A Time to
Mourn
There is a time
for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Harry was more nervous than he had ever been in his entire
life. Amos Diggory wanted Harry to speak at Cedric's memorial service. All the
bad feelings Amos had ever had for Harry simply melted away at the gesture of
bringing Cedric's body back to his parents. The truth would be told at Cedric's
memorial, and Amos Diggory wanted Harry to be the one to tell it.
Harry
walked into the Hogwarts banquet hall behind the Weasley family. He had been
doing okay up until the point when he glimpsed the urn that held Cedric's ashes
and the display next to it. Propped up on the table was a picture of Cedric on
his Cleansweep 9, his yellow robes billowing out behind him, with his hand
reaching out to grab the snitch. Folded next to the picture were Cedric's
quidditch robes, canary yellow, in Hufflepuff colors. Next, his broom, polished
so shiny Harry could see his own tearful reflection. Next to the broom, a
picture of Cedric and Cho at the Yule ball, leading the dancing. Then, what
choked Harry up the most, was Cedric's wand, twelve and a quarter inch, made of
ash, and containing the tail hair of a unicorn. Harry knew that wand would
never be used again. Deep down, Harry believed it was his fault, yet even
further down, he knew it wasn't.
Amos
Diggory was the first speaker. He pushed a button on a magically enhanced
stereo. The Byrds song, Turn, Turn, Turn, began to softly waft through the
great hall. "A time to laugh, a time to cry. A time to live, a time to die."
Amos Diggory pushed the stop button and began to speak, "This was always one of
Cedric's favorite songs. I always teased him about that, liking old muggle
bands. Cedric was a fine boy, everyone who ever met him told me that. He was a
prefect, quidditch captain, had a good chance of becoming head boy, he excelled
at schoolwork, and he had more friends than he could count. Many of you have
heard that he died as a result of a freak accident or a careless mistake. I
invited you here today to hear the truth. Many fear the truth and don't want to
hear it. That is why I invited only a select fifty out of the hundreds that
wished to come. You will believe the truth, and, I hope, do something about it.
You must here the truth," Amos paused for breath and to choke back the sobs
that were lodged in his throat. "Cedric was killed by he-who-must-not-be-named,
who has risen again." A startled gasp filtered through the audience as
Amos Diggory collapsed into his wife's arms, sobbing.
Harry
rose to his feet and walked to the podium, looking much calmer that he felt. "I
was there when Cedric was killed. Mr. Diggory wants me to tell you what
happened. He hopes that I can convince you that Lord Voldemort has risen again.
Indeed he has. We cannot be too prepared for his second coming. I beg of you to
believe me. Anything I can say or do to convince you will be done." And so,
Harry began weaving his awful tale of woe, beginning when the portkey
transported himself and Cedric to the old graveyard and ending with Dumbledore's
speech to Harry and his classmates. When Harry had finished, every face wore a
look of sorrow and anger, and many faces were covered in tears.
Amos
pushed the play button and the crowd drifted into the swet summer twilight to
the sounds of the Byrds' mournful singing.
A/N: Please Review! The next
section should be up within the next few days. I'm planning twenty-eight rather
short sections. Please keep reading! Thanks!