After a week in the infirmary Madam Pomfrey had finally decided that Harry was well enough to leave, provided "You do not engage in strenuous activity Potter!" Harry smiled to himself ruefully as he took the chance to stretch his muscles, they groaned after being used for the first time in a week. He kept to himself as he walked down to the Great Hall from the infirmary. He ignored the stares and whispers as he walked. Not even the suns warm rays did anything to cheer him up. For the first time in his life, he had witnessed death, stared it in the face, even when he didn't deserve to, If anything Cedric deserved to be here, it had killed part of him when he saw that Cho had been crying.
"She deserves better." Sighed Harry to himself.
"Stop beating yourself over it. You were lucky to escape." Said a foreign, slightly annoyed voice.
"Who's there?"said Harry a little too loudly. A couple of his fellow students looked at him strangely and tried to get away as fast as possible.
"Great… now everyone thinks I'm mental."
"Your own fault for being an idiot." Replied the voice smugly
"You- You're in my head!"
"About time you noticed."
"Who are you?"
"All in due time…boy, all in due time." and with that the voice vanished just as quickly as it had reappeared.
As Harry turned around a corner to enter the Great Hall he slammed into Cho Chang, as they both toppled backwards Harry was aghast.
"Cho! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there." Said Harry as he held out a hand for her. She took it.
"It's my fault Harry, I wasn't looking at where I was walking. You look…better. Are you leaving the infirmary?" asked Cho as she brushed some dust off of her robes.
"Yeah, listen I forgot about it when you came to visit me last time but here… Cedric would have wanted you to have this. I found it in the pocket of his robes." Replied Harry as he handed her a small box and a scroll of parchment addressed to Cho. "Don't worry I didn't read it."
"Thank you, Harry." Whispered Cho as she gave him a smile, it was the first time he had seen her smile like that in awhile. Her smile melted him every time he saw it and today was no different. As Harry walked away Cho called back to him "Harry wait! I almost forgot! I was suppose to find you and take you to Professor Dumbledore's Office."
"Professor Dumbledore wants to see me?" asked a confused Harry.
"I don't know why, Professor McGonagall just told me to find you and bring you to Professor Dumbledore's office." Answered an equally confused Cho.
As the pair walked back up to the seventh floor Harry couldn't help but notice how much better Cho looked. While not completely back to normal Cho seemed much happier since he had last saw her, the energetic spring was making a reappearance.
"You-uh- you look nice today." Said Harry.
"Oh, um… thanks." Said Cho as she smiled.
As they reached the stone gargoyle that guarded Professor Dumbledore's Office they saw Professor McGonagall waiting for them. "Potter! Chang! It's about time! Come along." Said McGonagall sharply. She said 'cockroach clusters' to the stone gargoyle as it leapt aside.
As they reached the top of the stairs and entered they saw Dumbledore standing in front of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, some of the older Ravenclaw players, a beater from the Hufflepuff team, and Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore turned around as Harry, Cho, and McGonagall entered.
"Ah good... , Miss Chang so nice that you could join us. I assume you do not know why I have called you together." Said Dumbledore in his gentle voice.
"Well, since I only see Quidditch players, I assume it has something to do with Quidditch?" asked Cho.
"Very astute Miss Change, you do your house proud." Said Dumbledore with a small smile. "Now on to important matters. Given the impressive popularity of Quidditch, the Ministry of Magic along with the other magical governments are co hosting a Junior Quidditch World Cup. Teams from almost every nation will be competing in it. I have asked for you to come here because you have all been selected for tryouts. "
As Dumbledore finished there was a great deal of talking among the players, all eager for a chance to prove themselves to the world and; hopefully, play Quidditch professionally. As Dumbledore raised his hands however everyone quieted down.
"Now tryouts are at the beginning of summer, Harry I have already alerted your aunt and uncle, they are more than happy to have you not return for this year. Until tryouts begin however each of you will be attending private training with a professional member of your position. Beaters, you will be training with the retired Kevin and Karl Broadmoor of the Falmouth Falcons." As Dumbledore said this two middle aged men jumped from the second floor of Dumbledore's office and landed in front of the students, and grinned.
"Chasers, you will be learning from Joscelind Wadcock, of Puddlemere United. Mr. Wood you will be learning from Meghan McCormack from Pride of Portree." Two more professional quidditch players appeared from nowhere.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Chang, and Mr. Malfoy you will be learning from someone you have come to know this year. I believe he has a great deal of respect for you in particular Harry. The three of you will be learning from Viktor Krum." Said Dumbledore, as his eyes twinkled.
Krum stepped out of the staircase and faced the three prospective seekers. He nodded to Draco, bowed to Cho, and clasped hands and grinned to Harry.
"Vell, This vell be very interesting." Said Krum with a huge smile on his face.
"Now, I want all of you to collect your Quidditch equipment and be at the pitch in half an hour, you will be excused from all classes for the rest of the day so I expect you to be working you hardest." Said Dumbledore, he had hardly finished before Krum was almost trampled by a mad horde of yelling and pushing students.
Down at the field Harry stretched his arms as his red and gold quidditch robes whipped around in the wind. He sighed, this whole year had felt incomplete. He was back where he belonged. He turned around and his heart skipped a beat, Cho Chang was walking towards them, Blue robes billowing out along with her jet-black hair.
"God, she looks amazing."
Harry could have sworn he heard a slight laugh in his head.
As Cho neared him she gave him a smile and wave. He returned it enthusiastically.
"Somvone seems excited." Said Krum with a raised eyebrow. Harry flushed with color.
"Alvight seeing as everyvone is here ve shall begin. First vet's see how vast you can catch the snitch."
It was dinnertime, Harry groaned as his muscles ached. Krum's routine had not been kind. He looked over the Ravenclaw table to see Cho equally tired, his gaze shifted to see that Draco had fallen asleep face first on his plate of mashed potatoes, he grinned to himself. His eyes unconsciously flirted back to Cho, she smiling at him, he blushed, and she giggled. Turning away he stared into Ron's face.
"Congratulations mate!" yelled Ron as he thumped him on the back. "Junior World Cup! Moony and Padfoot'll flip when they find out!"
"Tsk. Tsk. Ron. We're hurt." Said George feigning pain.
"Nothing for you amazing brothers?" said Fred with a mock sob.
"Oh shut it you two, Charlie'll rip out his hair when he realizes that he missed this by being born before you guys."
"Harry." Said Fred as he looked up and pointed.
Cho Chang was walking towards them, still dressed in her seeker robes.
"Hey Harry, can I talk to you for a sec?" asked Cho, concern written all over his face.
"Sure, guys I'll see you back at the common room." Said Harry as he got up.
The two walked out onto the grounds and sat down at the front steps leading up to the castle, apart from the two of them it might as well have been abandoned. The sun had already set and the night sky twinkled with stars. A light wind ruffled Harry's Hair as he turned to look at Cho who was sitting next to him.
"Harry, when you said I could take to you? About anything?" whispered Cho as she stared off into the distance.
"Yeah?" "Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes."
"I would really appreciate one right now."
"so, what did you want to talk about?"
"Cedric was talking about you before…. The Third Task. He asked me to give this to you. If-If he didn't come back." Whispered Cho as she handed Harry a folded note.
Harry unfolded the note and squinted at it under the starlight.
Harry
If you are reading this than I'm already gone. Don't worry, I knew before hand I was going to die it wasn't your fault. I overheard Trelawney in her room and well, she was different. It wasn't your fault. Trelawny also said something about The Phoenix's Raven, I have no idea what it is but I'm sure it's important. Harry, this is my last request, take care of Cho for me. I know you like her, it's painfully obvious so treat her right. She deserves more than me.
Friend and ally
Cedric Diggory
"Well what does it say?" asked Cho impatiently. Harry realized she must not have read it.
"Um… well alright, just promise me you won't laugh?" begged Harry with a pleading look on his face. Cho raised an eyebrow as she took the not from him.
Harry looked nervously from Cho to the letter as she scanned it, silently pleading for understanding. When she put the note down his heart skipped a beat. She looked up at him, Harry could feel thankfulness emanating from her. He relaxed as he saw she wasn't laughing, until he saw the mischievous glint in her eye.
"So, the Great Harry Potter fancies me huh?" said Cho with a grin. Harry turned a deep shade of crimson.
"Um…" was all Harry could choke out before his face got even redder.
"What's this? The seeker that out flew a Hungarian Horntail can't speak?" said Cho as she poked him in the ribs with an even bigger grin. She was thoroughly enjoying this moment. Harry tried to avert her gaze but when he looked away she turned to hug him and whispered in his ear, "Thank you."
The two seekers sat together merely enjoying the company of the other as the stars twinkled overhead. A light wind picked up as Cho slid her hand over Harry's. Emerald orbs twinkled in the night.
