HARRY POTTER Book 4: Chapter 32
Chapter 32
FLESH, BLOOD, AND BONE
Harry’s feet hit the ground hard. His injured leg hurts too much and he falls forward. The Triwizard Cup falls from his hand. He lifts his head. “Where are we?” he says. Cedric shakes his head. He pulls Harry up. They look around.
They are not at Hogwarts anymore. The mountains are gone. They stand in a dark graveyard. There are many old gravestones all around them. Some are broken. Some are leaning. A dark church stands in the distance. A large tree is nearby. Its long branches reach into the sky. On a hill, there is an old house.
Cedric looks at the cup. Then he looks at Harry. “Did anyone tell you the cup was a Portkey?” he asks. “No,” Harry says. He looks around. Everything is very quiet. It feels wrong. “Is this part of the task?” “I don’t know,” Cedric says. He sounds nervous. “Wands out?” “Yeah,” Harry says.
They take out their wands. Harry looks around again. He feels something strange. It feels like someone is watching them. “Someone is coming,” he says. They both look into the dark. A figure walks toward them between the graves. It is a short person. It wears a black cloak with a hood. Harry cannot see its face.
The person is carrying something. It looks like… a baby. Harry lowers his wand a little. He looks at Cedric. Cedric looks back. They do not understand. The figure stops near a tall grave stone, close to them. For one moment, nobody moves. Then Harry’s scar explodes with pain.
He screams. He drops his wand. He falls to the ground. He cannot see. His head feels like it will break. A cold voice speaks. “Kill the spare.” Another voice shouts, “Avada Kedavra!” A green light flashes. Something falls next to Harry.
The pain slowly becomes less. Harry opens his eyes. Cedric lies on the ground. He is not moving. He is dead. Harry stares at him. Cedric’s eyes are open, but empty. His face is still. Harry feels nothing. Only shock. Then rough arms pull him up. The small man has put down the bundle. He drags Harry to a large stone. Harry sees a name on it.
TOM RIDDLE
The man ties Harry tightly to the stone. Ropes wrap around his body. Harry cannot move. The man is breathing fast. His hand shakes. Harry looks at him. Then he sees the man’s hand. The man has a missing finger. Harry knows him. “You,” Harry says. It is Wormtail.
Wormtail does not answer. He pushes a cloth into Harry’s mouth so he cannot speak. Then he leaves. Harry tries to free himself, but he cannot move. The more he pulls against the ropes, the tighter they become. He cannot turn his head. He sees Cedric’s body on the ground. He sees the cup shining far away. He sees his wand near Cedric.
And he sees the bundle on the ground. It moves. Harry feels fear. He does not want to see what is inside. Then Harry hears a strange sound near his feet. A large snake moves through the grass. It circles Harry and the grave stone.
Wormtail finally comes back. He pushes a big stone pot, a wizard’s cauldron. It is full of water. He places it near the grave. He makes a fire under it. The fire burns hot. The water begins to heat. It starts to bubble and smoke. Sparks rise into the air.
