A cheer went up as Harry and Cedric returned, the pair of them collapsing onto the winner's podium, as tournament staff rushed to their side. Harry looked around as familiar faces appeared, Madam Pomfrey, Professors McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick, Andromeda Tonks, and Professor Dumbledore.
"Give the boys some room please! I need to check over them!" Madam Pomfrey commanded, seemingly tempering the gathering crowd. Pomfrey waved her wand over the pair, examining them as best she could visibly while doing so. "Exhausted, physically and magically. I don't expect they'll be up too long." She said, looking over. "I need to get them to the Hospital Wing as soon as possible."
"V-voldemort." Harry managed to speak up, his voice fading as adrenaline began to leave his system. "He's back." Harry fell unconscious, as he had so many times before.
Harry awoke an hour later, hearing some kind of commotion. He opened his eyes and saw two aurors attempting to physically hold back Andromeda. "Let me see my boy! Let go of me!" She called out, and Harry chuckled a bit.
"It's okay Mum. I'm fine. I think." Harry tried calling out. His voice was hoarse, and it didn't carry as well as he hoped, but she seemed to hear him, and stopped fighting against the aurors so much.
"Ah, good. You're awake then young Harry. Please, drink this." Dumbledore said, from his spot across the room he rose from. Madam Pomfrey stepped beside him as he walked over.
"You aren't to give instructions to my patients Albus, but in this case I'll let it slide since it's just some water." Pomfrey said, watching as Harry took a sip.
"My apologies Pomfrey, I simply heard how hoarse he was and imagined he needed some." Dumbledore apologized, before turning his attention back to Harry. "Harry, do you believe you can speak with us on what occurred tonight?"
"I'll try. Where's Cedric?" Harry asked, looking around.
"Mr. Diggory is still resting, he is in a side room. The pair of you seemed to have severe magical exhaustion, thankfully that, alongside some minor cuts and bruises, seems to be the extent of your injuries, although there was a nasty cut on your arm." Pomfrey said, a sense of relief in her voice. "You can't seem to keep yourself out of trouble can you Mr. Potter?"
"I don't go looking for it ma'am." Harry said, trying to sit himself upright on the bed. "Can you please let Mum in?"
"Please allow Mrs. Tonks in please, she is well within her rights to be present." Dumbledore called to the aurors, who stepped aside as Andromeda rushed in, pulling Harry into a hug.
"Oh I'm so glad you're okay. I nearly had a heart attack when you vanished from the maze and didn't show up afterwards. Ted had to stop me from storming the pitch and making my way to you." Andromeda said, hugging him tightly and kissing the top of his head.
"So, Harry. Can you tell us what happened?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.
Harry explained the events of the night as best he could, making explicit mention of the ritual and its wording, knowing that every bit of information about HOW Voldemort resurrected himself would be beneficial in understanding what ritual was performed, and how to possibly counteract it.
"This is quite troubling. You are certain this is everything that happened in the graveyard?" Dumbledore asked, his face showing how deeply troubled he was by the knowledge.
"As far as I can recall. I can give memories if you need me to." Harry offered. "I'd appreciate some time to rest first though, I don't think I can manage it right now."
"That is quite alright, I dare say you've earned it. I'm not convinced there are many who have faced Voldemort like you have and lived to tell the tale, much less simply be exhausted by the effort. This will most certainly change things." Dumbledore said, before turning to look at Andromeda. "I must ask… do you know where your cousin Sirius is living at this moment?"
"One of the Black properties." Andromeda answered. "Why do you need him?"
"With Voldemort being active again, I can no longer trust Harry to be without significant warded protection. I believe you and your family should move under a Fidelius, I am certain at least one of the Black properties has one, and I believe Sirius would be more than willing to accommodate you." Dumbledore said solemnly. "I believe I will need to truly reform the Order then. Such as I hate to."
"The Order?" Harry asked, looking to Dumbledore.
"During the last war, with aurors stretched so thin, I had formed a group called the Order of the Phoenix, which took part in more active combat against Voldemort's forces. Your parents were members, as were young Neville's." Dumbledore said, sighing. "I fear their involvement may have led to their deaths, but all it takes for evil to prosper is for good men to stand by and do nothing. I believe that we must form again, to combat this threat."
"Do you not believe the aurors will do a good enough job?" Harry asked.
"I believe they will do the best job they are capable of. I hold immense respect for Madame Bones and the DMLE under her watch. However, their duties are numerous, and they are notably more police than military. The auror department has also been the victim of funding cuts in recent years, which diminishes their capacity further." Dumbledore acknowledged. "I will discuss with Madame Bones… given what I imagine is going to happen, she will definitely find herself more involved with this than I had thought those few years ago."
"What do you mean professor?" Harry asked.
"I had my suspicions that Voldemort had not fully died on that Halloween night. Although I had no evidence to the contrary until your encounter with him and Quirrell during your first year. Following that, two things had become obvious. He had found some way to avoid death, and was certainly still out there. Your adventures during your second year later gave me some insight into how he may have avoided his demise, but such are not matters for discussion at this time. I had contingencies planned for if he were to ever fully rise, although the passage of time has forced me to reexamine them." Dumbledore stated. "For example, I had hoped that when the time came, you would simply be able to allow us to handle such matters, but your drive over the years has proven that untenable. You have a great capacity for love and action Harry, I have significant doubt that any amount of pleading on my part would cause you to allow someone else to handle this in your stead."
"You would be right professor. I couldn't let anyone do this for me, although I know I can't do it alone." Harry said, locking eyes with the elder wizard.
"Ever the man of action you are. I also know one other thing for fact, wherever you lead, the Sphinx Club follows. Regardless of what you tell them, they will provide you with a similar answer as you've given me. If you are involved, they are involved." Dumbledore said, smiling. "Andromeda, do not think for a moment I intend to turn Harry into some child soldier. If it were up to me, he would simply be spending his Hogwarts years as an exemplary student, winning Dueling championships year by year, and being a shining example of what Hogwarts Students can be. You surely know that Harry is not one so passive."
"Nymphadora wasn't either… I swear Harry for you two to not be blood siblings you're awfully similar." Andromeda said, sighing. "I can't stop him, now matter how much I want to just hide him away from everything, I know I can't stop him."
"I thank you for not trying Mum… I'm a part of this. I don't know why he's so obsessed with me, but he is. This isn't just going to blow over unless I do something about it." Harry said, determination in his eyes.
"Do not fault a mother's love for her child Harry. Even if you are not Andromeda's child by blood, she sees you as no different. It was the love of your birth mother that saved you that night, and the love of all those around you who saved you tonight. Cherish it Harry, as that love will never steer you wrong." Dumbledore said. "I will allow you all to rest for the night. While I imagine it is the farthest thing from anyone's mind at the moment, Harry is still a winner of the Triwizard Tournament, and as such must be presented his prize in the morning."
While the outward appearance of the ceremony for presenting the prizing for the Triwizard tournament was joyful and triumphant, with Harry and Cedric both trying to play up their pride in their accomplishment for those who attended the event, inside everyone involved were coping with the stresses and horrors of the Third Task.
Viktor was coping with what he had done under the imperious curse. He'd betrayed his own morals, used spells he would never allow himself to use against another person on two of his closest friends in the world, nearly killing them both. Ivan had been trying to comfort his brother, but Viktor was still immensely distraught.
Fleur was immensely concerned for Harry. She had not gotten to see or speak to him since she left the maze, as she had been in the hospital tent with one of the Medi Wizards when he and Cedric had returned. His and Cedric's area of the hospital wing had been closed off to everyone but staff and aurors, as well as one family member each. While she had received word that Harry was physically fine, mild injuries and magical exhaustion, she still held great worry. Seeing him for the first time on the podium though, had revealed something else to her. To the outside world he was projecting strength and triumph, symbolizing victory over adversity, she could see deeper. She saw into the soul of the man she loved and saw that he was hurting. A scar had opened across his heart, and he needed her. He needed her love, and once she could give it to him, Fleur would give him all he needed. She had made a decision over the previous few months, one that would be met with some push-back by her father. She would spend her final year of schooling at Hogwarts. Harry needed her, and importantly, she needed him.
Following the ceremony, the Sphinx Club, in all its expanded glory, managed to make their way to the club room, where they all looked to Harry and Cedric.
"Do you need to talk about what happened?" Susan asked, looking to the pair of them.
"Harry, it's really not going to do us any good to hide it from them. I know Cho can get it out of me eventually." Cedric said, looking to his ravenclaw girlfriend.
"I know… I just don't want to burden them with it." Harry said, looking at everyone around them.
"It is not a burden, or if it is, it is one we already shoulder without knowing it." Viktor said, looking at the pair. "I am already a part of this, whatever happened to you, they controlled me to make it happen. I nearly killed you, nearly killed Fleur. You are my closest friends, greater than any I have had before. I will be standing with you… I believe the saying is: come Hell or high water?"
"Harry, I am with you forever. My magic has already decided that you are the love of my life, you saw it first hand. I'm with you always." Fleur said, smiling at him.
"Do you think that one night is going to do away with everything the Sphinx Club has done to now? We've handled Voldemort, a Basilisk, and this entire year together. We're here for the long haul Harry." Daphne spoke up. "I love you to death. I'm not leaving you. I'll owl father and get a marriage contract drawn up today to show you I'm here regardless. I won't speak for the others, but I'm sure they're all in the same boat."
"One better." Padma said, reaching into her bag and handing a piece of paper over. "Mine's already written and here."
"I'm not marrying you, but I'm here too. We all are." Lavender said, as Neville, Hannah, Tracey, and the others backed her up.
Harry looked to his friends, his lovers, and those he cared about deeply. They were here, ready to help shoulder this burden. Perhaps together, they could carry it.
"It started when we grabbed the Triwizard cup…" Harry began, as he and Cedric wove their end of the tale.