The Common Room was quiet and still that night.
One of our number, the leader of us all, was dead. The previous day, Cedric Fidelis Callidus Diggory had risen to meet death with bravery. He had not flinched, he had been as brave as a lion, but of course, to the well organized mind, death was but the next adventure.
And if anyone had a well organized mind it was Cedric Diggory.
My eyes were dull as I stared into the crackling fire. My name is Elizabeth Lockwood, and I'm just a first year, I'm twelve, but I've already seen the dead.
Susan and Hannah, the fourth year girls, are both looking very teery as they sit next to me, along with their friends Ernie and Justin.
No one's speaking, not one of us, but I think we all know Cedric is with us, some how. Often the spirits of the Hufflepuff's who have died while still in school, and possibly even after, wander the winding tunnels of our badger sett.
I get the sense that Cedric is in here, with us, though.
I look up as the stareway into the Common Room unfolds.
It's Professor Sprout, and I instantly go to her, tears in my eyes. "P-Pro-rofess-essor?"
"It's alright, Ellie. Shh, there, there sweet girl. Come on, Hon, sit back down."
Guiding me gently to the nearest empty chair, Professor Sprout began to adress the House. "We have suffered our first loss in so many years. Cedric was a great wizard and an even better person. When one of our number was scared or homesick, he was the one they would go to that first day. When he became prefect, Cedric spent his free periods directing the first years, some times even second or third years, too, to their classes. When Sirius Black was roaming the castle, Cedric made sure that every badger was safe, that no one was left behind. I garuntee the other sets of prefects, the other House's, didn't do that. His only philosophy for doing so was 'What sort of Hufflepuff would I be if I weren't loyal to my House?'.
"What was Cedric doing when Justin was paralyzed by the basilisk? He was making sure that Hannah, Susan and Ernie were alright. When El here was homesick for her parents, Cedric was the one who cheered her up with games, and a tour of the Sett. What about the person who the younger years asked for help and the older years respected for their knowledge of charms? That was Cedric.
"Cedric Diggory was an extraordinarily gifted person in so many ways. He was gifted with his compassion and loyalty, a aptitude for both transfiguration and charms. Cedric was gifted with his kind parents and loving friends. With his magic, too.
"So why are we all sitting here in silence when we could be sharing memories of Cedric, laughing and smiling with his friends and family? Why aren't we following his example and being kind to one another? Cho is bawling her eyes out at his loss, just wanting to be with him, when she could, if she just thought about him. When someone dies, they don't leave us forever, they are always with us in our hearts, so long as we remember them.
"So think about the way he laughed when someone cracked a joke, or grinned when he created a card house. The way his eyes sparkled as he chased the snitch for our House, or comforted those longing for their parents. Why must it be in human nature to mourn when we could be celebrating.
"We could celebrate Cedric for being a great person, or we could mourn him for not being with us. Cedric wouldn't want us upset, he'd want us to live. Come on, badgers, come on! Where are those jugs of butterbeer and pumpkin juice! What of the stacks of exploding snap cards or the laughter and smiles that filled this room just two days ago! Up! Everyone, talk to your friends and remember a boy who wouldn't want you to be upset!"
Professor Sprout finished her speech and instantly there was an uproar. "Cedric, Cedric, Cedric!" They chanted again and again, my voice joining in with their's.
A seventh year summoned several jugs of both drinks and piles of games.
Soon everyone was sharing memories of what a good person Cedric was, and when I looked away from recounting how Cedric had cheered me up the first day with the badger cub who was our mascot, I saw a spirit hovering just above the ground, smiling proudly, and I knew it was Cedric.
Apparently I wasn't the only one to notice him, because Susan looked at him and dropped her exploding snap cards, causing an explosion. Cedric laughed lightly and gave her a small smile. "Hold onto those cards, Susie. Can't have you loosing your eyebrows, now can we?"
Susan looked ready to burst and stormed up to him. "Y-your dead, for Merlin's sake, Ced! Your dead and all you can tell us is that we need to hold onto our cards! Wh-why did you have to die, Cedric! Why! I hate Harry Potter! He killed you!"
Instantly Cedric's cheery expression saddened. "Susan," he said in a gentle and slightly reprimanding tone. "Yes, I'm dead. Of course I can tell you more, kid. What do you want to hear? And first, Harry didn't kill me. I agreed to take the cup with him. I grabbed the cup with him. If it was anyones fault, it was Voldemort's. He gave the command, and his servant carried out his orders. It wasn't Harry's fault. Now ask away, Sus."
"Why did you have to die, Ceddy, why?"
His expression turned thoughtful. "First, don't call me Ceddy. I will consent to Ced or Dric, but Ceddy is pushing it. Susan, when your parents were killed, why did they die? Or the Potter's, the Prewett twins? We all died for the same reason. Listen, Susan, when Voldemort- it's just a name for Merlin's sake!- decides he wants you dead, there is very little you can do about it."
"What really happened?" Called a seventh year, and Cedric looked edgy.
"I can't answer that with all the cubs here. Parts are rather grotesque."
"How did you end up... Wherever you were?" Leanne said.
Cedric considered, then nodded. "The powers of big, bad spiders are amazing." Seeing the that-is-not-funny faces, Cedric laughed. "No, seriously. It's all because of the big, bad spider. I reached the clearing first, but Harry was hot on my heels, but far enough behind that he noticed the massive spider about to drop on my head. Harry yells at me to look to my left, and I see the acromantula, and we have to team up to fight it. At some point, it had Harry hanging upside down from it's pincers by the ankle, which sprained it badly. After we defeated the spider, I told Harry to take the cup because he had saved my life by telling me. He insisted that I made it to the cup first, and hence should take it. After a good, long debate, we agreed that we were even so took the cup together. I helped him limp to the cup, we both grabbed it and we in a graveyard, and from there on I can't say anything, as we still have first, second and third years in the room."
Then I voiced my own question. "Where were you?"
"It was this... Graveyard. A muggle graveyard with crumbling plythes and old inscriptions. I didn't recognize it, but Harry definitely did. Said we needed to leave immediately, but before that could happen I was dead and Harry tied up."
It was strange to hear someone talking so casually of their own death. The look of fear in his eyes was gone, his face relaxed and smiling, so unlike the face that had been seen the previous day.
"How can you be so casual about it, Cedric!" Screamed Neil Spearing, a friend of Cedric's snapped at him, tears coming to his eyes.
Cedric's eyes were light with amusement, gentle laughing amusement, not cruel, but kind.
"Death is death. If it's my time, then it's my time, nothing can change that, not even a god could change it. If I'm dead I have to believe that it was my time, if not, I'll go insane."
The plain, simple as the words were, the meaning was deeper, and another of Cedric's friends, Callie Abramson, dissolved into tears and left the room at a run, sobbing. Concern lit in Cedric's eyes, and he followed her through the Sett. "Remember me!" He called over his shoulder
"Well there you have it. Cedric wants you to live."