Harry Potter & the Price of Mercy

by: NecessaryEvil

Chapter Six: Closure

Disclaimer: Couldn't afford to keep them so I gave them to Rowling, I'm disappointed in how she raised them. ;-) Just kiddin' they're hers, born and raised.

A/N: Thanks anyone who reviews.

Now on with the show.

The train arrived at Hogsmeade station with a bump which sent the students sprawling. As Harry helped Cho to her feet and Sayouri helped Ron to his feet, everyone nearby did similarly and then calmly filed out of the train. Harry was hit with a wave unlike any he had encountered, for the first time ever he could feel that this place, the place he'd called home for four years was full of more power and magic than he'd ever thought, but as looked around he saw rather than felt a different kind of wave rolling over the other students as they remembered finally the events at the closing of the previous term. Smiles turned to tears, laughs turned to sobs, he could tell that there was no joy here anymore.

One voice broke through the deafening silence, "Firs' 'ears this way," Hagrid's welcoming cry burned through the students, bringing out a sense of normalcy and safety and pretty soon everyone was chattering and carefully heading to a carriage.

As Harry walked he waved and cried out, "Oi, Hagrid," Hagrid waved back, but any response he had was swallowed up as Harry, Cho, Ron, Sayouri, Padma, and Neville Longbottom found themselves in the same carriage riding towards the Hogwarts main entrance. Sayouri and Ron were talking animatedly, yet still quietly in their corner of the coach, Padma was looking slightly miffed sitting next to Neville, Neville was looking extremely nervous and seemed to be searching everywhere for Trevor, his toad, while Harry and Cho seemed to just be sitting next to each other, grinning at random intervals.

The coach arrived at the front door of the castle and everyone leapt out, except Harry and Cho, who stepped lightly out and strode slowly up into the castle and towards the great hall. Most of the students were already seated and silent, a single oddity at any meal at Hogwarts, especially the beginning of the year feast. The last people sat at their respective house tables and the door to the First Years' waiting hall opened and Professor McGonagal, followed by a line of 11 year olds, walked up to the head of the hall. Filch brought forward the sorting hat and placed it on the usual three legged stool, but unlike most years, McGonagal did not start right in on the list of First Years instead she started, "We have a transfer student with us this year, from Siren Study School, in America, Ms. Cecily Diggory," everyone regained the eerie silence that they had been practicing as they got off the train. Cecily walked forward, put the hat on her head and a general murmur spread through the room, finally the hat cried out, "Gryffindor," and there was a great outcry of, "But she's a Diggory," and "What a joke," but Cecily calmly took the hat off and walked over to the Gryffindor table.

The rest of the sorting went as usual, though with a noticeable lack of new Slytherins. During the feast Dumbledore stood and cleared his throat before beginning, "A few announcements, first Mr. Filch would like it to be known that the number of items forbidden on school grounds has been raised to 456, and the list of those items can be found in his office. Secondly, I must remind some of you more than others that the Forbidden Forest has it's name for a reason. Thirdly I'd like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Viktor Krum, he will only be with us for half of the term, but he is still your Professor until then, so treat him with respect, that is all. Enjoy the food,"

After the feast Gryffindor made its way up to the common room and up to bed, Harry had a hard time falling asleep, the power that was coursing through the area, was giving him a headache, but eventually he did fall asleep, though not very soundly.

~~~

Harry sat on the edge of a precipice, looking down into a black void, a figure sat down next to him and spoke, "You saw it too didn't you Harry,"

Harry turned to Cedric and nodded, "Yea, I can't believe it though. I thought we were friends, but I can't be friends with a Death Eater,"

"Not a Death Eater Harry,"

"But...just standing there, watching us, no remorse, no disgust,"

"Watch out Harry, you can't always trust who you want to, but when it really counts you can usually trust who you don't want to,"

Harry looked at Cedric again, "Do you blame me?"

Cedric smiled, "All things have their reasons Harry, you'll find a reason why it happened, just don't go looking for it,"

"Do you know I'm in love with her,"

Cedric grinned, "Wake up Harry, everyone knows. Except maybe her,"

Harry blushed, "Will you be coming back?"

Cedric got up and turned to go, "You never know," he said as he walked away.

When Harry woke he felt much less sad, and though the power of Hogwarts had not died down any he found it didn't bother him as much as when he had gone to sleep. He found that when he closed his eyes again, sleep came much more easily and peacefully, he remembered parts of his dream, but some of it didn't make any sense to him, but he did believe it was real enough, he had seen Cedric, of that he was sure.

~~~

A/N: Please review, I like reviews. This is all going somewhere, I have a plan this time.