Venus

40- Venus Feels Ill

With all of the Champions inside the maze the crowd was silent. All waiting with baited breath.

Fleur was brought out of the maze, in almost hysterics. And then an unconscious Viktor Krum was brought out on a stretcher, which left only Harry and Cedric inside the maze.

It was a long time before there was a crack and Harry appeared. He was clutching the Triwizard  Cup and lying over Cedric Diggory.

Music started up, but was quickly silenced.

Venus stood on tiptoe trying to see what had happened, but she was simply too short to see over the heads of the crowd.

"HE'S BACK!" They all heard Harry yell, "VOLDEMORT IS BACK!"

"LET ME THROUGH!" Venus heard the voice of Amos Diggory boom above the crowd, "THATS MY SON," His voice broke, "THATS MY BOY!"

"Oh Merlin!" Molly's hands were over her face, "no!"

The crowd began to disperse after Cornelius Fudge sent them back to the castle. No one was fully sure of what had happened and confusion was everywhere. They had all heard what Harry had said, but had been given no further explanation.

Venus's head felt like it was going to explode and she felt on the verge of passing out.

They made it back to the entrance hall and amid the confusion Venus heard her mother sending Ginny, Fred and George up to the common room.

Molly tried to send Hermione and Ron, but they were having none of it. She also tried to send Venus, but she was being half carried by Bill, and needed to go to the hospital wing.

The Weasleys and Hermione arrived in the hospital wing to see a flustered Madam Pomfry.

"Madam Pomfry!" Ron yelled immediately. "Where's Harry!"

"Mr Potter is not here!" The woman snapped back.

"Um, Madam Pomfry, do you have a bed that I can put Venus down on?" Bill asked, he was actually carrying her now.

"Ah yes, that bed," she pointed.

"Please don't give me that green sleeping potion!" Venus begged the Matron, "it tastes like piss!"

Bill placed her down on the bed and she was quickly handed a cool flannel to put on her face.

Eventually the door to the hospital wing opened and Harry walked in accompanied by Dumbldore and the large Black Dog that Venus recognised and Sirius.

"Harry!" Molly let out a muffled scream, "Oh, Harry!"

"Molly," Dumbledore warned her, "please listen to me. Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight. What he needs now is rest, peace and quiet. If he would like you all to stay with him you may do so. But I do not want you questioning him until he is ready to answer, and certainly not this evening."

Madam Pomfry was looking at Sirius with a look of distain, "Headmaster, may I ask-"

"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while." Dumbledore said sternly. "I assume you he is extremely well trained." He turned to Harry, "I will be back to see you once I have spoken to Fudge."

Madam Pomfry led Harry to the bed beside Venus and drew screens around him so that he could change. Once he had the screens were drawn back so that Venus's bed was included and her family all entered.

"I'm alright," Harry assured everyone, they were all giving him concerned looks, "Just tired."

No one said anything.

Madam Pomfry returned with a goblet of the horrid green liquid, and handed it to Harry, "You will need to drink all of this Harry."

Harry took a few sips, and before he could finish it all he drifted off to sleep.

Once Harry was soundly sleeping the big black dog turned to Venus. He jumped up on her bed and nuzzled her face.

"I'm alright." She assured him in a hushed tone so that Bill and her mother couldn't hear, "it's Harry that you should be worried about. Is You Know Who really back?"

Sirius nodded his head slowly and settled himself down on her bed. Venus stroked Sirius absentmindedly and tried her best to drift off to sleep.

But just as she was getting drowsy she heard the sounds of sounding from outside the hospital wing.

"They'll wake him if they don't shut up!" Bill said in a hushed voice, so he didn't wake Harry up.

"What are they shouting about?" Molly frowned, "nothing else can have happened can it?"

They all listened intently, "That's Fudge's voice!" Molly murmured, "and that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? What are they arguing about?"

"Regrettable, but all the same Minerva-!" Fudge said loudly as he burst into the hospital wing.

Bill pulled back the screens so they could see better.

"You should never have bought it into the castle!" McGonagall sounded beside herself, "When Dumbledore finds out-!"

"What has happened?" Dumbledore had arrived in the Hospital Wing, "why are you disturbing these people? Minerva I expected better of you- I asked you to stand guard over Bart Crouch!"

"There is no need to stand guard over him now!" McGonagall screeched. She went on to explain how the minister had taken a dementor in to see him, that had promptly kissed Crouch.

Dumbledore went on to try to explain why this was a bad thing, and Fudge began to outright deny Harry's claims that Voldemort was back.

"Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore insisted, "if you accept that fact straight away and take the necessary measures, we may yet save the situation. The first step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the Dementors-!"

"Remove the Dementors!" Shouted Fudge, "I'd be kicked out of office for even suggesting it! Most of us only sleep soundly in our beds because we know that they're standing guard at Azkaban."

"And the rest of us sleep less soundly knowing that Voldemort's supporters are being guarded by creatures who would join him as soon as he asks!" Dumbledore said. "you are blinded by the love for the office you hold! Take the steps I have suggested and you will be remembered as one of the greatest and bravest Ministers for Magic we have ever known. Fail to act and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and let Voldemort have a second chance!"

"Now see here Dumbledore!" Fudge spluttered, "I've given you a lot of free reign. There aren't many who would let you hire Giants and Werewolves-" Venus clenched her fists and Sirius growled "-but if you're going to work against me-!"

"The only one against whom I intend to work is Lord Voldemort!" Dumbledore's voice rose, "if you are against him, we remain on the same side!"

"He can't be back, he simply can't Dumbledore!" Fudge insisted. He left the hospital wing not long after that.

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~Em xx