Face it Together
by Amber Esme Hermione
CHAPTER 1: A Changed Hogwarts
The message came through the wireless radio, "Lightning has struck! I repeat; lightning has struck!"
Cedric looked up from the propaganda written in The Daily Prophet, and tossed the paper aside. He knew the route; floo to The Hog's Head and take Ariana's passage to the Room of Requirement. Cedric was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and if Harry Potter was at Hogwarts, the Order was going to help him.
The Hufflepuff looked around the hiding place. Haunted eyes gazed back, but his housemates stood straighter when they saw him. He was a symbol of strength for his fellow badgers ever since he won that blasted Quiddage match, and later became Hogwarts champion. He returned their grim smiles, but his eyes still searched.
"She's in the Great Hall. Snape summoned all the students there." The word "Sneak" was still Marietta's most prominent feature. "Dora Weasley is going to give you instructions before you join us."
The room wasn't empty when the last Hogwarts' robe whipped out of sight. His thoughts followed Them to Cho even as he turned to face the older defenders. He recognized the Weasleys, and scanned the group for Auror Tonks... now Weasley. Two figures detached themselves from the crowd.
"All zee champions are 'ere tonight." Krum features did not belong with that voice.
Viktor' answered Cedric's bewildered expression with a chuckle, "Pollyjuice, Diggory. She vas too recognizable. Ve used my cousin's hair."
"None zee less I am still Fleur Krum; I look more zee part." She traced Cedric's crooked nose with a finger. "What 'appened 'ere?"
"Escapin' a bunch of Snatchers." Cedric shrugged.
"Listen up! Harry Potter has come here to find something." All eyes turned to the redhead with pink streaks framing her face. "Our job is to help him, and to hold this castle. We need to get the younger students to safety." Her eyes lingered on her family. "We'll go to the Great Hall in a moment. I'll let you know when we're ready."
Across the room he saw couples and groups sharing a moment of quiet. Tonks stared into the oldest Weasley boy's eyes. Their former DADA professor lent against the wall his shoulder touching Sirius Black's. The chasers and beaters of the Gryffindor Quiddage team he'd faced stood together with the former commentator Lee Jorden. Kingsley Shakelbolt kept watch over the scene.
They walked through the doors of the Great Hall. Harry Potter glanced over his shoulder, and stood straighter when he turned back to Snape. Cedric's eyes darted to the blue and bronze clad students. She was there standing beside Marietta and a Hufflepuff named Anton Riker. He had a gift for healing, and was Cedric's best mate. The two exchanged grins before the hall erupted into jets of light as the head of Gryffindor and the Headmaster dueled.
The call came to escort the Slytherines to the dungeons. Several of the serpent badges moved to stand with the other houses. It was not a majority, but the number gave the Transfiguration Professor pause.
One girl with her arm around Eloise spoke, "Professor, some of us want to defend the school. We want to protect our loved-ones."
"What are you saying, Millicent? Why are you standing with that..." With a jab from the first girl's wand the second fell magically silent.
Millicent continued as if there was no interruption, "We don't want to be stuck in the dungeons waiting for the victors to come find us." Eloise nestled her head into the taller girl's shoulder. "We'll do anything to prove ourselves; Veritaserum, the unbreakable vow, anything you ask." Several Slytherine heads nodded; among them were Malfoy's old bodyguards.
A tap on Cedric'x shoulder brought his attention from the scene in the center of the hall. The gangly Hufflepuff embraced him before stepping to the side. Though she had already seen him Marietta followed suit. She and Anton clasped hands and Cedric looked past them. She was there, and then she was in his arms. Her raven hair smelled of soap and sweat. Cho's thin frame pressed against him; he could feel more bones than he remembered, but she was safe, and he was going to keep her that way.
"Horace, you know your house best. The underage students need to go to safety, but if you're sure of their loyalty..." The Gryffindor's mouth thinned as she considered.
Professor Flitwick piped up, "The Sorting Hat! It can see into their minds and tell which students are trustworthy."
The Scotswoman seemed to relax. "Very well, Horace, if you can attend to that..." The Potions Master moved away with his students before she had finished.
"Right, let's go see what McGonagall needs doing." Cedric kept his arm around Cho as they made their way to the severe witch. She was speaking with Potter.
"Time, Professor to find what we need." He turned to go and spotted the couple. He nodded to Cedric, but he asked, "Cho is there anything you can tell me about an object of Ravenclaw's. it is important."
Cho's shoulders tensed as she concentrated. Her boyfriend's hand rubbed circles on her neck and upper back. The only thing I can think of is Ravenclaw's diadem; that's a sort of crown, but it's been lost for centuries." She frowned, "No living person knows where it is."
Harry nodded resignedly, and moved to step past them, "Cedric, it's good to see you again." He dashed off between the house tables, but turned back, "Keep each other safe." Then he left the hall.
Cedric sighed, "I still wish I'd gone with him that night. I might have helped."
"You might have been killed." Cho pulled his face down to hers. "You helped by supporting him while the Ministry burried their heads in the sand. You joined the order, and volunteered to guard him every time Moody asked. We're helping tonight..."
Marietta cleared her throat, "Speaking of tonight." The two grinned embarrassed by their distraction. "Anton needs help distributing potions to the defenders, and setting up Hufflepuff as a battle hospital. Cho you're good with charms. We want to Fidelius it. Then we can assign people who know about it to collect the wounded."
"That's a great idea," Cedric proclaimed.
"Yes well the teachers are concerned with keeping them out; we're more concerned about what will happen once they get in." Her smile outshone her blemished brow.
Eloise and the girl called Millicent walked up to them at that moment, "Susan just told us about the hospital idea. There's something in Slytherine that will be useful. I sent Greg and Vin to get it." She snorted at their uneasy looks, "You don't think they're really that stupid. They had to pass exams too. Come on let's get to the Badger's Den."
The five of them left the Great Hall together. The Entrance Hall was a jumble of voices and motion. Cedric was filled with uncomfortable familiarity. The castle was the same, but the tension before the battle weighed on his very bones. He couldn't give words to the feeling so he checked that his wand was where he'd left it. Millicent bent down and tapped the barrel which opened.
"You know how to get into our common room?" Cedric couldn't keep the injury from his voice..
"I'm sorry Cedric," Eloise pled. "This is the only way I could see Millie. What the Carrows would have done..."
He held up his free hand, "It's alright Eloise. I was just surprised."
"Oy Millie!" Two heavy sets of feet descended into the corridor. The two large boys, no men, supported a chest between them. Millicent steped around Cho and Cedric. The taller one continued, "Don't tell us anything else. We have to go find Draco."
"He's with the Death Eaters," Cedric's accusation slipped out before he could stop it.
"We're Death Eaters strictly speaking, Diggory." Greg crossed his long arms. "He's our friend, and we're going to make sure he doesn't get himself killed."
"Doing something stupid," Crabbe muttered.
"Oh, you two be careful." Eloise clasped her hands together.
"Right, just keep the Lions from attacking us." Greg forced a chuckle.
Vince grabbed his arm, "Greg we have to go." He looked to his other housemate, "Make sure some of that helps the non-venomous Snakes." Then they returned to the entrance hall.
Millicent let out a deep sigh as she watched them go. "Alright, Diggory you going to help me carry this or what?"
"I'll tell Anton you're coming." Marietta climbed into the barrel's mouth.
"Right," he let go of Cho and grabbed a handle of the trunk."What's in here?"
"I have no idea, but I trust our head of house. He said it would be needed."
"You never asked Slughorn what it is?" Cho asked.
They pushed it into the barrel before she answered, "Old Sluggy is to full of his own importance to do something purely for the students. This is from our Head of House."
Anton and Ernie's grunts were heard when Cedric stopped pushing. They were pulling from the other side "So Snape did something for the Slytherins you mean?"
"Cedric!" Eloise braced it instead of him. "Don't be such a Gryffindor." They let go as the trunk slid out of sight. Two couples exchanged looks and climbed through themselves. Susan had her wand pointed at the container.
"Honestly," she looked at the two Hufflepuff men. "You both have wands, and yet you insist on proving your masculinity by dragging the thing."
"And the feminist in you delights in Ernie's wounded pride, yes?"
"Yes Anton, but what about you?" Susan directed the chest beside a long table that had been conjured near the fire.
Anton bowed to her, "You are correct, but my feelings are unharmed." He clapped his hands in a businesslike way. "What has Noble Slytherine House given us?"
Millicent shrugged, "You'll have to open it." She glanced at Ernie, "And before you say something like 'beware snakes baring gifts' Diggory covered that."
"It's not because he's a Slytherine!"
"I wasn't going to say!"
"Then what's your reason?"
BANG!
Cedric, Ernie, and Millicent fell silent.
"We do not have time for this." Marietta glared around at each of them. "Cho you need to start the charm, Anton she'll need you for that, and someone needs to check that trunk."
"I'll do it." Hanna came into the room from the girl's dorms. Cedric went over to help. The lid swung back to reveal several trays. The topmost had rows of vials labeled with various symbols. Beside the stack of trays were boxes filled with bandages, Spello-Tape, a set of shiny instruments including a pair of sharp scissors.
"Wow, this is exactly what we needed. We were about to go to the Hospital Wing, but we have plenty here." She ran a hand over the vials muttering to herself.
"You know what these mean?" Cedric examined a vial of blue liquid.
"These are healer symbols. I've learned a lot from Madame Pompfree this year. The Carrows smashed a lot of her potions stock when they were labeled with words."
A shimmer passed across the room. They turned to watch Cho and Anton. His friend was knelt in front of her, and her wand rested over his heart. The pair spoke in turns, but Cedric could not hear them. This scene went on for a while until Cho lowered her wand and rested her hand on his shoulder for support. Anton rose and smiled.
"Thank you, Cho. Would you like to rest for a bit?"
"No, I'll be fine."
"Here," Hanna took the glass from Cedric's hand. "At least take this Strengthening Solution. Only take half of it now, but take the rest with you."
"I wouldn't want to take it from someone else..."
"Nonsense, we have plenty, and you just preformed a very complex and powerful bit of magic." Anton walked her over to them with hands on her shoulders. The healer in training uncorked the vial and handed it to her. Cho downed half and pulled a lemon-face. Pink returned to her cheeks, and her dark eyes shown.
"Wow," Cho whispered.
Hanna laughed, Ernie and Susan exchanged grins, "That's why I said only half. That's a potent brew."
A voice beyond in the corridor asked, "Where's the Common Room?"
"You don't know where your own House is hidden?" That voice belonged to one of the Weasleys.
"Oh my," Anton slipped out of the room to give them the secret. A moment later Keighly, who was Hanna and Susan's dorm mate, entered with the youngest Weasley boy. Potter's friend promptly put an arm around her. And examined the room. His eyes lingered on Millicent, but she stared right back, and he nodded to her.
"Kay, this is great, we'll need you here." Hanna rushed over to hug her friend. Then she looked around as if something was missing, "Where's Megan?"
Glasses slipped down as she hung her head, "She's going to be out there looking for..."
"Draco," Eloise and Millicent said together.
"Why, people bother with that prat is beyond me," The redhead put his hand under Keighly's chin, "Kay, I know we just found each other but..."
"You have to go, and you want me to stay here," she guessed.
"Yeah," he winced as she collided with him in a fierce hug. He dropped a kiss on top of her head. "So how are people getting to this place if they need it.?"
"I've been thinking," Ernie spoke up, "Anton could tell the house elves." He nodded in the direction of the kitchens next door.
"That's perfect, since You-Know-Who always underestimates them, me, Harry, and the girls owe our lives to Dobby."
"The elf who warned us about The Toad's raid?" asked Susan. Anton reached out and squeezed Marietta's hand.
"Yeah, and no one blames you Marietta; not after we saw what she was capable of."
The curley haired Ravenclaw held her head higher, "Thanks Ron."
He nodded, but looked back down at the girl in his arms. "I love you, but I have to go, Keighly." When the Gryffindor finally left Cho's dark eyes found Cedric's.
"Whatever happens I want to face it together." Her right hand lifted palm up in invitation. He took her hand, turned it over, and kissed cool soft skin.
"I won't leave your side, Beautiful." The endearment brought happy moisture to her eyes. She smiled and turned back to the others; their hands still entwined.
"After an exchange like that someone needs to make sure you two don't die in each other's arms, or one of you survive to pine for the rest of your life." Marietta turned to Anton, gave him a quick kiss then looked to the other Hufflepuff healers, "Keighly, Hanna, please make sure my miracle-worker doesn't kill himself saving everyone else."
"We can try," Hanna studied the German-born wizard, "it will be a challenge. What do you think Kay?"
Keighly turned from the place where Ron had left, "We'll give him Draft of Living Death if we have to."
Anton smiled at their teasing and headed for the exit, "I have house elves to recruit." He ducked into the tunnel. Cho, Cedric, and Marietta followed. The others had to say their goodbyes. Ernie and Susan with Hanna in their arms was their last glimps of the common room.
The front doors stood open to the night. Flashes emanated from wands before the stone steps. Cedric and the two girls watched as a dome of magic lidded the space around the castle. His girlfriend whispered "beautiful", and he nodded. They turned at the sound of someone on the marble staircase.
A boy of Indian descent skidded to a halt, "Cho, I've been looking for you. " Both girls stared at the newcomer. "It's Padma Patille... well I've been going by Prajna for months." Short hair hardly stirred with the head-shake. "That's not important. My sister and Lavender want you to hide the infirmary with..."
"The Fidelius Charm," the two girls chorused.
"Yes?"
"Let's go then," Marietta huffed, and led the way. The group passed another heading down to the Entrance Hall. The former Quiddage captain Oliver Wood nodded to them. Two girls followed; a blond wearing Beauxbatons blue, and an ebony haired one in Durmstrang red. An olive skinned Slytherin brought up the rear.
"I guess Dumbledore's speech at the Tournament effected some people," Cedric muttered.
"Those were the Lestrange sisters, Rose and Cherry, their father is Rabastin Lestrange. He is one of the Order's spy's." Prajna supplied. "He dropped them off with Abaforth tonight. I guess he wanted them safe in case things go pear shaped for him."
"Um, Prajna? Is this a permanent change?" Cho gestured to the short hair. They could only guess at other changes beneath dark robes.
"It will be once I have access to the requisite potion regime." They stopped in front of the Hospital Wing doors. "Don't be surprised that the others refer to me as he." Prajna knocked four times.
The door was flung open by the Gryffindor twin who still had the long braid and gold jewelry they remembered. She whispered "Brother" and embraced the Ravenclaw. Behind them a window revealed more flashes, and thuds reverberated against the magical shield.
The battle was underway.
"Chang and Diggory are here." A group passed Cedric as if their arrival had been a signal. A couple Ravenclaw and Gryffindor girls remained. Two girls by the window turned, and revealed the serpent on their chests. A strawberry blonde approached.
"I'll be the secret keeper."
Cho nodded to the Slytherin, "I'll need your name for the charm."
"Daphne Greengrass."
The process from the common room repeated. Prajna stood with an arm around his sister. The other Gryffindor hovered beside them. When the charm was in place Cho sighed, and fumbled with the vial of blue potion. Hands covered her own, and Daphne opened it. Cho swallowed the contents and thanked her.
"Those who plan to fight should go." Greengrass observed.
"I don't know," a Ravenclaw stared through the glass. "My parents are out there."
Her fellow eagle put an arm around her shoulders, "Izzy, you can stay with us."
"No," She shook her head. "When you live with Gryffindors that thaughtless bravery rubs off. I'm going to help my Da and Pa and adoptive brother. To hell with those murdering bastards who made me." She joined the group at the door.
"Take care of that brother of yours. I don't think the world could survive the loss of Theo Black." A smile formed on the secret keeper's lips.
"Especially his playthings from my house," Izzy grinned back.
"I'm going," Prajna kissed his sister's forehead, "and you are staying here."
Cedric took Cho's hand and led the way out of the ward.
Disclaimer: Plot mine. Setting not mine. Characters borrowed. It all belongs to J.K.
A/N: This stemmed from a lack of Cedric centric stories where he survives AND is shipped with Cho. I've often wondered how he would handle surviving to the Battle of Hogwarts.
Other elements of my head cannon manage to slip into the writing :)
