Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: Hey everyone. I hope you all had a good holiday despite the sheer insanity this year has brought us. Let us all hope for a better 2021, yeah?

Wow, thank you so much for all your support. I'm so relieved about the comments I have received saying that it's perfectly fine if I leave Susan living with Amelia. You guys are all wonderful.

I'm so glad you all are liking the story. I'm also glad that you like my Sirius. I have always loved him, and I think that in canon he was never really given the chance to heal after Azkaban. He and Harry's time together was awfully limited as well, which I always found so sad. There's so much potential for their relationship, and I really hope you continue to enjoy where I take them.

This scene was interesting to write, and I hope it's original. Sure, I have written Cedric Diggory's funeral before, both from the point of view of Cho Chang and Harry Potter. But this version of it is from someone different, and someone that will play more of a role in the plot later on. I'm doing this scene from her point of view because she will be so important to the fic as a whole. This is something I haven't seen in a fic yet, and I love having original ideas.

This chapter will be sad, but I hope you also find it interesting.

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Eileen Diggory let out a grief-stricken, weary sigh as she and her husband, Amos, stood by Cedric's coffin, each of them holding one of their son's hands. There was no color in his face, but he still looked incredibly handsome, even now. Amos would always joke, "My son takes after me in the looks department," which caused Eileen to swat him on the arm, telling him to not be so conceited.

But there was no levity in either of their faces now as they stood over their son. Never did they think the day would come when they would have to say goodbye, when they'd have to prepare their seventeen-year-old son for burial. He was supposed to outlive them, to go on and live a happy life, and be content however he chose to live it. This felt entirely wrong, that things had worked out like this.

It was now just over a week since Cedric had been taken from them, and Eileen honestly didn't know how she'd gotten through it. She kept a strong, stoic front as she and Amos made funeral arrangements; the coffin, the flowers, the invitations, where he would be buried ... it all swirled around her in an endless loop of grief and sadness. She would have moments where she felt incredibly strong, knowing that to be anything else was not what her son would have wanted. But at other times, she'd collapse into tears, trusting Amos to hold her up, to be strong for her like she had tried to be for him during his worst moments. She'd never forget the wild, desperate cries that tore from his throat when they had first come upon their son's lifeless body.

Eileen also knew that Amos was suffering from excruciating guilt. Over the years, he had pressured Cedric to work hard and make him proud. He always made the mistake of comparing Cedric to others, and there had been times when Eileen had been so furious with him for this. She saw what it had done to Cedric, how it had made him so stressed and anxious, and she despised it. She also knew that Amos's pressure was the primary reason he had entered the Triwizard Tournament in the first place.

But, Merlin, she couldn't be angry with her husband now. It was plain to see that he regretted every harsh word he'd ever said to Cedric, that he would do anything to take it all back. It was hard to think that anyone was taking Cedric's death worse than she was, yet her husband was on the verge of falling apart completely. Eileen hoped with all her heart that they would be able to get through this terrible time, that they could lean on each other for love, strength, and support.

The outpouring of condolences and warm wishes from so many had stunned her. She had known, of course, that her son was dearly loved, that he had been a beacon of light through Hogwarts and that he had been considered a role model. Ever since the Yule Ball, he'd also been involved with a girl, one that Eileen and Amos knew was special considering how Ced always talked about her. Eileen knew Cedric was growing up, but finding out he had a girlfriend was one of those huge milestones she hadn't really thought about until it happened. And now, all the happiness had been taken out of it, because as she and Amos watched, the girl came walking towards the coffin, one of her parents on either side of her. Her face was red and blotchy, and her eyes were streaming tears as Eileen held out her arms to her.

"I am so sorry, Cho," she whispered, and she meant it with all her heart. It couldn't have been more obvious that the girl had loved her son. She hadn't asked Cedric exactly how serious they were, but judging from the hints he dropped, and from the sheer magnitude of Cho's grief, it certainly seemed as though the relationship had been solid.

"I'm sorry, too," Cho whispered through her tears, and she embraced Amos as well. She then reached into her pocket, pulling out a picture of her and Cedric. In it, they were both smiling, the love they held for each other practically radiating from their eyes. They both looked so ... alive, and it was so heartbreaking and painful, yet reassuring to see that Cedric had had these wonderful moments. Cho gently touched Cedric's cold hand, putting the picture in it. She bent over towards Cedric, giving him one last kiss. "I love you," she whispered.

As Cho's parents began to gently guide her away from Cedric's body and towards the pews where everyone would be sitting for the service, Eileen said one last thing to the devastated girl. "He loved you, too," she said softly. "Never forget that. Let his memory guide you onward. He would want you to move on, sweetie. Remember him, but move on."

Cho managed a watery smile through the tears that still flowed. "I know," she said quietly. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Diggory."

"You're welcome," Amos said, his voice rough with emotion.

Through the minutes that followed, Amos and Eileen had many such meetings. There seemed to be an endless stream of people that came over to them to give their condolences, to drop little trinkets in Cedric's coffin, to take one last look at him. Eileen and Amos observed the moods of everyone, and as time passed, they didn't like what they were seeing at all.

There were several people, like Cho, who didn't mention Harry Potter in any of this. Eileen was deeply grateful for this; today was about Cedric, after all, not about hurling accusations at an innocent child who had wanted to do nothing more than save him. She'd never forget their encounter in the hospital wing the day after; it killed her to think that a fourteen-year-old boy had taken this burden onto his shoulders. Her heart had literally broken when she'd heard Harry's promise to her son that he would keep fighting for him, that he would never forget. She hoped, beyond anything else, that Harry would listen to the advice she had given him. "Don't waste away in guilt, Harry. My son wouldn't want that." And she knew this to be true.

Unfortunately, as she and Amos came to see, there were many people at this funeral who were not like Cho Chang at all. Yes, they were stricken over Cedric's murder, but they thought of Harry as the murderer. She wanted to do nothing more than tell those fools to leave the church and never return, that it was an insult to Cedric's memory to be acting the way they were. Cedric had regarded Harry with compassion; on the day of the Third Task, he'd said to his parents, "The poor bloke never wanted to be in this competition. Dunno who put his name in the Goblet of Fire, but I swear it wasn't him. So many people in the school think he cheated."

And now, so many people in the school think he murdered our son, Eileen thought with both sadness and rage roiling through her system. This is so awful. Can't they allow Ced to rest in peace without stewing in their conspiracy theories?

Eileen took Cedric's hand again, looking into his face. She was relieved that during the funeral preparations, his face had been changed by the people in charge of the dead. It now looked peaceful instead of terrified, and she couldn't be more glad for it. It had been hard enough seeing that awful expression he had worn in his last moments, fixed on the handsome features she loved so dearly. Now, at least, she could try to pretend that he hadn't been taken from the world in such a brutal fashion. Yes, the Killing Curse was said to be painless, and Merlin knew, she was infinitely relieved that her son hadn't suffered any agony before he was ripped from his body. But there was still something shocking about the suddenness of how the Avada Kedavra worked, and it was no surprise that Cedric had been scared.

And that fear that had been displayed on his face was a perfect representation of the fear that held the wizarding world in its clutches now, Eileen thought sadly as yet another of Cedric's friends strode over to the coffin. She recognized him as one of his roommates, Malcolm, who she had met just eight days ago, the day of the Third Task.

Malcolm looked down into the coffin, his expression both stricken and angry. "I would like to extend my condolences to you both," he said formally to the Diggorys, shaking their hands. "And I hope that soon, justice will come for Potter. He should be locked up in Azkaban."

Eileen bit her tongue, hard, and she saw that beside her, Amos was doing the same. This was no place to cause a scene - no, not by their son's coffin. But, Merlin, this had to stop. In a way, Eileen understood the need of so many to find an alternate explanation, one that didn't involve the return of a wizard who had been dead for thirteen years. Eileen and Amos both remembered the days of the war; she'd given birth to Cedric during it, after all. Those had been dark days, and no one wanted them to return.

But there had been signs over the past several years that things were not as they should be. What had happened at the Quidditch World Cup had brought her back to those days, and something in her gut told her that history was beginning to repeat itself.

And now, it had, and her precious little boy had been the first casualty. And Harry ... her heart ached for him. Thank Merlin he was in hiding now. When word had gotten around about the Aurors' arrival at Hogwarts and their sheer lunacy when it came to questioning Harry, Eileen and Amos had been enraged. But then, Harry had mysteriously been taken away from the school before the Aurors could get to him. As she and Amos finally left Cedric's side and sat in their seats for his service, she wondered how he was doing. I hope he's being looked after, and being helped to heal, she thought. Harry doesn't deserve the vitriol that's being heaped on him now.

Cedric's service was heartbreaking. Hymns were sung, and people got up to speak about how their lives had been touched by him. Eileen clasped Amos's hand; he was shaking beside her, his face gray. He looked like he would collapse any moment now. Eileen couldn't keep track of how many tissues she used during the service; the tears seemed to be endless.

At one point, she looked out over the church, her gaze landing on several of the staff at Hogwarts. Since the term had ended the day before, there were a fair amount of them in attendance. Pomona Sprout, Cedric's Head of House, was there, along with Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, and several others. Albus Dumbledore, however, was not, and for the first time that day, Eileen felt a feeling she knew might be irrational, but she didn't care.

The truth of the matter was, she resented Albus for all of this. Since he'd been taken to the Ministry for questioning, no one had found out much information about how the interrogation was going. Eileen was honestly surprised he hadn't found some way to escape the Ministry's clutches by now. The man always seemed to have something up his sleeve, so why was he cooperating now? Did he finally see that there was no way of escaping his responsibilities about all of this?

Eileen, remember your own words, she thought to herself as the reverend of the church led the funeral attendees in another hymn. You don't think it's right that others blame Harry. Therefore, you shouldn't be blaming Dumbledore. It's not fair.

But Harry is a fourteen-year-old boy, another part of her mind argued. And Dumbledore is a grown man who should have been watching his staff members better. Your son is dead because he wasn't watching closely enough.

Forcefully, she put all these thoughts away. It's about Cedric today, she told herself sternly. It's about laying him to rest. All these other details can be thought about later.

All too soon, it was time for the burial. Eileen's shattered heart still seemed to find a way to pound within her chest as Amos took her hand, and everyone went outside to the cemetery.

Eileen held Amos close as they reached the hole where Cedric would lie. The reverend spoke some last words about him, and the coffin was slowly placed inside the hole. The only sounds that permeated the cemetery now were the sobs of those that had loved Cedric. She looked around, seeing Cho in the arms of her mother. The girl had buried her face in the older woman's robes, unable to watch the sight of the coffin of the boy she loved being lowered into the ground. Eileen couldn't blame her in the slightest - she wanted to bury her own face in Amos's robes and wish this was all some twisted, sick nightmare.

But she couldn't. She needed to say goodbye, to make him a promise. "I love you, darling," she whispered, her eyes on the coffin. "I promise, Cedric, I will do what I know you would want me to. I will always keep your memory alive within me. Goodbye my handsome, gorgeous, beautiful angel."

And with that, the coffin was lowered, disappearing out of sight. An agonized cry left the lips of the man beside her, and Eileen struggled to hold her husband upright.

The next few minutes were a complete blur to Eileen. This awful, horrific ritual was not over yet - it was now time to throw dirt on top of the coffin. Looking back, she could barely remember partaking in it. All she knew was that the next thing she remembered was sitting in an armchair at her home, while many of the funeral attendees shared recollections of Cedric and ate dishes of food that had been prepared for the occasion.

As the afternoon and evening wore on, clarity returned to her. She once again began to observe the moods of the people around her, and she saw to her dismay that the speculations over Harry Potter were being discussed more frequently now. Now that the service and the burial were over, more of the guests felt it was okay to speak about what would happen next.

And Eileen made it her mission to stay away from it all. Instead, she and Amos remembered their son, the joy and light of their lives. There were pictures of him all around the house, each one when he was a different age. There was one of him at eleven on his first day at Hogwarts; she'd never forget taking him to King's Cross. "My boy," Amos had said as he squeezed him tight. "It's my boy's first year at Hogwarts." Cedric's cheeks had flushed in embarrassment, and he'd whined for Amos to let him go. "I'll miss the train, Dad!" he'd eventually said. "You want me to miss my first year?"

Those memories brought a bittersweet smile to Eileen's face. They'd had so many good times. So many. Her heart's deepest desire thrummed within her bones - if only the world wasn't inflicted with such cruelty. There could have been so many more good times.

xxx

It was late in the evening now, and Eileen and Amos sat in their living room. All the guests had finally gone, and the day was over. She knew it would be the hardest day that either of them would ever face.

The couple sat, holding hands and lost in their thoughts, trying to draw strength from one another. They had been silent for a long time, images of the day's events haunting them.

But the silence was suddenly broken by the hooting of an owl, which flew in through the living room window. It was a white, snowy owl, a beautiful one which Eileen couldn't help but marvel at.

"Whose owl is that?" Amos asked as he stood up, retrieving the piece of parchment from the owl's leg.

"I don't know," Eileen replied. "But whoever it belongs to, it's gorgeous."

Amos handed the parchment to Eileen. "You read it," he told her quietly.

And so, Eileen did. She thought she'd run out of tears, but as she read the message on the parchment, she realized she was dead wrong. There were still many more to shed.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Diggory,

Because of everything that's happened, I don't know when Cedric's funeral is, but I'm really sorry I can't be there. I'm just writing to let you know that I'm safe. I'm being taken good care of, and I wanted to thank you so much for your understanding. I am so sorry about Cedric, and you are in my thoughts.

Sincerely,

Harry Potter

Her hand shaking and tears pouring from her eyes, Eileen handed the parchment to Amos. After he had finished reading, he was in the same state as she was.

"That poor, dear boy," Eileen choked out. "He's in hiding, because the wizarding world wants his blood. And yet, he's apologizing for not attending our son's funeral. I ... I don't believe this. That boy has been through so much, and yet he thought to write to us."

"That boy is one of a kind," Amos agreed, wiping his eyes. His face, for the first time that day, grew fierce with purpose. "We need to help him," he said with conviction. "I don't know how long he'll stay in hiding, but something is eventually going to happen. It might be in a week, or in several months. I have no idea. But Eileen, I can feel it."

"I can, too," Eileen whispered as she struggled for emotional control. Our letter back to Harry isn't going to have tearstains on it, she promised herself. "And no matter what happens, we will be there for him. You have no idea how many times I wanted to let loose at the funeral today, and say that anyone who believes in Harry's guilt in all this should never darken our doorstep again."

"I think I do have an idea," Amos said quietly. "I wanted to do the same."

Eileen sighed, having finally maintained her equalibrium. "We're not going to let it stand," she said, and there was power and authority in her voice. "We're going to help him."

Amos put his arm around Eileen, letting out a sigh as well. "Yes," he agreed. "We are."