Chapter 518 – I'm Going to Find Him!!
Darren didn't actually need Voldemort's help at all.
He pulled out his wand.
With a single sweep, the surrounding Death Eaters were all forced back, stumbling away under the pressure.
Voldemort's eyes flashed with smug satisfaction.
At this moment, however, he was still suspended in midair, and no one had noticed him yet.
Darren waved his wand again.
The Triwizard Cup appeared in his hand.
"Harry, get down!"
Darren shouted.
Harry nodded.
He abruptly released his grip on his wand.
His body dropped straight down from midair.
At the same time, Voldemort flicked his wand again, a green flash shooting toward Harry.
Darren transfigured a stone from the tombstone in front of Harry into a mouse, blocking the line of sight, then lunged forward and grabbed Harry. The two of them seized the Triwizard Cup together.
At that instant—
"Expelliarmus!"
"Impedimenta!"
"Disarm him!"
Countless spells surged toward Harry.
The Death Eaters didn't dare attack Darren—but they absolutely dared to attack Harry.
Harry thought he was going to die.
Then—
He saw Darren trigger the Portkey and step in front of him, shielding him completely.
He heard Darren's steady, reassuring voice.
"Don't be afraid… take Mr. Diggory back. Give his body to his wife and child."
Harry subconsciously clutched Amos Diggory's robes.
The world spun violently.
In the next moment, he was back at Hogwarts.
Only him—and Amos Diggory's silent body—stood there.
There was no trace of Darren at all.
Harry stood motionless, as if waiting for someone to appear.
His hands clutched the Cup and the corpse.
"Harry, put it down—put it down!"
Dumbledore's voice rang out.
A hand gripped Harry's shoulder, firm and commanding.
Harry dropped the Cup onto the ground. He looked up at Dumbledore and said in a very small voice,
"Darren didn't come back… he didn't come back. He stayed there…"
"I know," Dumbledore said hoarsely. "Voldemort made everything visible to the crowd. Many people saw it. The Aurors have already gone after him."
Harry didn't move.
He didn't really know why he wasn't moving.
He could put down Mr. Diggory's body now. He could sleep. And maybe when he woke up, Darren would be there.
But he didn't want to move.
He stood stubbornly in place, staring blankly at Dumbledore.
As if he couldn't understand what the Headmaster was saying.
"Let him go… the poor boy… Harry, you should rest."
It was Professor McGonagall's voice.
But Harry still didn't let go.
He remembered Darren's words—he had to give the body back to Diggory.
No—Cedric.
Yes, Cedric.
Harry's eyes lit up faintly.
He said with effort,
"I want to see Cedric. Darren told me to give Mr. Diggory to him."
"Yes, yes," Dumbledore said quickly. "Don't worry. Cedric is coming. He's already here.
"And Mrs. Diggory—"
Dumbledore gently but firmly pried Harry's fingers away. Amos Diggory's body was taken from him.
The moment it left his arms, Harry felt hollow.
"Dumbledore, Harry needs to be taken to the school infirmary—or St. Mungo's!"
Professor McGonagall reached for Harry.
Dumbledore shook his head.
He kept hold of Harry's arm.
"I still need to ask Harry a few questions…"
"No!" Fudge shouted irritably. "He's injured! He should go to the school infirmary!"
"Dumbledore, Cedric and his mother are here. Do you want to say something to them?"
"I've already spoken to them," Dumbledore replied quietly.
Harry's mind felt completely scrambled.
Or perhaps—he simply couldn't understand anything these people were saying.
There was only one clear thought left in his head.
He had delivered Mr. Diggory.
Now—
"I'm going to find Darren."
He said it flatly.
Professor McGonagall covered her mouth and began to cry.
"I really am going to find him, Headmaster Dumbledore. Can you send me back?"
He looked at Dumbledore sincerely, but his eyes were full of restless agitation.
When Dumbledore's gaze met his, Harry felt an almost violent urge to tear that calm face apart.
Why wasn't he in a hurry?
Didn't he always act like Darren was so important?
Was Dumbledore pretending again?
Harry's thoughts spiraled chaotically.
There was only one thing he knew.
No one was going for Darren.
So he would.
Even if it meant death—they would die together.
"Found him—found him!"
A shout rang out, followed by cheers.
Someone came running toward Harry at full speed.
The footsteps were frantic.
"Dumbledore—we found Darren!"
The words hit Harry's ears.
He snapped back to himself instantly.
He stared at the wizard in front of him and asked with forced calm,
"How is he? Is he alive?"
"…Not good. Very bad," the wizard said honestly.
"Honestly, we were shocked he managed to escape that place at all.
"He had injuries all over his body. We sent him straight to St. Mungo's.
"Oh—before he lost consciousness, he said he would definitely wake up. So… you don't need to worry."
Harry's voice trembled.
"That's what he said, right? He didn't think I was a burden… did he?"
His eyes reddened.
Tears pooled but didn't fall.
"I don't think he'd ever think that."
"I'm going to St. Mungo's," Harry said immediately. "I'll wait for him to wake up."
Dumbledore interrupted, his tone firm.
"Yes—but you'll need to wait a little before I send you there.
"For now, go to the school infirmary and let them look at your injuries. I don't think you want Darren to see you like this, do you?"
Harry nodded.
He took a couple of steps—
Then someone suddenly grabbed him.
Moody.
"Harry," Moody whispered. "Come with me."
Something felt off.
But Harry followed him anyway.
Because he trusted Moody.
"Voldemort projected everything in the graveyard," Moody said in a low voice.
"Dumbledore sent people to search immediately, but the place was concealed. The Aurors couldn't find it.
"It wasn't until just now—no one knows what Darren did—that concealment lifted, and the Aurors finally rushed in."
Harry nodded.
With Darren confirmed alive, his thinking finally began to return.
He remembered the house his family once lived in—also hidden.
If not for Wormtail's betrayal, they would never have been found.
And that despicable Wormtail—after Darren saved his life, he treated him like that.
"Fudge refuses to admit it was Voldemort," Moody continued bitterly.
"He claims it was some prank pulled by escaped Death Eaters.
"Because Voldemort was actually forced into such a state by Darren, a lot of people don't believe it.
"They think it wasn't You-Know-Who returning at all—but Death Eaters pretending to be him, trying to provoke the Ministry."
Harry was stunned.
Voldemort had been projected in front of everyone—and they still didn't believe it?
Moody was clearly furious as well.
He shoved Harry into his office and slammed the door.
"Crimes this obvious—and they still refuse to believe it," Moody growled.
"Then I think it's time to make them believe."
Harry looked up sharply.
"What do you mean?"