Cedric's Return
(I do NOT own any copyright)
The sun was settling and the dawn was bleak. The Gryffindor's were in their Common Room, sitting around a crackling fire. Only seven of the students remained, who hadn't surcombed to the dire need of rest. Most of the student's had been doing their OWL testing that week, and were struggling and had nothing on their mind but what would become of them in the future if they were to pass this test.
"You guys, this is absolutely boring." Harry complained slamming his Potions book shut, sending his notes colliding onto the floor. Hedwig squawked and then closed her eyes.
"You're right Harry. We should take a break and do something fun."
"Bloody hell, Hermione", piped Ron, "you take a break from studying?"
"Well it's just that all this work is so, demanding." Hermione nodded her head and looked at the ceiling in agreement that she had used the word "demanding" appropriately.
"Well, we could go do what all the Muggles do." Ginny said, holding Harry's hand under the table.
"And what is that?" Ron asked.
"See a movie." Fred said, throwing a page from Hogwarts the History in the fire.
"And just how're we going to get there?" Hermione asked. Everyone was silent for a long time, and then George chimed in "We can fly into London where all the Muggles go to this place called Tinsel Town, where they have big screens and everything."
"Yes, but you have to pay, and I've no money." Hermione said.
"No problem, we'll take my invisibility cloak" Harry wore a mischievous smile.
The group headed out of the Common Room into a very dim hallway. They knew they shouldn't be prowling around this late at night, but they loved breaking rules to do fun things. They got to the foot of the stairs, and they rotated. Harry took this chance to flee by running down the marble staircase as fast as he could, while gripping Ginny's hand and making sure she was behind him at all times. The corridors were still, and the only sounds were of the sizzling of the lanterns. Harry was shocked that with Umbridge being the head-honcho, that they hadn't seen any of her men stationed about. He then decided it was a good idea to squeeze everyone underneath the Invisibility Cloak.
"George, quit stepping on my feet!" Hermione squealed.
"That was me." Neville said shyly.
"Shut up all of you!" Harry whispered fiercly.
"La-la-la-la" Music erupted from around the corner.
"What the hell was that?" Fred asked."
"Is it a trap of some sort?" Ginny put in.
"It sounds so familiar." Hermione said her eyes dreamy and balanced. She was trying to ignore the fact that Ron had been trying to hold her hand. The rounded the corner to see a head of blonde sparkling hair faced toward the wall, posting a sign.
"Oh look, it's Luna!" Ginny said.
"I could hear you from all the way down here. You might want to be more careful." Luna said as she posted a sign saying "Be Aware Of Nargles".
"Luna, would you like to come with us?" Hermione asked. Harry couldn't figure out why Luna was looking everywhere but at them, and then he realized he was invisible.
"Yes, I'd love to go." She got in under the cloak, not knowing their destination.
The group succeeded in making it down to the front double doors and into the fields. Once they were sure that they were safe of predators, they took the cloak off.
"So how do we plan on getting to London, walking?" Hermione said sarcastically, and crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.
"We fly, duh. Those who can actually ride a broom can take their broom, and the untalented can take Thestrals." Said Harry, who got the idea from Luna who had said it early but no one, heard her. They cautiously walked into the Forbidden Forest, only Harry and the twins being the only ones without a fear in their mind, because they had been in the forest so many times. Hermione wasn't so much scared of being in the forest, but terrified of being caught. She would've given anything to run back into the castle, up the ridiculous amount of stairs, through the portrait door, and flop on her bed in the girls' dorm. But she was a Gryffindor, not a chicken. Luna hummed silently to herself, and bundled up. Luna and Hermione and Neville were the only ones to ride the Thestrals.
The rest of the received their brooms with the summing charm "Accio." Everyone got comfortable for the long ride, and they took off. Everyone's hair whipped in the wind. It was mid-winter and freezing, and none of them wore anymore then their Hogwarts uniform. Hermione and Neville were trying to cope with the sensation of actually riding on an object they couldn't see. Neville was shaking idly with fear, absolutely loathing life right now. The words "Why did I agree to this?" Kept floating through his head. The wind bit him from nose to toes, but it was the last reason on earth for why he was rocking back and forth. He held on tight to, well nothing, that he could see. Luna had her eyes shut tight and her hands were in mid air wrapped around an invisible force. Hermione had her eyes closed too, although of fear of looking door. When her or Neville looked down, they didn't see the eccentric creature of a Thestral, but the ground millions of feet below them. Neville stared at Luna for comfort, at her beautiful swirl of platinum blonde hair floating behind her, her white skin glowing in the florescent lights of the starry night sky. He couldn't see her eyes, for they were shut, but he imagined how the blue miracles would blow up the dark sky with beauty.
Finally they landed, all safe and sound. The three Thestral riders tied them up, and the rest stored their brooms in safe places.
"Now, remember, we're in Muggle territory, don't draw attention to yourself." George warned them.
They walked around the streets until they came upon a dimly lit brick building. In red and white the words "Tinsel Town" splayed across the banner. There was a man in a transparent glass box, selling tickets.
"Don't worry about him." Fred said to Harry noticing him, noticing the guy in the box, we'll just sneak in under your cloak. They went around the corner into hiding, and slipped the cloak over the eight of them carefully slipped under the cloak. They got through the front doors without any Muggle screaming about seeing a ghost.
"What's playing?" Hermione asked, looking at the choices. They walked around from theater to theater. Theater 9 had a sign saying "Now playing: Twilight."
"Oh, what an uncommon name for a movie, we should go see it!" Hermione suggested.
"Maybe it's a horror movie" Fred agreed." They walked into the movie. There were previews playing.
The group snuck in and took seats in the back row, revealing themselves secretly from the cloak. The movie started with some kind of animal attacking things. Harry thought for sure it was going to be a horror movie. When Edward Cullen made his first appearance, Harry swore he knew him.
"Gin", he whispered. "Is it just me, or does that dude look just like Cedric?" Harry whispered.
"That's totally him! Expect that he's using an American accent." She said, her eyes fixed on the screen. The movie played, and the twins soon disappeared saying it was the dumbest movie he'd ever seen in their whole life. Harry noticed Hermione actually asleep, her out of all people; he thought she'd enjoy the flick. Yet, he noticed her and Ron holding hands. Ginny steadily ate popcorn, and was making Harry very irritable.
"You're not actually enjoying this are you?" Harry asked her.
"Shush." She said and waved her hand at him. Harry felt anger boiling inside of him. He wanted to slap Ginny out of whatever state she was in. He turned to Ron, who was half asleep.
"I can't believe that son of a bitch Cedric has pretended to be dead all this time!" He yelled. A few people turned around and looked at him.
He was fuming, and Ron was now awake, and trying to smooth him over.
"We'll take care of him later, mate." Ron said assuring, but Harry smacked his hand away.
"Mr. Potter?" Came a very deep nasally voice. Harry looked in front of him to see a huge hooked nose, and a head of greasy shaggy black hair. Professor Snape's beady black eyes were strictly on him, and his arm was around a woman.
"Snape?" Harry spat very confused that Snape was with a woman. It kind of frightened him.
"Listen, you could get in serious trouble for being here."
"Harry! I told you we'd get caught!" Hermione yelled.
"Yes, Ms. Granger, let's make a scene so everyone in the damn theater looks over here." Snape said calmly, but in a very sarcastic matter. Hermione's face turned into an embarrassed frown. Her cheeks went red and she sat back down in her seat. Ron was biting his cheeks, and trying his best not to start laughing.
"If you don't mention seeing me here, I'll pretend I haven't seen you." Snape said. Harry quickly agreed and nodded, and Snape calmly turned around.
When the movie finally finished, Harry couldn't get it out of his mind that Cedric wasn't at all dead, but in fact very alive and working with Muggles. Harry's face was very hot and he was almost sweating with anger.
"I want to find him." Harry said.
"Oh, Harry just let it go." Hermione said.
"Let it go? Let it go? After I've had nightmares of watching him die, and all this time he's enjoying his life as an actor? Not a chance in hell." Harry yelled as the exited the theater.
"Let's kill him." Everyone heard a soft voice, and turned to see Luna. She was leaning against the theater, calmly resting.
"Yes, I agree with Luna! We should kill Cedric and any other person we see that participated in that train wreck of a movie."
"Harry, you've got to be joking!" Hermione said grabbing Harry by his collar.
"Not at all." He said, and gently pulled Hermione away from him. Hermione's hair whipped in brown waves, and tears began to stream down her face. She walked over to Ron and whispered something to him, and he took her in his arms and stroked her hair.
"Harry, I think maybe you should just write to Cedric and work things out." Ron suggested. Harry rolled his eyes and walked over to where Luna was standing and stood next to her. Everyone was waiting for him to respond to Ron's suggestion. Neville stood silently looking at the sidewalk, not wanting a part in any of this. He just wanted to get back into the castle and be safely tucked in.
"Whoever wants to join Luna and I, come over to this side." When no one came back over Harry punched the wall angrily.
"Not even you Fred, George?" He asked exasperated. The twins just shook their heads no in unison.
"Harry, I mean we're rule breakers, but we don't murder." Fred explained.
"I hate you all."
"But Harry! What about me!" Ginny yelled, looking full of sorrow.
"Anyone who doesn't come along, is no longer my friend, or girlfriend." Harry said. Ginny opened her mouth in awe and turned and ran the street. The twins followed after her. Neville, as well, ran after them wanting to put a thousand miles between him and Harry.
"Hermione, Ron, I take it you're not coming?"
"Harry, I would, but I think I should stay with Hermione." Ron said.
"And I thought you were my best friend." Harry summoned his broom, and Luna untied one of the Thestrals.
"Fine, fine, I'll go, but I am not killing anyone." Ron agreed.
"Ron! No!" Hermione grabbed his shirt, and started pulling him down the alley toward where Ginny had ran.
"Just go with your girlfriend." Harry spat disgusted and hopped on his broom.
"Ready Luna?" She nodded and got on her Thestral. They took off leaving Hermione and Ron on land. Harry let the cool wind, temporarily cool him off. Luna rode absent-mindedly behind him.
A few hours later, they came upon a very busy road in London. Muggles where dressed very fancy like, and they took up every square inch.
"Let's land." Harry suggested. They landed and walked around under his cloak. They didn't fit in with this crowd in their attire. They were zig-zagging in between the people, shoving some of them, and the people were so crowded anyway that they thought it was the people behind them. Everyone lady dressed in sparkling gowns, and fancy shoes, and they all looked like they had quite a bit of money. They all had perfect white teeth, and flawless skin. Harry saw flashing lights and assumed that there was someone taking photos. It reminded him of the shows he watches about Hollywood on television sometimes. When he reached the photography booth, he saw the girl that acted in the movie with Cedric.
"You see her?" Harry asked Luna and drew his wand.
"What kind of spell should we use?" Luna asked.
"We didn't come to use spells, we came to kill." Harry reminded her. His hand shook violently as he tried to say the killing curse. His was so full of rage earlier, that he thought he could kill these people with no problems. Yet, now that he was standing here with his wand drawn, he couldn't seem to cast the spell.
"Luna, I—
"Avada Kedavra" Luna said, and green sparks emitted from her wand and shot the young actress in the chest, where she collapsed onto the ground. Surrounding spectators cried out and circled around her.
"She's not breathing!"
"What the hell were those sparks?" Someone yelled out. Harry took a look at the woman, she was in a silver shining gown, and her mouth was ajar, her hair looked like a mop on the sidewalk. He found it uncanny that Luna had actually killed someone and wondered if she realized what she had done. He directed Luna inside a small building. They sat in a corner under his cloak. He felt tears start to fall from his eyes.
"What are we going to do?" he asked Luna.
"Well I don't really know if we can go back to Hogwarts. I'll probably get locked up in Azkaban." Luna looked at the ground, and wouldn't look at Harry. Harry heard voices of men, a tall figure came into the abandoned building he and Luna were sitting in. The building had small round tables but no one was behind the cashier. The man sat down at the table and in the light, he saw that it was Cedric, who was having a shot of some kind of alcohol.
"Harry, it's your turn." Luna said, and Harry threw the cloak off of himself. The man looked up in amusement.
"Harry?" He said sounding scared out of his mind, and stood up.
"Dead, huh? You look a lot better than the night Voldemort killed you!" Harry drew his wand and pointed it at Cedric.
"Harry, let me explain." Harry stood breathing heavily gripping his wand very firmly. He looked at Cedric's healthy body and almost started crying.
"Try me." Harry said.
"I wasn't dead, I never was. Voldemort made me do this, or he'd kill my father. He told me I had to live as a Muggle and make Muggle money, to help him take over." Cedric explained his hands in the air as if to block any spell that Harry might send to him.
"You know how guilty I felt, how many nightmares I had of watching you die over, and over, and over again?" Harry yelled his wand level with Cedric's face.
"Harry please, I couldn't let anyone know. My father doesn't even know."
"And after that horrible disgusting rotten film, you expect me to let you live?" Harry asked.
"Live? You mean you actually plan on killing me?"
"I do."
"Harry, how fair is that? I broke my want and became a Muggle I have no way of defending myself magically."
"I don't really give a damn."
"Wait, did you kill Kristen?" He asked his brown eyes becoming round as oreos, and he stepped toward Harry.
"No, but Luna did."
"Luna?" Cedric looked puzzled.
"Forget about it." Cedric stepped in and swung his fast at Harry, but Harry stepped away in time, and used the Stupefy spell, and Cedric flew into the wall and was hit with a jet of red light. Cedric hit his head pretty hard, and he tried to get himself up of the floor.
"Kill him Harry!" Luna said. She was out from the cloak, but hadn't moved an inch.
"Avada Keda—
"Expelliarmus!" Another person entered the room and disarmed Harry.
"Malfoy?" Harry backed against the wall.
"Why're you here Potter? You're in some serious trouble." Malfoy said.
"Draco!" Cedric said and ran over to him.
"Malfoy, back off and just let me finish him off." Luna handed Harry his wand back and Harry pointed it at Malfoy and Cedric.
"No."
"Why do you care if the fool dies?"
"Because! I love him." Malfoy said standing closer to Cedric, and Cedric looked straight at Harry. Harry didn't know what to think about it. The only thing he thought was "He could let Malfoy know he was alive, but not him."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was living. Please, just go back to Hogwarts and we'll pretend this never happened."
"I'm afraid we can't do that ." Dumbledore and several other teachers, and Aurors walked in the small building.
"Miss Lovegood, and Harry lower your wands." Dumbledore said. The Aurors all had their wands pointed at Harry and Luna. They did as they were told.
"We're going to walk quietly out of here and head to the Ministry." Dumbledore said, and several Aurors walked behind them and started pushing them from behind. Harry still had his wand, surprisingly, and he turned to see Cedric's face from behind Professor McGonagall whom was shoving him out the door. He pushed her out of his way, raised his wand and yelled "Avada Kedavra!" The green spark emitted from his wand, everyone ducked, but he got Cedric in his face.
"No!" Malfoy yelled trying to save him, but he was too late. Cedric was hit with the killing curse, and fell dead to the floor. The time seemed to stop and Harry watched Cedric's lifeless eyes fall and collide onto the concrete. He had got what he wanted. And he was disarmed and dragged out of the building.