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Note: Hey, all. This chapter's a short one, but I felt that I had to break it off where I did—it would seem too much, otherwise, I think. But if I'm lucky and my muse (and time advantage) stays with me, I might be able to get another chapter up this weekend (don't quote me on that).

Please enjoy!

Rating: K /T

Pairings:Harry/Hermione

Summary: 'You can save one life, but you may lose another. Make one change and completely rewrite Destiny...'—Sixteen year old Harry is given the chance to go back in time to his Fourth Year to fix what came to pass. There he finds that even the smallest change can completely alter Destiny's course. But there is always a price with magic…

"Speech"

/Personal Thoughts/

'Telepathic Speech'

New Dawn

By Sentimental Star

Chapter 4: The First Step

A very much alive and real Cedric Diggory, who presently wore that jaunty little grin of his that Harry had never quite been able to forget.

He clutched at Hermione who had quickly circumvented her way back to him at his strangled call. Concern highlighted her features as she slipped an arm around his shoulders, "Harry?" her own breathing hitched, "Harry, take a few deep breaths, come on." Tears trickled down her cheeks as she gently rubbed his back.

She supposed she really should have expected this. It was not everyday that a person received a second chance at life. Even if they were unaware of it.

They were receiving a few curious looks by this point, not the least of which came from the object of this turmoil himself.

The twins, with Ron on their heels, had joined them the moment Harry's distress had made itself known. And Hermione made a mental note to speak with Harry about his acting skills (or lack thereof) as soon as they were alone.

They had not been prepared for Cedric's reappearance, and the girl knew that if they wanted to pull this off, they would need to perfect their acting skills to a point where they could easily pass for Slytherins, regardless of the fact that they were actually Gryffindors.

Hermione was nothing if not logical, and right now, her logic was telling her that their cover would be blown the moment someone even half-suspected something was amiss.

Ron spoke then, startling both Harry and Hermione, but directing his question at the other fourteen-year-old boy, "Mate, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

He, of course, could not know how close to the truth that was.

Harry, abruptly aware of the scene he must be making, tore his gaze with great difficulty away from the apparition of his all-too-recent past. Scolding himself inwardly as he came to much the same conclusion Hermione had moments before, he wiped hurriedly at his watering eyes, "Yeah. I'm fine, Ron. Really," this last part added to placate the twins as George took the opportunity to steal him from Hermione's grasp, turning him around to critically examine his face.

Fred, leaning over his twin's shoulders, frowned at him, "I think we'll be the judge of that, Harrykins."

Blush flashed across his cheeks at the nickname as he became cognizant—finally—of the company that they were with. "Fred," he groaned out, highly embarrassed as he thought of the Diggorys.

He took advantage of the twins' shock to slip out of George's grasp and regain Hermione's side. /Oops. Forgot that these twins aren't aware I can tell them apart,/ he thought, swiping impatiently at several more tears that fell in spite of his efforts to control them.

"Hallo, are you all right?"

Harry jumped at the voice, having forgotten momentarily that Cedric would be watching all of this.

He quickly glanced up to find the Hufflepuff standing in front of he and Hermione, gray eyes gazing at him in polite confusion and slight concern.

"Yeah," he croaked, rubbing at still more tears, "yeah. Sorry. It's just…just…" He groaned again in frustration, and scrubbed furiously his eyes as his tears persisted to fall. "Sorry," apologizing once more.

When Cedric started looking even more concerned, Hermione took things into her own hands. "Don't worry too much about it," put in swiftly, "it's just he's…it's been a rough year and…and Harry's had it much worse than…He…his godfather…" she wiped at her own tears, wondering vaguely why she also was crying, "Sorry, it was…he…it was recent."

Harry shot her a grateful look, knowing it was true and relieved Hermione had thought to go with as much of the truth as possible.

Understanding touched the older boy's face and sympathy lit his eyes, "Ah, sorry about that."

"Not your fault," Harry assured him, more or less managing to calm down. /Really not your fault./

At least semi-in control of his emotions, he stepped forward and offered his hand to the soon-to-be-Seventh Year, unknowingly beginning to alter things from what they had been, "Cedric Diggory, right? You're a brilliant Seeker."

Cedric grinned, cheeks flushing slightly, and shook the younger boy's hand. "Not nearly as brilliant as you," he chuckled. "But thanks, anyway."

The Gryffindor's smile came a bit easier this time as they completed the hand clasp.

There was an almost palpable hesitation then, as Harry hedged, wanting to say something more and yet not quite sure what (or how). Their eyes remained level, and Cedric, too, appeared to want to say something else, but did not. Or could not. Harry wasn't sure which.

Luckily, before things could become too awkward, they were joined by Mr. Weasley and Amos Diggory. "You all right there, Harry?" the red-headed man asked softly, as they were surrounded by the other children.

Harry turned to him and managed a small smile. "Yes, sir." Turning a bit and smiling slightly when Hermione tenderly took his arm.

He nodded to her and she relaxed. Shaking his head fondly, he rolled his eyes warmly at Ron, who snickered quietly, before turning back towards Cedric.

At that point, Amos Diggory got a good look at his face. His eyes widened and a smile of pure delight swept over his face, "Merlin's Beard, well, if it isn't!" Coming forward, he promptly seized a startled Harry's hand and very heartily shook it. "Harry Potter! Ced's talked about you, of course. Told us all about playing against you two years--"

Harry, who had heard this all before and even now sensed the twins—who had come to stand at his back—begin to tense and start to scowl, was quite startled a moment later when Cedric hastily interrupted his father, "Dad, I told you…Harry fell off his broom. That doesn't count! It was storming, there were about thirty Dementors, and he was a second year, for Merlin's sake! Not to mention he very nearly did beat me! He would have gotten the Snitch if the Dementors hadn't shown up."

That mollified the twins, at least. But Harry wasn't paying attention to them, or to the way Cedric was trying patiently to ward off his father's warm "Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" comment much earlier than he had previously. The startled squeak from Hermione alerted him to the fact that she had noticed it, too.

Cedric had said Second Year. Not Third, as it had been in their time.

Exchanging a significant glance with Hermione, he nodded slightly at Ron. The girl, understanding, nodded back to him.

If any one could find out—discreetly—whether his choice of just hours ago had already significantly altered the timeline, it was Hermione.

At that moment, Mr. Weasley spoke up. "Must be nearly time, don't you think, Amos? Are there any more of us out here?"

"No, the Lovegoods have been there a week already," the older man informed him, and Harry and Hermione perked up at this familiar name. "The Fawcetts couldn't get tickets…"

Ginny's shout interrupted them. "Dad, it's up here!"

Startled, Mr. Weasley (along with everyone else) whipped around.

Ginny had been exploring the area around them as the others conversed, and now she stood at the crest of Stoatshead Hill near…

A manky old boot. The Portkey.

Hermione shot a grin at Harry, hurrying to join the only other girl in their party.

Shaking his head in quiet amusement, Harry followed her (as well as the two adult wizards) up the hill at a rather more sedate pace, trying hard to ignore the knots beginning to form in his stomach.

George and Fred, however (as well as, surprisingly, Cedric), chose that moment to come up on either side of him and sling their arms over his shoulders (the twins, at least).

"So, Prongslet…" Fred began…but immediately had to stop as the younger boy's face tightened in badly concealed agony.

George must have noticed it, too, because promptly thereafter he released Harry to soundly slap his twin over the head, "Idiot! That's what Sirius called him, remember?"

While Fred ruefully rubbed his abused head and sent an apologetic look in Harry's direction, George's arm once more settled protectively around the fourteen-year-old's shoulders. At that point, Cedric suddenly spoke up, "Sirius? Sirius Black?"

He immediately flushed as three gazes settled solidly on his face. "Sorry," muttered.

Harry gave him a faint smile. "S'alright. Yes, Sirius Black. As in the escaped convict. He…was the godfather 'Mione was talking about. And before you ask," the younger boy flashed him another small (rather sad) smile, "he i—was innocent of all charges."

"I know," Cedric agreed kindly, "I read the Daily Prophet article way back in the beginning of last year. Peter Pettigrew was actually your parents' Secret Keeper, right?"

Harry's mouth dropped as he stared at the Hufflepuff. Before he could stammer out anything even vaguely coherent, Amos Diggory suddenly exclaimed, "Ced, grab on!" at the same time Hermione and Mr. Weasley cried, "Harry!"

Startled, the two Seekers exchanged swift glances before both grabbed the boot at the same time, vaguely noting the twins had already done the same.

Then came the dreaded hook behind Harry's navel, the nauseating, spinning sensation, and, inevitably, the memories:

"Kill the spare!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of insidious green light, and then, hitting the ground, eyes wide open and lifeless, Cedric's body…

Harry slammed out of the memory and onto the dew-covered ground of the Quidditch World Cup on his hands and knees, and began violently retching.

Hermione was at his side in an instant, followed almost at the same moment by Ron, the twins, and Ginny.

On her knees beside him, Hermione blinked back tears and soothingly rubbed Harry's shaking back as he emptied the contents of his stomach. "'Mi…one," he moaned so lowly that she was the only one to hear.

Her breath caught, and she continued rubbing his back. "I know, Harry," she choked, so only he could hear, too. "I know."

Tbc.