Snape offered as he followed the Headmaster into his office.

He had spent the walk across the castle until now to explain his concerns to the only man he knew could help.

"It's too dangerous Severus. I simply cannot allow it." Dumbledore spat, a little too forcefully as he headed straight for his pensieve.

"Albus, there isn't much time." The potions professor reiterated, straining his mind for an details he may have neglected to mention.

"No Severus, it would undo years of work, can you not see that?" Dumbledore bit back as he turned to face the professor.

"What good is it if Potter dies now?" Snape sneered, his eyes darting between the pensieve and the Headmaster.

"What, are you telling me that you've come to care for the boy?" The Headmaster's eyes narrowed upon the Slytherin.

His eyes betraying the fact he seemed to be universally aware of everything.

It made the Slytherin wonder why the man even bothered to ask.

Or perhaps he just did that to extract more information than what would otherwise be willingly offered.

Snape turned away from the wizard, as though afraid his eyes would betray a truth Albus was not aware of.

"He is all that remains of Lily." Snape muttered, as though not truly wanting the Headmaster to hear his words, yet feeling compelled to at least say something.

Dumbledore sighed before pacing across his office until he reached his desk.

A few moments passed in silence, moments that felt like eternity to the potions professor.

"Fine." The Headmaster sighed before raising his wand.

Within a moment, a blanket appeared at the edge of his desk.

"I'm sure Harry won't mind if you borrow this. Whatever happens, do not ever let the Dark Lord know you are there, do you understand?"

Snape nodded his answer before collecting the cloak within his grasp.

"I trust you know where he is?"

"The dark mark will take me there, I have to pray he does not sense my presence but with this invisibility cloak he won't know it is me who is aiding Potter."

Dumbledore sighed, he could no longer mask the worry plastered across his face as he watched Snape leave his office.

"My Lord." Lucius's words wavered at the the Dark Lord's orders, his voice lacking resolve as he looked to Voldemort for clarification or perhaps a retraction.

"You mean you want me to-"

"Yes Lucius."

The blonde wizard slowly paced towards the chosen one as he lay naked on the ground.

Hesitation echoed within his deliberately slow steps.

Harry knew Lucius was coming for him, but to do what to him?

He couldn't be sure.

His heart pounded as he ordered his body to move, yet it would not yield to his commands.

"Now now Potter," Lucius's cold voice greeted his ear as he instinctively tried to move away.

The blonde withdrew his wand, aiming it at the young wizard before muttering a curse Harry was not familiar with.

The boy gasped, a forced acted out upon his body, restraining him.

The force soon manifested into something tangible as chains secured his wrists together, while a bar forced his legs apart.

Harry bit down, soon realizing the series of events that were in stall for him.