The Spirits

The pretty-boy laid cold, stiff, and spread-eagle on the ground. Harry threw himself onto Cedric, wrapped his arms around his dead lover's neck, and wept. Soon he felt himself being pulled, but that made him hold on tighter. The man in a black cloak who was tugging Harry grabbed his hands and finally pried him from the corpse. He dragged the sobbing boy to a headstone and uttered a spell to tie him to it. Harry hung his head as wetness continued to drip down his cheeks. He recognized the stocky man as Wormtail, but he didn't care about anyone or anything except his late love.

"Cedric… Cedric," Harry repeated in a low voice. "Your father was right… I caused your downfall…"

While Harry stammered Wormtail brewed a potion in a large cauldron. He dropped in the object from the bundle he carried, the bones he dug up from Tom Riddle's grave, and the hand he severed from his own limb. Then he went to Harry and pierced his arm with a dagger for blood, but he was too preoccupied to notice. Through his tears Harry could see the terror Wormtail was concocting, but Harry's mind remained on Cedric.

"It's my fault you're gone, my love… I got you killed…"

Before long a foul creature with pale skin and red serpent eyes came out of the cauldron. He grinned as he began groping his new features. Voldemort noticed that his servant was on the ground, and he decided to thank him for his deed, with his wand. Then he made his way to Harry and knelt by him. Harry's scar seared, but the physical pain didn't outweigh the emotional one. Voldemort touched the boy's cut arm, but it didn't burn like the last time he had gotten that close. Next he lifted Harry's chin to look in his green eyes; and then he traced the scar with his finger, causing Harry to scream.

"You're not such a threat to me anymore," Voldemort told him. "So… I'll leave you alone to mourn, just for a while longer." With that he stood up and went to greet the hooded figures that were rapidly approaching the area. Harry remained still and continued to cry.

"I wish that I hadn't made that suggestion… Then you wouldn't be… Oh Cedric!"

One by one the Death Eaters went to their lord and kissed his robes. When finished they made a circle around him, Harry, and the tomb. They talked of his plan to get rid of Harry, and how it had gone wrong. Then Voldemort went to each of them and questioned their loyalty. They all claimed that they had never lost hope and vowed to stay with him forever. Again the Dark Lord turned to Harry, but this time he pointed his wand at him.

"Crucio!" Suddenly Harry felt like he was on fire and being split in two. A part of him wanted the pain to stop, but another part wanted it to continue.

'Please let it kill me,' thought Harry. 'Let it take me to Cedric…' When it stopped he panted and whimpered.

"Look at him," Voldemort said to his followers. "He's a weakling. How could he ever be stronger than me?" The Death Eaters laughed as Harry was being belittled. "To show how weak he is I will fight him, and then kill him, to prove that I'm all powerful!"

The group hollered as Wormtail hurried to release Harry and return his wand. Harry shook his head and struggled to stand on his lame leg; he was back to reality. Then before he knew it Voldemort had hit him with the Cruciatus Curse again. It felt like thousands of knives were stabbing him constantly; Harry fell to the ground and squirmed. Later it ceased and he didn't move, but the Dark Lord knew he was still breathing.

"Do you want me to do it again," the fiend asked. Harry stayed silent, so Voldemort raised his wand to him. "Imperio!" Suddenly a murmur entered Harry and commanded him to answer no.

'No,' though Harry.

'…I won't,' stated another voice.

'Just answer no!'

"I won't!" The words broke free from Harry's mouth, but not by his choice. Suddenly there was a force inside Harry urging him to fight back. When the Dark Lord lifted his weapon once more he rolled over and dodged the attack. Harry scrambled to duck behind the headstone, and cement flew in every direction as blasts missed him.

"Come out Harry! Die with some dignity, like your father did!" His followers chuckled as Harry hid from their leader. After a moment he emerged from his sanctuary, but Voldemort was ready for him. "Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus," Harry yelled.

A flash of red abruptly emitted from Harry's wand as green extruded from his foe's tool. When the two beams met they turned gold. Then Harry's wand began shaking wildly; he could barely grasp it. By the taut look in Voldemort's eyes Harry could tell that he was having the same problem. As Harry continued to quarrel with his wand he saw something grey pour from the tip of its brother. It shaped into a hand and then plopped to the ground. Soon another form spewed out, and it became Cedric.

"Hold on babe," it told him.

Harry blinked twice to test if his eyes were fooling him as the image of Cedric walked towards him. His hair, nose, lips, and the rest of his body seemed the same, but Harry knew that it wasn't real. He ignored the scene that was going on around him when he looked in those dreamy grey eyes. Harry couldn't move as his deceased lover ran a hand along his cheek, and he started to sob.

"Can you feel me babe?"

"No," Harry replied. Then Cedric stopped and they eyed each other.

"Don't cry Harry…"

"But it's my fault you're dead! I got you killed!"

"No, it wasn't your fault. I saw someone wearing a cloak approaching us, so I went in front of you. I died protecting you."

"Ju- just like my parents did…"

Meanwhile two more ghosts, a man and a woman, came from Voldemort's wand and encouraged Harry to tangle with the evil wizard. He didn't notice them because he was watching Cedric, who went behind him.

"Be strong babe. Keep holding on." Cedric put his left arm around his lover's waist, and his right hand grasped the wand. Suddenly Harry felt stronger than ever before. "You're doing it babe. Don't let go yet."

"I don't want to let you go," said Harry, continuing crying. "I want to be with you."

"Harry, you have a life to live. I want you to be happy…"

"But how can I be happy if I'm not with you?"

"Although I'm gone, a part of me will always be with you. I'll always be in your heart, mind, and soul."

"It's too soon!"

"Fate is cruel babe, but I'm glad it brought us together. And, maybe someday you'll find someone else…"

"No one can ever replace you."

Then the Death Eaters started asking their master for orders, but Voldemort instructed them not to interfere. Soon another spirit emerged from the wand; she had long red hair and emerald eyes. Harry saw her and smiled.

"Hold on for your father," Lily told him. After a moment he appeared next to his wife, and together they went to their son's side.

"You look just like your father," Cedric said to his love. "Shaggy black hair and glasses…"

"But my eyes are from my mum."

"And that's one reason why you're gorgeous." Harry wished he could feel Cedric, but that had become a dream. Then he remembered that his parents were there to give him guidance.

"On my signal you break the connection and run like hell to get away," James said. "We'll distract Voldemort while you escape."

"What about Cedric? Can he come with me?"

"No sweetie," Lily replied. "We'll only linger for a bit and then vanish."

"Remember what I told you babe. Remember every word."

"I will," Harry replied.

"And, can you take my body back to my parents?" Harry nodded, still in tears. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Ok… Do it now," James yelled.

With that Harry lowered his wand, and then the lights disappeared. Soon Voldemort discovered Harry running, so he ordered his minions to stun him. Harry managed to flee with his hurt leg with the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. When he reached Cedric's body Harry flung himself on top of him and intertwined their fingers; Cedric's hand was hardly icy. Then Harry used the Summoning Charm to collect the Triwizard Cup so they could transport back to Hogwarts. As Harry felt the sensation of the Portkey working he lock lips with his lost lover……