Chapter Three

A New Beginning

Cedric sighed as he flopped down on his bed for what seemed like the millionth time in the last two weeks. It was still a month before the new term started at Hogwarts and he had done everything a seventeen year old wizard could do. He had finished his make up work from being in the hospital wing the last two weeks of his sixth year, his summer homework, he had even gotten his wizarding license. Now though his parents had gone to visit some old friends and had left him home alone for the first time since end of the term, at first Cedric had liked the quite but as the first week had come to an end he began to run out of things to do. Now, as much as he hated to admit it, he was down right bored.

A screeching sound from the window drew his attention. He turned his head on his pillow not even bothering to sit up and saw his owl waiting by his window, pecking at it, trying to get in. Cedric smiled, and pushed himself off the bed, and walked over to the widow, unlocking it he pushed it open and let the bird fly in. It swooped in, and landed on his bed, dropping what was in its beak on the bed.

"Hey Sophina, did you find someone?" Cedric asked as he sat down next to his owl happy to have her home. It was then that he saw the note lying on his bed, "Oh, you did have something."

Cedric smiled and picked up the note and slowly opened it, then read it:

Cedric,

Just wanted to let you know I was still alive, I saw Sophina flying around my house so I assumed she was looking for at least one of us. Smart owl by the way.

Sorry I haven't been writing as much as I said I would, it's hard to get post to the wizarding world when you are born a muggle. Have you heard from Harry or Ron? I haven't, I'm not worried about Ron, because, Ron, is well…Ron. But I am a little worried about Harry, its not like him to go this long without sending something, I'm sure he's okay though, just got busy right…right.

I hope your summer is going well, minds boring as usually, got all your homework done? I did mine in the first two weeks of the break; I need to learn to pase myself.

Are you ready for your seventh year? I know I'm ready for my fifth, the only thing I'm worried about is passing my O.W.L.s but maybe you can help me with that when we get back to school, maybe show me which books are better to use? That would be really nice to know.

Anyway, I hope all is going well for you, Can't wait for school to start, see you then.

Hermione.

Cedric smiled, he should have known if any of them were going to write him it was going to be Hermione. He couldn't believe how close he had gotten to the three four years in just the last two weeks of school. But now, it was like they had all been friends forever.

Cedric walked over to his desk and pulled out a blank piece of paper, he sat down and began writing a reply:

Hermione,

It was so good to hear from you, I was starting to think you guys had forgotten about me. Don't worry, I understand that you can't write everyday or every month for that matter, I bet it would be hard to get post to the wizarding world from you position.

Yes, I finished my homework a month ago, I agree, pasing myself is a good idea. As you can tell by now, I haven't heard from Harry or Ron, I'm halfway tempted to go to London to make sure Harry's okay, I can now you know, I have my wizarding license.

I am actually quite bored at the moment, my parents are away for the rest of the week so its been pretty quiet here, which is not bad but it does get a little boring after a while.

Sure, I would be happy to help you with your O.W.L.s they're not to hard, as long as you pay attention in class and do the assigned physical work, you'll do fine.

As for being ready for my seventh year, I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be, but after last term I don't think anything can top it.

Anyway, it was good to hear from you, I hope your summer isn't too boring, see soon.

Cedric

Cedric sighed, then folded the paper, wrote, Hermione on it in big letters and called Sophina to him, "You ready to make another run girl?" He asked the bird and she hooted in response.

Cedric walked back over to the window and sent her on her way. As he watched her go, he sighed again and ran a hand through his hair, his fingers lingering on his scar momentarily then he turned and walked back to his bed. It worried him too that Harry hadn't sent anything to Hermione, he could see himself not getting anything, maybe even Ron, but Hermione? He knew he shouldn't have even been thinking about what he was thinking about doing, and that his parents would kill him themselves if they found out he left the house but his eyes began to drift towards his fire bolt that stood in the corner.

………………………………

Harry stood still, his wand at his cousin's throat, then the sunlight disappeared and dark clouds started to form heading towards the small group, making the other boys gasp.

"What are you doing?" Dudley asked stammering with fear.

"I'm not doing anything!" Harry yelled lowering his wand and looking to the sky.

"Dudley, we're out of here!" Dudley's friends yelled and ran the other direction.

Harry watched the sky for a minute, then he saw that it wasn't just clouds he was looking at, "Run, Dudley, now, run!"

The two boys ran down the dirt road as the rain started to fall in sheets, they ended up in the sewer tunnels underneath the main road through the neighborhood. That was when they caught up to them, the dementors were on them. One on Dudley, stunning the boy, and then the other began attacking Harry.

Everything was going black for Harry, but he was trying to reach his wand, if he could just pull it out of his pocket. Just as he got his hand around the tip of his wand he heard someone else's voice.

"Expecto Patronum!" the voice yelled.

Then just as quickly as the blackness had started for Harry, it was gone, and he fell to the ground. He pushed himself up in time to see whoever it was who had saved him turn the spell onto the other dementor, sending it out of the tunnel leaving Dudley on the ground.

Harry sighed in relief, pushed himself off the ground and began to put his half pulled out wand back into his pocket.

"Don't put you wand away Harry," the voice said then turned face Harry, who's mouth dropped open when he saw who it was.

"Cedric?" Harry asked a little surprised to see his friend.

Cedric gave Harry a small smile, then said, "Come on, we have to get out of here, they might come back."

Harry readily agreed and helped Cedric pick up his cousin as they slowly made their way back to the road.