Author's Note: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I appreciate it more than you know and it really does encourage me to update much more quickly, so please keep it up! I love to hear your thoughts. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this next bit.
Chapter One: Life At Number Twelve Grimmauld Place
Cedric awoke from his afternoon nap, groggy and in an ill-temper from sleeping on the small, hard cot. He kicked away the single blanket that had tangled itself around his legs at some point during his sleep and pushed himself into a sitting position, running a hand back through his mess of thick brown hair. His head ached and his eyelids felt swollen from hard slumber. He had been so exhausted from his morning activities that he had not so much fallen asleep as he had lost consciousness. He stood up and padded barefoot across the room, the bottoms of his tattered black sweat pants dragging the somewhat filthy floorboards. Today was his eighteenth birthday, but he was not expecting any celebration. There was far too much going on for that. Soon, he would back within the walls of Hogwarts for his final year. Yesterday, he had received the letter confirming his appointment to Head Boy. The honor which he had strived his entire school career toward now seemed a trivial thing. He dropped down to the floor and began a set of one hundred rather vigorous push-ups. He would do three sets of one hundred and then the same in sit-ups. Earlier that morning, he had woken with a stretch and then a four mile run. It was a routine which he had started at the beginning of the summer holiday. He knew that hard and stressful times lay ahead of him and he wanted to be prepared in every way that he possibly could. That meant physical training, mental preparation as well as learning of new ways to deal with stress. He also wanted to strengthen his tolerance to pain and had taken to doing things to intentionally hurt himself, such as submerging himself in a bathtub filled with ice water, etc. His mother had called it self-destructive, but he thought of it more in terms like studying for an exam. It was just good sense to him.
He heard a bit of commotion downstairs and stopped halfway through is sit-ups. He climbed to his feet, fetched a gray tee shirt from his trunk and went to see what all the fuss was about. He had been at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place for about seven weeks and as an "of age" wizard, he was well on his way to being a full-fledged member of the Order. Number Twelve bordered on horrifying. It was dingy and creepy and had once belonged to one of the most loathsome of pure-blood families in the wizarding world. Now, it belonged to Sirius Black, who was a pretty decent bloke as fate would have it.
Cedric went traipsing down the stairs, pulling his tee shirt over his head. He came skirting to a stop, however, six steps from the bottom of the staircase, a smile spreading over his lips.
Mrs. Weasley was standing there explaining when dinner would be to Harry Potter. Then, she noticed him standing there and gave him a nod of approval. Looking back at Harry, she said, "I've got to hurry, I'm supposed to be at the meeting—Cedric will show you where you'll be sleeping."
Harry turned to look at him, giving him a small smirk of recognition as Cedric gave a jerk with his head to indicate for Harry to follow him up the stairs. "What's going on, Ced?" Harry asked in a hushed voice.
Cedric hated the thought of keeping the younger boy out of the loop, but he didn't have choice in the matter. "Can't really tell you that much, mate."
"Mrs. Weasley said that Ron and Hermione are here. How long have they been here?"
"Can't say for sure," Cedric replied and it was the truth. Harry's two little friends were indeed at the Order's headquarters, but Cedric had not spent much time with them. He spent most of his time with Remus Lupin learning counter curses and defense charms to prepare for what lie ahead. "Don't really see much of them."
He led Harry to a door and pushed it open. The door had been opened for no more than a second, Cedric would swear to it, and Hermione Granger had flung herself, squealing, into Harry's arms. "HARRY!" she cried, "Ron, he's here, Harry's here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless—but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got to tell us—the dementors!..."
She continued talking and Cedric began to wonder exactly how long she could continue before she passed out from lack of oxygen. He leaned casually against the doorframe, feeling amusement at her outpour.
"Let him breathe, Hermione," Ron Weasley finally piped in, coming to his friend's rescue.
The friends began talking about Harry's owl and Cedric had just turned to leave, when Harry said something that caught his attention and held him in place.
"…but I wanted answers, you know…"
"We wanted to give them to you, mate." Ron said, "but Dumbledore made us—"
"—swear not to tell me," said Harry, "Yeah, Hermione's already said."
The air in the room was suddenly tense and thick. Cedric could actually feel the discomfort radiating from the three friends. Trying to ease Harry's frustration, he spoke up. "It was for the best, Harry." Cedric said, "Dumbledore, he knows what he's doing."
"Right," Harry seethed at him.
"I think he thought that you were safest with the Muggles…" Ron started to say, but Harry instantly interjected.
"Yeah? Have any of you been attacked by dementors recently?"
"Well, no—but that's why he's had people from the Order of the Phoenix tailing you all the time—"
"Didn't work that well though, did it?" Harry said, struggling to sound in control of himself. The argument on Dumbledore continued and Cedric felt his back steadily getting stiffer and stiffer as the conversation progressed. He was ready to step in should things get out of hand or should Harry say something that he would later regret for many different reasons. Cedric and Dumbledore had had a few chats over the summer. He had also been asked to promise not to report anything to Harry about the goings on of the Order, though he had also been entrusted with a little more information that Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Dumbledore had warned him that things at Hogwarts were going to be especially trying this year. Things were not going to be easy for anybody, not for him and especially not for Harry. The Ministry and the Daily Prophet were running a mad campaign to convince the world that Dumbledore was senile, Harry was a liar, and Cedric was so hungry for glory that he would go along with anything in order to get his hands on the Triwizard Cup. Complete gibberish all around, but people gobbled in up as though it were a celebratory feast. Dumbledore had told Cedric from the beginning that when he was appointed to the position of Head Boy, it was going to be up to him to help watch over Harry, he would need to keep the boy's spirits up while keeping his mind alert. It appeared that that task was going to be more of a challenge than Cedric had originally thought. Hell, it would probably be a bigger challenge than any of the Tournament tasks. Cedric was still lost in his own thoughts when Harry erupted.
"SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME, I'VE BEEN STUCK AT THE DURSLEYS' FOR A MONTH! WHO SAVED THE SORCERER'S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM DEMENTORS? WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND MERPEOPLE AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME!" Harry screamed.
At the last bit, Cedric cleared his throat and quietly said, "Harry."
Harry turned angrily on Cedric, but when their eyes met, his rage calmed and his eyes dropped to the floor, everything from his neck to the tips of his ears turned bright red. "I'm sorry, Cedric." He muttered.
It had not been his intention to make Harry feel badly for the things that he had said. Everyone was entitled to their feelings. It was hardly something that any one person could help. However, there was no need for Harry to take out his anger on his friends. That was out of line and Cedric would not stand for it. Few people had friends that showed loyalty and love the way that Ron and Hermione had shown to Harry, and they deserved better than his attacks.
"Nothing to it, mate. You've have a rough month. But for now, I think it best you pack in and try to get some rest. I'll leave you to it. And no more of this bloody shouting. You'll bring the house down around us and wake that old hag." He said with air and authority—and a joking wink at the end.
He noticed for the first time that Hermione's deep brown eyes were focused on him in what seemed to be utter concentration. He could not believe that he had never noticed their depth before. There were oceans behind those eyes; feeling, pain, sorrow, anguish and soulfulness that Cedric had never seen before. There was something else there, though; something that was dormant. A fierceness that promised to erupt whenever threatened. She stared him down now as though he were some sort of puzzle that she was trying to solve. The look made him uncomfortable and self-conscious. He was suddenly for some reason entirely too aware of the fact that he was barefoot. It made him feel somehow more vulnerable to her piercing gaze; as though she were making a record of every detail about him at that moment and cataloguing it away for later. He turned and left the room, the heat of her steady gaze seeming to cling to him the entire way back to his own room.
He pushed through his door, closing it immediately behind him. He quickly pulled on a pair of black trousers, sock and shoes in attempt to get rid of the disconcerting exposed feeling he had just moments before. His mind drifted to the meeting going on downstairs. He was of age, but he did not sit in on meeting, yet, though his longed to. The only reason he didn't protest this fact was because Dumbledore had sat him down three days after he had arrived at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and informed him that he had a specific task in mind for him and it would be better if he didn't know the details of the Order just yet. Cedric had accepted this because it was Dumbledore. He would have argued with anyone else. Shaking the thoughts of that conversation from his mind, he slid behind his desk and opened a book of defensive spells that Lupin had given him. For the next hour, he abandoned himself to his studies. It was Mrs. Weasley's irritated voice that broke him from his concentration.
"NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" she screamed. This was followed almost immediately by a crash. Cedric hurtled himself from his chair, out the door and down the stairs before he had even enough time to blink. He came to a halt in the dining room, where practically every surface was now dripping with butterbeer. Sirius and Harry were both staring at a knife that was stuck in the table with looks on their faces that seemed to shift between absolute shock and amusement. No one seemed to be injured, but Mrs. Weasley had turned bright, bright red.
"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" she screamed, her anger directed at the twins who at least had the mind to look a bit embarrassed, "THERE WAS NO NEED—I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS—JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE—I MEAN LOOK AT CEDRIC!"
Cedric felt his ears turn red at the attention being brought suddenly to him. He had only just come into the room.
"HE'S GOT THE GOOD SENSE TO REALIZE WHEN IT'S NECESSARY AND WHEN IT IS NOT NECESSARY! YOU COULD BOTH TRY TO BE A BIT MORE—" Her words trailed off as she made her way back into the kitchen. She had been a little tense the past few weeks and understandably so with everything going on. Things seemed to be getting more and more grim with each passing day.
Fred made to grab the knife that was stuck in the table, "We were just trying to save a bit of time. Sorry, Sirius, mate—didn't mean to—"
Harry and Sirius both seemed to decide that they were amused and started laughing. George walked over to where Cedric was standing, flashed him a lopsided grin and nudged him with an elbow, "Can't all of us be a golden boy like you, Diggory."
Cedric was relieved that they hadn't been offended. They hadn't always cared much for him but since the events in the last year and being in this place all summer, he had grown quite fond of the unpredictable Weasley twins. "Me? Golden? No, no George. Harry is the golden boy. I'm silver at best." He played along, winking.
"Your mother is right boys." Mr Weasley said as he moved a cauldron of stew from the end of the table to the middle, "Now that you're of age, you need to show a sense of responsibility."
They could still hear Mrs. Weasley muttering about Cedric, Bill and Charlie having more sense than them. Her breath caught in her throat though when she absently let her mind go to Percy. Her eyes darted to Mr. Weasley who had gone completely tense. Their third son was not a pleasant topic these days because the little git had no clue as to where his loyalties needed to lie. Cedric would have boxed his ears given half the chance.
"Let's eat," Bill said mercifully, pulling everyone's attention away from his younger brother.
Lupin added gently, "It looks wonderful, Molly."
Dinner went the way it usually did with conversation lapsing into cleaning, goblins and Tonks' entertainment. Auror or no, she was usually more comfortable with the younger crowd than with the older wizards. It was just the way her vibrant personality worked. Cedric was not really certain as to where he fit in. He was interested in what Bill had to say about the goblins, but he also found himself watching Tonks and her transformations. It was nice to let himself be lost in something that offered a lighter mood than the oncoming war. He unconsciously slid himself closer to where they all sat around her. He found himself staring at Hermione Granger almost as much as he was watching Tonks. He found her reactions fascinating. The way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way her deep, deep eyes sparkled with delight.
Dinner began winding down. Everyone had relaxed and sleepiness was beginning to show signs in all of them. Not in Cedric. He had slept most of the afternoon. He did not feel tired. However, the feeling in the room shifted drastically when Sirius mentioned his surprise that Harry had not asked of Voldemort. After that, any sign of relaxation was gone. Cedric himself felt his spine stiffen. This was not going to end well and it was no surprise that the argument, mainly between Sirius and Mrs. Weasley steadily grew more heated with every word that they spoke.
"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" Mrs. Weasley stated, "He's only fifteen and—"
"—and he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," countered Sirius, "and more than some—"
"No one's denying what he's done! But he's still—"
"He's not a child!"
"He's not an adult either! He's not James, Sirius!"
Cedric closed his eyes at that one. He heard sharp intakes of breath from all around the table. It was a line; a very defined, very personal line that Mrs. Weasley had just stepped on. When Cedric opened his eyes again, they landed on the face of Hermione. She sat there with one hand covering her mouth and her eyes were staring unfocused at the table. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting and he saw the cold look in Sirius's eyes. His eyes wondered to Harry, who looked upset.
"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly." Sirius stated, his voice cold and controlled.
"I'm not sure you are!" Mrs. Weasley countered.
There was no one in the room who was comfortable with the discussion taking place. No one doubted Sirius's compassion for Harry. He would have gladly given everything he had, his very soul included, for the boy. But Mrs. Weasley often wondered if he knew what it really meant to take responsibility for a child, or in this case a teenager. Cedric was not blind to her reasoning.
"Arthur, back me up." She demanded.
"Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly." Mr. Weasley said after a moment of careful consideration, "He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in to a certain extent now that he is staying at headquarters—"
Mrs. Weasley, looking utterly betrayed, raised her voice immediately to argue with him. Always the voice of reason, Lupin stepped in stating that Harry should get the answers from them rather than a filtered, unreliable version from another source.
"Molly," Lupin said, his eyes narrowing when Mrs. Weasley made a snide remark about Sirius being locked away in Azkaban, something that still stung more than anyone cared to dive into, "you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry. Sirius, sit down."
Cedric suddenly felt compelled to speak. He cleared his throat, "If I may?"
Lupin looked at him curiously, "Of course, Cedric."
"It seems to me that there is one opinion here that you are all overlooking. I mean, you're all sitting here discussing what's best for him like he's not even here! Shouldn't someone ask Harry what he thinks?" Cedric said, looking over at his friend who met his eyes with a look of pure gratitude.
Lupin's eyes smiled slightly at his pupil. "Cedric, you make us look bad, you know." Cedric blushed and dropped his eyes to his hands. "Harry should be allowed a say in this. He is old enough to make his own decisions."
Harry did not hesitate. "I want to know what's been going on."
Again, Mrs. Weasley looked betrayed. It was an odd thing when Molly Weasley looked that way. She was such the maternal figure to everyone, the instantaneous impulse that rushed though Cedric was to run to her and wrap his arms around her like he would his own mum. "Very well," she practically squeaked, "Ginny—Ron—Hermione—Cedric—Fred—George—I want you out of this kitchen, now."
That did not go over well.
After even more arguing and shouting, all but Ginny were allowed to remain in the kitchen. Cedric could not help but think that Mrs. Weasley had sent Ginny away half out of spite and need to maintain her control over some aspect of the situation.
All of the information that was exchanged in Harry's questioning was information that Cedric already knew about. He took not so much to listening to what was being said, but more to watching and taking in the others' reactions to what was being said. He seemed to focus in particular on Hermione. She clung to Harry's arm and stared at the side of his face as though trying to project her support directly into his brain. Cedric was reminded of the first Triwizard challenge when she had sneaked into the champions' tent. He admired her devotion and loyalty and at that moment there in the kitchen, seeing her compassion for her friend written plainly on the delicate, pretty features of her face, he felt his first twinge of jealousy for Harry Potter.
Later that night, Cedric sat in his bedroom, staring down at the same book he had been studying earlier, trying to commit the page to memory, when his door began to creak open without a knock. He had propelled himself back against the wall and had his wand out without so much as a second of hesitation.
"Your reflexes are spectacular, Mr. Diggory." Dumbledore said from the doorway.
"Professor," Cedric breathed, dropping his wand to his side and relaxing his coiled muscles.
"I apologize for the late visit, but it is good to see you so alert."
"Alert?" Cedric laughed, "I think 'on edge' may be a more accurate description."
"If you choose," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "There are some things that I feel obligated to warn you about, Mr. Diggory."
Cedric's brow furrowed as he crossed the room to sit on his cot. Dumbledore followed, taking a seat by his side. "What is it, Professor?"
"I fear that this year will not be very pleasant for you, Mr. Diggory."
"From what I have gauged, Professor, this year won't be very pleasant for anybody."
"As astute as always," Dumbledore said with a sad turn of his mouth, "but for you, it may seem particularly bad. I obviously cannot give you details, it is impossible for one to know the future, but I need you to have strength this coming year. You will need strength and the faith that what I will ask you to do is of the most vital importance. Can you put that trust in me, Cedric?"
"Yes, sir," Cedric said without hesitation.
"Cedric," Dumbledore said, his tone softening even more if that was possible, "I need you to understand that what I may ask of you this year may alienate you from those that you have come to hold dear. You may find yourself with your back in a corner and no one by your side. When you feel that way, I need you to remember that I am by your side."
Cedric felt his stomach twist into a knot, but he nodded regardless. "I understand, sir."
Dumbledore nodded, but he seemed sad. Cedric had often wondered about seeing the future. Despite what Dumbledore said, it always seemed that he had some kind of intuition as to how things were going to turn out. Cedric found himself wondering exactly how bad Dumbledore foresaw things becoming at Hogwarts this year.
Author's Note: Well, that's all for chapter one. Please remember to review!! Thanks for reading!
