Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire- Behind the Scenes
Chapter Eleven:
Cedric! Harry outstretched his hand, reaching out as his eyes grew hazy, thick with tears.
"Avada Kedavra!"
It had been the last thing Cedric had heard. The last thing he had seen would not be Harry, but instead a sickly green light.
Eternity was held in a second, suspended and strung out. Harry stared into Cedric's hollow eyes. He might've been screaming, might've been crying; he could no longer tell. He couldn't even move, couldn't run and dive down into Cedric's arms. He wasn't allowed the chance to hold Cedric's fading heat against his body.
Time is a pendulum, and will always proceed forward. As time sped to catch up with the relapse it had allowed Harry, a dark shadow descended, Harry was bound against a grave, Harry's blood was gathered- just a drop.
He felt nothing. Harry was no longer. Harry had become as the stone he was up against. In his mind, he was dead, could've been dead for all it mattered. He was gone, trapped in those hollow eyes that were once vivid and loving. Tears fell freely, rolling off his cheeks, down his chin. Cedric. His Cedric. The Quidditch player, the fun-loving, the lover, the loved...
And he had been taken away, as quickly as the green light that had spun out of its dark haven.
The world moved fast and before he knew it, Harry's mind was clicking back into place and he finally caught up with time. He was being handed his wand, untied, pushed toward a dark figure. Yet his eyes remained locked on Cedric's body. His mind was a few feet away, laying on top of a stiffening body.
Finally, things fully connected.
"I WON'T!" Harry shouted adamantly. Harry was refusing something. But what had it been?
"You... won't?" The dark figure that haunted his nightmares stood before him. Harry, as if to just realize this fact, pushed his head up higher, despite the fear lighting up in his eyes.
Voldemort. Voldemort killed him... Cedric...
"Expelliarmus!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
The lights met and a connection was formed. Harry concentrated on holding his wand steady, facing the enemy he had only been able to dream about.
It was then the specter entered his vision.
Two feet, a chest... arms... a strong torso... broad shoulders... and then-
Cedric.
Harry almost dropped his wand, wanting to race over to the ghost of his Cedric, almost...
"Hold on, Harry..." His voice was strong, eyes reassuring. Harry's eyes glistened with the threat of more tears and he nodded, smiling at Cedric. Cedric, who walked towards Harry, going behind him and placing his arms on his shoulders to steady him. It was almost as though Harry could feel him, could smell him.
More ghosts, shadows of people, were coming out of Voldemort's wand now. His father, followed by his mother, entered the thick of ghosts, all shouting encouragements.
"Harry- take my body back." Cedric squeezed his shoulders and Harry felt his sadness refresh itself, deeper than before at the reminder that this was just what it was- a ghost. The real Cedric lie somewhere behind him. But he glanced at Cedric, this Cedric, this specter, and was thankful. The ghost wrapped his arms around Harry's chest and put his head to his raven hair as usual. "Let go, Harry."
Harry didn't want to. He couldn't. But his mother and father began shouting it, soon all were shouting it. And the moment between him and Cedric was lost, as was the real Cedric, and he released his grip.
The instant he did, his arms were around the real Cedric, hand outstretched until finally-
They were back. Lying in front of the festival, every one cheering at their return. But Harry collapsed, arms tightly folding themselves around Cedric's back, pulling him closely.
"Cedric! Cedric...!" He pushed his head against the small place where Cedric's neck met his shoulder, burying his face there. He shut his eyes and sobbed, a deep, gut-wrenching sob. The audience grew quiet and watched on, faces empty or confused. "Cedric... Cedric..." It was all Harry could murmur into the night, rocking back and forth, holding tightly to Cedric. His Cedric.
His heart no longer beating in time with his, his eyes no longer responsive to his. He was Cedric, his Cedric, and he was dead.
Dead.
And Harry Potter was now alone once more.
As author of this Behind the Scenes tale, I must apologize, knowing it is and was my duty to tell things exactly as they happened. I'm very sorry to report to you that Cedric Diggory did die, and will remain dead. It's the fact of this life Harry Potter must be (unfortunately) forced to live through. Do not worry though... for this story may not be over...