DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter.

Afterwards: Chapter Twenty One

'Are you going to go?'

This question roused Harry from his comfortable sleep in Cedric's arms. He let out a shaky breath and rested his head against Cedric's chest. As he listening to the steady beating he sighed, feeling ready to drift off into a deep dreamless sleep again. He didn't answer the prying question, and was rudely woken as Cedric bounced him in his arms gently.

'Are you going to go?' he asked again, his grey eyes tired.

'I don't know,' Harry admitted. He rubbed his forehead, fingers skimming across his scar. His eyes lit up in the dim glow of the fire burning in the hearth. 'Would you come with me?'

'Wasn't the invitation only …' Cedric paused, dislodging Harry from his lap so that he landed softly on the couch. He stood and walked over to the pile of letters sitting on the table beside the front door. After sifting through them for a few moments, he walked back and back down on the couch, allowing Harry to curl back up in his arms.

'Found it,' he said with a beautiful smile and opened the scroll. He cleared his throat and began to read. 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry invites Mr. Diggory Potter,' he paused and kissed the top of Harry's head. 'Mr. Diggory Potter, I love that.'

Harry continued reading for him, with a trace of a blush. 'To give a lecture on the importance of Defense against the Dark Arts. Please come on the 23rd of February. A room will be arranged for you to spend the night in, ex cetera ex cetera. Regards, Minerva McGonagall Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizard.'

'She writes like she knows you'll come,' Cedric snorted and chucked the letter into the fireplace, where it was quickly engulfed by a burst of orange flame.

'I think I will!' Harry said determinedly.

'Oh but Harry, I want you stay with me,' he said with a whine.

'Come to Hogwarts with me then, if the beds small we can cuddle up,' Harry licked his lips suggestively.

Cedric smiled out of the corner of his mouth and pondered this, watching Harry's eyes intently. 'Fine, I'll come. But only because some new young teacher might snare you.'

'Never!' Harry said in mock shock. 'If Professor McGonagall doesn't want you to stay at the castle with me, we can go find somewhere to stay in Hogsmede,' he promised.

'That's fine with me,' Cedric said with a grin. 'Those students will have a field day.'

'Why's that?' Harry asked, settling in so he could sleep again.

'Because the young and delicious savor of the Wizarding world will be coming to speak to them,' he said with a grin.

'Oh and not because the insanely sexy and incredibly seductive Cedric Diggory will be accompanying him,' Harry said with a laugh. 'Once named the Hufflepuff hottie, might have to pinch your crown back from the new one.'

'You forgot to add youthful,' Cedric reminded him his face flushing.

'Who said you were youthful?'

'Harry!' Cedric yelped. 'Twenty six is not old! I'm offended.'

'In four years you'll be thirty, which is very old.'

'I'm not old!' Cedric said, crossing his arms.

'Ok,' Harry smirked. He twisted in Cedric's lap and kissed him firmly on the lips. 'No matter how old you get, I will always love you.''

'Mm,' Cedric moaned in response. He kissed Harry's cheek softly, his lips only just skimming the smooth skin. 'Harry, do you really think I'm old?'

Harry chuckled. 'Of course not love, I was only teasing.'

The sky was a hardened grey hue – not the gorgeous colour of Cedric's eyes – instead like fresh concrete. Rain was threatening to burst from the clouds, it seemed even a gentle nudge could force the rain from them. The sun was no where to be seen and it made Hogwarts look dangerous and formidable. Even though Harry's heart was swelling at the joy of returning to it, it was only for a night and a day. As the two stepped off the Hogwarts Express they were both lost in memories, good ones and the occasional bad one. They trudged along carrying their bag, until they reached the carriages where both men stopped and a wave cold swept over them.

Harry choked as he nervously approached the carriages. He felt Cedric quiver beside him as he saw them too. Harry had seen them before, he didn't know Cedric could. He grabbed Cedric's hand reassuringly and they walked forward, placing their single bag of luggage inside before stepping inside the pure white carriages themselves. The carriage began to trundle forward as the two winged beasts started into a trot. Harry leaned forward to get a better look at the creatures. He hadn't seen them in a while and his initial fear had vanished as the castle loomed closer.

The creatures had huge wings ragged wings, long scars descended down most. Though Harry couldn't tell whether these were veins or scars, but they were red and puffy so he assumed them to be scars. The necks and faces were dragon like and skeletal like the rest of their bodies. Harry remembered the white shinning eyes. He looked briefly across at Cedric whom was staring vaguely up at the castle spires as they grew forever taller as the carriage approached. Green and grey eyes alike snapped back to the creatures driving the carriages as one gave an explosive sounding sneeze.

'Thestrals,' Cedric said to Harry, pointing a long finger at the creatures driving the carriage.

'I forgot their names,' Harry said. 'Who did you see,' he paused thinking over his way of phrasing what he wanted to ask. 'How come you can see them?'

'Even though I didn't fight in the war, I still saw people die because of it,' he said sternly.

'Sorry, Ced,' Harry whispered.

'Nah, it's ok. No point in asking how you can see them,' he said and smiled.

'Change of topic?' Harry asked pleasantly.

'Yes please!' Cedric said hurriedly and with a grin.

'What's the first thing you'll do when we get there?' he asked, looping an arm around his lover's shoulders.

'Eat,' Cedric said and then glanced at his watch. 'We've missed dinner though!' he groaned.

Harry's mouth nearly watered as he remembered the food Hogwarts served every night, he nearly moaned in delight as the taste of the sweet chicken and roasted potatoes came back to him. 'Every night was like a feast.'

'Do you think Professor – or I should say headmistress. Merlin she must be old! – will have food ready for us?' Cedric asked.

'Well for me anyway,' Harry grinned.

'You forgot to tell her I was coming too!' Cedric laughed. 'Oh well pleasant surprise for her.'

'Very pleasant, I'm sure!'

The carriage creaked to a stop and the men clambered down, Cedric pulled the single bag off too. 'Hogwarts,' he said waving a hand at the school before them. He reached across to pat a Thestral kindly, but when the creature looked at him with shinning eyes he quickly withdrew his hand.

Harry smiled and looked up at the intimidating castle. They approached the huge oak door, and pushed it open lightly. The entrance hall was bathed in a cool glow from several burning torches mounted to the walls. Harry looked around at the sheer size of the room; it could easily fit his entire house inside. The large marble stair case still looked to be in peak condition. He heard a cloak swoosh and soft steps descending down the stairs towards them.

'Harry Potter!' Professor McGonagall exclaimed, with a hint of a smile across her old and withered face. She did look aged, old and worn. She looked to be slightly crippled as she walked with a limp in her left leg, but despite this still walked tall and upright.

'Professor,' Harry nodded and shook her hand firmly. 'How are you?'

'Oh fine, fine,' she said waving a hand. The Scottish accent was still notable in her voice. 'Mr. Diggory, how very nice to see you.'

Cedric smiled and shook the old Professors hand. 'It is nice to see you also,' he said politely.

'Harry, dear boy,' she said sweetly. 'I had no idea Mr. Diggory would be accompanying you. I'm sorry about that, but I only arrange a single bed for you.'

'Not a problem, Professor.' Harry smiled, looking at Cedric who didn't seem to mind either.

'I recently heard that you become Harry Diggory Potter, am I right?' she pressed on, eager to acquire information about her former student.

'Yes, that's right,' Harry grinned.

'No wedding?' the Professor asked.

'Ah, no we're just partners,' Cedric said.

'Did Professor Dumbledore ever tell you he was gay?' McGonagall asked suddenly.

Harry nearly fell over backwards, he grabbed onto Cedric's arm to steady himself. He stared at the Professor like she'd just snogged Professor Flitwick, done a jig, all whilst milking a cow and done it wearing a fetching pink tartan kilt. He blinked twice, confusion running rampant in his mind. Professor Dumbledore was gay, surely not?

'What?' he managed to stammer out. Cedric was staring at the Professor with the same flabbergasted look plastered across his face.

'Professor Dumbledore was a homosexual, Harry,' Professor McGonagall said, speaking slowly and carefully so he understood. 'He was infatuated with Gellert Grindelwald.'

'Whoa, really?' Cedric asked, regaining his ability to speak.

'Weren't they enemies? He was a bad wizard!' Harry said voice rising a little. He was irritated and slightly hurt that Dumbledore hadn't told him earlier when he was struggling with his outing. Harry scowled, he'd had a big inspiration in more ways then one around him and he hadn't noticed. Harry was gay, Dumbledore was too. Ron wasn't gay so to speak, he was bisexual and leaned more to the girl's side. The only man he'd ever loved was Seamus.

'When they were "friends", Mr. Potter,' the Professor reminded him. 'Now, I shall escort you to your room.'

'Whoa,' Cedric breathed out again as they followed the aging Professor.

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