To Bedlam and Partway Back

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters

Chapter Twelve

With their new ally in McGonagall, who was also Deputy Headmistress, they managed to drop both Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, with a hasty apology to Hagrid, and have Harry sign up for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Hermione also returned a glittering gold necklace to her former Head-of-House with profuse thanks. Harry looked at them questioningly, but as neither of them seemed to want to remark upon that, he supposed it was a closed subject.

While things were getting better within the school itself, they were still painfully vulnerable from external influences.

"He's what?"

"My father is trying to pull me out of school," Cedric muttered, glancing around them to make sure neither of the Third-Years were around to overhear.

"Merlin, he's mad!" Herbie exclaimed, although mindful enough to keep his voice down. "If he pulls you out of school now, and you as his heir- that would make him Harry's ultimate guardian. He can't separate the two of you, especially not now that everyone knows your being Bonded and all, but I don't trust what he could do. Especially since he and the headmaster have turned into BFFs overnight."

Cedric ran a hand nervously through his hair. "I know. I know. I can't let them at him- but I'm at my wit's end. I don't know what else to do."

Herbie slumped against a statue of a one-eyed crone. "I'd offer you sanctuary if I could- that way you could officially break from your father, and still retain the emancipation from your heir status, but I'm not in the legal clear to be able to do that." It went unsaid who was.

The blond sighed. "Thanks, Herbie. I'm just- I can't break from my father. My mother's House was dissolved when she married him, as she was the last of the line and all her assets went to him as her dowry, but one of the stipulations in the contract was the ennoblement of the Diggory line through the loss of hers."

His friend shook his head disapprovingly. "Right bollocks, that was," he said.

Cedric shook his head. "It wasn't Grandfather who put that in. It was Father."

Herbie swore. "If anything, that's worse. And your grandad still agreed to it?"

"He had to." Cedric shrugged. "They weren't going to get a better offer- Mother needed the money from the bride price for her family; they would've been worse than Weasleys without it. She entered the contract with just her name and the shoddier properties, not even the family manor. They had to rename it, of course, after the entitlement went to Father, but at least they were able to maintain it."

But just as it had when Amos Diggory had sent the Howler, help in this case came from an unpredictable source.

"Diggory."

Cedric spun about. He'd been on the way to lunch after the Third-Year Ancient Runes class. The younger students looked up curiously, but he felt Herbie stiffen behind him.

"Could I have a word- alone?"

As it had been ever since that incident three years ago, Bernard Fleet's voice was rather quiet and subdued.

"Cedric-"

He laid a hand on his friend's arm. "Take the two in for me?" he asked, summoning up a smile.

Herbie's pale blue eyes were dead. "Of course," he agreed stiffly.

Cedric sighed, but allowed Bernard to lead them into an empty classroom. He raised his eyebrows at the number of wards and privacy charms the older boy layered about the room, and the intricacy with which he weaved them.

"Woah, you thinking of going into Warding or something once you graduate?" he asked, mildly impressed. Then his mind caught up with his mouth, and he winced. "Merlin, I'm sorry-" As his family's heir, Bernard would claim the Fleet seat on the Wizangamot, and that in itself was pretty much a full-time occupation. Being the eldest he'd never had any other alternative.

The other boy shook his head. "No, I know you didn't mean anything by it. At least this way I get to practice."

He smiled sadly, but briskly shook off his fugue. "That isn't why I wanted to talk to you, though." He looked straight at him, and Cedric was struck by their pale colour, the exact value and shade of his brother's, although Bernard's seemed constantly weary.

"I heard- what your father's planning."

Cedric was stunned. "How?"

The older boy shrugged. "How does anyone know anything? Nothing is a secret in the Ministry." His face darkened briefly. "My parents may not like me, but they taught me how to play the game." He glanced up at Cedric again.

"I know what he's planning, and it isn't pretty. He can't separate the two of you, but he's planning to force Potter to do that for him."

Cedric was stunned. He hadn't thought his father would be that unhinged to even try- "What? How?" he demanded, aghast.

"Just as you wouldn't hesitate to do anything should he be in pain, what would make Potter any less indifferent to your pain?"

All the blood drained from Cedric's face. He didn't know this man Bernard was speaking about. He couldn't believe this was the same man who'd bought him his first broomstick, relentlessly encouraged his passion for Quidditch, applauded his appointment as Prefect- he didn't know this man who was willing to torture his own son just to break him apart from a thirteen-year-old- even if it was the most famous thirteen-year-old in the world.

"You can't go home."

It wasn't even a question. Why hadn't his mother written about this? Then Cedric felt the breath rip from him. His mother hadn't sent any additional notes after that one telling them to meet her at Hogsmeade. He was suddenly fraught with fear for her, but knew she'd always been able to take care of herself before. It was Saturday tomorrow. He'd give her till then. If she didn't show- he didn't know what he'd do.

Bernard cleared his throat, snapping Cedric's attention back to him. "I'm offering you and your Bonded sanctuary on behalf of the Fleet House."

"What?" he squawked. Then he hastily shook his head. "Bernard, you don't have to do this just because Herbie-"

The boy's lips tightened. "I wouldn't bribe him with you like this," he said softly. "This will go to the Wizengamot most like, and if your father is found unfit as a guardian, his titles will be stripped. You'll be the acting Diggory lord in his place."

Cedric's grey eyes sharpened. "Political manoeuvring, then?" As much as he hated it, Cedric understood that motivation. His father, too, had taught him to play that game, although he had learnt all his subtlety from his mother. Amos had never even heard of the word.

Bernard nodded. "Our House is willing to back your claim. Word's gotten out that Malfoy will push for nothing less than full emancipation, and with him and his faction backing us- he's looking to utterly destroy Dumbledore's faction. As it is, it's already been crumbling because the headmaster can't give anyone an adequate reason for flying in the face of a tradition put into place by Merlin himself, and you know what the Wizengamot is like when it comes to tradition."

"And Herbie?"

His twin smiled faintly. "He actually wrote home to suggest it. He never asks for anything, although our parents would give him whatever he wanted. They just about jumped at the chance to be able to do this for him."

Cedric hesitated before the next question. "And…and you?"

Bernard sighed. "You're a good man, Diggory, and a much better brother than I've been to Herbert. What I did- I lost my twin that day and lost my parents their son. The Fleets have always supported upholding the old traditions, so this cause isn't too far outside our usual radius. If you play up the abuse you've been made to handle because of your Oath, as well as the circumstances surrounding it, you shouldn't have a problem having any suit brought against you thrown out, and with Malfoy's faction pushing back- whatever happens won't be pretty.

"After Pettigrew's arrest, Dumbledore's name has been maligned, but he's still got popular sentiment on his side, because word hasn't quite gotten out yet. Casting him in the light of a tyrant who completely disdains magical tradition will put yet another chink in his armour. And if too many open up-" he shrugged. "Who knows what is to happen."

After that long speech, Cedric didn't know what to say.

"I need an answer soon," Bernard said finally. "But think about it. You'll have this weekend, at least."

He turned around to take dismantle the wards and various charms he'd layered on the room. Cedric watched him with a sort of disembodied interest. Bernard really did have some very fine spellwork. It was a pity that he'd never be able to use it. The older twin had been bitter because of that, painfully bitter when he was younger, although he had accepted his fate with a sort of resigned resolution.

As the elder, he'd never really been given a chance to think otherwise. Unfortunately, in a turn of misguided benevolence, he'd thought to save his younger twin the same type of subjugation he'd been under.

Instead he'd laid the then-fourteen-year-old Herbie into a magical coma for nearly two years that he'd still hadn't fully recovered from, and probably never would. Yes, Herbie seemed normal most of the time, and was Keeper second to none in Cedric's mind- no, not even Wood could touch him- but that was only if he was on his daily regimen of potions. Herbie hid it well most of the time, but then again, Cedric had lived with him for three years now.

He'd seen Herbie when he'd been forced to miss a dose, and had to be emergency Flooed to St. Mungo's for the next month while they tried to stabilise him.

With his botched ritual, Bernard had not only removed Herbie from the Fleet succession line, but very nearly severed his magical core not only with himself, but with his family's magics as well. His parents had never really forgiven him for that. Bernard still couldn't forgive himself for that.

Cedric gripped Bernard's hand before he took down the last ward. The Seventh-Year looked at him, surprised.

"I'll give you your answer by tomorrow night."

The other boy managed a small smile. "Thank you."

"What did he want?" Herbie demanded harshly.

Cedric glanced at him. "You wrote your parents asking if they'd take me and Harry in?"

Herbie turned pale. "They told him?" he rasped.

"He offered the both of us sanctuary on behalf of your House," Cedric said.

Herbie turned away bitterly. "It isn't my House anymore." And it wasn't. His parents had had to key him into the manor and all the other properties as a guest. There were even some rooms in his own house that he couldn't access simply because he was no longer a part of the immediate family, as the family magics no longer recognised him as such. Even in his parents' will, they could bequeath none of the family vaults to him. They'd had to remove his trust from the family vault into a separate account because the inheritance rituals dictated familial vaults had to stay within the family.

Cedric gripped Herbie's arm, hard. "He offered it because of you."

"That doesn't change anything between us," Herbie hissed.

"He was fourteen; he didn't understand what he was doing."

"That excuse only works if you're roughhousing in a pond and nearly drown your twin. That I can understand. Do you know how complex that ritual is to separate an heir from his family? And he didn't even use the right ritual; he used the one for main heirs instead of lesser heirs! He knew he was the elder, and yet-"

"It only goes to show he didn't know what he was doing! Or that he thought more of you than you do of him!"

"It only goes to show that he ruined my life," Herbie snapped.

"Herbie-" Cedric sighed. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I love you like a brother, but he really is your brother."

The boy shrugged carelessly. "Just because we look identical- it means nothing."

Cedric could see he wasn't getting anywhere with this, and changed the subject. "I said I'd give him my reply tomorrow. We're supposed to meet my mother at Hogsmeade then, but-"

"You haven't heard from her since that time." There was a faint note of relief in the brunet's voice that Cedric had dropped the previous subject. "It makes sense, if your father's moving as fast as we think he is. You know then my parents will probably have you pulled out preferably Sunday, Monday at the latest."

Cedric nodded. "We'll have to consolidate our stories and press suit as soon as possible, within the week if we can. Having your parents representing us as counsel will give us the upper hand on that. The key is to not give them any time to formulate a defence."

"By the way," Herbie said, "you might want to give your Bonded and his confidant some sort of warning before all this shit goes down. They're in the common room with the rest of their year, finishing up their homework. I'm surprised Harry's been able to pick up Ancient Runes and Arithmancy at the rate he's been." He waggled his eyebrows playfully at Cedric. "One has to wonder about the kind of motivation you give him during your private tutoring sessions…you do know he's only thirteen, right?"

"Merlin, Herbie!" Cedric laughed, his cheeks smarting, and shoved the other boy away. "Well then, you coming?"

Herbie smiled. "I'll be along in a bit; there's something I have to do first."

The blond grinned, open and guileless, as he traipsed down the corridor towards the Hufflepuff Common Room.

Once he was gone, Herbie let the smile dwindle from his face, and turned to face the shadowed alcove opposite. "What do you want?" he snapped scathingly. "Me to drop to my knees in thanks?"

The various wards and concealment charms about the alcove unwove with a deft hand, and his twin stepped out with a rueful look on his face. "I should have known you'd be able to sense me, regardless."

Herbie turned his head aside. "Don't use that line with me. It won't work."

"Herbert, please." His brother's voice was soft, and pleading.

It only infuriated the Hufflepuff even more. "You took my parents from me, my family, my heritage! I can't even breathe if I don't take all six potions a day!"

"I didn't know it'd turn out to be this way," his twin begged. He was moving closer and closer, till they were barely a hair's breadth apart.

Herbie swallowed tightly. "And now, what? You want to take my parents from me again? Like this?" He gestured in what little space there was left between them.

His brother's form crumpled, and he dropped his brow against Herbie's shoulder. The Hufflepuff stiffened, but didn't pull away.

"Merlin, Herbert…I didn't…I just…I love you so much, and I thought- if we weren't brothers- it just might work-"

"Bloody Gryffindor," he snarled, although he stayed right where he was. "Never thought a thing through in your life." As much as he hated to admit it, he had no wish to see his brother cowed like this.

Bernard didn't deny it. "I love you," he whispered again instead.

Herbie didn't say anything, but he didn't have to.

They both knew it.

Under the anger, under the hate, Herbert had never quite loved someone like Bernard, nor would he ever again.

So that's the big secret of the Fleet twins. Review! And tell me if it was worth the wait (o: