Disclaimer: I do not claim any credit for J.K. Rowling's or Stephanie Meyer's characters, ideas, or wonderful, brilliant plots.

Notes: Cedric is not the same as he once was… Emily has mysterious powers, one of them being that she is simply enchanting… And Aliana and Jane are quite meddlesome, however, Jane is meddlesome in a more protective way. I guess you could say that she is more respectable than Aliana. Okay fine- It's completely true. :) Enjoy and please review!

Chapter 2: Nightmares

"Cedric Diggory?"

"Unfortunately," continued Dumbledore loudly, "Mr. Diggory has been delayed in joining us tonight. However, when he arrives, I expect you all to welcome him warmly. Now as the Americans say… 'Soup's up!'" Aliana laughed a girlie giggle at Dumbledore's attempt at humor, but his comment had released the tension of the room, everyone digging in to the feast appearing before their eyes, questions on every tongue.

But Harry simply could not believe it. He had brought Cedric's body back… he had watched him fall… he was dead… Had his ghost that night been only the majority of Cedric's soul that had died, but had not fully moved on? Was that even possible? Dumbledore said- But no, Harry could not hope for that…

"Harry," said a gentle, soothing voice. Harry looked into the large, beautiful green eyes of the girl across from him. It was Emily, who was looking at him with concern and confusion. "He is alive, Harry," she insisted quietly.

"You don't know that," he said abruptly, but as politely as he could manage. What could this strange, new girl know? Emily smiled.

"But I do," she whispered so softly, Harry couldn't be sure she had said anything at all.

Conversations were buzzing with questions around the room, and Harry was thoroughly surprised when he noticed that the Gryffindor table was crowded with more people than the usual red and gold. Many students from the other houses were curious and eager to meet the three gorgeous exchange students. Hermione and Ginny were giggling over the attention a group of boys were giving Aliana, who had a sly smile; a group of Ravenclaw's brightest were having an in-depth conversation with the beautiful Jane about world hunger issues; and the quiet Emily spoke politely to her large variety of "visitors", answering their many questions. Harry and Ron started choking on their pumpkin juice when they realized exactly what Emily was saying to a red-faced Ernie McCollum. She was blushing vividly, but her composure was calm.

"- uhm- that is, of course… incredibly sweet of you… but I- I- I'd just rather not- uhm- date anyone." Ernie McCollum began to insist, and Emily interrupted coldly.

"No. Thank. You." Ernie McCollum stomped off, while Harry and Ron held each other up to avoid falling off their seats as they roared with laughter. Emily frowned.

"It's not funny." But she smiled too. Then she gasped and clutched the table, her eyes brightening and dimming as if they were flashing. Jane turned to her instantly.

"Emily? Emma, what's wrong?" Jane asked shaking Emily's shoulders slightly. Emily closed her eyes and then opened them. Harry was shocked.

"He's here." Before Harry, Ron, or Jane could ask who, it grew silent in the Great Hall. All heads were turning slowly towards the entrance doors where a tall, pale figure stood in the school robes with a gold scarf casually thrown around his neck. His bronze shaded hair was slightly damp from the rain, but even so, it looked like it had been styled with gel around his bright, intense blue eyes, which were set in the most gorgeous face anyone had ever seen. He looked to be about nineteen or twenty; his abnormally pale skin that was almost white did not take away from his appearance- if anything it was sexy. Some girls were sighing and swooning in their seats, as the guys began to murmur curiously about the young man. Harry was just as confused as everyone else. Who was he? Another transfer? And how did Emily know he was coming? Harry looked at her and was shocked to notice that she was staring with some nervous intensity at him. Had she even see the boy standing in the doorway, looking sort of apprehensively at the murmuring students? He guessed that she had not. But she seemed to know him…

Come to think of it, he seemed familiar. Harry looked back at the boy. Suddenly, Harry thought he recognized him. But it couldn't be possible- Just then the boy looked right back at him with the same shocked expression, the recognition impossible to be denied now.

Harry, speechless, felt his brain stop working as he stared at a transformed Cedric Diggory. There was no other explanation for his altered appearance than the crucial, painful cure that had saved him. His time at St. Mungo's for the past two years must have been extreme. Nothing felt real anymore and time seemed to stop. Now he felt like he was in one of his dreams- one of his nightmares again. With a sickening jolt in his stomach, Harry realized that must be it: He was dreaming again about Cedric coming back. But why was this one so different…? Harry could never explain why he did it- maybe it was because she seemed to know everything or because he truly felt he could trust this stranger but he slowly turned back to look at Emily. He was surprised by the feeling of pure sadness and understanding radiating from her expression. Her words to him were whispered, but they rang in his head like bells:

"Go to him." And Harry knew at once that this was right. It had to be him. He had announced that Cedric had left the world and he should be the one to confirm that he was back. Harry slowly stood up, causing a rush of gasps and shocked murmurs to scale in volume. Suddenly there whispers hushed into silence for what seemed like the hundredth time in one evening in the Great Hall. Harry took measured steps to the strange apparition in front of the hall doors. The figure looked back at him warily. Harry felt every single pair of eyes on him as he stopped dead center a foot away from Cedric. He felt as pale as Cedric looked.

"You know, I still don't know whether you are who I think you are or if you're even here," Harry managed to say abruptly. The boy Harry thought was Cedric smiled sadly.

"I know how you feel," he said with a resigned expression of understanding. "Right now I'm thinking I'm in one of my nightmare's again, and you're just going to morph into that boy I knew two years ago, and I'll be seeing you holding my body, begging you to take it back to my father..." He stopped short at Harry's open mouth and thoroughly troubled expression. He eyed him critically. "You made that face a lot too." Harry had to smile just a bit.

"I'm sorry- I was just thinking along those same lines," he said quickly. Cedric's expression was shocked.

"You've been dreaming about that night?"

"It's more like a nightmare that doesn't seem to want to end." Cedric gave a wry smile.

"Sorry about that. This has to be extremely difficult for you- they told me you could go into shock or something worse... but I thought I knew you better and I told them, 'He can take it. He'll be fine.' Dumbledore seemed to agree. I didn't really believe this was even going to happen. And you're not really -uh- cracking up right now, so I think you're doing okay."

"Honestly," Harry said, sighing, "I still can't believe you're really here. I'm probably standing here in my boxers or something." Cedric nodded understandingly looking down.

"Yeah, I didn't know you had green shorts with golden snitches and you're name all over them- what, did you get an ego while I was gone?" Cedric asked seriously. Harry practically jumped where he stood and looked down. Confirming that he was fully clothed he glared at Cedric.

"That's not funny."

"But you think some part of this is real."

"Yeah- ME. Not you," Harry clarified.

"You did get an ego, Harry," Cedric said, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I would have that checked." Harry didn't smile.

"Man, you've been dead the past two years," Harry said darkly. "I am in no way okay with this." Cedric sighed.

"I know. At least I knew you had made it out. But Harry, I owe you so much for that night and I'm sorry for being a source of strife in your life, but I hope you can work through this. It's not like we were best of friends before, but Harry you saved me twice that night. And I'll help you with whatever you need in order to kill Voldemort," he said quietly. "I want us to stay friends." Harry grimaced. Cedric appraised his expression. "I understand that you think this is all some sick joke, but time should help."

"Right well. Uhm…" Harry said trying to wrap his head around his impossible feat. He finally held out his hand with a small smile. "Welcome back, Cedric." Cedric looking slightly relieved shook his hand. Applause sounded around their ears and many students rushed up to greet Cedric, some Hufflepuff friends trying to guide him through kids to a seat at the table. Harry mad his way back to his seat, noticing Emily's radiant smile following him.

It wasn't like Cedric was the new boy who lived. It was different. HE was different. Although he had managed to survive a curse, people in their subconscious understood that their charming friend was changed visibly and on the inside too. Their nature gave them a hint that he was dangerous… this new person. Of course no one realized this. Once he had been warmly welcomed, his old, closest friends stayed close, but others tended to avoid him and go back to life as if he wasn't there. Harry noticed that Cedric did not mind this at all. He seemed pleased in an embarrassed and quiet way. * * *

"So," Aliana whispered to Emily, implications thick in her voice, eyebrows raised.

"What?" Emily replied laughing. Jane rolled her eyes.

"Obviously she's crushing on the extremely gorgeous guy who just walked through the door," Jane giggled. "But I'll let it go this time- he is adorable." Emily just shook her head.

"Human being," she reminded them quietly.

"I know that," Jane said with a gentle squeeze on Emily's hand. "Did you notice that he's different though? There's something not quite right… I'm not sure I like it-"

"Sheesh! You're so overprotective," Aliana complained. "Besides, Emily is the one who's been eyeing him all night." Emily seemed to jerk back in her seat.

"What?" she asked quickly. Aliana snorted, but it wasn't unbecoming.

"Duh- I thought your eyes were gonna be glued to him." Emily sipped her pumpkin juice quickly.

"I really don't think I have- You're over exaggerating." As Emily smoothed out the napkin on her lap, she did in fact glance over at Cedric as he talked with some students.

"Actually," Jane said quietly, with an apologetic smile, "I saw you too. That's why I'm worried." Emily rolled her eyes.

"You're both insane," she said, but now looked at him more carefully. "It's not my fault- something's tugging at the corners of my mind and I just can't seem to get rid of it."

"What do you mean?" Jane asked concernedly. "Maybe it's deja vu." Emily shook her head.

"I would have figured it out by now," she said with a small frown.

"Can't you just "see" him?" Aliana suggested.

"You know it doesn't work like that," Emily said quietly, looking around the table. No one was listening. She lowered her voice. "I'm going to head upstairs, I'll meet you guys in the Gryffindor common room."

"Are you sure?" asked Jane hesitantly.

"Yes," Emily said getting up. "I just need to get rid of this feeling- I'm sure it's nothing." Her eyes brightened and then faded again. She threw a look at Aliana. "Be good."

"Aw man," Aliana huffed crossing her arms in front of her chest. She sadly told the boy who had just asked her out that "No, I can't because my mother followed me here…" Jane laughed as Emily slowly walked away.

As she walked down the aisle between tables, she noticed the little boy named Colin Creevey get up from his seat and run over to where Cedric was sitting with his camera. All of a sudden, she saw the boy sitting next to Cedric get up with his plates to go sit next to another friend, and realized that this could be dangerous.

"Be careful," she called to the running boy, but he didn't hear. Suddenly, Emily's eyes were flashing again and she gasped in fear, somehow knowing Colin and the other Hufflepuff boy would get hurt. She sprang in between the two just before Colin got there, pushing him out of harm's way. The Hufflepuff boy had lost his balance from her interference, and his plate slipped from his fingers crashing to the floor in huge, sharp and dangerous looking pieces of glass. Instinctively, he threw at his arms to avoid being killed by the glass, accidentally knocking Emily over. Her eyes widened in fright as she watched the glass-covered floor get closer and closer as she fell.

Then something hard tackled her from the side, throwing her out of harm's way, sending her rolling with something very warm across the aisle. She stopped abruptly, crashing her head into one of the table legs, vaguely aware that someone was holding her. Her vision faded from her eyes as she heard cries of surprise echo all around her… She tried to touch her head, but she sighed, falling into unconsciousness.

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