Life From the Dead

A Story of Two Teens' Attempts to Bring Life Back from the Dead

(Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with JK Rowling or anyone from her staff. The only characters I personally created were Vanessa, Lexy, and the cute boy Mike Johanson.) (A/N: If there is anyone that has yet to read book 5, do not read this story, the person that died in that book plays an important role in this fan fic. Also, if you didn't read book 4, there is a bit of a spoiler from there in this too. This story takes place in the 7th year of Cho and the 6th year of Harry.)

Cho Chang awoke the day of her departure for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with tears in her eyes. She had again dreamt of her beloved old boyfriend Cedric Diggory, a dead boyfriend of hers that she had never been able to say "I love you" to. However, she quickly got a grip of herself, as she was used to it now. She knew what the first thing she was going to do when she arrived at Hogwarts was--locate a book by the name of Life From Death, a book that supposedly explained how to bring back a loved one from the dead. The success rate of it was extremely low, however Cho would do anything and attempt anything to bring back Cedric, her one and only love. The previous year she had dated Harry Potter for a little while. However, they had broken up because she couldn't get over Cedric. She still loved him, however Harry and thoughts of how to get him back into her occasionally occupied her mind also. She had known that ever since Harry and her met that he had liked her. However, she had thrown away any shot of getting him back into her when she talked too much of Cedric to him. Her alarm rang as Cho's mother came up the stairs to wake up her daughter. She walked in on Cho changing into her Hogwarts robes. "Okay, sorry honey, I just wanted to make sure that you were awake. We need to leave for the train station in an hour, be outside and ready at that time," said Cho's mom, closing the door. Cho's thoughts again turned to Cedric and the glow within his eyes as she dressed herself for the train ride. Twenty minutes later, she was ready and prepared to head back to Hogwarts, the school for witchcraft and wizardry. As Cho's mother pulled away from her house, her thoughts turned to the idea of how this year would be her last at Hogwarts. Cho remembered many things of it, however couldn't quite remember how she met Harry. As they arrived at the train station, Cho thought again of Cedric and how she would get the book before anyone else could retrieve it.

Meanwhile, at the Dursley house, Harry had just awakened from a horrid dream. He had dreamed of Sirius' death yet again, but he quickly pushed the visions from the dream aside and grabbed his stuff. He was forced to walk to the train station this year by himself because the Dursleys had gone on vacation and left him home. As he grabbed his stuff and opened the door, he saw his best friend Ron Weasley standing outside with his mother. "How'd you know we'd be here?" asked Ron, grabbing Harry's stuff and loading it into the car. "I didn't," said Harry, smiling. As they arrived at the station, they saw Cho boarding the train at the same time. "Hello Cho," said Harry, trying not to acknowledge her presence, as he walked through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Ron followed closely behind him and Cho after him. "Hello Harry," she said, walking off to the other end of the station. She and her new friend Vanessa both met up and walked into the last car. Harry's other best friend Hermione Granger walked through the barrier about a minute after Harry had. Hermione looked different though. Her hair was still bushy, however appeared to be tamed for once. She was wearing some makeup and was not carrying ten books as normal, instead was just holding onto her cat. She came up to them with a big smile on her face and said "Hello!"

"Hey Hermione," said Ron and Harry simultaneously. As they boarded and the train began its journey towards Hogwarts, Ron, Harry, and Hermione talked about the year ahead. There was yet again to be a new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, and they had also heard that Professor Binns, the ghostly and boring History of Magic teacher, had been fired. Dumbledore had gotten tired of the complaints from parents about how Binns was not actually teaching and rather just droning on and on about it that he had to take action. That night, after the Sorting Ceremony, Harry left the Gryffindor dormitory with Hermione. They were going to search for a book in the library by the name of Life from Death. When they arrived, Harry stopped Hermione in the midst of her looking to talk to her quickly. "Hermione, I kind of, you know, like you," said Harry, stuttering. Hermione just looked at him then when right back to looking at the books, finally finding the one they were looking for. However, Cho was standing there and had put her hand on the only copy of the book at the exact same time Hermione had. "Cho, why on earth do you need this book?" asked Harry, putting his own hand upon the book. Unfortunately for Harry, Cho had heard his comment to Hermione. "I'd rather talk to you about this without your girlfriend here." Hermione blushed but obeyed and walked away, pulling the book with her. Her idea was broken however when Cho still kept her hold on the book. As Hermione walked away, disappointed, Cho talked to Harry. "Why do you need the book?" Cho asked Harry, but Hermione reappeared and answered for him. "It isn't any of your business, Miss Nosy," said Hermione, placing her grasp on the book again. "Look who's talking!" said Cho, pulling the book towards her body. "Look Harry," she said, as he listened to her. "I can't get over the death of my beloved Cedric, as you know quite plainly by last year's events. This is my final year here at Hogwarts, so I'm making it count. I'm going to attempt to raise Cedric from the dead, and you aren't stopping me," she said, but Harry held onto the book. "Just let me do something first," said Harry as Cho let go of the book. "Repitan Libro" said Harry, and the book made a copy of itself. Harry grabbed the new copy and handed Cho the original. "Goodbye Cho," said Harry as Cho walked away. He then turned to Hermione. "Thanks," he said, smiling. "Anytime Harry," she said, as the two walked back to the Gryffindor dorm. Upon their arrival, Ron opened the portrait of the Fat Lady too see them holding hands. "What's going on?" he questioned them, and Hermione volunteered to explain. "We like each other," said Hermione. "And next Hogsmeade visit we are going together." Ron ran upstairs to his bed and fell asleep. Harry and Hermione shrugged and entered the Gryffindor dorm and followed suit with Ron by going to sleep. Cho walked into the Ravenclaw dorm to find the couches unoccupied (a first). As she took her seat she read the first way to bring the person back--by calling them. Cho closed her eyes and did as the book said-- thought of Cedric and to call him to her. However, to her unhappiness, there was no response. Cho then was greeted by one of her new Ravenclaw friends named Lexy. As they were talking, Lexy figured out what Cho was doing and decided to help her out. They read the next way to try to bring back the dead, but this way 'never worked.' They tried it anyway though, because Cho was desperate. While Cho was reading up on the second way to bring back the dead and make them living again, Harry was reading the first. During the copy, the order of the ways had become messed up however. His first way was Cho's second. Both Harry and Cho were doing the same thing though. They chanted the incantation at the same time and therefore only one would work. Sirius' ghost appeared in the Ravenclaw common room rather than Cedric's, and Cedric's body didn't show up at all. "What am I doing here?" asked Sirius, and then realized that he was in the Ravenclaw common room. He looked at his body and noticed that he was a ghost. "What is this?" Sirius asked, and Cho shook her head while cowering in fear. She did not know that Sirius was innocent; rather she still thought he was a convicted murderer. As Sirius did flips around the common room, Cho brought together all the courage she had to talk to him. "Hello Mr. Black," she said, and Sirius laughed. "Look darling just call me Sirius," said Sirius, smiling. "And who the pretty face are you?" "I'm Cho, and this is my friend Lexy," said Cho, a little less frightened. "This is fun! How'd I turn out this way?" asked Sirius, flipping around and going through the furniture. "I don't know," said Cho, as sudden worry was brought upon Sirius' face. "How's Harry?" he asked Cho, and Cho was stunned. "Are you still trying to kill him?" asked Cho, becoming frightened again. "No, I just need to talk to him about something," said Sirius. Cho explained what happened. "If you two said the incantation at the exact same time then only one comes true," explained Sirius. "The person with more power and strength and reasoning behind the spell. I guess you and Harry probably said the spell at the same time and that's why I am here but not the boy you tried to bring back." "Cedric. Cedric Diggory is who I wanted to bring back," said Cho, and Sirius grinned. "Aah, old Amos' son? Yes, I heard of his death, but I never knew that he had a girlfriend," said Sirius, smiling as Cho blushed. "He was a fine gentleman. I'm sorry to tell you that you cannot attempt this incantation again though, you must find another way to bring him back, as this way will not work for you again," said Sirius, floating over to the Gryffindor dormitory. Cho followed his ghost; however couldn't get into the dorm. She also didn't know what the entrance was. She backed up and closed her eyes when Sirius told her to, knowing that if she found out where the dorm was and Dumbledore found out she would be suspended, possibly even expelled. Sirius went in to find Harry sitting on the couch with Hermione. He glided over to them, saying, "You called?" Harry's face immediately lit up. "Sirius?" he questioned, and Sirius nodded. "But how-" asked Harry, but was cut off by Sirius telling Harry to open the entrance to the common room. "What?" asked Harry as Sirius led the two to the entrance/exit of the common room. As they left, they found Cho sitting there with her eyes still shut. Harry spoke to her and she opened them. "Hey Cho. What's this whole thing about?" "He showed up in my common room," explained Cho. "You and I used the exact same incantation at the same time so only one came true. Since you are a more powerful wizard," at hearing this Harry beamed and Cho continued, "your person was brought back. He was brought back as a ghost though, so he can't be killed," explained Cho. "Sorry," said Harry, but Cho shook it off. "There's other ways, I just can't bring Cedric back using this spell. I think you can though," said Cho, as Harry had a sudden question. "Why didn't Voldemort ever use this book then?" asked Harry. "The Ministry has ruling over who can and who can't use the book. They knew the danger of old' Voldemort-" Cho flinched at the name- "sorry, Cho, of You-Know-Who, so they blocked his usage of the book." "But he was one of the most powerful wizards," said Harry. Couldn't he break the spell?" "Could if he really tried. But he never liked books, just his diary. He never bothered reading; he had someone do it for him. And Peter wasn't a good reader, so he couldn't help." "Wouldn't one of Voldemort's other supporters have read it for him then though?" "They would have had to bring him back. And they knew the danger they faced if they let him know such a book existed. Truth is, Voldemort never knew there even was such a book. And since his spirit was still there, none of these ways in this book would have worked," said Sirius, finally clearing up the situation. "How are we going to hide you, Sirius?" asked Harry. Sirius flinched and attempted something, but it clearly did not work. "I was going to just turn myself into a dog but it didn't work. I wonder what I should do," said Sirius. No matter what though, Harry figured that Sirius should tell Dumbledore he was there. If people saw him and Dumbledore had no knowledge of the matter, things would not go too well.

Chapter 2