disclaimer: sighs all jkr's...

Chapter 2: Cedric's Advice

4 Privet Drive now had another ghost guest, but it was not unexpected. Dumbledore always was true to his word, and the ghost visitor he announced would arrive at one o'clock sharp was standing, or rather floating in the midst of the window. The glowing spectrum looked very handsome, with the sheer curtains blowing against his tall, well-built body, and he had the kind, familiar face of a teenager Harry once knew. It was Cedric Diggory. Perhaps one of the bravest, smartest and most popular Hufflepuffs Hogwarts ever had. As Harry looked at Cedric's ghost, the night in the graveyard replayed in his mind.

"I know what you are thinking Harry, without even using Ligilmancy," Cedric finally spoke walking slowly towards Harry.

"In fact, the main reason Dumbledore wanted me to be your first mentor was to relieve yourself of the burden of still believing everything is your fault," He continued.

"Mentor?" Harry replied stupidly.

"You need help, Harry, and that's what mentors are for. Not only help with relieving you of your personal burdens, but to learn a way to help relieve your friends of their burdens. We really can't sit around though, because there are shadows of the past you must see. Harry, you are a strong and skilled boy, I've seen you when we competed. However, you have failed to digest what Dumbledore, your WISE PROFESSOR, once said to you. Have you forgotten that love is your greatest ambush against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

Cedric sighed and went on, "These shadows are something you should not take lightly. They are key to the present and future of the world. Harry, have you realized that the future of the wizarding world lies in your hands? What would Dumbledore do?"

Harry took a large gulp of air. Finally speaking up, he replied confidently, "Dumbledore would have wanted to be well prepared, well educated, and fully aware of everything. Can you show me these 'shadows'?"

"Grab my robes, Harry."

Harry didn't think twice about what Cedric had said, and so he touched the transparent robes that Cedric wore on his ghostly body. Almost in an instant, they swirled and sped off through the night, traveling through what seemed like fog and mist. The sensation was like falling into the pensieve, only there was no destination and no inkling of where they were headed. All was black. Finally after what seemed like an hour, they landed gracefully in an area of crisp fields and wilderness. Harry recognized it at once as the hill where they had taken the portkey to the Quidditch World Cup. The Burrow was only a short distance away. Harry followed Cedric, who was in fact heading in the Burrow's direction.

"Oh, and Harry," Cedric said as they got closer to the Burrow, "don't try and make contact with the Weasleys. I must remind you, this is a shadow of the past, it has already happened. They cannot see or hear us. It is like we are wearing invisibility cloaks."

Harry nodded and Cedric walked through the front door of the house followed by Harry. Harry was far more interested in the fact that he walked through a solid object than Cedric was.

Inside the burrow, Harry saw himself from the past and the Weasleys sitting down at the table eating breakfast. Everyone looked about five years younger. Ron, Harry and Mr. Weasley were chatting, Percy was drawling on and on to Mrs. Weasley probably about work, and Fred and George were sneakily slipping what looked like dead beetles and dragon dung into Percy's bowl of porridge. Harry chuckled at the sight, but noticed Ginny wasn't at the table. Just as he thought this, he saw Ginny running down the Burrow's stairs in her nightdress. Ginny cheerily entered the kitchen area, but stopped very suddenly when her eyes turned to Harry from the past. The look on her face was almost pure terror. Without saying anything or explaining herself, she ran back up the stairs, faster than lighting and disappeared from sight.

Ron mumbled something like, "Ginny fancies you. She's been talking about you all summer…", but before Harry could hear the rest, everything went black again, and Harry felt the swirling sensation again. They were heading for another shadow, he figured.

He was right, but they were once again in the Burrow, in the kitchen. Everyone was at the table this time, including Ginny. They were all having a good time, and chewing the delicious food that Mrs. Weasley cooked.

The younger Harry asked Ginny, "Can you please pass the gravy?" The younger Ginny blushed profusely and started for the gravy, but could not take her eyes of Harry. She accidentally stuck her elbow into the butter dish! Fred and George laughed along with the others, but the younger Harry just smiled. The other Harry smiled too, as he watched this memory. Ginny had a crush on him since before her first year! He never realized how long and loyal Ginny's love was for him. As he thought this, he felt a pang of guilt fill his chest. Why did I have to hurt her like that, breaking up with her on the spot? She'll probably never forgive me. I shouldn't belong in Gryffindor if I'm not loyal to her and show I can be brave. She most think I'm such a coward!

Harry pondered over these thoughts as he sat down (or at least tried to, seeing as he's a ghost), but before long Cedric beckoned him over.

"Harry, the time has come to leave this memory and visit another. We cannot spend all night wallowing on one memory or my trip has been useless."

Harry was too afraid to admit he'd been thinking of Ginny the whole time so he just shrugged it off. He replied in an unnaturally high-pitched voice,

"Let's go!"

Once again they were off spinning and swirling. And now Harry was left with no idea where he was headed, no idea of what would become of his life, and no idea of how a few break-up words could change his future…