Chapter 16: Until We Meet Again
The next morning, the Diggorys came in to talk to Harry, and Cody wished then that he had gone back to the dorms last night, even if he did have to share the dorm with Malfoy. He stayed under the covers and pretended to be asleep as Harry talked to Cedric's parents, and did not come out until well after they left...and Cody had stopped crying. He didn't understand how older boys kept from crying, even if they really wanted to. He rather thought that it would make a person explode.
When he did get out of bed, he had given Harry a hug and gone to breakfast, still in the clothing he had worn the night before. It was a little dirty and rumpled but he didn't care. He avoided Malfoy and his gang, but was nearly run down by Graham, asking if he was all right. Cody nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay," he said.
"What happened?" asked Graham, his eyes wide. "We all went down last night, and then we lost you and we didn't know where you went, and then Diggory..."
Cody sighed and took a piece of sausage in his hands. "A lot of stuff happened. Cedric..." He stopped and frowned, noticing that there were a few people listening in that Cody didn't really care to hear the story. "I'll tell you the rest later...somewhere else," he said to Graham.
The older boy nodded. "Good idea."
While the school ate breakfast, Dumbledore stood up to announce to them that they needed to let Harry be and not badger him into telling the story of what happened. Later that day, after lunch, Cody told Graham a lot of the story. He left Harry mostly out of it, feeling it was his story to tell if and when he felt like it, but he did tell Graham a good deal of it. He told him how they'd caught Barty Crouch, and how he had killed his own father and how he was a Death Eater. And how Voldemort was back.
At first, Cody didn't think that Graham would believe him, especially seeing the shock on his face. But then he only nodded. "You know...my mum said that he'd be back. She actually works in the Muggle world, even though she's a wizard, she works with orphaned kids."
Cody blinked, and then grinned. "I wanna meet your mom sometime. People who help orphans are good." Graham knew that Cody had been one himself for the first seven years or so of his life.
"We could do that, maybe this summer! Anyways, she meets loads of people and hears a lot of stuff. And people have been talking about strange things happening, and a lot of people've had the feeling something big was going on for a while now."
Cody shivered a bit, and grinned. "Creepy, isn't it?"
Graham nodded. "Yeah, it is."
"It's kinda cool in some ways. But really bad in others."
"Yeah. It means You-Know-Who is back."
"Yeah...and we're in Slytherin." The two boys exchanged a rather grim look. Cody nodded. "Yeah. And lots of their dads are Death eaters. Like Draco, and Gregory, and Crabbe, and Nott." He sighed, and then scowled. "An' I gotta share the dorm with them!"
"I wonder if any of the first years have parents that're Death Eaters."
Cody shook his head. "I dunno. We gotta be careful though. And...don't tell anyone about this stuff, okay?"
Graham nodded. "I won't. That'd be a bad idea."
---
Cody spent a lot of his last week at Hogwarts with Harry and the others, usually trying to make Harry laugh. Sometimes it even worked. When he wasn't with the Gryffindors, he was enoying the twins' company, visiting Hagrid in his hut or helping him with his ground keeping duties. Graham had begun visiting at the same time, and Cody thought that he and Hagrid might just be friends eventually as well. Cody was glad. He wished more people knew that not all the Slytherins were like Draco.
On the day of the Leaving Feast, Cody began packing all of his things that were scattered around the dorms and the common room back in his trunk. Another goodbye. He never did like saying goodbye, even if it wasn't for good. He spent the day playing with Graham; swimming in the lake (and on occasion wrestling with the giant squid) and climbing trees, and playing the sort of tag that turned your hair different colors. And once their hair was their normal color, (brown and sandy blond) they went to the feast together.
The colors of the House that won the House Cup were not up in the Great Hall, and Cody was not even sure who had won. He didn't much care. Instead, a set of black drapes had been hung behind the staff table. Cody wasn't sure why, but he assumed it was something to do with the events of the night of the Triwizard task.
The real Alastor Moody sat at the staff table that night looking very nervous, and Cody didn't blame him. He tried again to think what it was like to be held a prisoner down in that pit for nine months, and couldn't imagine it. Mad-Eye, he thought. Cody wondered what he was really like.
He glanced over at the Hufflepuff table and nearly cried, as the whole lot looked pale and unhappy. He was suddenly glad, once more, that Graham was in Slytherin House. He was glad he had a friend there at the table with him.
As the students ate, Dumbledore stood and addressed them. Everyone went quiet. "The end of another year," he said quietly. "There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight, but first I must acknowledge the loss of a very fine person who should be sitting here, enjoying our fine feast with us." Cody put his piece of ham down, no longer feeling remotely hungry. He wiped his eyes as Dumbledore continued. "I would like you all please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."
Cody bit his lip and stood on the bench, taking a hold of his goblet and imitating what the other students were doing. He raised his goblet of milk as the student body said solemnly, "Cedric Diggory." He sat down and began to cry as Dumbledore began telling the school what kind of person Cedric had been.
"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff House. He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."
Cody felt a hand grip his arm and blinked, looking at Graham, and giving him a grateful smile. Graham looked upset, too, but the upset turned to shock at Dumbledore's next words. "Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."
Cody's eyes went fairly large as well, as he gaped at the staff table. The last thing he expected was that Dumbledore would tell the whole school, just like that.
"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so - either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think that I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric dies as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."
Cody looked at the rest of the Hogwarts students. Nearly every single one had his or her eyes glued to Dumbledore, and nearly all of them looked frightened to some degree.
And then Dumbledore told the school that Harry had risked his life to bring Cedric's body back to Hogwarts, that he had seen Voldemort returned, and shown more bravery than most people who ever faced Voldemort. And then he stood and raised his goblet to Harry, too. Cody did, and Graham did, along with about a fourth of the Slytherins...but most of them remained in their seats. Cody curled his lip in disgust. Even now, when such dire things were happening, they refused to act like decent people.
Cody used his robe's sleeve to wipe his eyes as he slumped back onto the bench. Dumbledore said that the Triwizard Tournament's aim was to bring people together among the magical world, and that now that Voldemort was back, those ties were more important than ever. "Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come," he said, looking at those from Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. "I say to you all once again, in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and out hearts are open."
No wonder everyone thinks Dumbledore is such a great man, Cody thought. He spoke so well, and you could tell he meant every word of it. And he was wise. Cody admired him very much.
"It is my belief," Dumbledore added gravely, "and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken, that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you in this Hall have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort." Cody glanced over at Harry, and then Neville. "Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst. Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."
That was all that Dumbledore said that night, but his words had deeply affected most of the students in the school. Cody saw he was not the only person, or even the only boy who was crying. He saw many faces whose expressions were stunned or scared...
And then there were people like Draco, who only looked contemptuous.
---
Cody and Graham boarded the Hogwarts Express together the next day, and ended up sharing a compartment with the Weasley twins. "You doing okay, kid?" asked Fred, helping Cody stow his gear.
Cody nodded. "Yeah...it's just...I mean Cedric, an' Voldemort..." The twins flinched, "...and all that. It's just...scary."
"I know what you mean, mate," said Fred, giving Cody a bit of a squeeze. The twins had been acting more like big brothers to Cody since the World Cup, and he was both flattered and pleased by it. They could be nice when they wanted to!
"And Harry...he saw the whole thing. That had to be horrible. He's my friend, I don't like my friends unhappy and stuff." Cody was not crying, but he looked like he might be thinking about it.
"And Cody's my friend," said Graham. "And I don't like seeing his friends unhappy, either."
Cody smiled at Graham, who smiled back.
"Is Harry doing all right, then?" George asked as the train began to move.
"Well, I mean as okay as he can be. I think he's down the corridor if you wanna go check on him."
The twins looked at each other, and George shrugged agreeably. "Can't hurt, can it?"
"And look, there's Malfoy, heading that way," added George, glancing out the window. "Reckon we ought to see what he's up to."
And so the foursome made their way down the corridor, just in time to hear Malfoy's smug, drawling voice from Harry's compartment. All four boys scowled. "You picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, first day of Hogwarts? I told you not to hang around with riffraff like this!"
Cody scowled darkly as he followed the twins toward the compartment, and glanced Graham's way. Graham's expression was one of shock, as if he were really seeing for the first time what kind of a person Malfoy was.
Draco's mouth ran on. "Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now that the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first! Well...second - Diggory was the f -"
Draco did not get to finish the sentence he was going to finish. There were several furious cries, and flashes of curses from wands. Had the twins not been in Cody's way, his own wand would have been out, trying to curse Draco with the worst he could think of...
Cody figured that those in the compartment must have struck also, for when the light and smoke was gone, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were all unconscious on the floor, looking fairly grotesque. "Thought we'd see what these three were up to," said Fred. He stepped right on Goyle as he entered. George stepped on Malfoy as he went inside. Not to be left out, Cody stepped on Malfoy, too.
"Interesting effect," said George. He asked who had used the Furnunculus Curse, and Harry said it had been him. Apparently with George's Jelly-Legs curse, Crabbe had sprouted tentacles all over his face.
"Yuck," said Graham. "He's even uglier than normal."
"How can you tell?" said Fred with a snicker.
Malfoy and his thugs were all manhandled outside the compartment and left lying in the middle of the floor. Cody wondered what would happen if any of the prefects saw them, and thought that they likely wouldn't do anything unless they were Slytherin. Most the prefects probably hated them too. Cody and Graham followed the twins inside the compartment and sat down. It made the compartment quite full, but no one minded. He gave Graham, who was looking a little uncertain, a reassuring look.
"Exploding Snap, anyone?" Fred asked.
Everyone agreed to play; Cody particularly liked this game because it was loud and it exploded...a bit dangerous, perhaps, but fun. "Hermione?" he asked as they began to play.
"Yes?"
"What were you trying to catch that one night in the hospital wing? When you scared me out of the bed?"
A rather triumphant smirk came over Hermione's face. "Rita Skeeter."
Cody blinked. "Huh?"
Hermione chuckled, and took the card that was dealt her, and explained. "Rita Skeeter...she's an Animagus. An unregistered Animagus."
A look of comprehension dawned on Cody's face.
"But - that's illegal!" Graham said.
Hermione nodded happily. "Yes, it is! That's how she kept sneaking onto the school grounds and getting interviews with that prat outside the door and his thugs. That's how she found out about Hagrid's mum, and about Harry's scar hurting. She can turn herself into a beetle. I've got her in a jar in my schoolbag."
Cody began giggling, finding this idea extremely funny, and saw that Graham was laughing, too. "Awesome! That big creep...that'll teach her!"
Hermione nodded. "I've told her that unless she wants me to tell the authorities that she's an unregistered Animagus, that she'll keep her stupid quill quiet for an entire year. I'm letting her go once we reach London."
Feeling extremely happy, Cody went back to the game, and lost the hand in a most spectacular fashion. He blinked as his cards blew up, covering his face and front with soot. "Nuts."
George grinned and clapped Cody on the shoulder. "It's a good look for you."
Cody blew a raspberry his way and sat back to watch the rest of the hand.
He did find something else out interesting that afternoon. When Ron finally asked the twins who they had been blackmailing (this was news to Cody), they finally told what was going on. Seemed that when the twins won the bet at the World Cup, Bagman had paid them with leprechaun gold. Thinking it had been a mistake, the twins had written him, but Bagman kept avoiding them, no matter how hard they tried to get their money. He finally told them they were too young to gamble, and that he wasn't giving them anything. But when they demanded their money back, he refused.
"No way!" Cody exclaimed. "Isn't that illegal?"
"Probably," said Fred. "But we can't prove it."
"Anyway," said George. "Lee Jordan's dad had problems getting money off him, too." Seemed that Bagman had borrowed a lot of gold from the goblins, a group of which had cornered him at the World Cup and taken all the money he had. And even that wasn't enough to pay off his debts. And he had been trying to help Harry with the Tournament all year because he placed a huge bet on Harry winning it... But he bet Harry would win outright, when he had really tied with Cedric. Bagman had ended up running for it after the third task.
"Man, I'd run for it too, if goblins were after my head," said Cody. "They're scary!"
They spent the rest of the trip playing Exploding Snap, and then simply talking. The train was warm, and the sun was shining, and the company was good. Cody felt very content.
But all too soon the trip ended, and it was time to say goodbye. Ron helped him get his trunk and Merlin's cage from the train, and Cody looked dismally around the platform, at the train and its students. Hogwarts really was like a family. And leaving it in three years would be very hard. Biting his lip, he hugged Ron then Hermione. "I'm gonna worry about you guys with that big jerk back now, write to me, okay? So I know what's happening?"
"Absolutely, runt," said Ron with a chuckle, earning an indignant look.
They looked up as Harry and the twins came out, and Cody hugged them, as well. "I'm gonna miss you guys."
"Hey, you'll see us in a couple of months," said Fred. "You just make sure and cause mischief during the holidays."
"I will."
"You'd best! We'll be quizzing you on it after the holidays."
Cody laughed as the Weasleys headed off to meet their mother, and Harry walked off with his Uncle Vernon. Cody turned then to Graham, who was looking kind of shy. Finally, the two boys hugged each other at the same time, and laughed. "I'm glad I met you," said Cody.
"I'm glad I met me, too," said Graham with a grin, and laughed when Cody slugged him in the arm. "Naw...I'm just kidding. I'm glad I met you, too."
"Maybe my mom'll let you visit us this summer if you can! I could ask her."
Graham grinned, and nodded his head. "Okay! My mum could bring me through the Floo network, I think the Ministry has a department that takes care of travel and stuff, and they have Floo travel over the oceans. She could bring me through that, maybe."
"Cool! You could come like the last few days before Hogwarts, then we could go to Diagon Alley an' all."
"That'd be great..." Graham looked up as a slim, plain woman with brown hair approached. "Mum! Hi! This is Cody DeDannan, he's in my House."
The woman had an open, friendly smile that Cody found himself liking immediately. "It's nice to meet you. Another first-year?"
Cody shook his head. "Well no, ma'am, I'm a fourth-year."
"Long story, Mum," said Graham as his mother blinked. "I'll tell you it later...and do I have something to tell you about what happened this year! But anyway, Cody says he's gonna ask his mum if I can come visit him the week before next term. Maybe you and his mum can talk, and I can go visit?"
Graham's mother seemed to be a bit surprised by the influx in information, but she seemed agreeable enough. "I don't see why not, as long as I can meet her beforehand." She smiled at Cody. "How are you getting home?"
"Oh, I take the Knight Bus."
"Oh, goodness...my condolences."
Cody giggled; this was not the first time he had heard this. "Thanks. Anyways, I gotta go. I'll write to you when I get home, Graham, okay?"
"Okay!"
Waving, Cody dragged his trunk toward the end of the platform and drew his wand from his pocket (his robes were in his trunk). He held out the wand hand and winced as the Knight Bus BANGed onto the platform. Cody boarded, paid his fare, and sat down to enjoy the trip home. And as Graham had said: did he have a story to tell!