To You I'm Devoted
xStarletx
A/N: Another long chapter folks! I unno I could end it here, or go on for more. What do you think? More? Tell me peoples!
Chapter 7
When I awoke again I was in the infirmary, with my parents looking down at me.
"Oh thank goodness!" My mother cried, her frail arms gripping me tightly. I grimaced and groaned, everything hurt, thankfully my dad pulled her off.
"We were worried." My dad whispered.
"Where's Aria?" I asked. I saw the hurt in their eyes, no doubt they were hoping I'd be more worried about them.
"She's with Harry, she hasn't left his side since he got out of the maze" His mother mumbled. I frowned, she was with Harry? Of course she was, he was her objective.
"Shall I go get her?" My dad asked. My mother frowned and shook her head, I wondered what Aria had done to anger her. What had happened really? Where had I gone? I hadn't actually died had I? I nodded to my dad and before he could even move away from Aria was there leaning over the side of my bed.
"Morning Badger Boy! How you feeling? What do you remember?" Aria asked, leaning in really close. I love the proximity.
"His name is Cedric." My mother growled.
"Stop it mother." I snarled, Aria didn't flinch she didn't even acknowledge my mother.
"What did that meddling lump of rock show you?" Aria questioned. I titled my head as if feigning confusion. Aria didn't buy it.
"Allaric." I whispered. Aria ran a hand over her face.
"She showed you all of that?" Aria asked. I nodded. She swore loudly.
"I'll kill her. I swear." She cried whirling away. I grabbed her arm.
"Tell me what happened." I ordered her. She turned to me and nodded.
--
Harry hadn't been able to contact Aria until after his wand went insane on him. He had seen the last magic spells Voldemort had used recently, Including Cedric's ghost and his parents ghosts. After everything was done, he managed to get away from the people perusing him. He dug into his shirt and pulled out the silver whistle in the shape of a star. Harry took a deep breath and blew, the blast was shrill and loud and it startled not just him but the people hurling curses at him.
There was ripping sound and when Harry looked up, Aria was walking through a hole she had made in the Aira, a long black blade scythe in her hand. She looked down at him with anger in her eyes.
"Where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere! You are totally not worth this AGGRAVATION!" Aria screeched. Curses were whirling past her face panicking, he reached up and pulled her down.
"I didn't do this on purpose!" Harry argued. Aria snorted, and peered over the tombstone they were behind.
"I should have known, portkeys are so damn difficult to trace. Five on the left, three on the right one hiding behind that snake faced twat. Ok, relatively easy. Let's see if I get in range I can cut his head off. A good shield will block any spells, maybe add a rebounding shield and you'll go back through that." She mumbled pointing to the hole.
"No, I need to get Cedric's body, I can't leave him." Harry told her. Aria looked over the tombstone again, she rolled her eyes but didn't argue, no Aria was already up. She was walking forward with her hands extended in front of her. The curses were bouncing off of whatever she had put in place there, Harry ran to keep up with her.
"Aria Rayne?" Voldemort cried. Aria growled.
"That's right snake bait. Obviously you need to work on your killing, you keep failing at it." Aria taunted.
"You stupid little witch! Give me my wish." Voldemort screamed. Aria rolled her eyes, walking past him, the boundary knocked him back a bit as she went by.
"I am not a geni you stupid little prat. I don't grant wishes, never did." Aria scowled. Harry ran past her to Cedric's body, Aria had yet to recognize him. Voldemort was trying to get past her barrier, Harry had a firm grip on Cedric's body.
"Aria?" Harry asked. She had yet to turn to him.
"You're wasting your time. You're a failure! How can you possibly save the boy when you couldn't save his parents? You're washed up! You're useless…" Voldemort taunted, Aria had lost her temper.
"You're DEAD!" She screamed, taking down her barrier she launched herself at him. He wasn't expecting that, not even in the least. She landed on top of him gripping his throat, shaking him as she chocked him. His bald slimy head hitting the ground over and over as she did. The Death eaters were swarming towards Harry, while Voldemort had managed to free himself of Aria's grasp. He hurled curse after curse at her, but nothing would deter her. She blocked and parried and shot back blasts of energy.
"ARIA!" Harry cried. Aria turned and was hit by an Avada-Kadavra, she was thrown back. Harry expected her not to get up, but she did and she looked even more pissed then before.
"GO HOME!" Aria ordered. Harry gripped the Portkey and hugged Cedric's dead body to his and with a pop he was taken back to the quidditch field. While Aria was left behind to fight the deatheaters and Volemort alone.
When Harry got back to the pitch he was taken aside by Professor Moody, who took him to his office. The others were busy with Cedric's body and it wasn't long till Harry figured out that Moody wasn't who he said he was, and was in fact the one who orchestrated everything.
Down at the pitch Aria had arrived, and found the body of Cedric in his parents arms.
"Who's that?" She asked. Dumbledore was at her side.
"That's Cedric, he was with Harry." He told her. Aria was confused.
"What do you mean he was with Harry, Harry was alone." Aria growled, she wouldn't have left a second hostage behind.
"He was killed before you got there." Dumbledore explain. Aria growled and reached behind her, pulling out the black bladed scythe again.
"That is completely unacceptable. I do not loose charges." She snarled, slice open a rift in space. She took a step through.
"Badger boy!" She called, there was no response, seconds later she poked her head out of the hole, "What's his name again?"
"Cedric." Dumbeldore told her. Aria disappeared, into the grey mist on the other side, calling his name. Dumbledore turned to Cedric's parents.
"Don't worry, she's a professional." He assured them. Aria had been to the afterlife before, and was glad to see that Cedric hadn't gone through the gates, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to bring him back. But finding him in a viewing room, no doubt set up by a close relative of hers, was equally as distressing. She pulled Cedric spirit back into their realm, pausing only to stop the Furies from getting through to the other side.
Once back on the pitch Aria shut the portal she had opened and ordered the spirit to enter his body. Of course Cedric's parents were outraged, what kind of game was she playing? Imagined how shocked they were when they're dead son's eyes bolted open, began to cough while he sputtered for any air, then collapsed into a dark oblivion. But hey at least he was breathing.
It was then that Aria noticed that Harry wasn't around.
"Where's Harry?" She asked, glancing around. No one knew. Aria grumbled something about being typical of him and disappeared on her quest to find him.
At that same moment Harry was convinced he was going to die, for the fake Moody proved to be an agent for Voldemort. Just when he thought all was lost, Aria broke through the door and blasted the faker away. Harry was going to thank her but she had other plans.
"I wasn't gone five minutes and you already got kidnapped by someone else? What is it with you? You'll be the DEATH of me!" She screamed. Harry noticed that her face was scratched and she was favoring the side the Avada Kadavra had hit. Harry had been certain that she was invincible and the sight of her injured guilted him. He was dangerous to everyone, even those who weren't supposed to die.
Harry was then transported to the infirmary where Cedric had been place, and Aria refused to move from her post. Convinced that if she even left for a few seconds something else would happen to him. Harry was inclined to agree, he was always in trouble these days.
--
"You can have the winnings." Harry told me, handing him a large purse of money. I shook my head.
"You didn't actually die, you have the winnings." I argued.
"Split the winnings." Aria grumbled. She was sitting on a chair in between the two beds, her head in her hands. She must have been tired.
"Where will you go for the summer?"' Harry asked her. Aria looked up.
"I'm not sure, I don't think I'll be able to go far from you, but I do have other things to check up on." Aria mused. My heart started, summer vacation meant no Aria, what was I going to do?
"Besides, I was only meant to watch you for the year. Technically speaking once the school year is over I'm done with you." She told Harry. Harry gulped.
"I know you don't like me, but it would be awfully nice to have you as an ally." Harry whispered.
"I never said I didn't like you." Aria argued, though I knew perfectly well that she did, I had seen her past I would understand why she did.
"I also heard what Voldemort said" Harry mused, I tried not to gasp at the name, but it was hard, luckily Aria ignored me. "You were assigned to help my parents weren't you?"
"Until your father decided he didn't need my help at all. I was out of the house for a day and they were dead. I don't lose charged, I NEVER lose charges, and because he had to be pig headed I have this blemish on my otherwise perfect record." Aria grumbled. Harry stared at her, she was staring down at the tiles as if they held the answer to her problems.
"I couldn't stop him, but I saved you." Aria whispered finally, after a long stretch of silence.
"Then you really are immortal." Harry crowed. Aria shook her head.
"Not immortal, just not human. My kind lives longer than yours." Aria told them.
"Wiccan's you mean?" I asked. Aria shook her head.
"Than what are you?" Harry asked. Aria laughed.
"You'll have to figure that out yourself." She told them. Both boys protested but Aria was adamant on the topic. Eventually both boys drifted off into a deep sleep.
--
The summer feast was the last day of school. My parents were still here of course, no point in them leaving in a day or two when I would be returning after that, they should go home together. I however had other plans, I just had to get Aria to agree. I smiled up to her, she was sitting at the teachers table, with Apollo beside her, both listening to Dumbledore who seemed to be giving her further instruction. After a while he handed over a very large purse of gold, which Aria handed to Apollo. I wondered if that was the payment for saving my life. I had yet to sit down when Cho came running at me, throwing her arms around me and smothering me in a deep kiss.
I realized then I had never gotten around to telling her that I didn't like her as much anymore, that I had my heart set on anyone else. When she pulled away I saw Aria over the top of her head, she didn't look pleased.
Once the banquet was finished Aria all but ran out of the great hall. I excused myself and gave chase after her.
"ARIA!" I cried, she had broken out into a sprint she made it to the lake before I did. The pathway had disappeared before I had even gotten to the shores. Except this time I wasn't letting her go. I plunged into the cold black waters intent on swimming to her door. That was until I got stuck in the weeds growing from the bottom of the lake. I sunk to the bottom wondering if I was going to die, AGAIN, when I felt something grip the neck of my robes. I was yanked clear out of the water, with a force so strong I could have sworn it was magic. It was Aria, which was basically close enough.
"I just bought you back to life, I will be extremely upset if I had to do it again." She growled. The water had hardened beneath our feet, I was sitting beside her coughing and sputtering.
"You didn't wait for me." I accused her.
"So you decided to swim it?" She asked. I nodded. I noticed that had an arm around me as she knelt beside me. I figured now would be a good enough time to ask.
"I want to go with you." I told her. Aria started and backed away.
"You can't be serious." She mumbled. I moved closer to her, I kissed her thoroughly wanting to prove to her that I cared for her, that I wanted to be with her. She let me at first and then halted the kiss, I searched her face and saw the pain and conflict in her eyes.
"You can't. This isn't a good idea." She whispered again, there wasn't much conviction in her voice.
"I'm not Allaric. I'll listen to you, besides if you're not here to watch me who'll save me from all the stupid things I'll do to fill your absence in my life?" I asked. She giggled.
"What sort of stupid things?" She asked, kissing my lower lip.
"All sorts of dangerous death defying things." I mumbled kissing her again. This time she didn't stop me, no my mother did.
"CEDRIC!" She screamed. It jolted both of us out our lovely trance. I was furious. Aria glanced over my shoulder and I did the same. My mother was on the shore with my father, Cho and Dumbledore.
"You should go back." She told me, standing up. A pathway appeared, my mother was already stepping onto it. When I turned back to Aria she was gone, I still didn't know if that had been a yes or not.
--
"No!" My mother cried. I was in my dormitory packing my things, I had told them I was going with Aria.
"I owe her for saving my life. I want to be with her!" I argued. My dad had been oddly silent. My mother was throwing a fit.
"Have you read the stories? You cannot trust a Wiccan!" My mother screamed. I flinched but didn't stop, I packed away my grandfathers telescope.
"She's not a wiccan" I told her.
"Then what is she?" She challenged her arms folded across her chest, he foot tapped as she waited for my response.
"I don't know." I mumbled. My mother threw her hands up.
"You see. She clearly is untrustworthy. I will not let you go." She cried.
"She saved my life!" I defended.
"And we will forever be grateful, but I will not let her take you away from us. We just got you back!" My mother near sobbed. I understood now, my mother was afraid I'd never come back.
"Let him go." My father demanded, it was the first time he had spoken since I had told them what I wanted to do. My mother turned to him shocked.
"What?" We asked in unison.
"If he's so hell bent on going, let him go. He'll be fine. She brought him back to life once, she'll do it again. But you have to write." My father ordered. I smiled and thanked him, I hugged my mother and then headed to the lake.
--
On the way down to the lake I met Cho.
"So you really like her huh?" She asked me, I could tell she was crying and felt kind of guilty about that.
"I'm sorry Cho, I like you, I do, but I really kinda like her too. I didn't know how to tell you, and I had planned to after the third task, but you know…" I explained, trailing off. She nodded as if she understood. She hugged me briefly and then turned away.
Harry, Hermione and Ron were at the lake, so was Dumbledore. Aria and Apollo stood on the shore, the Castle was gone. Aria hugged Harry briefly and put a small compact mirror in his hands.
"Don't lose this, do you understand? Carry it on you at all times." She ordered. Harry nodded. I noted he was still wearing the Silver Star whistle. She came to Dumbledore who was smiling down at her.
"We're square now." She told him. He nodded. "We had better be square, no more surprises!"
Dumbledore laughed and brought her into a tight embrace.
"You used to love surprises dear." He told her, Aria smiled.
"It's been a long time since I liked surprises, if I remember you were still a boy when I liked surprises. You're showing your age Albus." She chided. He laughed again. Aria caught sight of me and my parents.
"What are you doing with that trunk?" She asked.
"I'm coming with you." I told her. Aria looked surprise.
"No you're not." She argued. I was shocked.
"But, you and I, we… on the lake?' I stammered.
"That wasn't a yes." She argued. Suddenly Apollo stepped past her and picked up my trunk with ease, and placed it by his feet.
"What are you doing?" She asked him.
"He's coming with us." Apollo told her. Aria hit him, hard, it was the first time I had seen the large man flinch.
"He can't come with us." Aria argued. I could feel my heart breaking, didn't she want me?
"He can if you put a heat resistance charm on him." Apollo growled. Aria turned to me.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked me. I nodded, clasping her hands in mine, I could feel the goofy smile plastered to my face. She turned to my parents.
"And you're ok with this, even though I face many dangers almost every day?" She asked. My mother gasped and came close to swooning, My father nodded. Aria shrugged.
"Fine, Alvara Luminosus Cetroniam." She cried and pointed at me. I felt a tingly feeling spread throughout my body, but I didn't notice anything different. Apollo whistled and I saw the setting sun glimmer in the distance. Aria turned towards the light and I saw that it was getting brighter and brighter. She took out a pair of sunglasses and handed them to me, I noticed that Apollo was glowing slightly.
In moments I saw a pair of flaming horses pulling a large glowing chariot.
"Are you the Greek god?" Hermione asked, marveling at the vehicle. Apollo laughed.
"He was loosely based off of me yes." Apollo confided, once again I wondered who these people really were. I hugged my mom and dad once more, Aria said good bye to everyone once again and then we got on the chariot. Apollo picked up the reins and snapped them briskly, the horses started off again. I turned to Aria with a smile on my face, and as the horses picked up enough speed to get into the air. I kissed her, delighted with the thought of the new life I was starting with her.
Am I ending it here? Tell me what you think!