Chapter 99: Shine a Light
Harry straightened his robes as he stared into the mirror, thinking about all that happened over the last week.
Amelia sent him a message to let him know that the Great Alliance was forming nicely with the Patils, Abbotts and Blustrodes joining, as well as Lavander's mother. The Lovegoods were in as well, Luna told him.
"Daddy is excited," Luna beamed. "He's hoping we can end the Ministry's Rotfang Conspiracy once and for all. He doesn't have a seat on the Wizengamot but he's ready to use The Quibbler to disseminate the truth since the Daily Prophet isn't always known to do that."
Harry chuckled at Luna's eagerness to expose the ministry and end the endless cycle of bribery, bigotry and corruption running rampant through it. Amelia told him Skeeter had also joined the Alliance, though not willingly. Amelia wouldn't go into specifics but she had leveraged Skeeter into becoming their spy, to hear what the others might be saying. Her methods for keeping her true to her word weren't revealed, though the group of kids had some fun theorizing.
As Harry straightened his tie, he thought about life at Hogwarts. Since he came back, he felt the eyes of the student population on his back. Even after the Prophet printed a retraction on the front page of their most recent article, the damage was done. Half the population seemed to look at him as something to study and the other half as something repugnant. Occasionally, he could see students psyching themselves up to approach him; as if there was something they were working up the courage to say something. Most times they moved away without asking anything but sometimes they would approach. Usually, they asked what happened the night Cedric died but sometimes they asked him if he was doing okay, which was almost worse because he was pretty far from okay. The one exception to this was Colin.
"War is coming, isn't it?" Colin asked as he found Harry staring off onto the horizon, something he did often now. "And Cedric was the first casualty."
"Yes," Harry said without looking at him.
"More of the same, picking up where they left off 15 years ago?" Colin asked even though he knew the answer.
"Yup," Harry replied.
"Guess there's only one thing to do now," Colin said and Harry finally turned away from the view. "Finish the fight. For good. They still think they can do whatever they want, that magic is might. We'll prove them wrong. I know they'll target you first and others like me second. In the meantime, they'll resume attacking muggles and what they call mudbloods. Just because they think it's fun. This time, they won't find it so easy. I promise you we'll fight back. They think it'll be easy but they're wrong. We're stronger than last time, better equipped than last time and it's because of Cedric and because of you.
"And I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they try to come after us."
"Thank you, Colin," Harry said. "I needed to hear that. Thank you."
"You ready?" Neville broke him out of his reverie. Adorned in his finest jet-black dress robes, with his hair braided behind him, Neville cut a stunning picture. It was no wonder the girls around the castle checked him out wherever he went.
"I guess," Harry said. Behind them, the other three boys were doing the same. Bells started to ring throughout the castle and the five boys exited their dorm and headed down the staircase.
En masse, the rest of the students of Gryffindor marched down the steps, a sea of black standing stark against the Gryffindor colors of the tower. At the bottom of the stairs, the boys fell into line with the girls forming their own line next to them. Hermione fell into step next to Harry and grabbed his hand, her eyes full of sorrow.
The portrait hole opened and McGonagall stood in the opening, ready to escort them down. She was also dressed in black robes sans her usual tartan. She turned on her heel and led the students down the stairwell. As the students followed, the inhabitants of the portraits followed, leaving empty frames in their wake.
On the third floor, the Ravenclaws formed up alongside them with Flitwick in the lead dressed in resplendent armor, in honor of his goblin heritage. At the bottom of the steps, Snape and Sprout led their respective houses into the Great Hall, as the representatives of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang marched in from the courtyard. In place of Karkaroff, Krum led his schoolmates into the hall.
The Great Hall was cold and dour. Even the floating candles seemed to dim their light for the occasion. The house tables were gone with individual chairs in their place with several adults filling the first row. At the head of the Great Hall was a black casket with the Hufflepuff flag over the top. In front of it stood Dumbledore in black robes with an embroidered silver Phoenix along his shoulders and chest. Fawkes perched himself on the headmaster's shoulder as the man looked every bit his age. Every line on his face stood without his usual smile or the twinkles in his eyes.
Harry flinched at the sight of him, still unsure what to make of his feelings for the man. Despite everything he had done to redeem himself, he still kept vital information from Harry. Dumbledore tried a few times to speak with Harry but Harry wasn't ready to talk to the man. Harry still found himself adjusting to life without another soul leeching off his magic. He never realized just how often he had headaches and while he still needed glasses, he certainly felt like a pressure eased on his skull. He hadn't even tried casting magic for fear of overpowering even the most basic spells.
As they sat, Hermione grabbed Harry's hand. Next to her, Fay sobbed openly. Dean sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her. Nobody else had much help getting through to her but Dean was able to. For that, Harry was grateful as her sorrow just made him feel guiltier.
"Welcome all," Dumbledore said. "We are assembled today to pay our final respects to Cedric Diggory."
Silence hung in the air, thick and heavy like a dense fog.
"Cedric was a kind, helpful soul who was a friend to all. He was a credit to his house and a shining example of this great institution. The world is a darker place without him in it."
Dumbledore swallowed heavily and continued speaking.
"I have long talked about death being the 'next great adventure.' I do not feel this today. Cedric Diggory was a man with his whole life ahead of him. He was a bright mind and a kind soul. His death is a tragedy and he will be missed. The castle feels emptier without his smile, his laughter and his kind heart, that is for sure."
Fay burrowed deep into Dean as tears ran freely down her cheeks.
"Is there anyone else who would like to say something about Cedric?"
Roger Davies was the first to stand. He walked to the front of the Hall and laid a hand on the casket.
"I met Cedric on the train our first year," Roger said. "We both wanted to get into Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff respectively. What followed was a hearty debate over which house is better. We were sorted one after the other and we both got what we wanted. However, after Diggory got sorted into the house of the badgers, he came up to me and said 'now we'll prove which one is better. I look forward to you proving me wrong.'
"That's the kind of person Cedric was. He was always building everyone up, helping them become better versions of themselves. Cedric was competitive but he wanted to face the other person at their best. I remember one year, we were competing for top of the year in Charms. It was neck-and-neck but when it came time for our final essay, I was stumped. I couldn't figure out what Professor Flitwick was asking of us. Cedric sat down across from me in the library and talked me through the problem. With his help, I finished the essay and I even beat him for the top spot. When the results came out, Cedric was the first to congratulate me and told me he'd be the top student next year... and he was right. We competed against one another in every possible way. We even were competing for Head Boy next year. I was ready to lose that bet and I graciously would pay up."
Roger turned back to the casket.
"Thank you for the memories, Cedric," Roger said as he laid a hand on the casket. "I'll make it a point to live my life the way you did."
As Roger spoke, Harry toyed with his conflicting emotions. He wanted to speak butfelt a heavy force pressing him into his seat. Once Roger resumed his seat, the air in the hall was dense and solemn. Finally, Harry willed himself out of his seat. He could feel all the eyes on him as he walked along the aisle up to the front. The casket loomed in front of his eyes. Quickly, he turned around and faced the throng. He spared Cedric's parents a look as they sat in the front row.
"When I was growing up," Harry began, glad his voice sounded strong. "I wondered what it would be like to have a brother. Someone who could teach me; someone to protect me; someone I could talk to when the world got too heavy. I would curl up and try to sleep. When sleep would evade me, my wish for a brother grew. It was foolish, I know but that's all that I wanted.
"I'd like to think if I had an older brother, he would have been like Cedric. Cedric was the best of friends, a mentor who helped me in Quidditch and in classes and above all, he was loyal and true.
"Cedric was the driving force to the DA which has helped more students fulfill their dreams after school. He helped a number of Hufflepuffs in whatever classes they needed help in and helped me become a better Seeker.
"He left a mark on everyone he came into contact with and he came into contact with a lot of people. I keep expecting to come into the Great Hall and see him in the middle of the Hufflepuff table with members of his own house gathered around him. He will be missed, certainly by me. He was Hogwarts' Champion long before the tournament ever began. To the Real Hogwarts Champion: Cedric Diggory."
The students echoed Cedric's name. Harry drew his wand, remembering the last Quidditch game the two played.
"Expecto Patronum," Harry spoke softly, his first spell in a week. A bright light, flowing like liquid glass, came from his wand. It coalesced into the usual form of a stag. The stag walked toward Cedric's casket, knelt down and bowed its antlered head. "Thank you for all the memories, Cedric."
With the hall bathed in the brilliant light of Harry's Patronus, the members of the DA, starting with Susan, stood and cast their Patroni. The animals all approached Cedric's casket and bowed. Harry noticed each Patronus gained the special glow from Harry's as they did. Harry smiled sadly as Hermiones Otter settled on top of the antlers of Harry's stag.
"Thank you, Harry," Dumbledore laid his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Cedric Diggory will be missed. He was a light in this world and in this school. However, you all carry some of that light within you. As long as you remember him, his spirit will never truly be gone."
Silence hung in the hall as the Patroni faded. When all that remained were the torches and Harry retook his seat, Dumbledore spoke again
"Now, it is time. If you all will stand as Cedric departs this school for the last time. He deserved a far grander, more joyous exit but Hogwarts will always remember the Hufflepuff who represented his house the way Helga herself would have wanted.
Cedric's casket levitated off the dais and Cedric's parents hobbled behind it, each leaning on the other to keep from collapsing. Dumbledore and Professor Sprout walked behind them, pulling the students along in their wake. Harry walked, barely aware of his feet moving, the rest of his mind, body and soul felt numb.
Harry watched as the casket drifted into the Entry Hall and out the front doors where a Thestral-drawn carriage awaited to take him away for the last time. Harry walked to the end of the courtyard and followed the path of the carriage. Hermione stood next to him, saying nothing but silently giving her support as Neville towered over them from behind.
"Cedric vas a good man," Viktor said as he walked up next to Harry. "I vill miss him."
"Oui," Fleur said from Hermione's other side. "Such a tragedy and I know it won't be the last."
"Ve're not stupid," Krum said. "I vas imperiused, Fleur vas attacked. Karkaroff, a known former Death Eater, has fled."
"Rumors are ze Dark Lord has returned…" Fleur let the question remain unasked. Slowly, Harry nodded.
"He has," Harry said as Hermione gripped his hand tighter. "I was entered into the tournament so they could kidnap me and use me in a ritual. It worked and he is indeed back. Lucius Malfoy killed Cedric before we could escape."
"In the back, probably," Krum spat. "Vell if this is to be, ve vill not let them win. If you need us, ve vill help however ve can."
"I'll be back here shortly," Fleur said. "Gringotts formally offered me a position. We will see one another soon, no? I 'eard about your alliance and, while we do not 'ave any presence 'ere, I will talk to papa. Zis Dark Lord, 'e did not keep the violence contained to zis island. It spilled into Ireland and France. Both still bear scars and remember the war. Papa won't let that 'appen again."
"Thank you," Harry said. "Both of you. I don't know what the next move is. However, I know he wants to recruit giants."
"Zen he will 'ave a 'ard time bringing them through France," Fleur stated. "I will let papa know. Zhank you, Harry. You are a good man and you're not facing this alone, nor should you zhink to."
"Your strength is vith the allies and friends you have," Viktor grasped Harry's shoulders tightly. "Do not forget that."
"If he does, I'll remind him," Hermione said. "In a way, he won't possibly forget it again."
"Thank you," Harry turned his head from one side to the next before resuming his vigil as the carriage disappeared toward the gates.
(A/N: I didn't expect my hiatus to last a month but I am back. Thank you to all the messages and comments I received, asking for this story to resume. I am back and I have at least the next few chapters planned out. Until next time)
